DutchNews.nl - Respect human rights in Tibet, says prince

The Dutch royal household has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement on crown prince Willem Alexander’s concerns about events in Tibet following reporters’ questions yesterday.

The prince was asked to comment when he and deputy mayor of Beijing, Niu Youcheng, carried out the official opening of the Keukenhof flower gardens on Wednesday.

While the prince, a member of the international Olympic committee, ignored the questions, the royal household has placed a statement on the household website under the FAQ section.

‘The prince of Orange, just like everyone else, is concerned about developments in Tibet,’ the statement said. ‘He is of the opinion that a peaceful solution must be sought with respect for human rights, whereby the position of all population groups should be taken into account.’

Both Amnesty International and the International Campaign for Tibet were banned from attending the opening ceremony at the Keukenhof in Lisse, close to The Hague.

Dutch Olympic committee chairwoman Erica Terpstra told NOS tv that she was worried about the athletes themselves. ‘They are being asked to comment on this. They are being used as a political toy,’ she was reported as saying.

Earlier this month, Olympic champion swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband called on IOC chairman Jacques Rogge to speak out on the human rights issue.

The Price of Orange should first have a look at the video recorded by a Canadian journalist. Is the violence by Tibetans a part of their human rights? Is slavery sponsored by Dalai Lama in Tibet 50 years ago a part of their human rights?

By D | March 20, 2008 12:39 PM

As Dutch Citizen I am proud of the statement of our Crown Prince Willem Alexander about human rights situation in Tibet.

As the world have turn in to a Global Village that's why we have to work hard for the human rights on our globe.Let us follow the example to the Crown Prince of the Netherlands that its high time to show our solidarity with those human beings whose basic human rights are being violated.

Every nation have the right for Self Determination.Where ever the ethnic minorities are struggeling for a Independent Home Land we have to support their cause.

I hope Prince Willem Alexander would conitnue supporting this noble thing all over the world.
He should develope his support for the human rights on regular policy based.

coming back to Tibet the people of Tibet have suffered a lot and no doubts they deserve to be supported.But the world should use only solve this by dialogue with the government of China.

As China is taking a more liberal course then that of the past.

By Khalid Ahmed Chaudry | March 20, 2008 7:27 PM

should we labell all athletes with different parties or colours? or we have to make two words of "politics" and "sports" into one as "sporlitics"?

By wang | March 21, 2008 9:14 AM