By Woeser (in Beijing)
When I think of the many “study groups” that exist now throughout Lhasa, When I think about “education” that I received in these “groups”” and about the Tibetans who still do it now, when I think about having to be “polite”, because at the beginning of the year they went to Bodhgaya India, to participate in the Kalachakra teachings hosted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama; I see the image of some Tibetans in front of my eyes. They are all older Tibetans I met in Lhasa, pensioners or ordinary citizens who wholeheartedly believe in Buddhism, but they suffer from political oppression.
One of them is a gentleman not yet so old, who gave up his job and a generous salary many years ago, just to fulfill his dream of going to see His Holiness. I have read your diary, in which he describes his feelings after the pilgrimage to the Potala Palace: “There are more surveillance cameras than windows, more soldiers than lamas, “more mice than Bodhisattvas”. Nowadays, He is still confined to the “study group.”” and can't go home.
Another of these people, She is a fragile and sick “Mola” (grandmother) I initially didn't think I would even be able to reach Bodhgaya, She was worried that her body would not be able to withstand the difficulties of the remote roads, full of potholes, through challenging environments. But his greatest wish was to go and listen with respect, the Buddhist teachings given by His Holiness, even if he had died during the process, This would have been the biggest relief.. When the Kalachakra ended, returned to Lhasa, radiant with health and vigor, but she was quickly put into a “study group.”, and then promptly transferred to a hospital. I have heard that lying on the sick bed, the “Mola”, he told his relatives: "in the 'study group', I begged them, telling them that we, we old people were going to die soon, that we didn't need to be brainwashed.", and the tears ran down his face as he said it.
“The study groups” They are a product of the dictatorship of fear, similar to “brainwashing groups”” or even “concentration camps”, precisely in line with the definition given by Wikipedia, “most people do not have a clear definition of the different types of concentration camps, but they all have one thing in common: the human rights of people imprisoned therein, they are being raped, and people suffer great harm.”. Local authorities started “study groups”” for all those thousands of Tibetans who have gone on pilgrimage to India, officially to give them “legal education”, “patriotic education”, as well as to teach them about the country's religious policies, etc. But, in fact as indicated by a lawyer for the Han Chinese, “These are arrests without any type of legal basis.”, "that are totally out of control and unorthodox.".
Tibetans know that applying for a passport anywhere in the Tibetan region is very difficult, in 2008, as a result of protests throughout the region, local authorities, They even completely stopped the issuance of passports. In the last two years, The government showed some leniency towards the elderly and agreed to issue passports to those above 60, so most of the Tibetans within Tibet who go to Bodhgaya to attend the Kalachakra teachings were elderly. However, after going through the immense pain of obtaining a passport, after going through extreme hardships to reach the Holy Land and, finally, receive the blessings of the great teacher and spend a short, but happy period of time; They did not expect that they would have “a pending account” upon his return.
The “study groups”” They started in early February and there are at least seven or eight of them in Lhasa, located in military camps, hotels or schools. Shigatse, Tsethang and other areas also have “study groups”. The police force people and escort young people, middle-aged people and even some elderly people over 80 year old, one by one, to the “study groups”. All these people have different origins, including retirees, urban residents, peasants on the outskirts of the city, as well as business people. The “study” sessions” are divided into two sections, after New Year according to the Tibetan calendar, to all those who are not members of the Party who are above the 65 years are allowed to abandon them. However, all those members who are below the 65 years they have to continue their “studies”.
Actually, Going to India and attending the Kalachakra represents a true path of study for many Tibetans who have gone, is the voluntary commitment to Buddhist learning, an experience full of spiritual joy. Pero volviendo a la gente del Tíbet que fueron puestos oficialmente en un “grupo de estudio", to study but against his will, They were subjected to mental torture and political brainwashing.. The few who have been allowed to leave the “study groups”” due to old age and illness, they are traumatized; and they said that they were made to watch the propaganda film of 1960 “Servant” and then one by one, They had to express their feelings and experiences, in which they had to use expressions such as “the past was miserable and the present is happy.”” and that “thanks to the Party”, only then could they “be well”. Those who are still “studying”” have recently been forced to sing “red songs”, to dance “red dances”, all for the good of “March 28”, the day the Party imposed on Tibetan citizens as “Servant Emancipation Day”, to strengthen the position of the Party.
15 March 2012
Spanish translated by Lorena Wong.
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Known as Phuntso
Oficina del Tibet New York
Email: phuntso@igc.org
