2019 Geneva Forum on China’s High-Tech Repression and Freedom of Religion

Geneva, 14th November 2019: The Two day Geneva Forum, discussion on Human rights situation in China was organized by Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Dharamsala. The Event was attended by representatives from around 10 Countries with approximately 130 members.  Representatives from some Europe countries, Canada, Tibet Support groups from Hongkong,Taiwan,Uyghur, Falun Gong and some Swiss Parliament members attended the Forum.

After the 1^st Geneva Forum in 2018, The 2019 Geneva Forum brings together human rights experts, practitioners, academics, activists, governments, diplomats, think tanks, civil society groups and affected groups to monitor and evaluate the human rights situation in regions under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party.

The speakers who spoke on the First Panel Discussion under the Topic: Technology and the Future of Human Rights were: Kelsang Gyaltsen former special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Eward Chin Human rights activist from Hongkong, Hilary Miler, UN Human rights watch, Filip Jirous from Charles University Prague.

The speakers on the second Panel Discussion under the Topic: High-Tech Repression and Freedom of Religion in China was vice President of International campaign for Tibet and Representative of International Uyghur group.

Mr. Chhimey Rigzen, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Office of Tibet, Geneva after his welcome speech, read out the message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to 2019 Geneva Forum. His Holiness in the message called upon the international community to point out the unjustifiable actions on the part of the Chinese Government and said “if China wishes to assume its rightful place in the community of nations, it will also have to shoulder the responsibilities that come with that position and uphold both basic freedoms and fundamental human rights.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his message also wishes and prays for this Forum to run successfully.

In his inaugural address, President Dr. Sangay noted the high tech surveillance tools used by China in carrying out repressive policies against the vulnerable people under the control of China specially the Tibetans, Uyghurs and Southern Mongolians.

Highlighting the high-tech repression of Tibet, especially in denying freedom of religion of Tibetans, President Dr. Sangay said that “Jokhang temple in Lhasa which is the holiest shrine for Tibetan Buddhists has more guns in than butter lamps and has more cameras than windows.”

He further added that the ongoing destructions of Larung Gar and Yachen Gar Buddhist Academies are part of the campaign against freedom of religion of Tibetans started by China in 1956 when the first monastery in Lithang was destroyed. Noting China’s repeated interference in the religious traditions of Tibetans, he said “China should stop meddling in the religious affairs of Tibetans by using arbitrary law- Order No. 5 to control the reincarnation of Lamas. Chinese government has no legitimacy whatsoever over the reincarnation of lamas. The government who don`t believe in Religion have no right to interfere in Tibetan Religion.The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama will be decided by the Dalai Lama himself and the reincarnations of the lamas will be decided by the lamas.”

The Special Guest Hon’ble Carlo Sommaruga, Member of the National Parliament, Switzerland recalled the occupation of Tibet by China which led to the forcible escape of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the then religious and temporal leader of Tibet. Though surveillance by State has come to be a practice in some of democratic countries as well, he highlighted that “the degree of implementation of individual surveillance is striking. It is all the more rapid because in China there are no legal instruments to protect against the arbitrariness of state.”

Assuring his support, he said, “As Swiss parliamentarian, I can promise you that with my colleagues and members of Swiss Parliament we will do all what we can to participate in the resistance against the surveillance of citizens in China especially against Tibetans and Uyghurs. We will try to push the Swiss Government to take critical stand against the violations of human rights, especially freedom of religion.”

The cross-cutting theme for 2019 is “China’s High-tech Repression and Freedom of Religion”. Artificial Intelligence facial recognition, biometric registration, the grid system of social management, GPS tagging, social credit system, and drones disguised as birds. This is the reality of high-tech state surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party, which has made Tibet the second least free country in the world and over 1 million Uyghurs detained in concentration camps.

Nyima Arya