Tibet • Le programme politique du Dalaï-Lama sous la loupe

Le Dalaï-Lama est dans notre pays cette semaine. Quels sont les buts politiques de celui qui est présenté comme un « océan de sagesse » par la presse ?

Jean-Paul De Simpelaere
31-05-2006

Les prédécesseurs du Dalaï-Lama étaient des seigneurs locaux qui régnaient sur un territoire à peu près aussi vaste que l'actuelle province autonome du Tibet.

Mais le Dalaï-Lama revendique aujourd'hui le double de territoire, d'une superficie égale à cinq fois celle de la France. Son prédécesseur, le 13^e dalaï-lama, avait eu cette idée en 1913, au cours de sa lutte pour l'indépendance vis-à-vis du régime républicain chinois assez faiblard de l'époque. Les Anglais, qui avaient alors des avantages coloniaux au Tibet, l'avaient soutenu et avaient donc armé ses troupes. La Chine n'avait pas été d'accord et les choses en étaient restées là. Il faut savoir que le Tibet avait été incorporé à l'empire chinois dès le 13^e siècle.

Ce « Grand Tibet », le Dalaï-Lama l'appelle le « Tibet culturel ». C'est surtout au 8^e siècle que la population tibétaine s'est répandue dans de nombreuses régions voisines où, depuis des siècles, vivaient déjà une dizaine d'autres groupes de population. Au total, quelque 25 millions d'habitants, soit quatre fois plus que le nombre total de Tibétains. Ce qui explique pourquoi le Dalaï-Lama prétend que son peuple est minoritaire dans son propre pays. Or un habitant sur trois de cet immense territoire est d'ethnie hui (musulmane) et n'est donc pas tibétain.

Le Dalaï-Lama et la violence

« Le Grand Tibet doit être démilitarisé, l'armée chinoise doit s'en aller », dit le Dalaï-Lama. Son message de paix, c'est que la Chine ne devrait pas pouvoir stationner des troupes sur une partie de son propre territoire. Ca secoue l'imagination, un aussi pieux paradis sur terre, et sans armes. Mais la réalité du monde est tout autre… Sous le précédent Dalaï-Lama, le 13^e de la série, les Anglais avaient bel et bien équipé et entraîné toute une armée à son service. Et sous l'actuel, avec son approbation totale, c'est une armée rebelle, qui est équipée et entraînée, cette fois par les États-Unis¹.

Dès le début, le Dalaï-Lama actuel a eu une attitude tout empreinte de duplicité vis-à-vis de l'usage de la violence. Sous le régime chinois dirigé par Mao Ze Dong, dans la période 1951-59, il avait négocié pacifiquement une nouvelle union. Mais, en même temps, il soutenait les préparatifs d'une résistance armée. La « Milice des Quatre Rivières et des Six Chaînes de Montagnes » avait reçu de lui la bénédiction de la « kalachakra » (= guerre sainte) en 1957, au cours d'une fête qui s'était déroulée à Lhassa.

Dernièrement encore, le Dalaï-Lama a rédigé une préface louangeuse au bouquin « Les guerriers de Bouddha, des combattants de la liberté soutenus par la CIA », de Mikel Dunham (USA, 2004).

Des louanges pour la résistance armée, ne disposant malheureusement que d'armes désuètes, ajoute notre homme.

La résistance armée au Tibet ayant donc échouer, le Dalaï-Lama a reporté son attention sur une tournée diplomatique mondiale.

Lors d'une conférence de presse à Strasbourg, après son discours au Parlement européen en octobre 2001, le 14^e dalaï-lama affirmait également son soutien aux bombardements américains en Afghanistan : « J'admire le fait que les Américains choisissent leurs cibles avec tant de soin, afin de limiter le nombre de victimes civiles. Cela me semble une forme plus civilisée de guerre que la Première et la Seconde Guerres mondiales. En outre, la guerre en Afghanistan était une sorte de libération du peuple, qui avait beaucoup souffert sous les précédents régimes. »

À propos de la guerre en Irak, il préfère s'abstenir de toute condamnation. Dans une interview accordée à Associated Press à New York, le 11 septembre 2003, juste après sa rencontre avec entre autres Bush, Powell et Cheney, il déclare : « Il est trop tôt pour dire que la guerre en Irak a été une erreur. L'histoire le prouvera. » dans une autre interview pour la chaîne de télévision ARTE, il complète sa pensée. Pour lui, il y a de bonnes et de mauvaises guerres. Une bonne guerre fut la guerre de Corée de 1950-53, « qui a quand même été un demi-succès ». Il veut dire par-là que la Corée du Sud n'est pas devenue communiste.

Une mauvaise guerre fut celle du Vietnam, « qui causa trop de victimes sans résultat final ». Ici, il veut dire que les Américains n'ont pas gagné la guerre et qu'ils ont eu d'énormes pertes.

¹ Une étude à ce propos, réalisée sur base d'interviews d'anciens rebelles, d'officiers et de fonctionnaires de la CIA ainsi que des frères du dalaï-lama et s'appuyant en outre sur des archives complaisamment cédées par le gouvernement américain, a été publiée en 2002 dans « Etudes sur les Guerres modernes » (Kansas, EU).

My friend,

Thanks for your interests on China and for trying to be objective. I am glad to have this exchange with you even if I do not agree with you in some respects. Here are some answers (in black) to your questions (in blue).

I'm french.

And for us, in 50's, chinese army came to Tibet to take the land and resources...

There were 80000 tibetans who died.

First, Chinese history is not written by French or any other people. Second, it’s not surprising you think like this, because your Free media told you that.

Be sure you know the sense of Chinese: Chinese do not equal to Han, although the Han represents today 90% of the population (it’s also a point to discuss), Chinese means the 56 ethnics who live in China, including Muslems, Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongols and so on. Tibetans are Chinese, just like Bretons are French.

So I think here you mean “communist army”. Yes, the communists arrived in Tibet because Tibet is a part of China and the communists were trying to unify China after years of civil war with Kuomingdang, the nationalists.

Tibet was officially incorporated into the territory of China as early as the 13^th century long before Besancon had been put under the authority of French Kings. China, under the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) founded by the Mongols, brought the divided Tibet under the unified rule of the central government. It set up an institution called Xuanzhengyuan (or political council) and put it in charge of the nation's Buddhist affairs and Tibet's military, governmental and religious affairs. Phagsba, a Tibetan lama, was given the title of imperial tutor and appointed head of the council. The Yuan court also set up three government offices to govern the Tibetan areas in northwest and southwest China and Tibet itself. The central government set up 13 Wanhu offices (each governing 10,000 households) in Inner and Outer Tibet east of Ngari. It also sent officials to administer civil and military affairs, conduct census, set up courier stations and collect taxes and levies. Certificates for the ownership of manors were issued to the serf owners and documents given to local officials to define their authority. This marked the beginning of the central authorities' overall control of Tibet by appointing officials and instituting the administrative system there. Just go and search for maps made by westerns about the Yuan dynasty, you’ll see clearly Tibet is inside the boundary of China. Maps published in 1935 by Harvard University are good examples.

Tibet was part of China, is part of China and will be part of China.

My chinese friends told me they have read that Mao saved and delivered the dalai lama slaves.. Well, I have never read about...

To me, there are many chinese who are buddhists now, and the least I know about buddhists is that they don't have big needs...

I mean, it is said everywhere, that dalai lama makes himself his clothes...

You never read about that because French press never talks about that. Just read Micheal Parenti, the American historian (in black, in red were my commentaries):

They don’t have big needs… but some own great riches …  

“Until 1959, when the Dalai Lama last presided over Tibet, most of the arable land was still organized into manorial estates worked by serfs. These estates were owned by two social groups: the rich secular landlords and the rich theocratic lamas. Even a writer sympathetic to the old order allows that “a great deal of real estate belonged to the monasteries, and most of them amassed great riches.” Drepung monastery was one of the biggest landowners in the world, with its 185 manors, 25,000 serfs, 300 great pastures, and 16,000 herdsmen. The wealth of the monasteries rested in the hands of small numbers of high-ranking lamas. Most ordinary monks lived modestly and had no direct access to great wealth. The Dalai Lama himself “lived richly in the 1000-room, 14-story Potala Palace.” ¹¹

Young Tibetan boys were regularly taken from their peasant families and brought into the monasteries to be trained as monks. Once there, they were bonded for life. Tashì-Tsering, a monk, reports that it was common for peasant children to be sexually mistreated in the monasteries. He himself was a victim of repeated rape, beginning at age nine. ¹⁴ The monastic estates also conscripted children for lifelong servitude as domestics, dance performers, and soldiers.

In old Tibet there were small numbers of farmers who subsisted as a kind of free peasantry, and perhaps an additional 10,000 people who composed the “middle-class” families of merchants, shopkeepers, and small traders. Thousands of others were beggars. There also were slaves, usually domestic servants, who owned nothing. Their offspring were born into slavery. ¹⁵ The majority of the rural population were serfs. Treated little better than slaves, the serfs went without schooling or medical care, They were under a lifetime bond to work the lord's land--or the monastery’s land--without pay, to repair the lord's houses, transport his crops, and collect his firewood. They were also expected to provide carrying animals and transportation on demand.¹⁶ Their masters told them what crops to grow and what animals to raise. They could not get married without the consent of their lord or lama. And they might easily be separated from their families should their owners lease them out to work in a distant location. ¹⁷

As in a free labor system and unlike slavery, the overlords had no responsibility for the serf’s maintenance and no direct interest in his or her survival as an expensive piece of property. The serfs had to support themselves. Yet as in a slave system, they were bound to their masters, guaranteeing a fixed and permanent workforce that could neither organize nor strike nor freely depart as might laborers in a market context. The overlords had the best of both worlds.

One 22-year old woman, herself a runaway serf, reports: “Pretty serf girls were usually taken by the owner as house servants and used as he wished”; they “were just slaves without rights.”¹⁸ Serfs needed permission to go anywhere. Landowners had legal authority to capture those who tried to flee. One 24-year old runaway welcomed the Chinese intervention as a “liberation.” He testified that under serfdom he was subjected to incessant toil, hunger, and cold. After his third failed escape, he was merciless beaten by the landlord’s men until blood poured from his nose and mouth. They then poured alcohol and caustic soda on his wounds to increase the pain, he claimed.¹⁹

The serfs were taxed upon getting married, taxed for the birth of each child and for every death in the family. They were taxed for planting a tree in their yard and for keeping animals. They were taxed for religious festivals and for public dancing and drumming, for being sent to prison and upon being released. Those who could not find work were taxed for being unemployed, and if they traveled to another village in search of work, they paid a passage tax. When people could not pay, the monasteries lent them money at 20 to 50 percent interest. Some debts were handed down from father to son to grandson. Debtors who could not meet their obligations risked being cast into slavery.²⁰

The theocracy’s religious teachings buttressed its class order. The poor and afflicted were taught that they had brought their troubles upon themselves because of their wicked ways in previous lives. Hence they had to accept the misery of their present existence as a karmic atonement and in anticipation that their lot would improve in their next lifetime. The rich and powerful treated their good fortune as a reward for, and tangible evidence of, virtue in past and present lives. …

And I recall that communists arrived in 1950 and the Dalai Lama signed the agreement with communists in 1951 to officially incorporate Tibet into the People's Republic of China. It’s in 1956, when communists decided to implement the policy of land redistribution in Tibet (Most lands were taken away from noblemen and monasteries and re-distributed to serfs), that things went wrong…He no longer admitted what he concluded with the central government, but why not earlier, why then? Because as long as he’s interests, his richness’s, his comfortable life in the 1000 room palace are not changed, everything is ok ; but once all this are threatened, no, no, no, he no longer agrees..   To read Jean-Luc MELENCHON : « Le Dalaï Lama et les autres seigneurs tibétains ont accepté tout ce que la Chine communiste leur proposait et offrait, comme par exemple le poste de vice président de l’assemblée populaire que « sa sainteté » a occupé sans rechigner. Cela jusqu’au jour de 1956 où le régime communiste a décidé d’abolir le servage au Tibet et régions limitrophes »

“You can claim loud "shame on france", and french to cry "shame on china", but do you think we will go somewhere like this?  

Our massmedias are more free here, but of course, they can't be objectives..I mean they obviously take a point of view...

In China, that's a fact, many things aren't shown at tv news, like the strikes against the olympic fire...

In China and in the west, there is much propaganda, at a point we don't know where is the truth...

On youtube, we can see chinese policemen shoot quietly walking monks in the snow...

There is also a picture showing chinese policemen wearing monks' clothes...

I don't think that's the role to the west to decide about tibet, but the role of Hu Jintao and dalai lama to find a solution to stop killings...

I hope things will go well really soon...

As I wrote on my space, "keep unity, save peace and reach human rights"

To me, this is important for the good of china to deliver the freedom of speech...

Because this is like this, that everyone in the World will see the Truth...

Hu Jia is in jail, because he criticized official number of HIV cases in China, and the politic of privation of land...

And as soon as he is will be free, I'll claim that China is a safe place”

I’m coming to France not to shout loud « Shame on France ». I’m coming to learn the “western advanced civilisation” to make progress my country later, as I believed this is a country of justice, freedom and friendship.  So why this? Because I’m, just like many others Chinese here, deeply disappointed by western Media and politicians and are feeling offended… Lies, disrespects, hates, every day you open the newspapers, you see an article talking about the problem of Tibet without presenting its history, its development, and just blaming. When the grievous riots broke out, they said it was “pacific manifestation”, then when riots were proven, they said the Chinese police pretended to be monks to do this (The famous picture you talked about), but are we crazy or such stupid, the Chinese? Why did we do this when we are preparing the Olympics and want to show the best face of us to the whole world? On n’est pas malade! Ni Con! Those solders with monks clothes were preparing for a film “tianmai chuanqi”(天脉传奇) in Sep 2001 !!! (Solders to participate in films is a regular practice in China, you can ask your Chinese friends about this). Then after, everyone blamed Chinese government of its “suppression” of the “demonstrators”, no one talks about the Han Chinese beaten or burned to death by the rioters as if that is not important, since they are Han… Press is shouting aloud “Paris défend les droits de l’homme partout dans le monde”… These innocent ordinary Chinese, they have no rights or they are not human beings?

I know there is no 100% objective media in the world, but as media professionals, in a country where people are proud of “free speech”, we should give words to all parties to help the mass to make their opinion, but this time, what did they do? Whatever the Dalailama said, it’s the unquestionable truth, whatever the Chinese government said, is nonsense. And when the torch passed, all the media film only the so-called “Tibet defenders”, and there is rarely an image of “Olympic Defenders” as if we did not exist… TF1 reports “le net Chinois s’en prend au CNN” with a very ironic tone but without giving an explanation why Chinese did this. Listen to this piece of news we’ll think that Chinese are just too arrogant to accept any critics but that’s not true! We protest against CNN because Jack Cafferty, a host of CNN, qualifies Chinese as « goons and thugs » in his program: “I think they’re basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years”, you think that is acceptable for Chinese people? What’s more, in another piece of news, they edit a picture in a way that it shows police car on the point of rushing over Tibetan demonstrators whereas the origin picture shows Tibetans throwing stones to that car… So did French media tell you anything about this? Are French media so ignorant to not know this? Did we overdo if we call CNN a liar?

I agree that there is not enough freedom in China and the government has a lot to do in terms of democracy and human rights. But, I’d ask you, is France a democratic country from the very beginning? Do French people get all that they have in one day? China needs to progress, but she needs time as well!! We have 1.3 billions people, we have 9.6 millions km2 territories, and that is not easy to manage. As a Chinese, I confirm you that my country has made many progress regarding democracy and human rights since my birth and I think this trend will continue. I’d like to add that, as a girl, I think I’m quite lucky to be born in China than in India, in Japan, not to speak of African countries!!!  We have a long way to go, but we are confident to go through all the difficult steps as what you did in the past centuries.

At last, welcome to China, welcome to Beijing, welcome to Tibet to see with your own eyes!

Pour les Jeux, Contre la désinformation!!!

Pour la liberté de religion, contre la théocratie!!!

A Poem Dedicated to the last 150 years of this planet.
By a Slient, Silent Chinese. 世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

===
When We were called Sick man of Asia, We were called The Yellow Peril.
When We are billed to be the next Superpower, We are called The China Threat.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We closed our doors, You smuggled Opium to Open Markets.
When We Embrace Freed Trade, You blame us for Taking Away Your Jobs.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We were falling apart, You marched in your troops and wanted your "fair share".
China was broken into pieces. And You killed, burned, maimed and looted,
Just go to the British Museum and The Louvre, which of those Arts and Relics were bought fair?世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

To be fair, When Woodrow Wilson Couldn't give back Birth Place of Confucius back to Us, But He did buy a ticket for the Famine Relief Ball for us…
-A trickle of good will in a sea of despair.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

Never again, we said, We stood up and fought for our survival.
And piece by piece we put our nation together again,
all of a sudden, "Free Tibet" you screamed, "it was an invasion!"
Never mind, that those who shouted caused the original suffering and pain. 世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We tried Communism, You hated us for being Communists
When We embrace Capitalism, You hate us for being Capitalists.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We have a Billion People, you said we were destroying the planet.
When We try to limit our numbers, you said It was human rights abuse.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We were Poor, You think we are dogs.
When We Loan you cash, You blame us for your debts.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When we were undeveloped, you called us backwards.
When we build our industries, you call us polluters.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When we buy oil, you called that exploitation and supporting genocide.
When you fight for oil, you called that liberation.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We were lost in Chaos and Rampage, You wanted Rules of Law for us.
When We uphold law and order against Violence, You called that Violating Human Rights.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

When We were silent, You said you want us to have Free Speech.
When We were silent no more, You say we were Brainwashed-Xenophobics. 世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

Why do you hate us so much? We asked.
"No," You Answered, "We don't hate You."世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

We don't Hate You either,
But Do you understand us? 世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

"Of course We do," You said,
"We have AFP, CNN and BBCs..."世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

What do you really want from us?
Think Hard first, then Answer... 世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

Because you only get so many chances,
Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for this one world. 世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

We want One World, One Dream, And Peace On Earth.
- This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us.世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html

世界论坛网 http://www.wforum.com/gbindex.html