P7_TA(2011)0158 Ban on the elections for the Tibetan government in exile in Nepal European Parliament resolution of 7 April 2011 on the ban of the elections for the Tibetan government in exile in Nepal The European Parliament, – having regard to its resolution of 17 June 2010 on Nepal1 and its resolution of 26 October 2006 on Tibet2, – having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, – having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966, – having regard to the statement of 29 May 2010 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the political situation in Nepal, – having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas the occupation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China prevents the Tibetans from electing their representatives in the territory of Tibet democratically, B. whereas more than 82 000 exiled Tibetans across the world were invited to vote on 20 March 2011 to elect the new Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) of the Tibetan government in exile, C. whereas several thousand Tibetans in Nepal did not get permission to vote from the Nepalese authorities in Kathmandu, under increasing pressure from the Chinese Government, D. whereas already during an earlier round of voting in Nepal on 3 October 2010, Kathmandu police confiscated ballot boxes and shut down the Tibetan community voting sites, E. whereas on 10 March 2011 the Dalai Lama announced that he would formally relinquish his political leadership role in the Tibetan exile government which is based in Dharamsala, India, in order to strengthen the democratic structure of the Tibetan movement on the eve of elections to choose a new generation of Tibetan political leaders, F. whereas the Government of Nepal has claimed that demonstrations by Tibetans violate its ‘One China’ policy, has reiterated its commitment not to allow ‘anti-Beijing activities’ on its soil and has thus imposed a blanket ban on the movement of groups of Tibetans in an attempt to appease the Chinese authorities, G. whereas the Nepali authorities, particularly the police, have repeatedly been reported as violating basic human rights such as freedom of expression, assembly and association of Tibetans in exile in Nepal; whereas these rights are guaranteed for all persons in Nepal by 1 2 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0245. OJ C 313 E, 20.12.2006, p. 463.