European Parliament Resolution on Human Rights and Religious Free dom in China

Below is the text of the new European Parliament resolution on human rights in China and religious freedom. 
 
http://www.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade3?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2005-0339+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=3&NAV=X
  

Thursday 8 September 2005
Provisional edition
Breaches of human rights in China, in particular as regards freedom of religion

P6_TA-PROV(2005)0339

B6-0457, 0461, 0465, 0469, 0475, 0477 and 0478/2005
European Parliament resolution on breaches of human rights in China, in particular as regards freedom of religion
The European Parliament ,
–   having regard to the Treaty on European Union and its provisions on human rights,
–   having regard to its previous resolutions on violations of human and minority rights and religious freedom in China,
–   having regard to China’s long philosophical and religious tradition,
–   having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2005 on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World 2004 and EU policy in this regard(1) ,
–   having regard to its resolution of 24 February 2005 on the EU’s priorities and recommendations for the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva (14 March to 22 April 2005)(2) ,
–   having regard to the report and recommendations of the EU-China human rights dialogue seminar of 20-21 June 2005,
–   having regard to the Joint Statement of the EU-China Summit of 5 September 2005,
–   having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.   well aware that religious persecution in China is a general problem that hurts many churches and religious communities, including Christians, Tibetan Buddhists and Muslims among others,
B.   whereas respect for human rights is a key priority in EU policies and one of the fundamental principles of the European Union,
C.   whereas the promotion of human rights as established in the Treaties is an objective of the Common Foreign and Security Policy,
D.   whereas the EU-China Summit of 5 September 2005 marked the 30th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic ties with agreement on a new strategic dialogue; whereas the question of human rights is one of the key issues which was placed on the agenda,
E.   whereas the EU-China human rights dialogue makes freedom of religion or belief a matter of priority,
F.   whereas, despite the fact that Article 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China provides for freedom of religious belief, the authorities seek in reality to restrict religious practice to government-sanctioned organisations and registered places of worship, and to control the growth and scope of the activities of religious groups,
G.   whereas China’s new Regulations on Religious Affairs, which came into effect on 1 March 2005, have tightened government control on religious activity,
H.   whereas, amongst other Christian denominations, the Catholic Church has endured a long period of persecution in the People’s Republic of China and is still forced to act partly underground as a consequence of these practices,
I.   whereas the Chinese authorities have intensified their control of unregistered Protestant house churches and interference in the process of appointing bishops,
J.   whereas many Christian clergy have suffered brutal repression, being prevented not only from practising public worship but also from carrying out their ministry; deeply concerned at the increase in arbitrary arrests, torture, unexplained disappearances, penal servitude, isolation and re-education camps endured by Christian clergy and lay people,
1.  Calls on the Chinese Government to put an end to religious repression and to ensure that it respects international standards of human rights as well as religious rights and guarantees democracy, freedom of _expression, freedom of association, freedom of the media and political and religious freedom in China;
2.  Urges the Chinese Government to abolish the difference between approved and non-approved worship communities, as has been suggested by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief since 1994;
3.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to make it clear to the Chinese authorities that a genuine partnership can only develop when shared values are fully respected and put into practice;
4.  Urges the Commission, the Council and the Member States to raise specifically the issue of the persecution of Chinese Christians, and to obtain from the Chinese Government:
a) information about the situation of Catholic bishops Mgr James Su Zhimin (diocese of Baoding, Hebei), 72; Mgr Francis An Shuxin (auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Baoding, Hebei), 54; Mgr Han Dingxian (diocese of Yongnian/Handan, Hebei), 66; Mgr Cosma Shi Enxiang (diocese of Yixian, Hebei), 83; Mgr Philip Zhao Zhendong, (diocese of Xuanhua, Hebei), 84; Fr Paul Huo Junlong, administrator of the diocese of Baoding, 50; Mgr Shi Enxiang (diocese of Yixian Hebei province), 83; news about disappeared and arrested clergy, namely Zhang Zhenquan and Ma Wuyong (diocese of Baoding, Hebei); Fr Li Wenfeng, Fr Liu Heng, and Fr Dou Shengxia (diocese of Shijiazhuang, Hebei); Fr Chi Huitian (diocese of Baoding, Hebei); Fr Kang Fuliang, Chen Guozhen, Pang Guangzhao, Yin Ruose, and Li Shujun (diocese of Baoding, Hebei); Fr Lu Xiaozhou (diocese of Wenzhou, Zhejiang); Fr Lin Daoming (diocese of Fuzhou, Fujian); Fr Zheng Ruipin (diocese of Fuzhou, Fujian); Fr Pang Yongxing, Fr Ma Shunbao, and Fr Wang Limao (diocese of Baoding, Hebei); Fr Li Jianbo (diocese of Baoding, Hebei); and Fr Liu Deli; and demands the unconditional release of all Chinese Catholics incarcerated on account of their religious convictions and the immediate cessation of all kinds of violence towards them;
b) information about the situation of Pastor Zhang Rongliang (53), one of the founders of the China for Christ Church, a group comprising more than 10 million Christians, who was arrested on 1 December 2004, and who is still imprisoned without any legal process; demands the unconditional release of this pastor and of all other Chinese Christians incarcerated on account of their religious convictions and the immediate cessation of all kinds of violence towards them;
5.  Urges the Chinese Government to implement Article 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and to ratify and implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
6.  Notes that the Chinese Government has finally accepted the request made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Special Rapporteur on Torture to visit China before the end of the year; invites the Chinese Government to set an early date for this visit; calls on the Chinese authorities to allow access for the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to the Panchen Lama as designated by the Dalai Lama;
7.  Welcomes the existence of an EU-China human rights structured dialogue; expresses disappointment at the lack of substantial results coming from this dialogue; invites the Council and the Commission to raise this issue of concern during the forthcoming EU-China human rights session, as part of a thorough assessment of the effectiveness of the structured dialogue;
8.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States and the candidate countries, the member countries of the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
 
 

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