Tibet: Julia Gillard Urged To Raise Human Rights In Tibet During Visit
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The Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who is scheduled to meet China’s new president, Xi Jinping, on Sunday 7 April 2013, has been urged to raise the issue of human rights in Tibet during her visit to the country.
Below is an article published by The Australian:
Ms Gillard starts a six-day visit to China on Friday [5 April 2013] and will be one of the first world leaders to meet with President Xi since his elevation to the job.
The Australia Tibet Council (ATC) has written to Ms Gillard and Foreign Minister Bob Carr, who is travelling with her, urging them to raise the issue of Chinese government repression in Tibet.
There have been more than 100 self-immolations by pro-Tibet protesters in the past six months, during China's leadership transition.
"Unfortunately, instead of seeking to address Tibetan grievances, China's leaders have continued the repressive 'stability maintenance' approach, ramped up anti-Dalai Lama propaganda, criminalised protests and introduced harsh new security measures for the Tibetans," ATC executive officer Paul Bourke says in the letter.
