- Title: Tibetans in Switzerland protest ahead of Xi's U.N. visit, demanding rights
- Date: 17th January 2017
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY GATHERED ON PLACE DES NATIONS IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS, WAVING TIBETAN FLAGS, CHANTING AND HOLDING PRO-TIBET BANNERS MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY HOLDING TIBETAN FLAG WITH WRITING READING (French) "DON'T FORGET TIBET", "GENOCIDE IS ONGOING", "SILENCE IS COMPLICIT" TIBETAN FLAG MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY WAVING TIBETAN FLAGS AND SHOUTING "NO HUMAN RIGHTS IN TIBET, XI JINPING!" (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN COMMUNITY IN SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, TENZIN NYINBU, SAYING: "Actually we had submit demonstration permission for the January 18 because January 18 Mr. Xi Jinping is coming here, in the United Nations, but Swiss authorities, they are not allowing any demonstration here on January 18 because of Xi Jinping's visit here in the United Nations." BOARD READING (English) "WE REQUEST YOU, MR. PRESIDENT XI JINPING, TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND USE YOUR COMMON SENSE. TIBET NEEDS DIALOGUE" MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATING BOARD READING (English) "WHERE IS THE PANCHEN LAMA" / BOARD READING (English) "STOP CULTURAL GENOCIDE IN TIBET NOW!" MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY HOLDING BOARDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN COMMUNITY IN SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, TENZIN NYINBU, SAYING: "Actually Swiss government is looking after the business partner, that is Swiss government is doing all the things (with) what Chinese is giving pressure to them (to do)." BOARD READING (English) "PRESIDENT XI JINPING TIBET NEEDS DIALOGUE!" / MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY SHOUTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN COMMUNITY IN SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, TENZIN NYINBU, SAYING: "Situation in Tibet is going bad to worse. People in Tibet have no human rights, no religious freedom, no freedom of speech, because of the Chinese authorities' pressure on Tibet. Therefore, we are urging the United Nations to support Tibet issues and speak out when President Xi Jinping visit the United Nations." MEMBERS OF THE SWISS TIBETAN COMMUNITY GATHERED ON PLACE DES NATIONS IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS TIBETAN FLAG FLOATING IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
- Embargoed: 31st January 2017 16:38
- Keywords: Tibet United Nations human rights demonstration Xi Jinping
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZH08JR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Around 100 members of Switzerland's Tibetan community peacefully demonstrated in front of the United Nations on Tuesday (January 17), urging the institution to raise the Tibet issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a day before his visit to the organisation.
Swiss authorities have limited protests by the Tibetan community to avoid the kind of confrontation that marked the last visit by a Chinese president 18 years ago.
On Sunday (January 15), Swiss police detained 32 Tibetans and Swiss nationals protesting Xi's visit to the country. Swiss authorities had limited the duration of the protest in the centre of Bern to two hours before noon (1100 GMT.)
Protesters will also not be allowed to demonstrate on Wednesday (January 18).
"Actually we had submit demonstration permission for the January 18 because January 18 Mr. Xi Jinping is coming here, in the United Nations, but Swiss authorities, they are not allowing any demonstration here on January 18 because of Xi Jinping's visit here in the United Nations," the President of the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein association Tenzin Nyinbu told Reuters, as he participated in the demonstration at the Place des Nations, a traditional place for protest, in front of the U.N.
In 1999, demonstrators took to roofs overlooking the Swiss parliament with banners demanding "Free Tibet" during a visit by China's then-president Jiang Zemin.
Police intervened when people tried to throw eggs at the Chinese delegation. Jiang questioned Swiss leaders' control over their country and remarked that they risked "losing a good friend".
Nyinbu said the Tibetan community had accepted the authorities' conditions, and said Switzerland had to find a balance between their freedom to protest and pressure from China.
"Actually Swiss government is looking after the business partner, that is Swiss government is doing all the things (with) what Chinese is giving pressure to them (to do)," he said, adding he was saddened by the decision and that he thought it amounted to censorship.
Amnesty International raised concerns that the Swiss were caving in to Chinese pressure at the expense of human rights by allowing a demonstration away from the view of the Chinese delegation.
After a failed uprising against Chinese rule nearly six decades ago, tens of thousands of Tibetans including Spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled into exile in neighbouring India and other countries.
Beijing vigourously condemns foreign leaders who meet the "splittist" Dalai Lama.
"Situation in Tibet is going bad to worse. People in Tibet have no human rights, no religious freedom, no freedom of speech, because of the Chinese authorities' pressure on Tibet. Therefore, we are urging the United Nations to support Tibet issues and speak out when President Xi Jinping visit the United Nations," Nyinbu said.
The Chinese leader arrived in the Swiss capital for a gala dinner on Sunday afternoon. After holding talks with Swiss officials on Monday (January 16), he attended the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday (January 17), a first for a Chinese president. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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