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[
back ] The Tibetan Government in Exile is very concerned about current projects for major exploitation of oil and gas reserves in Tibet by Petro China, in partnership with western companies such as BP, Enron, and AGIP. These projects, as they are now conceived,will cause harm to the Tibetan people. We therefore call for an immediate halt to the construction of the Sebei-Lanzhou (Amdo) pipeline and the increases in exploration for oil & gas on the Tibetan plateau. The Tibetan Government-in-Exile position with respect to development and investment in Tibet is clear: it supports projects which benefit the Tibetan people and opposes those which cause harm to them. We have put forward a set of Guidelines for International Development Projects and Sustainable Investment in Tibet to assists potential investors, corporations and donor agencies interested in working in Tibet to determine what projects should be encouraged and which ones should be discouraged and opposed. The main goal of the Guidelines is to foster sustainable development in the Tibetan Plateau that will enhance the ability of the Tibetan people to fully participate in the development of their land and to control their natural resources. Thus, projects that empower Tibetans, improve their education, provide appropriate employment for Tibetans, protect the natural environment, promote Tibetan culture, national identity and language besides improving the living conditions of Tibetans can be useful. On the other hand, projects that facilitate the transfer of Chinese into Tibetan areas, employ sizeable numbers of Chinese, deplete natural resources in Tibet, transfer ownership of land to non-Tibetans, facilitate erosion of Tibetan culture and identity, and perpetrate the economic marginalization of Tibetans in Tibetan areas are clearly harmful and should be stopped. Clearly, under the present circumstances not all development projects in Tibet are in the best interest of the Tibetans. Hence, we urge all the foreign corporations and investors involved in economic development projects in Tibet to examine their activities carefully in light of these Guidelines. Projects that adversely effect Tibetan society and environment must be immediately stopped and redesigned or canceled. At this point in time the construction of the Sebei-Lanzhou (Tsaidam, Amdo) oil and gas pipeline, launched on 30 March 2000, backed by western companies such as BP, Enron, and AGIP, is causing alarm among Tibetans. This project represents a significant escalation of China's exploitation of oil and gas on the Tibetan Plateau and will accelerate China's policy of transferring Chinese settlers into Tibetan areas. With the involvement of western companies China receives global support in despoiling Tibet's natural resources for the first time. In the view of the Tibetan Government-In-Exile, this project will be harmful because it will: *
Employ a sizeable and disproportionate number of Chinese and other non-Tibetans.
Similarly, increases in drilling for oil and gas currently planned for the Tsaidam basin area of Amdo are also problematic. Such projects are being promoted by China as part of Beijing's planned "Western Development" campaign. Foreign corporations participating in this campaign as it affects Tibet are hereby requested to ensure that their projects are in compliance with the Guidelines set forth by the Tibetan Government-In-Exile. If there is any doubt or confusion, it is the Tibetan Government-In-Exile which shall serve as the final arbiter. Our successful campaign against the World Bank's funding for Dulan Project should not be interpreted to mean that the Tibetan Government In Exile is against any kind of involvement in Tibet. We successfully opposed the Dulan Project because the project, as it was designed, would have been very harmful to Tibetans. The World Bank would effectively have financed China's population transfer policy. The Tibetan Government in Exile does not oppose projects and investments that are beneficial to Tibetans. However, this can only be the case if projects meet the principles set out in the Guidelines. Given the harmful effects of the gas and oil extraction projects on the Tibetan plateau, BP, AGIP, and Enron are hereby requested to immediately halt the construction of the Sebei to Lanzhou pipeline, and the increases in drilling for oil & gas on the Tibetan plateau. These corporations are further urged to withdraw investments from Chinese entities engaged in these activities, as a way of ensuring that the destruction of the Tibetan environment and the disenfranchisement of the Tibetan people does not proceed with Western support. These investments are clearly harmful to Tibetans and will be actively opposed. Kalon
T.C. Tethong [
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