E/CN.4/2002/24 page 24 could implement in Bulgaria. The Government should also become more active in raising awareness about discrimination and make it clear to the public that desegregation benefits all of Bulgarian society and is not a privilege bestowed upon a selected group. 57. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Governments of the countries concerned by the question of Roma/Sinti/travellers, and also the European Union, to redouble their efforts to combat discrimination against these peoples. Their situation continues to be worrying and their extreme poverty constitutes a challenge which must be taken up by the international community. III. REPLIES TO ALLEGATIONS TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNMENTS BY THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR A. China 1. Communication dated 23 July containing allegations on racial discrimination in the Tibetan Autonomous Region 58. It has been reported that Tibetans in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) suffer various forms of systematic and institutional discrimination in the fields of employment, health care, education, housing and public representation. The following examples have been given: (a) Employment: Chinese language has become a determining factor in candidate selection, marginalizing Tibetans who must learn it as a second tongue. Furthermore, Tibetans generally occupy the lower employment positions, while Chinese coming from other parts of the country are given the higher posts, despite the fact that Tibetans form the majority of the population in TAR. In some cases, Tibetans are forced to perform manual work with long hours. There are also express restrictions on contracting Tibetans when the work involves contact with foreigners. Additionally, Tibetans have to fulfil special requirements in order to open their own business and frequently face difficulties in obtaining bank loans. In the agricultural sector Tibetan farmers are forced to sell their harvest to the government authorities for lower than market prices. Such a burden is not imposed on non-Tibetan farmers; (b) Health-care: Health-care facilities are not available in TAR rural areas, where the majority of Tibetans live. Furthermore, Tibetans receive lower quality medical care and have to pay for it, while other Chinese citizens receive it for free. Tibetans are subject to birth control policies which are not applied to other Chinese citizens. Tibetan women are often subjected to forced abortion when they are unable to pay the fines imposed for infringement of the birth control policies. Additionally, Tibetans are purposely given incorrect or expired medicine. In other cases very expensive medicines are prescribed to Tibetans who cannot afford them because of their low income; (c) Education: Unlike the urban centres, rural areas of TAR have very few schools. Where they exist they are inadequately equipped. Tibetans are also given differential treatment regarding admission fees, which in some cases are twice as expensive than those paid by other Chinese. Tibetan teachers are forbidden to prepare their own local educational programme, although laws guarantee such rights to national minorities. Furthermore, Tibetan students face problems in secondary and higher institutions, which use Chinese as the only teaching language;