THE COUNTRY: Interview with Thubten Wangchen “Spain has decided to exchange human rights for money”

Thubten Wangchen (Tibet, 1955) He appears under the sleet that hits Madrid dressed only in a saffron tunic that leaves his arms in the air. The only clothing concession that this Buddhist monk makes to avoid the cold and rain are some moccasins and thin socks that match his habit.. “This climate is like that of Tibet, I feel at home”, jokes Wangchen, director of the House of Tibet and signatory of the complaint for the genocide against his people. His initiative has taken him to the National Court, under the principle of universal justice, to order the arrest of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin and other members of the leadership of the Asian giant, a judicial movement that has strained diplomatic relations between Spain and China.

The practical suppression of universal jurisdiction promoted by the Government of Mariano Rajoy and that will mean the automatic filing of the case on crimes against humanity in Tibet, among other summaries, It is “a shame for Spain”, assures the monk. This Tuesday he attended in Congress the debate on the proposed Organic Law of the PP to limit the jurisdiction of Spanish judges over crimes committed outside the national territory.

Wangchen, Spanish nationalized since 1996, is used to the elements. "In 1959, when the chinese invaded my country, I was four years old. “They killed my mother and I had to cross the Himalayas to settle in Nepal.”, tells without haste. In Kathmandu, the boy Thubten survived by begging. Con 16 years, after moving to India, the Dalai Lama welcomed him into his private monastery. "Happens 11 years studying Buddhist philosophy and in 1982 I moved to Spain as a translator for a lama in a Buddhist temple in Ibiza”, remember.

From Spain, Wangchen has dedicated himself to fighting —“always peacefully”— for the freedom of Tibet, a territory with an area three times that of Spain and in which the repression and repopulation ordered by Beijing have led the six million Tibetans to become a minority in their own land.. "From 1959 repression is constant. A few days ago six children 15 and 16 years were imprisoned for painting Free Tibet graffiti [Freedom for Tibet]. From 2009 a total of 125 young Tibetans have committed self-immolation. “China has infiltrated spies into monasteries and Buddhist teachers are disappearing.”, complaint.

Wangchen is very grateful for the “dignity” what, According to him, has been demonstrated by the National Court when investigating the facts reported in its complaint, and it is clear that the decision to hastily cut universal justice is the consequence of a “great touch” that the Chinese Government has given to the Spanish. The Asian giant, who owns the 20% of Spanish debt in foreign hands, has put pressure on Rajoy's Executive through diplomatic channels to force the closure of the case on Tibet.

“Until now, Spain had an international reputation for strong judges.”, as neither the United States nor Germany have them. From now on, Spain is going to lose its international value in defending human rights. And he is going to do it in exchange for money. It is an unwise decision by Mariano Rajoy, But ultimately it is the decision of a people and it is a shame for the country to exchange human rights and freedom for the economy.”, laments the director of the House of Tibet.

Despite political adversities, Wangchen does not lose hope, although this no longer comes from the Spanish justice system. “The Chinese Government is not going to last long, and the young chinese, as they have more access to information, "They are going to change everything.", smile.