But I at least wanted to greet you in French.
Honourable members of the parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights, I thank you for inviting the Canada–Tibet Committee to present its views and to make recommendations concerning the Canada–China bilateral dialogue on human rights. The Canada-Tibet Committee is a non-governmental organization that is concerned about the continuing human rights violations and lack of democratic freedom in Tibet. CTC is committed to a non-violent approach.
In regard to the Canada–China bilateral dialogue, the Canada–Tibet Committee is of the opinion that the dialogue in its current form should not continue. The dialogue needs to integrate Tibet as a distinct and significant issue.
The human rights situation of Tibetans has not improved despite China having been granted the Olympic Games in 2008. Just recently, in late September, 70 unarmed Tibetan refugees, women, children, and men, the majority of whom were minors under the age of 18, were making their way across the mountains to Nepal when they were fired on by Chinese security forces. One Tibetan refugee died, another one was wounded, 14 were taken into custody, 41 made it to Nepal, and we don't know the whereabouts of 27 of those Tibetan refugees, where they actually are. The Chinese authorities claim that the security forces acted in self-defence.
As the Olympics draw nearer, China is cracking down on press freedom. In early November, a Tibetan monk who told a gathering of students that Tibetans have no freedom of expression was sentenced to four years in jail and accused of doing great harm to society. The Tibetan has been charged with the crime of incitement to split the state, according to official Chinese information.
There has been a dramatic increase in activity by foreign investors particularly interested in the mining sector in Tibet. As we all know, the Golmud–Lhasa railway was completed in July 2006. Canadian companies were at the forefront of the construction of the railway, which threatens the Tibetan people with cultural genocide.
The Canada–Tibet Committee would like to make the following recommendations.
First, Tibet must be treated as a distinct issue in our bilateral relations. There needs to be a specific and publicly articulated Tibet policy. We would like to see the Canadian government develop a Tibet policy that would include: human rights, which would include linguistic rights, as well as cultural rights for the Tibetan people, including religious freedoms; corporate investment in the region; and negotiations between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Beijing over Tibet's future, which would be the central focus of the policy.
The Canada–Tibet Committee has existed since 1987. We have a deep understanding and knowledge of Tibet–China relations. The CTC needs to be informed of and directly involved in all meetings and discussions that concern Tibet. This includes any trade missions going to Tibet. This includes as well any visits of the Canadian ambassadors and any on-site visits of mining companies, etc. In the past, the Canada–Tibet Committee unfortunately has not always been informed of visits that have been made by Canadian officials to Tibetan areas. Whether it be to the Tibet Autonomous Region or whether it be to the Tibetan Plateau, we would like to see that we are involved and that we are informed of any types of ventures that would take place on Tibetan territory.
Along with that, we would also like to ensure that any policies regarding Tibet extend to all Tibetan areas within the People's Republic of China, meaning the Tibet Autonomous Region, as well as any other autonomous prefectures and counties in Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Gansu provinces.
In the past, Tibetans have not been invited to participate in the dialogue, thus limiting their capability to address the realities and to seek possible solutions with the Chinese government. The dialogue needs to include the participation of Tibetans, once again not just from the Tibet Autonomous Region but from the Tibetan Plateau.
A consular presence should be established in the Tibet Autonomous Region, and Tibetan human rights should be specifically assigned to a minister within the embassy in Beijing who will engage those issues on an ongoing basis. Establishing a presence on the Tibetan Plateau and raising the priority of Tibetan issues and human rights in diplomatic postings will serve to improve local monitoring capacity and convey a high level of interest by Canada in the welfare of Tibetans and other vulnerable populations.
The Canada–Tibet Committee also urges the government to re-emphasize the pre-1998 position, that notwithstanding the one China policy, Canada should avoid explicit endorsement of Chinese sovereignty over the region until such negotiated solution is reached, and instead emphasize that Tibetans are entitled to rights as a people under international law even within the confines of the state. A return should be made to pre-1998 policy articulations on Chinese territorial claims, which the government then took no position on. I'm referring to 1998, when the dialogues actually started and when there was a change in how Tibet was perceived from that point on in the bilateral dialogues.
The dialogues should become a part of Canada's whole of government approach. Principles promoted in the human rights dialogue should be reinforced in other areas of Canada–China relations, such as trade promotion, investment policy, and development assistance. For example, for the Golmud–Lhasa railway, which connects Beijing to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, three Canadian companies, Bombardier, Nortel, and Power Corporation, were involved in the building of the controversial railway where Tibetan livelihood and survival have been directly threatened. There are now eight Canadian mining companies interested in operating in Tibet. Trade and investment policy should reinforce human rights objectives. No government financial assistance or support should be provided to any Canadian corporation wishing to operate in Tibet if they are directly or indirectly complicit in human rights violations.
Canada needs to provide affirmative support for the Dalai Lama's efforts to reach a negotiated solution with the Chinese government over the status of Tibet. Just recently, in India, during the visit by PRC President Hu Jintao, a Tibetan protester set himself on fire. This is an indication as well that there is a certain restlessness among some Tibetans about trying to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Tibet. The middle way approach is an historic opportunity for China to deal with Tibet and to implement the non-violent resolution to conflict.
Canada should support environmentally sustainable and culturally appropriate development assistance, as well as civil society initiatives for the benefit of Tibetans inside Tibet. Later on this week you will be provided with a Tibet policy for the Canadian International Development Agency that has been designed by the Canada–Tibet Committee. There are a series of recommendations made here about how we can improve CIDA projects in Tibet and how we can maximize promoting the linguistic, cultural, and religious rights of the Tibetan people.
I would also like to say that the CTC has designed a Tibet policy in China for Foreign Affairs. A series of recommendations have been made, and some of the recommendations that I've made today are included in this document. There's also further information in this document about some concrete actions the Canadian government can take regarding a Canadian policy on Tibet.
Last but not least, it's important to mention that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has come to Canada five times. Every time he has come to Canada, there has been criticism on the part of the Chinese government. There have been empty threats made on the part of the Chinese government, saying that Canada in some way or another will suffer some type of consequence, particularly in trade. As we have seen, this has not happened. Even though His Holiness has come, there has still been a lot of support for trade between Canada and China. We feel it is important that human rights be at the centre of the bilateral dialogue, that Tibet take a central part as well in the dialogues, and that it be recognized in its distinct state, as it is.
The above recommendations need to be integrated into a new dialogue format that acts on the interests of the Tibetan people and is centred on transparency, accountability, and participation. These measures can help ensure the survival of the Tibetan people.
Thank you.