- Title: Tibetans, Uighurs, NGOs protest China's human rights record during Brussels visit
- Date: 2nd June 2017
- Summary: TIBETAN MAN WITH MICROPHONE LEADING A CHANT OF (English): "What do we want?" REPLY: "We want freedom!" PROTESTERS CHANTING (English): "Long live" REPLY: "Dalai Lama" TIBETAN WOMEN EXTENDING A BANNER, HOLDING SIGNS, ONE READS (English): 'China, start dialogue with Dalai Lama" BARBED-WIRE BARRIERS, TIBETAN PROTESTERS SIGN READING (English): "Donald Tusk: Stand with Larung Gar", A TOWN IN TIBET FAMOUS AS A CENTRE OF BUDDHIST TEACHING THAT IS BEING PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED DUE TO WHAT AUTHORITIES DEEM AS "OVER-CROWDING CONCERNS" YOUNG UIGHUR BOY HOLDING EAST TURKISTAN INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT FLAG, UIGHUR MEN STANDING BEHIND UIGHUR BOY'S FACE UIGHUR MAN HOLDING EAST TURKISTAN INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT FLAG, WEARING CHAINS TIBETANS PROTESTERS LISTENING TO SPEAKER, FLAG WAVING UIGHUR WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "Li Kequiang: The world stands with Larung Gar" PHILIPPE GIVRON, FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IN BELGIUM, ADDRESSING PROTESTERS TIBETAN MEN HOLDING PHOTO OF THE DALAI LAMA AND A "MISSING" SIGN FOR THE PANCHEN LAMA, THE SECOND HIGHEST BUDDHIST SPIRITUAL LEADER UIGHUR AND TIBETAN PROTESTERS, BARBED WIRE BARRIERS, POLICE OFFICERS FACING PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORKER, PHILIPPE GIVRON, SAYING: "Amnesty International is here today to protest about the importance and seriousness of the situation in China, quite simply. And on the occasion of the EU-China Summit, we think that we must say again and ask again, to our European leaders to do much more, much better than what has been done at the moment." WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "China: Start dialogue with Dalai Lama" (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORKER, PHILIPPE GIVRON, SAYING: "China's lies are quite simple: China claims on the international scene, at meetings such as today's, when there are discussions on human rights, that they are advancing, that they're doing what they have to, that they're making progress, that they want to establish a state of rights, and they say this to everyone. We confirm from a factual, objective stand-point, that this is not the case - that human rights, especially civil liberties, are not progressing in China." SIGN READING (English & Mandarin): "Free Uyghur Now!" (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORKER, PHILIPPE GIVRON, SAYING: "The first responsibility of a modern state today is to ensure that everyone has human rights, which China is not doing." TIBETAN AND UIGHUR PROTESTERS, EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND JUSTUS LIPSUS BUILDINGS BEHIND BARBED WIRE BARRIER, TIBETAN PROTESTERS PERSON WALKING PAST PROTEST
- Embargoed: 16th June 2017 12:58
- Keywords: human rights Amnesty protest Uighur Tibet EU China
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0026JL5FT3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tibetans and Uighurs in Brussels demonstrated on Friday (June 2), calling for human rights during Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang's visit.
Tibet and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are the two westernmost regions of China, where ethnic minority Chinese citizens who largely do not support the government's policies reside.
The minority residents allege systematic suppression of their rights, including the freedom of religion.
The Tibetans are largely Buddhist, while Uighurs are largely Muslim. Both regions have considerable independence movements and a long lists of historic grievances, such as the 1995 selection process of the 11th Panchen Lama in Tibet, a senior spiritual leader second only to the Dalai Lama.
Some Tibetans believe that the real Panchen Lama is not the one China chose, but a boy that the Dalai Lama named as Panchen Lama and who vanished more than two decades ago and now lives in an undisclosed location known only to Chinese authorities.
Xinjiang formally became part of China in 1949, and Tibet has been under Chinese control since 1951, as well as previously in history.
Keqiang is in Brussels for a business summit and meetings with EU and Belgian leaders. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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