Dharamshala: In response to the Chinese Government 'White Paper', the Tibetan Administration on Wednesday said the massive wave of self-immolation protests against Chinese rule is sending an "unequivocal" political message to the world about the failed policies in Tibet."The white paper issued by the Chinese government on 22 October is replete with information about Chinese state investment towards development in Tibet," said information Kalon Dicki Chhoyang of the Central Tibetan Administration.
"Yet, the 121 self- immolations that have taken place in Tibetan areas since 2009 as a form of political protest send an unequivocal message to the world that the policies in Tibet have failed to address the aspirations of the Tibetan people," she added.
She said that Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, the US, the UK and Iceland raised their concerns on the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet.
"They pressed China over its systematic attempts to undermine the rights to freedom of religion, culture and expression and recommended China take necessary measures to ensure that the rights of Tibetans and other ethnic minorities are fully observed and protected. Furthermore China, they said should facilitate visits of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Procedures to assess the real situation in Tibet," Kalon Dicki added.
Kolan Dicki's response came after a Chinese official white paper claimed Tibetan people are "happy and healthy" and China has no intention of altering its "correct" policies in the restive region of Tibet as it has brought unprecedented achievements.
A total of 121 Tibetans in Tibet however have so far burned themselves in protest against Beijing's failed policies in Tibet. They called for freedom for Tibetan people and the return of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.
In a lengthy policy paper carried by the Chinese state controlled media 'Xinhua news agency', the government said that Tibet under Chinese rule had achieved a great deal. "Today's Tibet is developing economically, making progress politically, has a flourishing culture, a harmonious society and a good environment; its people are happy and healthy," it said, adding "Tibet's development cannot be separated from this correct path."
The white paper rejected the criticism that it is eroding Tibetan culture and faith, saying that "any fair-minded person would be filled with amazement" at the advancements China has bought to Tibet. It repeated China's assertion that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is intent on pushing for Tibet's independence to sabotage its development and stability.
"There are some others in the world who intentionally distort the past and present of Tibet due to their ideological bias or out of consideration for their self interests. They created a 'Shangri-La' myth, wishing to keep Tibet in a backward primitive state forever," the white paper added.
In january, the Central Tibetan Administration issued its own white paper entitled "Why Tibet Is Burning" on the fundamental reasons for the increasing number of self-immolations in Tibet.
The official paper stated that "the reason lies in China's massive policy failure in Tibet over the course of more than 60 years of its rule. The revolution that is brewing in Tibet is driven by political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, economic marginalisation and environmental destruction."
"China's failure to solve the fundamental problem of its rule in Tibet was foreseen in the early days of Chinese rule in Tibet by eminent Tibetan leaders working within the Chinese communist establishment," the Tibetan paper added, saying "as far back as the early 1960s, these Tibetan leaders strongly decried Chinese communist rule."
The White Paper on Self-Immolations stated "many Tibetan intellectuals and cadres who work in the communist establishment in Tibet make their judgment of Chinese communist rule in these terms:
"In the first 10 years (1950-60) we lost our land (i.e. communist China invaded Tibet). In the second 10 years (1960-70) we lost political power (the government of old Tibet was replaced by the communist establishment). In the third 10 years (1970-1980) we lost our culture (the Cultural Revolution destroyed Tibet's traditional beliefs). In the fourth 10 years (1980-90) we lost our economy (Chinese settlers took over the job market in Tibet)."
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