Below is a press release from the Tibet Justice Center (TJC) with details China's victorious "No Action" motion at the 3rd PrepComm for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
(We are also reprinting an item from Xinhua, the Chinese Propaganda organ, giving their "spin" on this vote)
While we are not surprised at this outcome, we are all justifiably upset and plan to hold the UN, and especially the UN Secretariat, accountable for their systematic exclusion of Tibet. It is simply unacceptable for them to allow China to dictate who is and isn't allowed to participate in this and every summit, meeting and event that the UN hosts.
Thank you so much to everyone who called and wrote to the various UN Ambassadors. We've heard from numerous sources that certain Missions were overwhelmed by the number of faxes they received. You'll be happy to know that Nicaragua and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (countries on our target list) voted against China, and Belize (also on our target list) abstained. The last time China pulled this stunt with ICT's accreditation, Belize voted against Tibet!
Thanks also to those of you who braved the cold over the past couple of days and made your voices heard at the UN. We passed out more than 1500 flyers to WSSD delegates and UN staff - many of whom were supportive and equally frustrated with China's actions.
To D'Arcy Richardson, Tashi Tsering and everyone at the Tibet Justice Center, as well as Tenzin Kelsang and Tashi Wangdu from the Office of Tibet in New York and South Africa: thanks for your hard work. The simple fact that the General Assembly had to debate the Tibet issue is a victory in and of itself. Besides, they haven't seen the last of us!
Bod Rangzen! Free Tibet!
4 April 2002
CONTACT: D'Arcy Richardson, (510) 912-8215
Tashi Tsering, (503) 725-3909
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tibetan Group Condemns Censorship at UN World Summit UNITED NATIONS (New York)-- Tibet Justice Center, a Berkeley, CA-based human rights and environment group, today condemned the UN for once again failing to support the accreditation of a qualified Tibet group to the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa late this summer. With the G-77 nations squarely under its thumb, China prevented consideration of the Center's credentials through a procedural "No Action" motion. China launched a full-scale lobbying effort to shut Tibet groups out of the summit by blocking their accreditation. The International Campaign for Tibet also lost its legitimate bid for accreditation at the second WSSD preparatory meeting held in February.
China's political arm-twisting garnered enough support to carry through its No Action motion by a vote of 107 to 45 with 16 abstentions, in spite of efforts by the US and the EU to uphold a fair accreditation process. In its statement supporting Tibet Justice Center's accreditation, the US noted that "legitimate NGOs, including Tibet Justice Center…can and should be approved. We believe that all these well-established and widely recognized NGOs can make useful and positive contributions." Spain, speaking for the EU and a host of associated nations, also made a strong statement in support of the accreditation.
"The UN has promised a WSSD process that is 'open, transparent, and highly participatory,'" said D'Arcy Richardson, Chair of TJC's Environment Committee. "What we have instead is a sham. It is blatant censorship enforced by China while the rest of the world stands by and watches."
"The efforts of the UN in collusion with China to exclude a particular set of civil society groups whom they find objectionable damages the integrity of the WSSD, the United Nations and its stakeholder consultation processes," said Tashi Tsering of the Tibet Justice Center. "This is yet another demonstration of the UN's failing to support constructive dialogue between Tibetan and Chinese interests by allowing China to run roughshod over UN procedures." Tibet Justice Center President Dennis Cusack was outraged by the outcome of the vote, but determined to press on. With a 12-year track record of environment and development work, including successful negotiations with the Chinese government on water issues, the organization's credentials for participation were "beyond reproach," said Cusack. The organization has been a member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) since 1990, engaging in face-to-face talks with Chinese delegation at the 1996 and 2000 World Conservation Congresses. It is the only organization representing Tibetan environment and development interests in the 900-member Union.
Representatives of the Center vowed to continue the fight for Tibetan participation in the Summit. Delegates will attend the WSSD in partnership with other organizations to make Tibetan issues part of the international agenda. "This severely compromises our ability to participate when our organization cannot represent itself," said Mr. Cusack. "We have asked the Secretary-General to look into the irregularities that have plagued Tibetan organizations in the WSSD accreditation process, and to ensure that the Secretariat and the UN stop manipulating the system to serve one nation's political ends."
Tibet Justice Center advocates for human rights, environmental protection, and a peaceful resolution of the situation in Tibet.
(AND THE CHINESE VIEW....)
Separatist Tibetan Organization Barred from U.N. Conference (Xinhua)
XINHUANET 2002-04-06 07:14:22 (Xinhua is the official propaganda press agency of the People's Republic of China)
UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The preparatory committee for the U.N. World Summit on Sustainable Development on Friday rejected U.S. proposal to accredit the separatist organization of "Tibet Justice Center" (TJC) to the conference scheduled for August 26-September 4 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The TJC openly advocates that "Tibet is rightfully an independent state" and that "the People's Republic of China is not the legitimate government of the Tibetan people", Chinese deputy representative to the United Nations Zhang Yishan told a committee meeting.
Such separatist activities against a sovereign state are gross violations of the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, he said, noting that allowing organizations such as the TJC to attend U.N. conferences would only encourage their separatist activities and would in no sense benefit the summit.
Based on the same reason, the committee in February rejected the accreditation of "International Campaign for Tibet" which has similar stance. "It is hard to understand that why some countries still insist on bringing into the conference an organization of the same separatist nature?" he asked.
In accordance of relevant U.N. rules of procedure, China put forward a motion to take no action on the U.S. proposal. The motion was voted 107 for, 45 against and 16 abstained.
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