FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: China Defeated at UN Vote:
Tibetan NGOs Wins UN Accreditation to the World Conference Against Racism
Geneva/Washington, DC 23 May, 2001: -This afternoon China suffered a humiliating defeat in two separates votes at the Second Preparatory Committee (Second Prepcom) Meeting of the III UN World Conference Against Racism at the United Nations here when both Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) and International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) were officially given accreditation to the World Conference Against Racism scheduled to take place in Durban, South Africa from 28 August to 1 September this year.
“China’s defeat today signals an opinion amongst member countries of the United Nations that the World Conference Against Racism is an appropriate forum for the two Tibetan NGOs to be given accreditation. We consider this a major victory for the Tibetan people,” said Tsering Jampa, Director of the ICT-Europe who observed the voting.
Although China and its regular allies in the United Nations launched an intensive campaign to deny official accreditation to the two Tibetan NGOs, Beijing failed to get the votes from many countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. “This vote against China is a vote in support of the principle that the broadest number of NGOs should be accredited to this UN Conference to ensure their full participation” said Lobsang Nyandak, Executive Director of Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. “For the first time Tibetan NGOs will become official participants to a UN conference and this is a major achievement of the Tibetan lobby this afternoon”, he added.
The vote this afternoon was cast by 189 member-countries of the United Nations and 4 observer-members (Switzerland, Holy See, Cook Islands and Niue). In the vote, the accreditation application of International Campaign for Tibet was supported by 46 votes against 37 with 29 abstentions. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy was supported by 44 votes against 37 with 31 abstentions.
The decision in favour of the two Tibetan NGOs were reached after a major portion of the first two days of the Second Prepcom failed to reach a consensus agreement amongst concerned governments on the accreditation issue of 6 NGOs from Asia. Apart from the two Tibetan NGOs, China had also objected to New York-based Human Rights in China’s accreditation application. In the case of this NGO, China was able to muster enough votes to deny accreditation to Human Rights in China (45/50 No/17).
The International Campaign for Tibet and the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy applaud all the countries, particularly the European Union and the United States of America, who supported us in this crucial UN vote today. The abstention votes cast by India, Bhutan, Philippines, Jordan, Mauritius, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Swaziland, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Ukraine, Uruguay, Chili, Colombia, also played a crucial role in China’s defeat today. We also wish to thank many NGOs who supported our accreditation-application to this World Conference.
“There can be little doubt in the international community that Tibetans face enormous discrimination in their occupied homeland, and this vote will ensure them a place beside other persecuted peoples at this United Nations racism conference in South Africa,” said Ms. Tsering Jampa.
Contact:
Geneva:
– Ms. Tsering Jampa
(0031 6 29004547)
– Mr. Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon
(0041 22 731 3508)
Washington, DC
Mr. John Ackerly
(001 202 785 1515)
Dharamsala, India
Mr. Lobsang Nyandak
(0091 1892 23363)
NOTES:
I – Voting Pattern on ICT Accreditation:
YES (46):
Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hundorus, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom and United States.
No (37):
Algeria, Bahrain, Belarus, Cameroon, China, Congo, Cuba, North Korea, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Burma, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, United
Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Abstentions (29):
Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Chili, Colombia, Ecaudor, Egypt, Eritrea, Holy See, India, Jordan, Mauritius, Morocco, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine and Uruguay.
II – Voting Pattern on TCHRD Accreditation:
YES (44):
Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States.
NO (37):
Algeria, Bahrain, Belarus, Cameroon, China, Congo, Cuba, North Korea, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Burma, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, United
Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Abstention (31):
Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Barbados, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Holy See, Honduras, India, Jordan, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Philippines, Romania, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine and Uruguay.