Hundreds of Czech town halls hoist Tibetan flag

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

ČTK
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Member of the Czech Green hoist the Tibetan National Flag from Parliament window to show support Tibet's flight for human right. (Photo: ČTK)

Prague - Tibetan flags were today hoisted at the Czech Environment and Education Ministries, headed by Martin Bursik and Ondrej Liska (Greens), in support of the worldwide Flag for Tibet campaign.

The Greens also did so at the window of their group in the Chamber of Deputies.

The Tibetan flag was also hoisted by over 350 Czech town halls.

The rest of the parties have adopted a reserved or critical stand on the campaign.

The Czech Foreign Ministry has said the hoisting of the flag will not threaten the EU-China summit planned for May.

"We are joining the worldwide Flag for Tibet campaign in order to voice solidarity with its people," Greens deputy Katerina Jacques, chairwoman of the parliamentary Group of Friends of Tibet, said.

Human Rights and Minorities Minister Michael Kocab (for the Greens) today only symbolically joined the campaign and did not put up the Tibetan flag at his office.

"It is because Kocab has not any ministerial building of his own," Kocab's secretary Petr Koubek said.

Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (for the Greens) did not join the campaign. Spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova said the ministry did not believe that hoisting of the Tibetan flag at the buildings of the civil service or self-rule bodies could harm relations between Prague and Beijing or affect the planned EU-China summit.

"We have been conducting a long-standing dialogue with China. China knows very well that the Czech Republic respects and does not question its territorial integrity, part of which is Tibet," Opletalova said.

"On the other hand, we say within the dialogue that the protection of human rights, including cultural, religious and political freedoms, is a continuing priority of the Czech foreign policy. This relates to the case of China, including Tibet, too," she added.

Last year, China cancelled its participation in the December summit with the EU to protest against French President Nicolas Sarkozy having met Tibetan Dalai Lama. France presided the EU at the time.

The Chamber of Deputies deputy chairman Jan Kasal (the Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said he was not against the Tibetan flag to be put up at the Greens' office. Kasal voiced reserved stand on it being in the parliament building.

"There should be a Czech flag, an EU flag or the flag of a country we are hosting," Kasal said.

"It is a sign of rude manners," Communist leader Vojtech Filip said.

The Chamber of Deputies deputy chairman Lubomir Zaoralek (opposition Social Democrats, CSSD) told CTK the problem of Tibet was grave and he shared the concern over the country.

However, it would be best not to make internal steps such as the hoisting of the Tibetan flag, but to include it in a comprehensive foreign policy.

Opposition should have a word in the drafting of the attitude to China and Tibet, Zaoralek said.

Czech supporters of Tibet have been regularly hoisting the Tibetan flag since 1996 and the number of town halls that join the protest has been growing by the year.

Some 80,000 Tibetans died during the 1959 uprising in Lhasa. Tibetan activists say Beijing suppresses traditional culture in Tibet and they seek autonomy or independence of Tibet.