BY WUDIGE

EDITOR'S NOTE: This piece was originally carried by http://bbs.tiexue.net in early April and was widely carried by other Chinese websites. The English text was offered by an anonymous volunteer, who also put it up first at the BBS of Tiexue.

         My hometown is in Aba Qiang and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan in southwestern China, where the population is mainly composed of Tibetan, Qiang and Han people. I am a Tibetan for one. Should you have any doubt about my identity, please check my ID Card number: 51322219*****0473.

I hope some of my fellow Tibetans can make a self-examination of your own behavior if you happen to read this article.

To chase the freedom is so fascinating, and to chase the sky belonging to oneself is so beautiful. But what I cannot understand is what we continue to chase for since we have already obtained our freedom? Now your behavior has already shamed our fraternal ethnic groups and our government. You're right to say that you need your own history and belief to extend the great spirit of our lofty King Gesar. When I was in our hometown I read from the classics in the Seda Buddhism Institute the full story of King Gesar, who is the pride of not only our Tibetans but the whole Chinese nation. King Geshar was a hero. He led us to live a good life. But could the Dalai Lama do the same? I hereby need to talk to you about who has done better, our hero, or the Communist Party. I don't want to talk about the Dalai Lama, he only makes me ashamed, and he is not worth a comparison with the Communist Party.

Seruo, Zhuoda, Dunzhu, you guys come to this BBS very often. But what you said shows that you've forgotten what your parents taught you – you need to appreciate it and repay the kindness if you are helped by others. Remember the story Grandpa Genden used to tell us?

If you have forgotten, I can remind you:

Tibetans do appreciate

Grandpa said our Tibetans were really freed upon liberation. We were no longer bullied by the serf-owner, we were no longer his slaves or long-term workers. The government allocated us cattle and sheep, and the grassland. Even the lord's house was distributed to us. Then, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops came to build the road. They built up that road going to Lhasa. The government did what it promised. Grandpa said, it was so hard to build that road! The soldiers had to stir-fry the dynamite on their own to explode the steep mountains. On that day, 17 soldiers died for that road they built of us, as the fallen stones from the exploded mountains hit them and buried them under the road. The soldiers delivered us salt and tea, but they never wanted any repayment. They just said this was given to us by the government. So the native folks carried the qingke – or high land barley – stalks to feed the trucks, assuming the trucks had been hardworking after carrying so many things for us. Then the soldiers left behind two trucks to us, and but took nothing from the local people. Later on we learned that the road to Lhasa had been completed, and we were really able to take bus to Lhasa.

Then, there was drought, and the grass deteriorated on the prairie. The cattle and sheep got lean. In winter there were snowstorms, freezing numerous cattle and sheep to death. As we got desperate, the government assured us that the motorcade from Chengdu had been on the way to carry goods to us. We didn't believe it at first, but in two days the streaming columns of trucks did arrive, bringing about grain, quilts, and everything we needed. Our parent generation kneeled down on the grassland, expressing their thanks to the government, to the Communist Party and Chairman Mao, not to the god, not to the Dalai Lama.

We Tibetans thank our motherland and we are grateful to the people in the country for their support to us.

To rioters

I want to ask you, Seruo, who installed the electrical lights for your home? Who helped your family install the "wok cover" – satellite receiver? Who built the village hospital for us? Where are the doctors from? Who spent the money to build the road to our village? Who laid the telephone line for us? Who covered the tuition for our younger sisters and brothers? Who gave us the relief when we were hit by natural disasters? The landslide inundated your relative's house that year, who built him a new one? You made some accomplishments and went abroad to study, but do you remember Professor Zhang from the Sichuan University? He offered the financial support for your studies abroad, but what are you doing? What have you done to our country? How will your family and benefactors see you?

Are we really poor? You know it very well that we are actually not poor, only the Dalai Lama has been exploiting us to this day.

His lackeys are sitting in the monasteries, with a random incarnation of the title of "Living Buddha" and a touch on the head of our folk, our people would donate bundles of money bills they had obtained from selling the cattle to the monasteries. The Communist Party has helped us so much, but we haven't even paid the least tax. They assumed that we are poor and exempt us from taxation. We give all our money to the monastery and then ask the government for relief grain. Has the government say anything about it? They only said: we respect the ethnic minority people's religious belief.

Have you suffered crackdown for this? Who has killed you? Nobody did that. You behave like that and would be spurned by all the human race.

To international friends

I'm aware that you and my brothers are friends, and they have recommended this BBS to you. So the following is what I'd address to you.

In China our ethnic groups have enjoyed the equal or better treatment than other ethnic groups. You have been told that Tibetans are abused in China, and the government has cracked down on the riots ruthlessly, while the people all over Tibet, even the entire Tibetans, have resorted to uprising and requested independence. It is false that the Chinese government didn't construct and develop Tibet. I will tell you that what has happened in my hometown. Don't trust them anymore! What I am saying could be more reliable than what they tell you.

The Chinese government has been earnestly constructing Tibet since the reform and opening up. The following are what the state has done for Tibet:

1. Tibet is one of the first districts where the taxation was has bee exempted.

2. It is totally untrue to say Tibetans have no freedom. We have been designated as an autonomous region. We Tibetans are administrating our Tibet on our own, and enjoying the help from the state. The central government has always advocated for harmony, and used the national treasure to fund college students as a support for Tibet's construction, to develop Tibet's education, light-industry, etc.

3. The Chinese government has built the world highest Qinghai-Tibet Railway to advance the economic growth of Tibet. In any natural disaster, the Chinese government would go all out to help the Tibetan people.

4. None of the other ethnic groups in China look down upon Tibetans. They regard us as brothers, and we are enjoying equal treatment with other Chinese citizens. There is no such a thing as discrimination.

5. The Tibetan people are grateful to the Communist Party and the state from the bottom of heart. There is no such thing as "all the Tibetans are rising up for independence." In my hometown, Tibetans make up 70% of the population, but among them there emerged only a few individuals who harbor political ambitions as above mentioned, with the proportion of 1 to 4,000. These people have been called rogues in my hometown. You are civilized people cherishing freedom, I don't think you should help such rogues who are even spurned by their own folks. I hope you are not deceived.

6. Tibetans are not impoverished, our average per capita income is above the average standard in most areas of China. In my hometown, on averagely every household has 40 cattle and 100 sheep. Every year, we make an income of over CNY100,000 from selling cattle and sheep, wool and medicinal herbs, which is about CNY20,000 per capita. Only the folks in my hometown embrace the religious culture, and the money has been collected half forcefully by the Dalai Clique taking advantage of the folks' religious belief, which is used to fund their riots. The Chinese government, however, respects the religious belief of different ethnic groups and has always helped the Tibetans.

7. There was no crackdown on the Tibetans during the riot. Only the mobsters were taken into custody by armed police and security guards in accordance with international practice. To arrest those mobsters who attack the police is a practice in your country as well, I think. If a police officer on duty is beaten, I think the law and order must be imposed in your country, right? However, our policemen had endured it again and again, and didn't shoot even some were beaten to death. All the Chinese people including the Tibetans strongly urged the government to take actions to crack down on this riot. But the government is still trying to persuade them.

I'm sure my brothers will not deny the above mentioned points. You can ask them to give an explanation of these points.

To the Dalai Lama

What have you done, the Dalai Lama? You took away our money from selling cattle and sheep, and now you are trying to take away our happiness.

The riots took place this year! You, the Dalai Lama, said, we need freedom, we Tibetans need freedom, so we need independence.

The Dalai Lama, I'd address you directly this way. I believe you can read this, for your lackeys will let you know what I've said. Let's not discuss now whether the Communist Party is right or wrong. Let me make you an analysis of the consequence should Tibet become independent.

1. First of all, once Tibet is independent, it will face economic disasters.

You should be aware that Tibetan folks rely on cattle, sheep, medicinal herbs and other livestock products for the main source of income. Once it is independent, our motherland will become a hostile opponent and sever every economic tie with Tibet. The total population in Tibet and peripheral areas is no more than 3 million, what shall we rely on for source of income? It will be impossible for our cattle and sheep to sell in Chengdu and Lanzhou anymore. Can we depend on India? India itself is a big agricultural country, and China has enough strength to compel India to cut any relationship with Tibet, including economic and military ties. Then, Tibet will become another Mongolia, sandwiched between two big powers without an access to the sea. In that case, don't you expect to get direct economic and military assistance from your godfather, the United States? Then Tibet will be deprived of its main income, and people will be reduced to serf and slaves again. (You don't care for the people, and it's nothing to you, since you only care about yourself.)

2. Tibet has no heavy industry and is unable to establish military products on its own. Deprived of economic income, with what will you will exchange for weapons? The United States may give you some weapons, but that will be only a drop in the bucket. Will your lackeys rely on rifles to confront the tanks and planes of the PLA? Without your own troops, what would you rely on for independence? Will India help you? Last time you went to India, what did the Indian Prime Minister say to you? He would not support this exile regime of yours. India is not willing to make enemy of China. Then what will you do? Pakistan in the next door to Tibet is an ally of China, don't you even think about soliciting it. Other countries nearby then are all allies of Russia, and do you think Russia will give up China to stand with you? You are dreaming!

3. As for people's support, don't think too highly of yourself. You suppose all Tibetans are under your leadership? You are wrong! We Tibetans are human beings and we know who are kind to us and who are exploiting us. You think we will stand together with you? The riots this time can fully show you the fact. In whole Lhasa, there were barely 1,000 people (involved in riots), while throughout Tibetan areas there were hardly 10,000 people. I give you a full number, to make it 10,000, and that means only one in 300 is under your leadership. If you cancel the several hundred yuan you paid to those who took part in riots per day, I guess there will be only 1,000 people left, meaning one in 3,000 stands with you. Then there is no need to call in the army, we Tibetans can drown all of your lackeys just with our saliva. Without the people's support, how dare you claim you are Mao Zedong the second? You're insulting Mao to say so. You think so long as there are folks donating money to you in the monasteries, all the Tibetans are backing you up and believing in you? Wrong! This is only what the elderly Tibetans are doing. Next time when the Living Buddha you have consecrated cheats for money, you just check how many youngsters will give you money. I could say such guys have almost vanished.

4. Now your power is getting weaker and weaker, haven't you realized it? How many young people still believe in you? How many people still trust you? Your behaviors have been regarded as vaudeville. You are acting as monkey of Tibetans, my Living Buddha! How much have you been paid for your performing in the world? You shamed us! Since you are ashamed, how can we still trust you? Don't you know that we cannot trust a monkey?

To my brothers

Seruo, Zhuoda, Dunzhu… I tell you, what you have done have violated the Chinese law and offended the bottom line of our Chinese morality. Last time the government forgave you. But we will not forgive you. If you will remain like that, I will wait for you in Chengdu. No need others to take action, I will kill you! Your parents called me, saying that you haven't contacted home for more than six months. They worried about you, but I didn't tell them you have become running dogs of the Dalai Lama. I am afraid your parents will kill you as well. Maybe you could also become pillars of China, but you are doomed if you do this kind of things. As your brother, I am not a coward. I have reason and can see clearly who are really worthy to lead us Tibetans towards prosperity and take our Chinese nation to the summit of the world.

You have changed your mobile phones so I couldn't contact you. But I know you often come to this BBS, so I hope you can read this and will surrender yourselves and do no evils anymore. Stop behaving like that, or folks in our hometown will not forgive you, not even your parents and friend. You have completely shamed all us Tibetans. When I read about Tibetans so and so in riots, I'm on the verge to cry. I want to argue that Tibetans are also part of the Chinese nation. But who will listen to me? What I can do is only to tell all my friends that we Tibetans are not people as you have imagined; we are not mobsters.

My brothers, please don't do that anymore, all right?