Czech Minister Honors Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising

Former Czech President Vaclav Havel (R) and exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama pose for photographers on December 1, 2008 in Prague. (Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images)

PRAGUE, Czech Republic—Czech Environmental Minister Martin Bursik hoisted the Tibetan flag at the ministry building on Tuesday, March 10. The day marked the 50th anniversary of the failed attempt for Tibetans to shake off the rule of the Chinese Communist Party in their homeland.

“I can’t imagine that during the Czech EU presidency, the Czech Republic would back out from the fundamental stance of supporting human rights. That would be a shame for both the Czech Republic and the European Union as well,” said Bursik on Tuesday.

“Our EU presidency is a chance to remind the Chinese regime that its ticket to the civilized world means to change the attitude towards Tibet,” added the Green Party chairman, who also joined a similar protest last year in front of the Chinese embassy in Prague.

Czech politicians began the pro-Tibet tradition in February of 1990, when the former Czechoslovakian president, Vaclav Havel, invited the Dalai Lama to Prague. He was the first president to dare to do so, upsetting the Chinese regime at that time.

After President Nicolas Sarkozy met with the Dalai Lama in Poland last year, the Chinese Communist Party criticized France in the media and boycotted several economic meetings. Chinese officials also refused to attend a planned China-EU meeting, which has been postponed until May this year, in Prague.

According to a recent parliamentary resolution, Czech politicians are obliged to mention human rights abuses in China, and Tibet, during each meeting with Chinese leaders.