Bipartisan lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have put forth a bill compelling the State Department to investigate if China has committed genocide or crimes against humanity towards Tibetans. The Tibet Atrocities Determination Act, introduced by Representatives Chris Smith and Tom Suozzi, requires a report on China’s actions in Tibet within a year.
The legislation demands an inquiry into potential atrocities against Tibetans, including arbitrary killings, inhumane living conditions, forced displacements, coercive sterilizations, and cultural suppression. It also calls for an examination of Chinese efforts to “sinicise” Tibetan Buddhism and suppress Tibetan language and culture.
Representative Smith emphasized the need to address the atrocities in Tibet, stating that the Chinese Communist Party has been committing severe crimes against the Tibetan people. Representative Suozzi highlighted the broader challenge to democratic values posed by China’s treatment of Tibetans and other minority groups.
Senator Rick Scott, a sponsor of the bill in the Senate, condemned China’s actions in Tibet as systematic killings, torture, forced sterilizations, and other crimes against humanity. The proposed legislation directs the Secretary of State to investigate various abuses against Tibetans, including forced indoctrination and coercive abortion practices.
