Estonian Parliament Adopts “Statement in Defence of Tibetan Children” by Large Majority, Highlighting Plight in Chinese Colonial Boarding Schools in Tibet
Tallinn, 11 February 2026: The Estonian Parliament, Riigikogu, yesterday adopted a statement brought forward by the Tibet Support Group in Riigikogu, with 67 parliamentarians across the political spectrum voting in favour, with no opposing votes.
Six members of the Tibet Support Group spoke passionately during the discussion on the statement, with some taken over by emotion while narrating the plight of Tibetan children, as young as four years-old, separated from their parents and forced into mandatory colonial boarding schools, operated by the Chinese communist regime in Tibet.
Speaking about the disturbing system, aimed at assimilation of the Tibetans into majority Han culture, Ester Karuse MP made reference to the Tibet Action Institute’s report titled “When they came to take our children” while looking visibly moved.
Other parliamentarians: Tõnis Lukas, Henn Põlluaas, Margit Sutrop, Anti Poolamets and Juku-Kalle Raid, Chairman of the Tibet Support Group, made strong representations while speaking for the motion.
Most of the MPs who spoke for the motion have traveled to Dharamshala in the past year, coordinated through the Office of Tibet, London with Roy Strider in Estonia, and met His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the leadership of the Central Tibetan Administration.
The Tibet Support Group in Riigikogu is the largest group in the parliament with 24 members out of the House total of 101. In comparison, the Estonia-China Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Estonian Parliament consists of 14 members.
Not surprisingly, the Chinese Embassy in Estonia issued an official communication expressing strong dissatisfaction with and opposition to the adopted statement on Tibet.
(see below for the text of the Statement by Riigikogu)
11.02.2026
763 AE I
Statement of the Parliament of Estonia (Riigikogu)
On the protection of Tibetan children
The official policy of the People’s Republic of China emphasizes equality and autonomy for ethnic minorities living in the country, while at the same time focusing on social control and assimilation of these nationalities.
The Chinese authorities have established a large-scale system of de facto compulsory and politicized boarding schools for children aged 4 to 18, requiring them to receive a compulsory education in Mandarin without the opportunity to learn and use the Tibetan language in depth and to learn Tibetan culture and history.
In a report published in February 2023, the Special Rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council drew attention to the policy of the Government of the People’s Republic of China aimed at the cultural, religious and linguistic assimilation of the Tibetan people through the boarding school system.
On 14 December 2023, the European Parliament, based on a report by UN experts, adopted a resolution on the abduction and forced assimilation of Tibetan children in Chinese boarding schools in Tibet and strongly condemned the repressive assimilation policy throughout China.
In view of the above, the Riigikogu:
- condemns China’s assimilation policy and the Tibetan boarding school system, which aims to eliminate the distinct linguistic, cultural and religious traditions of Tibetans and other minorities, such as the Uyghurs;
- calls for the immediate abolition of the boarding school system and the practice of family separation for children in Tibet, and calls on the authorities of the People’s Republic of China to allow the establishment of private Tibetan schools;
- calls on countries and the European Commission to demand that the Government of the People’s Republic of China issue visas to European diplomats to visit boarding schools throughout Tibet and allow independent journalists and international observers to enter the region;
- calls on other national parliaments to adopt statements in defence of Tibetan children and to forward them to the institutions of the European Union, the United Nations and the Government and Parliament of the People’s Republic of China.
Lauri Hussar
Speaker of the Riigikogu
Tallinn, 2026
Presented by the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9.02.2026.
(digitally signed)
Marko Mihkelson
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
(Here’s the link on the parliament website – Hääletustulemused / kohalolekukontroll – Riigikogu)
Youtube link to the parliamentary debate: https://www.youtube.com/live/L_0fAsuPUjQ
Time slot start 2:13:16
Time slot ends 3:13:00
-Report Filed by Office of Tibet, London
