(12 Mar 1998) Mandarin/Nat
Communist leaders in Tibet have vowed to continue their crackdown on hundreds of Tibetan monasteries in a move they claim will maintain order and eliminate chaos and theft.
Raidi, a Communist official and Chairman of Tibet's Regional Congress has called on Tibet's monks and nuns to continue with a patriotic education campaign and enforce tighter controls to get rid of what he calls the 'Dalai Lama Clique.'
Critics say the campaign is a purge to hunt down monks and nuns loyal to the Tibetan spiritual leader and take away religious freedoms.
Raidi, a senior Communist Party Official and Chairman of Tibet's Regional Council, called a press conference on Wednesday to win support for the Chinese government's tough stand.
Supported by other government officials he insists that a Communist Party education campaign to enforce Chinese patriotism and impose order among Tibet's 700 monasteries is vital.
He says 35-thousand monks and nuns have been "rectified" in similar operations in a bid to maintain order and prevent chaos and theft.
SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"In Tibet, patriotic education was organised in monasteries and government organisations in the past and we are still doing it now. We will continue to do so in the future."
SUPER CAPTION: Gyaincain Norbu, Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region
Raidi claims most Tibetans support the two-year government enforced crackdown but others see it as an act of religious suppression.
Critics claim China is trying to stamp out Buddhism by hunting down monks and nuns loyal to the Dalai Lama, close down monasteries and force their residents to return to secular life.
Raidi denies the accusations and insists that the Tibetan people are far better off now - under Chinese control.
He denounced the Dalai Lama for not wanting the best for Tibet.
SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"It is precisely the Dalai Lama clique you just mentioned who don't want to see the people living in Tibet lead a happy life. They (the Dalai Lama clique) do not hope to see a happy and beautiful, new Tibet."
SUPER CAPTION: Raidi, Chairman of Tibet's Regional Congress
China has ruled Tibet for 48 years.
Tibet's resistance to it's Communist leaders has had a violent past - a trend Beijing blames on the influence of the Dalai Lama and foreign saboteurs.
China staunchly defends its policy on Tibet and insists that the Tibetan people enjoy complete religious freedom.
While traditional Tibetan festivals and ceremonies continue to exist, policemen - in and out of uniform - swarm the streets for potential troublemakers.
Since early 1996, Chinese leaders have tried to purge monasteries loyal to the Dalai Lama, forcing monks and nuns to denounce their spiritual leader.
But despite the tough policy and rigorous education campaigns, most Tibetans still vow to worship the Dalai Lama.
SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"For those of us studying Buddhism, from the Buddhist perspective, he (Dalai Lama) is our Buddhist leader. So every one of us studying Buddhism has his own lama to worship. So for everyone, from our hearts, the Dalai Lama is the figure we worship."
SUPER CAPTION: Pu Bu Quinpei, Lama, Jokhang Temple
Critics of Beijing's rigid approach to Tibet accuse the Chinese of attempting to destroy its traditional culture and religion.
They aruge that money invested in Tibet by the central government is mainly to promote tourism - not help the Tibetan people.
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