The Secret Tibet (The Forbidden world)

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{The Tibet Post International -16 July 2008}-Following a series of protests by Tibetans across Tibet since 10 March 2008, the Chinese authorities have embarked on numerous premeditated measures and steps to tighten control over the Tibetan people. The latest targets are identified as ethnic Tibetan Communist Party members and the government employees.

A new official regulation jointly prepared by the "Tibet Autonomous Region" ("TAR") Communist Party's Discipline Inspection Commission (Ch: Jie Wei) and "TAR" Government Discipline Committee (Ch: Jian cha ting) was officially announced yesterday, targeting Tibetan party members and government employees whose children are studying in the exiled educational institutions run by the "Dalai Clique", according to the latest information posted on the official website. (www.chinatibetnews.com). The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is very concerned that the implementation of this regulation will soon lead to expulsion of Tibetan employees and members who fail to comply and abrupt termination of children's education of those who return to Tibet.

The new official regulation jointly issued by the "TAR" Communist Party Discipline Inspection Commission and "TAR" Government Discipline Committee has warned their Tibetan party members and government employees of dire consequences and will act according to the Party rules and policies, if they fail to recall their children studying in exile educational institutions run by the "Dalai Clique".

Though a new regulation was formulated tentatively and soon to be officially promulgated and implemented in the mid of September this year, has primarily targeted Tibetan government employees and party members.

The announcement of the new regulation made yesterday clearly stated that, the "Dalai Clique has over the years cited free scholarship, boarding and food facilities to the young children in order to entice them to leave Tibet for schools and monasteries in exile. The young who are the future seeds were targeted by the Dalai clique by enticing with facilities in the exile schools and monasteries in order to challenge the party and the government."

The official announcement cited the reason for the formulation of a new regulation as to maintain stability and to oppose the 'splittist' forces within the Party members and "TAR" government employees. The new regulation, stated as "political regulation", has categorically mentioned that the Party members and government employees are not allowed to send their children to educational institutions in exile. The new regulation further stated that the act of sending children into exile educational institutions run by the "Dalai clique" goes against the Party rules and government policies and it will act and punish those accordingly.

A two-month ultimatum was issued yesterday to the ethnic Tibetan party members and government employees to recall their children studying in exiled educational institutions run by the Dalai clique. The announcement stated that, although a new regulation has been formulated, before its promulgation "TAR" government employees and the Party members should recall their children from the exiled educational institutions run by the Dalai clique within two months' period and should voluntarily surrender and explain before the concerned government department or the Party for leniency without penalty. The regulation further stated that those who have participated in "splittist" activities should surrender voluntarily for leniency.

Unfortunately, though well-educated and professionally competent, these students and monks will fall under surveillance and lack job security because of their affiliation with Tibetan exile institutions if they decide to return to their homeland. For those families who send their children to India for an education when there are no other options, harsh repercussions can be expected.

The announcement further stated that, however, after the promulgation of the new regulation, those party members and government employees who conceal information on or fail to recall their children studying in exile educational institutions run by the Dalai Clique within the stipulated deadline shall be expelled from the Party and fired from their government job. This new regulation shall be promulgated soon and will cover all the current Party members, government employees, retired Party members and government employees.

This is not the first time that such an ultimatum was issued. In 1994 a policy was instituted demanding that parents recall their children from India lest they be demoted or expelled from their jobs, and their children lose their rights to residence permits if they did not return to Tibet within a specified time. And many parents recalled their children studying in exile schools and many ended up terminating their education.

The new regulation aims to put the Tibetan employees and members through political litmus test of their ideological loyalty to the party and the government and to eliminates those with a history of separatist activities. The timing of the new regulation raises concern about the Chinese authorities intention towards managing Tibetan employees, party members and their children.

Following the recent series of protests across the Tibetan plateau, at the beginning of April, the Chinese authorities launched a renewed "Patriotic education" campaign covering almost every section of Tibetan communities with more rigor and intensity. The campaign not only targeted the monastic institutions but also government employees, security forces, farmers, nomads, private entrepreneur, educational institutions and Party cadres. The ethnic Tibetan Party cadres and government employees in particular comes under scanner with test of individual loyalty to the party, one's stand on the separatist forces, family background and way of thinking were thoroughly judged.

On 21 April, Dorjee Tsering, Lhasa City Mayor, has told that the "Patriotic education" campaign will be a standard litmus test for the party cadres and will be set as a standard barometer for testing one's loyalty to the Party.

Under the three themes, the renewed "patriotic education" campaign aims to 'educate' the masses about 'opposing splittism', 'protecting stability' and 'backing development', by holding meetings, inviting experts to give speeches, teaching and discussing the contents of the 'patriotic education' campaign, holding denunciation session of the Dalai Lama and screening propaganda shows.

According to reports posted on the official website, China's Tibet Information Centre, dated 10 July 2008, 13 Party members under Lhasa City were expelled from the Communist Party for their involvement in the "March 14 riot" and their failure to uphold the three themes under the renewed "patriotic education" campaign.

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) remains highly disturbed by the new regulation imposed on the ethnic Tibetan Party members and government employees to recall their children studying in educational institutions run by the exiled government. It is highly probable that those parents who fail to comply with the official regulation will face expulsion from their job and could possibly face arrest. TCHRD remains highly concern about those children who are studying in the exile run educational institutions. It is highly regrettable that the Chinese authorities under the new regulation has not spared the children who risked their lives crossing high Himalayas to receive free and broad based education. The Chinese authorities should immediately withdraw this new regulation and respect the ethnic Tibetan government employees and party members rights.

 

{The Tibet Post International -16 July 2008}-Chinatibetnews.com today published a commentary on probationary implementation of a set of regulations concerning awarding of punishment to those govt. officials and party cadres who sent their children to schools and institutions run by the so-called "Dalai Clique".

The report suggested that the new regulations was adopted in the face of growing numbers of Tibetan youths and children having been beguiled and manipulated by the Dalai clique on the pretext of myriads of facilities including free education, free fooding and lodging etc. This regulation, the report said, was imperatively necessary to defend China's next generation potentials from such deceptions.

Expounding on the components of the regulations, the commentary said that whoever among the govt. employees and party cadres, after the adoption of this law, if found to be sending their children to the schools and institutions (including monasteries) run by the Dalai clique would be right away expelled from their jobs. And prior to the adoption and dissemination of the regulations, whoever returns back from India must voluntarily appear before the relevant authorities and provide explanations. Those children who have been condensed by foreign reactionary education and who have practically participated in separatist and destructive activities must voluntarily review their perception and accept their faults to the government and the administration.

The report further warned the parents to bring back within two months all their children currently studying in the schools and institutions run by the Dalai clique and this order must be complied within prescribed time frame. Those who do not report, without holding back anything, to the higher authorities, and whose children do not return back within the given time frame would be immediately expelled from their work. Whereas those who return back complying to the orders and acknowledge their "mistakes" shall be dealt with leniently or shall be totally forgiven, the report said of regulation.

There are, however, certain things that needs to be clarified on the above matter:

1. The Chinese govt. often claims that it has brought an unparalleled development in Tibet; that the education in Tibet has achieved an unprecedented level; and that no education fees or any other expenses are borne by the public. If there is really such an excellent educational facilities available in Tibet, then how the limited facilities in the exile Tibetan community would attract and entice the larger Tibetan people, particularly those govt. officials and party cadres in Tibet.

2. Currently, at the international level, most of the prominent Tibetan intellectuals, professors and lecturers in different universities around the world with modern education background are all but those brought up and educated in exile or those who got the opportunity only after having escaped into exile. Why is it not the case with those in China? The Chinese govt. every year sends thousands of students to study abroad but there barely are any Tibetan students. Why is it so? Let us talk of the Tibetan cadres and those Tibetan officials who serve as State leaders. Even their children had to spend some time in the exile Tibetan society before they get an opportunity to join the international society.

3. The Chinese government regards Tibetan Buddhism as "blind faith" and condemn the old Tibetan society as an "oppressive, dark, backward and barbarous". By distorting the history China refuses to allow the instruction and use of Tibetan language and its culture by not providing any facilities of its dissemination and development. What's more, even in terms of modern education, the Chinese government had now and then created hindrances to the instruction of modern science and other subjects in Tibetan language. On the initiatives of Late Panchen Lama, in fact the course materials for the higher middle level school in Tibetan language had been prepared to be implemented all over Tibet, but to no avail. Thanks to the govt's obstinacy and it's handling of the Tibetan education that one could not stop suspecting that China is hell-bent on assimilating the Tibetan people into the Han majority or less perilously, turn them into an insignificant bunch of illiterates.

4. If we take into account the recent statistics, every year at least three to five thousand Tibetans flee their homeland in spite of the great risk of life and myriads of suffering they endure during their treacherous journey over the high mountainous terrains, fear of getting killed or at least arrested or raped by the border patrols, facing snow storms and crevices, starvation, inadaptable climatic conditions and above all, the pain of parting their parents and relatives in Tibet. The primary and the most important reason for them to escape to India is to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama, their supreme leader and to cherish the taste of freedom and liberty, as well as to pursue both modern and traditional education which only in exile can they find. Grabbing this precious opportunity even the govt. officials and the party cadres send their children to India.

So therefore, the question arises, who either of us have lost or stolen the next generation potential?

In view of the ongoing critical situation inside Tibet, we urge the United Nations and the International community and organizations to the following urgent needs:

   1. To immediately send an independent international fact-finding mission into Tibet
   2. To exert pressure on the PRC government to allow unfettered access to free press in whole of Tibet
   3. To pressure the PRC to end the brutal killings in the whole of Tibet
   4. To immediately release all the arrested and imprisoned Tibetans
   5. To extend immediate medical assistance to those injured Tibetans
   6. To allow free movement of people and provide access to daily needs

 Report- Tibetan Solidarity Committee on 15 July 2008