Before the US Congress, actor Richard Gere accuses China of “cruelty” towards Tibetans

Testifying before a US Congressional committee on Tuesday, March 28, the star of Pretty Woman, Richard Gere, accused the Chinese authorities of separating Tibetan families, banning their language or even destroying religious sites. The actor, who has already championed the cause of Tibet several times in Congress, accused China of “cruelty, collective violence and persecution” against the Tibetans. He assured that this people was oppressed by a “ubiquitous surveillance system“.

Tibet has been ruled with an iron fist by China since the 1950s. Many Tibetans in exile accuse China of repression and torture, and say it seeks to erase their culture. About a million Tibetan children have been separated from their families and forcibly assimilated into boarding schools, three UN special rapporteurs denounced in February.

Richard Gere called on the United States and its allies to “speak with one voice“to call on Beijing to resume negotiations for a”autonomyof Tibetans. The actor urged U.S. lawmakers to pass legislation outlining U.S. support for the Tibetan people.