Publications

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TCHRD Review (2000)

Preamble

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has seen much progress since its inception in 1996. TCHRD continues to accomplish its objectives. It is the first and only human rights organisation in the Tibetan community that primarily works to monitor, document, and disseminate information on human rights in Tibet. Our staff has grown from a small number of three to eleven permanent personnel and four temporary volunteers.

Every year, the Centre brings out a comprehensive Annual Report on human rights violations in Tibet. To abreast people of the current human rights situation inside Tibet, we bring out a monthly eight-page newsletter entitled "Human Rights Update", and issue regular press releases on important topics. So far, it has 20 publications to its credit, all concerning human rights in Tibet.

TCHRD has undertaken numerous educational programmes in the Tibetan community, including workshops on human rights and democracy, week-long awareness programs, essay competitions and lecture tours. In parallel to this objective, the Centre publishes educational booklets on human rights and democracy.

TCHRD attends various international conferences concerning human rights including regular attendance to the UN Commission on Human Rights. The Centre has established excellent working relationships with various international NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. We assist, as well as, worked jointly with other NGOs on important human rights subjects.

The Centre undertakes various international campaigns like peaceful vigils, letter writing, and signature campaigns for the release of Tibetan political prisoners. TCHRD has introduced aid programmes for former Tibetan political prisoners. Under this programme, the Centre provides financial assistance as a symbolic gesture as well as moral support to former political prisoners.

The Centre, within a period of three years, has reached a position where it is recognised among other human rights groups, media, UN bodies, international representatives and individuals who support the Tibetan cause.

This Review is published with the intent to inform the general public and supporters about the activities, and results achieved by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and democracy. The following pages will present a brief report on our activities and achievements so far.

Lobsang Nyandak
Executive Director

THE DALAI LAMA
Message

Human rights are of universal interest because it is the inherent nature of all human beings to yearn for freedom, equality and dignity and they have a right to achieve them. Whether we like it or not, we have all been born into this increasingly interdependent world as part of one great human family. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, belonging to one nation or another, to one religion or another, adhering to this ideology or that, ultimately each of us is just a human being Re everyone else. We all desire happiness and do not want suffering.

If we accept that others have an equal right to peace and happiness as ourselves, do we not have responsibility to help those in need? The aspiration for democracy and respect for fundamental human rights is equally important in all parts of the world. But of course it is just those people who are deprived of their human rights who are least able to speak up for themselves. The responsibility rests with those of us who do enjoy such freedoms.

The people of Tibet have faced continuous infringements of their fundamental human rights for more than forty years. Although individuals regularly demonstrate and speak out against the prevailing situation in Tibet, their voices are rarely heard on the world stage and they are invariably harshly punished as a consequence. Over the last three years, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy have performed an excellent service, gathering authentic and reliable information about the state of human rights and democracy in Tibet and making it widely available to concerned persons in the world at large. Equally important, they have taken practical steps to educate the Tibetan public about the value of human rights and democracy to us all.

I would use to take this opportunity to repeat that as far as Tibet is concerned the main issue is the survival of the six million Tibetan people along with the protection of their distinct culture, identity and civilization. I believe that this can be achieved through dialogue and that negotiations must centre around ways to end China's population transfer policy, which threatens the very survival of the Tibetan people, respect for the fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms of the Tibetans, the demilitarization and denuclearization of Tibet, the restoration to the Tibetan people of control over all matters affecting their own affairs and the protection of their natural environment.

The TCHRD have worked admirably so far to promote awareness of issues. I have no hesitation in encouraging them to continue and urging whoever is able to provide them with support.

December 2, 1999

An Interview with the Executive Director

What makes TCHRD unique?
It is the first Tibetan human rights non-governmental organisation (NGO) within the Tibetan community, established with the goal of promoting and protecting human rights of the Tibetan people. The Centre was founded in January 1996 and became fully functional in October of that year after registering as a NGO. In addition, a branch office was opened in Kathmandu, Nepal in February 1998. What makes TCHRD unique is the fact that it has direct access and contact with former political prisoners and refugees. Interviews are principally conducted by Tibetans and we have two former political prisoners who monitor information.

How is the Centre structured?
TCHRD functions under a governing body of 12 members from various professional backgrounds who act as independent trustees. The Board of Directors’ authorities and responsibilities are enshrined in TCHRD’s Articles of Association. The Executive Director, as the principal executive officer, oversees the entire responsibility of the Centre. We have 11 permanent staff members including the two in Kathmandu branch office.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the Patron of the Centre, and we have an international advisory board consisting of prominent personalities from across the world who are well known in the human rights field.

Is there any association with the Tibetan Government-in-Exile?
Many are confused about the relationship between the Centre and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (TGIE), apparently because we are located on government premises. In fact, the Centre is independent from the TGIE. It functions as NGO, which is self-financed and self-administered. The Centre is not accountable to the TGIE. All decisions concerning the Centre’s activities are made by its Board of Directors.

What are the aims and objectives of the Centre?
We have a dual objective. One is to protect and promote the human rights of Tibetan people in Tibet, and the other is to build our society based on principles of human rights and democracy.

To achieve these aims we monitor human rights situation in Tibet; produce documents on human rights issues and disseminate these internationally; lobby international bodies to highlight and support the human rights of Tibetan people; and educate the Tibetan community on the principles of human rights and democracy.

How do you disseminate the information?
Information is disseminated through every channel possible. We publish monthly human rights update that features testimonies collected from recent arrivals from Tibet. We deliver it both by post and e-mail; along with posting information on our web site. Our reports, which are distributed free of cost, cover a large spectrum of audiences. More urgent information is often transmitted as press releases. Speeches and talks on human rights are occasionally given to generate further interest. Our targets include the international community, government bodies, the United Nations, international human rights NGOs and the general public.

How do you select topics for your reports?
We select current human rights topics that urgently require research. For example, immediately following the launch of ‘Strike Hard’ campaign, we set out to investigate its impact and published a report on religious freedom in Tibet. When China has to submit its periodic report to the UN, we produce a parallel, independent report.

For the last two years, our primary focus has been on documenting information on human rights. Now our focus has shifted to generating international awareness on the human rights situation in Tibet, and at the same time educating our community on the principles of democracy.

How difficult is it to obtain information for these reports?
One advantage our Centre has is that we have direct access to newly arrived refugees. Generally, the flow of information is regular. The barrier is the authenticity, accuracy and the limited details of information. This hampers our research work. To add to this problem, implementation of policies in Tibet introduced by the PRC is never consistent. For example, take the case of China’s birth control policy in Tibet. In some rural areas the people can have two children, and in other areas three. In some areas the birth control units carry out sterilisation on a massive level, irrespective of whether a woman is married or not. It is similar when it comes to levying taxes on Tibetan people.

Information on political repression in Tibet is strictly controlled. Over the last three years we have found that the more serious cases of human rights abuses, such as arbitrary arrest and torture, is learnt about years later. We believe that the information we receive constitutes a fraction of the real situation in Tibet.

What does your branch office in Kathmandu do?
The responsibility of our branch office in Kathmandu is limited to gathering information. We have two field officers whose main job is to interview as many refugees as possible. Kathmandu office was established because it is the initial destination for refugees fleeing Tibet. We receive regular information from the Kathmandu office.

How many Tibetans flee Tibet on average and what are the main reasons?
Tibetans flee Tibet for a variety of reasons. It is not enough to say that people flee to escape repression. Previously, the reasons were primarily political. Many were former political prisoners or freedom activists who escaped arrests by Chinese officials. In recent times, there are many monks and nuns who flee due to religious persecution. A large number of children come to India for a better education free from Chinese indoctrination and discrimination. There are some who escape Tibet because their right to subsistence have been denied. During the last several years the average number of refugees escaping Tibet is around 3000 to 4000.

How is international lobbying and campaigning done?
One of the effective ways to protect and promote human rights in Tibet is to actively engage in international lobbying. This helps build pressure on the Chinese government to respect the human rights of Tibetan people. We do direct lobbying with different governments and officials of the United Nations, by providing regular information on the human rights situation in Tibet. We brief government delegations during various international conferences on human rights. Various governments send their fact finding missions to Tibet and prior to their visits, we brief them on the current situation in Tibet and recommend actions.

Public campaigns have also been launched in different parts of the world. We organise and attend various international conferences. These activities help build support for our cause and puts pressure upon the Chinese leadership.

What role do you play in promoting democracy within the exile community?
Educating our community on the values and principles of democracy and human rights is one of the two objectives of our Centre. However, during the last three years, we have devoted much of our time to the documentation and promotion of human rights. Nevertheless, we do carry out some educational programs. For instance, organising workshop on human rights and democracy every year; conducting essay competition among school children; organising lecture tours; and bringing out education booklets.
We nonetheless feel that more effort has to be made to achieve this objective. We have recently prepared two new educational booklets for school children on human rights and democracy, and we plan to have more educational activities in the future.

What according to you has the Centre achieved in the last three years?
Some acknowledge that the Centre had surpassed the expectation of many people. It is hard to measure achievements of an organisation. There is not a standard yardstick to measure success. However, I believe the Centre has unfailingly carried out its tasks. We have documented and produced comprehensive reports on human rights issues in Tibet. In the last three years we have produced some twenty major reports; in addition to bringing out regular human rights updates. International organisations have often used our materials as a source of research, sometimes translating them into other languages. We were able to introduce the concept of human rights within our community by publishing books, organising workshops and giving lectures.

We have been able to establish a good network with many national and international human rights organisations. Many people closely watch the activities of the Centre. I feel that we have gained considerable recognition within the Tibetan Support Groups and the international human rights non-governmental organisations.

A Role to Defend Human Rights: MASS CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

To defend human rights of the Tibetan people in Tibet, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy initiates and supports international campaigns. The aim of these activities is to raise global awareness of the human rights situation in Tibet, and to apply pressure on the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to adhere to international human rights standards.

By highlighting individual cases of human rights violations, it is possible to increase public awareness of the issue and to acknowledge the courage of the people who continue to challenge Chinese occupation. The Centre conducts campaigns both independently and in collaboration with other Tibet Support Groups. The Centre has launched several major campaigns on prominent political prisoners.

The Centre conducts international mass campaigns by holding peaceful demonstrations and candle-light vigils, providing information and support materials to a variety of international human rights organisations, and initiate and support letter-writing and signature campaigns. In addition, TCHRD co-ordinates various national and international public campaigns with other NGOs to generate support for the human rights situation in Tibet.

The Youngest Political Prisoner in the World

Through different means, TCHRD has actively worked to heighten awareness concerning the plight of the child Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the youngest prisoner of conscience in the world. The Center continues to appeal to the international community to support the Tibetans’ pleas to the Chinese authorities for the immediate and unconditional release of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. Beginning in November 1997, the Centre launched a global awareness project for Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The campaign was focused on organising an international birthday celebration on April 25, 1998 for the young Panchen Lama’s 9th birthday. Post cards; posters and booklets informing the international community of the story of the Panchen Lama and his disappearance were produced and distributed widely. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was only six years old when he disappeared with his family on 17 May 1995, just two days after the child was proclaimed by the Dalai Lama as the eleventh reincarnate Panchen Lama.

It was not until May 1996, more than a year later, that China finally admitted they were holding the young boy and his parents. The news came in response to a prolonged scrutiny by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. At that time, China’s representative to the United Nations stated that the child has been put under “the protection of the Government at the request of his parents.”

Denouncing the Dalai Lama’s proclamation of the child as illegitimate, the Chinese authorities drew lots from a golden urn and selected their own Panchen Lama, a six year old boy named Gyaltsen Norbu, on 29 November 1995.

According to tradition, the Panchen Lama and the Dalai Lama approve each other’s reincarnation and serve as the other’s spiritual teacher. The search for the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama is a ritualised religious activity, led by the abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tibet, Shigatse, the traditional seat of Panchen Lama. Dreams, omens, oracles and prophetic visions guide the clerical search committee to find the child in whom the departed consciousness of the lama has been reborn. The close bond between these high lamas has been maintained since the 14th century, thus they share a unique relationship that ensures continuation of the religion, heritage and culture of Tibetans.
To date, the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is unknown. Despite repeated appeals from various governments, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN bodies and international NGOs, China refused to provide any information on the child or allow an independent observer to see him and his parents, to confirm their well-being.

Soon after the Dalai Lama’s announcement, Chinese military were sent into Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and arrested a great number of monks. Today in monasteries throughout Tibet, Chinese work-teams continue to force monks and nuns to denounce the Dalai Lama’s proclaimed Panchen Lama, and have even forbidden possession or display of his photograph. Tibetans who express their loyalty to the child have been expelled from monastery, arrested and imprisoned.

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy is extremely concerned about the safety and future of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. He has been a political prisoner for more than four years. The continued detention of an innocent boy speaks volumes of China’s blatant disregard for the basic human rights and freedoms of the Tibetan people.

For more information on the history and activity of the Panchen Lama, see
The Lives of the Panchen Lamas, published Winter 1996 by the Amnye Machen Institute, McLoed Ganj 176219 Dharamsala (H.P.) India.

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima: The World's Youngest Political Prisoner, published by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, 1997; Dharamsala, India.

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima: the XIth Panchen Lama of Tibet published by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, 2005; Dharamsala, India.

The Longest Serving Political Prisoner

On September 3, 1997, TCHRD contacted all known Tibet Support Groups around the world to unite in a campaign for the immediate release of Tanak Jigme Sangpo, the longest serving political prisoner in Tibet. The campaign was launched in New Delhi and Zurich with parallel campaigns orchestrated by support groups in Austria, Norway, Germany, New Zealand and the USA. Materials including a profile of Tanak and posters were distributed around the world. At the conclusion of this international effort, two members of the Centre’s staff delivered the signed appeal post cards to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi.

Tibetans suspected of opposing policies of the People’s Republic of China have frequently been detained as political prisoners for extraordinarily lengthy periods. Many remain in prisons today, having spent the majority of their lives behind bars.

Tanak Jigme Sangpo, the oldest and the longest serving political prisoner of Tibet, was born in 1926. He was first arrested in 1960 while teaching at Lhasa Primary School and charged with “corrupting the minds of children with reactionary ideas.” In 1964, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment in Sangyip Prison for speaking against Chinese repression of Tibetans, and was then sent to labour camp in Lhasa. In 1970, he was sentenced to ten years harsh labour on charges for inciting his niece to escape to India to report Chinese atrocities to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After his release in 1979, he was sent to the Reform-Through-Labour Unit 1 in Nyethang.

China’s Public Security Bureau officers arrested him again on September 3, 1983 for putting up a wall-poster at the main gate of Tsuklakhang Temple in Lhasa protesting against Chinese atrocities. In its sentence paper, the Lhasa City Intermediate People’s Court noted that Tanak Jigme Sangpo had never seriously reconsidered his past “counter-revolutionary crimes” and was charged with “spreading and inciting counter-revolutionary propaganda;” sentencing him to another 15 years in prison.

On December 1, 1988, Tanak sentence was increased by five years for raising “reactionary slogans” whilst in Drapchi Prison. He continued to defy the Chinese authorities by staging a protest in Drapchi Prison on December 6, 1991, in front of a visiting Swiss delegation. Once the delegation had departed, Tanak was dragged from his cell and severely beaten. He was kept in solitary confinement for more than six weeks. He was subsequently sentenced on April 4, 1992 to an additional eight years imprisonment.
His current sentence is a total of 28 years, and by the time he is released on September 3, 2011 at the age of 85, he will have spent a total of 44 years in prison. After his release, his civil and political rights will be deprived for an additional eight years.

According to recent information, Tanak Jigme Sangpo participated in the May 1998 protest in Drapchi Prison. He was reportedly detained in solitary confinement; however, due to tight security since the protest, TCHRD has not received any information about a possible sentence increase or the condition of his health. He is reportedly suffering from high blood pressure and hypertension.

Tibetan Scholar Imprisoned on False Charges

In January 1997, the Centre organised a press conference and a peaceful demonstration in support of Ngawang Choephel in New Delhi. In June 1997, the Centre initiated a campaign on behalf of his mother, Mrs. Sonam Dekyi, by organising a signature campaign urging China to grant permission to see her son in prison. Later, in June 1998, TCHRD launched two candle-light vigils, a 12-hour fast in Dharamsala, a protest march and press conference in New Delhi. The Centre also launched an international letter-writing campaign for his release. In collaboration with the International Campaign for Tibet and Campaign Free Tibet, the Centre organised an international tour of Ngawang’s mother to seek support for the release of her son.

Ngawang Choephel was arrested by Chinese officials in August 1995 while visiting Tibet to make video recordings of traditional music and dance. It was not until October 15, 1996, more than a year after his arrest, that the Chinese authorities finally admitted to his detention in Nyari Detention Centre, Shigatse.

Chinese authorities have reported that he was detained on charges of spying for the exile government of the Dalai Lama. He was sentenced to 18 years prison term for committing ‘espionage crime.’ By the time of his arrest, Ngawang had already sent 16 hours of filmed traditional songs and dances from Tibet. There is not a single scene indicating that he was involved in any political activity in any of the footage. Before visiting Tibet, Ngawang wrote a personal letter to a close female relative in Nepal stating that he would not participate in any political activities while on his mission to document Tibetan culture.

His 18-year sentence is one of the longest ever given to a Tibetan political prisoner. He was detained at Nyari Detention Centre in Shigatse for nearly three years and was transferred to Drapchi Prison on June 27, 1998. During his time at Nyari Detention Centre, he made several unsuccessful appeals to the Higher People's Court in Lhasa. It is believed that Ngawang is currently held in the remote and high-security Powo Tramo Prison in Tramo County.

Ngawang is confirmed to be suffering from bronchitis, a pulmonary infection and hepatitis. He has vomited blood several times while in prison. Despite his appeal to the "TAR" People's High Court, he has not received the proper medication.

PERSONAL APPEAL OF A MOTHER

Ever since her son's disappearance in 1995, Sonam Dekyi has been tirelessly campaigning on her son's behalf. She has made several unsuccessful requests to the Chinese embassy for permission to visit her son and launched an international plea for support to visit her son and fight for his release. Despite international campaigns and pressure, the Chinese authorities have yet to respond to Mrs. Dekyi's request.

Mrs. Dekyi and Ms. Tsering Norzom from TCHRD toured the United States and Europe to raise awareness and generate support. In October 1997, Ngawang Choephel was awarded the Courage of Conscience Award by the Peace Abbey at Harvard University. The Award is presented to individuals and organisations whose commitment to the cause of peace, social justice, non-violence and the arts has served to bring about life-affirming social change.

With profound grief and sadness, I the aged mother of an imprisoned son, appeal to all of you to save my only son Ngawang Choephel.

Being a single parent to my child, I have devoted my whole life in caring for and educating Ngawang Choephel. I love him very much and he is my only hope; as I am wholly dependent on him.

I am certain that the Chinese government's charges against my son are totally baseless. Being his mother I am the only person in this world who knows my son very closely. My son is interested only in traditional Tibetan music and has spent most of his 30 years in the pursuit of Tibetan music and dance.

I am ageing and my health is worsening day by day. I long to see my son before I die. I am desperately concerned about my son's health; he is innocent of any

Educating Our Community... Programs

TCHRD organises various educational programs in an effort to empower the Tibetan Community to play an important participatory and vigilant role in a democratic future Tibet. These educational activities which target elders and youths are one of the Centre’s main objectives. TCHRD organises workshops and awareness programs for Tibetans of all ages and conducts lectures and essay competitions for school children.

TCHRD produces educational materials on human rights and democracy in both Tibetan and English. Separate reading materials, specifically for school children, are also prepared and distributed. Finally, the Centre supports an active educational program within the school system, and for other youths and adults living in exile.

Annual Workshop on Human Rights and Democracy
Annual workshops are designed to introduce young Tibetans to the concepts of human rights and democracy, and encourages them to understand what these concepts mean to the Tibetans living in exile as well as those who remain in Tibet. The structure of the workshops creates an interactive learning environment where participants are encouraged to think for themselves about the meaning of human rights and democracy. The structure of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile is carefully explained to participants and they are encouraged to think critically about the existing structures and introduce new ideas.

The workshops are composed of a series of speeches and interactive sessions. The speakers are invited from various Indian and Tibetan community throughout India, based on their individual expertise. Following each speech, participants are given the opportunity to ask questions. The workshop sessions are conducted in small groups facilitated by a speaker or member of staff from the Centre.

Although the primary purpose of these workshops are to educate Tibetan youth, they also serve to raise new ideas and thoughts from within the Tibetan community; which may assist and direct the Tibetan people in the future.

In January 1998, the Centre hosted the first three-day Workshop on Human Rights and Democracy in New Delhi. Eighty young Tibetan students from colleges and universities throughout India participated. The workshop provided the students with a forum to discuss issues of human rights and the role of democracy in exile and in Tibet.

In January 1999, 2nd, Human Rights and Democracy Workshop took place at SOS Youth Hostel in New Delhi. The workshop was attended by 110 students between 17 and 39 years who came from over 25 different schools and colleges throughout India. Topics covered in both the workshops included: the concept of human rights and democracy, UN mechanisms, human rights situation in Tibet, democratic participation, Tibetan democracy, roles of political parties and Tibet in the United Nations. Students viewed relevant video documentaries. Students were given first hand experiences of a modern democracy when they were taken on a day-long educational tour of the Indian Supreme Court and the Parliament to view the role of the government and judiciary roles.

The 3rd Human Rights and Democracy workshop will be held in SOS TCV Bylakuppe from Jan 20 - 24, 2000. About 130 college-going Tibetan students will participate in the workshop.

Awareness Programs
The Centre organises and hosts one-week awareness programs on human rights twice a year in Dharamsala, India. The objective is to educate the Tibetan Community in exile about the basic concepts of human rights and the current human rights situation in Tibet. During these programs, the Centre gives daily talks, screen video documentaries, exhibit pictures and distribute free publications from the Centre. Signature campaigns for the release of political prisoners are also done during the awareness programmes.

Women's Human Rights Workshop
In addition to initiating educational programs, the Centre also takes part in workshops and seminars organised by other organisations. The Tibetan Women’s Association organised a workshop on human rights and democracy to their fifty representatives in South India from August 17 to 19, 1998. Vice-Chairman, Mr. Tempa Tsering, Mrs. Tsering Norzom, Board Member and the Executive Director, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak were invited as resource persons. They spoke on various issues relating to the current human rights situation in Tibet, concept of human rights, democratisation of the Tibetan community and Tibet in the United Nations.

Art and Drawing Competition
To commemorate the 8th birthday of the XI Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Centre organised an art competition among Tibetan schools throughout India. The purpose of the competition was to heighten awareness of the plight of the Panchen Lama and to hear students’ ideas concerning his detention. The entries were judged in two categories: art and cartoon. Open to students in classes VII to X, the competition drew 211 submissions of which 25 were awarded prizes or commendations. An exhibition of the submissions was held at three schools in Dharamsala, to generate awareness about the plight of the young Panchen Lama.

Essay Competition
In its first year of operation, the Centre held an essay competition to generate awareness and support for the release of three Tibetan political prisoners; Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, Tanak Jigme Sangpo and Ngawang Choephel. The contest was organised in collaboration with the Tibet Bureau for UN Affairs and held in Tibetan schools in exile. Children were asked to research the background and current status of each of the three political prisoners and provide their own insights and opinions about one situation. The students were then asked to present ideas on how to ensure the release of any one of the three prisoners.

Lobbying the International Community...

TCHRD representatives regularly attend the UN Commission on Human Rights and take part in other national and international conferences to highlight the human rights situation in Tibet. TCHRD also routinely utilises the United Nations mechanisms to address systematic violations of human rights taking place in Tibet.

TCHRD organises international seminars on human rights to engage other NGOs in meaningful dialogue on Tibet from a human rights perspective, and to establish and maintain a network with other NGOs working for the Tibetan people.

Maintaining an active presence at all relevant international symposiums, workshops and conferences is a critical component of heightening and maintaining global awareness of the situation inside Tibet and the activity of the TCHRD.

South East Asia: NGO Human Rights Seminar on Tibet
In collaboration with the South Asia Human Rights and Documentation Centre, TCHRD organised the South East Asia NGO Human Rights Seminar on Tibet in Dharamsala, India, from June 17 to 20, 1998. The principal purpose of the seminar was to impart information on the current situation of Tibet and foster strong links among participating NGOs. Thirty six representatives from twelve countries attended the seminar and more than fifty individuals came as observers.

The seminar served to engage a meaningful dialogue on Tibet from a human rights perspective and to encourage a more united approach among the participants from South East Asian nations to achieve common goals. One of these goals for a regionally united stand is to promote peace and respect for fundamental freedoms not only in Tibet but also in the region as a whole.

Speakers were invited from various human rights organisations, including prominent Tibetans and Indians who were selected on the basis of their individual expertise. They provided insightful information on different aspects of human rights violations in Tibet. A compilation of the speeches given by specialists during the Seminar were published by the Centre.

Seminars and Conferences Attended

Human Rights Training in Nepal: Ms. Tenzin Chokey, English Researcher, and Mr. Tenzin Tseten, Human Rights Officer in Nepal Branch Office, took part in the training workshop on "International Human Rights Procedures" held from August 31 to September 4, 1999 in Dhulikel, Nepal. The main aim of the training is to allow human rights defenders to receive information, training on remedies available under international human rights law and United Nations human rights procedures to defend and promote human rights.

Training at Oxford University: Mr. Tenzing Choephel, Office Administrator/English Researcher, and Mr. Kalsang Topgyal, Field Officer, attended a four-week International Human Rights Programme at the Oxford University in June 1999. This programme was jointly organised by George Washington University and Oxford University. During the four weeks training programme they attended classes on ‘Basic Principles on International Human Rights Law’, ‘Human Rights Dissemination’ and ‘Race and Racism and American Law’. Mr Kalsang Topgyal gave a brief presentation in his class on the human rights situation in Tibet and presented a case history on one of the political prisoners in Tibet.

UN Human Rights Commission: The Executive Director of the Centre attended the 55th UN Commission on Human Rights at Geneva from April 6 to 30, 1999. He met with various international NGOs, UN Special Rapporteurs, and government delegations to the Commission to lobby for a China resolution.

UN Internship in Geneva: Mr. Lobsang Tsering, Tibetan Researcher attended seven weeks training on International Human Rights and Diplomacy sponsored by the International Service for Human Rights from March 15 to April 29, 1999. He also attended the 55th UN Commission on Human Rights. During his internship he submitted a written assignment of "Religious Intolerance in Tibet" and International Strategic Lobbying for Tibet.

Sri Lanka conference: The Vice Chairman Mr. Tempa Tsering and the Executive Director Mr. Lobsang Nyandak visited Sri Lanka from February 27 to March 6, 1999 to attend the conference of International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB). Mr. Tsering and Mr. Nyandak met with various participants from some twenty countries and gave speeches at a session “Struggle of the Tibetan people”. They met with various prominent political and religious persons. A separate discussion was held with some representatives of NGOs in Sri Lanka.

Tibet: Role of Bharat: The Executive Director was invited to the conference as one of the speakers by the organiser ABVP. Mr. Nyandak gave an overview of the human rights situation in Tibet to the participants, who were largely composed of Indian college students. The conference was held from March 13 to 14, 1999 at a college in Lower Dharamsala.

UN Commission on Human Rights: The Executive Director attended the 54th UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in April 1998. He also took part as a speaker at a briefing organised by the Vietnam Human Rights Committee on “Human Rights and Asian Values” at the UN building.

Human Rights Seminar in Hisar: The Executive Director, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak, attended a one-day seminar on human rights on May 23, 1998 in Hisar, India. The seminar organised by Guru Jambeshwar University was attended by several Indian intellectuals, politicians, human rights activists including the Union minister of Law. Mr. Nyandak spoke on the concept of human rights and its position in Tibetan context.

Workshop on foreign policy on Tibet: The Executive Director, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak, and English Researcher, Ms. Tenzin Chokey, attended a two-day workshop on "India, China and America's Tibet Policy" from August 28 to 29, 1998. This was organised by the Tibetan Parliament and Policy Research Centre and the Department of Information and International Relations.

Madras Seminar on Human Rights: The Madras Student's Association organised a seminar on August 22, 1998 at Loyola College which they invited the Executive Director, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak, as one of their guest speakers. He spoke on the current human rights situation in Tibet. The seminar was aimed at building awareness among the Indian college students.

Study tour in Geneva: The Executive Director, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak, and English Researcher, Tenzing Choephel, participated in an orientation and study tour of the UN office in Geneva from July 21 to 29, 1998. This was organised by the Fredrich Naumann Foundation.

Vienna Plus 5 Conference in Ottawa: Kalsang Topgyal, Field Officer, participated in the Vienna Plus 5 Review Conference held in Ottawa, Canada from June 20 to 24, 1998. This conference was designed as a follow-up on the first World Conference on Human Rights held in June 1993. There were more than 250 representatives from 100 different NGOs attending the conference. Within the Asia-Pacific NGO participants, a resolution on Tibet was passed.

Oslo Conference on Freedom of Religion: Mr. Lobsang Tsering and Ms. Tenzin Chokey, Researchers at the Centre, attended the Oslo Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief from August 12 to 15, 1998. This conference was aimed towards creating an international coalition and to develop a strategic plan of action to fund programmes on freedom of religion or belief as guaranteed by the UN covenants. There were more than 100 participants from non-governmental organisations from all parts of the world representing different religious faith. From China there were five participants. The TCHRD representatives gave speeches and responded to the Chinese delegation’s assertion about the existence of freedom of religion in Tibet.

Sri Lanka Visit: Mr. Tempa Tsering and Mr. Lobsang Nyandak visited Colombo, Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Development in November 1998. The visit to Sri Lanka was a follow-up to our “South East Asia NGO Human Rights Seminar on Tibet.” The main purpose of visiting Sri Lanka was to build awareness on the situation in Tibet. Due to lack of media interest and government support on the Tibet issue, the people in Sri Lanka are poorly informed on the conditions inside Tibet. The visit was very successful in terms of establishing contacts with influential people. They have met with several members of parliament, political parties, intellectuals and national NGOs.

Human Rights Defenders' Summit: The Executive Director Mr. Lobsang Nyandak attended the Human Rights Defenders’ Summit held in Paris from December 8 to 10, 1998. This summit was organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Some 300 representatives of human rights defenders from different countries took part in the Summit. Mr. Nyandak took part in the “Buddhist Prayers for World Peace” organised by the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights in Paris. On December 12, Mr. Nyandak attended the “Conference on Asian Democrats” participated by some 100 NGOs and gave a talk on Tibetan concept of human rights.

UN Commission on Human Rights: Mr. Lobsang Nyandak, Executive Director, attended the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in April 1997 and delivered statements on behalf of the Society for Threatened Peoples.

United Nations Sub-Commission: Ms. Tenzin Chokey, Field Officer, attended the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in Geneva from August 1 to 27, 1997.

Asia Pacific NGO Human Rights Congress: Mr. Lobsang Nyandak attended the Asia Pacific NGO Human Rights Congress from December 6 to 10, 1996 held in New Delhi, India. Mr. Nyandak briefed the Asian participants on the human rights situation in Tibet.

Assisting Former Political Prisoners...

In response to the urgent need realised by the Centre for former political prisoners, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has initiated the project “Humanitarian Aid Fund for Former Political Prisoners.” This project aims to provide both financial and emotional assistance in the resettlement and rehabilitation of these individuals. This is done in an attempt to acknowledge and honour their selfless struggle for our common cause.

The project helps to provide for the modest subsistence of former political prisoners who have made invaluable sacrifices by fighting against injustice and raising their voices against human rights violations in Tibet. This is an essential step both in the acknowledge of an individual’s contribution to the Tibetan struggle and in contributing to the international awareness of the human rights situation in Tibet. The Centre also documents, publishes and disseminates political prisoners’ stories.

Most of these former prisoners have risked their lives to escape from Tibet with nothing but the clothes on their backs. This project enables the provision of former prisoners with a sum of 500 rupees (about US$ 12) a month for a period of one year or until he or she is reasonably self-sufficient. This assitance is provided to contribute to the cause of resettlement for these individuals. By limiting the period of assistance in this way, TCHRD hopes to both encourage self reliance and extend aid to a broad base of individuals in need.

It is critical that a close relationship is established with these former political prisoners who have been stripped of their human dignity, and have experienced the most inhumane treatment imaginable. Most of them require counselling while adjusting to life in exile and in learning to cope with the scars and memories of their nightmarish prison experiences.

It is vital that former political prisoners are embraced by the Tibetan community and included in the promotion of human rights and democratic values. Finally, former prisoners are carefully placed to help implement the project in terms of interviewing and assisting in the resettlement of newly arrived former political prisoners.

The primary source of our information is the testimony of newcomers in exile who are willing to tell their stories. The Centre conducts in-depth interviews with former prisoners of conscience. Their stories are documented, published and each contributes to a detailed compilation of their case histories. These stories of genuine anguish and unthinkable suffering have the power to move the international community into taking action against the Chinese government and condemning human rights violations in Tibet.

Informing the world: PUBLICATIONS OF TCHRD

TCHRD conducts regular, systematic investigations of human rights abuses in Tibet and publishes research documents on various human rights issues confronted by the Tibetan people. Since its inception, the Centre has published a regular fortnightly newsletter “Human Rights Update” which reports the latest human rights violations in Tibet. This publication was recently made a monthly to enhance the quality and depth of the reporting. Independent organisations translate the newsletter into a number of different languages to assure international exposure to the material.

TCHRD publishes annual reports that document the human rights situation in Tibet in the previous year. This report is routinely translated into Tibetan for our Tibetan community. TCHRD also publishes researched reports on specific issues related to human rights in Tibet such as torture, prison conditions, education, and religious repression.

Our reports are circulated to the United Nations, governments, international NGOs, media, schools and to the general public. TCHRD distributes its information by mail and the Internet. Reviews of some of our reports are included in this publication.

Tibet: Tightening of Control (1999 Annual Report on Human Rights Violations in Tibet)
This report, released in January 2000, reveals further tightening of state’s control over every sphere of lifes in Tibet throughout the year 1999. China continues to violate the human rights of the Tibetan people. The exercise of their right to speech results in arbitrary arrests and detention. 130 Tibetans were abitrarily arrested by the Chinese government in 1999. The harsh suppression of a peaceful demonstration in Kandze in October resulted in the arrest of at least 80 Tibetans. Eight political prisoners have had their sentences extended for up to four years.

The prevalance of torture as a means of crushing the resistance of individuals is alarming. Six Tibetans have died due to torture in 1999 and an additional four Tibetans died from torture in previous years, but information of these cases reached TCHRD this year. Since the signing of the Convention Against Torture by China in 1986, 69 Tibetans have died as a direct result of torture.

There are currently 615 known political prisoners in Tibet. Of these 156 are women and 62 are serving sentences of ten years or more. In 1999, 1,432 monks and nuns were expelled from their monasteries and nunneries. Since the beginning of the ‘Strike Hard’ campaign in 1996, TCHRD has recorded 11,409 expulsions and 541 arrests of monks and nuns.

Tibetan women are subjected to forced abortions, contraception and sterilisations by the Chinese authorities. There are confirmed cases of pregnant women dying from forced sterilisation. Tibetan children are being deprived of their cultural and educational rights. Of the 2,474 Tibetans who fled Tibet to escape China’s reppressive policies, 1,115 were children below the age of 18.

Tale of Terror: Torture in Tibet
This report is a comprehensive study on torture in Tibet that continues despite China's participation in the Convention Against Torture (CAT). It includes testimonies from tortured Tibetans who survived the journey into exile, and a complete list with the case histories of torture related deaths.

This report also includes a thorough investigation of the torture techniques used on Tibetan people which serves as evidence of China's transgression from its responsibility to eradicate all forms of torture.

The various torture techniques used against political prisoners, includes use of electric shocks, aerial suspension, sexual assault and attacks by ferocious dogs. Over the years, testimonies have indicated that techniques have become increasingly sophisticated. The tactful infliction of internal injuries assures the invisibility of scars, but torture victims still suffer from mental anguish, permanent disablement and death.

On October 4, 1988 the People’s Republic of China ratified the UN Convention Against Torture, which they had signed on December 12, 1986.

A member of the Chinese delegation at the United Nations General Assembly stated in November 1988 that “China will implement in good faith its obligations undertaken in the Convention.” Since China’s signing of the Convention, 60 torture-related deaths of confined victims have been reported.

This report highlights China’s failure to adhere to its obligations under the Convention Against Torture and other related Conventions to which China is a state party.

Tibet: Crackdown on Humanity: 1998 Annual Report on Human Rights
The 1998 Annual Report on human rights reveals the repeated failure of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Tibetan people. The 124-page report is a comprehensive study on the profound human rights abuses that continue in Tibet today.

Contrary to China’s assertions and its obligations under international and domestic laws, the document indicates an alarming trend: an increasingly tighter governmental control over all sectors of Tibetan life, threatening both the cultural and physical survival of the Tibetan people.

Tibetans in Tibet are denied basic rights to freedom of expression and opinion. As of December 1998, TCHRD had record of 1083 Tibetan political prisoners who remained incarcerated in various Chinese prisons in Tibet of which 246 were women and 12 were under the age of 18. An additional 93 prisoners were imprisoned as juveniles and remain in detention. 76 Tibetan prisoners are serving sentences of ten years or more. 135 new arrests of Tibetans were recorded in 1998.

Ninteen Tibetans were reported dead due to ill-treatment and torture in prison in 1998, 11 of which directly resulted from Chinese suppression of the peaceful demonstrations in Drapchi Prison on May 1 and May 4.

Behind Bars: Prison Conditions in Tibet
This report, released in October 1998 describes the continuing physical and mental abuse of Tibetan political prisoners. “Behind Bars: Prison Conditions in Tibet” is primarily based on 22 indepth interviews of former political prisoners. The interviews were conducted in the first half of 1998. This report analysis the conditions faced by Tibetan political prisoners in Chinese-administered prisons including forced labour and re-education, torture, prison diet, medical treatment, protests in prisons, religious repression and treatment of women. A brief summary of the Chinese legal system and the different types of penal institutions in which Tibetan political prisoners are kept.

Conditions in several Chinese prisons over various time periods are included in the report, although greater emphasis is placed on Drapchi Prison and Gutsa Detention Centre as the penal institutions in which most Tibetan political prisoners are held. Accounts from the last ten years are highlighted because of their greater relevance to the present treatment of political prisoners in Tibet.

Closing the Doors: Religious Repression in Tibet
This report documents the widespread repression of freedom of religion in Tibet since the launching of the “Strike Hard” campaign by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in April 1996. The principal part of the report is based on testimonials of Tibetan refugees who have arrived in exile since 1997.

In the report, the Centre reported the expulsion of over 3,993 monks and nuns from their monasteries and nunneries under China’s “Strike Hard” Campaign (the number has since increased to 9977). The core of China’s “Strike Hard” and “re-education” campaigns is to force the monks and nuns to oppose notions of Tibetan nationalism and to denounce the Dalai Lama. Those who refuse risk severe repercussions.

Fearless Voices: Accounts of Tibetan Former Political Prisoners
Released in February 1998, this 100-page booklet is an account of 20 remarkable Tibetans who have undergone what most could never imagine. The first-hand reports of arrest, imprisonment, torture, forced labour and escape are carefully and painfully documented of 12 men and eight women who were imprisoned and ultimately escaped to Nepal or India. These are stories of great suffering, great sacrifice and great spirit.

This booklet outlines China’s major prisons and detention centres in Tibet and provides an overview of China’s criminal justice system for Tibetans, described as “verdict first, trial second.” The Chinese criminal system in its entirety is known as “reform through labour,” with an aim not to just punish, but “reform and change for the better.” In addition to intensive labour requirements – effective in both diminishing individual political zeal and in creating production profits – inmates of prisons and camps are required to undergo strenuous ideological training according to communist doctrine.

China in Tibet: Striking Hard Against Human Rights (1997 Annual Report on Human Rights)
This second annual report prepared by TCHRD was released in December 1997. It reveals an ongoing onslaught against the human rights and freedoms of the Tibetan people throughout the year. The report documents widespread repression of freedom of religion and expression; violation of the right to be free from racial discrimination; the practice of arbitrary detention and torture; and the abuse of women and children’s rights in Tibet.
The report lists 1,216 known Tibetan political prisoners and prisoners of conscience detained in Chinese prisons in Tibet, imprisoned for peacefully exercising their internationally recognised rights to freedom of expression and opinion, assembly, and religion.

The report details several cases of abuse in prison in 1997 including six reports of Tibetans dying as a result of torture and ill-treatment as well as dozens of cases describing brutal torture methods by police and prison officials. In 1997, 883 known cases of forced abortion and sterilization of Tibetan women were reported. One woman died three days after a forced sterilisation and three women miscarried after being forced to undergo the operation. Other Tibetan women were heavily fined for failing to keep within strict birth quotas and children born in excess of the quota were denied school and employment opportunities.

The Next Generation The State of Education in Tibet Today
Released in September 1997, this 100-page report is based on interviews conducted in Spring 1997 with 50 Tibetan children who have fled from Tibet in the previous three years. The report details the imposition of prohibitively high school fees, the phasing out of Tibetan language and culture, discrimination, indoctrination lessons and excessively cruel punishments.

The children interviewed by TCHRD were between 9 and 21 years and represented all three provinces of Tibet. Ninety-six per cent of them had fled Tibet for education, generally under the most hazardous conditions and at great financial and personal cost to their families.

The report extensively documents violations of each of the provisions of the Convention and concludes that if the education of the Tibetan children in Tibet does not improve, the chance of the unique and ancient Tibetan culture surviving even another generation is grim.

TIBET: One More Year of Political Repression (1996 Annual Report on Human Rights Violations in Tibet)
In its first annual report on conditions within Tibet, the TCHRD reported grave human rights violations on a monumental scale. The brutal repression of freedom of religion continued in Tibet where peaceful beliefs and customs of Buddhism play such a profound role in all areas of life.

Message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Our world is becoming smaller and ever more interdependent with the rapid growth in population and increasing contact between people and governments. In this light, it is important to reassess the rights and responsibilities of individuals, peoples and nations in relation to each other and to the planet as a whole. This World Conference of organisations and governments concerned about the rights and freedoms of people throughout the world reflects the appreciation of our interdependence.

No matter what country or continent we come from. We are all basically the same human beings. We have the common human needs and concerns. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering regardless of our race, religion, sex or political status. Human beings, indeed all sentiment beings, have the right to pursue happiness and live in peace and in freedom. As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are prevented from using our creative potential, we are deprived of one of the basic characteristics of a human being. It is very often the most gifted, dedicated and creative members of our society who become victims of human rights abuses. Thus the political, social, cultural and economic developments of a society are obstructed by the violations of human rights. Therefore, the protection of these rights and freedoms are of intense importance both for the individuals affected and for the development of the society, as a whole.

It is my belief that the lack of understanding of the true cause of happiness is the principal reason why people inflict suffering on others. Some people think that causing pain to others may lead to their own happiness or that their own happiness is of such importance that the pain of others is of no significance. But this is clearly short sighted. No one truly benefits from causing harm to another being. Whatever immediate advantage is gained at the expense of someone else is short-lived. In the long run causing others misery and infringing upon their peace and happiness creates anxiety, fear and suspicion for oneself.

The key to creating a better and more peaceful world is the development of love and compassion for others. This naturally means we must develop concern for our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than we are. In this respect, the non-governmental organisations have a key role to play. You not only create awareness for the need to respect the rights of all human beings, but also give the victims of human rights violations hope for a better future.

When I travelled to Europe for the first tome in 1973, I talked about the increasing interdependence of the world and the need to develop a sense of universal responsibility. We need to think in global terms because the effects of one nation’s actions are felt far beyond its borders. The acceptance of universally binding standards of Human Rights as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants of Human Rights is essential in today’s shrinking world. Respect for fundamental human rights should not remain an ideal to be achieved but a requisite foundation for every human society.

When we demand the rights and freedoms we so cherish we should also be aware of our responsibilities. If we accept that others have an equal right to peace and happiness as ourselves do we not have a responsibility to help those in need? Respect for fundamental human rights is as important to the people of Africa and Asia as it is to those in Europe or the Americas. All human beings, whatever their cultural or historical background, suffer when they are intimidated, imprisoned or tortured. The question of human rights is so fundamentally important that there should be no difference of views on this. We must therefore insist on a global consensus not only on the need to respect human rights world wide but more importantly on the definition of these rights.

Recently some Asian governments have contended that the standards of human rights laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are those advocated by the West and cannot be applied to Asia and others parts of the Third World because of differences in culture and differences in social and economic development.

I do not share this view and I am convinced that the majority of Asian people do not support his view either, for it is the inherent nature of all human beings to yearn for freedom, equality and dignity, and they have an equal to achieve that. I do not see any contradiction between the need for economic development and the need for respect of human rights.

The rich diversity of cultures and religions should help to strengthen the fundamental human rights in all communities. Because underlying this diversity are fundamental principles that bind us all as members of the same human family. Diversity and traditions can never justify the violations of human rights.

Thus discrimination of persons from a different race, of women, and of weaker sections of society may be traditional in some regions, but if they are inconsistent with universally recognised human rights, these forums of behaviour must change. The universal principles of equality of all human beings must take precedence.

It is mainly the authoritarian and totalitarian regimes who are opposed to the universality of human rights. It would be absolutely wrong to concede to this view. On the contrary, such regimes must be made to respect and conform to the universally accepted principles in the larger and long term interests of their own peoples. The dramatic changes in the past few years clearly indicate that the triumph of human rights is inevitable.

There is a growing awareness of peoples’ responsibilities to each other and to the planet we share. This is encouraging even though so much suffering continues to be inflicted based on chauvinism, race, religion, ideology and history. A new hope is emerging for the downtrodden, and people everywhere are displaying a willingness to champion and defend the rights and freedoms of their fellow human beings.

Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom and dignity. It is not enough, as communist systems have assumed, merely to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. The deeper human nature needs to breathe the precious air of liberty. However, some governments still consider the fundamental human rights of its citizens an internal matter of the state. They do not accept that the fate of a people in any country is the legitimate concern of the entire human family and that claims to sovereignty are not a license to mistreat one’s citizens. It is not only our right as members of the global human family to protect when our brothers and sisters are being treated brutally, but it is also our duty to do whatever we can to help them.

Artificial barriers that have divided nations and peoples have fallen in recent times. With the dismantling of Berlin wall the East - West division which has polarised the whole world for decades has now come to an end. We are experiencing a time filled with hope and expectations. Yet there still remains a major gulf at the heart of the human family. By this I am referring to the North-South divide. If we are serious in our commitment to the fundamental principles of equality, principles which, I believe, lie at the heart of the concept of human rights, today’s economic disparity can no longer be ignored. It is not enough to merely state that all human beings must enjoy equal dignity. This must be translated into action. We have a responsibility to find ways to achieve a more equitable distribution of world’s resources.

We are witnessing a tremendous popular movement for the advancement of human rights and democratic freedom in the world. This movement must become an even more powerful moral force, so that even the most obstructive governments and armies are incapable of suppressing it. This conference is an occasion for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to this goal. It is natural and just for nations, peoples and individuals to demand respect for their rights and freedoms and to struggle to end repression, racism, economic exploitation, military occupation, and various forms of colonialism and alien domination. Governments should actively support such demands instead of only paying lip service to them.

As we approach the end of the Twentieth Century, we find that the world is becoming one community. We are being drawn together by the grave problems of over population, dwindling natural resources, and an environmental crisis that threaten the very foundation of our existence on this planet. Human rights, environmental protection and great social and economic equality, are all interrelated. I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for one self, one’s own family or one’s nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace.

This need for co-operation can only strengthen humankind, because it helps us to recognise that the most secure foundation for a new world order is not simply broader political and economic alliances, but each individual’s genuine practice of love and compassion. These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being. The practice of compassion is not idealistic, but the most effective way to pursue the best interests of others as well as our own. The more we become interdependent the more it is in our own interest to ensure the wellbeing of others.

I believe that one of the principal factors that hinder us from fully appreciating our interdependence is our undue emphasis on material development. We have become so engrossed in its pursuit that, unknowingly, we have neglected the most basic qualities of compassion, caring and co-operation. When we do not know someone or do not feel connected to an individual or group, we tend to overlook their needs. Yet, the development of human society requires that people help each other.

I, for one, strongly believe that individuals can make a difference in society. Every individual has a responsibility to help more our global family in the right direction and we must each assume that responsibility. As a Buddhist monk, I try to develop compassion within myself, not simply as a religious practice, but on a human level as well. To encourage myself in this altruistic attitude, I sometimes find it helpful to imagine myself standing as a single individual on one side, facing a huge gathering of all other human beings on the other side. Then I ask myself, ‘Whose interests are more important?’ To me it is quite clear that however important I may feel I am, I am just one individual while others are infinite in number and importance. Thank You.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama
15 June 1993, Vienna, Austria

How Can I help?

Human rights begin with you. Your concern and participation makes a difference. Here’s how you can help us.

Write to your government and parliamentarians expressing your concern about the human rights violations in Tibet.

Write to the Chinese government in Beijing or the Chinese Embassy in your country.

Subscribe to our Human Rights Update. Annual contribution is US $10 (international) or Rs. 65 in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Sponsor an edition of Human Rights Update at a publication cost of US$ 85.

“Assisting former Political Prisoners: Become a member of the Humanitarian Aid Fund for Former Political Prisoners. This project is aimed at providing monetary assistance to those prisoners of conscience who have suffered severely for the cause of freedom and justice. Annual membership contribution of US $200 is directed entirely to the project. For detail see the section

Become a member of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. You will get our Human Rights Updates free and upon your request we will send our research publications free of cost. Annual membership fee Rs. 50 / US$ 10 (Rs 25/ US$ 5 for students).