參與心得（夏倬慧）
本人有幸獲得工作單位（台權會）推薦參與青輔會重點NGO計畫之執行，並且有機會到曼谷接受長達三週的人權培訓課程，這次的參與是我第一次進入亞洲區域化的組織內部進行人權教育的受訓，藉由本次訓練認識到Forum-Asia，並且在培訓課程所設計的全盤基礎人權教育，本人受益良多。
台灣因受限於非聯合國會員的限制，政府參加亞洲國家相關活動相當有限，過去的台灣非政府組織也未能發揮組織串聯之活動，但是藉由類似的國際性或區域性培訓課程，來自各國的人權組織基層工作者可以齊聚一堂，共同分享各國內的人權現況、共同學習，這也是台灣NGO的力量展現與進行國際串聯的開始。三週的課程雖然非常緊湊，學員的壓力也相當大，但是，課堂上與各國同學、老師切磋，以及課堂之外的情感交流，都使我對於亞洲各國有更深刻的認識，也為將來與亞洲區域組織互相合作，奠定良好的基礎。
三週的課程當中，我們學習基本的人權知識，從人權的發展、聯合國的成立、當代各種人權議題、國際人權公約，到聯合國及國際的人權保障機制，每位學員也有機會分享各國或各人關心的人權議題。課程接近尾聲時，每位學員必須運用三週所學，針對不同人權議題提出策略報告，我以2003年亞洲SARS疫情爆發為題，討論公共衛生、公共利益與人權、人身自由之間如何平衡的問題。當初由於資訊掌握不週全，全台灣陷入恐慌，已感染或疑似感染SARS的民眾成為被排擠與歧視的對象，而各地政府不當隔離導致感染擴大、引發民眾人身自由與公共利益之間的論戰，尤其以台北市和平醫院不當封院所造成對人權的傷害最為嚴重。
這次參與培訓課程，我更瞭解如何以亞洲區域的視野來看待人權問題，並且學習到聯合國架構組織，認識多國亞洲人權工作者，有所不同角度和文化的衝撞，回頭思考相對被世界邊緣化的台灣，對於未來將所學應用於人權工作上，感到裨益良多。
■ 背景介紹（顧玉珍）
本文原發表於二００二年亞洲公民社會論壇(Asian Civil Society Forum 2002)。此活動的主辦單位CONGO(Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations)是由各國非政府組織結盟形成，負責聯合國秘書處與非政府組織之間的關係，並對聯合國具有諮詢地位。
二００二年亞洲公民社會論壇於十二月九日至十三日假曼谷（泰國）之聯合國大廈舉行。來自亞洲各國的非政府組織工作者約五百人齊聚一堂，針對人權及永續發展的相關議題發表報告及討論，同時分享各地的社運經驗，進行跨國NGO的串聯。
本文以西藏的遭遇為例，清楚表達民族自決權與發展權的觀念。西藏代表Tsewang Lhadon發表報告時，獲得在場各國NGO工作者的支持，但卻飽受中國代表的顢頇打壓。許多參與者便將這些以NGO之名卻代表中國政府立場發言者稱為GONGO（Government of NGO），並在會中要求主辦單位日後應避免GONGO介入及阻撓NGO的討論。
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主席，以及各位親愛的亞洲朋友們：
首先，感謝二００二年亞洲公民社會論壇的主辦單位，讓我有這個機會在今天的討論中報告西藏議題。我是西藏人權與民主中心的執行長，本中心于一九九六年成立於北印度。
<經濟、社會及文化權利國際公約>與<公民暨政治權利國際公約>都在第一條開宗明義：「所有人民都有自決權。他們憑這種權利自由決定他們的政治地位，並自由謀求他們的經濟、社會和文化的發展。」
自一九七九年起，達賴喇嘛便積極為中藏議題尋求和平協商的解決之道。如今，達賴喇嘛更呼籲中國當局在中華人民共和國的架構之內，建立一個真正自治的西藏。這位西藏人民的宗教政治領袖並非尋求獨立，雖然西藏人有權重獲自己家園的主權。我在此先為各位釐清這個背景，然後，我們再回來省思中藏議題的解決面。
一九七０年，聯合國大會通過了一項宣言，在＜符合聯合國憲章之各國友好關係與合作之國際法原則宣言＞中，對自決權詳述如下：「所有人民有權自由決定他們的政治地位，並追求他們經濟、社會與文化發展，不受外來的干預；而且，各國有責任尊重這種權利，以符合憲章條款。」自決權是普世的權利，不受區域或地界所限。在許多國家，此項權利是一種生活方式；然而，不幸地，在其他國家則否，尤其是那些生活在外國佔領或異邦宰制下的人民。本週，有一些原住民族正在日內瓦遊說聯合國人權委員會，要求確保他們的自治權，此舉適為同理。
近來有一些重要的聯合國世界研討會，也承認在外國佔領下生活的民族抗爭，以及他們自決的權利。例如，二００二年於南非約翰尼斯堡所舉辦的「永續發展世界高峰會」（WSSD）行動綱領中，各政府同意：「採取更有效的方法去除障礙，以實現民族的自決，尤其是生活在殖民或外國佔領下的民族，此處境對其經濟與社會發展造成不利影響，而且與人性尊嚴及價值無法並存，必須奮力消泯之。在外國佔領下的人民必須被保護，以符合國際人道法的條文。」
今天下午，我身為六百萬西藏人民的代表，當我們討論到外國佔領、自決權和發展權問題時，我很願意以西藏為例，加以詳論。聯合國大會在一九六一年和一九六五年都明白承認西藏民族的自決權，並呼籲中華人民共和國尊重此項權利。因此，西藏人民在堅持自決權這方面，乃立於堅實的合法基礎上。
但是，中國宣稱其領土權及於西藏，並將所有有關西藏之事皆視為北京的內政事務。僅管所有法律見解都傾向於支持西藏民族自決權，我們的人民卻被否定此項權利超過五十年之久。重要的是，在外來的中華人民共和國的佔領下，西藏人民的自決權利已遭否定，它所造成的直接後果是，西藏之人權與基本自由飽受殘暴地系統性侵害。
親愛的朋友們，對西藏人民而言，發展權也變成極為重要的議題。我們可以從殖民主義（或說亞洲殖民主義）的觀點來分析西藏發展問題。過去五十年來，中國當局宣傳各種所謂的「西藏發展方案」，並宣稱這些方案已達到「驚天動地的進步」。但是，若深入查看，西藏人民似乎絲毫未蒙其利。
一九九三年的維也納宣言指出，唯有符應平等權與民族自決權的合法政府才能要求領土的統一。國家的合法性來自於它對其公民的職責。這些職責包括：
──保護所有的人民。
──促進其管理的人民之經濟、文化、社會和精神福利。
──促進人權與基本自由之尊重，以及
──促進自決與平等權。
中華人民共和國在西藏所實行的政策卻侵害了國際人權標準，企圖毀滅西藏文化，並在經濟上剝削西藏高原的豐沛資源。中國以武力佔領西藏，甚至已然將我們的家園變成軍事化地區，這對亞洲的穩定將有長遠的影響。
＜經濟、社會及文化權利公約＞第一條第二項載明：「所有人民得為他們自己的目的自由處置他們的天然財富和資源，而不損害根據基於互利原則的國際經濟合作和國際法而產生的任何義務。在任何情況下不得剝奪人民自己的生存手段。」
當我們討論外國佔領、自治權與發展權的時候，西藏正是人類悲劇的典型範例。西藏人爭取自由的特質也在於，堅持以非暴力的手段達成未來的自由西藏。然而，只要人民仍被奴役，卻缺乏國際社會介入，那麼，西藏議題在廿一世紀仍將成為對現實政治的主要挑戰。
由於缺乏政治自由與信任，或者因為在北京的中國官員所研擬的是非永續性發展方案，致使在西藏所謂的「經濟發展」本身並不建全。中華人民共和國宣稱，已投注數十億元美金發展包括西藏在內的西部內地，但是西藏人並未參與決策過程。其金額大多被政府官員、菁英、關係好的企業、以及華人殖民者私飽中囊。幾項最大的方案，包括青藏（Lhasa-Gormu）鐵路方案、媒氣管線、高速公路、電力傳輸管，目的都是要把西藏的資源運送到中國去。有一位中國學者便將中國當局的西部發展策略適切地形容為一項「西部剝削與東部發展」的政策。
在外國佔領下侵害自決權與發展權的另一個面向便是人口遷移，或者說，讓華人殖民者根植於西藏。此舉對西藏人民的宗教、文化與國族認同的存續造成莫大威脅。今年，中國當局甚至公開承認，在西藏首都拉薩之內，華人已超過半數人口。這股風潮正以驚人的比率湧向大多數的西藏市鎮，而建築通往拉薩的鐵路（共有四條）將有助於加速華人殖民者湧入西藏。
當人民生活在外國佔領之下，而且其自決權被否定時，他們對於如何達成永續發展便無法置喙。正當西藏被佔領邁向第六個十年，國內正崛起一股新生勢力。中國的經濟革命正從東部逐漸轉向西部，並挾帶著前所未見的國際資本與科技力量而來。它的目標是西藏的自然資源──在乾涸河床上的點點黃金，銅、鋅、與其他礦產，以及豐沛的天然瓦斯與石油田。中國覬覦以這些資源來完成其本國發展的目標，那些卻是西藏人民無從分享的目標。
親愛的朋友，若要終止西藏的悲劇，最有效的方法就是推促中國當局開始與達賴喇嘛或他的代表，針對西藏未來政治地位展開真摯且實質的協商。
關於此點，今年九月，中國接受達賴喇嘛的兩名特使拜訪中國與西藏，開創了雙方自一九九三年以來首次面對面的會談。這個發展廣受各界支持。西藏流亡政府首位民選閣揆Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche，甚至呼籲西藏人及其支持者，在二００三年六月之前，不要投入任何反抗中國當局的激進遊行。現在，就看中國新領導者是否有政治意願與誠意進行定期的對話，與西藏邁向實質協商。
正當全世界專注於打擊恐怖主義之際，國際社會更不應迴避公開支持真正非暴力的自由抗爭，如西藏人民所從事者。在國際非暴力組織(Nonviolences International)所出版的報告：＜真理是我們唯一的武器：西藏人非暴力抗爭＞（Truth is Our Only Weapon: The Tibetan Nonviolent Struggle）當中，達賴喇嘛寫道：「作為西藏人民的領袖，首要之務便是尋求各種有效的手段讓他們解脫中國的壓迫，重獲自由。而作為一名確信非暴力的追隨者，我支持理性與和平的改變之路。我覺得，雖然透過非暴力來爭取自由非常困難，但值得一試。如果說，上個世紀是戰爭與流血的時代，我想這個世紀應該要開創出一個對話的時代。我們不再用武力解決紛爭，而是去傾聽對方的觀點、想法與意見。我們迫切需要發崛這類新途徑，以解決人類問題。」
正如BBC世界新聞在十二月五日所報導，西藏的大限將屆。我們的人民正面臨中國以「經濟發展」進行二次侵略，便宜的酒、娼妓、卡拉OK酒吧、撞球間、中國影音歌曲、以及與日俱增的華人區，林林種種都在毀滅西藏文明的文化、社會與宗教結構。在外國佔領下生活並失去對未來的自決權，中國當局卻以發展之名堵塞國際意見之悠悠眾口，並消除西藏人的國族意識。
最後，我懇請諸位以及亞洲公民社會各社群，請幫助西藏追求自由、和平與民主。西藏人民的非暴力自由抗爭，值得我們亞洲的弟兄姐妹們團結支持。
請讓我們首先思考人類，其次才論中國人或西藏人。容我們採納這種途徑吧！
Chairperson and dear Friends from Asia,
First let me begin by thanking the Asian Civil Society Forum 2002 and the organizers for this opportunity to present the case of Tibet in today’s discussion. I am the executive director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy which is based in northern India and was established in 1996.
Article 1 of the International Human Rights Covenants (ICESCR and ICCPR) provides that “all peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”.
Since 1979, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been seeking a peaceful negotiated settlement of the Sino-Tibetan Issue. Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is calling upon the Chinese authorities to establish a genuine self rule in Tibet within the framework of the People’s Republic of China. The spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people is not seeking the independence of Tibet although Tibetans have every right to regain their homeland’s sovereignty. We can come back to the solution part of the Sino-Tibetan Issue but I wanted to raise this point at this stage so as to give you the current background.
In 1970, the UN General Assembly passed a declaration which elaborates on the right to self-determination (Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in Accordance with the Charter of the UN) as follows: “all peoples have the right to freely determine, without external interference, their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development, and every State has the duty to respect this right in accordance with the provisions of the Charter”. Right to Self-determination is universal right. It is not restricted to a region or by any boundary. This right which is a way of life in many countries is unfortunately, not so in others, particularly peoples living under foreign occupation or alien domination. The same thing can be said for the indigenous peoples of this world who are lobbying this week in Geneva to ensure that their alienable right to self-determination is recognized by the UN Commission on Human Rights.
The recent major UN World Conferences have also recognized the struggle of peoples living under foreign occupation and their right to self-determination. For instances, at the WSSD, in the Programme of Action commitment governments agreed to: “Take further effective measures to remove obstacles to the realisation of peoples to self-determination, in particular peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development and are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person and must be combatted and elimination. People under foreign occupation must be protected in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law.”
This afternoon as a representative of the six million Tibetan people, I would like to dwell on the case of Tibet when it comes to the question of foreign occupation, right to self-determination and the right to development. The United Nations General Assembly, in 1961 and 1965, explicitly recognized the Tibetan peoples right to self-determination and called on Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to respect this right. Tibetans thus stand on firm legal ground when they insist on the exercise of their right to self-determination.
However, China claiming territorial right or integrity over Tibet, considers all matters concerning Tibet as domestic affairs of Beijing. Inspite of all the legal opinions in favour of Tibetan peoples’ right to self-determination, our people have been denied this right for over 50 years. It would, therefore, be important to underline that the gross and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Tibet is the direct consequences of the fact that the people of Tibet have been denied their right to self-determination under foreign occupation by the People’s Republic of China.
Dear Friends, right to development also becomes a very important issue for the Tibetan people and we can analyse this question in Tibet’s case under the perspective of colonialism or we shall say Asian colonialism. During the past 50 years, the Chinese authorities have propagated a number of so-called “development projects” in Tibet and claim that these have achieved “earthshaking progress”. But when one looks deeper, the Tibetan people do not seem to have benefited at all.
The Vienna Declaration of 1993 states that territorial integrity can only be invoked by legitimate governments conducting themselves in compliance with the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples. A state’s legitimacy derives from satisfaction of its duties to its citizens. These duties are:
- to protect the population,
- to promote the economic cultural, social and spiritual welfare of the people it governs,
- to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and
- to promote self-determination and equal rights.
The PRC pursues policies and practices in Tibet which violate international standards of human rights, that attempts to destroys Tibetan culture and economically exploits the rich resources of the Tibetan plateau. China, by occupying Tibet with its military might has even turned our homeland into militarised region which has far reaching consequences to the stability of Asia.
Article 1 (2) of the ICESCR states: “All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence”.
The Tibetan case is a classic example of human tragedy when we discuss foreign occupation, right to self-determination and right to development as the background. The special quality of the Tibetan freedom struggle is also its adherence to non-violent means to achieve a future free Tibet. But when a people remains enslaved without the international community intervention, then the Tibetan Issue will become the major challenge of realpolitik in the 21st century.
The so-called “economic development” in Tibet is handicapped by the lack of political freedom and trust or because of unsustainable development projects developed by Chinese officials in Beijing. PRC claims to have poured billions of dollars into developing the western hinterland which includes Tibet. The Tibetans are not involved in the decision making process. The money is largely benefiting the government officials, elites and the well-connected entrepreneurs and Chinese settlers. The biggest projects including the Lhasa-Gormu railway project, pipelines, highways and electricity transmission lines-are aimed at sending resources from Tibet to the China. One Chinese scholar has aptly described the Western Development Strategy of the Chinese authorities as a policy of “Western Exploitation and Eastern Development”.
Another dimension of the violations of the rights to self-determination and development under foreign occupation is population transfer or implantation of Chinese settlers into Tibet which poses one of the gravest threats to the very survival of the religious, cultural and national identity of the Tibetan people. This year, the Chinese authorities even publicly admitted that more than half of the population of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, is Chinese. This trend is building up in most Tibetan towns and cities at an alarming rate. The construction of the railway lines to Lhasa (four in total) will help speed up the movement of Chinese settlers into Tibet.
When a people live under foreign occupation and their right to self-determination is denied, they will have no say on how to achieve sustainable development. As the occupation of Tibet enters its sixth decade, a new force is being brought to bear on the nation.
China’s economic revolution, which has transformed the far east of this massive country, is coming west and with it international capital and technology on a scale never before seen in this isolated region. The object is Tibet’s natural resources - the flecks of gold locked in the dried-up seabeds; the deposits of copper, zinc, and other minerals; and the rich fields of natural gas and oil. China is pursuing these resources to fulfill its own national development goals, goals not shared by the Tibetan people.
Dear Friends, one of the most effective ways to end the human tragedy in Tibet is to urge the Chinese authorities that it is in their best interest to begin earnest and substantive negotiations with His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives on the future political status of Tibet.
In this regard, the China received two Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in September this year to visit China and Tibet which created the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides since 1993. This development received wide support from many quarters. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, the first democratically elected Chairperson of the Cabinet of the Tibetan Government in Exile, has even called upon Tibetans and their supporters not to engage in aggressive demonstrations against the Chinese authorities until June 2003. It has now to be seen whether the new leadership in China does have the political will and sincerity to engage in regular dialogues which leads to substantive negotiations on Tibet.
When the world is preoccupied in the fight against terrorism, the international community must not shy away from openly supporting genuine non-violent freedom struggles, like that of the Tibetan people. In the report, Truth is Our Only Weapon: The Tibetan Nonviolent Struggle, distributed here by Nonviolences International, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote: “As a leader of the Tibetan people, my prime concern is to pursue all affective means to relieve them from Chinese oppression and restore their freedom. And as a convinced follower of non-violence I support the path of reasoned and peaceful change. I feel that although it is very difficult to struggle for freedom through nonviolence, it is very important to try. If the last century was an era of war and bloodshed, I feel that this century should open an era of dialogue.
Instead of using force to resolve conflicts, we must listen to our opponent’s views, ideas and opinions. We urgently need to find such a new approach to solving human problems.”
As the recent BBC World News report on Tibet on 5 December showed time is running out for Tibet. Our people are facing the second invasion from China in the form of “economic development”. Cheap liquor, prostitutions, karaoke bars, pool tables, Chinese videos and songs and growing Chinese neighbourboods are attempting to wipe out the cultural, social and religious fabric of the Tibetan civilization. Living under foreign occupation and denied the right to determine our own future, the Chinese authorities are using the mantra of development to silence the international opinion and to eliminate Tibetan nationalism.
In conclusion, I appeal to you all and the civil society community in Asia to help Tibet in its pursuit for freedom, peace and democracy. The non-violent freedom struggle of the Tibetan people deserves such a message of solidarity from our brothers and sisters in Asia.
Let us think of human beings first and Chinese and Tibetans second. Let us take this approach.
Thank you.
