have been stripped of their Tibetan identity and have classified them as
"distinct Chinese minorities."
With this background, Tibetans in Wisconsin, most of whom immigrated
from India, celebrate this annual event with a march and a program to
educate their young and other Wisconsinites of their painful history that drove
their families away from their ancestral land. Led by Lobsang Tenzing,
president of the WI Tibetan Association, this year's gathering featured
speeches delivered by Tibetan American students, Wisconsin legislators Joe
Parisi and Spencer Black, and Students for Free Tibet spokesperson Asius
Vangio, among others. The event's highlight was the reading of the message
from His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, dated March 10, 2007, part of which
follows:
"On the occasion of the forty-eighth anniversary of the Tibetan people's
peaceful uprising in Lhasa in 1959, I offer my prayers and tribute to all those
Tibetans who have suffered and sacrificed their lives for the cause of the
Tibetan people. I also express my solidarity with those who are presently
suffering repression and imprisonment.
"In 2006, we witnessed both positive and negative changes in the People's
Republic of China. On the one hand, the hard-line position was intensified
with a campaign of vilification against us, and more disquietingly, heightened
political restriction and repression in Tibet. On the other hand, in China itself,
we saw some improvement with regard to freedom of expression. In
particular, there is a growing feeling among Chinese intellectuals that
material development alone is not sufficient and that there is a need to create
a more meaningful society based on spiritual values. Views that the present
belief in religion in general, and particularly interest in Tibetan Buddhism and
culture, is growing. Moreover, there are many who express their wish that I
make pilgrimage to China and give teachings there.
"President Hu Jintao's continued call for a harmonious society is laudable.
The basis for the realization of such a society is to foster trust among the
people, which can take place when there is freedom of expression, truth,
justice, and equality. Therefore, it is important that officials at all levels not only
take heed, but also implement these principles.
"With regard to our relations with China, since around 1974, realizing the
inevitability of an opportunity to engage some day in dialogue with China, we
have made preparations to achieve genuine, unified, autonomy for all
Tibetans, as enshrined in the Chinese constitution.
"In 1979, China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping proposed that except for
independence, all other issues regarding Tibet could be resolved through
negotiations. As this was in accord with our thinking, we adopted a
mutually-beneficial Middle-Way policy. Since then, for twenty-eight years, we
have consistently and sincerely pursued this policy, which was formulated as
a result of thorough discussion and analysis, based on the broad objectives
of addressing the immediate and long-term interests of both Tibetans and
Chinese, peaceful co-existence in Asia and protection of the environment.
This policy has been endorsed and supported by many pragmatic Tibetans in
and outside Tibet and by many countries.
"The most important reason behind my proposal to have genuine national
regional autonomy for all Tibetans is to achieve genuine equality and unity
between the Tibetans
Tibetans of Wisconsin cry "FREEDOM!
by Heidi M. Pascual
|
"Freedom for Tibet!" "Tibet is for Tibetans!" "Shame on China!" "Boycott the Olympics!" were
the repeated shouts of hundreds of Tibetans of Wisconsin -- young and old -- as they marched
with placards and banners from the Library Mall to the State Capitol on March 10.
The march was in commemoration of the 1959 uprising in Lhasa, and a reminder of the
constant struggle of Tibetans all over the world to free Tibet from China. While the Tibetan
resistance movement against the Chinese started from the time of Tibet's invasion, it was on
March 10, 1959 when the uprising took on national proportions that led to massive
demonstrations and the flight of the Dalai Lama and some 80,000 refugees to other countries,
primarily India. A few weeks after that, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai 'dissolved" the government
of Tibet.
According to the Tibetan government in exile, tens of thousands of Tibetans were
slaughtered by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). They claim that prior to the uprising,
the Chinese made every effort to undermine the sovereign authority of the Tibetan Government
and impose Chinese authority through: political and regional divisions; social and economic
reforms calculated to change the fabric of Tibetan society; and setting up of various organs of
the Chinese Government and new bodies under its authority alongside the existing Tibetan
institutions. Ethnic Tibetans, they added,
deep concern that ever since the railway line became operational, Tibet has seen a further increase in Chinese population transfer,
deterioration of its environment, misuse and pollution of its water, and exploitation of its natural resources, all causing huge
devastation to the land and all those who inhabit it.
"Although there have been a certain number of educated and capable communist party members among the people of minority
nationalities, it is unfortunate that very few of them have attained leadership positions at the national level; and some of them have
even been given different labels, such as separatists.
"In order to provide real benefits for both the majority and minority nationalities as well as the central and local governments, a
meaningful autonomy should be put into place. Since this particular autonomy is for the minority nationalities, the demand for a
single administration of the Tibetan nationality is sincere, just and transparent. It is clear to the world that we have no hidden
agenda. As such it is the sacred duty of all Tibetans to continue our struggle towards fulfilling this reasonable demand. No matter
how long it takes, our courage and determination shall remain unchanged until we fulfill our aspirations. The struggle of the Tibetan
people is not about the struggle for the status of a few Tibetan individuals; it is the struggle of a people. We have already
transformed the succession of leaders elected for the people by the people themselves. We have thus set up a deeply-rooted,
vibrant social and political institution that will carry forward our struggle from generation to generation. In the end, the ultimate
decisions will be made democratically by the people themselves.
"Since the resumption of direct contacts between the Tibetans and Chinese in 2002, my representatives have conducted five
rounds of comprehensive discussion with concerned officials of the People's Republic of China. In these discussions, both sides
were able to express in clear terms the suspicions, doubts and real difficulties that exist between the two sides. These rounds of
discussion have thus helped in creating a channel of communication between the two sides. The Tibetan delegation stands ready
to continue the dialogue anytime, anywhere. The Kashag will provide the details in its statement." ...
-- The Dalai Lama (Translated from the original in Tibetan)
and Chinese by eliminating big Han chauvinism and local nationalism. This will contribute to the
country's stability through mutual help, trust and friendship between the two nationalities and to the
maintenance of our rich culture and language based on a proper balance between spiritual material
developments for the benefit of the whole humanity.
"It is true that the Chinese constitution guarantees national regional autonomy to minority
nationalities. The problem is that it is not implemented fully, and thus fails to serve its express
purpose of preserving and protecting the distinct identity, culture and language of the minority
nationalities. What happens on the ground is that large populations from the majority nationalities
have spread in these minority regions. Therefore, the minority nationalities, instead of being able to
preserve their own identity, culture, and language, have no choice but to depend on the language and
custom of the majority nationality in their day-to-day lives. Consequently, there is a danger of the
languages and rich traditions of the minority nationalities becoming gradually extinct.
"There is nothing wrong with infrastructural development such as railway in itself. However, it is a
source of