Dharamsala, March 6: An International Forum on “Human Rights in China and 2008 Olympics” recently concluded in Taiwan called for international boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Over 100 political figures and human rights activists from 12 countries, including Tibet took part in the forum to deliberate on how to motivate global powers to boycott the Beijing Olympics.
The opening ceremony of the “International Forum: Human Rights in China and 2008 Olympics” at Taipei’s Grand Hyatt Hotel began on February 21 with Taiwan president Chen Shuibian issuing a congratulatory letter.
The conference commenced with keynote speeches from David Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific, and Australian senator Andrew Bartlett.
Live speakers at the forum included Mr. Shieh Jhy-wey, Minister of the Government Information Office (GIO) and Mr. Tung Chen-yuan, vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). In addition, Edward McMillan-Scott, vice-president of the European Parliament, and Mr. Dana Rohrabacher, a U.S. Congressman, delivered videotaped presentations to call upon the world to pay attention to China’s human rights record.
Mr. Dhondup Dorjee, Vice President of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) was invited among other panelists to speak on the “Human Rights situation in China under Communist Ruling”.
In his presentation on “Human Rights Situation inside Tibet under Chinese Colonial rule” Mr Dhondup briefly highlighted the historical background of TYC and Tibetan People’s Struggle for Independence and the worsening human rights conditions inside Tibet.
“The Tibet issue is not just an issue of Human Rights, It is an issue of a historically Independent Nation which was forcefully occupied and is still under colonial rule, the fundamental reason why the Tibetans and Chinese failed to live together is nothing but Tibetans and Chinese are from different Civilizations,” Mr Dhondup told the conference.
His presentation detailed the atrocities committed by Chinese Communist Party on Tibetans since its brutal and forceful occupation of Tibet in 1949. Mr Dhondup also highlighted the disparaging impact and consequences of Great Leap Forward Movement, Cultural Revolution, Marshal Law in 1989, Strike Hard Campaigns and Patriotic Re-Education Campaigns have had on Tibetan people. In his presentation, he noted rapid Demographic transformation policy further accelerated by the newly built railway networks inside Tibet and the religious regulations issued by the China’s State Administration of Religious Affairs on Management Measures for the Reincarnation of ‘Living Buddhas’ in Tibetan Buddhism as being cause of serious concerns for Tibetans.
“The main objective of the forum was to join the international forces and strengthen the call that the Chinese Communist Regime is not qualified to hold the 2008 Olympics,” Mr Dhondup said. “The forum witnessed prominent politicians, lawyers, Academicians, NGO’s, Activists and etc from America, Asia, Australia, and Europe who actively took part in exploring and assessing the impact of China’s abysmal human rights record as the host of the 2008 Olympics,” he added.
Accordingly the conference issued a joint statement on the last day calling for an International Boycott of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
The Forum, which concluded on February 23, was organized by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG), in conjunction with its Co-Organizers the Taiwan Cultural Foundation, Human Rights without Frontiers and The International Society for Human Rights.
The TYC leader also had series of meetings with various influential groups and individuals, including Youth Leaders of Taiwan, Independence Activists of Taiwan, Scholars, Politicians, representatives of Tibet Support Groups in Taiwan. He also had several discussions with Mr Chime Dorjee, President of the Regional TYC, Taiwan, on possibilities to organize more effective political activities in near future by the regional chapter and Centrex.
