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Home , Che Jun, Lhasa, Palcho Monastery, Wu Yingjie, Yuan Jiajun

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Monthly Translation and Analyses Digest A compilation of selected stories, translation and analyses of Chinese government media reports that are otherwise available only in Chinese and Tibetan language.

Front page image: Zhu Weiqun, head of the inspection team to assess the 'campaign against 'black and evil forces' addresses the meeting along with TAR party secretary in [ Daily]

In this issue to intensify "struggles against China to intensify Dalai clique and evil forces” in Tibet “struggles against Dalai Autonomous Region

clique and evil forces” in The meeting to review the findings of the inspection tour to assess the effectiveness of the ongoing "Reincarnation not a matter of special struggle against ‘black and evil’ forces in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) was held on 6 July individual right but symbol of in Lhasa. Party’s rule over Tibet"

Zhu Weiqun, the head of the inspection team Inspection groups to called for the necessity of combining the special investigate enforcement of struggle and the struggle against Dalai clique with Grassland Law dispatched the special situation in TAR, reported the China And Much More . . . Tibet Network on 7 August.

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It was one of the six points of rectifications put Zhu, former head of the ethnic and religious forward by Zhu to resolve the outstanding affairs committee of the Chinese People’s problems of negligence and incompetence that Political Consultative Conference also the inspection team came across during underlined that one of the major problems the almost monthlong investigation in TAR. with the implementation of the special struggle was the “gap between the learning Implemented nationwide since January 2018, and implementation of ’s important the three-year long campaign against ‘black instructions; inadequate understanding and evil’ forces has resulted in human rights of the significance and profound connotations violations due to the fact that China considers of the special struggle; inefficient analysis ‘separatism’ as one of the ‘three evils’ that and prognosis of the situation of the special must be eliminated at all costs. struggle; lack of coordination among various departments in various places in carrying out With little evidence, Chinese authorities the special struggle; and the problem of not continue to detain or torture Tibetans for being strong enough in ‘punishing strictly engaging in so-called separatist activities. The according to the law’, ‘destroying protective well-known example is the five-year sentence umbrellas’ and ‘severing networks’.” given to Tibetan language rights activist Tashi Wangchuk on the charge of ‘inciting “The separatism’. inseparable link between the special

struggle against evil and the At the meeting, Zhu pointed out that Chinese authorities consider the anti-crime campaign anti-separatist struggle is not close as “a direct loyalty test for the party” and as “a enough.” powerful grasp of the important teachings of Xi He further complained, “The inseparable link Jinping on the importance of stability in Tibet between the special struggle against evil and as an important condition for the consolidation the anti-separatist struggle is not close of border areas.” He added that to enough.” achieve long term stability and harmony in the region, it was important to “focus Among the six points of rectification on correct political position, strengthen overall presented by Zhu, the first was the necessity governance by prioritising to continuously raise political positions in grassroots foundation, demonstrate the order to set off a new upsurge in TAR’s distinctive features of the anti-separatist special struggle against black and evil struggle based on the special regional forces. Party committees and governments at conditions, and make progress in the all levels must further deepen their special struggle [against black and evil forces] understanding of the important instructions of by striking hard in accordance Xi Jinping and the arrangements made with law”.

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accordingly by the Party Central Committee, "7 cities and prefectures including as well as to fully understand the significance various departments in 107 and meaning of the special struggle in TAR municipalities and counties, 57 from a comprehensive and strategic perspective, and fully mobilise relevant townships and towns, and 61 villages members. The initiative and enthusiasm were investigated." of the relevant units and the people will leave no hiding places for the evil forces. conscientiously implement the rectification proposed. The TAR party committee and Secondly, it is to thoroughly eliminate the evil government must steadily achieve the "two forces and social disorder by reinforcing maintenance" level by consciously organisation. Party committees and coordinating with the standards set by the governments at all levels must clearly support party's central committee in setting the the relevant departments in performing their benchmark of making real reforms to ensure duties in accordance with the law. The that every corrective measure is in place. relevant offices at all levels must strengthen coordination, and the members of the leading Expressing his full support to Zhu, the TAR group on the special struggle should clarify party secretary Wu Yingjie, who was present their responsibilities, promote the at the meeting along with Qi Zhala, deputy responsibility for eliminating evils and achieve party secretary and TAR governor, said the practical results. TAR authorities would thoroughly implement

the rectification proposal. Wu Yingjie Thirdly, it is to strengthen the construction of the village party organisation and firmly build emphasised that “carrying out the special the foundation of the grassroots political struggle to eliminate evils is related to the power by carefully selecting the "two overall long-term social stability, to the committees" [the village committee and consolidation of people’s loyalty and the village party committee], and building the political power, and to the political security of grassroots party organisations into a strong the country and the unity of the motherland. fighting fortress to crack down on the Therefore, all departments at all levels in the separatist forces, so that the masses can region should strengthen the ‘four become wealthy and long-term social stability comprehensives’, reinforce ‘four can be maintained. self-confidences", and achieve "two maintenance" to "thoroughly realise the new Fourth, it is necessary to combine the special era of socialism with Chinese characteristics situation of TAR with the special struggle and and implement Xi Jinping’s instructions on the struggle against Dalai clique. maintaining stability along the border."

The sixth is to attach great importance to the The inspection team headed by Zhu and inspection work and conscientiously deployed by the party central committee was implement to the inspection work and

3 A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 stationed in TAR this year from 10 June to The meeting further directed the 2 July. The team undertook investigation in representatives of the Tibetan Buddhist seven cities and prefectures including community participating in the special various departments in 107 municipalities training course to thoroughly study and and counties, 57 townships and towns, and fully implement the ‘four standards’ political 61 villages. ideology introduced by president Xi Jinping, that requires "politically reliability, “Reincarnation not a matter of religious accomplishment, moral integrity individual right but symbol of capable of impressing the public, and willingness to play an active role at critical Party’s rule over Tibet” moments.”

The opening ceremony of the special In addition, the training participants were training course for representatives of required to systematically study the laws Tibetan on the reincarnation of and regulations, religious rituals, and Tibetan spiritual leaders was held on historical customs related to the Chinese 23 August in Lhasa, the Tibet Daily government’s management of Tibetan reported on 24 August. reincarnations.

Attended by the main guest Solang Inspection teams to investigate Renzeng (Sonam Rinzin), vice chairman of the TAR Political Consultative Conference, the enforcement of Grassland the meeting emphasised that the Law dispatched reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual Early this month, Chinese authorities in Tibet leaders had “never been a simple religious Autonomous Region (TAR) held the first matter, nor a living Buddha’s individual plenary meeting to mark the launch of right, but an important embodiment of inspection groups to investigate the implementing the party’s strategy of enforcement of the TAR Implementation managing Tibet.” Regulations on Grassland Law, reported the Tibet Daily on 7 August. The meeting was “Faced with the grim and complicated presided over by Chimey Rigzin, deputy situation of the anti-separatist struggle, the director of TAR People's Congress. Tibetan Buddhist and high-ranking religious leaders must stand firm to meet China's grassland law and its implementation major challenges, cope with difficult have been criticised over the years by many situations, win complex struggles, adhere scientists and social scientists for its to the direction of sinicization, and never exclusionary approach that ignores the allow management management affairs to interests of local nomads and farmers. be controlled by the Dalai clique.”

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The inspection would lead to further violations their intimate understanding of rangeland of the rights of local residents including their dynamics. These programs to intensify right to livelihood and residence of their production and the conservationist choice. sustainability programs have had damaging consequences: degradation of land, and The meeting stressed that the grassland law impoverishment of the nomads. enforcement investigation follows the important direction and methods introduced 40 million kWh of hydropower by president Xi Jinping, the party central committee and other relevant departments of transferred from TAR to TAR, as well as a significant supervisory in July activity initiated by the TAR People's Congress in 2019. A total of 40 million kWh of hydropower from TAR was transferred to Beijing in July this According to the meeting, the inspection year, marking the successful completion of the teams are tasked with assessing the status of first Tibet-Beijing hydropower transaction, Grassland Law implementation in the region, according to a 22 August report on China Tibet grassland carrying capacity (capacity to Network citing the State Grid Beijing Electric support a certain number of herds), discuss Power Company. relevant methods and suggestions on issues related to grassland protection. Lending a familiar ‘poverty alleviation’ spin to the exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources to Since 6 August, inspection teams have been primarily fuel Chinese economy, the report dispatched to 25 counties including Gamba claimed that the hydropower transaction (Ch: Gangba) County in Prefecture between TAR and Beijing was “an important where the main occupation of local people measure to implement the central is animal husbandry. The inspection will be government’s strategic plan to tackle poverty”, carried out for a period of two weeks and will adding that, “Tibet is an important clean focus on on-site inspections, grassland energy strategic reserve base in China with protection, construction, operation, abundant electricity during the flood season” degradation, enforcement and livestock- that helps to meet “the urgent demand for grassland balance. clean energy”.

In the past several decades, China has Under the “Electricity Aid to Tibet” project created many laws, edicts and bureaucracies organised by the Beijing Electricity Trading to both boost production and later to exclude Center, an agreement was signed to transfer nomads from their pastures, in the name of hydropower from TAR to Beijing. sustainability.These institutions were created without any consultation with the traditional The State Grid Beijing Electric Power users of the grasslands, or any recognition of Company purchase electricity from eight

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hydropower stations, such as Jinhe Shui motherland, and China's foreign relations and and Guoduo, during the summer season international image.” when the hydropower resource is abundant. These remarks were made by Tsering Dunzhu (Dhundup), deputy researcher of the Institute of The hydropower boom period during the Religious Studies of the TAR Institute of Social Sciences at the seminar organised by the summer season coincides with the peak County Committee of the United Front Work electricity demands in Beijing thus Department on 19 August in Chushur County contributing to solving power requirements near Lhasa, reported the China Tibet Network in the , the report added. 22 August citing the County Committee UFWD.

Similar projects of transferring electricity to “Village Chinese cities have been implemented in cadres must grasp the correct the Uyghur Autonomous Region since 2016. Under the so-called methods in religious work, "Electricity Aid to Xinjiang" agreements earnestly regard organised by the Beijing Electricity Trading religious work as mass work, and Center, Xinjiang will transmit 1TWh of accurately carry out ideological electricity to , 0.3TWh to , 0.2TWh to , 1.006TWh to education" and 0.3TWh to Beijing. According to the report, Tsering Dunzhu explained the history of the Tibetan UFWD seminar Buddhist reincarnation system by tracing claims Tibetan reincarnation the origin of the first reincarnation system related to China’s including the various shortcomings prevalent among the early incarnations political stability and the practice of managing the reincarnation system by the Qing rulers. A seminar on popularising the Chinese Relying on purported historical facts, he government narrative on the Tibetan claimed that the reincarnation must follow Buddhist reincarnation system witnessed an establishment intellectual advancing the requirement of adhering to religious the notion that the system of continuing rituals and historical customs, searching religious through age-old for reincarnations within the country, Tibetan tradition of recognising incarnations churning of the , and central of highly realised Buddhist spiritual government approval. teachers is a political matter directly connected with China’s policy of He further claimed that the reincarnation “maintaining social stability, safeguarding system was related to the “great cause of national security and the reunification of the ‘strengthening national unity and building

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beautiful Tibet’” and therefore The seminar ended with all the participants required every village to carry out visiting a special exhibition on the religious work in its own jurisdiction in "Reincarnation of Living Buddhas". accordance with the ‘Regulations on Religious Affairs’.

‘Tibetan Buddhist colleges He pointed out that the “village cadres must grasp the correct methods in must be turned into important religious work, earnestly regard centres of patriotic education’ religious work as mass work, and accurately carry out ideological education so that the masses can In further confirmation of its ongoing policy to correctly understand the party's turn religious places into bastion of Party’s principles and policies on religious power and influence, a senior Party official in work.” TAR called on the monks and other religious personnel to make every effort to turn the Dunzhu pointed out that the “village cadres must grasp the correct methods branch of Tibetan Buddhist College at in religious work, earnestly regard Drepung into an important base for religious work as mass work, and patriotic education’, the Lhasa Evening accurately carry out ideological News reported on 20 August. education so that the masses can correctly understand the party's On his visit to the monastery on 17 August, the principles and policies on religious TAR Party Standing Committee member and work.” secretary of the Lhasa Municipal Party Committee Baima Wangdui said the newly Tsering Bazhu (Bhagdro), deputy built branch at the monastery “should always director of the County Party Committee adhere to the correct direction of running and the first deputy head of the County schools, innovative concepts of running the Leading Group on Religious Work school system and teaching models” so that presided over the seminar. More the Tibet Buddhist College Branch can be than 160 people attended the seminar turned into “an important base for patriotic including the standing committee education that could promote the cultivation of members of the County Party patriotic and law-abiding monks and nuns, committee, minister of the United Front strengthen national unity, enable the Work Department, directors of the production of talented religious individuals with County's 19 administrative villages and firm political stand and patriotic love.” secretaries, and 139 directors of village committees.

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In recent years, Chinese authorities have and methods in carrying out a series of built Tibetan Buddhist Colleges and ideological campaign activities thus taking branches all over Tibet including the TAR the lead in building a team of monks and Buddhist College in Chushur (Ch: Quxu) nuns who are “politically reliable, County near Lhasa, which opened in 2011. religiously accomplished, morally Branches of the TAR Buddhist College are convincing, and can take initiative during now being built in major traditional critical periods”. such as Drepung, Gaden and Sera in Lhasa as well as Tashi Lhunpo He called on the monks and other Monastery in Shigatse City. The motive religious personnel at the monastery to behind building these so-called modern “fight against the separatist activities of the Buddhist colleges is to rear the next 14th Dalai and the Dalai clique by generation of monks and nuns that are consciously safeguarding the motherland” politically loyal to the Party and the Chinese and to “always be grateful to the state. Party and loyal to the Chinese motherland”. Wangdui visited the monastery as part of his ongoing investigation to assess the He stressed that the monastery should situation and effectiveness of the always prioritise stability at all levels, pay government’s ideological campaigns on close attention to the implementation of ‘four standards’ policy to foster politically various stability maintenance measures, reliable monks and nuns in TAR. as well as require monks and departments at all levels to bear responsibility of In his meetings with the Drepung maintaining stability and harmony in the Monastery Management Committee and monastery. other officials and cadres including the resident cadres, he reiterated that it was Chinese provincial governor “necessary to thoroughly implement the affirms commitment to aid-Tibet important instructions of president Xi program’s political objectives Jinping on religious work, adhere to the basic principles of the party's religious work, On a visit to investigate and assess the and constantly promote the practice of ‘counterpart aid’ program in Nagchu (Ch: following ‘four standards’ to become Naqu) City in TAR from 30 July to 1 August, advanced and education, and actively the provincial governor Jiajun guide religion to adapt to a stated that the program was a “major strategy socialist society”. devised by the party central committee and a major political task that must be achieved”, He also pointed out that Drepung and added, “Zhejiang will resolutely bear the Monastery had innovated ways and

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political responsibility and thoroughly encouraged them to ‘stay true to the implement general secretary Xi Jinping’s [party's] original aspiration and hold on to important instructions on maintaining the mission’, win the fight against poverty in stability along the border, creating an all Nagchu despite the thin air and hardships, round well-off society, focusing on targeted consider Nagchu as the second home.” poverty alleviation, and doing a good job of helping the Tibetans”. The delegation was accompanied by TAR party secretary Wu Yingjie; TAR deputy Yuan made the remarks at Zhejiang-Tibet party secretary and governor Qi Zala; party secretary of TAR Political Consultative counterpart support work meeting was held Conference Ding Yexian; and deputy party on 30 July in Lhasa. The governor along secretary of the TAR party committee with the provincial party secretary Zhuang Yan during the investigation and at led a delegation from Zhejiang to inspect the meeting. aid projects in Nagchu, reported the Tibet

Daily on 3 August. Y uan further emphasised the necessity to Special photo exhibition on “comprehensively strengthen the planning Tibetan reincarnation system held and guidance on counterpart aid program at Pelkor Chode Monastery in under the 13th Five-Year Plan and plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan" so that “the successful results of poverty alleviation in Local Chinese authorities held a special counties such as Diru (Ch: Biru) and Lhari exhibition on the Tibetan Buddhist (Ch: Jiali) County can be consolidated and reincarnation system on 16 August at the victory over poverty is ensured in the Pelkor Chode Monastery (also known as Sernye (Ch: Seni) at the end of this ) in Gyantse (Ch: Jiangyan) year.” County, Shigatse City, TAR, according to 19

August report on China Tibet Network. On their arrival in Lhasa from Zhejiang, the delegation went straight to the About 55 people that participated in the ‘Lhasa-Zhejiang Apartment’ and met with exhibition included the leaders and staff of the the ninth batch of cadres from Zhejiang County United Front Work Department, Province who had just entered Tibet. The Religious and Ethnic Affairs Bureau, party ‘Lhasa-Zhejiang Apartment’ was built members and cadres of the Palcho Monastery in October 2017 for cadres and party Management Committee, officers from the members from the province. monastery police station, as well as monastic

and lay population. Yuan inspected the living conditions of the

Zhejiang cadres at the apartment and

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Sources:

1.http://www.tibet.cn/cn/news/zx/201908/t20190807_6656667.html 2.https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-06-13/Story-of-SCO-Fighting-against-three-evils-- Hu3myXJUti/index.html 3.http://www.tibet.cn/cn/religion/201908/t20190820_6666091.html 4.http://www.tibet.cn/cn/news/zx/201908/t20190824_6668885.html 5.http://www.tibet.cn/cn/news/zx/201908/t20190809_6658662.html 6.http://www.sgcc.com.cn/html/sgcc_mobile_en/col2017113008/2018- 07/19/20180719114708439226903_1.shtml 7.http://www.sohu.com/a/331979234_160909 8.http://www.tibet.cn/cn/news/zx/201908/t20190803_6653841.html

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