Tibetans to the EU, 2014 as the turning point for the policies on our country

Rally of the Belgian community and of the International Campaign for Tibet in front of Commission and EEAS: “Restart the dialogue and be brave”

Keep your eyes wide shut on the Tibetan issue and on the respect of human rights in Tibet, making them key points of the communitarian agenda. 2014 has to be the year of Tiber: the new European Parliament shall take a clear-cut decision, urging the new Commission to be bold, more than ever, with the Chinese counterpart. Tibetan people spoke up in Brussels too, during the commemoration of the 55^th anniversary of Tibetan national uprising day on 10 March. All around the world, Tibetan communities gather for rallies on each 10 March, to commemorate an open wound, born to an issue still under discussion. In Belgium, home to communitarian institution and to one of the biggest Tibetan communities (about 2,000 persons), the Belgian Tibetan Community and the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) – the main NGO supporting Tibetan rights, member of the International Federation for Human Rights – have called for European Institutions to take care of the Tibetan issue at the end of March, in occasion of the official visit in Brussels of the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Flags of Belgium, European Union and Tibet has coloured the round Schuman square, in an attempt of calling the attention of the Commission, of the Council and of the European External Action Service (led by Baroness Catherine Ashton). “We ask the European Union to support the dialogue between China and Tibet,” read a banner. “In 2014, Tibet is still under Chinese control, which does not acknowledge it economic, social and cultural rights,” denounces Elena Gaita, responsible for the relationships between the European Union and the International Campaign for Tibet.

“The international community is responsible for supporting Tibet, for preventing it to sink into oblivion.” Yet, very few results have been reached so far. That’s why it is necessary to change up. “We are here to ask for the Tibetan issue to be key into the European agenda, especially for the European External Action Service.” In particular, Ms Gaita told Eunews, it would be necessary to rethink the yearly dialogue China – EU on human rights. “Inaugurated in 1995, it still is weak,” said Gaita, “it has not brought about significant results, and that’s also due to the European fears of exerting pressures on China.” The issue concerning China – EU relationship is notorious. The Commission does not want to annoy its Asian partner, too strong – economically speaking – to accept “unacceptable” requests from its point of view. “Yet, the Union is based on values such as democracy, respect of human rights, respect of fundamental freedoms, human dignity, respect of minorities and rule of law. And it cannot sacrifice this all on the altar of trade agreements.”

On the other hand, this is far from being a simple issue. China does not want to talk about Tibet: the central government has stopped to exist in 1965, when historical Tibet – enclosed in the three regions of Kham, Amdo and U-Tsang – was split. Kham and Amdo are now part of the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan, and the only Tibet recognized by the People’s Republic of China is Xizang –Tibetan autonomous region (TAR), including the U-tsang territory. Before this intervention, the Chinese policies imposed by Mao in Tibet limited their culture, language, economy and faith. Invaded in 1950, Tibet national uprising took place on 10 March 1959, calling for independence and freedom, ending in a bloodbath. The spiritual leader of Tibet – the Dalai Lama – was forced to seek refuge in India, where he still lives, exiled.

Yet nowadays, Tibet has a new hope: a new acknowledgement and especially new international attention. Henri Malosse, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), is on an official visit to Dharamsala, seat of the exiled Tibetan government. “This is the first time the President of a European Institution pays an official visit to Dharamsala,” underlines Elena Gaita. “We hope others will follow his example.” Waiting for Europe to go to Dharamsala, the International Campaign for Tiber and the Tibetan Community in Belgium are waiting for the European Union to remind Xi Jinping the importance of finding a solution to the Tibetan issue, during his visit on 31 March. The Chines President will be in Brussels for an official visit, and that will be the time for Europe to show how bold it is. Tibetans count on the European Parliament for urging the Commission: the candidates for European Elections to be held in May were asked a commitment – which does not have to be exhausted during the campaign – for the Tibetan cause. MEPs-to-be are asked three things: working to restart the dialogue between China and Tibet; guaranteeing Tibetans in China access to education, health system, jobs; tackling the issue of human rights violations. “We hope to get as many signatures as possible,” said Gaita, virtually echoed by all the friends of Tibet worldwide. This will strengthen the position of the Parliament. The campaign targeted on candidates can be found online at www.2014fortibet.eu, which reminds MEPs that the Tibetan issue is still an open wound, and that it’s time to heal it. Since 2009, said the responsible for the relationships between the European Union and the International Campaign for Tibet, over 120 Tibetan monks have set themselves on fire, protesting against the Chinese regime. “Unfortunately, these immolations became impersonal statistics.”

Now the European Union shall tackle this all. In the end, “the European Union holds a Nobel Peace Prize,” hence the connected responsibilities.

Emanuele Bonini