UN Rights Experts Raise Concern about Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in Tibet

Severe human rights restrictions in Tibet spark high level concern from United Nations rights experts.

China to account for mass eviction of Tibetan monks and nuns from highly respected Buddhist institute Larung Gar

26 February 2017: A group of six independent United Nations human rights experts [1] have expressed their “deep concern” about the serious cultural and religious repression in Tibet directly to the People’s Republic of China. [2] The experts cited a wide range of specific allegations in their letter concerning the mass eviction of Tibetan monks and nuns and the demolition of their homes, which have been taking place at the Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in eastern Tibet. [3] These actions by the Chinese government are seen by the group of UN experts to violate international human rights laws and “seem to be concerted attacks on tangible and intangible cultural heritage, which constitute serious violations of cultural rights of current and future generations.”

The detailed communication was issued privately to the People’s Republic of China in November 2016 after news emerged of the dramatic level of destruction being carried out by the Chinese authorities at Larung Gar where, since June 2016, at least 6,700 monks and nuns have been evicted from their homes, and recent reports suggest that further demolitions of monastic homes are restarting shortly. [4]

The situation at Larung Gar is indicative of a far wider pattern of interference by the Chinese government in Tibet’s religious affairs that is in direct contravention of the Chinese Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of religious belief, with no discrimination or compulsion. Tibet campaigners and analysts see these incidents as emblematic of an escalation in state-perpetrated religious and cultural rights violations in Tibet, which requires international attention.

“Tibetans are suffering greatly due to China’s harsh and erroneous policies,” said Iona Liddell of Tibet Justice Center and joint coordinator of the Tibet Advocacy Coalition. [5] She added “The concern shown by these independent UN experts highlights just how serious the situation is at Larung Gar and Tibet at large, and that this is a problem warranting global attention.”

“We welcome this strong intervention and call on governments around the world to take action on these key human rights experts’ concerns and urge they raise this situation as a matter of urgency with China, before more inhumane damage is done” added Urgyen Badheytsang, Students for a Free Tibet.

“This statement brings into sharp focus the sheer scale and range of China’s devastation at Larung Gar,”  commented Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren of Free Tibet. “Six UN experts, each a specialist in their field, have identified a vast array of human rights violations that cannot be downplayed or ignored. It is now up to governments to act on these findings. They must demand that China bring this destruction to an immediate halt”

“With today’s geopolitical scenario, joint and strategic multilateral action at the UN is one of the most effective ways to bring China to account. We urge that governments raise concern about Larung Gar and other state-perpetrated violations of cultural and religious rights in Tibet as a matter of urgency with China,” said Tenzin Jigdal, International Tibet Network.

The UN experts also questioned the Chinese government about the use of excessive force against, and the arbitrary arrest and detention of, Tibetan protesters who peacefully demonstrated in June 2016 against an open-air mining project in Amchok, in Sangchu (Chinese: Xiahe) county, Kanlho (Chinese: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province (in the Tibetan area of Amdo). Armed Chinese police beat and detained a number of Tibetan demonstrators; six protest leaders were severely beaten and subsequently hospitalized. [6]

Contacts:
Iona Liddell, Tibet Justice Center: +977 9810 173 996 (English)
Urgyen Badhetysang, Students for a Free Tibet: +1 4133 108 160 (English and Tibetan)
Tenzin Jigdal, International Tibet Network: +91 9882 255 516 (English and Tibetan)
Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, Free Tibet: +44 7341 335995 (English)

Notes

1. The UN Experts who issued the Communication are: Karima Bennoune, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights; John H. Knox, Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment; Maina Kiai, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Leilani Farha, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context; Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, Special Rapporteur on minority issues; Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.
2. Full Communication can be read at https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=22816
3. Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Tibet; one of the largest and most respected Buddhist institutions in the world, and until recently home to at least 10,000 monks, nuns and visiting students.
4. Radio Free Asia report, 23 January 2017 http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/resume-01232017154922.html
5. Tibet Advocacy Coalition is a project established in 2013 by International Tibet Network, Tibet Justice Center and Students for a Free Tibet to develop coordinated strategies, monitoring tools, and reports to highlight the situation in Tibet at the United Nations Human Rights Council. The Coalition’s core members are: Tibet Justice Center (http://www.tibetjustice.org/), Students for a Free Tibet (https://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/), Tibetan Youth Association Europe  (http://www.tibetanyouth.org/en/) who work together with support and advice from International Tibet Network (https://tibetnetwork.org/), a coalition of over 180 global Tibet organisations, campaigning for an end to human rights violations in Tibet. See https://tibetnetwork.org/portfolio-items/tibet-advocacy-coalition/
6. Report by International Campaign for Tibet, 8 June 2016: ‘Tibetan protest leaders hospitalized as Chinese police suppress demonstrations in Amchok’ – https://www.savetibet.org/tibetan-protest-leaders-hospitalized-as-chinese-police-suppress-demonstrations-in-amchok/

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