Facts
about Tibet.
The purpose of this paper is to give a descriptive account of the current atrocities being implemented by the Communist Chinese in the unlawfully occupied state of Tibet and the events, political and militant, that gave rise to these events since Communist Invasion and occupation in 1959. I plan to give a brief description of the political, legal, and military issues as well as the human rights violations that have occurred since 1959. This paper will convey my deep resentment towards human suffering, especially genocide and the apathetic response to it, the highest atrocity of man in my opinion.
Chinese Invasion and Destruction 1949-1959.
Facts
about Tibet.14,000 feet above sea level, high in the Himalayan Mountains lies Tibet, an occupied colony of the Peoples Republic of China. This small state consists of 6,000,000 Tibetans, 99% of whom illegally practice Tibetan Buddhism, called Mahatlayan, and an undetermined number of Chinese "colonists". The national language is Tibetan, though the new official language is Chinese. The economy is maintained by agricultural and animal husbandry, practiced by the Tibetans, and governmental commerce and service, practiced by the Chinese, who are now estimated to outnumber the native Tibetans. There are, in a sense, two governments of Tibet. The first is the Communist regime, headed by Party officials. The second is the government-in-exile being held in Dharamsala, in northern India, a stateless republic led by the Dalai Lama.
Overview
of Chinese Invasion and Destruction of Tibet: 1949-1959.
During the establishment of a new Communist government in 1959, China sent an expeditionary force to Tibet in 1959. Tibet was forced to sign a treaty that acknowledged Chinese sovereignty over Tibet, though Tibet got the right to retain autonomy over internal affairs. However, China began consolidating control over the state, and resentment continued to grow, especially all-the-while China kept breaking the terms of the treaty. In 1959, the National Uprising occurred, which failed, forcing the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s political and spiritual leader, to flee to India. Although there were many protests to China’s actions and even three U.N. resolutions condemning the take-over, China in the end retained supreme control over the state.
During the next two decades of Chinese policy, 1/5 of the country’s population (roughly 1.2 million people) died, either in prisons and labor camps or by executions. More than 6,000 temples, monasteries, and other cultural and religious buildings pillaged and destroyed. The strenuous policies remained in effect until 1979, when efforts were made inside of the Party to "recuperation", through easing-up of hostile governing, though very little has changed. Even the U.S.S.R. condemned China’s policies as the most brutal of all the Communist governments.
Two delegations have been sent to China by the Dalai Lama in 1979 and 1984 in a failed attempt to alleviate the human suffering and secure the rights of the native Tibetans, but the Chinese were not willing to discuss any terms until the Dalai Lama returns to Tibet. The Dalai Lama’s response was that issue is of no consequence.
The situation continues to deteriorate. The immense influx of Chinese immigrants into the area has now made the state not only Chinese dominated militarily, politically, and economically, but now socially and culturally. The influx and domination switch from Tibetan to Chinese is also causing tensions between China and India, of which Tibet no longer serves as a buffer.
The government of Tibet is allegedly an autonomous Tibetan-Communist government, though it is very clear that the Chinese Communist Party is in control, under the support of the Chinese military. The government, which is subordinate to the Party, consists of roughly 60 created government organizations erected by the Communists in 1959 to govern the province as it exists in China. However, these offices are controlled directly from Beijing. Worse yet, no Tibetan has ever held a local public office since 1959. Order and Communist control is maintained by the military force, which consists of about 250,000 Chinese troops, and secret police, who also wear plain clothes to blend in secretly.
Tibet is still under the control of the Chinese Communist Party, though control is beginning to slip away. There is widespread contempt and hatred for the brutal government among the people of Tibet and even in the Communist Party itself. Inefficiency, corruption, and waste of government funds are rampant. Government goals have been reduced from great social, cultural, and human transformation to simply holding power and extracting natural resources, which is devastating the environment. The only thing the Party has to keep control is the continual oppression the military enforces, but widespread dissent, alienation, and disaffection are on the rise. Power is shifting more to the few local beauracrats that have secured office.
Recently, more and more attention is being paid to Tibet’s political plight, a campaign vigorously initiated by the Dalai Lama. The independent government in exile stipulates that Tibet is unlawfully occupied, though China claims that Tibet is an integral part of their society.
This argument is important for two reasons. First, if Tibet is under unlawful occupation, then Beijing’s massive transfer of Chinese settlers is a violation of the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits the unlawful transfer of citizens into occupied territory. Second, if China’s presence is illegal, then it would be internationally unjust and subject to U.N. intervention. However, if Tibet is an integral part of Chinese society, then all questions and concerns fall within Chinas domestic jurisdiction. However, it has been posed that Tibet’s right of self-identity and autonomy are relevant, regardless of Tibet’s legal status.
Another problem is that China makes no sovereign claim, militant or political, over Tibet by means of conquest or annexation due to the fact that the Dalai Lama, in order to save Tibet from invasion, agreed to a treaty in 1949 to being an autonomous state inside of China. The Dalai Lama claims that the treaty was violated by the Chinese army and is therefore void. In any case, China lays claim to Tibet claiming it as an integral part of Chinese society for centuries.
Tibet’s status is a legal one, due in part to the fact that a country’s sovereignty is determined by recognition of other sovereign states. Recognition is achieved if the state can maintain a government, foreign affairs, and internal stability. Such is not the case in Tibet, whose official government is falling apart and whose unofficial government in exile exists outside of the country ruling no one. The key here is to do an intense historical analysis of Tibet to see whether or not it is integral to Chinese society. Only then can any just claims can be made to either side.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights agreed upon by all nations (including China and USSR), humans are guaranteed rights to self-determination, freedom of speech, assembly, movement, expression and travel. And yet the Tibetans are denied these and countless more, including trial by jury, due process, and life itself.
Due to the fact that China mainly uses military force to stifle dissent, human rights violations and abuses are rampant, including arbitrary arrests, political imprisonment, torture, and execution. At least 60 known deaths have occurred since 1987 of peaceful demonstrators, though no telling how many unconfirmed there are.
Over 700 political prisoners have been confirmed, though it has been expected that there are probably hundreds more. Most are detained for several years without trial or charge and sent to hard labor camps to "educate" them. Credible accounts of beatings, electric shock, starvation, exhaustion, and exposure to the elements are rampant, and the dissidence is spreading.
Also in violation is the freedom of religion. Before the invasion, religion was very deep rooted in the very culture, society, and government of Tibet. The spiritual leader was also the national leader, and much revered. The Chinese, who are officially atheistic, set out to destroy Buddhism, the very heart of Tibetan lives. Worship of the religion was forbidden, with severe penalties. In addition, almost 6,000 monasteries and sacred places have been destroyed. The Chinese have institutionalized the remaining ones under strict control and forbid any practice, public and private. Despite this, most continue to practice in secret. Due to the increase in participation of religion, China is strengthening controls even tighter.
Outright abuse and torture are two other areas of concern in Tibet. Demonstrators are often fired upon by police, armed or unarmed. Wounded political prisoners, rioters, and demonstrators are denied treatments in any hospital. Prisoners are often tortured by beatings, electric shock, hanging by the limbs , thumbs, or toes, attacked by guard dogs, or during the winter, left outside in 28F weather with one blanket for two people. It is often reported that most prisoners die of starvation and malnutrition.
More than Mao Tse Tung or any other prominent member of China’s Communist Party, Deng Xiaoping has played more of a part in China’s role in Tibet. Early on in his career, Mao left Tibet under Deng’s administration, which is still in power even after his death. Deng was the man who led all the major campaigns in Tibet, from the acquisition in 1949 to crushing the 1959 rebellion, the purging of the Tibetan leaders, including both Lama’s, and suppression of Tibetan dissidence since 1987. He has been primarily responsible for the atrocities committed against the Tibetans. Since his death however, the new leadership is looking for "not so harsh" ways to deal with the rising dissidence.
Deng’s role began with the invasion. By 1949, the red army had already entered parts of Tibet, but that year Deng led a full scale campaign, and by 1951, subdued the once autonomous state. After the fall, Deng initiated programs to destroy Tibetan society to make way for new Chinese cultural programs. This was radical, for most of the time, the Party upon conquest would just re-organize the political structure. But Deng felt that the Tibetan society must be dismantled, for it was based to firmly on religion, and that a new "practical" state must be organized. So radical and harsh was Deng’s programs that they made Mao look like a moderate. Mao was hesitant and such harsh reforms for fear of further unrest in Tibet and alienation from India, but Deng was persistent and Mao gave in.
The new reforms were severely rejected by the Tibetans, and widespread rebellions broke out. So bad things got, that the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1956, further alienating the people from the Chinese. Mao sent a special delegation with promises of relinquished reforms and convinced the Dalai Lama to return. The promises were hollow, however, and in 1959, the Lama fled again in the wake of more rebellions, this time, for good.
Mao identified Deng as the problem, but Deng still remained in control, initiating many purges of Tibetan officials. The biggest purge began in 1962 when Deng ordered the new Panchen Lama, who replaced the Dalai, to be isolated and "exposed" of his radical serfdom-policies, which were mostly fabricated. Another high ranking official, Tashi Wangchung, was purged personally by Deng that same year. Tashi was vice-governor of Tibet and of the nearby Chinese province Qinghai, and had complained about the rampant killings going on in the two provinces. Deng made it very clear that rejection of his policies would not be tolerated. Tashi was killed. But the most important purge occurred in the late 1950’s. Phuntsog Wangyal, the highest ranking Communist-Tibetan, was purged and died in prison for supporting ethnic nationalism, or encouraging the re-flourishment of Tibetan culture. This was very important because he was very high up in Deng’s office, suggesting growing resentment within Deng’s own administration.
When Deng made a political comeback in the 1970’s, he started out lenient and fair, almost sympathetic to the Tibetans, partially because of the Cultural Revolution. He even opened negotiations with the Dalai Lama. He was willing to agree to anything but Tibetan independence. However, this attitude in policy was also vacant, as the Dalai suspected. When Hu Yoabang, a great sympathizer of human rights introduced his new policy to the Party in 1983, it was met with stifling resistance and was later abandoned after Yu was purged by Deng. Yu was accused of being too liberal and supporting too much autonomy in Tibet.
After 1987, the situation in Tibet started getting worse. Deng resorted once again to his hard-line suppression policies. However, the Dalai Lama and the exiled Tibetan government received far more attention, and extreme criticism fell upon China and Deng. Since 1989, the Dalai Lama has made no effort to open talks again, and Beijing has offered very few opportunities to talk. All plans for negotiation were crushed by Deng. Since his death, however, there has been a renewed since of hope, and maybe, if both sides cooperate, a new settlement may be achieved. But it is going to require a lot of giving in on both sides.
The situation over there is grim. Tibetan culture, religion, ethnic-autonomy, and basic human rights are being violated. Both sides are going to have to start talking and opening up. China is going to have to admit that it’s policies have been failures, and that it is going to have to accept Tibet as internally autonomous. Tibet is going to have to realize that it may not get to be independent, and there is no army in the world that can probably change this situation otherwise. Internal autonomy may be the only issue. China will have to stop violating human rights and stop the suppression of Tibetan culture.
The road to recovery is going to be a long, hard, difficult one. Hopefully, patience and tolerance will prevail in future negotiations. There has been enough killing and suppression. Hopefully, upon Deng’s death, a new chapter can be opened, and the violence that has so long torn, destroyed, and killed so rampantly upon this small territory, will finally come to an end.
Peissel, Michel. The Secret War in Tibet. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co. 1973.
Gilbert, Rodney. Genocide in Tibet: A Study of Communist Aggression. New York: American-Asian Educational Exchange. 1959.
Richardson, Hugh Edward. Short History of Tibet. New York: Dutton. 1962.
Moraes, Francis Robert. Revolt in Tibet. New York: McMillian. 1960.
Goldstein, Melvyn. History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951. London, University of California Press: 1989.
United States House Committee on International Relations: Current status on negotiations between the Tibetan government in exile and the Peoples Republic of China: Hearing before the C.I.R., House of Representatives, 105th Congress, November 6th, 1997, Released by Washington: U.S.G.P.O., 1998.
China's Public Relations Strategy on Tibet
www.afn.org/~afn20372/pol/bp.html
(5-4-99)
Tibetan Studies WWW Virtual Library
www.ciolek.com/WWWVL-TibetanStudies.html
(5-4-99)
Home Page of Tibet
www.omni.cc.purdue.edu/~wtu/tibet/Welcome.html (5-4-99)
Tibet
www.asnic.utexas.edu/asnic/countries/tibet/ (5-4-99)
In the Court of His Holiness The Dalai Lama www.tibet.com/ (5-4-99)
Created 4-27-99
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