http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12064&size=A
04/21/2008 12:59
CHINA - TIBET
Beijing orders the political re-education of communists in Tibet
The central government is afraid of new uprisings, and is forcing the
communist party members in the region to two months of sessions of
self-criticism and organised denunciation. Militarisation and the ban
against entry into the country underscore the fear of Beijing, which
does not have control of the situation. Repression continues in the
Tibetan area: at least 105 arrests.
Lhasa (AsiaNews) - The Chinese communist party is launching a campaign
of political re-education for the governing members of the autonomous
region of Tibet, in the attempt to choke off immediately any pro-
independence sentiment and any openness toward the Dalai Lama. The
news has been announced by the Tibet Daily, a government newspaper,
which explains: "The campaign, which will last two months, is aimed at
combating separatism, protecting stability, and promoting
development".
In order to reach this goal, the re-education will focus on "unifying
the thinking and cohesive strength of officials and the m*****,
deepening the struggle against separatism, and counter-attacking the
separatist plots of the Dalai clique". The members of the party will
watch television programs together and participate in sessions of self-
criticism and organised denunciation.
Various analysts emphasise that the decision to re-educate the
communist leaders of Tibet more than one month since the beginning of
protests in Lhasa means that the official political stance on the
region is not unified. The increase of armed forces in the region,
the ban on tourism and on entry into the region (even from China
itself) demonstrate that the party is afraid of a new organised
revolt, and above all of a possible agreement between the local
authorities and the Dalai Lama.
For his part, the spiritual and political head of Tibetan Buddhism has
condemned the violence of these weeks, and has repeatedly expressed
his sup****t for the Olympics, but has denounced the "cultural
genocide" taking place in Tibet and has declared that he "cannot make
any more concessions" to Beijing. The central government has
responded by calling him "an insignificant exile".
In the meantime, the repression continues in Tibet and in the
neighbouring Chinese provinces. According to some local sources,
consulted by Radio Free Asia, the police of Qinghai (in the west
central part of China) have arrested 105 people in recent days. These
include both demonstrators and intellectuals, "guilty" of having
expressed their sup****t for the Tibetan cause.
The situation is the same in Sichuan, where agents are conducting
surprise inspections of monasteries and private homes in which Tibetan
natives live. According to one travel agent, it is "difficult" to get
into some of the Buddhist temples in the area, which are under
surveillance by policemen and members of the office of religious
affairs.
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