Press Release - 30 August 2005

On 1 September, China will mark 40 years since the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in 1965, with a series of events including a major celebration and firework display in the square below the Potala Palace. A 50-strong delegation of officials from Beijing, led by Politburo member Jia Qinglin, arrived in Lhasa at the weekend to represent the Central Government. Xinhua has reported that Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing is also in Lhasa. News reports from India suggest that Chinese embassies worldwide will hold events in the coming weeks.

The 40th anniversary of the TAR is a major propaganda opportunity for China to promote its version of autonomy, in an attempt to undermine the Dalai Lama's call for genuine autonomy for Tibet. In June 2005, Chinese officials told the UK Foreign Office to expect new measures which would enhance Tibetan autonomy to be announced later in the year, but they did not expand on what these measures might be, nor if they would coincide with the 40th anniversary.

"China's celebration of 40 years of the Tibet Autonomous Region is yet another propaganda extravaganza," said Alison Reynolds of Free Tibet Campaign. "Whatever new measures China comes up with to enhance Tibet's so called 'autonomy', or however much money China spends in Tibet, the Tibetan people will not be satisfied until there is political change which will give them genuine control of their own affairs."

In February 2005 China published a White Paper on 'Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities in China'. The White Paper emphasised that China's policy of Regional National Autonomy is"critical to enhancing the relationship of equality, unity, mutual assistance among different ethnic groups, to uphold national unification, and to accelerate the development of places where regional autonomy is practiced and promoting their progress." Since the TAR's establishment, no Tibetan has held the position of Party Secretary in Tibet (currently Yang Chuantang).

On Friday, Hu Jintao presided over a Politburo meeting to discuss development in Tibet. According to Xinhua "under the correct leadership of the central authorities and with the support of the central government and the rest of the country, the people in Tibet have united as one and worked diligently to bring about world-shaking changes over the past decades".Xinhua said China's leaders had decided that "work must be done to ensure a big leap forward in economic and social development in Tibet."

Further economic investment in Tibet has been announced - with 6.4 billion yuan earmarked for roads, electricity and clean drinking water. An exhibition at the Tibet Museum in Lhasa opened on 28 August on 'Tibet's achievements during the four decades after its establishment.' The displays are likely to be in sharp contrast to the reality of repression, poverty and discrimination experienced by Tibetans. A new airport is to be built at Ngari in western Tibet. Other events during the anniversary period include a ceremony to mark the construction of the Lhasa Railway Station; the station was apparently completed on 25 August. Chinese media have made much of claims that construction of the controversial Gormo-Lhasa (Qinghia-Tibet) Railway is ahead of schedule.

Travel to Tibet for foreigners is restricted at present, with some tourists being required to leave the region. The Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service has apparently been suspended until around 9 September. Recent visitors to Lhasa have reported an increase in the visible presence of security personnel, including the People's Armed Police. In keeping with the practice adopted for previous major anniversaries (including the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1999) it is expected that Tibetans will be coerced into participating in the various events, with the authorities threatening loss of pay or pensions.

Contact: Alison Reynolds on + 44 20 7324 4605 or mobile + 44 7711 843 884

Background Briefing: "Autonomy" of "Ethnic Minorities" in China

Tibetans are regarded as one of 56 ethnic minority groups in China. In accordance with the Chinese Constitution, Tibet follows a system of rule called "Regional National Autonomy", formalised by the Law of the People's Republic of China in 1984. The government organs of the Tibet Autonomous Region are the People's Congress (Chairman: Legchog) and the People's Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region (Chairman: Jampa Phuntsog). Party Secretary of the TAR is Yang Chuantang. Outside the TAR, there are Tibetan autonomous prefectures in Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan.

Ethnic minorities in China are said to be part of the "unified multi-ethnic country and the creation of the time-honoured Chinese civilisation." Implementation of the policy of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities is, according to a recent White Paper, "critical to enhancing the relationship of equality, unity, mutual assistance among different ethnic groups, to uphold national unification, and to accelerate the development of places where regional autonomy is practised and promoting their progress."

In February 2005, China published a White Paper on Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities in China, declaring that it is expanding ways to implement a system of regional ethnic autonomy and that it is promoting the all-round economic and social development of ethnic minorities and the areas they live in. The 30-page document, released by the Information Office of the State Council, is the first of its kind to focus on the "regional ethnic autonomy" policy said to be practised in China's ethnic minority regions. In reality, the present system of administration of the Tibetans by China does not match the autonomous status claimed.

The ethnic autonomous areas are to perform the functions of local state organs as prescribed in the Chinese constitution. Under the leadership of the Chinese state, they are allowed to "enjoy the rights of independently managing the ethnic group's internal affairs in its autonomous area; formulating self-government regulations and separate regulation; using and developing the spoken and written languages of the ethnic groups; respecting and guaranteeing the freedom of religious beliefs of the ethnic minorities; retaining or altering the customs of ethnic groups; independently arranging, managing and developing economic construction; and independently developing educational, scientific, technological and cultural undertakings." In short, the policy claims that Tibetan people to have the power to formulate their own rules and regulations, make independent arrangements for the development of local economic and cultural undertakings, and independently decide on the development of cultural undertakings with "salient ethnic characteristics." Furthermore, the Constitution also stipulates that the State will assist, financially, materially and technologically, to develop the economic and cultural undertakings of the ethnic minorities, particularly to cultivate cadres, professional and technical workers. (Source: White Paper, February 2005)

Local ethnic authorities, at least on paper, have the power to modify policy according to local conditions. The Tibet Autonomous Region may enact moderate regulations or amendments according to the basic principles of laws such as China's Marriage Law, Law of Succession, Criminal Law, Civil Law, Forest Law and Adoption Law. The Central Government has also claimed that they have empowered the Tibet Autonomous Region to modify State laws in light of local conditions, a power not enjoyed by other Autonomous Regions or provinces directly under the Central Government. Hong Mei, a Moinba deputy to the People's Congress of the Tibetan Autonomous Region claims that the system of regional ethnic autonomy provides minority groups in Tibet with equal chances for development (source www.bjreview.com.cn).

However, Tibetans argue that the present system of administration of the Tibetans by China does not follow the Constitution and does not empower Tibetans. Despite the fact that the domestic affairs are under the authority of the particular autonomous region, the Tibetan autonomous regions must conform to the policy directives and guidelines of the four large provinces that Tibet has been largely subsumed into (see paragraph below). Some steps are taken to empower minority people to take decisions over their lives. However, there has been very little awareness and encouragement of the Tibetan people to assert their rights.

Firstly, the law and order in all autonomous areas differ. The Tibet Autonomous Region, created in 1965, and referred to as TAR, is treated differently from the other parts of Tibet which follow the policies implemented in mainland China. (Even the use of the term TAR is a subject of controversy between Tibetans and Chinese.) The TAR refers to what the Chinese consider to be the core landmass for Tibetans, whist Tibetans inhabit a far larger area. Tibetans inhabit a surface area of 3,800,000 km comprised of the Tibetan provinces of Amdo (in the Northeast), Kham (east) and U-Tsang (centre). The TAR covers the Tibetan provinces of U-Tsang and Western Tibet. The Tibetan province of Amdo has been divided between Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan, while Kham has been absorbed by Sichuan, Yunnan and the TAR. Outside the TAR, a greater degree of autonomy seems to be possible, although the severe crackdown in Kham (Sichuan) around the arrest of religious leader Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche illustrates that tight controls still exist. The TAR receives more funding as more security and surveillance is required.

Recent personnel changes within the TAR reflect a preference for Chinese over Tibetan cadres. In September 2004, out of 25 new appointees to various parts of the judiciary at local and TAR level, only four were Tibetan. Tibet Information network said this illustrates Beijing's perception of regional autonomy as an exercise in integration rather than diversification. These appointments clearly contradict the White Paper's commitment to Tibetan people's decision-making powers in economic and social fields.

Contrary to claims that Tibetans are allowed to develop and practice their traditional culture and religion, the Chinese government still controls and manages the promotion and propagation of religion, art and literature. Despite measures proposed to promote the Tibetan language, there are no measures enforced in favour of the use of Tibetan. In the National Regional Autonomy Laws, Article 10 and 47 encourage the use of the minority language. However, Article 49 states that although cadres from 'minorities' should use their minority language, they are directed to learn Chinese. Thus, the drive to assimilate minority people into Chinese language and overrides the use of minority language.

Chinese is already dominant in business, commerce and administration. A pilot project to extend Tibetan medium education into secondary schooling was abandoned in 1996. Chinese classes were introduced into Tibetan schools to "benefit state sovereignty and national unity." This has been seen as a way to achieve unification of China and divert the general public's attention. If Tibetan people are to truly have autonomy, they must be allowed to participate in all aspects of their lives - economic, social and cultural.

Thus the development of the autonomous areas and the claims of more autonomy given to the ethnic minorities further the Chinese political and economic priority of integration with the rest of China. The legislation is a superficial attempt to give minority nationality people the right to control their local affairs and protect local interests.