To European Council President

At the EU-China Summit, support innocent buddhists at Larung Gar

Your Excellency [Decision Maker],

I am writing to you in your capacity as President of the European Council to urge you to use the forthcoming EU-China summit in Brussels to publicly raise the ongoing forced removals and demolitions at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Tibet.

In December 2016, the European Parliament issued a strong resolution (2016/3026(RSP) explicitly calling on China to stop the demolitions at Larung Gar and the eviction of its residents, and to respect Tibetans' freedom of religion. The June summit in Brussels is a key opportunity for the European Union to follow up on these calls and directly request that the Chinese government brings the forced removals, demolitions, and other violations of freedom of religion in Tibet to an immediate and unconditional halt. This is a particularly important opportunity given that the last China-EU Human Rights Dialogue did not take place.

The demolitions and forced removals at Larung Gar remain ongoing and have been a source of deep grief for Tibetans both inside Larung Gar and throughout Tibet. By raising Larung Gar, and calling for the demolitions and removals to be halted, the European Union could make a decisive contribution towards preventing further harm to the site and its residents.

Specifically, I urge you and the EU representatives at the forthcoming summit to publicly ask the Chinese delegation to:

- Immediately halt all further demolitions and forced removals at Larung Gar, and permit those who were forcibly removed to return.
- Reverse its decision to put Larung Gar under majority control by members of the Chinese Communist Party, and instead permit residents and clerical authorities to run the site's affairs.
- Put an end to its wider violations of the right to freedom of religion in Tibet, including lifting the internal surveillance at monasteries, lifting restrictions on freedom of movement on monks and nuns, and allowing Tibetans to conduct religious celebrations without interference.
- Provide adequate compensation and the re-housing of Tibetans who have been evicted during the demolitions in Larung Gar and, for whatever reason, cannot return to the site. This re-housing should be at a place of their choice and should allow them to continue their religious activities.
- Address concerns regarding overcrowded religious institutes by allowing Tibetans to establish more institutes and build more facilities.
- Agree to specific dates for a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, ensuring that they are granted unrestricted access to Tibet.

I am grateful for the efforts the EU has taken in the past to raise Larung Gar and freedom of religion in Tibet. I believe that a strong statement at the Brussels summit will greatly strengthen these previous efforts and send a clear and unambiguous message to China that the EU is firmly opposed to the damage being done to Larung Gar and the wider restrictions on freedom of religion in Tibet.

Yours Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your Email]