The Dark Visitors

My article The Killers’ Mace of the Dark Visitors in the Indian Defence Review is available on line.
Clich here.

A fable of blood and bribes?

No French scriptwriter could have dreamed of such a great script for the Cannes Festival. Even Bollywood could probably not have thought of it. Flashback: May 9, 2002. It is early morning for the guests of the five-star Oberoi Hotel in Karachi. But some white men are not here for tourism, they have come on a mission. They will provide expertise for a top secret project, building a submarine for the State of Pakistan. A minibus stops in front of the hotel. Eleven French engineers and 3 Pakistani staff board the vehicle which is to take them to a dockyard. The French are working for the Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN, Direction for Naval Constructions), an undertaking of the French Ministry of Defense. A Toyota Corolla (1976 make) approaches the bus and in a fraction of second explodes. All the French engineers (and their Pakistani colleagues) are killed. Fourteen by-passers and hotel staff are badly wounded. The kamikaze attack deeply shocks the French public; it is the first time that French citizens are directly targeted after September 11, 2001. Terrorism becomes suddenly concrete. It is always the case when the skin of the charred bodies retrieved by the rescuers is white. The French media and the French government immediately suspect the infamous Al Qaeda network. Al Qaeda is a practical concept: it is so nebulous that everything and anything can be attributed to it. Just what the media needs. The French Chief of Army Staff, General Jean Pierre Kelche goes on air to speak about ‘a non-negligible possibility’ of the involvement of Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda group. It was simple: the French Air Force had participated in the bombing of Tora Bora where bin Laden was hiding a few months earlier: the elusive Saudi had now decided to take revenge. In Pakistan, everyone remembers the 1971 humiliating defeat against ‘expansionist neighbour’ India. For Pakistani leaders, the only solution to change the past is to arm Pakistan to such an extent that New Delhi remains in a position of military inferiority. In 1994, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is not different from the previous General-Dictator Zia-ul-Haq or her own father who ruled the country two decades earlier. The leadership in Islamabad has to remain ahead of the enemy no 1, New Delhi. On September 1994, Benazir’s government signs a 162-page very secret contract with the DCN to supply to the Pakistan Navy three Agosta submarines (far superior to the Russian ones then used by the Indian Navy). Many meetings are said to be held in the Prince of Wales Hotel in Paris where several professional arm dealers such as Ziad Takieddine and Ali ben Moussalam are often seen with Emmanuel Aris, the Vice-President of the DCN-International and Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, then advisor to the minister of defense François Léotard. The 825-million euros contract is for 3 Agosta 90B sub-marines, one to be manufactured in France in Cherbourg shipyard, one assembled in Pakistan and a third one entirely built in Pakistan (the French engineers and staff were working on the third one in Karachi). Coincidentally, the contract is signed after tough financial bargaining when the French presidential election race begins. The battle for Mitterrand’s succession rages. Within the RPR, the Gaullist party, Jacques Chirac and Edouart Balladur, two old friends of 30 years try their best to be elected. But let us comeback for a moment to the terrorist attack. Suspicion points towards the Islamic fundamentalists, especially when persons belonging to the Harkat ul Mujhaideen al-Alami, a terrorist group involved in Kashmir are arrested On December 3in Pakistan. However their leader Asif Zaheer’s declarations remain vague. According to the Pakistani officer in charge of the inquiry, Asif Zaheer admitts during the inquiries that he himself fixed the explosive in the car used for the attack, he was to suppose to be the kamikaze, but now affirms that American engineers and not French were the target of the attack. This did not make too much sense, though in July 2002, two terrorists Mohamed Imran Bhai et Mohamed Hanif, also belonging to the Harkat are arrested after the attack on the US Consulate in Karachi and tell the police that they knew about the Oberoi operation. They add that they had refused to participate. Later someone else was assigned the job, they tell the police. Finally Asif Zaheer and Mohammed Rizwan (and a third terrorist Mohammed Soham still absconding) are found guilty. They are sentenced to death in June 2003. The file seems closed as far as the Pakistani authorities are concerned. But in May 2009, after an appeal, all the ‘overwhelming’ proofs against Asif Zaheer and Mohammed Rizwan are found to be vague; they are discharged. The Prosecution is told that they have not given sufficient proof to remove all doubt from the judge’s mind. The ‘terrorists’ are however not freed, being accused in several other cases. In January 2007, the French famous anti-terrorist judge, Jean-Louis Bruguière issues an international arrest warrant against Abdul Saham, now designated as no 4 in the Al Qaeda hierarchy. But no cooperation is received from the Pakistani authorities. The script should have ended at that point of the story, but it would have been dull and the families of the victims would have remained frustrated. Suddenly sometimes in 2008, the affair rebounds. During the search of the office of one of the managers of the DCNS (ex-DCN), the police finds an interesting rapport, code-named ‘Nautilus’, though the search had nothing to do with the attack in Karachi. It is related to some commissions paid during an arm deal, a routine affair in other words. As it mentions the 2002 Karachi attack, the Nautilus report is sent to Justice Marc Trevidic who deals with the case. According to the weekly Le Point, the report is explicit: “After several contacts, in Europe as well as in Pakistan, we came to the conclusion that the attack in Karachi has been carried out with some complicity inside the [Pakistani] Army… The [Pakistani] military personnel used the Islamic group to achieve the desired results, but [the affair] has a financial angle”. The document speaks of unpaid commissions following the sales of the three subs. According to the Nautilus, different commissions would have been promised to different middlemen and the highest Pakistani authorities (Benazir Bhutto was then Prime Minister and her husband was known as Mr. 10%). For example on June 30, 1994, Emmanuel Aris signs an agreement with Mercor, a Panama society represented by Ziad Takieddine offering him 4 % of the contract for his services. The Nautilus report also speaks of retro-commission which would have come back to France and would have helped to finance the campaign of a candidate. That is why, Jacques Chirac, once elected President in 1995 decided to “dry the hidden financial networks” of French politicians and stop the payment of the commissions (It would be done in 1996). His former companion and looser in the elections, Balladur, who was Prime Minister at the time of the signature of the contract is targeted. After meeting anti-terrorist judges Marc Trévidic and Yves Jannier, the advocate of the families of the victims, Olivier Morice declared bluntly: “The Al Qaeda lead has been completely abandoned [by the French judge]. The attack seems to be linked to the stoppage of payment of commissions”. The script has a super-casting from the French side as well the Pakistani side where the present Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and the former Navy Chief Mansur ul-Haq are cited (the latter was sentenced to accepting $ 7 million ‘thank-you gift’ for his collaboration with the French). According to the Nautilus, Zardari “used this type of arm deal to get funds to finance Islamic guerilla.” It is also said that he was close to Takieddine. The weekly Le Point adds that with the help of the ISI, the objective of the Pakistan leadership was to destabilize India through a proxy war in Kashmir (we knew this!). The French secret services, the DST (Direction for the Surveillance of the Territory) and DGSE (Direction General of External Security) had known from the start that the attack was not ‘Islamic’. For example, the explosive (TNT) used had a ‘military’ origin and the attack was not claimed by any of the terrorist groups, which is their usual practice after murderous attacks. It appears that the US secret services were also aware. One Randall Bennett from the US embassy in Pakistan would have informed the French Prosecutor Michel Debacq that the attack was linked to the submarine deal. Though President Sarkozy termed the disclosure a ‘grotesque fable’, the script is too good for the French press to be easily dropped. Especially when so many of the actors are still around. Zardari is President of Pakistan, Sarkozy was Budget Minister in Balladur’s government and as such officially authorized the creation by the DCN of a special structure in Luxembourg for the transit of ‘export commissions’. This, of course, did not legalize the retro-commissions or any payment to French politicians, but ’officialized’ the payment of commissions (The law has changed since then). Balladur has denied any wrong doings and for the time being Chirac has kept quiet, though Charles Millon, Chriac’s defense minister admitted to the weekly Paris Match on June 24 having blocked in 1995 “commissions which could have been the source of retro-commissions”.. The most thrilling details cited in the Nautilus whose author has been identified as Claude Thévenet, a former agent of the DST, French intelligence agency, is the revenge of the French. An Internet information site Mediapart spoke to Thevenet. The DGSE would have organized a special operation with French commandos (Service Action), specialized in clandestine operations outside the French territory. One Pakistani officer would have been killed and three admirals would have ended with broken knees. “On ne fait pas chanter la France!” (One does not blackmail France!). Karachi had tried to blackmail the French government refusing to pay the promised commissions. Is all this ‘fable’, a Bollywood script or a sad reality? Only the judges will be able to tell us, hopefully soon! In May 2002, I had thus concluded an article written on the same subject: “There is a character of Molière, the famous 17th century French playwright who keeps repeating throughout the play Mais que diable allait-il donc faire dans cette galère? (It can be translated as 'But what the hell were they doing in this galley?' though 'galère' has two meanings in French, one is 'galley', the other one 'mess', which is the same for our purpose.). It is a question that the new French government of Jacques Chirac -- which was elected on a very high moral ground with 82 per cent of the votes, should be asking itself.” It remains an unanswered question. Paris probably thought that their allies in Islamabad were going to help to combat terrorism with Agosta subs. Does Sarkozy’s government think differently. Not sure.

Did he say it?

Did General Chi Haotian, former Chinese Minister of Defense and Vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission really deliver this speech? Other sources corroborate his vision of China and the World. It isn't frightening?

Text of the speech:

***

As everybody knows, according to the views propagated by the Western scholars, humanity as a whole originated from one single mother in Africa. Therefore, no race can claim racial superiority. However, according to the research conducted by most Chinese scholars, the Chinese are different from other races on earth. We did not originate in Africa. Instead, we originated independently in the land of China. The Peking Man at Zhoukoudian that we are all familiar with represents a phase of our ancestors’ evolution. “The Project of Searching for the Origins of the Chinese Civilization” currently undertaken in our country is aimed at a more comprehensive and systematic research on the origin, process and development of the ancient Chinese civilization. We used to say, “Chinese civilization has had a history of five thousand years.” But now, many experts engaged in research in varied fields including archeology, ethnic cultures, and regional cultures have reached consensus that the new discoveries such as the Hongshan Culture in the Northeast, the Liangzhu Culture in Zhejiang province, the Jinsha Ruins in Sichuan province, and the Yongzhou Shun Emperor Cultural Site in Human province are all compelling evidence of the existence of China’s early civilizations, and they prove that China’s rice-growing agricultural history alone can be traced back as far as 8,000 to 10,000 years. This refutes the concept of “five thousand years of Chinese civilization.” Therefore, we can assert that we are the product of cultural roots of more than a million years, civilization and progress of more than ten thousand years, an ancient nation of five thousand years, and a single Chinese entity of two thousand years. This is the Chinese nation that calls itself, “descendents of Yan and Huang,” the Chinese nation that we are so proud of. Hitler’s Germany had once bragged that the German race was the most superior race on Earth, but the fact is, our nation is far superior to the Germans.
During our long history, our people have disseminated throughout the Americas and the regions along the Pacific Rim, and they became Indians in the Americas and the East Asian ethnic groups in the South Pacific.
We all know that on account of our national superiority, during the thriving and prosperous Tang Dynasty our civilization was at the peak of the world. We were the center of the world civilization, and no other civilization in the world was comparable to ours. Later on, because of our complacency, narrow-mindedness, and the self-enclosure of our own country, we were surpassed by Western civilization, and the center of the world shifted to the West.
In reviewing history, one may ask: Will the center of the world civilization shift back to China?
As we all know, Nazi Germany also placed much emphasis on the education of the people, especially the younger generation. The Nazi party and government organized and established various propaganda and educational institutions such as the “Guiding Bureau of National Propaganda,” “Department of National Education and Propaganda,” “Supervising Bureau of Worldview Study and Education,” and “Information Office,” all aimed at instilling into the people’s minds, from elementary schools to colleges, the idea that German people are superior, and convincing people that the historical mission of the Arian people is to become the “lords of earth” that “rule over the world.” Back then the German people were much more united than we are today.
Nonetheless, Germany was defeated in utter shame, along with its ally, Japan. Why? We reached some conclusions at the study meetings of the Politburo, in which we were searching for the laws that governed the vicissitudes of the big powers, and trying to analyze Germany and Japan’s rapid growth. When we decide to revitalize China based on the German model, we must not repeat the mistakes they made.

Specifically, the following are the fundamental causes for their defeat: First, they had too many enemies all at once, as they did not adhere to the principle of eliminating enemies one at a time; second, they were too impetuous, lacking the patience and perseverance required for great accomplishments; third, when the time came for them to be ruthless, they turned out to be too soft, therefore leaving troubles that resurfaced later on.
Let’s presume that back then Germany and Japan had been able to keep the United States neutral and had fought a protracted war step by step on the Soviet front. If they had adopted this approach, gained some time to advance their research, eventually succeeded in obtaining the technology of nuclear weapons and missiles, and launched surprise attacks against the United States and the Soviet Union using them, then the United States and the Soviet Union would not have been able to defend themselves and would have had to surrender. Little Japan, in particular, made an egregious mistake in launching the sneak strike at Pearl Harbor. This attack did not hit the vital parts of the United States. Instead it dragged the United States into the war, into the ranks of the gravediggers that eventually buried the German and Japanese fascists.
Of course, if they had not made these three mistakes and won the war, history would have been written in a different fashion. If that had been the case, China would not be in our hands. Japan might have relocated their capital to China and ruled over China. Afterwards, China and the whole of Asia under Japan’s command would have brought into full play the oriental wisdom, conquered the West ruled by Germany and unified the whole world. This is irrelevant, of course. No more digressions.
So, the fundamental reason for the defeats of Germany and Japan is that history did not arrange them to be the “lords of the earth,” for they are, after all, not the most superior race.
Ostensibly, in comparison, today’s China is alarmingly similar to Germany back then. Both of them regard themselves as the most superior races; both of them have a history of being exploited by foreign powers and are therefore vindictive; both of them have the tradition of worshipping their own authorities; both of them feel that they have seriously insufficient living space; both of them raise high the two banners of nationalism and socialism and label themselves as “national socialism”; both of them worship “one state, one party, one leader, and one doctrine.”
And yet, if we really are to make a comparison between Germany and China, then, as Comrade Jiang Zemin put it, Germany belongs to “pediatrics”—too trivial to be compared. How large is Germany’s population? How big is its territory? And how long is its history? We eliminated eight million Nationalist troops in only three years. How many enemies did Germany kill? They were in power for a transient period of little more than a dozen years before they perished, while we are still energetic after being around for more than eighty years. Our theory of the shifting center of civilization is of course more profound than the Hitler’s theory of “the lords of the earth.” Our civilization is profound and broad, which has determined that we are so much wiser than they were.
Our Chinese people are wiser than the Germans because, fundamentally, our race is superior to theirs. As a result, we have a longer history, more people, and larger land area. On this basis, our ancestors left us with the two most essential heritages, which are atheism and great unity. It was Confucius, the founder of our Chinese culture, who gave us these heritages.
These two heritages determined that we have a stronger ability to survive than the West. That is why the Chinese race has been able to prosper for so long. We are destined “not to be buried by either heaven or earth” no matter how severe the natural, man-made, and national disasters. This is our advantage.

Take response to war as an example. The reason that the United States remains today is that it has never seen war on its mainland. Once its enemies aim at the mainland, they enemies would have already reached Washington before its congress finishes debating and authorizes the president to declare war. But for us, we don’t waste time on these trivial things. Comrade Deng Xiaoping once said, “The Party’s leadership is prompt in making decisions. Once a decision is made, it is immediately implemented. There’s no wasting time on trivial things like in capitalist countries. This is our advantage.” Our Party’s democratic centralism is built on the tradition of great unity. Although fascist Germany also stressed high-level centralism, they only focused on the power of the country’s executive, but ignored the collective leadership of the central group. That’s why Hitler was betrayed by many later in his life, which fundamentally depleted the Nazis of their war capacity.
What makes us different from Germany is that we are complete atheists, while Germany was primarily a Catholic and Protestant country. Hitler was only half atheist. Although Hitler also believed that ordinary citizens had low intelligence, and that leaders should therefore make decisions, and although German people worshipped Hitler back then, Germany did not have the tradition of worshipping sages on a broad basis. Our Chinese society has always worshipped sages, and that is because we don’t worship any god. Once you worship a god, you can’t worship a person at the same time, unless you recognize the person as the god’s representative like they do in Middle Eastern countries. On the other hand, once you recognize a person as a sage, of course you will want him to be your leader, instead of monitoring and choosing him. This is the foundation of our democratic centralism.
The bottom line is, only China, not Germany, is a reliable force in resisting the Western parliament-based democratic system. Hitler’s dictatorship in Germany was perhaps but a momentary mistake in history.
Maybe you have now come to understand why we recently decided to further promulgate atheism. If we let theology from the West into China and empty us from the inside, if we let all Chinese people listen to God and follow God, who will obediently listen to us and follow us? If the common people don’t believe Comrade Hu Jintao is a qualified leader, question his authority, and want to monitor him, if the religious followers in our society question why we are leading God in churches, can our Party continue to rule China?
Germany’s dream to be the “lord of the earth” failed, because ultimately, history did not bestow this great mission upon them. But the three lessons Germany learned from experience are what we ought to remember as we complete our historic mission and revitalize our race. The three lessons are: Firmly grasp the country’s living space, firmly grasp the Party’s control over the nation, and firmly grasp the general direction toward becoming the “lord of the earth.”
What is the third issue we should clinch firmly in order to accomplish our historical mission of national renaissance? It is to hold firmly onto the big “issue of America.”
Comrade Mao Zedong taught us that we must have a resolute and correct political orientation. What is our key, correct orientation? It is to solve the issue of America.
This appears to be shocking, but the logic is actually very simple.

Comrade He Xin put forward a very fundamental judgment that is very reasonable. He asserted in his report to the Party Central Committee: The renaissance of China is in fundamental conflict with the western strategic interest, and therefore will inevitably be obstructed by the western countries doing everything they can. So, only by breaking the blockade formed by the western countries headed by the United States can China grow and move towards the world!
Would the United States allow us to go out to gain new living space? First, if the United States is firm in blocking us, it is hard for us to do anything significant to Taiwan and some other countries! Second, even if we could snatch some land from Taiwan, Vietnam, India, or even Japan, how much more living space can we get? Very trivial! Only countries like the United States, Canada and Australia have the vast land to serve our need for mass colonization.
Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the key to solving all other issues. First, this makes it possible for us to have many people migrate there and even establish another China under the same leadership of the CCP. America was originally discovered by the ancestors of the yellow race, but Columbus gave credit to the white race. We the descendents of the Chinese nation are entitled to the possession of the land! It is said that the residents of the yellow race have a very low social status in United States. We need to liberate them. Second, after solving the “issue of America,” the western countries in Europe would bow to us, not to mention to Taiwan, Japan and other small countries. Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the mission assigned to CCP members by history.
I sometimes think how cruel it is for China and the United States to be enemies that are bound to meet on a narrow road! Do you remember a movie about Liberation Army troops led by Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping? The title is something like “Decisive Battle on the Central Plains.” There is a famous remark in the movie that is full of power and grandeur: “The enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road, only the brave will win!” It is this kind of fighting to win or die spirit that enabled us to seize power in Mainland China. It is historical destiny that China and United States will come into unavoidable confrontation on a narrow path and fight each other! The United States, unlike Russia and Japan, has never occupied and hurt China, and also assisted China in its battle against the Japanese. But, it will certainly be an obstruction, and the biggest obstruction! In the long run, the relationship of China and the United States is one of a life-and-death struggle.
One time, some Americans came to visit and tried to convince us that the relationship between China and United States is one of interdependence. Comrade Xiaoping replied in a polite manner: “Go tell your government, China and the United States do not have such a relationship that is interdependent and mutually reliant.” Actually, Comrade Xiaoping was being too polite, he could have been more frank, “The relationship between China and United States is one of a life-and-death struggle.” Of course, right now it is not the time to openly break up with them yet. Our reform and opening to the outside world still rely on their capital and technology, we still need America. Therefore, we must do everything we can to promote our relationship with America, learn from America in all aspects and use America as an example to reconstruct our country.
How have we managed our foreign affairs in these years? Even if we had to put on a smiling face in order to please them, even if we had to give them the right cheek after they had hit our left cheek, we still must endure in order to further our relationship with the United States. Do you remember the character of Wuxun in the movie the “Story of Wuxun”? In order to accomplish his mission, he endured so much pain and suffered so much beating and kicking! The United States is the most successful country in the world today. Only after we have learned all of its useful experiences can we replace it in the future. Even though we are presently imitating the American tone “China and United States rely on each other and share honor and disgrace,” we must not forget that the history of our civilization repeatedly has taught us that one mountain does not allow two tigers to live together.
We also must never forget what Comrade Xiaoping emphasized “refrain from revealing the ambitions and put others off the track.” The hidden message is: we must put up with America; we must conceal our ultimate goals, hide our capabilities and await the opportunity. In this way, our mind is clear. Why have we not updated our national anthem with something peaceful? Why did we not change the anthem’s theme of war? Instead, when revising the Constitution this time, for the first time we clearly specified “March of the Volunteers” is our national anthem. Thus we will understand why we constantly talk loudly about the “Taiwan issue” but not the “American issue.” We all know the principle of “doing one thing under the cover of another.” If ordinary people can only see the small island of Taiwan in their eyes, then you as the elite of our country should be able to see the whole picture of our cause. Over these years, according to Comrade Xiaoping’s arrangement, a large piece of our territory in the North has been given up to Russia; do you really think our Party Central Committee is a fool?
To resolve the issue of America we must be able to transcend conventions and restrictions. In history, when a country defeated another country or occupied another country, it could not kill all the people in the conquered land, because back then you could not kill people effectively with sabers or long spears, or even with rifles or machine guns. Therefore, it was impossible to gain a stretch of land without keeping the people on that land. However, if we conquered America in this fashion, we would not be able to make many people migrate there.
Only by using special means to “clean up” America will we be able to lead the Chinese people there. This is the only choice left for us. This is not a matter of whether we are willing to do it or not. What kind of special means is there available for us to “clean up” America? Conventional weapons such as fighters, canons, missiles and battleships won’t do; neither will highly destructive weapons such as nuclear weapons. We are not as foolish as to want to perish together with America by using nuclear weapons, despite the fact that we have been exclaiming that we will have the Taiwan issue resolved at whatever cost. Only by using non-destructive weapons that can kill many people will we be able to reserve America for ourselves. There has been rapid development of modern biological technology, and new bio weapons have been invented one after another. Of course we have not been idle; in the past years we have seized the opportunity to master weapons of this kind. We are capable of achieving our purpose of “cleaning up” America all of a sudden. When Comrade Xiaoping was still with us, the Party Central Committee had the perspicacity to make the right decision not to develop aircraft carrier groups and focus instead on developing lethal weapons that can eliminate mass populations of the enemy country.
From a humanitarian perspective, we should issue a warning to the American people and persuade them to leave America and leave the land they have lived in to the Chinese people. Or at least they should leave half of the United States to be China’s colony, because America was first discovered by the Chinese. But would this work? If this strategy does not work, then there is only one choice left to us. That is, use decisive means to “clean up” America, and reserve America for our use in a moment. Our historical experience has proven that as long as we make it happen, nobody in the world can do anything about us. Furthermore, if the United States as the leader is gone, then other enemies have to surrender to us.
Biological weapons are unprecedented in their ruthlessness, but if the Americans do not die then the Chinese have to die. If the Chinese people are strapped to the present land, a total societal collapse is bound to take place. According to the computation of the author of Yellow Peril, more than half of the Chinese will die, and that figure would be more than 800 million people! Just after the liberation, our yellow land supported nearly 500 million people, while today the official figure of the population is more than 1.3 billion. This yellow land has reached the limit of its capacity. One day, who knows how soon it will come, the great collapse will occur any time and more than half of the population will have to go.
We must prepare ourselves for two scenarios. If our biological weapons succeed in the surprise attack [on the United States], the Chinese people will be able to keep their losses at a minimum in the fight against the United States. If, however, the attack fails and triggers a nuclear retaliation from the United States, China would perhaps suffer a catastrophe in which more than half of its population would perish. That is why we need to be ready with air defense systems for our big and medium-sized cities. Whatever the case may be, we can only move forward fearlessly for the sake of our Party and state and our nation’s future, regardless of the hardships we have to face and the sacrifices we have to make. The population, even if more than half dies, can be reproduced. But if the Party falls, everything is gone, and forever gone!
In Chinese history, in the replacement of dynasties, the ruthless have always won and the benevolent have always failed. The most typical example involved Xiang Yu the King of Chu, who, after defeating Liu Bang, failed to continue to chase after him and eliminate his forces, and this leniency resulted in Xiang Yu’s death and Liu’s victory (during the war between Chu and Han, just after the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC) was overthrown). Therefore, we must emphasize the importance of adopting resolute measures. In the future, the two rivals, China and the United States, will eventually meet each other in a narrow road, and our leniency to the Americans will mean cruelty toward the Chinese people. 　　 Here some people may want to ask me: what about the several millions of our compatriots in the United States? They may ask: aren’t we against Chinese killing other Chinese?
These comrades are too pedantic; they are not pragmatic enough. If we had insisted on the principle that the Chinese should not kill other Chinese, would we have liberated China? As for the several million Chinese living in the United States, this is of course a big issue. Therefore in recent years, we have been conducting research on genetic weapons, i.e. those weapons that do not kill yellow people. But producing a result with this kind of research is extremely difficult. Of the research done on genetic weapons throughout the world, the Israeli’s is the most advanced. Their genetic weapons are designed to target Arabs and protect the Israelis. But even they have not reached the stage of actual deployment. We have cooperated with Israel on some research. Perhaps we can introduce some of the technologies used to protect Israelis and remold these technologies to protect the yellow people. But their technologies are not mature yet, and it is difficult for us to surpass them in a few years. If it has to be five or ten years before some breakthroughs can be achieved in genetic weapons, we cannot afford to wait any longer.
Old comrades like us cannot afford to wait that long, for we don’t have that much time to live. Old soldiers of my age may be able to wait for five or ten more years, but those from the period of the Anti-Japanese War or the few old Red Army soldiers cannot wait any longer. Therefore we have to give up our expectations about genetic weapons. Of course, from another perspective, the majority of those Chinese living in the United States have become our burden, because they have been corrupted by the bourgeois liberal values for a long time and it would be difficult for them to accept our Party’s leadership. If they survived the war, we would have to launch campaigns in the future to deal with them, to reform them. Do you still remember that when we had just defeated the Koumintang (KMT) and liberated Mainland China, so many people from the bourgeois class and intellectuals welcomed us so very warmly, but later we had to launch campaigns such as the “suppression of the reactionaries” and “Anti-Rightist Movement” to clean them up and reform them? Some of them were in hiding for a long time and were not exposed until the Cultural Revolution. History has proved that any social turmoil is likely to involve many deaths. Maybe we can put it this way: death is the engine that moves history forward. During the period of Three Kingdoms [9], how many people died? When Genghis Khan conquered Eurasia, how many people died? When Manchu invaded the interior of China, how many people died? Not many people died during the 1911 Revolution, but when we overthrew the Three Great Mountains [10], and during the political campaigns such as “Suppression of reactionaries,” “Three-Anti Campaign,” and “Five-Anti Campaign” at least 20 million people died. We were apprehensive that some young people today would be trembling with fear when they hear about wars or people dying. During wartime, we were used to seeing dead people. Blood and flesh were flying everywhere, corpses were lying in heaps on the fields, and blood ran like rivers. We saw it all. On the battlefields, everybody’s eyes turned red with killing because it was a life-and-death struggle and only the brave would survive.
It is indeed brutal to kill one or two hundred million Americans. But that is the only path that will secure a Chinese century, a century in which the CCP leads the world. We, as revolutionary humanitarians, do not want deaths. But if history confronts us with a choice between deaths of Chinese and those of Americans, we’d have to pick the latter, as, for us, it is more important to safeguard the lives of the Chinese people and the life of our Party. That is because, after all, we are Chinese and members of the CCP. Since the day we joined the CCP, the Party’s life has always been above all else! History will prove that we made the right choice.
Now, when I am about to finish my speech, you probably understand why we conducted this online survey. Simply put, through conducting this online survey we wanted to know whether the people would rise against us if one day we secretly adopt resolute means to “clean up” America. Would more people support us or oppose us? This is our basic judgment: if our people approve of shooting at prisoners of war, women and children, then they would approve our “cleaning up” America. For over twenty years, China has been enjoying peace, and a whole generation has not been tested by war. In particular, since the end of World War II, there have been many changes in the formats of war, the concept of war and the ethics of war. Especially since the collapse of the former Soviet Union and Eastern European Communist states, the ideology of the West has come to dominate the world as a whole, and the Western theory of human nature and Western view of human rights have increasingly disseminated among the young people in China. Therefore, we were not very sure about the people’s attitude. If our people are fundamentally opposed to “cleaning up” America, we will, of course, have to adopt corresponding measures.
Why didn’t we conduct the survey through administrative means instead of through the web? We did what we did for a good reason.
First of all, we did it to reduce artificial inference and to make sure that we got the true thoughts of the people. In addition, it is more confidential and won’t reveal the true purpose of our survey. But what is most important is the fact that most of the people who are able to respond to the questions online are from social groups that are relatively well-educated and intelligent. They are the hard-core and leading groups that play a decisive role among our people. If they support us, then the people as a whole will follow us; if they oppose us, they will play the dangerous role of inciting people and creating social disturbance.
What turned out to be very comforting is they did not turn in a blank test paper. In fact, they turned in a test paper with a score of over 80. This is the excellent fruition of our Party’s work in propaganda and education over the past few decades.
Of course, a few people under the Western influence have objected to shooting at prisoners of war and women and children. Some of them said, “It is shocking and scary to witness so many people approving of shooting at women and children. Is everybody crazy?” Some others said, “The Chinese love to label themselves as a peace-loving people, but actually they are the most ruthless people. The comments are resonant of killing and murdering, sending chills to my heart.”
Although there are not too many people holding this kind of viewpoint and they will not affect the overall situation in any significant way, but we still need to strengthen the propaganda to respond to this kind of argument.

China's change is for good: Tibetan PM

My interview with Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche is available on Sify

Snuffing the lamp of dharma

My article on Aung San Suu Kyi, Snuffing the lamp of dharma. has been published in The Pioneer on June 24, 2009. It is available here.

Oil, Gas and Dharma

She spent her 64th birthday in jail.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s previous birthdays have not been much better; the Burmese democracy icon was under house confinement.
On June 19, her lawyer Nyan Win sent a chocolate cake, an apple cake, three bouquets of orchids and 50 lunch boxes of biryani to Rangoon’s infamous Insein Prison, hoping that the Nobel Laureate would be able to share this with her jailors. Dr Win Naing, a senior member of her National League for Democracy (NLD) told the media: “She will invite doctors who care for her, some guards and others to her party."
Many celebrities have raised their voices in her favour.
Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Madonna or footballer David Beckham and a few Nobel laureates asked the military junta to release Suu Kyi.
Beatle Paul McCartney was one of the thousands who wrote a 64-word text for her: “Aung San Suu Kyi is an inspiration to her country and the rest of the world. I truly admire her infallible resolve and her determination to stand up for what she believes in. It is vital that Aung San Suu Kyi is released so that she can govern the people who elected her and give Burma back the freedom we all take for granted.”
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she would raise the Burmese leader’s case with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
As she was due to be released in May after nearly twenty years incommunicado, Suu Kyi was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest when an American national, John Yettaw swam to her lakeside house and stayed two nights in her home.
If found guilty, she faces up to five years in prison.
The trial had mostly been conducted in camera and the media was prevented from speaking to her lawyers.
Leandro Despouy, UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers says: “So far, the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and her aides has been marred by flagrant violations of substantive and procedural rights”.
The U.N. working group on arbitrary detention had already issued an advisory ruling a year ago that the Nobel laureate's continued house arrest was arbitrary.
Reading this, one does not understand why world pressure is unable to make the junta relent and release the Nobel Peace Price Laureate.
Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Burma or Myanmar, as the junta calls India’s neighbour today, has oil and gas. It makes a difference.
When the US brought sanctions against the junta in 1997, the US Executive Order permitted the U.S. energy company Unocal to remain in the country. Unocal was subsequently purchased by Chevron which is still very much involved in Suu Kyi’s country.
It was reported by The Financial Times that a document prepared by the International Monetary Fund indicted the junta which used an accounting trick to keep $3.5 billion from the proceeds of the Unocal/Chevron natural gas pipeline off its account books. The finger immediately pointed towards the generals: had they simply pocketed the money or kept it in some fiscal paradise for bad days. The Financial Times alleged that that the ‘earnings’ of the junta were equivalent to 57% of Burma’s state budget. One now understands better the reluctance of the generals to change the ‘status quo’.
Will President Obama who condemned the junta for arresting Suu Kyi, put his nose into the oil or gas deals of the US companies? Probably not! The Americans are not the only ones involved.
The French company Total is very present there. While glamourous Bernard Koucher, the French Foreign Minister writes an Op-Ed in The New York Times (on June 12) fustigating the junta, business continues as usual. Kouchner writes: “Freedom from fear” resounds more than ever as a call for help at a time when the Burmese junta has initiated proceedings against her that are as absurd as they are unjustified. We are not fooled.”
Sounds good, isn’t it? He continues: “The thoughts of all those who admire and support her are with the ‘Lady of Yangon’, a woman full of dignity and finesse, energy and calm, intelligence and compassion.”
In 2003, the same Bernard Kouchner was commissioned by Total (as an independent consultant) to write a report on the company’s involvement in Burma. He had suggested that Total need not leave the country, but “must come out clearly in favour of democracy”.
Since then, Total has been very much involved with the oil and gas scene in Burma.
Here lies the hypocrisy lies. It is why there is little chance of any western (or Asian) pressure succeeding in getting Suu Kyi released.
As prosaically mentioned on Total’s website: “Unfortunately, the world’s oil and gas reserves are not necessarily located in democracies, as a glance at a map shows.”
Christophe de Margerie, Total’s CEO gave his group’s view in an article published by the French newspaper Le Monde on June 1: “We have heard your heartfelt cry and share your distress over the imprisonment in Rangoon of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. I have met her twice, and believe me when I say that her plight concerns me personally. …We use our “influence” whenever we can, but it is limited in Burma.”
And now the most important: “We can say without exaggeration that if Total were to withdraw from Myanmar, the companies that would rush to take our place would be far less concerned with upholding human rights and ensuring decent working conditions for employees. Their presence would in all likelihood increase, rather than shrink, the regime’s revenues.”
It clearly means: “if we go, China will come; they are worse than us.” Though this position is totally amoral, it makes a point. In any case, China is already there. Beijing has begun laying a gigantic 1,100 km long gas and oil pipeline to Myanmar last September. The Xinhua news agency stated that the oil pipeline could reduce the transport route by 1,200 km as compared to ocean shipping. It will also reduce China's reliance on the Straits of Malacca for oil import, with the risks involved.
It is only one of the hundreds of projects (such construction of hydroelectric dams) in which China is involved in Burma. One understands the clout of the Middle Kingdom which still promotes its ‘peaceful rise’ (one has recently witnessed the meaning of Beijing’s peaceful support in Sri Lanka’s war against the LTTE).


Where is India in this picture?
In 2007, India lost to China a 30-year gas concession from the junta. India will keep loosing to China, its diplomacy does not have the teeth of a sharky China. At the same time, India’s foreign policy has lost its moral foundation.
Suu Kyi’s family was close to India’s First Family. When Suu Kyi’ father was assassinated Nehru wrote: “I mourn Aung San, friend and comrade, who even in his youth had become the architect of Burmese freedom.” Young Suu Kyi was then two years old.
A few years later, in the early 1960’s, her mother Daw Khin Kyi was appointed Burma's ambassador to India. Suu Kyi, a young girl of fifteen with long thick plaits, joined Lady Sri Ram College in Delhi. She knew Indira and her sons well.
Today, everyone has forgotten her, one could say for a few drops of oil more, but it is not even true. And what about her old collegemates in LSR? Several of them are today in positions of influence, but they have also forgotten her. It is the tragedy of a world running on oil, not on Dharma.

Dams in China

One of the reasons why Beijing hesitates to divert the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) from Tibet to China!



Yellow River dams verge on collapse
from www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-19 10:54:30

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Several dams on branches of the Yellow River in northwestern China's Gansu Province are near collapse only one or two years after their construction.
Improper construction procedures, disqualified workers, embezzlement of construction funds and mismanagement of local water resource departments are threatening the safety of the dams, Friday's China Daily.
One dike more than 80-m long and 20-m high, built in 2006 in Yuanxian county on the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River, has developed a breach about 10 meters wide in the middle.
According to nearby villagers, at least five newly-built dams are in very fragile condition, the newspaper quoted China Youth Daily as saying.
All those dikes are part of the soil and water conservation project of the Yellow River under the management of the Ministry of Water Resources.
Most of the money for construction comes from the central government. With a length of 5,464 km, the Yellow River, dubbed the "mother river" of China, suffers the most serious soil erosion in the world, especially along its middle and upper reaches. The average amount of mud and sand washed into the river every year reaches 1.6 billion tons.
Earlier Xinhua reports said since 2003, China had poured a total of 83 billion yuan (12 billion U.S. dollars) into tackling soil erosion along the river and constructed more than 160,000 dams.
As flood season approaches in July, August and September, China's dam safety is coming under heavy pressure and inspections show many of them are not in good condition, Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei said last month.
China has the world's largest number of reservoirs, and 37,000 of them, or more than 40 percent of the country's total, are in potential danger. Of those, 3,642 dams are being reinforced and another 7,611 need immediate reinforcement.
From 1999 to 2008, a total of 59 dams were breached nationwide,30 caused by torrential rain and another 20 from quality defects, he said.

The Lady of Burma

She spent her 64th birthday in jail!

Interview with Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche

Three years ago, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche was elected with more than 90% of the votes as the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-exile in Dharamsala.
Though his second term will only be completed in August 2011, Prof. Rinpoche recently indicated that he was ready to leave his place to the younger generation. This was refused by the Dalai Lama who thought “it would send a wrong signal to the world community.”
Claude Arpi met the Prime Minister in Dharamsala and discussed some interesting developments in China: the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre held under tight surveillance in China and the recent publication of the biography of former Premier, Zhao Zyiang who frankly tells his side of the student protests’ story. Another surprising publication is the report of a group of independent Chinese lawyers who squarely put the blame for the 2008 unrest in Tibetan areas on the Chinese satraps in Tibet.
With the changing situation in China, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche sees a lot of hope for the future.


On Tiananmen
Claude Arpi: Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, twenty years after the Tiananmen massacre, how do you see the situation evolving in China?

Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche: I consider the Tiananmen massacre as a human tragedy. [It is special] in human history: [the fact that it happened] during the later part of the 20th century and that such a brutal massacre took place in front of the eyes of the entire humanity.
This tragedy was not like an ancient tragedy. Such tragedies used to happen, but they only got known after months or years. People came to know through messengers or letters, but at the time of Tiananmen, the communications and the information system were so developed, that whatever happened there, the world immediately knew.
My deception is not about the Chinese authorities; everyone knows that they are very brutal and that they can do anything and everything without any consideration for human values.
My regrets are about the entire world community who always speaks of human values, human rights, democracy, equality, value for human life, they did not do anything!
Not only were they unable to save innocent lives, but they did not sufficiently condemn this act. The world became a silent watcher over this brutal act.
There are two basic principles: “might is right” and “the survival of the fittest”. These principles govern the human life much more today than in the primitive age.
It is a very serious matter. How to explain this?
We think that we are modern, civilized, evolved beings living in the 21st century, but brutal injustice and worse-than-animal acts are happening everywhere. The so-called civilized community is unable to stop them, condemn them. We are unable even to prevent such action from happening.
Sometimes, I have a tendency to lose faith in humanity.

On the Chinese Report on the March-April 2008 events in Tibet
CA: Have you seen the recent Report prepared by a group of Chinese independent lawyers in which they analyze the events of March-April 2008 in Tibet?

SR: I have read a hurriedly-translated Tibetan version as I do not know Chinese language. It appeared to me that they have studied objectively, fearlessly, without any bias. They have therefore been able to find some of the indications, some of symptoms of the malady that Tibet has been suffering for the last 50 or 60 years. It is the first time that Chinese academicians have prepared such a study.
They have come out with facts and figures. It is a very important attempt to find out the truth. I believe that the truth cannot be set aside [always]. Truth can not forever be buried under false propaganda. Sooner or later it has to reveal itself. Now it starts.
Since last year, many Chinese intellectuals and ‘wise’ people have started to speak for the Tibetans, about the injustice which has been meted to us. It is quite surprising [to us] that at least 500 important articles have been published in various newspapers, periodicals as well as on Internet. All of them speaking the truth and trying to find out what was the real cause [of the Tibetan issue]. These are really wonderful reports.

CA: Is it a sign of hope? Do you believe that something is changing in China?

SR: A great deal is changing in China. First of all, the Chinese people begin to think: “What are the facts? Where is the truth?” Amongst the Chinese intellectuals, they regain the determination and the fearlessness which had disappeared from China since a long period of time.

CA: After the movements like the Cultural Revolution?

SR: Yes, after the Cultural Revolution and the [different] cleansing of people and other such movements. The faith and the courage of people had been destroyed. This is a sign that the lost courage and objectiveness is coming back, the courage to look for the truth. This tendency is not returning in a small way, not with few exceptional people only; it is coming on a very large scale. As I said, we have noticed more than 500 articles in a year. There must be much more, because we do not have access to all local or smaller publications. It means that there is a quick awakening.
Although the international community (meaning the governments, I am not speaking of the civil society) are not able to speak the truth, the ordinary people (in this case the Chinese) are speaking.

CA: Are you not disappointed when Ms Nancy Pellozi, the Speaker of the US Congress goes to China and does not mention Tibet, while when in Dharamsala, she had promised to help?

SR: I don’t think that she did not mention Tibet. I just received some reports [of her visit]. In a statement, the word ‘Tibet’ was mentioned 9 times. She has also handed over [to the Chinese authorities] a list of political prisoners and asked for their immediate and unconditional release. After her return, she explained that the purpose of her visit was for the environment and global warming, not human rights or political issues. Despite this she spoke about Tibet.

CA: The first report said that she did not speak about Tibet

SR: Yes, I also have heard this. Some reports said that she did not mention Tibet, but I understand that she did mention it.

CA: The Chinese Lawyer’s Report speaks of a new Aristocracy in China which is creating most of the problems in Tibet and the other so-called nationalities areas. The characteristic of these people is that they are only faithful to the Party, not to the people. What are your views on this?

SR: It is very true. There is a small segment of people with unlimited financial and other powers given to them by the Central Government [Beijing]. They are surviving only in the name of fighting the separatist (or splittists in their jargon). They do not want any progress in the dialogue between His Holiness [the Dalai Lama] and the Central Government [of China]. They fear that if there is a settlement, their power and importance will be lost. But this kind of people is not even faithful to the Party and the Central Government. They are only faithful to their own benefits.

CA: Is the Central leadership, the Politburo aware of the role played by this 'new aristocracy'?

SR: I can’t say, though I am sure that some people of the Politburo are aware, but they are helpless. There is such a caucus, such a network of dishonest and vested-interest people, that the few who know the reality are not able to speak out.

CA: Did you read former Chinese Premier Zhao Zhyiang’s Memoirs?


SR: I have not read them, but I have seen reviews in the newspapers.
But I look forward to reading them, because he speaks the truth about what happened at the time of Tiananmen. The book has come out very timely.

CA: When you see this new wave of openness, do you feel that there is some hope for Tibet?

SR: Yes, yes! There are for me two reasons to hope.
First, there is an awakening, there is resurrection of courage and fearlessness, amongst many people in China. That is why His Holiness says that we have to reach out to the Chinese people. We have never lost our faith in the Chinese people, although our faith in the present leadership has reduced. Our faith in people remains the same. So this reawakening, this new wisdom is one reason justifying my hope.
The other reason is that the leadership has become very arrogant, very proud. If you compare with Mao Zedong’s or Deng Xiaoping ’s period, there was then some kind of human behavior. Today, the leadership does not know what is happening on the ground, they do not know what they are speaking about. They are proud, arrogant and they have cut themselves from the reality, from the people. It is a sign of forthcoming fall. Look at the Mahabharata or the Ramayana, before falling down, Ravana becomes so arrogant and self-confident, it is the sign that he is soon going to fall.
This sort of sign appears in the Chinese leadership. When they say that His Holiness is a ‘wolf in monk’s robe’ or things like that, any civilized people, whether enemy or opponent, do not use this type of language.

CA: Do you mean to say that if they were in a position of strength they would not use this language.
SR: Yes, they would not. It is because they are weak and they do not know the reality.

An Interesting Report

A group of Chinese independent lawyers has just published an interesting report entitled: "An investigative report into the social and economic causes of the 3.14 incident in Tibetan areas"

The Report has been prepared by the Gongmeng Law Research Center in Beijing (Contributors: Li Kun, Huang Li, Li Xiang; Research: Li Kun, Huang Li, Li Xiang, Wang Hongzhe)

Here is some of their conclusions and recommendations:

For the sake of the long-term harmony and unity of the state, the 3.14 [March 14, 2008] incident in Tibet is worthy of our deep reflection. If external factors alone are emphasized and we ignore reflections upon internal social and political structures, this would be irresponsible to the long-term interests of the state. Against the great background of modernization, although there have been great developments to the economy in Tibetan areas, compared to other provinces, other countries, and even ordinary people of other nationalities living in Tibetan areas, it is still evidently backward. This is particularly so when more and more people from elsewhere are acquiring great wealth in Tibetan areas, and unintentionally creating a sense of relative deprivation. At the same time, religious traditions have come under attack from modernization, and many young Tibetans have been cast into a state of puzzlement and confusion. Behind all of these questions lies an urgent problem, and that is the problems in our country’s political structures. Power relations from top to bottom have created a group of local Tibetan cadres who use the resources of authority that come to them from above in order to build a complex network of contacts in nationality areas, where the state’s economic assistance largely becomes used for career projects for the few, or for the personal wealth of the few. They are not good at facing the masses, not good at facing a society in the process of development and with a plurality of thought, and they frequently stir up social contradictions and then hope that the central government will foot the bill. Ordinary Tibetans have a far keener and evident sense of deprivation than any sense of government help, and like many people living in provinces in the interior, are deeply discontented with the local power-brokers. This accumulation of frustration and anger over a long period of time with the added fuses of religion and external forces led to the 3.14 incident.
We believe that at present, there is no factual basis for the “extinction of Tibet” as described by some. In the main, Han-Tibetan relations are good. However, following the chaos of 3.14 in Tibetan areas we discovered that there are many prominent contradictions and hardships in society in Tibetan areas. We tried to understand this situation by means of research and documentary analysis, and to understand the living conditions of the masses in Tibetan areas. This report is only the reflection of a merest glimpse, and such perspectives can in no way cover all of the issues facing Tibetan areas. However, it has been based on the intention to understand the changes taking place in Tibetan areas, and at the same it is hoped that it will bring about further and ever more detailed exploration.
We call for ethnic relations of “unity, equality, mutual assistance, harmony and people first,” and “a unified multi-ethnic joint struggle, common construction, common prosperity and shared success.” The prerequisite is for the government to fully recognize the citizen status of ordinary people in Tibetan areas, to ensure the rights and interests of ordinary Tibetan people, and that conceptual thinking needs to adapt to the social reality of Tibetan areas in a period of rapid modernization, where it is hoped to be able to be unencumbered by current ideological frameworks to broaden horizons and make policy breakthroughs.
In focusing its research on the social factors of the “3.14 incident,” the research panel presents the following suggestions:

1. Earnestly listen to the voices of ordinary Tibetans and on the basis of respecting and protecting each of the Tibetan people’s rights and interests, adjust policy and thinking in Tibetan areas to formulate development policies which are suited to the characteristics of Tibetan areas, and which accord with the wishes of the Tibetan people.

2. Guide the rational development of economic structures in Tibetan areas, paying particular attention to guiding all Tibetans to share in acquiring ample benefits from opportunity and development. Pay attention to nurturing local economic entities; in the process of support, pay close attention to changing the degree of serious inequalities, reducing the discrepancy between urban and rural rich and poor in Tibetan areas; extend the scope of Aid Tibet to Tibetan autonomous areas outside Tibet. Continue the model of economic development based on a combination of financial aid, technical assistance and human resource expertise, and adopt measures to attract foreign investment at the same time as taking appropriate measures to protect local industries. In the labor market pay close attention to fully protecting the employment rights of Tibetan people. In farming and nomadic regions within Tibetan areas, promote support and protections which benefit the individual.

3. Increase effective supervision over local power structures in the implementation of regional ethnic autonomy policies, and speed up the process of democratizing power structures. End tolerance of corruption, poor administrative abilities and dereliction of duty which is apparent in government in Tibetan areas, and in particular of those officials who suppress local social problems in the name of “anti-splittism.” Establish more rational and democratic selection policies for Tibetan cadres in order to optimize current cadre structures.

4. Pay close attention to the living situation of young Tibetans, and with the greatest good faith resolve current education problems in Tibetan areas, particularly the problems of rural education and education for farmers and nomads, and by means of subsidies and guidance entice children to complete nine-year compulsory education. Continue to develop and encourage training mechanisms for highly skilled personnel in Tibetan areas, and to optimize specialized knowledge structures among college students. Speed up and improve grass-roots professional technical education in Tibetan areas, and using the method of joint work and study as used in schools in the eastern provinces, allow Tibetan students to set out and increase the degree of training in schools’ high-tech content and training in practical production in Tibetan areas, in order to train up skilled workers and eliminate all barriers for encouraging varied Tibetan employment and entrepreneurship. Particular attention should be paid in school education on extending and developing appropriate content on Tibetan history and culture, and increasing the civic awareness content of the training. Education and training must be regarded as the most important long-term resolution to the question of Tibetan areas.

5. Fully respect and protect the Tibetan people’s freedom of religious belief, resuming and supporting normal religious lives and activities. Fully recognize the important significance of religion and a religious life to Tibetan areas and to the Tibetan people. In the area of culture and religion, make best use of the situation and pay close attention to the role of religious authority. Respect and resume normal religious activities such as Dharma events, the practice of traveling to study, receiving teachings, and the monastic examination hierarchy. Pay close attention to protecting the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism. Fully protect and respect the Tibetan people’s religious sentiment in propaganda activities.

6. When resolving problems in Tibetan areas, thinking must be transformed; adopt appropriate measures and thinking which is more positive and wise. With the guiding thought of facilitation, understanding and integration, reduce inter-ethnic prejudice, ignorance and injury. When handling sudden incidents, change the overly-strong attitude of “from top to bottom,” and wisely mobilize positive forces in Tibetan areas (such as religious forces) to solve them.

7. Promote rule of law in governance processes in Tibetan areas. Urge the introduction of laws and regulations as represented by ordinances in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other autonomous areas, to change the current status quo of a lack of lower laws since the promulgation of the Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law. Regulate the ownership rights and disposal rights of key natural resources. Encourage positive expert participation in advising and discussing all aspects of policy in Tibetan areas.

8. When upholding and propagandizing construction to the state of ethnic unity, propagandize the successes of reform and opening up in Tibetan areas instead of depicting the past system of serfdom. At the same time as manifesting the vitality of development, admit to the social problems facing Tibet. Be vigilant against the dark racist waves of secession and ethnic revenge.

9. When handling crisis situations, it must first be discerned whether there is a social problem, an economic problem, or a religious problem, with different problems having different means of being handled. The central government should be in the position of “arbiter,” and maintain a distinction to the best of their ability from local officials’ inappropriate conduct. Sensitive incidents should be “de-sensitized” to the greatest degree.

To read the full Report, visit http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/ict-news-reports/bold-report-beijing-scholars-reveals-breakdown-china%E2%80%99s-tibet-policy

And the tanks rolled down the Square...

June 4, 2009

he last twenty years have witnessed a sea of changes in the world; the emerging of new power centres in Asia, the global threat of climate change and the planetary economic crisis to name a few. China too has gone through tremendous changes. The Middle Kingdom has become an economic power to reckon with; some even say that it will be the 21st century's superpower. However, it is still suffering from a deep scar, the reigning party killed thousands of its own children on Tiananmen Square at dawn on June 4, 1989. Today, the regime in Beijing is not ready to admit to any wrong doing and even less to consider changes in its policies.

Read on...

Who was this man?