Tibet:Serfs Emancipation Day or Assertion of Political Domination

On January 19, 2009, at the 2nd session of the Ninth Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, it was decided to observe March 28 as an annual Serfs Emancipation Day.  On this day in 1959, the State Council issued a decree to announce the dissolution of the former Tibetan local government. This decree, it wasclaimed that emancipated the Tibetan serfs and slaves, who made up 95 percent of local population, and made them masters of their own destiny. Xinhua news agency of March 27, 2012 carried photographs of lavishly clad well fed Tibetans dancing and singing to celebrate upcoming Serfs Emancipation Day. These photographs reminded of Japan’s occupation of China and creation of the state of Manchukuo in 1930s and 40s. As the Chinese Government admits that after more than 50 years of' ' democratic reforms Tibet Autonomous Region' continues to be one of china’s most poor regions. In this poor and backward region the ‘liberated serfs and slaves' could not possibly be attired in such elegant clothes. Xinhua did not publish any photograph of ordinary Tibetan rejoicing the day. Even the photographs of 2010 and 2011 published by the Xinhua did not show  the ‘liberated serfs and slaves' singing and dancing to celebrate their liberation.

 On the contrary(as reported by Xinhua of March 27, 2012 ) on Mar.28, 2011, more than 3,000 deputies of different nationalities assembled at the Potala Square to watch the national flag raising ceremony in celebration of the 3rd Serfs' Emancipation Day. Flag raising ceremonies and playing national anthems were held across the Tibet Autonomous Region on Sunday, or March 28th, 2011 to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the emancipation of serfs. These Flag raising and playing national anthems ceremonies seem to be more asserting Chinese control over Tibet rather than liberation of 90 percent of Tibetan population. That is why the People’s Daily of March 29,2010 wrote that “The entire Chinese people, including all Tibetans as well as compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and Chinese compatriots residing worldwide, who belong to all but one Chinese nation. Linking by heart to heart and hand in hand, they take up joint responsibilities and the glorious mission for China's great rejuvenation.” It was also reported that, “As part of an effort to mark the first anniversary of the Serf Emancipation Day, the first group of overseas Chinese and Chinese Europeans has planned to come to their motherland on a study tour in June or July this year, which will enable them to take a look at a "dreamlike Tibet", a Tibet with a wonderful scene and a Tibet, where there is a plenty of the nature-endowed products and people are living in much contentment.” They are reported to have commented that "We very much want to see, hear and experience things indigenous to Tibet personally, and take our reminiscence of all these things we have collected during the trip to Tibet back to Europe and proceed to spread them across the world." (This they did not do in any other  part of China.) And people should really cherish and treasure "the hard-won peace and stability in Tibet, and the hard-won prosperity and development in Tibet.” This observation makes Tibet motherland of all Chinese not of Tibetan only. It is pertinent to add that before 1949 China was also characterized semi-colonial and semi feudal by Mao. After People’s Democratic Revolution the old system was replaced by people’s democratic Dictatorship. This new political system uprooted the old system and tried to develop the new system. After the demise of Mao this ‘new’ system has virtually been discarded. But the news of people of a particular region of China observing their liberation from pre 1949 feudalism on a particular day is conspicuous by its absence. Holding of  state sponsored annual Serfs Emancipation Day from 2009 and publishing pictures of lavishly attired Tibetans singing and dancing in Peoples daily shows China’s indirect admission of her failure to integrate Tibet with rest of China.
tibet,china, liberation, occupation