Dharamsala, December 21, 1994. As international pressure on China mounts regarding violations of religious freedom, the central government in Beijing has reportedly issued a confidential internal document indicating that the action taken by the provincial government in the Tibet Autonomous Region [TAR] banning the Dalai Lama's photograph and issuing restrictions on religious practices, including barring Tibetan cadres and communist party members from displaying photos of the Dalai Lama, went too far. Sources have said that the document is being carefully studied by the authorities in the TAR. However, the ban on putting the Dalai Lama's photograph on altars in monasteries and homes as well as the restrictions issued to the monasteries may not be lifted despite the confidential document received from Beijing. A recent arrival from Shigatse said that the Public Security Department, with assistance from the Propaganda Department, has been using a mounted loudspeaker vehicle to announce the ban on displaying the

Dalai Lama's photograph. In other areas like the Phenpo Lhundup district, Tibetans were told to burn the Dalai Lama's photo. Attempting to nullifying the actions taken by the TAR government may prove embarrassing for the authorities, therefore, Beijing has chosen not to publicize the document. However, not wishing such initiatives to go to waste, the central government has instructed the monasteries to be stricter in their recruitment policies of new novices. Government authorities believe that the monasteries are the main source for bolstering Tibetan nationalism and the on-going independence movement in Tibet. As a result, in early November this year Chinese authorities sent a Work Team to Ganden Monastery to investigate whether all the monks in residence were holding permits (residence cards) authorizing them to be at the monastery. Monks found to be without permits were told to leave the premises immediately. The authorities divide the monasteries into two categories: those involved in the independence

movement and those that are not. Ganden Monastery is considered to be in the first category. It is evident that the TAR administration is not prepared to relinquish any mof its authority over the monasteries. The Democratic Management Committee has recently been given enhanced power to tighten control over the monasteries. The committee operates as the monastic eyes and ears of the Public Security Bureau. It also controls the finances of the monasteries. Money offered on monastery altars by local worshippers is calculated daily and individual donations received by the monasteries are put directly into an account held by the Bureau of Religious Affairs. The monasteries cannot withdraw funds without approval by the Bureau. Monks are not privy to the amount of money deposited into these accounts. The Chinese Communist Party believes that "the heavy religious burden imposed on the people prevents them from developing production and improving their standard of living." However, authorities have failed to take not

ice of, or at least failed to acknowledge, the voluntary contribution made by the Tibetan people to provide free labor for the reconstruction of the monasteries destroyed by the Chinese. At a recent meeting in Lhasa held on November 10, 1994 Tibetan Communist Party Members were told that "The concept of freedom of religion which the West propagates is totally different from that of the People's Republic China. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the code of the Communist Party is above the constitution. It [the Party] should put the common interest of all of the laboring people as its first priority, and should not allow the religious problem to affect the solidarity of the laboring people." (EuroTibet News N·9)