Among those questions, one was on the status of the Tibetan population, particularly women, in terms of economic opportunities, access to health service, maternal and child mortality and illiteracy, enjoyment of religious freedom and population policy in Tibet. And another question which relates to Tibet was on what measures are there to protect the cultural and religious rights of ethnic minorities. The Chinese replies on the above questions were found very rosy as the paradise of socialism. ô Till the end of 1997, the overall population in Tibet (TAR) is 2.393 million, among which 2.3052 million are Tibetans, 96.33% of the total and 68,000 are Hans, 2.9% of the total. The remaining 0.8% are from other 18 minority nationalities, numbering roughly 19,100.ö replied the Chinese delegation. Various international NGOs reports document an escalation of Chinese repression in Tibet and the systematic destruction of Tibetan identity and culture. Six million Tibetans are turned into minority in their own country as a result of Chinese population transfer into Tibet.

During a supplementary question hours, a CEDAW member from South Africa Ms M. Myakayaka-Manzini commented that they have received several reports about Tibetan women and urged China to release details of prisons and women prisoners in Tibet in the next report of China. German expert Ms. H. B. Schopp-Shilling urged China to invite UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women to study the womenÆs situation in China and Tibet.

The Chinese delegation comprising 30 officials from various departments was headed by Chinese UN Mission Ambassador Mr Ching. The UN CEDAW hearing on China was attended by a Tibetan team headed by Tibetan Government -in-Exile Representatives in New York and Geneva Mr. Dawa Tsering and Ms. Chungdak Koren respectively and Representative of the International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet (ICLT), Ms. Eva Herzer.

Earlier, on 27th January, Ms Chungdak Koren, Ms. Eva Herzer and Ms. Losang Rabgey, representing ICLT, spoke about Tibet and its people, particularly women, at China briefing which was organized by Human Rights in China, Human Rights Watch and International Human Rights Law Group and Federation Internationale des Ligues des Droits de IÆHomme. Representative Mr. Dawa Tsering attended the briefing at UN Plaza.

The NGOs consultation of CEDAW session on January 20,1999 at UN was participated by a Tibetan team: Ms Khando Chazotsang, representing WomenÆs Commission for Refugee Women and Children, Ms. Lobsang Rabgey, ICLT, and Mr Nawang Rabgyal, Office of Tibet in New York. Ms Chazotsang and Rabgey spoke about the plight of Tibetan women in Chinese-occupied Tibet.

A shadow report of Tibetan Government-in-Exile on Chinese violations of womenÆs rights in Tibet was transmitted on 12th January to the Pre-session Working Group of UN CEDAW, which was attended by Ms. L.Rabgey, Dr. Bobbi Nasar and Mr. N. Rabgyal. Ms. Rabgey presented the report of ICLT,which ôconcludes that there is a systematic and widespread pattern of grave human rights violations as a result of discrimination against Tibetan(s) ..... in Chinese-occupied Tibet.

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Last updated: 5-Feb-99