Legislation to Hold China Accountable for Human Rights Violations in Tibet Clears Key Hurdle in Congress

WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved a bipartisan bill holding Chinese authorities who violate human rights in Tibet accountable — by banning them from traveling to the United States.

China and Tibet have been at odds since 1959, when Tibetans in Lhasa attempted to declare independence from communist China. Chinese military forces crushed the uprising, causing the deaths of thousands of Tibetans.

That same year, the Dalai Lama, Tibetans’ spiritual leader, fled to northern India. Thousands more have fled, primarily to India and Nepal, to escape human rights abuses by the Chinese government, which continues to oppress Tibetans and other ethnic and religious minorities within its borders. China has also severely limited foreign officials and journalists’ access to the Tibetan Plateau.

The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act (H.R. 1872) was written by Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) and seeks to pressure China to allow further access to Tibet for American diplomats, officials, journalists, and Tibetans abroad who wish to visit their homeland.

In a recent op-ed to the Boston Globe, McGovern joined Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in calling on China to allow the Dalai Lama to return home to Tibet.

Should his bill pass, the Chinese authorities who design and implement restrictions on travel to Tibetan areas would become ineligible for admission to the United States. The bill would also require an annual public report assessing whether China is allowing Americans to travel to Tibet.

“The rationale for the bill is simple,” said McGovern. “While Chinese nationals enjoy unrestricted access to our country, the same is not true for U.S. diplomats, journalists, or tourists going to Tibet, including Tibetan-Americans who want to visit their homeland. If China wants their citizens to travel freely here, Americans must be able to travel freely in China, including in Tibet.”

The Committee’s action is a key step towards passage of the bill. It must next be considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee before advancing to a full vote on the House Floor. A companion bill is also under consideration in the Senate.

McGovern added, “I have been blessed to visit Tibet and meet its people, and I look forward to the day when all Americans will have that opportunity without having to run a Chinese obstacle course.”