THE SECRET MAGAZINE: Interview with Thubten Wangchen

En l'inici de la seva xerrada, Thubten Wangchen va recordar que el Tibet no existeix políticament com a país des de l'any 1959, quan l'exèrcit xinès els va envair. Durant l'ocupació, more than 1.200.000 of Tibetans go die assassinats, among them his own mother. his father, brothers and himself, they saved their lives thanks to being able to flee to Nepal. He explained that, en l'actualitat, already live in Tibet some 8 millions of Chinese, 2 millions more than the Tibetans themselves, on a surface of almost 5 times Spain. "Actualment som una minoria en el nostre propi país", he commented. Despite the fact that officially Tibet is considered as another region of China, the buddhist monk said that they are not worried about that. "Som tibetans, no xinesos", he assured. For the·glossar explained that the Tibetan language and Chinese do not share a single letter of their alphabet. In his talk, the lama stated that he does not want to look down on Chinese citizens, of those who also consider that they suffer a lot. He stated that the current situation of the Tibetans is very serious. A l'igual que passa a la Xina, there is no religious freedom, nor human rights, ni llibertat d'expressió,… En l'actualitat, the whole world talks about China but few care about Tibet. More than a billion Chinese people are too big a market, and the various world governments do not want to be wrong with such a powerful power. Besides, in the last year things have worsened due to the inauguration, in July of 2006, of a train line that connects Beijing with Lhasa, The Tibetan capital. The Chinese government proclaimed that this new communication would improve the living conditions of Tibetans. Nothing could be further from the truth. This new medium is causing a vertiginous colonization of the country. En menys d'un any, dos milions més de xinesos s'han establert al Tibet, where they are better paid. at the same time, newly arrived professionals come with official titles under their arms and are displacing the Tibetan workers themselves, that cannot prove any qualification, as they have never had. In this process, thousands and thousands of new Chinese workers arrive by train every day, but also criminals, prostitutes,… Tibet is now a country full of Chinese where there are bars, karaoke, shops, prostitution, … there are even those who offer free tobacco and alcohol to minors to get them addicted. In spite of everything, Wangchen insisted that he does not want to speak ill of the Chinese, but limit yourself to explaining the reality of the facts. Currently in Tibet there are very few monks who, also, they have to ask for special permits to be able to be. Simply possessing a photograph of the Dalai Lama is a crime punishable by imprisonment. He also explained that the youngest political prisoner in history is precisely a Tibetan boy who, with only 5 years, he was kidnapped along with his entire family by the Chinese government. As he stated, es tracta de la reencarnació d'en Panchen Lama, the second lama in dynasty, whom the Dalai Lama himself recognized. El passat mes d'abril, fulfilled 18 years and still no one knows where the Chinese government has hidden it. Thubten Wangchen will remember that, a few years ago, he himself visited Tibet with a fake Nepali nationality and posed as a guide for a group of Spanish tourists. Then, they arrested him and threatened him with death several times. The Chinese already knew in advance of their entry into the country, possibly informed by the consulate. even, they showed him a photo of him with the Dalai Lama, in a visit given to them by Pope John Paul II, in Rome, a year before. Fortunately he was able to get out, being expelled from Tibet, all thanks to the fact that he was able to convince them that the group he was accompanying were important Spanish bankers and politicians, which was actually not the case. It is another example of the obvious and ferri control, vigilance, wiretapping, cameras,… which the Chinese systematically practice on the Tibetans. In spite of everything, també va voler destacar que el seu és un país molt ric en mines d'urani, or, ferro, bronze. It has forests, mountains (Everest, Himalaya) and very important rivers (where the Ganges is born, among others). He reported anecdotally, that the well-known panda bear is originally from Tibet, not from China as is often said. In the strictly religious aspect, he stated that Buddhism believes in reincarnation. L'ànima, after death, it goes to another different body. Es tracte d’un procés d'evolució i va assegurar que aquesta vida és la conseqüència de les nostres vides anteriors. "La mort no és un càstig, not a failure. És un procés de la vida", pointed. He said that everything we think is very important, everything we say and everything we do. By karmic law everything we have done good or bad during our current life, will have consequences in later life. In relation to the possible influence of the International Community in favor of human rights in Tibet, he explained that China's power is very great. As a sample he commented that this same month of May, the Dalai Lama – who lives in exile in India -, he was invited by the European Parliament to talk specifically about human rights and the progressive ecological destruction of Tibet, in the presence of 58 countries. The strong pressure of the Chinese government on Brussels was enough to prevent his attendance at the summit. In that sense, Wangchen informed that next September the Dalai Lama's visit to Barcelona is planned and he is confident that he will be able to come without problems. Compta amb el compromís de la Generalitat i de la resta d'institucions. He also considers that in Catalonia we understand the Tibetan problem very well and that, even, it can be a reference for them to take into account. He also explained that his spiritual leader is the highest religious and political authority in Tibet and, at the same time, he is the great hope of his people. "Les coses no són permanents per sempre", he stated. He related that former colonies (India, Hong Kong, …) they finally achieved their independence, destacant especialment la via pacifista d'en Mahatma Ghandi. In the political field, announced that the Dalai Lama wants to talk to the Chinese government to negotiate possible autonomy, leaving aside the independence path. L'única oferta xinesa que han rebut de moment al respecte, seeks to divide Tibet, which they cannot accept in any way. Thubten Wangchen va reiterar que gràcies al Dalai Lama la cultura tibetana segueix existint i confia que finalment puguin aconseguir l'autonomia com un primer pas. Va afirmar que "som com formigues davant un gegant com és la Xina", but he also assured that "Tibetan identity and philosophy is still alive".