01-04-2021 The Asian Independent

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
ASIA
01-04-2021 to 15-04-2021
7
In a first, US does not describe
Tibet as 'inalienable part of China'
Dharamsala : In a first, a US State
Department report does not describe
Tibet as an "inalienable part of China".
Reacting to the crucial development,
the Central Tibetan Administration
(CTA), headquartered in this northern
India hill station, on Thursday said this
year's report marks a victory for
Tibetans, for the report's Tibet section
does not describe Tibet as an "inalienable
part of China", a departure from
past reports.
This symbolic yet important gesture
has been repeatedly campaigned by the
CTA, and this change is welcomed by
the Office of Tibet-DC, it said.
The US State Department published
its annual "Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices" report.
Organised by the Bureau of
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour,
this year's report includes over 50,000
words detailing the US's assessment of
the deteriorating human rights in China.
Reminiscent of past briefings, by the
CTA and others, the report details the
ongoing human rights issues in Tibet,
such as torture, arbitrary detentions,
corruption of the judiciary and elections,
lack of freedom of association,
assembly, movement, religion, censorship,
forced sterilisation, and violence
against indigenous peoples.
The forced disappearance of Gedhun
Choekyi Nyima (11th Panchen Lama),
Derung Tsering Dhundrup (a Tibetan
scholar), and Gen Sonam (a senior manager
of the Potala Palace) was highlighted,
according to the CTA.
The Tibet section also mentions the
Chinese Communist Party's forced
labour programme for approximately
500,000 rural Tibetans, which was
noted last September.
In the China section, the report
affirms the Trump Administration's
assertion that the Chinese Communist
Party is conducting "genocide and
crimes against humanity occurred during
the year against the predominantly
Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and
religious minority groups in Xinjiang".
"These crimes were continuing and
include the arbitrary imprisonment or
other severe deprivation of physical liberty
of more than one million civilians;
forced sterilisation, coerced abortions
and freedom of movement."
The Biden Administration's report
highlights the concerning mass surveillance
of Tibetans, Uyghurs, dissidents,
and religiously affiliated peoples by
China's Ministry of Public Security.
The China section details how the
Chinese government installed surveillance
cameras in monasteries in the
Tibetan Autonomous Region and
Tibetan areas, which would allow the
Chinese government to cut communication
systems during "major security
incidents", The report cites Human
Right Watch's findings that the Ministry
of Public Security has been partnering
with technology companies to create
"mass automated voice recognition and
monitoring system" that were created to
help the Chinese government more easily
understand Tibetan and Uyghur languages.
Fingerprints and DNA profiles and
other biometric data were also being
stored by the Ministry of Public
Security, this practice is implemented
for all Uyghurs applying for passports.
The report addresses the racist discriminatory
practices that deprive
Tibetans, Mongolians, Uyghurs, and
other ethnic minority groups of their fair
right to language, education, and jobs.
The report details how the Han
Chinese benefit from these racist policies,
"government development programmes
and job provisions disrupted
traditional living patterns of minority
groups and in some cases included the
forced relocation of persons and the
forced settlement of nomads".
Han Chinese benefited disproportionately
from government programmes
and economic growth in minority areas.
As part of its emphasis on building a
'harmonious society' and maintaining
social stability, the government downplayed
racism and institutional discrimination
against minorities and cracked
down on peaceful expressions of ethnic
culture and religion.
The State Department report mentions
how Chinese officials restrict
NGOs that provide assistance to
Tibetans as well.
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai
Lama has lived in India since fleeing his
homeland in 1959.
The Tibetan exile administration is
based in Dharamsala, Himachal
Pradesh.
Punjab CM launches free travel facility for women
Chandigarh :Taking another major
step towards women empowerment,
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder
Singh on Thursday virtually launched
a free travel facility for women in government
buses running within the state.
"With this, we have fulfilled another
poll manifesto promise," said the Chief
Minister, adding that after the recordmaking
85 per cent promises implemented,
his government was now
moving forward towards the realisation
of all 100 per cent of the commitments.
Pointing out that other parties were
promising free travel for women now
in states going to polls, he said that
while everyone talks about women
empowerment, his government had
taken several concrete measures to
achieve it.
In fact, while the promise of his
government was to reduce ticket price
for women by 50 per cent, it had gone
ahead to make it totally free, he said,
urging private bus operators to also
understand their social responsibility
and reduce tariff. Under the free travel
scheme, which will benefit over 1.31
crore women and girls across the state,
all women, irrespective of their financial
status, will be able to travel free of
cost in all non-AC buses, intra-state,
just by showing Aadhaar or voter card
or some other valid identity card.
Expressing concern over crimes
against women, the Chief Minister said
his government was committed to their
safety, and the Transport Department
was installing GPS systems in all government
and private buses, to enable
easy tracking of the vehicle, in addition
to panic button for emergency use.
The process was nearly complete
for government buses, and the private
operators had been asked to complete
it by August 31, he said.
He lauded the Transport
Department for the innovative initiatives
towards women safety.
Amarinder Singh further
announced 25 more bus stations to
be built in the state to improve
road connectivity.
The free travel scheme, said the
Chief Minister, will be a boost to
the realisation of his government's
vision for inclusive growth and
development of women and girls,
who have already been provided
50 per cent reservation in
Panchayati Raj and Local Body
institutions in the state, along with
33 per cent reservation in government
jobs. In line with this commitment,
33,000 women will get
jobs this year in the state, the
Chief Minister pointed out, adding
that a large number of girl students
had also been provided smartphones
to help them study during
the pandemic.
During the virtual launch, connected
live to 30,000 people across
1,036 locations, Surinder Kaur, travelling
from Bagapurana to Jalandhar to
fetch her medicines, said she was
pleasantly surprised this morning to
discover about the scheme on boarding
a bus. The scheme will be very helpful
to women from the poor families. One
Naina said the move would make it
much easier for her now to travel to
meet her family and friends without
worrying about the expenses. Another
woman commuter dubbed it a great
decision for the empowerment of
women.
Transport Minister Razia Sultana
said her department would continue to
work towards women safety in both
public and private transport, while
Social Security, Women and Child
Development Minister Aruna
Chaudhary termed the scheme yet
another key initiative by the Amarinder
government for the welfare and development
of women. Calling it a true
women's day gift, Punjab Congress
president Sunil Jakhar contrasted the
state government's mindset with that in
Uttar Pradesh and some other states,
which were becoming notorious for
crime against women. Punjab Youth
Congress chief Barinder Dhillon lauded
the move, which he said reflected
the women empowerment ethos of the
state government, which also has its
first woman Chief Secretary now. He
also mooted free travel for students, to
and fro to their educational institutes,
to promote education.