(TibetanReview.net, Apr21, 2018) – A total of 25 members of the British Parliament have joined Tibet groups’ call on Liverpool FC to terminate its controversial sponsorship deal with a Hong Kong-registered Chinese water bottling company operating in Tibet. They have joined campaigners in calling for the club to reaffirm its commitment to human rights by scrapping its partnership with Tibet Water, reported the bdaily.co.uk Apr 19.
The MPs have expressed concern that the deal ‘is not consistent’ with the values promoted in the club’s human rights framework. They have therefore asked Liverpool to uphold due diligence standards and ensure all LFC business partners commit to respecting human rights.
The MPs have expressed their support for the campaign by putting their signatures to an open letter to the club. The letter says that Tibet Water is only able to operate in Tibet as a result of China’s occupation of the region – and the human rights violations that uphold it.
The MPs include those from Liverpool, namely Stephen Twigg, MP for Liverpool West Derby, and Dan Carden, MP for Liverpool Walton.
The campaign to break up the partnership was launched in Oct 2017, with Tibet organisations including the International Tibet Network, Free Tibet and Tibet Society, being among those involved. International consumer group SumOfUs has also lent its weight to the campaign, the report said.
The report quoted Gloria Montgomery, head of advocacy and campaigns at Tibet Society, as saying, referring to the range of support the campaign had received: “Today’s backing from MPs shows that, along with Tibetans, Liverpool FC fans and other supporters, politicians from across the political spectrum care deeply about the Tibetan cause and are committed to ensuring brands and companies respect human rights when carrying out their business practices. Such a positive step is thanks to the tens of thousands of people who have supported the campaign calling on Liverpool FC to scrap the deal.”
Hong Kong-registered Tibet Water Resources Ltd. (“Tibet Water”, formerly known as “Tibet 5100 Water Resources Holdings Ltd”) is one of several companies tapping ecologically fragile Tibet’s glacial waters for commercial profit.
