30 November 2013

Dear Prime Minister

On the eve of your first visit to China as Prime Minister, I am writing to you on behalf of a global network of almost 200 Tibet-related non-governmental organisations to express our profound concerns about the dire situation in Tibet. We urge you to take this important opportunity to raise Tibet in the strongest possible terms with Xi Jinping and other Chinese Communist Party leaders.

In their first year of leadership, Xi Jinping and his colleagues have shown no sign of changing course in Tibet, continuing down the same failed path as previous generations, implementing a harsh military crackdown, which – far from bringing about the stability they seek – serves to exacerbate Tibetan grievances and create widespread resistance. The severe and worsening crackdown in Tibet has provoked an unprecedented wave of self-immolation protests by Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople; at least 123 confirmed since 2009. No fewer than 100 of these protesters have died including a young monk, Tsering Gyal, who set himself on fire and died on 11 November 2013.

Furthermore the Chinese authorities have introduced an aggressive and formalised drive to criminalise self-immolations in Tibet, involving harsh sentencing and torture for those suspected of involvement. One such case is that of Dolma Kyab (Chinese transliteration: Drolma Gya) who was sentenced to death on 16 August 2013 for “homicide”, accused of “killing his wife and burning her body to make it look as if she had self-immolated” (Xinhua). Foreign Secretary William Hague recently called upon the Chinese government to commute the death sentence and we urge you to follow up on this call by raising Dolma Kyab’s when in Beijing, and emphasise the Foreign Secretary’s affirmation that, “all trials should be free and fair and in line with international standards.”

International Tibet Network welcomed the British Government’s strong expression of concern about the human rights situation in Tibet during the recent Universal Periodic Review of China, and urge that you use your visit to China as an opportunity to follow up this concern. Beijing must not be permitted to succeed in suppressing world leaders’ desire to find a solution to the situation in Tibet. As the Foreign Secretary said in UK parliament recently, “we should always be clear in the United Kingdom about our belief in universal human rights and never be afraid to give our advocacy for those rights. That includes relations with China.

Only by instigating healthy, constructive engagement will any progress be made on human and civil rights in China and Tibet. As recently as 19 November, the British government restated that, “We believe that meaningful dialogue is the best way to address and resolve the underlying grievances of the Tibetan communities, and we urge all parties to restart talks as soon as possible.” We call on you to use the opportunity of your visit to China to make a strong public statement that emphasises your government’s concerns about the current situation in Tibet, and belief in the need for dialogue to address and resolve the grievances of the Tibetan people.

We further urge you to recommend to senior Chinese leaders that, as a matter of urgency, dates are secured for a visit by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including unfettered access to all Tibetan areas. It is especially important that progress is made on such a visit, given it was a strong theme during China’s recent Universal Periodic Review.

I would also take the opportunity to commend the British government in standing up for the right to meet whomever you choose in the face of China’s increasing pressure on Governments not to support Tibet or His Holiness the Dalai Lama (See 1 below).

Yours sincerely

Alison Reynolds
Executive Director, International Tibet Network

1. Please refer to our letter dated 15 May 2013 in response to China’s pressure for an apology regarding your meeting the Dalai Lama in 2012 – https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7EOzujVM9TxVk5WUnZvOVI1QTA/edit

Signed on behalf of the following International Tibet Network Member Groups:

Western Europe:
Aide aux Refugies Tibetains
Association Dorje
Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet
Association Rencontres Tibetaines – C.S.P.T. Midi-Pyrenees
Associazione Italia-Tibet
Austrian Committee for Tibet
Briancon05 Urgence Tibet
Caisse d’Aide aux Prisonniers Tibetains
Casa del Tibet – Spain
Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)
Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain (Les Lilas)
Corse – Tibet
Eco-Tibet France
EcoTibet Ireland
France-Tibet
Free Tibet
Groupe Non-Violent Louis Lecoin, France
Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal
International Campaign for Tibet Deutschland
International Campaign for Tibet Europe
International Society of Human Rights, Munich Chapter (IGFM)
Jamtse Thundel Association
La Porte du Tibet, Geneva
Les Amis du Tibet – Belgium
Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg
Lions Des Neiges Mont Blance, France
Maison des Himalayas
Maison du Tibet – Tibet Info
Nice Tibet
Nos Amis de l’Himalaya
Objectif Tibet
Passeport Tibetain
Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara
Reseau International des Femmes pour le Tibet
Save Tibet, Austria
Society for Threatened Peoples International
Solidarite Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet – France
Students for a Free Tibet – UK
Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF)
Tibet 59 / 62
Tibet Democratie
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
Tibets Kinder im Exile V.
Tibet Liberte Solidarite
Tibet Libertes, France
Tibet Society, U.K.
Tibet Support Group – Ireland
Tibet Support Group – Netherlands
Tibet Unterstutzung Liechtenstein
Tibetan Association of Germany
Tibetan Community Austria
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibetan Community in Ireland
Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
Tibetan Youth UK
TSG Free Tibet And You
Tsowa-Maintenir la Vie, France
Vrienden Van Tibet
Autodétermination-Tibet 09/31
Tibetan Community of Italy
Tibetaanse-Vlaamse Vriendenkring vzw
Lungta Association Belgium

Northern Europe:
Association of Free Tibet
Friends of Tibet in Finland
Swedish Tibet Committee
The Norwegian Tibet Committee
Tibet Support Committee Denmark
Tibetan Community in Denmark
Tibetan Community Sweden
SFT Denmark

Central & Eastern Europe:
Fair Society o.s.
Friends of Tibet Slovakia
Friends of Tibet Society St. Petersburg, Russia
International Youth Human Rights Group – Human Rights in Tibet
Lithuanian Tibet Culture Foundation
Polish Movement for a Free Tibet
Savet Tibet Foundation
Society for Croatia-Tibet Friendship
Students for a Free Tibet, Poland
The Foundation for Civil Society, Russia
Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)
Tibet Support Association – Hungary
Tibet Support Group – Krasnodar Region, Russia
Tibet Support Group – Romania
Tibet Support Group – Sochi Region, Russia
Tibetan Community in Poland
Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation
TSG – Slovenia
Union Latvija Tibetai (Latvia for Tibet )
Zida Cels, Latvia
Tibetan Association of Slovakia

North America:
Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina
Bay Area Friends of Tibet
Boston Tibet Network
Canada Tibet Committee
Colorado Friends of Tibet
Committee of 100 for Tibet
CTC – Calgary
Dhokam Chushi Gangdruk
International Campaign for Tibet
International Tibet Independence Movement
Los Angeles Friends of Tibet
Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association
San Diego Friends of Tibet
Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
Sierra Friends of Tibet
Snow Lion Foundation
Students for a Free Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet – Canada
The Tibetan Alliance of Chicago
The World Tibet Day Foundation
Tibet Committee of Fairbanks
Tibet Justice Center
Tibetan Association of Ithaca
Tibetan Association of Northern California
Tibetan Association of Philadephia
Tibetan Association of Santa Fe
Tibetan Association of Southern California
Tibetan Cultural Association – Quebec
TIBETmichigan
Tibet Oral History Project
Toronto Tibet Youth Congress
U.S. Tibet Committee
Western Colorado Friends of Tibet
Wisconsin Tibetan Association
United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)

Central and South America:
Amigos del Tibet, El Salvador
Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana *
Asociación Cultural Tibetano – Costarricense
Casa Tibet Mexico
Centro De Cultura Tibetana – Brazil *
Grupo De Apoyo a Tibet Chile *
Grupo Pro-Cultura Tibetana, Chile *
Le Club Francais – Paraguay
Pensando En Tibet – Mexico
Tibet Group-Panama
Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay
Fundación Pro Tibet – Argentina
Friends of Tibet in Costa Rica
World League for Freedom and Democracy

Asia:
Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, India
Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India
Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H. H. the Dalai Lama
Gannasamannay
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet
Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet
India Tibet Friendship Society
Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)
Lung-Ta Project
Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement
National Campaign for Tibetan Support, India
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Raise Tibetan Flag Campaign
Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia
SFT Japan
SFT-India
Students for a Free Tibet – Bangladesh
Taiwan Friends of Tibet
Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation
The Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Mongolia and Turkestan
Tibet Lives, India
Tibet Philippines Support Network
Tibet Solidarity Forum, Bangladesh
Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan
Tibet Support Network Japan
Tibetan Student Association, Madras (TSAM)
Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre
Tibetan Rights and Freedom Committee (TRFRC)
Tibetan Women’s Association (Central)
Tibetan Youth Congress
Japan Committee of 100 for TIbet
Ns3 Rigpa Community Builder’s Foundation
Anterrashtriya Bharat – Tibbet Sahyog Samiti

Australasia:
A.C.T. Tibet Support Group
Australia Tibet Council
Friends of Tibet New Zealand
Students for a Free Tibet New Zealand
Tibet Action Group of Western Australia
Tibet Support Group Adelaide – Australia
Tibetan Community of Australia (Victoria)
Tibetan Women Association and Friends Australia (TWAFA)
Sakya Trinley Ling
Australian Tibet House Inc.

Africa and Middle East:
Friends of Tibet – Isamailia (Egypt)
Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People
Tibet Support Group Kenya
Dalai Lama Movement East Africa