III

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 60

Recognizing the plight of the Tibetan people on the fortieth anniversary

of Tibet’s attempt to restore its independence and calling for serious

negotiations between China and the Dalai Lama to achieve a peaceful

solution to the situation in Tibet.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MARCH 10, 1999

Mr. MACK (for himself, Mr. MOYNIHAN, Mr. LOTT, Mr. BROWNBACK, and Mr.

WELLSTONE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to

the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the plight of the Tibetan people on the fortieth

anniversary of Tibet’s attempt to restore its independence and calling for serious negotiations between China

and the Dalai Lama to achieve a peaceful solution to

the situation in Tibet.

Whereas during the period 1949–1950, the newly established

communist government of the People’s Republic of China

sent an army to invade Tibet;

Whereas the Tibetan army was ill equipped and outnumbered, and the People’s Liberation Army overwhelmed Tibetan defenses;

Whereas, on May 23, 1951, a delegation sent from the capital city of Lhasa to Peking to negotiate with the Govern-
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•SRES 60 IS

ment of the People’s Republic of China was forced under

duress to accept a Chinese-drafted 17-point agreement

that incorporated Tibet into China but promised to preserve Tibetan political, cultural, and religious institutions;

Whereas during the period of 1951–1959, the failure of the

Government of the People’s Republic of China to uphold

guarantees to autonomy contained in the 17-Point Agreement and the imposition of socialist reforms resulted in

widespread oppression and brutality;

Whereas on March 10, 1959 the people of Lhasa, fearing for

the life of the Dalai Lama, surrounded his palace, organized a permanent guard, and called for the withdrawal

of the Chinese from Tibet and the restoration of Tibet’s

independence;

Whereas on March 17, 1959 the Dalai Lama escaped in disguise during the night after two mortar shells exploded

within the walls of his palace and, before crossing the Indian border into exile two weeks later, repudiated the 17-

Point Agreement;

Whereas during the ‘‘Lhasa Revolt’’ begun on March 10,

1959, Chinese statistics estimate 87,000 Tibetans were

killed, arrested, or deported to labor camps, and only a

small percentage of the thousands who attempted to escape to India survived Chinese military attacks, malnutrition, cold, and disease;

Whereas for the past forty years, the Dalai Lama has worked

in exile to find ways to allow Tibetans to determine the

future status of Tibet and was awarded the Nobel Peace

Prize for his efforts in 1989;
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•SRES 60 IS

Whereas it is the policy of the United States to support substantive dialogue between the Government of the People’s

Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives; and

Whereas the Dalai Lama has stated his willingness to negotiate within the framework enunciated by Deng Xiaoping

in 1979: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that—

2 (1) March 10, 1999 should be recognized as

3 ‘‘Tibetan National Day’’ in solemn remembrance of

4 those Tibetans who sacrificed, suffered, or died as a

5 result of Chinese aggression against their country

6 and of the inherent right of the Tibetan people to

7 reject tyranny and to determine their own political

8 future, including independence, if they so determine;

9 and

10 (2) March 10 of each year should serve as an

11 occasion to renew calls by the President, Congress,

12 and other United States Government officials on the

13 Government of the People’s Republic of China to

14 enter into serious negotiations with the Dalai Lama

15 or his representatives until such a time as a peaceful

16 solution, satisfactory to both sides, is achieved.

Æ