Chinese Activist Harry Wu Urges EU to Appoint Envoy on Tibet

Chinese Activist Harry Wu Urges EU to Appoint Envoy on Tibet   
November 14, 2003
http://www.savetibet.org/News/News.cfm?ID=2123&c=6
 
Leading Chinese human rights activist Harry Wu has supported the call
for the European Union to appoint a special representative on Tibet
saying such a position will reflect EU's sincerety in defending the
right of the downtrodden.



Participating in the European Parliament Forum on Tibet in Brussels on
November 12, 2003, Wu said, "The State Department of the United States
government has appointed an Under Secretary of State, Ms. Paula
Dobriansky, as US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. This is a
high level appointment, which highlights that the United States
Government is paying serious attention to the non-violent struggle of
Tibet. It is time for the European Union to also appoint a senior
official to push China to the negotiation table. This is an important
and concrete step that the European Union could take. It would show
the European Union does in fact actively defend the rights of the
downtrodden and repressed."

Wu also said it was significant that envoys of the Dalai Lama have
been visiting China as it showed that the Chinese Government has
realized that they cannot ignore the Dalai Lama. Wu said, "Beijing
received a high-level delegation to restart negotiations with the His
Holiness Dalai Lama. Regardless of Beijing's motives for holding these
talks, or if the negotiations have any real success, at the very
least, the negotiations make one thing clear: despite being exiled for
over 50 years, Beijing cannot ignore the Dalai Lama and his people.
Beijing refused to talk with Tibetan delegates for many years; they
referred to them as a "Gang of Bandits."  Now, Beijing is beginning to
accept the reality."

Following is the full text of Harry Wu's remarks. 

The Crux of the Tibetan Problem

European Parliament Forum on Tibet:

EU Response to Sino-Tibetan Dialogue



Harry Wu, Laogai Research Foundation

Nov.12, 2003

It is an honor to speak before this distinguished audience.  

It's been almost fifty years since China "liberated" Tibet, crushing
its people, government and its religion, and forcing the Dalai Lama
into exile. Since then, tens of thousands of Tibetans have fled to all
parts of the world. However, they have not given up hope. They have
not been wiped-out or deemed irrelevant, and I suspect they will never
be. To most Han Chinese, Tibetans are an "uncivilized, ignorant,
filthy and superstitious" people, who needed to be liberated by the
Chinese Communist Party. Yet, all throughout the world, Tibetan stand
with pride.

All over the world, exiled Tibetans live together in peace with the
locals of their adopted nations, receiving much more respect and
welcome and trust than Chinese immigrants. Tibetan maintains their
religion, culture, dress and customs, as well as his own government
in-exile, with an unmistakable dignity. Among the younger generation,
many obtain high-level academic degrees, and become well-known
scholars. They may have lost their land, but they are reaching toward
the heavens.

Beijing received a high-level delegation to restart negotiations with
the His Holiness Dalai Lama. Regardless of Beijing's motives for
holding these talks, or if the negotiations have any real success, at
the very least, the negotiations make one thing clear: despite being
exiled for over 50 years, Beijing cannot ignore the Dalai Lama and his
people. Beijing refused to talk with Tibetan delegates for many years;
they referred to them as a "Gang of Bandits."  Now, Beijing is
beginning to accept the reality. One of the reasons that brought
Beijing back to negotiating table is the fact that the Communist
regime facing a historic crisis. It must change its policies.  The
exiled Tibetan government does not enjoy any military or any economic
power; it does not even have any diplomatic relations. Yet they still
matter. As everyone knows, the CCP's political power is always based
on physical strength. Yet, the facts prove, although often drowned out
by wickedness and greed, justice and truth eventually prevail.

Beijing knows the Dalai Lama and Tibetans are highly respected by
peoples and government of nearly all nations, they know truth is not
on their side. Nevertheless, there are two key factors supporting
Beijing's Tibet policy: First, most Han Chinese are prejudiced against
Tibetans, and believe Tibetans need economic, cultural and other
assistance. Second, most Han Chinese believe Tibet was never an
independent country, and was always a part of China. As a result, most
Han Chinese agree with Beijing's policies. Even many Chinese exiled or
domestic dissidents which claim they are fighting for democracy,
freedom and human rights, unfortunately, the sentiment of traditional
nationalism leading them support and agree Beijing's Tibet policy.

Many Han Chinese ask: Isn't Han Chinese culture superior to Tibet's?
Don't Tibetans have an unhealthy, harmful lifestyle? Don't they want a
theocracy? Doesn't the Tibetan religion block economic and cultural
development, etc.? These questions are important to evaluate and
discuss. However, the first thing we should address is this: who has
the right to judge right from wrong? Moreover, who has the right to
use physical force to implement such a judgment?

If a culture fails to respect another people's right to
self-determination, then itself has no right to self-determination.
Yet, this is what is happening in China. If Han Chinese is in the
process of seeking democracy, freedom and prosperity, then it should
respect another culture's right to do the same. Tibetans have the
right to seek their own political future, social structure, religious
beliefs and culture.

Actually, Han Chinese must appreciate Tibetan's tireless, courageous
and consistent fight for its fundamental rights. Their struggle is
breaking the power of the Communist autocratic regime in China.
Tibet's efforts will eventually benefit all Chinese people.

If most Han Chinese begin believing that they should respect Tibet,
and agree that Tibet has freedom of choice, I believe Beijing's
current policy would become untenable. When a majority of Han Chinese
expresses this type of sentiment, it will represent a significant
shift in thought among Han Chinese.

In the last twenty years, the Communist government has hidden its use
of force against the Tibetan people under the cover of economic
development along with the feet of tens of thousands of Han Chinese
migrants pouring into Tibet. The same autocratic government that
destroyed Tibetan monasteries now is spending money rebuilt the
monasteries. They are building railways, highways, and power stations.
Their purpose is to gradually eliminate Tibetan's culture, region, and
people.

I wish Western nations would not only clearly express your desire to
see fruitful negotiations between China and the Dalai Lama. However, I
also hope they will stop investing in Tibet, stop purchasing any
products made in Tibet, and never welcome any Beijing-controlled
Tibetan delegates, or culture or artistic performance. The West must
not maintain its hypocritical appeasement policy. I hope the West
remembers how Stalin swallowed Eastern Europe and Asian countries and
built up Soviet Empire, and what was necessary for the West to defeat
it.

The State Department of the United States government has appointed an
Under Secretary of State, Ms. Paula Dobriansky, as US Special
Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. This is a high level appointment,
which highlights that the United States Government is paying serious
attention to the non-violent struggle of Tibet. It is time for the
European Union to also appoint a senior official to push China to the
negotiation table. This is an important and concrete step that the
European Union could take. It would show the European Union does in
fact actively defend the rights of the downtrodden and repressed.

The world is changing. In the face of a rising tide of globalization,
liberalization, democratization and human rights, the old and tired
petty excuses for injustice, such as colonialism, racism, communism
and even nationalism, are becoming weak and indefensible. Sooner or
later, they will all be thrown into the dustbin of history.
 



 
    
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