Liu Bo

On March 14th 2008, serious violent criminal activities took place in Lhasa, the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The authority of the Tibet Autonomous Region dealt with these riots in accordance with the law so as to maintain the dignity of law, to ensure the safety of the people's lives and properties, and to safeguard the national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Recently,some western media distorted the facts by reporting that "China suppressed and cracked down on Tibetans" and "violated human rights". The media even called for the boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games. In some reports, those media put up edited pictures and videos purposely. They reached the conclusion of "Chinese army and policemen arresting Tibetans in Lhasa" based on pictures taken in other countries other than China, or "Chinese army suppressing Tibetans" based on ambulances rescuing local people wounded in the riot. Some of the related media have already made apologies on the aforesaid misreports.

I feel it necessary to take this opportunity to introduce to the readers the truth of the facts, and also to talk about the Tibetan issues and relevant China's policies.

On March 14th, some people, chanting "Tibetan independence" and other separatist slogans, launched assaults on shops, schools, hospitals, banks, power and communication facilities along the major streets in Lhasa, set vehicles on fire, chased and attacked passengers and raided government offices. The riot caused heavy losses of lives and properties to the local people and seriously undermined the social order and security. As the result, 18 innocent people died and 382 injured. In the following days, similar riots took place in parts of China's Sichuan and Gansu Provinces and some Chinese Embassies and Consulate Offices abroad were violently stormed by separatists for "Tibetan independence".

The above mentioned series of riots and violence were premeditated, well organized and instigated by the Dalai Lama clique and perpetrated by the separatist forces for "Tibetan independence" both in and outside China acting in collusion. They are making trouble in this sensitive period, when China is in its highest gear for preparation of the Beijing Olympic Games. Their aim is to disrupt the Games, to attract the attention from the international community, and to put pressure on the Chinese government, for their ultimate purpose of separating Tibet from China. The riots were by no means "peaceful demonstrations" or activities of "non-violence" as claimed by the Dalai clique, but undisguised serious and violent crimes.

In fact, the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet have expressed strong indignation at and condemnation of the riots. The police dealt with the riot in accordance with the law, put the situation under control and maintained stability promptly. Now the social order in Tibet has been restored. I want to point out that the police exercised maximum restraint in dealing with the riot and they never carried and used any lethal weapons. The Chinese army was not sent in at all, let alone "suppressing Tibetans".

Like Kenya, China is a unified multi-ethnic country, with 56 different ethnic groups including the Han, Manchu, Mongol, Hui, Tibetan and among others. The ethnic-minority people live together over vast areas while some live in individual concentrated communities. China adopts a policy of regional ethnic autonomy, earnestly promoting the ethnic development in the fields of economy, technology, education, culture and healthcare and others. Traditional customs of different ethnic groups are fully respected and the freedom in religious belief and indigenous languages protected. The purpose of such policy is to maintain the solidarity among different ethnic groups and national stability. Since long time ago, all the Chinese ethnic groups have been living in harmony, helping each other and enjoying their happy lives.

Tibet has been part of Chinese territory since 13th century. After the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, Tibet was peacefully liberated in 1951 and was put under the jurisdiction of the central government. In 1965, the Tibet Autonomous Region was founded and regional ethnic autonomy was adopted. In the Tibet Autonomous Region there are also a dozen other ethnic groups besides the Tibetans, such as the Han, Hui, Moinba, Lhoba, Naxi, Nu, Drung and others, who have been living in the region for many generations.

Like the other 55 ethnic groups in China, the Tibetan people enjoy, according to law, the equal right of participation in the administration of state affairs as well as the right of self-governance to manage affairs of their own region. The Tibetan and other ethnic-minority cadres make up the bulk of the cadres of the Tibet Autonomous Region. And some Tibetans even serve in leading positions in the central government of China.

The central government of China has been constantly promoted the economic and social development of Tibet. From 2003 to 2007, the total investment in capital assets in Tibet has amounted up to USD 15 billion. A large number of infrastructure projects have been built and the living standard of the Tibetan people has been greatly improved. The life expectancy in Tibet is 67 as comparison of 35.5 in 1959.

Tibetan people have the freedom to practice their religious belief, and the traditional religious culture has been very well protected. In the past 20 years, the central government has invested over USD 100 million for the maintenance of the 1400 temples, cultural relics and religious sites. From this year, the central government is going to provide another USD 80 million for the maintenance of 22 religious relics and temples.

Before the peaceful liberation and the democratic reform, Tibet was a feudal serfdom under a theocracy. Under this system, the serfs, whose population constituted 95% of the Tibetan population, could no even have their right of survival secured. During the democratic reform of Tibet, in order to preserve the feudal serfdom in Tibet, the Dalai Lama staged an armed rebellion on March 10, 1959, supported by certain foreign powers, in an attempt to separate Tibet from China. After the rebellion failed, the Dalai Lama fled from China and went on with his attempt to separatist activities. He established a "government in exile" abroad, provoked confrontation among different ethnic groups, agitated riots in Tibet and aired "Tibetan independence". Since 1980s, China, including the Tibet Autonomous Region, has witnessed a rapid growth in economy and the people's living standard has been greatly improved. The Dalai clique has developed new tactics. They used to agitate "Tibetan independence" undisguised. Now they began to adopt a so called "middle course" with slogans like "not seeking Tibetan independence", "greater Tibetan area" and "high degree of self-governance". However, at the same time they are agitating anti-China riots involving violence in such a large scale both inside and outside China, which clearly shows their "middle course" is no more than a disguise. Their aim is to deceive the international community. In fact, the Dalai clique has never given up their attempt to separate Tibet from China.

The position of the Chinese government is clear and consistent. The Chinese central government has all along kept in touch with the Dalai Lama with great patience and is willing to continue contacts and consultations with him, as long as he truly abandons advocating "Tibetan independence" and stops activities aimed at splitting the motherland, especially activities to fan and mastermind violent crimes in Tibet as well as in some other regions and sabotage the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games, and accepts that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China. Unfortunately, what the Dalai Lama has done in the past and the recent riots in Lhasa have revealed that he is not sincere in all these issues.

The Chinese government has both the ability and responsibility, and will continue to take effective measures to maintain the national unity and social stability, to safeguard the dignity of law and the basic interest of citizens of all ethnic groups in Tibet. The Beijing Olympic Games is a grand event for the people all over the world. Despite facing the conspiracy of disruptions and sabotage, the Chinese people, hand in hand with people from Kenya and the rest of the world, will carry out its responsibility with a sincere heart, and stage a successful Olympic Games.

(The author is the Press Attaché of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya)