NGO statement urges Pakistan to preserve Tibetan language in Baltistan Source: Tibet Bureau, Geneva

13 April, Geneva - Around 100 Tibetans and their supporters along with representatives of Chinese Democracy Movement, Eastern Turkestan and Inner Mongolia today held a Vigil in front of the United Nations. The Vigil was addressed by Mr. Kelsang Chokteng, President of Tibetan Community in Switzerland, Mr. Wei Jingsheng and representatives of Amnesty International-Switzerland, Eastern Turkestan and Inner Mongolia.

At the Commission debate last evening, Movement Against Racism and Friendship Amongst Peoples, a Paris-based NGO, in an oral statement spoke about the struggle of the Balti people to preserve Tibetan language and their cultural heritage. The statement said: "... we wish to inform the Commission about the people of Baltistan, sometimes called the Little Tibet, in Pakistan, who are today facing great challenges to preserve not only their unique culture but also Tibetan as their language. Due to the overwhelming influence of Urdu, the official language in Pakistan, the people of Balti need the support of both the Pakistan government and the international community to be able to use and preserve Tibetan language and their unique cultural heritage." As the Commission discussed the question of the Rights of the Child until midnight yesterday, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak delivered an entire statement on the situation of child rights in Tibet. The statement is produced in this update.

The NGO briefing on Child Rights in Tibet at the United Nations this afternoon was well attended with Mr. Kelsang Gyaltsen, Mr. Wei Jingsheng, Mr. John Ackerly and Mr. Lobsang Nyandak taking the floor. Ms. Dolma Choephel welcomed the participants on behalf of the International Unions of Socialist Youth who organised the briefing. The special screening of the film, "Tibet's Stolen Child" was very well received by the participants.

As the vote on the China resolution approaches, signatures of NGOs with consultative status in the United Nations, attending the Commission are being collected on a Petition addressed to the Chairman of the 56th Commission on Human Rights. The petition is asking the 53 member-countries to "uphold the effectiveness and integrity of the Commission" against the misuse of the rule that deals with the "no-action motion."

The Petition calling on the Commission member-countries to vote against a "no action motion", that will be used by China to block a substantive discussion on the US-sponsored resolution on China, also adds: "If one country - or if even more countries - were to repeatedly use the "no-action motion" to prevent discussion of the substance of human rights concerns, the very purpose and usefulness of the Commission would be seriously undermined."

The United States of America formally submitted the text of the resolution on China to the Commission on Human Rights on 11 April. On Tibet, the resolution expresses concern "at increased restrictions on the exercise of cultural, linguistic, religious and other freedoms of the Tibetans" and calls upon the Government of China "to preserve and protect the distinct cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious identity of Tibetans."

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Last updated: 14-April-2000