FOREIGN AFFAIRS—TIBET

Senator Hanson-Young amended general business notice of motion no. 487 by leave and, pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved—That the Senate—

 (a) notes:

  (i) the tragic deaths by self-immolation of four monks from the Kirti Monastery and one nun from the Dechen Chokorling nunnery, in Ngaba county, eastern Tibet, Sichuan province, between 16 March and 17 October 2011, and

  (ii) that since March 2011, ten Tibetan people have set themselves on fire in order to highlight the continued human rights abuse and oppression of the Tibetan people;

 (b) recognises:

  (i) the people of Tibet continue to be subject to appalling human rights abuses, and

  (ii) the Chinese authorities have continued to take repressive measures against monks and nuns, particularly of the Kirti Monastery since the self-immolation of a monk in March 2011; and

 (c) calls on the Government to urge the Chinese Government to cease repressive measures against the Tibetan people and respect human rights in Tibet.

Statement by leave: The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig), by leave, made a statement relating to the motion.

Question put.

The Senate divided—

Question negatived.