Dan Boyle
Ceist:227 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the views which have been expressed by the Government on developments in Zimbabwe. [16644/03]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.
The Government continues to be deeply concerned at the continuing decline in respect for human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe. The Government of Zimbabwe has primary responsibility for this state of affairs. It has failed to call to account all those who have acted outside the law, particularly through harassment and repression of peaceful protesters and members of the opposition. The continued detention on a second charge of treason of the leader of the opposition MDC party, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai, is very worrying. On 6 June, the EU issued a declaration noting that the arrest of Mr. Tsvangirai demonstrated an increase in the repressive and intimidatory measures being used by the Government of Zimbabwe against the opposition. The EU declaration urged the Government of Zimbabwe to find a peaceful solution to the political conflict through national dialogue and respect for human rights.
Dan Boyle
Ceist:228 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the encouragement which is being suggested to the Government of the People's Republic of China to help develop greater autonomy for Tibet. [16645/03]
Dan Boyle
Ceist:229 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which human rights abuses continue to be practised in Tibet; and the way in which such abuses have been criticised by the Government. [16646/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.
On a number of occasions in recent months, I have set out the Government's position with respect to Tibet.
As regards greater autonomy for Tibet within the People's Republic of China, the recent visit, from 28 May to 5 June, of a delegation of the Dalai Lama's envoys to China, appears to have resulted in a positive dialogue. The Dalai Lama has stated that he seeks a solution to the Tibetan problem through a "Middle Way Approach". This framework does not call for the independence of Tibet or its separation from China, but would provide genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people, help them to preserve their identity, and to promote their religious and cultural heritage.
With regard to the human rights situation in Tibet, the Government, in bilateral contacts with China, and through contacts between the European Union and China, has consistently called on the Chinese Government to respect fully the rights of the Tibetan people.
The EU discusses key human rights concerns, including those relating to Tibet, with China in the framework of the EU-China human rights dialogue, which provides a forum for an in-depth discussion of these issues. The last session of the dialogue took place on 5 and 6 March 2003, in Athens. Among the issues discussed were the general human rights situation in Tibet and the continued use of re-education-through-labour, as well as other issues such as co-operation with UN human rights mechanisms, the continuation of "strike-hard" campaigns, the need for judicial reforms, the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, torture and the extensive use of the death penalty. The EU continues to evaluate the results of the dialogue at regular intervals to determine how far its expectations have been met.
I attended the External Relations Council meeting in Brussels in March this year, at which the Council issued conclusions on the human rights situation in China, including Tibet. These conclusions restated the EU's concern about the continuing practice of re-education-through-labour, and called on China to end the practice.
At the 59th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Ireland, along with our EU partners, made known our concerns in regard to human rights violations in China and, in particular, our concerns in relation to the deprivation of religious and cultural rights in Tibet.
Ireland, together with our EU partners, will avail of every opportunity to raise our concerns regarding the situation of Tibet through the EU-China human rights dialogue, as well as through appropriate action at the UN, including at the Commission on Human Rights.
Dan Boyle
Ceist:230 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which human rights abuses continue against those who practise Falun Gong; and the way in which such abuses have been criticised by the Government. [16647/03]
The Government takes seriously the issue of respect for the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Both the Taoiseach and I have raised this issue on a number of occasions with the Chinese Government, and we will continue to use such bilateral contacts to further the cause of human rights in China. I raised this matter directly with the Chinese authorities during my visit to Beijing in January 2002. In December 2002, and again in February 2003, my colleague Deputy Kitt, Minister of State for overseas development and human rights, reviewed these issues with concerned NGOs. Government representatives will continue to use such bilateral contacts to raise human rights issues with the Chinese authorities.
The EU discusses key human rights concerns with China within the framework of the EU-China human rights dialogue. At the most recent session of the dialogue, which took place in Athens on 5-6 March this year, the EU conveyed our concerns in relation to the position of followers of Falun Gong. I am pleased to report that the Chinese interlocutors at the dialogue expressed a willingness to co-operate with the Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights, and informed the EU side that they had extended invitations to visit China to the UN special rapporteurs on torture, and the right to education, and to the UN working group on arbitrary detention. I particularly welcome the fact that China has also issued a formal invitation to the UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion, Mr. Abdelfattah Amor.
At the External Relations Council in March this year, I discussed this matter with my EU colleagues, and it was agreed that the EU should convey its deep concern over reported violations of human rights in China, at the UN Commission on Human Rights. At the recent session of the CHR in Geneva, the EU urged China to take clear steps to improve the human rights situation generally, and more specifically with respect to freedoms of expression, religion and belief, which have a particular impact on practitioners of Falun Gong.
Officials in my Department, both in Dublin and in the embassy in Beijing, continue to monitor the human rights situation in China on an ongoing basis.