Hannah Thomas January 27, 2011 Degrove Pd.

3 United Nations Human Rights Council: Ethnic Issues in China regarding the violation of human rights by the Chinese government toward the Tibetan people. Honorable chairs and distinguished delegates, For many years, China and the region of Tibet have faced numerous problems. China, being one of the most powerful countries in the world, seeks complete political control over the weaker region of Tibet, which lies in the western portion of China. Along with Tibet itself, many in the global community believe that the autonomous region should be given self-government. This particular conflict has increased tensions drastically in the Eastern Hemisphere and has resulted in a violation on human rights by the Chinese government. In 1949, the Peoples Liberation Army under the government of China invaded the region of Tibet, which caused divergence between the two regions to skyrocket. Tibet was then forced to sign the Seventeen-Point Agreement and officially become a part of China in 1951. While the Chinese government looked upon this invasion of Tibet as a peaceful liberation, global communities thought of this as a massive violation of human rights. The Chinese government is accused of the suppression of Tibetan religions and cultures, which caused many refugees to flee Eastern Tibet. In the late 1950s, Tibetans gathered in an attempt to gain independence against China known as the National Uprising. The upheaval rebounded and the Tibetan government was eventually ousted as a result. Many more were forced to leave Tibet, including the spiritual leader of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Chinese treatment of the Tibetan people grew increasingly worse and it is estimated that approximately 1.2 million Tibetan people died as a result of Chinese rule, while many others were forced into prison and work camps. Not only were many people harmed, but also hundreds of Tibetan buildings and monasteries were demolished, destroying countless cultural arts. Today, the United Nations Human Rights Council is striving to address violations of human rights and to help promote the safety and protection of human rights around the world. The United Nations Human Rights Council is devoted to protecting human rights and has passed numerous resolutions to help solve the impending issue since 1959. The

resolutions call for the respect for the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people and for their distinctive cultural and religious life. Spain is just one prominent country that is a member of the UN agency. Spain runs a parliamentary monarchy that consists of seventeen autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. Spain is also a member of over fifty international organizations. The country has great respect and value for human rights and believes in the freedom of religion. There are currently no reports that the Spanish government or any of its agents have ever committed arbitrary or any other unlawful killings. Although the Spanish and Chinese governments are very different from one another, Spain recently signed more than a dozen business accords with China and reportedly has three Confucian schools within Spanish borders. Connections between the two countries have been increasing since 2005, when Spain signed a strategic association during a visit with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Despite these connections, on August 5, 2008, Spains National Court launched an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Tibet, and indicted seven Chinese political and military leaders in response to Tibetan rights groups who accused China of genocide. Spain was able to do this because it is one of the few countries to exercise the legal principle of universal jurisdiction, which gives countries the right to try individuals of any nationality for crimes committed outside that countrys borders. Soon after, China condemned accusations made in a Spanish court that Beijing had engaged in Genocide in Tibet and proceeded to warn Madrid not to interfere again. As the situations in Tibet are becoming worse, global communities are becoming more and more worried of how to handle the problems. Many believe that the issue can be resolved peacefully, but in order to do this, numerous countries must join together and consider what has to be done. Although Spain has attempted to do many things to help Tibetans, one country is not enough to solve the immense problems. Spain is a country that values human rights and religious freedom and would most likely prefer an option that would sustain peace between nations. If the United Nations can find a way to bring Tibet and China together to peacefully and respectfully discuss what resolutions exist, then the matter at hand will be much easier to disentangle. Countries and organizations that are allies or peacefully connected to China and Tibet can convince the two countries to come together and patiently converse on the many aspects of Tibet becoming an independent region. By using this plan, violence would not be necessary. In order to make things run smoothly and in a level manner, each nation would need to commit to helping to find a peaceful solution or treaty that would satisfy the needs of both China and Tibet. Advances in technology have connected the globe in ways that many

thought would never be possible. How will the world function if countries cannot sustain peace? If our world plans to continue in a reserved and peaceful manner, each and every nation must merge together and overcome issues of violence and turmoil.