[CPProt.net] Update on US congressional investigation into China's theft of Tibetan Art

[Ellie Bruggeman]

UPDATE ON US CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO CHINA'S THEFT OF TIBETAN ART

On 7 June US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Chairman of the International 
Relations Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, announced that 
he would launch an investigation into the theft of Tibetan property by 
officials of the Chinese government. Congressman Rohrabacher said that 
he sought to document the stolen property from the Tibetan government’s 
treasury, Buddhist monasteries, and individual Tibetans. The 
investigation will also demand a response from the Chinese government 
and the course of action it intends to take to return or reimburse the 
stolen property to the Tibetans. “Just as the Nazis stole from European 
Jews, Chinese officials have refused to return or apologize for their 
pillaging of Tibet,” said Rep. Rohrabacher. Congressman Rohrabacher said 
that he would announce a schedule for the investigation in the coming weeks.

On 15 June Rohrabacher issued a partial list of questions that need to 
be answered to accurately document the theft of Tibetan property and 
belongings by the Chinese government. "For too long the Chinese 
government has gotten away with stealing precious Tibetan national 
assets and individual possessions," said Rep. Rohrabacher. "These 
questions are intended to be a starting point into an investigation that 
will hold accountable any individuals, regardless of position, involved 
in the pillaging of Tibet."

The investigation will focus on claims that from 1949 onward the Chinese 
government and individual Chinese government officials profited from the 
sale of stolen Tibetan belongings. Representative Rohrabacher is seeking 
specifics on the stolen property such as: exact amounts taken from the 
treasury, items taken from monasteries, the involvement of art galleries 
and museums, names of Chinese officials who were involved, and a 
chronology of events pertaining to the theft and sales. "The day has 
come for the Chinese government to answer for their actions and for the 
Tibetan people to demand justice," stated Rep. Rohrabacher.

On 30 June Congressman Rohrabacher sent out an appeal asking for 
assistance in his endeavor to restore Tibet's stolen heritage. He said 
that his investigation should be compatible with Sino-Tibetan dialogue 
since this is one of the many issues that need to be resolved. He 
provided a list of the type of information that was needed to begin an 
investigation:

1. What was taken from the Tibetan treasury by the Chinese government?

2. What was taken from Tibetan monasteries by the Chinese government?

3. What was taken from the Potala by the Chinese government?

4. What personal possessions were seized from Tibetans/

5. Which Chinese government or military units took all these items?

6. Where were all these items stored?

7. Which Chinese government or military units stored them?

8. What Chinese government or military units sold them?

9. What Chinese government or military units received the funds from the 
sales of those items?

10. Where were the foundries that melted down some of the goods?

11. What Chinese government or military units administered the foundries?

12. Where was the bullion shipped to?

13. What art galleries or museums bought Tibetan goods from the Chinese 
government?

As the nature of the Congressman's announcements indicates, the purpose 
of his investigation is as much to reveal the facts of China's pillaging 
of Tibet as to achieve any sort of restitution. Much of what China 
pillaged from Tibet cannot be recovered because it was destroyed, melted 
down or sold on the international art market. The more likely result of 
this investigation will be to shed some light on the circumstances of 
the events in question. Such as when were Tibet's monasteries looted, 
under what circumstances and what were the justifications? The 
investigation will also attempt to determine which individuals and 
organizations were responsible and to hold them to account.

It is believed that most monasteries were systematically looted in the 
years shortly after the revolt in 1959, although some may have survived 
relatively intact until the beginning of the Cultural Revolution in 
1966. Thus, the looting of Tibetan wealth was an organized Chinese 
government project and cannot be blamed on the chaos of the Cultural 
Revolution. Presumably the Chinese government's justification for its 
looting of the wealth of Tibet was that this property was owned by all 
the people of China rather than just by the aristocratic and monastic 
exploiters of the people in Tibet.

The purpose of the Congressman's investigation is to elicit, from 
Tibetans as well as from Chinese, more information about these events 
that will allow Tibetans to, if not recover their lost heritage, at 
least reveal the facts and circumstances of its destruction. Already, 
the investigation has yielded some results. Rinbur Tulku, who went to 
Beijing in 1982 to recover the upper half of the Jowo statue, is in 
Washington D.C. and is cooperating with the investigation. Relevant 
parts of his biography that deal with the destruction of the Jokhang and 
Ganden and his trip to Beijing have been translated. Others have also 
come forward with information. The Congressman and his staff have said 
that they hope that their investigation will cause others to come 
forward with information about the looting and destruction of Tibet's 
artistic and cultural heritage. Those with informaiton or questions 
should contact Representative Rohrabacher's staffer, Paul Berkowitz, at 
202 225-2415 or ca46.investigation at mail.house.gov.

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