AsiaNews.it
Tibet: Maoist propaganda back in vogue
Beijing sends one million Chinese flags, portraits of leaders in power and about 20 thousand Han officials to the region in order to "teach Tibetan villagers love for the motherland." The monasteries defy the order and refuse to display the Chinese symbols.
Dharamsala (AsiaNews) - To celebrate the Lunar New Year, in Tibet, Beijing has sent about a million Chinese flags and tens of thousands of portraits of the leaders of the party, with the order to display them in Buddhist temples, schools and places of public meeting. In addition, dennounces Phayul, the new deployment of 20 thousand Chinese Han is about to begin in the high planes: they must "teach the Tibetan love for the motherland."
After the 16 self-immolation of Buddhist monks and the different manifestations bloodily suppressed, the Chinese central government seems to have decided to try the path of Maoist propaganda. Some analysts had pinned hopes on the new Communist secretary of the zone, Chen Quanguo, but this material shows that the policy of "9 obligations" remain in force.
This policy consists of a list of objects that all places of worship and education must display: among them, the flag, portraits of leaders and a copy of the People's Daily. According to the Tibetans, however, it is a violation of their identity and an insult to their religion: many, some sources say, challenge the government and do not put these objects on display.
Of greater concern however, is the Communist leaders sending 20 thousand Han into Tibetan villages. According to Beijing's orders, these will remain in the area for at least a year to "teach love for the motherland" and "bring to reason back to the Tibetans minds."