Since its military swept in and seized power in what it terms a “peaceful liberation,” China has governed the isolated western region of Tibet. China disputes misconduct there and claims that its involvement ended “backward feudal serfdom.”
Uzra Zeya, the U.S. under secretary of state for democracy and human rights, testified at the meeting that China was still engaged in a campaign of persecution aimed at “forcibly Sinicizing” the 6 million Tibetans living in the nation and eradicating their religious, cultural, and language legacy.
Recent revelations about government-run residential schools and forcible bulk DNA gathering in Tibetan regions “shock the conscience,” according to Zeya, who oversees U.S. assistance for Tibetans in her capacity as special assistant for Tibetan matters. Beijing has turned down her business.
The commission’s head, Republican Representative Chris Smith, stated that while there is an emphasis on Xinjiang, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, “we cannot take our eyes off the ongoing genocide being committed against Tibetan people.”
Richard Gere, an actor and longtime proponent of Tibet, stated at the meeting that Chinese policies there “match the definition of crimes against humanity.”
