Tibet Advocacy Coalition Applauds Historic Joint Statement on Tibet at UN General Assembly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

23 October, 2024

In a historic move, 15 UN member states [1], including Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK and the United States, delivered a groundbreaking joint statement at the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee [2] expressing serious concern about “credible reports detailing human rights abuses in Tibet.”

China’s abuses in Tibet haven’t been meaningfully addressed in New York since a resolution in 1965. This is the first time a comprehensive joint statement by UN Member States at the General Assembly has seriously addressed human rights violations in Tibet.

On 22 October, the UN Member states told the UN General Assembly that China has had “many opportunities meaningfully to address the UN’s well-founded concerns,” but it has systematically failed to do so. Most recently, in July 2024, Beijing rejected almost 70% of the Tibet-specific recommendations put forward by governments at China’s 4th Universal Periodic Review [3]. China simultaneously rejected all calls for UN human rights monitors to access Tibet.

The UN Member states stressed the well-documented range of China’s violations in Tibet, detailing concerns on: the detention of Tibetans for the peaceful expression of political views; restrictions on travel; coercive labour arrangements; separation of children from families in boarding schools; and erosion of linguistic, cultural, educational and religious rights and freedoms in Tibet.”  China was also called on directly by governments to release “all individuals arbitrarily detained” in Tibet and to urgently clarify “the fate and whereabouts of missing family members.”

Over the last two years, Tibet Advocacy Coalition [4] has presented evidence to multiple UN mechanisms on these above-mentioned concerns.

Despite years of UN reports detailing these abuses in Tibet, China has consistently failed to take responsibility or implement UN recommendations. The human rights situation in Tibet has become so severe, that in June 2020, over 50 UN experts urged UN Member States to establish a new UN mechanism to monitor and investigate human rights violations by China [5].

UN Member states also called on China to “fully implement all UN recommendations,” including by UN treaty Bodies and other UN human rights mechanisms. In March and May 2024, the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights [6] and the UN  Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women [7] both strongly criticised the Chinese Government’s coercive residential school system in Tibet and called for it to be immediately abolished.

Lhadon Tethong, Director of Tibet Action: “This damning joint statement at the UN General Assembly’s 3rd Committee demonstrates grave global concern over the Chinese government’s war on Tibetan identity, including Beijing’s system of colonial boarding schools where an estimated one million Tibetan children, some as young as 4, are being forcibly assimilated. The statement amplifies similar concerns raised at China’s January 2024 review by the UN Human Rights Council, and shows Beijing can’t conceal its crimes against Tibetans. Now these states should focus on holding Chinese officials accountable.”

Pema Doma of Students for a Free Tibet: “Despite China’s relentless crackdown in Tibet, the Tibetan people have persevered in speaking out and fighting for their fundamental rights. This unprecedented joint statement shows that governments are paying attention and can hear their voices. Here we see the international community has a choice: to either stand together on the right side of history by taking action to protect Tibetan children and Tibet’s ancient identity and way of life or be complicit in China’s erasure and decimation of Tibet. This statement is a powerful sign that governments will do the right thing and that grassroots advocacy can make a difference.

Gloria Montgomery of Tibet Advocacy Coalition: “We urge all UN member states to pay heed to this landmark development, echo these vital calls, and stand in unwavering solidarity with the Tibetan people. The systemic violations in Tibet demand our continued scrutiny and accountability. For years, UN treaty bodies and experts, along with civil society, have documented these violations, making them impossible to ignore. UN member states are finally awakening to the urgent warnings about the crisis unfolding in Tibet.”

Mandie McKeown of International Tibet Network: “After a hiatus at the UN General Assembly, Tibet is finally being brought into this important multilateral forum with a bang. This strong joint statement is not only necessary in the push for China’s accountability but also for Tibetans who continue to resist China’s illegal rule and severe repression of rights. It also acts as a reminder that the struggle of the Tibetan people has not gone unnoticed, and an influx of hope will support Tibetans continued push for freedom. It is essential that this momentum continues. ”

CONTACTS:

Gloria Montgomery, Tibet Advocacy Coalition: +44 7541 362001

Lhadon Tethong, Tibet Action Institute: +1 917-418-4181

Mandie McKeown, International Tibet Network: +44 7748 158618

Pema Doma, Students for a Free Tibet: ⁨+1 617-792-3606⁩

 

Notes for Editors:

[1] Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

[2] UNGA79 Third Committee: General Discussion on Human Rights: Joint statement on the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Tibet: https://unny.mission.gov.au/unny/241022_UNGA79_Joint_statement_on_the_human_rights_situation_in_Xinjiang_and_Tibet.html

[3]  The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a peer-review process under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council, where UN Member States assess each other’s human rights records, their fulfilment of human rights obligations and commitments, and provide recommendations to the State under review: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home

This is China’s fourth review under the Universal Periodic Review, and whilst China has nominally participated in the process, in reality, it has failed to adhere to any of the accepted recommendations agreed in the last three Reviews (2009, 2013 and 2018), has failed to include any public consultation in the preparing of its national report, and has presented the UNHRC with false information about improvements that have been made.

The OHCHR, Universal Periodic Review – China report is available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/cn-index 

See the Addendum at https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/cn-index and as a PDF at https://tibetnetwork.org/free1/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/China-4th-UPR-Addendum-July-2024.pdf

[4] Tibet Advocacy Coalition is a project established in 2013 by International Tibet Network, Tibet Justice Center, and Students for a Free Tibet to develop coordinated strategies, monitoring tools, and reports to highlight the situation in Tibet at the United Nations Human Rights Council. The Coalition’s core members are Tibet Justice Center, International Tibet Network Secretariat, Students for a Free Tibet, Tibetan Youth Association Europe, Tibet Action Institute, and Tibet Initiative Deutschland.

[5] https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26006&LangID=E

[6]  The Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its State parties. The Covenant enshrines economic, social, and cultural rights such as the rights to adequate food, adequate housing, education, health, social security, water and sanitation, and work. The Committee seeks to develop a constructive dialogue with State parties, determine whether the Covenant’s norms are being applied, and assess how the implementation and enforcement of the Covenant could be improved so all people can enjoy these rights in full. 

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Concluding Observations, 6 March 2023: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=E%2FC.12%2FCHN%2FCO%2F3&Lang=en 

[7] The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The CEDAW Committee consists of 23 experts on women’s rights from around the world.

Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Concluding Observations,  30 May 2023: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CEDAW%2FC%2FCHN%2FCO%2F9&Lang=en

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