In a recent letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, over 20 members of the U.S. House of Representatives urged the Biden administration to spotlight China‘s severe human rights abuses against Tibetans during the upcoming Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council. This review, scheduled for January 23 in Geneva, is a critical assessment of every UN member state’s human rights record, conducted every four to five years.
Led by Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the bipartisan group highlighted the worsening situation in Tibet since China‘s last review in 2018. The letter points to the Chinese government’s policies that systematically erode Tibetan Buddhism, language, and lifestyle, posing a significant threat to the Tibetan people’s survival and well-being.
China has occupied Tibet for around 65 years, resulting in Tibet becoming one of the least free countries globally, alongside South Sudan and Syria. The letter from the Congress members stresses that China‘s actions in Tibet, including a state-run boarding school system separating over a million Tibetan children from their families and culture, are part of a broader campaign to assimilate Tibetans into Chinese culture.
The letter also calls attention to China‘s labor transfer and training schemes, which alter the demographic balance in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Additionally, coercive relocation and resettlement programs uproot Tibetans from their traditional homes. Several UN bodies have documented these abuses, as well as independent UN special procedures.
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For decades, the US government and its people have shown bipartisan support for Tibetans and their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. The letter underscores this commitment and seeks to ensure that the United States plays a pivotal role in protecting the human rights of the Tibetan people during the UN review process.
The letter was signed by a diverse group of representatives, including André Carson, D-Ind.; Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas; Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz.; Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.; Henry Johnson, D-Ga.; Young Kim, R-Calif.; Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.; Barbara Lee, D-Calif.; Ted Lieu, D-Calif.; Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y.; Seth Moulton, D-Mass.; Betty McCollum, D-Minn.; Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C.; Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Mark Pocan, D-Wis.; Jamie Raskin, D-Md.; Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.; Brad Sherman, D-Calif.; Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.; Haley Stevens, D-Mich.; Shri Thanedar, D-Mich.; Dina Titus, D-Nev.; and Jennifer Wexton, D-Va.
The Biden administration has previously taken steps to support the Tibetan people, including sanctioning Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Tibet. This latest letter adds to the growing momentum in U.S. efforts to address China’s occupation of Tibet and seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
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