Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench)
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of allegations of human rights violations of Tibetan Monks by Chinese authorities at Kirti Monastery, Sichuan, reported in The Economist on 24 April; whether they have made representations to the People’s Republic of China on this matter; and, if so, what was their response.
- Hansard source (Citation: HL Deb, 5 May 2011, c165W)
Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative)We are deeply concerned by recent reports of violence at the Kirti Monastery. We have raised these concerns both with the Chinese embassy in London and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Beijing, asking for information and calling for restraint. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my honourable friend Mr Browne has written to the Chinese ambassador raising his concerns at recent human rights developments in China, including the situation at Kirti Monastery. The letter calls on all parties to exercise restraint, so that violence is avoided and human rights are respected. Our embassy in Beijing has also written to the MFA’s special representative on human rights along the same lines.We remain committed to engagement with China on human rights. Long-term stability in Tibet and Tibetan regions can only be achieved through respect for human rights and genuine autonomy for Tibet within the framework of the Chinese constitution. Meaningful dialogue between the Dalai Lama‘s representatives and the Chinese authorities is the best way to make this happen.
