Protest against Chinese vice-premier

Protest against Chinese vice-premier

By Matt Wilson

ADELAIDE — About 150 protesters braved a cold night outside the Hyatt Hotel on May 25 to protest against the visit by Chinese vice-premier Zhu Ronji. The trade mission took place in return for the Howard government's decision not to support a resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission condemning human rights abuses by China.

A delegation of 60 Chinese business leaders met with the minister for foreign affairs, Alexander Downer, and SA Premier John Olsen and his cabinet to discuss new investment opportunities.

The Howard government has turned a blind eye to continuing human rights abuses by China in Tibet, east Turkistan (Xinjiang province) and other parts of China.

The Australia Tibet Council, which organised the protest, released a letter written by Tibetan political prisoners which detailed the torture of 153 political prisoners by Chinese authorities at Drapchi prison in Lhasa. Most are Buddhist monks and nuns who have been arrested for taking part in peaceful demonstrations opposing Chinese rule. There are currently 1018 known political prisoners in Tibet.

The president of the Australia Tibet Council, Alex Butler, said the Howard government had betrayed the prisoners. "Their hopes of an improvement in their conditions and an early release from prison have been diminished by Australia's action."

Reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Asia indicate that there has been no improvement in human rights in Tibet as a result of the Australian and United States adoption of the policy of "constructive engagement" with China.

From GLW issue 277