Chinese human rights violations continuing: Exiled Tibetnas

Dharamsala, Jan 24 : The annual report of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has accused China of violating Tibet's human rights repeatedly.

The TCHRD report, released here on Wednesday, has accused China of serious rights violations, particularly related to the freedom of expression, association and religion.

The report also says that arbitrary arrests and imprisonment, unfair trials, torture and execution continue.

Tenzin Norgay said Tibetans had great hope that there would be a decrease in human rights violations with China under international scrutiny ahead of the Beijing Olympics 2008, but were disappointed as these violations continue. "Cases of arbitrary arrests and detentions in Tibet in relation to political activities have increased manifold. About 43 of the total number of political prisoners in Tibet are serving terms of more than 10 years for activities which are basically exercise of fundamental human rights like freely expressing of opinions in calling for free Tibet or in calling for return of Dalai Lama to Tibet," he said.

An estimated 13,40,00 Tibetans live in exile, a majority of them in India and Nepal.

The Dalai Lama set up his seat of power in Dharamsala after he and his followers had fled to India in 1959, following a failed uprising against Chinese occupation of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama now says he has accepted Chinese sovereignty over Tibet, but wants greater autonomy, not independence, for his predominantly Buddhist homeland.

Beijing considers him a separatist and accuses him of continuing to promote Tibetan independence.

The Dalai Lama is still revered by most Tibetans inside the Himalayan region despite repeated campaigns to stamp out loyalty to him.

ANI