BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Information Office of the State
Council, or China's cabinet, published a white paper titled "Fifty Years of
Democratic Reform in Tibet" here on Monday. Following is the full text:
Fifty Years of Democratic Reform in Tibet
Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
Contents
Foreword
I. Old Tibet -- A Society of Feudal Serfdom under Theocracy
II. Momentous Democratic Reform in Tibet
III. Tremendous Historic Changes over the Past Half-century
Conclusion
Foreword
Tibet has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. The
peaceful liberation of Tibet, the driving out of the imperialist aggressor
forces from Tibet, the democratic reform and abolition of theocratic feudal
serfdom in Tibet were significant parts of the Chinese people's national
democratic revolution against imperialism and feudalism in modern history, as
well as major historical tasks facing the Chinese government after the founding
of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Prior to 1959, Tibet had long been a society of feudal serfdom under
theocratic rule, a society which was even darker than medieval society in
Europe. The 14th Dalai Lama, as a leader of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism
and also head of the Tibetan local government, monopolized both political and
religious power, and was the chief representative of the feudal serf owners,
who, accounting for less than five percent of the total population of Tibet,
possessed the overwhelming part of the means of production, and monopolized the
material and cultural resources of Tibet. The serfs and slaves, making up over
95 percent of the total population, suffered destitution, cruel oppression and
exploitation, and possessed no means of production or personal freedom
whatsoever, not to mention other basic human rights. The long centuries of
theocratic rule and feudal serfdom stifled the vitality of Tibetan society, and
brought about its decline and decay.
In 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the
Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet
(hereinafter the "17-Article Agreement") was signed. The Agreement enabled Tibet
to repel the imperialist forces and realize peaceful liberation, and provided
basic conditions for Tibet to join the other parts of the country in the drive
for common progress and development.
The "17-Article Agreement" acknowledged the necessity of reforming
the social system of Tibet, and stressed that "the local government of Tibet
should carry out reform voluntarily." However, in consideration of the special
circumstances of Tibet, the Central People's Government adopted a circumspect
attitude toward the reform. With great patience, tolerance and sincerity, it
made efforts to persuade and waited for the local upper ruling strata of Tibet
to carry out reform voluntarily. Instigated and supported by imperialist forces,
however, some people in the upper ruling strata, despite the ever-growing demand
of the people for democratic reform, were totally opposed to reform and
proclaimed their determination never to carry it out. In an attempt to
perpetuate feudal serfdom under theocracy, these people publicly abandoned the
"17-Article Agreement" and brazenly staged an all-out armed rebellion on March
10, 1959. In order to safeguard the unity of the nation and the basic interests
of the Tibetan people, the Central People's Government and the Tibetan people
took decisive measures to quell the rebellion. Meanwhile, a vigorous democratic
reform were carried out on a massive scale in Tibet to overthrow Tibet's feudal
serfdom system under theocracy and liberate about one million serfs and slaves,
ushering in a new era with the people becoming their own masters. The democratic
reform was the most extensive, deepest and greatest social reform in the history
of Tibet, and signified an epoch-making event in Tibet's history of social
development and the progress of its human rights, as well as a significant
advance in the history of human civilization and the world's human rights
development.
Over the past half century, thanks to the care of the Central
People's Government and aid from across the nation, the liberated people of all
ethnic groups in Tibet have, in the capacity of masters of the nation,
enthusiastically participated in the grand course of constructing a new society
and creating their new lives, and worked miracles that had never happened in the
Tibetan history. The social system of Tibet has developed by leaps and bounds;
its modernization has advanced rapidly; Tibetan society has undergone
earth-shaking historic changes; and remarkable progress has been made in the
cause of human rights, which has attracted worldwide attention.
The year 2009 marks the 50th
anniversary of the democratic reform in Tibet. It is conducive to telling the
right from wrong in history and helps the world better understand a real Tibet
in progress for us to review the overwhelming democratic reform and the profound
historical changes that have taken place in Tibet over the past 50 years, to
shed light on the laws governing the social development of Tibet, and expose
through facts the various lies and rumors spread by the 14th Dalai Lama and his
hard-core supporters over the so-called "Tibet issue," as well as the true
colors of the 14th Dalai Lama himself. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]
