Posted on December 10, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Rede Thomas Mann,Straßburg, 26.11.2009
Im März 2008 protestierten tausende Tibeter gegen die nicht nachlassende Unterdrückung im eigenen Land. Über 700 wurden verhaftet. Unter Ausschluss der Öffentlichkeit wurden lebenslange Haftstrafen und Todesurteile ausgesprochen.
Wiederholt hat das Europäische Parlament, darunter die Tibet Intergruppe, ebenso Kommission und Rat, das Vorgehen der chinesischen Justiz scharf kritisiert. Im Mai 2009 forderten wir, dass die Vollstreckung der Todesurteile ausgesetzt wird. Dessen ungeachtet, wurden die Tibeter Lobsang Gyaltsen und Loyak am 20. Oktober hingerichtet.
Die Forderung, weitere Todesurteile nicht zu verhängen und Prozesse endlich mit fairen Verfahren durchzuführen, gehört auf die Tagesordnung der EU-China-Gespräche am 30. November. Auch die Fortsetzung des nach den Olympischen Spielen abgebrochenen Dialogs mit den Vertretern des Dalai Lama, darf kein Randthema sein. Es gehört ins Zentrum der Verhandlungen mit den Chinesen am kommenden Montag in Nanjing.
Posted on November 27, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Human rights situation still inadequate
European Parliament demanded today from the EU-Commission to provide reliable information about the human rights violations in Laos and Vietnam: "We have to know which of the agreements with these countries were observed in the field of human rights and democracy", emphasizes Thomas Mann, Vice-President of the EP Delegation for South Asia. "Hundreds of monks of the Bat Nha monastery were attacked without any kind of help or defence by the police forces. Monks who fled into the Phuoc Hue temple were heavily mistreated".
The European Parliament also debated today minority rights and the application
of the death penalty in China. "The Chinese authorities responded to the
Tibetan protests in March 2008 with a security crackdown across the Tibetan
plateau that included the death of over 200 Tibetans and the documented
detention of 735 Tibetans for exercising rights such as freedom of speech,
religion, assembly and association. The EP stressed its strong condemnation of
the execution of the Tibetans Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak on 20 October 2009
regarding the March protests 2008 and on charges relating to "starting fatal
fires" despite the fact that the Presidency of the European Union and the
Tibet Intergroup of the European Parliament called on 8 May 2009 for a
commutation of the death sentences to several Tibetans. We underlined today our
concerns if a fair trial was granted to them", emphasizes Thomas Mann, President
of the Tibet Intergroup of the EP.
"Both topics
have to be priority points on the agenda of the EU-China-Dialogue, starting
30th November in Nanjing", concludes Thomas Mann finally.
Posted on November 27, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Menschenrechtslage immer noch unzureichend
Das Europäische Parlament fordert heute die Kommission auf, Auskunft zu geben über die Menschenrechtsverletzungen in den Ländern Laos und Vietnam. "Wir müssen wissen, welche der mit den Ländern getroffenen Vereinbarungen in den Bereichen Menschenrechte und Demokratie eingehalten wurden", betont Thomas Mann, stellvertretender Vorsitzender der Delegation für Südasien. "Hunderte Mönche des Bat Nha-Klosters wurden angegriffen und die Polizei sah tatenlos zu; wer sich in den Phuoc Hue-Tempel geflüchtet hatte, wurde angegriffen", schildert Mann.
"Wir werden dieses Vorgehen nicht
weiter dulden", so Mann. "Das Aufheben der Todesurteile und der
Einsatz fairer Justizverfahren müsse bereits auf die Tagesordnung der
EU-China-Gespräche in Nanjing am 30. November, ebenso die Fortsetzung des nach
den Olympischen Spielen abgebrochenen Dialogs mit den Vertretern des Dalai
Lama", so Mann weiter.
Posted on November 27, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on November 23, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The President of the Tibet Intergroup in the European Parliament, EPP MEP Thomas Mann, has strongly condemned the execution of two Tibetans due to their alledged involvement with the riots prior to the Olympic Games in March 2008. Reliable sources claim that Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were executed on Tuesday last week in Lhasa district. No reports were made by the official Chinese media, and official sources refuse to comment so far.
Thomas Mann: "I expect the Chinese authorities to explain whether an execution of further Tibetans took place and why the death sentences to Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were pronounced and carried out. I called today on the European Parliament to hold an urgency debate on this incident and pass a resolution. Carrying out death sentences in particular connected with the Olympic Games would be an inconceivable act, demanding a strong response by the EU!"
The Tibet Intergroup:
"60 Years China also mean 20 years Tibet Intergroup (TIG) in the European Parliament (EP). The Tian'anmen massacre in 1989 was the trigger for the foundation. Today more than 100 MEPs belong to the TIG. 2001 we succeeded to arrange - for first time in history - a speech of H.H. in the plenary in Strasbourg", explained Thomas Mann who is President since 1999. The establishment of the Tibet Intergroup 20 years ago coincided with the imposition of the EU arms embargo against the People's Republic of China. Its maintenance down to the present day is one of the biggest successes of our parliamentary work", stressed the TIG President.
Additional information: http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/ict-news-reports/official-confirmation-execution-tibetans-lhasa
Posted on October 28, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Der Präsident der Tibet Intergroup im Europäischen Parlament, der hessische CDU-Europaabgeordnete Thomas Mann, verurteilte aufs Schärfste die Hinrichtung von zwei Tibetern aufgrund ihrer angeblichen Verwicklung in die Unruhen im Vorfeld der Olympischen Spiele im März 2008. Nach bestätigten Berichten wurden Lobsang Gyaltsen und Loyak am Dienstag vergangener Woche im Bezirk Lhasa hingerichtet. "Ich erwarte von den chinesischen Behörden eine rasche Stellungnahme, ob weitere Tibeter hingerichtet wurden und warum die Todesurteile gegen Lobsang Gyaltsen und Loyak verhängt und vollstreckt wurden. Ich habe dem Europäischen Parlament vorgeschlagen, schnellstmöglich eine Dringlichkeitsdebatte zu diesem Vorfall zu führen und eine Resolution zu verabschieden. Die Vollstreckung von Todesurteilen erst recht im Zusammenhang mit den Olympischen Spielen ist ein unfassbarer Akt, der eine unmissverständliche Reaktion der EU erfordert!", unterstrich Thomas Mann.
Hintergrund: Die Tibet Intergroup im Europäischen Parlament
"60 Jahre China bedeuten auch 20 Jahre Tibet Intergroup (TIG) im Europäischen Parlament (EP). Das Tian’anmen-Massaker 1989 war Auslöser für die Gründung unserer überfraktionellen Gruppe, der heute über 100 Europaabgeordnete angehören. 2001 gelang es uns, dass der Dalai Lama im Plenarsaal des EP in Straßburg zu den Abgeordneten sprechen konnte - erstmals in der Geschichte", erläuterte Thomas Mann.
Die Gründung der Tibet Intergroup vor 20 Jahren sei mit der Verhängung des Waffenembargos der EU gegen die Volksrepublik China zusammengefallen. Seine Aufrechterhaltung bis zum heutigen Tag gehöre zu den größten politischen Erfolgen: "Es gibt keinen Grund für die Aufhebung des Embargos, da sich an der Situation in China kaum etwas geändert hat", unterstrich der TIG-Präsident.
Posted on October 26, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Das Europäische Parlament in Straßburg wird bis einschließlich Freitag zum tibetischen Kunsttempel. Der hessische CDU-Europaabgeordnete Thomas Mann, der seit 1999 Präsident der Tibet Intergruppe des EP ist, hat die erfolgreiche Frankfurter Ausstellung „Artists for Dalai Lama“ auf das europäische Parkett nach Straßburg geholt. Anlässlich des Dalai Lama-Besuchs in Hessen im August 2009 organisierten die Initiatoren Andrea und Mike Kuhlmann sowie Jörg Schmitz eine Ausstellungsreihe mit Stationen wie Köln und Offenbach. Höhepunkt der Reihe war eine Ausstellung in der Frankfurter Union Halle, die live in das Time Square Building nach New York übertragen wurde.
Am gestrigen Abend wurde die Ausstellung in Straßburg von Thomas Mann anlässlich des 20jährigen Bestehens der Tibet Intergruppe im Europäischen Parlament eröffnet: „Die Artists for Dalai Lama setzen mit ihren Werken ein eindrucksvolles Zeichen für Frieden und die Einhaltung der Menschenrechte in China und Tibet. Ihre Kunst wollen wir in Straßburg und Brüssel in Politik umsetzen. Das Tian’anmen-Massaker 1989 war Auslöser für die Gründung unserer überfraktionellen Gruppe, der heute über 100 Europaabgeordnete angehören. In fast 50 Resolutionen haben wir immer wieder auf die katastrophale Lage der Menschenrechte in China hingewiesen. Unser Druck half, die Vollstreckung von Todesurteilen zu verhindern, Nonnen und Mönche aus der Gefangenschaft zu befreien und zu verhindern, dass das EU-Waffenembargo gegen China wieder aufgehoben wurde. 2001 gelang es uns, dass der Dalai Lama im Plenarsaal des EP in Straßburg zu den Abgeordneten sprechen konnte - erstmals in der Geschichte des Parlaments. Zuletzt redete er im Dezember 2008 vor den Abgeordneten in Brüssel - wir zeigten unsere Solidarität durch eine Fastenaktion“, erläuterte Thomas Mann.
Im Europaparlament
werden mehr als 50 Werke von 16 Künstlern, darunter Bilder, Spruchbänder und
Skulpturen gezeigt. Der Erlös der Veranstaltung geht zu 20% an Children for
Tomorrow und das Tadra-Projekt für Waisenkinder in Tibet. An der gestrigen Ausstellungseröffnung
nahmen 180 Europaabgeordnete und ihre Mitarbeiter sowie Journalisten und Menschenrechts-Experten
aus ganz Europa teil. Jörg Schmitz zum Ausstellungserfolg: „Die Künstler
zeigen mit ihrer Arbeit symbolisch das Verständnis der Tibeter mit der übrigen
Welt und umgekehrt. Wir sind sehr glücklich, unsere Werke an einem symbolischen
Ort wie Straßburg zeigen zu können und hoffen, die Arbeit der Intergruppe damit
zu unterstützen.“
Posted on October 23, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on October 16, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
“The situation today in Tibet is a case of life or death. The policy of the Chinese government is to finish off Tibetan identity and Tibetan culture.” Words that echo the call launched last year by Chinese officials to “a fight to the death against separatism and its religious henchmen”. Words that ring out like a warning, that resonate in the head and wring the heart: The Dalai Lama pronounced them on 4 May 2009 during a public meeting in New York. He also encouraged the audience to go and see what is happening in situ, to see at first hand what is really happening behind the picturesque shop window and to testify - to see at first hand if Tibetans are happy, as the Beijing government assert unceasingly, having sent out envoys all over the world in the framework of a propaganda offensive. Their efforts go as far as authorizing the re-opening of tourism with a huge publicity thrust. The first groups of tourists are well surrounded during their visit to the Potala; but researchers, experts, pilgrims and Tibetan nationals with foreign passports, without forgetting journalists, are systematically refused visas and permits to enter Tibetan territory.
During this time, the official Press Agency obligingly enumerates the government-organized exhibitions relating the Chinese version of Tibet being presented in Hong Kong, Montreal, Mexico and elsewhere. On their side, the Chinese diplomats busy themselves by warning against any inclination on the part of political officials to talk to the Dalai Lama, should he be in their country. Danish and Dutch parliamentarians have already made it known in no uncertain terms that they do not intend to be dictated to by Beijing, which continues to multiply its reprimands, warnings, and threats of reprisals to the world. As if the Forbidden City ruled the world. Without the least embarrassment, the official Chinese services did not hesitate to ask the American President not to meet the Spiritual and Temporal Leader of Tibet during a voyage envisaged for next Autumn. In the meantime, the Town Hall of Paris, suspected of planning to offer Honorary Citizenship of the City of Paris to the Dalai Lama (conforming to a Resolution of 2008) during his forthcoming visit to France in June, is the target of official Chinese wrath. If that is not interference in the affairs of other countries, then the words have certainly lost their sense.
One year after the protest movement that set fire to the whole of the historic Tibetan territory tightly encircled by Chinese frontiers, the first condemnations to death have been officially pronounced and trials continued, most often in huis clos and without anyone knowing anything about what is going on or under what conditions. Verdicts are announced furtively, and the small amount of information that circulates is thanks to the families directly concerned. Certainly, in rare cases like that of Lama Jigmé (of Labrang) or the liberation of Golok Jigmé, responsible with Dhondup Wangchen for the film Leaving Fear Behind, some information can be gathered, even if what happened to the latter is not known. Without in any way deluding ourselves with illusions, perhaps one can read behind the lines in these apparent acts of “clemency”, an unconfessed consequence of campaigns carried out in support of these “accused people”, as was the case not long ago when public opinion was mobilized in support of Soviet or Chinese dissidents. This does not alter the fact that those who were released take the trouble to recount the tortures, the interrogations and the bad treatment inflicted upon them by way of routine in detention.
Sporadic detentions nevertheless continue – like the pupils and students who demonstrated in April in Labrang to protest against the demonization of the Dalai Lama, claiming the right to express themselves and to denounce bullying and the mortifications they had been subject to. This give rise to concerns about their future… The Tibetan land is also suffering in its own way; Chinese specialists are beginning to worry about a worrying rise in temperature on the Tibetan High Plateau, which does not bode well for huge Chinese projects, in particular the much-vaunted railway. According to the on-line “People’s Daily”, “Tibet is seriously affected by climate warming”. Oh really? Who has been saying for years, experts demonstrating, supported by proof, that “uncontrolled human activities” are menacing the fragile environmental balance of Tibet? And it is certainly not the forced and accelerated settling of Tibetan nomads, with a host of disastrous socio-economic consequences induced by these coercive measures, that will put things right.
Not far from there, the parents of Chinese children killed under the ruins of the schools that collapsed in the Szechuan earthquake last year are being harassed and threatened by the authorities to keep them silent. However, the more that repression grows, the more discontentment grows; a logic seemingly lost on the authorities. The approach of the 4 June – twenty years after the tank assault on students in the large square in the middle of Beijing – is visibly making the Chinese leaders if not worried, at least nervous. To protect themselves from a surprise, faced with this latent unrest, they want at all costs to ensure peace, or rather, according to the formula of the Chinese President, “stability and harmony.” As if it were sufficient to deploy army, police, paramilitary or other forces as soon as there is the slightest attempt at criticism or hint of a demonstration, so as to guarantee this very singular order, dear to dictators.
Visibly, such is not the view of Spanish justice which, under the terms of the principle of the universal jurisdiction that it proclaims, has just heard various testimonies supporting the open dossier opposing several high placed Chinese officials held responsible for the massive repression of Tibetan protests during the Spring of 2008. Rogatory Committees have even been sent to collect the replies of the principal personalities implicated, which was apparently not appreciated by the Chinese authorities: the official press made it known that if the Spanish judge ventured into China, he would immediately be imprisoned for calumny and defamation. Which is, undoubtedly, an excellent proof of the independence of Chinese justice…
The Chinese government very much wants to present itself to the rest of the world as a government conscious of its responsibilities and the role it tries to play on the international scene; its economic and military power are not sufficient to bring the respect it requires from others. At the very most, some people back off and hide away because of prudence, as misplaced as it is dishonourable. The use of force – against its own people to start with, followed by its neighbours - does not suffice either. On the subject of fundamental liberty and human rights as in Tibet, it is not in ignoring or destroying the past that one can shape the future. And by one of these unexpected about-turns of which history has the secret, perhaps today more than ever, the destiny of China depends on the wisdom its leaders might be able to demonstrate concerning Tibet.
Posted on May 26, 2009 in News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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