TIBET INSIGHT, FEBRUARY 1-15, 2018 Page 1 of 35 TAR NEWS TAR Public Security Bureau Meeting February 08, 2018 The Public Security Bureau of TAR held a meeting of all the Chiefs/Heads of the Public Security Offices across the Region on February 6, 2018. The TAR Party Committee, TAR People’s Government, and TAR Politics and Law Committee jointly convened the meeting. The primary objective of the meeting was to study and discuss ways and means to implement General Secretary ‘Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era’. The Meeting also discussed the political and legal requirements of deployment, examined work reports of the Public Security Bureau Offices and analysed stability maintenance in TAR. It also reviewed the achievements of the Public Security Forces in TAR since the 18th Party Congress. Vice Chairman of TAR Party Committee, Deputy Secretary of TAR Politics and Law Committee, and Director of the TAR Public Security Bureau, Liu Jiang presented the public security work report of TAR and spoke on “Full Implementation of the spirit of 19th Party Congress, and Promotion of Public Security in Tibet to a new level.” He was briefed on the current public security situation of Tibet by Ding Ye and He Wenhao, Deputy Secretaries of the TAR Standing Committee. The meeting was presided over by the Deputy Secretary of TAR Party Committee and Deputy Director of TAR Public Security Bureau, Lobsang Tendar and was transmitted via videoconference to city, county level Public Security Bureaus, police stations (civilian and military) and to TAR Party Members. Liu Jiang reiterated to the TAR Party Committee and TAR People’s Government the need to fully implement policies and deployment requirements. He said the TAR Public Security Bureau had achieved “remarkable result” since the 18th Party Congress and urged the officials to continue to understand overall situation of Tibet, and earnestly study and implement the spirit of the 19th Party Congress and especially the thoughts and policies concerning Tibet. He also spoke on the enhancement of responsibilities and urgency in safeguarding “national security” and social stability in Tibet. Public Security Bureau Head Visits Family of Police Officers February 10, 2018 Ahead of Losar (Tibetan New Year: 16-18), Vice Chairman of TAR Party Committee, Deputy Secretary of TAR Politics and Law Committee, and Director of TAR Public Security Bureau, Liu Jiang and the Commander-in-Chief of TAR ‘Police Martyrdom Foundation’ visited the “homes and families of former Page 2 of 35 police officers, widows/children of police officers, ill/and or poor police officers” on behalf of the TAR Public Security Bureau and conveyed Losar greetings. The Director and his entourage went to meet injured civilian Police Chief Tenzin Tsering (Ethnicity: Tibetan), Tenzin Sangpo (Ethnicity: Tibetan), Auxiliary Police Officer Thupten Phuntsok (Ethnicity: Tibetan), and Public Security Officer Norbu Tsering (Ethnicity: Tibetan). The Director asked in detail about their living conditions, their relatives, wished them “happy Losar” and encouraged them to remain optimistic. Liu Jiang said that the Public Security Bureau of TAR Party Committee always held high the “sacrifices of the police officers” and some amount of “fund from the Police Martyrs Foundation will be given to them in recognition of their contribution towards public security.” TAR Public Security Cadres General Assembly February 08, 2018 The General Assembly of TAR Public Security Cadres was held recently in the presence of the Director of TAR Public Security Bureau, Liu Jiang. Jia Liuguo, Member of TAR Public Security Agency’s Party Committee and Secretary of the Security Bureau, Cai Jing, a Political Bureau member of the Security Bureau, Cao We Xiang, Deputy Director of the “active duty office” of the Political Department of the Public Security Bureau, Deputy Director of the TAR Discipline Inspection and Supervision Committee, all the officers and soldiers of TAR Security Bureau and Lhasa troops and civilian police officers attended the assembly. The meeting was chaired and presided over by Hongli, Director of the Political Department of TAR Public Security Bureau. Public Security Bureau Director Liu Jiang applauded the work of security personnel and officers for their work in Tibet over the years while at the same time requesting them to: (i) uphold and grasp political construction of the police; (ii) ensure loyal and reliable security forces in Tibet; (iii) ensure unity and cooperation; and (iv) adhere to honest self-discipline and create a good reputation and image of security forces in Tibet. TAR Public Security Bureau’s Anti-Corruption Conference February 09, 2018 Page 3 of 35 The TAR Public Security Bureau held an anti-corruption teleconference on February 9, 2018 in the presence of the Director Liu Jiang, Deputy Director Lobsang Tendar, Deputy Director of TAR Discipline Inspection Committee Wang Haiwei and Public Security Bureau Officials Nima Tsering Hong Li and Zhao Ercai who attended the meeting along with other officials. Liu Jiang in his speech mentioned that the Public Security Bureau should conscientiously ascertain the inadequacies in the functioning/and implementation of party policies, should unify their thinking along with that of the CCP, conduct political discipline, stick to political rules and assure absolute loyalty of the entire public security forces to the party, and avoid corruption. The meeting was attended by representatives of county level public security organs and all the departments under Public Security Bureau. Top TAR Leaders of Tibetan ethnicity re-elected January 31, 2018 Phakpalha Gelek Namgyal, Lobsang Gyaltsen and Che Dalha (Ch: Qi Zhala) were re-elected to their respective positions in TAR. Phakpalha was re-elected as the Chairman of the TAR Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the first session of the 11th CPPCC TAR Committee on January 29. An ethnic Tibetan born in Lithang, he has served as the Chairman of CPPCC TAR Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC since 2003. Lobsang Gyaltsen, another ethnic Tibetan was re-elected as the Director of the Standing Committee of the TAR People's Congress at the first session of the 11th People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region on January 30. He was born in Drayab County of Chamdo. Che Dalha aka Qi Zhala was re-elected as the Chairman of the TAR People’s Government at the first session of the 11th People’s Congress of TAR on January 30. He was born in Yunnan Province. TAR Criminal Investigation Department caught telecommunication Fraud February 13, 2018 The Criminal Investigation Department of TAR Public Security Bureau has cracked down and punished eight individuals/entities involved in telecommunication fraud. Acting on instructions from leaders of Page 4 of 35 TAR Public Security Department, the Criminal Investigation team investigated frauds and counterfeiting of Wechat networks. Five cases of “fraud” in WeChat in Tibet and three cases of phone fraud were detected. Six suspects were arrested while a search is on for four possible. (Comment: WeChat, a Chinese social media mobile application is widely used by Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet to connect with Tibetans in the Diaspora. Many Tibetans in Tibet were caught via the app for disseminating information ofand or about Tibet to the outside world and vice versa.) Police asks Tibetans for Dalai Lama tips February 11, 2018 The Public Security Bureau of TAR has released details on how the public can provide tips on activities of "criminal gangs connected to the separatist forces of the Dalai Lama." It warned local people to be on the lookout for the 'evil forces' of the Dalai Lama that might use local temples and religious control "to confuse and incite" people against the Party and government. The bureau further asked people to report on the activities of 'foreign hostile forces' that may seek financial support for the Dalai Lama". It quoted from the circular, which said, "Criminal gangs are cancers on the healthy economic and social development, and gangsters are a chronic disease that severely disgusts the public." The circular listed 22 illegal activities the Bureau wants people to report, three of which directly mentioned the “Dalai group.” Wang Xiaobin, a scholar at the Beijing-based China Tibetology Research Center said the circular echoes the primary task of Tibet, which is to maintain national and ethnical unity. He said there are groups in China that are closely connected with the Dalai group, and help each other at home and abroad. They challenge the Chinese government using ingenious methods and pose a huge threat to national interests. He explained that "The Dalai group always interferes in national affairs by controlling temples, including lamas and living Buddhas, and by spreading a kind of "middle way" to the world, which actually advocates separatism and emphasizes the separation of sovereignty and governing rights." The circular issued by the TAR Public Security Bureau comes after the CCPCC and the State Council in January 2018 jointly announced a renewed effort to fight organized crime and officials who shelter criminal organizations. The official Xinhua News Agency reported the campaign would involve fighting corruption, including lower level corrupt officials, and deal with the "protective umbrellas" of gang crime (the officials who shelter the criminals). Page 5 of 35 NGARI (Ch: Ali) TAR Public Security Head visits Ngari February 11, 2018 TAR Public Security Bureau Director Liu Jiang, and Deputy Inspector, Commander of the DPP Corps Dekyi Lobsang along with a team travelled to Ngari (Ch: Ali) and reportedly visited homes of police officers, and their families. The visitors were accompanied by the Deputy Director of Ngari Public Security Department, Niu Zhemin and other officials of the Political Department. The team went to the home of special police officer of Gerze County and another former police officer, Sonam, who apparently “sacrificed their lives to the police.” The team met family members of the aforementioned officers and told them to promptly report to them should they face any difficulties.