Resolved: the State of Vermont strongly opposes the PRC's human rights violations in Tibet and urges congress to take immediate action to stop them

VERMONT
S.R. 26

By Senators White and Shumlin,

S.R. 26. Senate resolution relating to expressing strong opposition to, and urging effective and immediate congressional action to stop, the government of the People's Republic of China's human rights violations in the geographic area known as Tibet.

Whereas, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948, and reaffirmed by all United Nations member states, provides in part:

"Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty."

"Article 5.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

"Article 9.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile."

"Article 15.

(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality."

"Article 17.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property."

"Article 20.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association."

"Article 21.

(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."

"Article 30.

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein," and

Whereas, the International Convention On Human Rights indicates in its preamble that disregard and contempt for human rights deserves condemnation by the international community when it results in barbarous acts which outrage the conscience of mankind, and prevent or delay the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from want and fear, and

Whereas, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1993/77, entitled "Forced Evictions" states, "the practice of forced evictions constitutes a gross violation of human rights," and

Whereas, the Chinese government has forced both Tibetan natives and Han Chinese to relocate in direct violation of both Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1993/77 and

Whereas, the barbarous acts of the government of the People's Republic of China, within the area known as Tibet, have jolted and continue to jolt the conscience of mankind, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate of the State of Vermont expresses its strong opposition to the government of the People's Republic of China's fundamental human rights violations in the geographic area known as Tibet, and be it further
Resolved: That the Senate of the State of Vermont urges Congress to take effective and immediate action to stop these fundamental human rights violations, and be it further

Resolved: That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States, to the International Campaign for Tibet, and to the Vermont Congressional delegation.

earthquake

"In the eastern part of the region where Asia and India collide, the Tibetan plateau is pushing southeast against the flat Sichuan basin. 'It’s definitely a seismic area,' said Julie Martinez, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center in Boulder, Colo.

"On Monday afternoon, an upward thrust fault broke, generating an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.9. An aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 followed 15 minutes later, and smaller aftershocks continue in the area." [NYTimes, "Disaster Set Off by Colliding Land Masses," by Kenneth Chang, May 13]

Tens of thousands of Chinese are feared dead.