Basic Human Rights in Tibet Denied, Says French Mayor Anne-Sophie

Dharamshala: - On September 19, 2012, A French mayor (Mayor of Bouchemaine) Mrs Anne-Sophie expresed her "strong concern" to the Chinese government that Tibetans in Tibet are still denied basic human rights as well as fundamental freedoms.

China claims, its Central Chinese Government at all levels have made great efforts to safeguard and promote the progress of human rights in Tibet, however, no reasonable explanation has been given.

According to several reports of Human Rights and media watchdogs, Basic Human rights conditions in Tibet remain dismal. Under the Chinese occupation, the Tibetan people are denied most rights guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of human rights and fundamental freedoms including the rights to self-determination, freedom of speech, assembly, movement, expression and travel.

Bouchemaine, a small town along the Maine River in the district of Angers in France became yesterday (September 19, 2012) the 50th municipality to adopt a Tibetan village. Bouchemaine is also knowns a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.

The municipality had decided to adopt Jhado-Namtso (Lake Namtso at north west of Lhasa) in Tibet, to symbolize its support for the Tibetan people and preservation of its unique tradition and culture.

A ceremony was held at the Boites a Culture, the public auditorium of the municipality in the presence of the Mayor of Bouchemaine Mrs Anne-Sophie HOCQUET DE LAJARTRE, the Deputy Mayor for Culture Ms Marie-Aimee MERCIER, two elected members of the town municipality, President of France Tibet, Ms Marcelle Roux, local Tibet activists Mrs Simone LE GALLE and members of a Ladakhi tour group along with 50 odd local people.

The Mayor spoke about the decision to support Tibetan people's fundamental human rights through this initiative of "adoption", as based on the universal values of democracy and human rights, which the Tibetan people are being denied.

On behalf of CTA and the Tibetan people, the Secretary, Bureau du Tibet, Paris Mr Tsering Dhondup thanked the Mayor and members of the municipality as well as the people gathered there for the concern and gesture of support shown.

Mr Tsering informed the gathering of the current situation in Tibet, which described as "terrible and repressive" with 51 Tibetans having resorted to self-immolation calling for freedom and return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

The Tibetan Secretary of Bureau du Tibet made it a point that Tibetan resistance has been completely peaceful and non-violent, which these self-immolations have amply attested to: by not harming Chinese even at the cost of their own lives. A plaque symbolizing the "adoption" was also unveiled with the monks rendering a "auspicious prayer".

A massive wave of tragic self-immolations have swept the Himalayan region of Tibet, with more than 50 Tibetans including monks, nuns, students, a mother of two setting fire to themselves in response to China's hard-line and oppressive policies in the region, more than forty of them have died due to self-immolations. They demand more freedom and for return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to home.

"China's consistent use of excessive military force to stifle dissent has resulted in widespread human rights abuses including multiple cases of arbitrary arrests, political imprisonment, torture and execution," said Nyima T.J, a Tibetan political analyst based in India.

(2012-09-21/thetibetpost)