Published by: World Tibet Network News Friday - October - 3, 1997

BEIJING, Oct 2 (AFP) - China has completed the main construction work for a museum of Tibetan history that will prove the troubled region has always been a part of China, its official news agency said Thursday. Due to open at the end of 1998, the museum in the Tibetan capital will show why independence from China -- which took control in 1951 -- has no basis and is impossible, Xinhua said

"The Tibet Museum will contain many relics and records that prove Tibet has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times," said Yang Chuantang, vice-chairman of the Tibetan government. "Let various rumours fabricated by western anti-China forces and the Dalai clique declare their own intellectual bankruptcy in the face of iron-clad proof," he added

Although China claims its control over Tibet dates from the 13th century, it did not take full control of the region until 1951. Eight years later, the Tibetans rose up against their Chinese rulers and although the revolt was quickly extinguished, the Dalai Lama -- who is Tibet's God-King -- escaped to India

Since then, the Dala Lama has slowly built up international support for the region and has publicized Chinese attempts to destroy loyalty towards him by forcibly closing monasteries and imprisoning those who dare to speak out. China says religion holds back development in the region and kept the Tibetan people under subjugation until they were "liberated" some 46 years ago. "The museum will display a number of revolutionary relics from the past four decades to reflect the tremendous changes in the region since the complete abolition of serfdom," Yang said. "It will serve as a major base for education of patriotism in Tibet," he added