ADJOURNMENT

Senator BARBARA POCOCK (South Australia) (20:10): I want to acknowledge the extraordinary commitment of the Tibetan community, advocates and supporters who have travelled to parliament today for Tibet Lobby Day, and I particularly acknowledge the members of the Australian Tibetan community who are here with us tonight. Thank you for coming to the parliament and for bringing your stories and experience to us.

Your persistence is testament to the enduring hope for justice, dignity and freedom for the Tibetan people. I also extend a warm welcome to His Eminence the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche on his visit to parliament today. It was wonderful to begin this parliamentary week with the meditations and chants of His Eminence and other monks.

For decades, Tibetans have sought to preserve their language, culture, religion and identity in the face of mounting restrictions. Their calls have been consistent—for human rights, for meaningful dialogue, for peace and the ability to determine their own cultural and religious future without fear and without coercion. Today I met with a delegation of three young Tibetans who brought their stories to this parliament.

They told me about the effects of repression on themselves and their families. They spoke of the threat and reality of transnational repression, about how you can be arrested just for having a picture of the Dalai Lama. Two of them, young Tibetan Australians, told me about their treacherous 20-day long journeys over the Himalayas at seven and eight years old to escape political persecution.

Dezom told the story of how, when she was seven, her father was arrested for participating in prayer for the Dalai Lama. He was jailed for two years and died in prison. This is a story of heroes, a father, a daughter and the long family fight of a community for freedom of movement, expression, spirituality and religion.

These young people also voiced their clear concerns that China will use its new ethnic unity laws, which are due to come into effect just this Wednesday, to target their communities. Thank you Pema, Tenzin and Dezom for sharing your stories with me and with the parliament. Up to one million Tibetan children are already separated right now from their families in Chinese state run boarding schools.

Their culture is under attack. I note that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for the ethnic unity laws to be repealed, as has the European parliament, and that the Australian government has raised concerns with China directly about this. We call on the government of the People's Republic of China to ensure that laws, policies and practices in that country are comply with its international human rights obligations and uphold the rights of all ethnic communities to preserve their language, culture, religion and way of life.

I also want to reiterate the Greens' support for the motion lodged in this Senate in March which said: That the Senate— (a) extends well-wishes to the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday and commends his lifelong commitment and contribution to the promotion of oneness of humanity, nonviolence, human rights, interfaith harmony, environmental awareness and democracy; (b) reiterates that governments should not interfere in the selection of religious leaders, and that includes the reincarnation of the 14thhttps://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;orderBy=date-eFirst;page=0;query=%22dalai%20lama%22%20Date%3A01%2F03%2F2026%20%3E%3E%2031%2F03%2F2026%20Dataset%3Ahansards,hansards80,hansardsIndex;rec=0;resCount=Default—HIT2 Dalai Lama; (c) expresses deep concern over the Chinese Government's repressive policies in Tibet aimed at eradicating the distinct cultural and religious identity of the Tibetan people, including plans to interfere in the centuries-old spiritual tradition concerning the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama; and (d) urges the Chinese Government to recognise the fundamental human rights of Tibetan people and to enter into genuine dialogue, without precondition, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama with a view to achieving long-term peace and freedom in Tibet.

Last year I travelled to Dharamsala to meet the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. It was an experience of a lifetime. When we met with the Dalai Lama, he spoke of the rights that all humans should share and that too many lack in practice, including in Tibet under oppressive Chinese rule—the rights to freedom of spiritual practice, culture and language and the right to democratic control of life and country.

We fear that these human rights infringements will only get worse with China's new ethnic unity laws. True unity cannot be achieved through coercion or the suppression of cultural and religious identity. Diversity should be respected and protected, not erased.

We continue to stand, as Greens, with the Uyghur people, the people of Tibet and oppressed people all around the world. To everyone participating in Tibet Lobby Day: thank you for your advocacy, your resilience, your unwavering commitment to freedom for the people of— The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Pocock. Senator Polley.