The US Senate passed a resolution by unanimous consent today calling for the release of respected religious teacher Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and other Tibetan political prisoners. Senate Resolution 483 stated that: “The government of the People’s Republic of China is in violation of international human rights standards by detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful activities to protest China’s repression of Tibetans or promote the preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity…The Government of the People’s Republic of China should, as a gesture of goodwill and in order to promote human rights, immediately release all political prisoners, including Tenzin Delek.”
The resolution was initially introduced in May 2004, as Senate Resolution 365 by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), chairman of the East Asia subcommittee, together with Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). The passage of the resolution by the Senate this morning follows months of campaign action in the US on behalf of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a senior lama whose influence in his local community and activities preserving Tibetan culture and religion led him to become a political target of the Chinese authorities. He was sentenced to death with a two-year suspension on charges of “causing explosions [and] inciting the separation of the state” in December 2002, and his alleged co-conspirator, Lobsang Dhondup, was executed on January 26, 2003. The Chinese authorities have produced no credible evidence of Tenzin Delek’s crime and he maintains his innocence. His reprieve is due to expire in January 2005.
Tibet supporters sent 8,350 statements on behalf of Tenzin Delek as part of a coordinated US campaign led by ICT to pressure the Chinese government to release Tenzin Delek or provide him with a fair trial. Had the Senate failed to pass this resolution during its brief “lame duck” session this week, they would not have had another opportunity to act on this issue before the two-year reprieve of Tenzin Delek’s death sentence expired.
Kelley Currie, Director of Government Relations for the ICT, said “It is a tribute to both the commitment of ICT’s members and the concern of our supporters in the United States Senate that this resolution passed this morning. Given the fact that Senate’s main agenda this week is passing the bills that fund the entire U.S. government and resolving the controversial intelligence reform bill, it is a real statement that they took the time out of a busy legislative schedule to pass this resolution. I think it clearly indicates that the Congress is very concerned about the case of Tenzin Delek.”
The resolution, as passed today, outlines China’s violations of internationally accepted standards of freedom of belief, expression, and association, and states that: ‘The Government of the PRC continues to exert control over religious and cultural institutions in Tibet, abusing human rights through the torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention without fair or public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their political or religious views or attempt to preserve the unique Tibetan identity.’ Other co-sponsors of the original resolution, S.Res. 365, included Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ).
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhang Qiyue was quoted as saying on December 2, 2004: “As far as I know, relevant departments of justice have reviewed the case of Tenzin Delek and I think in any country for these criminals that jeopardize national security and engage in terrorist bombings, they will meet punishment according to law.” (AFP) According to Chinese law, a prisoner sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve will receive a commutation to life imprisonment unless the prisoner commits another intentional crime during the reprieve, and is tried and convicted for that crime. To date, no reports have emerged suggesting that Tenzin Delek has committed any new crimes during his reprieve, which apparently became effective on January 26, 2003, when the Sichuan Higher People’s Court rejected his appeal.
Full Text of US Senate Resolution 483 on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
The resolution was passed with unanimous consent December 7th 2004 by the US Senate.
108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. RES. XXXXX
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the detention of Tibetan political prisoners by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. BINGAMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the detention of Tibetan political prisoners by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
Whereas, for more than 1,000 years, Tibet has maintained a sovereign national identity that is distinct from the national identity of China;
Whereas armed forces of the People’s Republic of China invaded Tibet in 1950, according to the memoirs of the Dalai Lama and other sources;
Whereas, according to the Department of State and international human rights organizations, the Government of the People’s Republic of China continues to commit widespread and well-documented human rights abuses in Tibet;
Whereas the People’s Republic of China has yet to demonstrate its willingness to abide by internationally accepted standards of freedom of belief, expression, and association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that restrict those freedoms;
Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China has detained hundreds of Tibetan nuns, monks, and lay persons as political prisoners for speaking out against China’s occupation of Tibet and for their efforts to preserve Tibet’s distinct national identity;
Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron was arrested on October 14, 1989, together with 5 other nuns, for participating in a peaceful protest against China’s occupation of Tibet;
Whereas, on February 26, 2004, following a sustained international campaign on her behalf, the Government of the People’s Republic of China released Phuntsog Nyidron from detention after she served more than 14 years of her 16-year sentence;
Whereas Tenzin Delek, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, and 3 other monks were arrested on April 7, 2002, during a nighttime raid on Jamyang Choekhorling monastery in Nyagchu County, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture;
Whereas, following a closed trial and more than 8 months of incommunicado detention, Tenzin Delek and another Tibetan, Lobsang Dhondup, were convicted of inciting separatism and for their alleged involvement in a series of bombings on December 2, 2002;
Whereas Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to death and Tenzin Delek was sentenced to death with a 2-year suspension;
Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China told senior officials of the United States and other governments that the cases of Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin Delek would be subjected to a ‘‘lengthy review’’ by the Supreme People’s Court prior to the death sentences being carried out;
Whereas the Supreme People’s Court never carried out this review, and Lobsang Dhondup was executed on January 26, 2003;
Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China has failed to produce any evidence that either Lobsang Dhondup or Tenzin Delek were involved in the crimes for which they were convicted, despite repeated requests from officials of the United States and other governments;
Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China continues to imprison Tibetans for engaging in peaceful efforts to protest China’s repression of Tibetans and preserve the Tibetan identity;
Whereas Tibetan political prisoners are routinely subjected to beatings, electric shock, solitary confinement, and other forms of torture and inhumane treatment while in Chinese custody;
Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China continues to exert control over religious and cultural institutions in Tibet, abusing human rights through the torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention without fair or public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their political or religious views or attempt to preserve the unique Tibetan identity; and
Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China has paroled individual political prisoners for good behavior or for medical reasons in the face of strong international pressure, but has failed to make the systemic changes necessary to provide minimum standards of due process or protections for basic civil and political rights:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that—
- the Government of the People’s Republic of China is in violation of international human rights standards by detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful activities to protest China’s repression of Tibetans or promote the preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity;
- sustained international pressure on the Government of the People’s Republic of China is essential to improve the human rights situation in Tibet and secure the release of Tibetan political prisoners;
- the Government of the United States should—
- raise the cases of Tenzin Delek and other political prisoners at every opportunity with officials from the People’s Republic of China; and
- work with other governments concerned about human rights in China, including the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas, to encourage the release of political prisoners and promote systemic improvement of human rights in China; and
- the Government of the People’s Republic of China should, as a gesture of goodwill and in order to promote human rights, immediately release all political prisoners, including Tenzin Delek.
