By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 28: The top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Wu Yingjie asked the party officials to fight and win the “tough battle against separatism” and expose the “reactionary nature” of the Dalai Lama and his supporters. International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) reported that it took place at a meeting of the TAR Party Committee’s National Security Committee.
Secretary Wu of the TAR Party Committee, launched an official propaganda campaign to “educate” all ethnic groups to show their gratitude and to follow the party. Citing continued loyalty of Tibetans to the Dalai Lama, he asserted, “We must make people consciously draw a clear line with the 14th Dalai and Dalai Clique, maintain a clear-cut stand for the unification of the motherland and strengthen national unity.”
The CCP’s appointee in the TAR Region also directed the officials to prevent the devotion of the monastic community to the Dalai Lama. He asked the officials to “be prepared for danger in times of peace, and repair the house before it rains.”
Wu also issued instructions to make heads or representatives of religious circles responsible for maintaining “stability of their monasteries, and implement various management measures to ensure harmony and stability in the religious field.” He reiterated the policy of “sinicization” of religions and urged the officials to exterminate Tibetans’ loyalty to the Dalai Lama in order to “guide the religious believers to treat religion rationally, downplay the negative influence of religion, and live a happy life for this lifetime.”
Wu’s latest reference to the Tibetan spiritual leader comes after China’s growing unpopularity in the international sphere as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s Europe visit attempts to salvage its deteriorating image. Wang Yi also visited Tibet earlier in this month during the ongoing China-India border clash in Ladakh.
