Why Rebiya Kadeer is not the Dalai Lama. Why Xinjiang is not Tibet.

There has been almost a month since the tumultuous and bloody events in early July in Xinjiang.
It was a very important and thought provoking event with many complex reasons and implications.
Quite deservedly there have been many commentaries and analysis.
Unlike the events from March last year when for quite sometime Tibetans rose up in different parts of Tibetan territories for quite some time. Which prompted heavy military crush of the dissent,
and troubles during the international Olympic torch relay, which in turn spurred unseen nationalistic surge among the Han Chinese, the bloody events in Urumqi did not last for that long, and did not cause quite the effect of last years events.
But both events have their shared similarities, but also there are many differences as well.
I also have been thinking about the events, I'll try to express a few of my thoughts about the question...

Firstly,a really must-read post at the very good China blog "the China Beat":

The Urumchi Unrest Revisited
http://thechinabeat.blogspot.com/2009/07/reflecting-on-urumchi-events.html
(for those of you in China, since this is a blog on blocked by Chinese authorities site, i.e. the same one as my blog's, this link can be only opened by proxy or another means of circumvention of the Great Firewall)

A good post by Evan Osnos about the re-drawal of two Chinese film directors from Melbourn film festival...
Jia Zhangke and Rebiya Kadeer
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2009/07/jia-zhangke-rebiya-kadeer.html

In the usual (and extremely imbecile) way Chinese local and central authorities said the ethnic and race violence in Urumqi was "an organised and plotted act by foreign hostile forces, lead by the "terrorist" Rabia Kadder".
That's a claim that the Chinese CG claims to have prove of, but has yet to provide evidence of, but we can reasonably doubt such claim's credibility.
The parallel with last year is obvious. Dalai Lama (and "his separatist forces") was said to have plotted the demonstrations, violence and riots of the Tibetans. A claim that the Chinese authorities NEVER really showed a prove of.


In recent days, after the bloodbath in Urumqi took place, a scheduled appearance of Rebia Kadeer, a famous Uigur exile, at an Australian (Melbourne) film festival, that is to screen on the 8th of August a documentary about her, prompted a very interesting aftermath of the events.
Kadeer is due to attend the August 8 launch in Melbourne of the documentary "10 Conditions of Love", which depicts her life story and which prompted Chinese attempts to have it pulled from the city's film festival.
After trying to "convince" Melbourne Film festival's organisers to cancel the screening of the film (through it's embassy and other official channels), and after mainland Chinese director's withdrew their films from the festival, China's foreign ministry officially complained to Japan for allowing a visit by Kabeer,
and has also complained to Australia over the planned visit next week at the festival by Kadeer, the foreign affairs department in Canberra said Wednesday.
All this cannot but remind us of Chinese reactions and actions towards the international visits of Tibet's exiled leader HHDL Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama) and the diplomatic attempts of the Chinese government to pressure foreign governments.
Dalai Lama has just received an honorary citizenship from the city of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.
(I suggest every capital in the free democratic world follow up and give him one!)

By the way, Kadeer on Tuesday drew support from the Dalai Lama, who told an audience in Warsaw that Kadeer shared his belief in non-violence and was not seeking a separate state.
Speaking on the Xinjiang situation, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said: "Using force, this will never bring genuine harmony. Harmony must come based on trust, and trust you cannot bring by a gun."

While both the Dalai Lama and Kadder are exiles, and while both lobby for western sympathy and while both are finger-pointed at by the Chinese, I believe that putting the Dalai Lama and Kadeer under the same sign is not correct.
I have no knowledge if and to what extend the framed "plotter-terrorist" Uigur exile is actually the Uigurs leader (whatever that means). That she has taken the role of one is perhaps true, but if she has the qualifications and the authority to do so is another question.
The Dalai Lama's person is something else. After my recent trip to Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) and to Tibetan areas, I have no doubt that he is in fact very revered by the Tibetans. In fact by every Tibetan I met or had opportunity to speak to.
(But that will be a subject of another post...)

During my recent trip to Tibetan areas through observation and talks with local people I have had many insights into some sides of the deep problems that exists with China's failed policies as regards to Tibet.

I believe that the same mechanism is also relative for Xinjiang. I was already in Tibet when the recent violent events in Xinjiang unfolded.
No doubt despite differences this instance of ethnic violence and the events from last year's March events in Tibet both have connection with the failed policies of the central and Local governments...
No doubt the ethnic problem is one of the very serious problems China has and is still to face up to in future...

In Lhasa almost every 50 meters in the Tibetan part of town there are military (armed) patrols. On roofs at strategic points in the old quarter of Lhasa, where I lived while I stayed in the city, and also at temples there were soldiers. On the road from Shigatse towards Lhasa I became witness to military presence on the Lhasa-Shigatse highway for a stretch of at least 150 km. (We learned that the Panchen Lama very controversial elected by the Chinese governement, and who is obviously not accepted by the Tibetans, was scheduled to go to Tashilumpo, a monastery-residence of the Panchen Lamas.)
Every 50 meters on the highway from Shigatse towards Lhasa there stood an armed soldier! I saw at least several convoys of total at least 150 military trucks heading inside Tibet. I saw at least one freight train carrying among other things at least one tank (that could be meant for the border)...*
Outside TAR, in Qinghai province (and I heard all other provinces that have Tibetan population) every Tibetan town has troops armed with heavy sticks that make show drills on the streets...
At least 80 percent of the city of Lhasa is now de facto Han Chinese.
For instance at least 80 % of the taxi drivers in Lhasa were Han. On the train to Lhasa at least 80% of the passengers (especially the hard seats) were migrant Han Chinese workers. Most Tibetans cannot even afford (or be able to buy a ticket for) a hard seat. Most Tibetans apart from pilgrimage to holy sites actually don't seem to want to go anywhere. (Those who want are not alowed. For isnstance Tibetans usualy cannot obtain an international passport.)
In both directions to and from Lhasa there were hardly any Tibetans! This if not anything else proves that building the railway to Lhasa is not a contribution to the development of Tibet, it is not to the benefit of Tibetans, but merely it is to facilitate its colonization and make it quicker!

To me all the above no doubt looks like an occupation and colonization.
In view of the situation I somehow think Tibetans' anger is understandable...(Violence of course is not excusable for any reason...)

I don't support violence, but I'm definitely not supportive of the
China's nation building methods...nor do I think that if everything
was so harmonious as the government claims is there will be a need of such military intimidation. People have a boiling frustration and it will inevitably erupt. China no doubt has the means (military might) to quash any riot or even uprising...

No doubt Tibet now is part of China. So is Xinjiang.
I'm not so informed about the political, historic and cultural
background of Xinjiang, and since I have never been there I don't feel authorised to express much opinion...
But as regards Tibet, I have made an effort to acquaint myself as best I can...There are many similarities in the reasons for the ethnic tension and violent outbursts.

Some have drawn parallels between the violence this month in Urumqi and last years' Tibetan riots in Lhasa. In fact there are many, but also each has it's own reasons and background that sets it clearly apart from the other.
The biggest similarity perhaps is that both instances of ethnic violence were brought by the suppression of a demonstration. In Lhasa last year BEFORE the violence unleashed, before
angry Tibetans burned, beat and killed Han Chinese, there were several peaceful protests which forceful suppression led to the violence.
I have no doubt that there was a demonstration. I have no doubt it was a peaceful one.
The problem is that the demonstration showed dissent. To differ from the official line is equal to a crime. Hence all dissent should and is crushed.
In Tibet, possession of a picture of the Dalai Lama is punished by two years of prison.
Or so I have been told by Tibetans during my last trip.

Obviously demonstrating in China is almost equal to suicide. Especially if it is a political one. (Biggest example Chinese government ordered fire against unarmed civilians 20 years ago in Beijing. For a nation simply obsessed with history, it enrages me how ignorant and apathetic young Chinese are towards this part of their nations history!)
Or if it questions the rule of the Party in some way.

Intimidation and suppression of religious believes and their free practice, the marginalization of indigenous ethnic group whose native land is over flooded
by outsiders (migrant workers, etc), assimilation...
I think all of those and more are shared problems not only of Tibetans and Uigurs but (I suspect) by all other many minorities.
The difference between Tibetans and Uigurs and all the rest of the minorities is that Tibetans and Uigurs live on VAST territories that China will
NEVER surrender. These territories have mineral resources yet to be exploited by the Chinese. Most importantly, these territories are borders!
Another important part is that for very clear historical reasons those territories have NOT been a part of the former Chinese empires for VERY long periods of time.
In the case of Xinjiang, my knowledge of history makes me conclude that while the territory which is now included in the Autonomous region of Xinjiang was not part of Chinese empires,
it was NEVER a country, but a dozen of different independent kingdoms. So, objectively and historically speaking, if we have to take this into account, Uigurs CANNOT have the right to claim an independent country
on the whole territory that is Xinjiang...(Not sure of a possible legitimacy of a much smaller Uigur state)
So, in short, while Xinjiang was indeed forced by military force into entering the new Chinese state at the end of the (last) Qing dynasty, this invasion, colonization, etc. is not one of an independent country.

All that, however, does not nullify the fact that the Uigurs (and other Muslim minorities) have been systematically oppressed, their rights violated.
And it doesn't mean that Chinese Central Government (I intently never use Communist when I refer to China, since I don't believe communist should be misused as a bad word, and most importantly I don't believe
that the Chinese government is actually communist at all...)
Since I do not really know very well the situation in Xinjiang and most of the background is very vague for me, I cannot have the
qualification to comment on the events around 5th of July that led to the ethnic bloodbath between Uigurs and Han Chinese...
There are similarities in many points though.
One similarity is that the Chinese government (AGAIN!) without acknowledging its failed policies that have most probably let to the build up before the
erupted violent outburst is again trying to put the blame on "outside malicious plotting forces", and more specifically pointing it's finger at one single person. This time
it is a woman, a mother and grandmother of a dozen, who has been a dissident and exile. Some news agencies have called her leader of the Uigurs. Hm, I am not sure that she is in fact recognised by the Uigurs themselves as such...
In difference with Dalai Lama, who is IN FACT, really the Tibetans leader (at least most Tibetans think so), she is most probably made more popular by the Chinese efforts to put the
blame on "outside plotters"...Whatever her agenda might be, I find it hard to believe this woman is a violence and organised murder plotter and leader of a terrorist organization, as the Chinese Government claims her to be...
But as I said I am not aware about her real stature among Uigurs...so I have no way of knowing how cursing and blaming her, and finger-pointing at her will work...
As for the Dalai Lama. Finger-pointing at him, banning his image and making monks and nuns renounce him will only make his person all the more loved and revered among Tibetans, and in an ironic way this repression will lead to the formation of even stronger Tibetan identity...something the CCP and the central government really doesn't wish for...It has quite the reverse effect actually...
In Tibetan parts of Qinghai and Gansu Provinces (which are actually Amdo Tibetan territory) in Tibetan Buddhist temples monks defiantly display the exiled spiritual leader's photos! It is to be noted that in Tibetan temples and monasteries portraits of spiritual leaders and teachers are a necessary part of the prayer altars. That's a very distinctive part of their religious culture and tradition. The display of images of past and current reincarnations of living Buddhas or of great teachers is very central to their believe and ritual. Hence to display the image of the Dalai Lama is very much in line with this tradition and religious ritual. The Chinese government had the very counterproductive and unwise policy of banning his portrait. This is very strictly upheld in TAR, but I have seen (quite astonished) that this order is overtly opposed by monks and believers outside of the official Tibet Autonomous Region. An act of civil disobedience that leaves me to believe there is still much to be seen in line of this...

I will post more on this in one of my posts about my Tibet Trip...


UPDATE (31th August):
* It turns out the tanks I saw heading into Tibet (apparently) appeared in a Chinese State media report for a showcase military drill...Of course, without any doubt, the purpose of sending tanks into Tibet is not to just film the video report of the drill and show it on CCTV...Showing it yesterday on the central TV certainly is made deliberately...Chinese TV has no habit of "just" informing its population of military drills and making a news of it just like that...