CIRCLE OF LIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Remarks by Hon. David Kilgour, M.P.

Edmonton - Mill Woods - Beaumont

INTERNATIONAL MONUMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS, ELGIN ST.

OTTAWA

DEC 10^TH, 2004. 12:00pm

As co-Chair of the newly established Parliamentary Friends of Tibet I’m pleased to speak at this event.

It was a great honour to have his Holiness visit Ottawa this past spring.  His message of peace and non-violence continues to offer hope for the world and, his native Tibet.  Unfortunately, religious persecution is a reality that thousands of Tibetans are facing everyday.  As Tenzin Dargyal said at the Subcommittee for Human Rights and International Development last week, the Chinese government is systematically targeting every aspect of Tibetan religion, and culture.

Peace and compassion make up the core of Buddhist philosophy the world over.  In Tibet, it continues to be practised in the state of fear.

One core example is Tenzin Delek Ronpoche, the Tibetan monk, who spoke freely about what he believed in, and promoted non-violent and compassionate behaviour.  He was charged by Chinese authorities in Sichuan of all things for “causing explosions” and “inciting separation”.  He and other political prisoners in China deserve fair trials; and Buddhists around the world deserve the right to practise their religion and way of life freely.

Thank you.