Forwarded by: DEBRA@OLN.comlink.apc.org (Debra Guzman)

Source: Voice of America

DATE=8/21/95

TITLE=CHINA / TIBET (L-O)

BYLINE=GIL BUTLER

DATELINE=BEIJING

INTRO: CHINA CONTINUES TO CRITICIZE TIBET'S DALAI LAMA FOR WHAT IT SAYS ARE HIS ATTEMPTS TO SPLIT THE COUNTRY BY BACKING TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE. V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER REPORTS FROM BEIJING A CHINESE OFFICIAL WHO DEALS WITH TIBETAN ISSUES ALSO REJECTED THE DALAI LAMA'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE REINCARNATION OF THE SECOND RANKING LAMA, THE PANCHEN LAMA, HAD BEEN FOUND.

TEXT: LAST MAY, THE DALAI LAMA ANNOUNCED THAT THE 11TH PANCHEN LAMA HAD BEEN FOUND -- HE IDENTIFIED HIM AS A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY NAMED GEDHUN CHOSKYI NYIMA. SINCE THE DEATH OF THE PANCHEN LAMA IN 1989, TIBETAN BUDDHISTS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A REINCARNATION.

AT THE TIME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT, CHINA LAUNCHED AN ALL-OUT ATTACK ON THE DALAI LAMA AND SAID HE HAD FAILED TO FOLLOW PROPER RELIGIOUS TRADITION OR TO GET CENTRAL CHINESE GOVERNMENT APPROVAL OF THE NEW PANCHEN LAMA.

NOW, A SENIOR OFFICIAL BRIEFING FOREIGN REPORTERS ON CHINESE VIEWS OF THE TIBET ISSUE HAS RENEWED THE ATTACK. DESPITE REPEATED QUESTIONING THE OFFICIAL ALSO REFUSED TO REVEAL THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY. HE SAID THE ABBOT OF THE PANCHEN LAMA MONASTERY WAS UNDERGOING TREATMENT AT A HOSPITAL BUT REFUSED TO SAY WHERE.

ANOTHER CHINESE OFFICIAL SAID NEITHER IS UNDER HOUSE ARREST OR IN HIS WORDS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

CHINESE AUTHORITIES MAINTAIN THEIR FINAL SAY IN SELECTION OF TIBETAN LIVING BUDDHAS OR LAMAS IS WELL-ESTABLISHED, GOING BACK TO THE MING DYNASTY.

THE SENIOR OFFICIAL SAID THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE SELECTIONS OF A NEW PANCHEN LAMA HAS NOT YET COMPLETED ITS TASK. HE NOTED THAT SELECTION OF THE PANCHEN LAMA, WHO DIED IN 1989, HAD TAKEN 12 YEARS.

ON OTHER TIBETAN ISSUES, THE OFFICIAL GAVE STATISTICS HE SAID SHOWED GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIVING STANDARD OF TIBETANS AND HE REPEATED CHINESE GOVERNMENT DENIALS THAT AN INFLUX OF ETHNIC HAN CHINESE HAS TURNED TIBETANS INTO A MINORITY IN TIBET.

THE OFFICIAL SAID THE TEMPORARY IMMIGRATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL HAN CHINESE TO THE AUTONOMOUS REGION WAS WELCOMED BY TIBETANS. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT GIVES INCOME SUBSIDIES TO WORKERS AND COMMUNIST PARTY CADRES (OR MEMBERS) WHO WORK IN TIBET.

ASKED IF IT IS TRUE THAT CHINA IS REFUSING VISAS TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN TO GROUPS ADVOCATING TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE, HE REPLIED THAT IS NOT ONLY THE POLICY OF CHINA BUT IN HIS WORDS, "NO GOVERNMENT WOULD WELCOME PEOPLE TRYING TO SPLIT THE MOTHERLAND."

(SIGNED)

NEB/GB/TMS-T/SKH

21-Aug-95 7:31 AM EDT (1131 UTC) NNNN