Violations of human rights escalate - New figures document the wave of arrests

On the occasion of the 51stt anniversary of the national uprising in Tibet (10.3.1959) the Society for Threatened Peoples STP (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV) draws attention to the sharp increase in violations of human rights by the Chinese authorities and security forces. "Since February 2008 the number of political prisoners in Tibet has multiplied by at least eight times”, reported the STP Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius, on Tuesday in Göttingen. "While there were previously 119 prisoners of conscience known by name, since the disturbances in the spring of 2008 at least 334 Tibetans have been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment or death for their participation in demonstrations. Hundreds more are still waiting for their court cases.”

Since 2nd March 2010 more than 500 Tibetans have been arrested, at least 4,115 dwellings searched and 7,340 persons interrogated according to official Chinese sources in the capital of Lhasa alone since the beginning of the "Hit hard” campaign. About 1,430 police officers and other security forces were involved in the raids and have been patrolling the streets in battle dress with machine pistols.

" Instead of a dialogue with the Tibetans China's government pursues a course of intimidation and persecution”, criticised Delius. Block wardens are installed to control everyone and everything. This is the way in which the Communist Party is implementing by force of arms the "Harmony and Unity” programme, which was so highly praised in the People's Congress in Peking only last week. For the Chinese authorities have formed the "Lhasa Neighbourhood Committee”, whose members since 1st March accompany the security forces on their patrols in the Tibetan capital.

" The Chinese leaders have clearly learnt nothing from the severe disturbances of the spring of 2008”, said the human rights expert. "Instead of looking for the causes of the dissatisfaction of the Tibetans the governor, who has been appointed by China, sets store on the supreme power of the Communist Party.” The Tibetan Padma Choling, who was appointed governor by Peking, said in January 2010 during the People's Congress that only the Communist Party could save Tibet. "If Peking does not finally take a close look at its nationality policies the tensions between Tibetans and the Han Chinese who are immigrating will continue to escalate.”