Around the Adriatic Sea
The challenge: cycling round the Adriatic Sea. Will I manage it before the weather in the Balkans gets too rough? I’m curious to find out myself….
Now is the time to stand up to China’s attack on the international human rights system. Decades of progress are at stake. And so is our future.
China is flagrantly violating the human rights of ethnic minorities within its own borders. For those who were not aware of this, here are the most serious human rights violations:
China is also well on its way to becoming not only a economic, but also a political and military to become a global player. It is well known that hegemonic superpowers try to export their world view to other countries.
Do we want to be dependent on a regime that commits crimes against humanity at home? And which might get the ill-advised idea of imposing its authoritarian policies on us as well?
For years, Chinese ethnic minorities – not only Tibetans but also Uyghurs and Mongols from Inner Mongolia – have been suffering under China’s repressive assimilation policy. Until recently, there was no legal basis for this. On the contrary, this policy ran counter to earlier, fairly far-reaching promises of autonomy.
Things are different now! In July 2026, China introduced the ‘Ethnic Unity and Progress Act' which now provides a legal basis for enforcing ideological conformity and cultural assimilation, and for taking action against so-called expressions that undermine ethnic unity, abroad as well!
Organisations and individuals outside the territory of the People’s Republic of China who undermine national unity and progress, or incite ethnic division, will be held legally accountable.
‘Acts that undermine ethnic unity’ encompass not only ideological or political dissent, but also trivial matters such as the possession of banned photographs (of the Dalai Lama), flags or religious symbols, campaigning for education in one’s own language, reading unauthorised literature, etc.
The repression in Tibet is an issue that has already 70 years brings with it. In other words, a symbolic issue. If human rights activists can persuade China to change its mind on this, minorities and peoples all over the world will benefit from it in the future.
No longer tolerating human rights violations… This issue goes beyond the events in Tibet. That is why Eva will, from now on, be cycling to promote respect for human rights in Tibet.
International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) is the largest Tibet support group in the world. They follow the Dalai Lama’s peaceful ‘middle-of-the-road’ approach: not separation from China, but far-reaching autonomy with respect for human rights, culture and traditions. Which was, in fact, already promised in a 1951 agreement….
The challenge: cycling round the Adriatic Sea. Will I manage it before the weather in the Balkans gets too rough? I’m curious to find out myself….
