Swiss Foreign Policy Commission seeks report from govt on human rights dialogue with China

The Swiss Foreign Commission has sought a report from its government on the discussion held with China over growing human rights abuses in Tibet. The Commission has recommended the Swiss government to submit a report to the Parliament on the effect of human rights dialogue with the CPC and also on the situation of Tibetans in Switzerland.

This decision was taken on November 9 under the Upper-House of Swiss Parliament, while discussing a 2018 petition on the human rights of Tibetans in Switzerland.

Back in September 2018, the Society for Threatened Peoples along with the Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (aka GSTF) had submitted a petition signed by over 11,000 Swiss citizens, seeking for an active engagement at the global level with China on the human rights situation in Tibet and for protecting the culture and language of Tibetans. 

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The petition demanded the following:

• Guaranteed freedom of expression in Switzerland on the situation in Tibet.
• The Government must be committed to respecting the freedom of movement of Tibetans by recognizing their status as persons in need of protection and by issuing a passport to persons concerned.
• Adopting concrete measures to protect the community from the surveillance and guaranteed respect for private life by intervening, when necessary, with the Chinese authorities.

The petition was also backed by the Tibetan Community of Switzerland and Lichtenstein, Tibetan Women's Association of Switzerland and the Tibetan Youth Association of Europe.

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'New development in policies'

Nicolas Walder, Member of the Swiss Council as well as the Foreign Policy Commission at the Geneva Forum 2020 said, "we are asking the Swiss government for a report on the result of the so-called constructive dialogue on human rights since several decades. We want to see what did it bring concerning human rights and obviously, the result is quite bad because we all can see that the situation is worsening for the minorities in China including religious minorities."

"This is quite a new development because until now business was the priority when talking with China and everybody is a little worried about speaking on human rights. We are quite pleased that now we can openly discuss the policies towards China," he said

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Ever since China captured Tibet, it has relentlessly pushed for the persecution of religion, especially Tibetan Buddhism. By employing its state machinery, the CPC has launched campaigns after campaigns to achieve its agenda, each more brutal and oppressive than the previous.

Recently, there have been reports of surveillance and censorship on Tibetans living in Switzerland by the Chinese authorities. Such cases have also been reported in New York and Sweden.

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(With inputs from agency)

(Image credits: AP)