China has refused to answer a UN question Sep 27 on the whereabouts of the Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Niyma, who continues to remain disappeared ever since it kidnapped Tibet’s second most prominent religious figure at the age of six in 1995.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, reviewing China’s compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, asked that question as a follow-up to its 2005 query.
The Committee asked if China’s contention that the Panchen Lama had been given higher education and was living a happy life had been confirmed by an independent authority, as had already been asked by the Committee in 2005, said the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT, Washington) Oct 2.
But, it added, the Chinese government refused to answer that question.
China painted a glowing picture of its record with regard to the situation of children in occupied Tibet during the committee’s hearing in Geneva on Sep 26-27.
China painted a glowing picture of its record with regard to the situation of children in occupied Tibet during the committee’s hearing in Geneva on Sep 26-27.
However, it came in for some searching questions from some of the 18 UN Rights of the Child experts hearing its report.
The Chinese delegation maintained that it had granted special subsidies to minority children to facilitate their compulsory education.
The Chinese delegation maintained that it had granted special subsidies to minority children to facilitate their compulsory education.
In particular, it claimed that children of farmers and herdsmen in Tibet (Autonomous Region) who had enrolled for basic education were being provided with food, accommodation and stationeries.
And when China denied that there was discrimination against the practice of religion, the Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Kirsten Sandberg, retorted, “You are not talking about the facts in China. We have so many reports on infringement of freedom of religion in Tibet and Xinjiang.”
Apart from expressing concerns over self-immolations by Tibetan children, experts also said there was obviously a shortage of schools in Tibet, referring to the fact that Tibetan children were going to India to receive education.
Eighteen non-government organizations had submitted reports on China’s child rights record before the review hearing.
And when China denied that there was discrimination against the practice of religion, the Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Kirsten Sandberg, retorted, “You are not talking about the facts in China. We have so many reports on infringement of freedom of religion in Tibet and Xinjiang.”
Apart from expressing concerns over self-immolations by Tibetan children, experts also said there was obviously a shortage of schools in Tibet, referring to the fact that Tibetan children were going to India to receive education.
Eighteen non-government organizations had submitted reports on China’s child rights record before the review hearing.
According to Elena Gaita, Policy and Advocacy Officer at the International Campaign for Tibet, Europe, “The review session was very good. The Committee members were able to effectively challenge the Chinese delegation. They discussed Tibet a lot and many of ICT’s questions were used, covering numerous areas such as freedom of religion, the right to education and language rights.”
The Committee was expected to finalize and publish its recommendations on Oct 4.
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