Following a series of protests by Tibetans across Tibet since 10 March 2008, the Chinese authorities have embarked on numerous premeditated measures and steps to tighten control over the Tibetan people. The latest targets are identified as ethnic Tibetan Communist Party members and the government employees.
A new official regulation jointly prepared by the “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR”) Communist Party’s Discipline Inspection Commission (Ch: Jie Wei) and “TAR” Government Discipline Committee (Ch: Jian cha ting) was officially announced yesterday, targeting Tibetan party members and government employees whose children are studying in the exiled educational institutions run by the “Dalai Clique”, according to the latest information posted on the official website. (www.chinatibetnews.com). The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is very concerned that the implementation of this regulation will soon lead to expulsion of Tibetan employees and members who fail to comply and abrupt termination of children’s education of those who return to Tibet.
The new official regulation jointly issued by the “TAR” Communist Party Discipline Inspection Commission and “TAR” Government Discipline Committee has warned their Tibetan party members and government employees of dire consequences and will act according to the Party rules and policies, if they fail to recall their children studying in exile educational institutions run by the “Dalai Clique”.
Though a new regulation was formulated tentatively and soon to be officially promulgated and implemented in the mid of September this year, has primarily targeted Tibetan government employees and party members.
The announcement of the new regulation made yesterday clearly stated that, the “Dalai Clique has over the years cited free scholarship, boarding and food facilities to the young children in order to entice them to leave Tibet for schools and monasteries in exile. The young who are the future seeds were targeted by the Dalai clique by enticing with facilities in the exile schools and monasteries in order to challenge the party and the government.”
The official announcement cited the reason for the formulation of a new regulation as to maintain stability and to oppose the ‘splittist’ forces within the Party members and “TAR” government employees. The new regulation, stated as “political regulation”, has categorically mentioned that the Party members and government employees are not allowed to send their children to educational institutions in exile. The new regulation further stated that the act of sending children into exile educational institutions run by the “Dalai clique” goes against the Party rules and government policies and it will act and punish those accordingly.
A two-month ultimatum was issued yesterday to the ethnic Tibetan party members and government employees to recall their children studying in exiled educational institutions run by the Dalai clique. The announcement stated that, although a new regulation has been formulated, before its promulgation “TAR” government employees and the Party members should recall their children from the exiled educational institutions run by the Dalai clique within two months’ period and should voluntarily surrender and explain before the concerned government department or the Party for leniency without penalty. The regulation further stated that those who have participated in “splittist” activities should surrender voluntarily for leniency.
Unfortunately, though well-educated and professionally competent, these students and monks will fall under surveillance and lack job security because of their affiliation with Tibetan exile institutions if they decide to return to their homeland. For those families who send their children to India for an education when there are no other options, harsh repercussions can be expected.
The announcement further stated that, however, after the promulgation of the new regulation, those party members and government employees who conceal information on or fail to recall their children studying in exile educational institutions run by the Dalai Clique within the stipulated deadline shall be expelled from the Party and fired from their government job. This new regulation shall be promulgated soon and will cover all the current Party members, government employees, retired Party members and government employees.
This is not the first time that such an ultimatum was issued. In 1994 a policy was instituted demanding that parents recall their children from India lest they be demoted or expelled from their jobs, and their children lose their rights to residence permits if they did not return to Tibet within a specified time. And many parents recalled their children studying in exile schools and many ended up terminating their education.
The new regulation aims to put the Tibetan employees and members through political litmus test of their ideological loyalty to the party and the government and to eliminates those with a history of separatist activities. The timing of the new regulation raises concern about the Chinese authorities intention towards managing Tibetan employees, party members and their children.
Following the recent series of protests across the Tibetan plateau, at the beginning of April, the Chinese authorities launched a renewed “Patriotic education” campaign covering almost every section of Tibetan communities with more rigor and intensity. The campaign not only targeted the monastic institutions but also government employees, security forces, farmers, nomads, private entrepreneur, educational institutions and Party cadres. The ethnic Tibetan Party cadres and government employees in particular comes under scanner with test of individual loyalty to the party, one’s stand on the separatist forces, family background and way of thinking were thoroughly judged.
On 21 April, Dorjee Tsering, Lhasa City Mayor, has told that the “Patriotic education” campaign will be a standard litmus test for the party cadres and will be set as a standard barometer for testing one’s loyalty to the Party.
Under the three themes, the renewed “patriotic education” campaign aims to ‘educate’ the masses about ‘opposing splittism’, ‘protecting stability’ and ‘backing development’, by holding meetings, inviting experts to give speeches, teaching and discussing the contents of the ‘patriotic education’ campaign, holding denunciation session of the Dalai Lama and screening propaganda shows.
According to reports posted on the official website, China’s Tibet Information Centre, dated 10 July 2008, 13 Party members under Lhasa City were expelled from the Communist Party for their involvement in the “March 14 riot” and their failure to uphold the three themes under the renewed “patriotic education” campaign.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) remains highly disturbed by the new regulation imposed on the ethnic Tibetan Party members and government employees to recall their children studying in educational institutions run by the exiled government. It is highly probable that those parents who fail to comply with the official regulation will face expulsion from their job and could possibly face arrest. TCHRD remains highly concern about those children who are studying in the exile run educational institutions. It is highly regrettable that the Chinese authorities under the new regulation has not spared the children who risked their lives crossing high Himalayas to receive free and broad based education. The Chinese authorities should immediately withdraw this new regulation and respect the ethnic Tibetan government employees and party members rights.