Human rights organisations express concern over enforced disappearances in Tibetan region

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 1 (ANI): The United Nations, the European Union, and the Central Tibetan Administration, in a joint statement, expressed their concerns over the ongoing enforced disappearances orchestrated by China in the Tibetan region.

The organizations strongly condemned the continued rampant cases of enforced disappearances of Tibetans in the region by the Chinese government’s practice of torture and ill-treatment of Tibetans while in custody.

The statement claimed that each year, the Chinese authorities arbitrarily arrest several Tibetans and subject them to enforced disappearances, including religious and community leaders, writers and musicians, and human rights and environmental activists, mainly for their expression of Tibetan national identity and opposing repressive policies. And in most of these cases, they often result in prison sentences based on trumped-up charges, whereas many who have been imprisoned continue to be unseen and unheard of.

“The systematic practice of enforced disappearances at any time under any circumstances is a crime against humanity. The first Article of the UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance stipulates any act of enforced disappearance constitutes a violation of the rules of international law guaranteeing, the right to recognition as a person before the law, the right to liberty and security of the person, and the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment,” the statement read.

The statement further mentioned that China, despite being a member of the UN, has consistently demonstrated a complete disrespect for international human rights law, systematically disregarding global standards in its treatment of Tibetans and people of other nationalities under its oppression.

As per the statement, among the most prominent enforced disappearance cases is the abduction of Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, one of the highest Tibetan Buddhist leaders. At just six years of age, the Chinese administration abducted the 11th Panchen Lama, along with his family and Chadrel Rinpoche in 1995. Despite repeated expressions of concern over the matter and intervention by various UN bodies to date, China has still withheld credible information about his whereabouts or well-being for the last 29 years, making him one of the world’s longest-serving political prisoners, it added.

The joint statement also claimed that just this year, several Tibetans have “disappeared” after Chinese authorities arbitrarily detained them for various reasons, from staging peaceful protests to publishing books.

These cases include the enforced disappearances of Phuntsok, Pema, Samten, Zomkyi, Tamdin, and Lobsang Thabkhey, whose fates continue to remain unknown. One prominent case in recent years is Gendun Lhundup’s arbitrary arrest in 2020. Even after more than three years since his arbitrary arrest, his whereabouts and well-being remain unknown to his family, the statement claimed.

Enforced disappearance has an impact on the victim, but its paralyzing effects on the family members, who are left uninformed of the fate of their loved ones for extended periods, are horrid. Recently, news from Tibet reported the tragic death of Phude, a 53-year-old Tibetan mother of writer Tenzin Khenrab. Her 29-year-old son was arrested in 2023 for keeping a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his phone, along with several e-books. Despite her repeated attempts, the Chinese police refused to disclose any information about her son’s whereabouts. After suffering from depression from worrying about her son’s well-being for over a year, the mother Phude passed away earlier this year on 17 February, the statement added.

The human rights organisations urged international governments and organizations, including the United Nations, human rights organizations, rights activists, and supporters around the world, to continue to press China to disclose information about the Tibetans arbitrarily arrested and disappeared, including the 11th Panchen Lama case.

Enforced disappearance constitutes a grave violation of international human rights standards, and China is obligated to ensure that enforced disappearances are thoroughly investigated and that it provides integral reparations for those who have been subjected to this inhuman and illegal act by international standards, it added.