Immediate Release

August 31, 1995

From: World Tibet Network News, Friday, September 1, 1995

Tibetans in and outside Tibet strongly condemn the Chinese celebration of the 30th anniversary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region. On 9 September 1965, China formally declared the truncation of Tibet. Tibet which was traditionally made up of three large provinces of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo was from that date to consist only of U-Tsang and the Chamdo part of Kham and was to be called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Qinghai, consisting of the major portion of Amdo, was made a separate Chinese province. The remaining parts of Amdo and Kham provinces were fragmented further and made parts of the neigbouring Chinese provinces of Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan.

In September this year China celebrates the 30th anniversary of this event with special fanfare. But it cannot escape this being seen as a vain attempt to legitimise its colonial rule over Tibet. Tibetans see no reason to celebrate the event which marks the loss of their national independence and territorial integrity. Compelling the Tibetans to celebrate the fragmentation and truncation of their country is an affront to their personal and national dignity.

Tibetans all over the world in exile condemn the celebrations and see it as no more than a public relations exercise designed to try to legitimise Chinese rule over Tibet. The so called anniversary celebrations is celebrations only in name. Tibetans in Tibet are subjected to a high degree of control regarding their rights of movement. Even Tibetans within Lhasa have to remain within the confines of their residential areas. Only those trained to play specific role models for a stage-managed "celebrations" are allowed to take part. Tibet remains effectively cut-off for tourism for fear of Tibetan demonstration against the imposition of this celebration.

China would no doubt use the event to intimidate the Tibetans with shows of strength and ruthlessness. Past experience tells us that there will be a large number of arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detentions and merciless repressions around the time of the celebrations. For the Tibetans, the event would be a time to reflect on more than 35 years of Chinese repression and destructions and their very adverse effects on the Tibetan national, political and geographical identity and the state of their human rights situation today.

Tenzin P. Atisha

Joint Secretary

Department of Information and International Relations

Central Tibetan Administration,

Gangchen Kyishong

Dharamsala-176215

H.P. India