Statement on Tibet delivered by Australia at Third Committee, 24th plenary meeting, 79th session of UN General Assembly – 22 Oct 2024.

United Nations General Assembly – THIRD COMMITTEE: GENERAL DISCUSSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS: JOINT STATEMENT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN XINJIANG AND TIBET

H.E. Mr James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations delivered a joint statement, mentioning Tibet on behalf of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Australia.

This is a bold multilateral statement to address concerns about China’s human rights abuses and it begins by raising human rights abuses against Uyghurs, noting that “two years ago, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment on Xinjiang concluded that serious human rights violations had been committed in Xinjiang, and that the scale of the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity”.

Nearly identical abuses exist in Tibet. Tibetans are subjected to arbitrarily detention and torture, forced labour, and the imposition of draconian restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, and freedom of movement.

The 15 countries represented in the statement go on to raise Tibet specifically in relation to China’s state-run colonial style boarding schools and the separation of Tibetan children from their families which denies them access to their culture, religion and language, with Mr Larsen stating:

“… as with our concerns for the situation in Xinjiang, we are also seriously concerned about credible reports detailing human rights abuses in Tibet.

United Nations human rights treaty bodies and United Nations Special Procedures have detailed the detention of Tibetans for the peaceful expression of political views; restrictions on travel; coercive labour arrangements; separation of children from families in boarding schools; and erosion of linguistic, cultural, educational and religious rights and freedoms in Tibet”.

The multilateral statement concludes by urging China to release all individuals arbitrarily detained in both Xinjiang and Tibet, and urgently clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members.

This is an excellent step forward for the global Tibet movement and Tibet advocates worldwide. It has been nearly two decades since Tibet has been raised at the UN General Assembly, and that Australia led this multilateral statement on Tibet is a credit to Tibet advocates like yourself and shows the steadfast support Tibet has enjoyed in Australia and around the world.

Thank you for persistently stepping up for Tibet and helping maintain pressure on the Australian Government. Whether you have contacted your local MP, or donated to support one of ATC’s campaigns or lobbying work, it has been your commitment to Tibet that has helped pushed this issue into the forum of the UN General Assembly after being glaringly absent for so long.

Let us keep going strong until our collective advocacy brings real change for Tibet!