WRITTEN QUESTION E-0084/01 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Situation of the Tibetan Ngawamg Sangdrol, held in Drapchi prison in Tibet by the Chinese authorities.
Date: 2001-02-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, Tibetan question, human rights, international affairs, political prisoner

C 235 E/114

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Reply

(14 May 2001)

The European Community as well as the Member States have provided extensive support to East Timor
over the last two years. This support has been provided in a number of ways including through assessed
and other contributions to UNTAET, voluntary contributions to the UNTAET and World Bank Trust
Funds, humanitarian assistance disbursed through grants to international agencies, organisations and
agencies, and bilateral aid programmes on the ground. In addition, a number of Member States have
been involved in helping to establish East Timor(cid:146)s institutions, including through identifying its future
defence needs and assistance to its judiciary, as well as through providing training and direct contributions
in kind to its future Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Council, like the Honourable Member, is also concerned at the plight of the refugees from East Timor
It recognises the pressing need for the earliest possible registration,
who remain in West Timor.
repatriation and resettlement of all the refugees,
in conditions of safety and security. It has conveyed
these concerns to the Indonesian authorities on a number of occasions, and including at the very highest
level. It has reminded the Indonesian Government of its willingness to support, alongside the relevant
international organisations, a comprehensive solution to the refugee problem,
in conformity with UN
Security Council Resolutions 1319 (2000) and 1338 (2001).

(2001/C 235 E/119)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0084/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Situation of the Tibetan Ngawamg Sangdrol, held in Drapchi prison in Tibet by the Chinese

authorities

The young Tibetan Ngawamg Sangdrol is being held in Drapchi prison in Tibet,
in one of the most
flagrant cases of death or imprisonment perpetrated by the repressive forces of the Chinese state. The
Chinese authorities have arrested her because of her prominent role in the struggle of her people for
freedom, and have sentenced her to imprisonment up to 2013. This case calls for extraordinary action by
the Council: the imprisonment of Ngawamg Sangdrol has already induced a group of MEPs to propose her
name for the Sakharov Prize for 2000. Is the Council taking the political actions required to obtain her
release?

Reply

(14 May 2001)

1.
The EU raises individual cases of prisoners with the Chinese authorities, in particular during the
sessions of the EU (cid:129) China human rights dialogue. Because of its sensitiveness, the list of individual cases
is confidential.

2.
In the conclusions of the General Affairs Council of January 2001 on the EU (cid:129) China human rights
dialogue, the EU has expressed its concern at (cid:145)the continuing widespread restrictions on freedom of
assembly, expression and association, the violations of freedom of religion and belief, the situation of
minorities, including in Tibet(cid:146). The conclusions have also identified specific areas in which the EU will be
seeking progress through the dialogue. These include, in particular, respect for cultural rights and religious
freedoms in Tibet, a halt to the (cid:145)patriotic education(cid:146) campaign in Tibet and a constructive response to
individual cases raised by the EU.