In Commemoration of Tibetan Uprising Day

IN COMMEMORATION OF TIBETAN UPRISING DAY -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 10, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN
OF NEW JERSEY
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2005

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues and Tibetan communities around the world to commemorate Tibetan Uprising Day, and to draw attention to the continued serious human rights abuses committed by the People's Republic of China.

On March 10, 1959, in reaction to rumors that the Chinese were planning to kill or kidnap the Dalai Lama, thousands of Tibetan refugees courageously surrounded the Dalai Lama's compound and began calling for the Chinese to leave Tibet. This marked the beginning of the "Lhasa Uprising." On March 17, 1959, fearing that Chinese troops would massacre the thousands of refugees who were refusing orders to disperse, the Dalai Lama disguised himself and took flight to India. Forty-eight hours later, believing the Dalai Lama was still inside, Chinese troops began shelling his compound and other targets in Lhasa, killing thousands of mostly unarmed civilians. Chinese statistics estimate that 87,000 Tibetans from all parts of Tibet were killed, arrested, or deported to labor camps during the 1959 Uprising. Only a small number of the thousands who fled to India survived Chinese military attacks, malnutrition, cold and disease.

Over the past 46 years, Tibetans inside Tibet and in exile around the world have bravely fought against tremendous odds to preserve their religious identity, culture, and history. It is estimated that 1.5 million Tibetans have died as a result of Chinese occupation since 1949 and 6000 monasteries, temples, and other cultural buildings were destroyed. And today, Tibetans, including monks and nuns, are continually persecuted for practicing their religion, and voicing their support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In fact, five Tibetan monks were jailed by Chinese authorities in February of this year for allegedly publishing politically sensitive poems, and were given sentences of two to three years.

The U.S. government has continually supported Tibetan self-determination, and I am proud of the dedication of the U.S. Congress to drawing attention to the gross human rights abuses committed by the People's Republic of China against the Tibetan people. We must continue to support the dialogue between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the government of China, and remain committed to a peaceful resolution to this tragic conflict, keeping in mind our shared values of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom from tyranny.

I commend to you the statement written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in commemoration of Tibetan Uprising Day, and I am honored to submit the statement in its entirety for the RECORD.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov