Press Releases
Contact:
Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami
202-226-7616
For Immediate Release
03/12/2008
Pelosi: ‘The Violent Response by Chinese Police Forces to Peaceful Protesters in Tibet is Disgraceful’
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the
following statement today in response to reports that Chinese police forces
have arrested, detained and fired tear gas on hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist
monks peacefully protesting near the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. There have also been reports of sightings of
People’s Liberation Army troop transport vehicles traveling to Drepung
monastery and reports of gunshots and beatings from inside the monastery.
“The violent response by Chinese police forces to peaceful
protesters in Tibet is disgraceful. It must be met with
strong condemnation by the United
States government and the international community. The Chinese government should
immediately provide information on the welfare and whereabouts of the detained
Buddhist monks and facilitate access by international human rights monitors and
journalists to Tibetan areas.
“We know from the State Department’s Country Reports on
Human Rights that the human rights situation in China
and Tibet
continues to worsen and the repression of religious freedom has increased.
There is disturbing new evidence of a pre-Olympic crackdown on religious
leaders, journalists and lawyers in recent months. The Olympic Games in Beijing this summer should provide an
opportunity for more free expression, not less.
I call upon the Bush Administration to publicly condemn the attacks in
the strongest possible terms and consider issuing a travel warning to Tibet because
of concerns that tourists could be caught in the violence.
“It is long past time for Beijing to make progress on a solution that
respects the human rights of every Tibetan.
The plight of the people of Tibet
is a challenge to the conscience of the world and the United States
must be prepared to confront the Chinese government when they violate the human
rights of their people.”