China acknowledges Dalai Lama’s hold in Tibet

[IND151]

A historic photo taken during the young Dalai Lama's journey from Lhasa to the Indian border post of Khinzemane in Mar 1959





By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 16th July 12

As resentment against the Communist Party’s iron yoke boils over in the Tibetan-inhabited areas of China, Beijing has begun admitting that the Dalai Lama’s hold runs deep in these areas.

This is a major policy shift. Since 1959, when the Dalai Lama escaped to political asylum in India, the Communist Party has insisted that the Tibetans are a happy lot. The communist apparatchiks have passed off growing public protests, like the 40 self-immolations by Tibetans in the last four years, as the work of a few malcontents, instigated from “foreign countries” by the “Dalai Clique”.

But, with the Communist Party’s 18th Party Congress looming,denial is no longer an option. Acknowledging the Dalai Lama’s widespread popularity, Party bosses in Tibet have slapped harsh restrictions on news, media and communications, ordering that the views of the exiled leaders views must be blocked from reaching Tibetans, particularly those living in rural Tibet.

A fortnight ago, the Communist Party Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Chen Quanguo, urged officials to “make sure that the Central Party’s voices and images can be heard across 120 thousand square kilometres (of Tibet),” and that “no voices and images of enemy forces and Dalai clique can be heard and seen.” This call was published in an interview in the Communist Party’s official newspaper, Renming Wang on 27th June.

Tibetans face tightened controls on internet use, text messages, phone ownership, music publishing, and photocopying. Instead of independent news, Tibetans now get intensified political propaganda in villages, schools, and monasteries, and sharp restrictions on travel into the TAR.

Since Mar 12, controls have been tightened on travel from other provinces into the TAR. Additional restrictions on travel by foreigners to the TAR were introduced in May 2012 and again in early June.

An authoritative new report from Human Rights Watch traces the Communist Party’s shifting stance that acknowledges the Dalai Lama’s growing influence, especially in rural Tibet, where 85% of the population lives.

Until 2008, Chinese officials in Lhasa declared that Tibetans hardly supported the Dalai Lama. In 2001 an official survey purportedly found that 86% of Lhasa’s residents regarded the “Dalai as a separatist or a politician.” Wu Jilie, TAR’s deputy governor told foreign journalists, “the Dalai Lama has aroused the distrust and resolute opposition of the vast majority of people here (Reuters, 20th Aug 04).

According to Human Rights Watch, TAR’s Chairman said in 2007 that “the majority of Tibetan people do not want the Dalai Lama to return to the region” and that “his influence is very limited” (Xinhua, 20th Jun 07).

The first signs of change date back to 2010, when TAR’s governor, Padma Thrinley (Baima Chiling in Chinese) declared, “to say that the Dalai has no influence at all in Tibet is impossible… The Dalai Lama has some influence for sure” (reported in Ifeng News, 6th Nov 10). On Mar 12, Thrinley said, “Let’s face reality: the Dalai Lama and his followers do try to attract young Tibetans, but what we need to do is not to compete with them … Instead, the key is to improve people’s livelihood … the popularity of the government will depend on its work” (Xinhua, March 7, 2012). He admitted to a Chinese reporter that, “right now, the Dalai is indeed competing with us for the younger generations.”

Tibetan anger is simmering not just in TAR, but in the adjoining Tibetan-inhabited areas as well. TAR is merely the western half of the Tibetan plateau, home to half of China’s Tibetan population, i.e. 2.9 million out of 5.7 million officially recognised ethnic Tibetans. The other 2.8 million Tibetans live on the eastern part of the Tibetan plateau, in designated Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures (TAP), and Tibetan Autonomous Counties (TAC) within the four provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan.

Chinese government statements that are directed towards non-Tibetan audiences still pretend that there is widespread Tibetan support for China’s policies. However, local articles in Tibetan areas increasingly describe the Dalai Lama as having widespread influence. Since late 2011, official speeches throughout Tibetan areas have referred repeatedly to campaigns directed at “the masses” or “the foundations,” rather than primarily at monks and nuns, indicating an attempt to change the thinking of rural Tibetans on a scale not seen since the beginning of the reform era in the 1980s.




Broadsword: China acknowledges Dalai Lama’s hold in Tibet

 

[IND151]

there is going to be a major policy shift it seems

 

[IND151]

this part is important

As resentment against the Communist Party’s iron yoke boils over in the Tibetan-inhabited areas of China, Beijing has begun admitting that the Dalai Lama’s hold runs deep in these areas.

This is a major policy shift. Since 1959, when the Dalai Lama escaped to political asylum in India, the Communist Party has insisted that the Tibetans are a happy lot. The communist apparatchiks have passed off growing public protests, like the 40 self-immolations by Tibetans in the last four years, as the work of a few malcontents, instigated from “foreign countries” by the “Dalai Clique”.

 

[Cherokee]

This Thread will soon be hijacked by CCP's army shouting "lamaist terrorists" and beating their chests in pain with this admission from their almighty CCP

 

[IND151]

^^ hope it doesn't happen

 

[beijingwalker]

he is just an old man and not that important anymore,finally the government realized it.let it be

 

[IND151]

^^ CPC has a acknowledged Dalai Lama’s hold in Tibet

why do you think dalai lama has lost importance,any explanation?

 

[JohnyD]

Long live the great Dalai Lama and Freedom of Tibet..

 

[Fanling Monk]

Long live the great Dalai Lama and Freedom of Tibet..

Who doesn't your country come in and free Tibet. Talk is cheap here, cowboy.

 

[Splurgenxs]

Who doesn't your country come in and free Tibet. Talk is cheap here, cowboy.

Chinese would know it better than anyone else here wont u. Running out of "claims" already?


On topic---

Looks like China trying liberalism a little.....tough day for Ultra-nationalist younglings.

 

[Fanling Monk]

Chinese would know it better than anyone else here wont u. Running out of "claims" already?
.

If I understand you correct, you're claiming your country is helping Tibet to free from China.

 

[Splurgenxs]

If I understand you correct, you're claiming your country is helping Tibet to free from China.

India is Claiming nothing.

Who doesn't your country come in and free Tibet. Talk is cheap here, cowboy.

On the other hand the rhetoric doesn't hold water coming from a Chinese source.

 

[Fanling Monk]

Chinese would know it better than anyone else here wont u. Running out of "claims" already?


In such a case I have no idea what you meant by the statement above and what it has to do with my original post.

 

[trinity]

he is just an old man and not that important anymore,finally the government realized it.let it be

Not if I can help it. Th demand for Tibetan Autonomy or independence is not going away. And as long they live elsewhere, they will continuely harass and remind Bejing and the world, what was a failed attempt to colonize thier lands. FREEDOMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

If I understand you correct, you're claiming your country is helping Tibet to free from China.

Who knows maybe all the world;s great powers are going to use Tibet as a tool to break China. We will see. I wouldnt be surprised if India is still actively engaged in such acts. As long as China interferes in Indian politics and sovernigity and arms Pakistan, India wil consider all options.

Who doesn't your country come in and free Tibet. Talk is cheap here, cowboy.

Why doesn;t your country come and free the Northeast , Sikkim, etc ninja. LMAO...

 

[Fanling Monk]

Not if I can help it. Th demand for Tibetan Autonomy or independence is not going away. And as long they live elsewhere, they will continuely harass and remind Bejing and the world, what was a failed attempt to colonize thier lands. FREEDOMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm





Who knows maybe all the world;s great powers are going to use Tibet as a tool to break China. We will see. I wouldnt be surprised if India is still actively engaged in such acts. As long as China interferes in Indian politics and sovernigity and arms Pakistan, India wil consider all options.




Why doesn;t your country come and free the Northeast , Sikkim, etc ninja. LMAO...

First of all, unlike you guys, I didn't claim anything or chest thumping like idiots. Secondly how China's views on a single man is immaterial and not such a big deal as others make it to be and besides it's none of your business. You guys have nothing to contribute to this thread except trolling.