Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
"Lhasa in February" by Woeser
High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a blogpost by Woeser that was originally written for Radio Free Asia on February 24, 2010 and posted on her blog on March 4, 2010.
This is the second blogpost that Woeser has written from Lhasa and she vividly describes, in a poetic way, everyday life there with a lot of interesting details. For background information on her trip to Lhasa, see the introduction to the last post she wrote titled "What Is Happiness?" here on High Peaks Pure Earth.
In her final paragraph, Woeser refers to young Tibetans who are proudly asserting their Tibetan identity, she has described it as a kind of "mission" they are on. For an earlier posting on this topic by Woeser see "I Am Tibetan" and don't miss two videos from Amdo, I Am Tibetan and the hip hop video "New Generation".
"Lhasa in February"
By Woeser
Lhasa in February, with the arrival of Losar (Tibetan New Year), the city is slowly being swept away by sandstorms. In the past, the storms would never start this early, is global warming the only reason behind this? The Lhasa river valley used to be surrounded by a group of mountains called the “eight lotus petals” but today as it has been completely destroyed by mining machines, as soon as the wind starts to blow, sand and dust spreads everywhere. Also, on top of Lhasa valley, in the past it used to be the homeland of Tsangpo Songtsen Gompo but today even the local Medro Gongkar county government simply sold its own land to one of China Gold Group’s mining companies. The officials lined their own pockets but contaminated water has polluted farmland and even killed livestock or given the farmers strange diseases.
Lhasa in February, with the arrival of Losar, scenes on TV show officials asking the poor about their hardships; they are poor Tibetans from the city of Lhasa or from the remote countryside and pastureland. The officials with their subordinates show off the many hundred Yuan notes, which, with exaggerated gestures, they give to those Tibetans who bend and stick out their tongues (as a sign of respect) or hold out their hands. Also, those Tibetans speaking Lhasa, Shigatse, Nagchu or Chamdo dialects shed tears of gratitude; some even choke with tears, over and over again expressing their eternal gratitude. Yet, if people have to feel this overly thankful for such a little bit of money, doesn’t that mean that their poverty is in fact so widespread and alarming?
Lhasa in February, with the arrival of Losar, red lanterns of all sizes are hanging everywhere. This is by no means a Tibetan custom; it is revealing a different kind of message: the assimilation of local culture by an outside culture. For example, writing red antithetical couplets in Tibetan is really only a strange imitation of an antithetical couplet written in Chinese. They thought that this was just a transformation of old social traditions, but it really is neither fish nor fowl. We should know that all the loss is reflected in the details; every detail meant a little bit of loss and in the end, the loss is complete. It was the local government who initiated that five-starred red flags are now hanging everywhere in the city’s main roads and small alleyways. Cadres went from house to house, from door to door, from shop to shop requesting everyone to hang up a flag. Plus, they especially emphasised that this year people should hang up a particularly big flag. A red flag is also fluttering on the roof of the Potala Palace, pompously declaring national sovereignty.
Lhasa in February, with the arrival of Losar, we can also observe some special colours: one is green, representing soldiers with weapons in their hands, running wild in the streets of Tibet. When one runs into them directly, one has to quickly give way, or else one might with sudden force be pushed aside. There are also some soldiers, who boldly stand on Tibetan people’s rooftops, looking down from above, valiantly pressuring the Tibetans walking below gasping for breath. The other colour is blue, representing the police also carrying weapons in their hands, not just a few of them are Tibetans. I witnessed myself that a young Tibetan who was paying homage to Buddha was pushed away and when he answered back defiantly, Tibetan police clutched his throat. Another colour is always changing. I am not sure how many times these plainclothes policemen have changed their outfits, I even heard that some of them pretend to be Buddhist monks wearing robes wandering around the temples. Or they pretend to be tourists wearing rosaries on their wrists.
Lhasa in February, with the arrival of Losar, I also have to mention these few people: my fellow Tibetan townspeople who I love and respect. They prostrate all their way from various different hometowns to the sacred place - Lhasa - and with the Jokhang and the Potala Palace at their centre, they still continue to prostrate. Of course, the majority of them are farmers, herdsmen and Buddhist monks and nuns, who embody the characteristics of the grassland of the snowy mountains, and who smell of yak butter. When I was walking around the Barkhor I encountered a Buddhist monk whose forehead was full of scabs. He was singing songs in praise of Guru Rinpoche at full volume while slowly prostrating. What will the passing soldiers with their guns in their hands think about Tibetan beliefs?
Lhasa in February, with the arrival of Losar, there are more and more young people who continue to go down the path which belongs to them. They have come back from Chinese universities to their hometowns, wearing Tibetan clothes, speaking their mother tongue, feeling that they are on an “I am Tibetan” mission. And in a cherishing manner they go and learn about the roots of this piece of land, also, when they climb the high mountains to make offering by burning incense, scatter wind-horses, or recite traditional scriptures, they make promises for the future. They are full of self-confidence; they are in their prime, this is exactly the hope which has existed and been multiplied for generations and generations.
Lhasa, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
"New Generation" - Hip Hop Music Video from Amdo
High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a new hip hop music video from Amdo. The group who call themselves Yudrug in Tibetan, Green Dragon in English and Qinglong in Chinese, are from Machu in Amdo and they released their new track on their blog on February 5, 2010, as a gift to fans for Tibetan New Year. The video was subsequently quickly re-posted on other Tibetan blogs.
Although they call themselves "green dragon" in English, Yudrug is actually a name of a type of horse. This horse is very popular in Machu and considered a jewel, a source of wealth, as clearly stated in one of their previous songs.
Interestingly, no individual credits are given for the song, it is presented completely as a group effort. Even where the name of the lyricist should be, there is just the description “strong-willed”. The beginning of the video, below the song title, tells us that the song is "…for the hard-headed people out there".
The group however do appear to be very professional, as can be seen in their meticulously edited video and good sound quality. In the past, they have given due credit to the song composers, even crediting well-known Nepal based exile Tibetan singer Tsering Gyurmey for a cover of his song "Dream" that they recorded.
This bold new style of musical expression heard in "New Generation" has been quite controversial in Tibetan cyberspace with Tibetan bloggers praising Yudrug for their outspoken lyrics but some also criticising Yudrug for adopting a style that is seen as “too western”. Whatever your musical taste may be, the song is undeniably powerful and energetic with a rousing chorus:
The new generation has a resource called youthIn an earlier blogpost, High Peaks Pure Earth commented on the upsurge in online activity about asserting Tibetan identity. “New Generation” by Yudrug demonstrates that this pride in Tibetan identity has translated to music as well. Furthermore, this pride is imbued with elements of cool and confidence. In fact, this “coolness” that Yudrug have was the initial inspiration behind a Tibetan blogger’s blogpost of August 2009 titled “Be Cool, Be Tibetan”, where he stated:
The new generation has a pride called confidence
The new generation has an appearance called playfulness
The new generation has a temptation called freedom
The Yudruk phenomenon shows not only that Tibetans can be cool, but that it is cool to be Tibetan. This is a radical shift. But not only does it show a kind of Tibetanness that is on the cutting edge of cool. It also makes it clear that a Tibetan image can be created and exist entirely outside of the Chinese imagination. This is a kind of Tibetanness that was made by and for Tibetans.High Peaks Pure Earth would like to thank our own "Green Dragons" firstly for drawing our attention to this video and also for their help with this difficult translation. Thank you.
Below is the mp3 track along with the lyrics to “New Generation” in full:
New Generation by Yudrug (Green Dragon) by hpeaks
"New Generation" by Green Dragon
…for the hard-headed people out there
Lyrics: "Strong Willed"
Composition: Green Dragon
Vocals: Green Dragon and Blue Moon
The noise of vehicles has woken us
Among the crowded tall buildings
Our dreams and belongings have all been packed
See the polluted sky and know
We can't afford to wait for tomorrow's sunrise
Now wake up...
It's already time to walk on the road
It's time to walk, time to think
Our bare shoulders wet with sweat
Our long hair tangled by the wind
Our faith and lives are adorned by freedom
Our collective path is determined by individual choice
As much sweat as you shed
That much result shall you reap
So said our great forefathers
But our forefathers are long gone
We don't have to keep quiet
The owner of karma has left me like a toy
With strength and talent I need to somehow respond
Even the old lady neighbour says I'm spoiled
With power and ability I'll prove them all!
The new generation has a resource called youth
The new generation has a pride called confidence
The new generation has an appearance called playfulness
The new generation has a temptation called freedom
The new generation has a resource called youth
The new generation has a pride called confidence
The new generation has an appearance called playfulness
The new generation has a temptation called freedom
At one time I thought that love was everything
Then love turned me into nothing
A girl I loved so much
Has given me a very beautiful gift
Now I haven't lost her
The dream of love has not been lost
Deceit and cunning!
In a society where people are deceived by money, fame and power
Will I ever find a meaningful love?
Will i ever find a definite pledge?
Who among us will?
We are caught up in our thoughts of pain and of mere fashion
We wrote our own darkness and we're scared of living
We embody the pride of youth and search for future aspirations with full willpower
Search!
Search!
We are the new generation of today
As I achieved what I wanted to achieve
My dreams don't waiver in the night
As I said what I wanted to say
I didn't turn into a mute
I did it for me only!
As I achieved what I wanted to achieve
My dreams don't waiver in the night
As I said what I wanted to say
I didn't turn into a mute
I did it only to represent myself!
Get used to me!
I am the decadent breath of your uncontrollability
Get used to me!
I am under your limitless uncontrollable watch
Get used to me!
I am the manifestation of today and the substance of tomorrow
I am very light, in your imagination
I am very small, in your vegetable patch
Does your advanced theory wish to blow up my head?
Does your forced bullet wish to shoot through my heart?
I am just an old and damaged vehicle
The horse of time departed early morning
The small flame under your saddle
The blood and bodies frozen in the ice are bound to fade
We are the sharp wisdom that your speeches and lectures haven't reached
We are the smooth darkness that your flame and power hasn't absorbed
We are the response with playfulness that makes your heart ache
We are the infection and fright to your livelihood!
The new generation has a resource called youth
The new generation has a pride called confidence
The new generation has an appearance called playfulness
The new generation has a temptation called freedom
The new generation has a resource called youth
The new generation has a pride called confidence
The new generation has an appearance called playfulness
The new generation has a temptation called freedom
Our story has not ended here
It's just the beginning
We never fall asleep but are awake forever
Get used to dreaming
Get used to unlawful damage and uprisings
Get used to this way of living
Get used to moving forward
To our beloved and proud new generation
Translation: High Peaks Pure Earth
Monday, August 3, 2009
"Bad News" - Tibetan Bloggers Report the Arrest of Writer Therang
On 31st July 2009, a Tibetan blogger writing from Lhasa posted news of the arrest of Tibetan writer Tashi Rabten (bKra shis rab brtan) who writes under the pen name of Therang (the’u rang) which could mean demons or spirits.
High Peaks Pure Earth has translated the original post from Tibetan that was originally posted here: www.tibetabc.cn/u/cher/archives/2009/2009731165922.html (NB: www.tibetabc.cn is inaccessible at the time of writing)
Various Tibetan blogs have reported Therang's disappearance and express concern for him, one example is here: www.cmbod.cn/u/lzcljc/archives/2009/21503.html. The photos below are taken from the blogpost on www.cmbod.cn/u/ganglin/archives/2009/21496.html
More details about Therang and his writings can be found on the Tibetan language website Khabdha: www.khabdha.org/?p=3484
"Bad News"
Intelligent, wise and courageous brother from the land of snows named Tashi (bkra shes), also known as Therang (the’u rang), was secretly arrested by the enemy on July 26th. There are no traces of him left behind, just like a bird took off from a rock.
According to a few reliable friends, after the uprising in 2008, not only did the government interrogate him on many occasions, they also were closely monitoring his movements and making him report regularly on all his activities. At the end of 2008, thinking about the miserable fate of the Tibetan people, he wrote a book critical of the government titled "Written in Blood" (Khrag yig). By applying the meatphor of flesh and blood, the book revealed the oppression and crimes of the Communist government, therefore, he became a thorn in the eyes of the government. The brave and wise Therang is currently undergoing pain and suffering in a dark prison of the Communist government.
Isn’t it regretable for the Tibetan people to lose such a young brave person like him? If all the people with affection for our nationalities and the courageous youths are being disappeared like this, then what is the point of just shouting and raising our fists in the air? Are there able people amongst us Tibetans? Shouldn’t the Tibetan people be rising up when faced with such obstruction? How many people like Therang are there amongst us who are not afraid of talking about the plight of our people? How many people are there amongst us who are as intelligent and as brave as Therang? How many people are there among us who are so young and determined? Shouldn’t we be rising up behind this great thinker?
Written immediately after hearing the bad news from Lhasa on July 28th, 2009.
Read Full Post>>>
High Peaks Pure Earth has translated the original post from Tibetan that was originally posted here: www.tibetabc.cn/u/cher/archives/2009/2009731165922.html (NB: www.tibetabc.cn is inaccessible at the time of writing)
Various Tibetan blogs have reported Therang's disappearance and express concern for him, one example is here: www.cmbod.cn/u/lzcljc/archives/2009/21503.html. The photos below are taken from the blogpost on www.cmbod.cn/u/ganglin/archives/2009/21496.html
More details about Therang and his writings can be found on the Tibetan language website Khabdha: www.khabdha.org/?p=3484
"Bad News"
Intelligent, wise and courageous brother from the land of snows named Tashi (bkra shes), also known as Therang (the’u rang), was secretly arrested by the enemy on July 26th. There are no traces of him left behind, just like a bird took off from a rock.
According to a few reliable friends, after the uprising in 2008, not only did the government interrogate him on many occasions, they also were closely monitoring his movements and making him report regularly on all his activities. At the end of 2008, thinking about the miserable fate of the Tibetan people, he wrote a book critical of the government titled "Written in Blood" (Khrag yig). By applying the meatphor of flesh and blood, the book revealed the oppression and crimes of the Communist government, therefore, he became a thorn in the eyes of the government. The brave and wise Therang is currently undergoing pain and suffering in a dark prison of the Communist government.
Isn’t it regretable for the Tibetan people to lose such a young brave person like him? If all the people with affection for our nationalities and the courageous youths are being disappeared like this, then what is the point of just shouting and raising our fists in the air? Are there able people amongst us Tibetans? Shouldn’t the Tibetan people be rising up when faced with such obstruction? How many people like Therang are there amongst us who are not afraid of talking about the plight of our people? How many people are there amongst us who are as intelligent and as brave as Therang? How many people are there among us who are so young and determined? Shouldn’t we be rising up behind this great thinker?
Written immediately after hearing the bad news from Lhasa on July 28th, 2009.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Last Year I Was A Prisoner
High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a blogpost by a Tibetan blogger from Amdo who calls his blog The Cry of Thoring Karchen or The Cry of the Dawn Star (tho rengs skar chen gyi 'bod brda).
The original posting on http://www.tibetabc.cn/u/trgq/archives/2009/2009512193944.html was uploaded on May 12 2009 but has since been removed. Although the rest of his blog can still be accessed, instead of this particular posting, the following error message appears in Chinese:
High Peaks Pure Earth has therefore uploaded various screenshots of the blogpost, including the photos he uploaded showing how he was treated during his detention.
To my many friends and fellow bloggers. Last year I was a prisoner. I was expelled from Tso School (slob gtsos). I was detained in the Chinese town Hidren (hi krin) for one month and several days. On my return I was fined five thousand (yuan) and wasn’t allow to attend school. Here I am appealing to all the good-hearted people to offer me some money in order to pay my student fees.
The photo below was taken by a close friend and I wasn’t able to post it until today.
Read Full Post>>>
The original posting on http://www.tibetabc.cn/u/trgq/archives/2009/2009512193944.html was uploaded on May 12 2009 but has since been removed. Although the rest of his blog can still be accessed, instead of this particular posting, the following error message appears in Chinese:
High Peaks Pure Earth has therefore uploaded various screenshots of the blogpost, including the photos he uploaded showing how he was treated during his detention.
Last Year I Was A Prisoner
To my many friends and fellow bloggers. Last year I was a prisoner. I was expelled from Tso School (slob gtsos). I was detained in the Chinese town Hidren (hi krin) for one month and several days. On my return I was fined five thousand (yuan) and wasn’t allow to attend school. Here I am appealing to all the good-hearted people to offer me some money in order to pay my student fees.
The photo below was taken by a close friend and I wasn’t able to post it until today.
Monday, January 19, 2009
An Address from the Tibetan "Obama"
High Peaks Pure Earth has discovered that a Tibetan has started a blog under the name of “Obama” and writes blogposts addressed to Tibetan readers (photo of the blog below). The blog is hosted on http://www.tibetcul.com, founded in 2003 by brothers Wangchuk Tseten (dBang phyug tshe brtan) and Tsewang Norbu (Tshe dbang nor bu) from Lanzhou, in Gansu Province. The website is one of the most popular Chinese language sites for Tibetans and gets nearly 300, 000 hits every month.
So, just in time for the inaugural celebrations, High Peaks Pure Earth hereby presents...
An Address from the Tibetan "Obama"
Dear friends of the “Tibet Network”,
How are you? Tashi Delek! I am very glad that today “my” blog is registered on your network, and in the future we can exchange opinions through our blogs. As for me, I am going to move into the White House soon and in the next few years “I” will be the new host of the White House. Tibetan friends should feel free to tell me if you have anything to discuss. In fact, what I really want to tell you today are the following remarks. If any friends are interested in learning more, you can read them. Tibetan friends, it is high time to remind you why you like to place all your hopes entirely on a certain country or a certain individual. Look, under the present repressive circumstances, there are still many Tibetan friends who are in the mood to visit Nangma performance clubs, bars, brothels and casinos, where they ruined their youth, wasted their money, their virtue and conscience. I can not understand why they are doing so! I can not understand at all! If you continue to do so, then there is no hope for your glorious Tibetan nationality.
Tibetans, please wake up. You should not place your hope on other but put the hope of changing one’s fate into one’s own hands. One should gossip less and do more actual things. During my tenure as the President, what “I” can do is to present an award to your spiritual leader, and use the “Tibet Issue” as a “bargaining chip” when we have some clashes with China.
I am not telling you all this because I am drunk but I am telling you whole-heartedly that this is the reality and there is no way out. Do not be fast asleep any more but make more efforts to learn the history of black people in the United States. “My” ancestors once also lived worse than beasts of burden under the oppression of the white American government, but it is because generations and generations of the black predecessors were not afraid of hardships, struggled for their welfare many times, worked very hard again and again, and had their children study hard over and over again. Thus, all these efforts have created a black President in the present-day American political circle, scholars, professors and scientists in the literary, scientific and technological circles as well as numerous stars in the sports and entertainment circles. Black people dominate nearly half of the present-day American high society. By the way, what I want to mention here is that once the treatment of the Han Chinese in the West was, more or less, similar to that of dogs. One would find warning signs everywhere on which the phrase “dogs and Chinese are not allowed to enter” was written. But the Chinese are also slowly entering into the high societies of the West. Why? Because the Chinese have been studying hard and are capable, so the high societies in the West have no choice but to welcome them!
I appeal to the Tibetans not to find excuses again but to go into action and start to do real things. In particular, the elders should try their best to create the best learning environment and opportunities for their children. They should do all they can to let the descendants of Tibet enter into high society in China impressively, and even welcome them to enter into high societies in the world. Unless miracles occur in China, it’s certainly impossible for any Tibetans to enter the high society of the political circle. Some Tibetans are able to enter high society but they will be nothing but avaricious officials, cowards and puppets. So we should try to enter other walks of life through our own capabilities. I am sure you’ll be great by then as it won’t be easy for them to suppress or strike against you.
Seriously perform real deeds. I sincerely hope to see a few more Tibetans and hear the voices of a few more Tibetans in various international activities of the high societies of the world in the future, not just one person alone.
I am going to stop here today. “I” still need to prepare my inauguration speech. I welcome all of you to visit my blog in the future.
Peace, take care and work hard,
“Obama”
Read Full Post>>>
So, just in time for the inaugural celebrations, High Peaks Pure Earth hereby presents...
An Address from the Tibetan "Obama"
Dear friends of the “Tibet Network”,
How are you? Tashi Delek! I am very glad that today “my” blog is registered on your network, and in the future we can exchange opinions through our blogs. As for me, I am going to move into the White House soon and in the next few years “I” will be the new host of the White House. Tibetan friends should feel free to tell me if you have anything to discuss. In fact, what I really want to tell you today are the following remarks. If any friends are interested in learning more, you can read them. Tibetan friends, it is high time to remind you why you like to place all your hopes entirely on a certain country or a certain individual. Look, under the present repressive circumstances, there are still many Tibetan friends who are in the mood to visit Nangma performance clubs, bars, brothels and casinos, where they ruined their youth, wasted their money, their virtue and conscience. I can not understand why they are doing so! I can not understand at all! If you continue to do so, then there is no hope for your glorious Tibetan nationality.
Tibetans, please wake up. You should not place your hope on other but put the hope of changing one’s fate into one’s own hands. One should gossip less and do more actual things. During my tenure as the President, what “I” can do is to present an award to your spiritual leader, and use the “Tibet Issue” as a “bargaining chip” when we have some clashes with China.
I am not telling you all this because I am drunk but I am telling you whole-heartedly that this is the reality and there is no way out. Do not be fast asleep any more but make more efforts to learn the history of black people in the United States. “My” ancestors once also lived worse than beasts of burden under the oppression of the white American government, but it is because generations and generations of the black predecessors were not afraid of hardships, struggled for their welfare many times, worked very hard again and again, and had their children study hard over and over again. Thus, all these efforts have created a black President in the present-day American political circle, scholars, professors and scientists in the literary, scientific and technological circles as well as numerous stars in the sports and entertainment circles. Black people dominate nearly half of the present-day American high society. By the way, what I want to mention here is that once the treatment of the Han Chinese in the West was, more or less, similar to that of dogs. One would find warning signs everywhere on which the phrase “dogs and Chinese are not allowed to enter” was written. But the Chinese are also slowly entering into the high societies of the West. Why? Because the Chinese have been studying hard and are capable, so the high societies in the West have no choice but to welcome them!
I appeal to the Tibetans not to find excuses again but to go into action and start to do real things. In particular, the elders should try their best to create the best learning environment and opportunities for their children. They should do all they can to let the descendants of Tibet enter into high society in China impressively, and even welcome them to enter into high societies in the world. Unless miracles occur in China, it’s certainly impossible for any Tibetans to enter the high society of the political circle. Some Tibetans are able to enter high society but they will be nothing but avaricious officials, cowards and puppets. So we should try to enter other walks of life through our own capabilities. I am sure you’ll be great by then as it won’t be easy for them to suppress or strike against you.
Seriously perform real deeds. I sincerely hope to see a few more Tibetans and hear the voices of a few more Tibetans in various international activities of the high societies of the world in the future, not just one person alone.
I am going to stop here today. “I” still need to prepare my inauguration speech. I welcome all of you to visit my blog in the future.
Peace, take care and work hard,
“Obama”
Friday, October 17, 2008
One Year On... A Letter from Lhasa
It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal on 17th October 2007. I remember very clearly staying up and watching the ceremony online at a ridiculous hour because of the time difference. It has been a turbulent year for Tibet since then. Last weekend, as I was procrastinating from doing any real work, I stumbled across a letter I had received from Lhasa written around this time last year which I thought I'd share here. The Congressional Gold Medal ceremony is hinted at in the letter. Some of the names and details have been changed but basically this very sweet, personal letter conveys the feelings of many young Tibetans today who have been educated in China and then return home to Tibet.
Lhasa, October 21st , 2007
It has been over three months since I left Beijing. It is good to come back and work in Lhasa after spending eleven years studying in China. During the past three months, I have been experiencing so many things (positive and negative) emotionally.
Up to now my personal life in Lhasa is fantastic. I am living with my relatives and go back to my own home at weekends. My relatives have a huge apartment building and I have a private room for free. My relatives are people who have a lot of things in common with me in terms of many things. They are quite interested in my job and believe that this job perfectly suits my personality. So I share my working experiences with them. They often encourage me to go abroad for further study in the near future.
I am lucky enough to have my best friend TK with me in the same city. We hang out together as we did back in Beijing. We share our happiness and sorrow. Therefore, on the whole we are as happy as we were before. Besides, TK is as “rude” as before. One day, we went to attend the opening ceremony of a new restaurant together. We took a bus to the restaurant. When we sat down and began to talk, we suddenly realized that a lot of fellow passengers were looking at us curiously. We looked around and saw that we were the only Tibetans on that bus. Naturally, I could not helping feeling as if we were on a bus in Beijing where this kind of situation often occurs. Then TK burst out: "What are you looking at?! Why is it so strange that we speak Tibetan?!?!" The Han Chinese seated beside us did not set curious eyes on us any more. Haha….so this is typical TK. I am sure a lot of people never expected such a character as hers from her cute face.
No matter how well my life is going in Lhasa, there is always a dark or painful side deep in my heart. I believe this is a universal case for Tibetans like me. Never in my life did I realize that the political situation is so intense and so serious here in Lhasa. The ongoing 17th National Party Conference is greatly affecting Tibetan people’s routine life. During the conference, police have been scattered everywhere. On my trip to Lhasa, I found that the Qinghai-Tibet railway was safely guarded by police. Rumour is hard to be blocked among the gossip-natured Tibetans.
Although few Tibetans have a clear idea of what is going on on the international stage, most Tibetans know that something good and exciting is happening. I heard that a good many Tibetans dressed up on special days and went to burn incense as usual in spite of the hard restrictions. I also heard something that happened on that day. A group of nuns were spotted getting off a bus and disappeared around Karma Kunsang (a Tibetan residential area). Immediately, police made raids on every Tibetan household in that area in order to find the nuns. Finally, the nuns were found in a Tibetan house. It turned out that the family had invited the nuns to hold religious activity. Unfortunately in another Tibetan house, police caught twenty monks who were also invited to read Tibetan scripture. So we can imagine what kind of great changes will take place in these two families.
Such kinds of things are happening as life seems to go on happily here. Yesterday, one of my friends from Drepung monastery called me. They told me that during this conference the monastery had been guarded by the police. Monks are not allowed to leave the monastery and enter the city. So this is also what is going on in this seemingly peaceful city. In this city, I guess those who turn a blind eye to what is going on in real life is the happiest person.
There are also a lot of cheerful things occurring here. Nowadays, Tibetan music is becoming more and more popular among Tibetans, especially young Tibetans. Many new-faced Tibetan singers have popped out. I am also enjoying buying any newly published music videos. Apart from music videos, recently a video which advocates vegetarianism is popular among Tibetans. The video shows how the innocent animals are cruelly killed for the sake of human beings’ luxury. I was shocked by the bloody scenes in that video. I felt shameful for human beings’ mercilessness and cruelty. However, it is very difficult for me to be a vegetarian especially when I go for field work.
Just a few days ago, I listened to the Karmarpa’s teaching on vegetarianism. Kamarpa suggested that we can try to eat less meat than before by eating meat in only one meal a day. I realized that his teaching is very reasonable and practical for people like me. So now I do not eat as much meat as before and I found myself rejecting meat from my deeper heart. Whenever I eat meat, I feel guilty. I do intend to become a vegetarian but I try not to eat meat if there is another choice. I observed that nowadays to become a vegetarian is very popular among Tibetans. Luckily, there are two very good vegetarian restaurants in Lhasa now.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Chinese Spoken Here!
Although there is a vibrant Tibetan language publishing industry, there is still considerable pressure for Tibetans to learn and speak Chinese. Here are some pictures of banners hanging on the school gates of Lhasa.
1) I am a child of China, I like to speak Mandarin
2) Establish the Consciousness of Standard Language and
Raise the Consciousness of National Culture
The 3rd picture says spyid skad (meaning common language) in Tibetan. In Chinese it says putonghua which means Mandarin.
The last word, however, goes to a student from Tibet who has this on her blog:
Language is a nationality's source of honour
Language is a nationality's precious jewel of knowledge
Language is a nationality's treasure house of knowledge
Language is a nationality's radiant ambrosia
Read Full Post>>>
1) I am a child of China, I like to speak Mandarin
2) Establish the Consciousness of Standard Language and
Raise the Consciousness of National Culture
3) Mandarin is the Language of our School
The 3rd picture says spyid skad (meaning common language) in Tibetan. In Chinese it says putonghua which means Mandarin.
The last word, however, goes to a student from Tibet who has this on her blog:
Language is a nationality's source of honourLanguage is a nationality's precious jewel of knowledge
Language is a nationality's treasure house of knowledge
Language is a nationality's radiant ambrosia
Monday, September 29, 2008
Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics
We all heard of this quote “Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics”. I don’t know the who uttered these words first. Some attribute this to Benjamin Disraeli, colourful 19th century British Prime Minister, others ascribe the quote to Walter Bagehot, who is regarded as the philosopher behind the modern Conversative Party. I think it may be been Bagehot, he was the editor of The Economist for 17 years and wrote a great deal about government and constitutional matters. Both Benjamin Disraeli and Bagehot were the key figures who shaped the Modern Tory Party. I mustn’t write too much off the top of my head though, last time I did that a reader corrected me about the date for the US recognition of Mongolia.
Anwyway, I quite like the quote and everytime I read reports from China about Tibet, this quote keeps coming to mind. Last week the Chinese government issued another White Paper on Tibet, which contains an impressive set of statistics. I have always wondered how these figures are compiled. In the 1970s, the CCP tried to show that the PLA are really performing services to the “liberated serfs” of Tibet and used to rattle out figures for the number of how many free haircuts they carried out and how many tons of water they carried to the field. The CCP’s predilection for statistics was pointed out by another blogger, who works as an English editor for Xinhua. He wrote “There is no attempt at understanding anything about what Tibetans are thinking. The argument is based purely on money and statistics”.
High Peaks Pure Earth found an interesting post written in Chinese on this blog. The author gives an interesting account of how figures are compiled at a local level at Chigdril Dzong (gChig sgril rdzong) in Golok (gMog log).
Here is an English translation of the post:
An Account of the Serious Falsification of Data Concerning the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy Among Youths and Adults in Chidril County (Ch: Jiuzhi, Qinghai Province) by Luwo Tsetan
In 2007 when the Provincial Team Inspecting the Work Concerning the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youths and Adults came to Chigdril County, they demanded that the enrolment rate of school-age children should be 100%. When the County authorities reported to the higher level of government organizations, they reported the enrolment rate at 99.6 percent. For 98% of school-age children, they reported 96.25 percent. The drop-out rate for primary schools was !%, and that of the junior high schools was 3%. The literacy rate for people between the age of 15 to 50 was 95% but it was reported to be 96.53%. The literacy rate for youths between the age of 15 and 24 was 95% but it was reported to be 96.53%. The rate for completing primary school for 16 year old youths was 98% but it was reported to be 98.2%. And for the rate of completing the Junior High School among 18 year old youth was 85% but was reported to be 86.72%.
This data was falsified by the staff charged to establish data for the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youths and Adults, headed by Erko, the deputy magistrate in charge of Cultural and Educational Affairs in Chigdril County.
1. It is absolutely impossible for the enrolment rate for school-age children and youth in the area to reach the percentage mentioned above. In order not to have their children to go to school, the herdsmen of the area would pay children of herdsmen from Ngawa (Aba) County, Machu (Maqu) County and other townships in the county to replace their children. For each student, they would pay about 20,000 Yuan. Over 200 young monks in the monasteries have not received nine-year compulsory education and between March and August of this year the number of drop-out students from the only Tibetan School was as high as 40. Thus the actual enrolment rate of the school-age children and youth can be logically imagined.
2. The statistics and the rosters of school-age children and youth in the primary schools of the various townships as well as the two middle schools are false. All students who are older than their peers were transferred to the junior high schools, and the original classes were mixed with others. When the Prefectural Inspection Team came to re-examine the second time, they asked the teacher how many students and how many female students there were in the class, but the teacher in charge of the class replied frankly whether he/she should tell them the real number or the fake number the county authorities demanded him/her to report. The Prefectural Inspection Team called the teacher a fool, and left.
3．The literacy rate for youth and adults and the enrolment rate for the junior high schools are also false. The literacy teachers would give the textbooks and exams to students in the Junior Middle School Section of the Tibetan School, and have them complete the homework and take the exams. Majority of Tibetan herdsmen in the countryside do not even know a single Chinese character, how is it be possible for the county to reach the literacy rate of 90%?
4. In October 2007 when the data for the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youths and Adults was initially collected and established, it was required that the number of students in the Tibetan School in the county must reach about 1,300, and at that time the number of students in the school was 700. In the end of October there formed intensive classes with over 500 students. Among these students, some are graduates from a certain senior high school, and others were students who graduated from the Tibetan school but were herding at home. Still others were monks. They all came to school to deal with the inspection, thus, as soon as the inspection team left, the students could go home. Initially when the students came to register for the classes, the county authorities promised to give them salaries, and would provide them with houses to resettle the immigrants. Though they lived in the school for no more than two months, in the dossier it was recorded as a four-year intensive class. Eventually, the salary some students received was such materials as solar energy equipments used to help the poor given by the Department of the Civil Administration of the county (the value of these materials is 5,000 to 6,000 Yuan). However, up to now some students still have not received their salary, and some poor families filed their complaints to the provincial authorities because they did not receive the materials they were supposed to obtain from the county authorities.
5. The intensive classes in the various townships were also established to deal with the inspection. The students just came a few days ago, and they all came to earn some money.
6. There are over 40 full-time teachers in the Tibetan School of Chigdril County, but the county authorities reported over 80 teachers. In the list of these “extra teachers”, most of them are staff in the Bureau of Culture and Education, including accountants, cashier, typists, drivers or office boys. They also included names of teachers who have already been transferred to other counties or retired teachers. Judging from the situation, how can they satisfactorily complete the task of teaching over 20 classes with over 700 students. How is it possible to even take the quality of teaching into consideration!
7. They implemented the system of vetoing with four votes, and the salaries for the teachers are in arrears.
8. Whatever is written in the report of the evaluation of the Universal Nine-Year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youth and Adults is false. Leaders like Erko have brought great loss to the cause of education in the region. Is it right to guide the work concerning education like this? If the leaders in charge of education set such an example, how can the teachers who are on the forefront of education improve the quality of education? How is it possible for the local economy to develop!!!
I hope the government departments concerned redress the issue as soon as possible.
Here is the original post in Chinese:
Read Full Post>>>
Anwyway, I quite like the quote and everytime I read reports from China about Tibet, this quote keeps coming to mind. Last week the Chinese government issued another White Paper on Tibet, which contains an impressive set of statistics. I have always wondered how these figures are compiled. In the 1970s, the CCP tried to show that the PLA are really performing services to the “liberated serfs” of Tibet and used to rattle out figures for the number of how many free haircuts they carried out and how many tons of water they carried to the field. The CCP’s predilection for statistics was pointed out by another blogger, who works as an English editor for Xinhua. He wrote “There is no attempt at understanding anything about what Tibetans are thinking. The argument is based purely on money and statistics”.
High Peaks Pure Earth found an interesting post written in Chinese on this blog. The author gives an interesting account of how figures are compiled at a local level at Chigdril Dzong (gChig sgril rdzong) in Golok (gMog log).
Here is an English translation of the post:
An Account of the Serious Falsification of Data Concerning the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy Among Youths and Adults in Chidril County (Ch: Jiuzhi, Qinghai Province) by Luwo Tsetan
In 2007 when the Provincial Team Inspecting the Work Concerning the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youths and Adults came to Chigdril County, they demanded that the enrolment rate of school-age children should be 100%. When the County authorities reported to the higher level of government organizations, they reported the enrolment rate at 99.6 percent. For 98% of school-age children, they reported 96.25 percent. The drop-out rate for primary schools was !%, and that of the junior high schools was 3%. The literacy rate for people between the age of 15 to 50 was 95% but it was reported to be 96.53%. The literacy rate for youths between the age of 15 and 24 was 95% but it was reported to be 96.53%. The rate for completing primary school for 16 year old youths was 98% but it was reported to be 98.2%. And for the rate of completing the Junior High School among 18 year old youth was 85% but was reported to be 86.72%.
This data was falsified by the staff charged to establish data for the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youths and Adults, headed by Erko, the deputy magistrate in charge of Cultural and Educational Affairs in Chigdril County.
1. It is absolutely impossible for the enrolment rate for school-age children and youth in the area to reach the percentage mentioned above. In order not to have their children to go to school, the herdsmen of the area would pay children of herdsmen from Ngawa (Aba) County, Machu (Maqu) County and other townships in the county to replace their children. For each student, they would pay about 20,000 Yuan. Over 200 young monks in the monasteries have not received nine-year compulsory education and between March and August of this year the number of drop-out students from the only Tibetan School was as high as 40. Thus the actual enrolment rate of the school-age children and youth can be logically imagined.
2. The statistics and the rosters of school-age children and youth in the primary schools of the various townships as well as the two middle schools are false. All students who are older than their peers were transferred to the junior high schools, and the original classes were mixed with others. When the Prefectural Inspection Team came to re-examine the second time, they asked the teacher how many students and how many female students there were in the class, but the teacher in charge of the class replied frankly whether he/she should tell them the real number or the fake number the county authorities demanded him/her to report. The Prefectural Inspection Team called the teacher a fool, and left.
3．The literacy rate for youth and adults and the enrolment rate for the junior high schools are also false. The literacy teachers would give the textbooks and exams to students in the Junior Middle School Section of the Tibetan School, and have them complete the homework and take the exams. Majority of Tibetan herdsmen in the countryside do not even know a single Chinese character, how is it be possible for the county to reach the literacy rate of 90%?
4. In October 2007 when the data for the Universal Nine-year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youths and Adults was initially collected and established, it was required that the number of students in the Tibetan School in the county must reach about 1,300, and at that time the number of students in the school was 700. In the end of October there formed intensive classes with over 500 students. Among these students, some are graduates from a certain senior high school, and others were students who graduated from the Tibetan school but were herding at home. Still others were monks. They all came to school to deal with the inspection, thus, as soon as the inspection team left, the students could go home. Initially when the students came to register for the classes, the county authorities promised to give them salaries, and would provide them with houses to resettle the immigrants. Though they lived in the school for no more than two months, in the dossier it was recorded as a four-year intensive class. Eventually, the salary some students received was such materials as solar energy equipments used to help the poor given by the Department of the Civil Administration of the county (the value of these materials is 5,000 to 6,000 Yuan). However, up to now some students still have not received their salary, and some poor families filed their complaints to the provincial authorities because they did not receive the materials they were supposed to obtain from the county authorities.
5. The intensive classes in the various townships were also established to deal with the inspection. The students just came a few days ago, and they all came to earn some money.
6. There are over 40 full-time teachers in the Tibetan School of Chigdril County, but the county authorities reported over 80 teachers. In the list of these “extra teachers”, most of them are staff in the Bureau of Culture and Education, including accountants, cashier, typists, drivers or office boys. They also included names of teachers who have already been transferred to other counties or retired teachers. Judging from the situation, how can they satisfactorily complete the task of teaching over 20 classes with over 700 students. How is it possible to even take the quality of teaching into consideration!
7. They implemented the system of vetoing with four votes, and the salaries for the teachers are in arrears.
8. Whatever is written in the report of the evaluation of the Universal Nine-Year Compulsory Education and the Elimination of Illiteracy among Youth and Adults is false. Leaders like Erko have brought great loss to the cause of education in the region. Is it right to guide the work concerning education like this? If the leaders in charge of education set such an example, how can the teachers who are on the forefront of education improve the quality of education? How is it possible for the local economy to develop!!!
I hope the government departments concerned redress the issue as soon as possible.
Here is the original post in Chinese:
| 关于久治县两基建档中严重弄虚作假的情况 |
| [ 2008-9-28 11:06:00 | By: 罗哇才旦 ] |
3
一，2007年第一次省级两基检查团到久治县检查两基时要求适龄儿童入学率100％，上报时入学率99.6％. 适龄少年98％，上报96.25％，小学辍学率控制在1％， 初中辍学率控制在3％，15周岁至50周岁非文盲率95％，上报96.53％. 15周岁至24周岁青壮年非文盲率95％，上报96.53％.16周岁初等教育完成率98％，上报98.92％，18周岁初级中等教育完成率85％，
上报86.72％.
这些数据都是久治县文化教育副县长尔科为首组织县两基建档人员弄虚作假的。
1. 本地区的适龄儿童和适龄少年的入学率根本达不到以上所说那样，本地区的牧民群众为了不让自己的子女上学从阿坝县，玛曲县和本县其它乡镇的牧民子女用钱买过来顶替，每人两万元左右。寺院僧人中有年纪小的200人以上没上过九年义务教育，今年3月到8月仅仅藏中辍学生人数达到40人，这样久治县的适龄儿童和适龄少年入学率就可想而知。
2. 各乡小学和两所中学的适龄儿童和适龄少年的统计和花名册都是假的，年龄大的都调到初中部，原有的班级都打乱了，州检查团第二次到久治县复查验收时问你班有多少人，有多少女生时，某班主任直接说；我说真的吗还是县要求的说假的。州检查团的说了一句傻瓜就走了。
3．青壮年扫盲率和非文盲率，初级中等教育率都是假的，扫盲教师们把课本和考试卷发给藏中初中部学生让他们完成作业，考试等任务，乡下牧民群众大多数都不识半个汉字怎么能达到非文盲率90％以上。
4. 2007年10月份县两基建档时要求县藏中学生人数要达到1300余人，当时藏中实有学生人数700余人。10月底建立强化班500余人，这些强化班的学生有些是某高中学校毕业的学生，有些是本县中学毕业后在家放牧的，有些是僧人，他们到学校只是为了应付检查，检查团走后学生们可以回家。刚开始这些学生到校报名时县领导答应给工资，配发移民安置房屋，学校内住了不到两个月,建起的档案中写得是四年的强化班。最后有些学生拿到的工资是民政局发给贫困户的扶贫物资太阳能 （价值5000元至6000元）有些学生至今还没拿到工资，贫困户们没拿到扶贫物资太阳能后告到省上了。
5. 今年各乡的强化班也是应付检查的，刚到不过几天，学生都是为挣钱而的。
6. 久治县藏中实有专职教师40余人，上报时有80余人，多余的这些教师名单中多部分是县文教局的工作人员包括会计，出纳，打字员，驾驶员，通讯员等，有一些是调到其它县的教师，还有一些是退休的教师，这样能把700余人学生和20多个班级的教学任务怎能完成，教学质量如何谈起、
7.四个票否决制，拖欠教师工资。
8.两基评估验收资料中所写都是虚假的。
尔科这样的领导给本地方的教育带来了多大的损失，这样领导教育是正 的吗?教育第一线的教师们怎能把教育搞上去，教育领导是这样带头的吗？本地区的经济怎样发展！！！
希望有关领导部门尽快纠正。
Monday, September 22, 2008
"Advice to the Youth of the Land of Snow" By Lobsang Jamyang (Student)
It is sad to see some Tibetan youth idle away their time in pleasure-seeking. Our ancestors have left us with the rich culture and history, but what will we leave for our descendants?
I. Understand Tibetan History
It is extremely important for us Tibetans to learn about our own history so that we can learn from history and better prepared to bring about development in Tibet. We need to understand ourselves, instead of imitating others blindly and losing ourselves. Only in this way can we make progress and bring about development.
II. Attach Great Importance to One’s National Language
A nationality without its own spoken and written languages will not develop much.
All Tibetans have the great responsibility to protect and promote the use of Tibetan language. I am sure all intelligent and thoughtful Tibetan youth will attach great important to the promotion of Tibetan language. It is always beneficial for one to know multiple languages, but it is a shame for not knowing one’s native language. I got to know a Tibetan student online, and she told me that she hated to learn Tibetan since it is useless to learn it. When I asked her why she said so, she frankly told me that she could not make a living with knowing Tibetan. I was sad to see a Tibetan youth in college was so narrow-minded about the concept of survival, and the reason for her to pursue higher education is just to find a job to make a living.
If one wants to keep the good traditional national culture and keep the national characteristics, one has to attach great importance to the national language since it decides the future of the nationality. Can we imagine how much effort and suffering our ancestors underwent to create the language we have today? Lot of them used their lives to change for the language and other cultural heritage left us. Do you think they did this just to make a living? Can it be that one needs to sacrifice one’s life to learn Tibetan? The answer is certainly no. Then, what is the reason for not learning?
In order to develop the national language, every Tibetan youth should try his best to learn Tibetan and to use it in as many occasions as possible. If one has the financial means, one should promote the development of the national culture. All of us have the common responsibility and obligation to promote the use of Tibetan language.
III One’s Heart is the Commander of One’s Deeds and Also the Starting Point for One’s Action
We need people who have their own nationality in mind, and will always think about the future of their nationality.
Have any of you thought about how to prevent us from doing things to delay the development of our nationality? Those youth who care about Tibet must have thought about these issues, but simply do not have strategies to prevent them from happening. It is enough if we care about these issues, and we should take actions next. As long as we all do our job, and guide those who lost their directions in life, we are contributing to the development of Tibet.
In 2004 when I went to college, I had to go to the Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs to get financial aid to pay for the tuition. I found the strange phenomenon that all those students who came with their parents got the required seal easily even though they did not look like poor people, but those students from really poor families had to come on their own, and very few of them received the aid. I wanted to share my experience with you so that more people will safeguard their rights with law and more and more youth will not go astray in life.
All the youth in the Land of Snow, no matter where you go, please keep your good natural instincts and keep yourself away from those ignorant deeds. When you obtain power and wealth, you have to keep in mind that these are the result of the sweat and toil of common people.
Keeping one’s national identity is one’s most basic norm of action. Many young people forget about their highest ideals, their parents, their friends and their nationality, instead they indulge in pleasure-seeking. We cannot see any national characteristics in them. Everybody should keep one’s national characteristics, which is unique to one’s nationality and is the essence accumulated over the long process of the development of one’s nationality.
What is the thing we should be most proud of?
Many countries in the world have advance technology, but few have historical cultural relics. For instance, though the United State is very advanced, it only has a few hundred years of history. We do have a very long history, but are we proud of it? (For example, the five Greater and Lesser Sciences, Tibetan medicine, unique culture, Tibetan dances, murals, Buddhist images...)
There are many more things we should be proud of, but we have not looked for or pay attention to these things. As a Tibetan youth, one should promote our unique and outstanding culture so that other nationalities will better understand our culture.
Have we ever been proud of having such an outstanding culture? Those who have never felt so must be cold-blooded since it means that they have no feeling for the Land of Snow, which nurtured them. People without national sentiment will not make any contribution to one’s nationality, so we should try to be Tibetans with national sentiment and sense of Tibetan identity.
Understanding the Ugliness of Ourselves
People who live on the plateau do not know about the outside world until they leave the snow-mountains and the blue sky. When mankind has already landed on the moon and are exploring the universe, some of us Tibetans are still sitting on the back of donkeys and living a leisurely life. When I see that some Tibetans live such a leisurely life without pressure, motive or urgency, I can only release myself from suffering with tears.
Many Tibetan scholars and intellectuals have called on people to wake up from superstition and ignorance, and have guided them with correct view of life, correct thought and correct value system. But how many of us have really engaged in introspection? These writings profoundly reveal the deep-rooted bad traits, which mainly reflect in the thinking, customs, style and attitude. These traits are the key factors, which have hindered the development of the nationality. It is a pity nobody reads these books.
It is Time for Us to Use Our Brain
It is easy for many Tibetans to be content with life, and they will live their life day by day without much planning for future. [Mainly because they do not have explicit goal of life and they have some wrong thought. He blames the ruling class for instilling superstitions into people’s head as Buddhist thought in history. Some believe one’s fate is predestined, and nobody can change the reality.] Consequently, there emerges a group of pleasure-seeking people who have no aim in their life and no motivation. They themselves think that's what Buddhism advocates. I read the book Buddhism and Thought, and I could not find such concept in it. The book emphasizes that one will have good retribution only if one does more good deeds.
When other nations are developing and becoming advanced in science, some of us have no ambition and live an idle life. We are happy to receive help from others, and we do not have any dignity. When we receive help, it seems that we do not feel ashamed at all. Do any of us ever think that others are so strong though we all live on the same earth? Have we ever felt ashamed for being weaker than others? Have we really united together to work for the cause of our nationality? No, we have not.
At present, mankind has created unprecedented civilization, but what have we Tibetans created? Many people claim that Tibetan culture is charming, rich and mysterious, but these are things left to us by our ancestors. Without these heritages, what other things do we have to show off?
In order to facilitate the development of Tibetan nationality, the Party and the government sent a large group of youth to study in inland China, but due to some bad influence, some useful youth became useless. I read the entire blogs on Tibetan blog forums, and many Tibetan college students write about what they are doing in college. 80% of them sound very similar: they all change from a youth with high aspiration to somebody without aim and direction in their life. The main reason is that they are influenced by their fellow students. Some students said: “My parents have already found a good job for me, and I am going to work there as soon as I graduate. No matter how hard others try to work, but they will not find good jobs like mine.” Many such things experienced by college students make them lose confidence in many things, and lose their sense of direction and aim in life. We have to provide a fair arena for professionals, in this way, many ambitious youth will strive to realize their dreams. This is the responsibility of the society to provide such an environment, and it is also the wish of the youth.
With economic development, many alien cultures are introduced into Tibet, but it is not beneficial to the healthy development of our nationality if we accept everything without discrimination.
It is necessary to have advanced scientific technology and advanced culture for the development of the modern society, and one needs perfect spoken and written language to master these technologies. Though we Tibetan have the spoken and written languages, but how many of us really master it and know really how to use it?
Some Tibetan youth know very little written Tibetan, and they are not very good at other languages either. In fact, most of them are from cadre’s families. We cannot understand why they are like this though they have a very good family background. Though their parents are well educated, we cannot understand what kind of education these parents have received. As far as I know, a great number of youth with good family background are like that and they all indulge in pleasure-seeking.
In general, Tibetans lack ambition, and it is easy for them to be content with life. In addition, they are usually short-sighted and lack the belief of striving to stand on one’s own feet.
What Kind of Development Path Do We Choose?
We should focus on development, at the same time we should also attach great importance to environmental protection and the preservation of the cultural heritage.
1. We should promote education.
The basic education in many Tibetan areas is rather weak, as a result, many children from the countryside can not continue their study when they finish with elementary school or junior high school. They have to go back home, and they become a burden to their parents.
When many school drop-outs go home, they can not work in the field like their peers since they cannot stand such physical labour. Then they will leave their home, and make a living on their own. There are many such incidents, but people in the education circle ignore this problem. Many drop-outs in countryside leave school not because they do not want to study hard, but because they do not have the condition and opportunity to pursue further study. Therefore, society should pay more attention to these children and provide more opportunity for them.
2. We should promote multi-variant tourism
Tibet has rich natural scenery and unique national culture, we should promote multi-variant tourism. Meanwhile, we should co-ordinate some important festivals with golden seasons of tourism, and doing so will be beneficial to the development of tourism. We should have such new tourism projects such as outdoor sports, mountain climbing and farms.
3. Exploit the rich mineral resources.
4. Process barley and other agricultural products, and develop them into green products.
The Future Land of Snow We all Look Forward to Seeing
We all look forward to see the Land of Snow to be well developed with advanced scientific technologies, free from superstition. We wish to see schools, factories, scientific research institutes, recreational facilities and hospitals all over the holy land. We will not find bars and tea houses there, neither will we see people idle away their time.
The youth will engage in scientific research, and will be far away from drugs and pleasure-seeking. We also wish to see vegetable and fruit farms.
By then, people yearn for Tibet not just to admire the natural sceneries and cultural relics, but they admire more the economic productivity, the living condition and the quality of service.
Translated from Tibetan.
The original URL: http://www.tibet123.com/?2/action_viewspace_itemid_478.html is no longer valid.
Read Full Post>>>
I. Understand Tibetan History
It is extremely important for us Tibetans to learn about our own history so that we can learn from history and better prepared to bring about development in Tibet. We need to understand ourselves, instead of imitating others blindly and losing ourselves. Only in this way can we make progress and bring about development.
II. Attach Great Importance to One’s National Language
A nationality without its own spoken and written languages will not develop much.
All Tibetans have the great responsibility to protect and promote the use of Tibetan language. I am sure all intelligent and thoughtful Tibetan youth will attach great important to the promotion of Tibetan language. It is always beneficial for one to know multiple languages, but it is a shame for not knowing one’s native language. I got to know a Tibetan student online, and she told me that she hated to learn Tibetan since it is useless to learn it. When I asked her why she said so, she frankly told me that she could not make a living with knowing Tibetan. I was sad to see a Tibetan youth in college was so narrow-minded about the concept of survival, and the reason for her to pursue higher education is just to find a job to make a living.
If one wants to keep the good traditional national culture and keep the national characteristics, one has to attach great importance to the national language since it decides the future of the nationality. Can we imagine how much effort and suffering our ancestors underwent to create the language we have today? Lot of them used their lives to change for the language and other cultural heritage left us. Do you think they did this just to make a living? Can it be that one needs to sacrifice one’s life to learn Tibetan? The answer is certainly no. Then, what is the reason for not learning?
In order to develop the national language, every Tibetan youth should try his best to learn Tibetan and to use it in as many occasions as possible. If one has the financial means, one should promote the development of the national culture. All of us have the common responsibility and obligation to promote the use of Tibetan language.
III One’s Heart is the Commander of One’s Deeds and Also the Starting Point for One’s Action
We need people who have their own nationality in mind, and will always think about the future of their nationality.
Have any of you thought about how to prevent us from doing things to delay the development of our nationality? Those youth who care about Tibet must have thought about these issues, but simply do not have strategies to prevent them from happening. It is enough if we care about these issues, and we should take actions next. As long as we all do our job, and guide those who lost their directions in life, we are contributing to the development of Tibet.
In 2004 when I went to college, I had to go to the Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs to get financial aid to pay for the tuition. I found the strange phenomenon that all those students who came with their parents got the required seal easily even though they did not look like poor people, but those students from really poor families had to come on their own, and very few of them received the aid. I wanted to share my experience with you so that more people will safeguard their rights with law and more and more youth will not go astray in life.
All the youth in the Land of Snow, no matter where you go, please keep your good natural instincts and keep yourself away from those ignorant deeds. When you obtain power and wealth, you have to keep in mind that these are the result of the sweat and toil of common people.
Keeping one’s national identity is one’s most basic norm of action. Many young people forget about their highest ideals, their parents, their friends and their nationality, instead they indulge in pleasure-seeking. We cannot see any national characteristics in them. Everybody should keep one’s national characteristics, which is unique to one’s nationality and is the essence accumulated over the long process of the development of one’s nationality.
What is the thing we should be most proud of?
Many countries in the world have advance technology, but few have historical cultural relics. For instance, though the United State is very advanced, it only has a few hundred years of history. We do have a very long history, but are we proud of it? (For example, the five Greater and Lesser Sciences, Tibetan medicine, unique culture, Tibetan dances, murals, Buddhist images...)
There are many more things we should be proud of, but we have not looked for or pay attention to these things. As a Tibetan youth, one should promote our unique and outstanding culture so that other nationalities will better understand our culture.
Have we ever been proud of having such an outstanding culture? Those who have never felt so must be cold-blooded since it means that they have no feeling for the Land of Snow, which nurtured them. People without national sentiment will not make any contribution to one’s nationality, so we should try to be Tibetans with national sentiment and sense of Tibetan identity.
Understanding the Ugliness of Ourselves
People who live on the plateau do not know about the outside world until they leave the snow-mountains and the blue sky. When mankind has already landed on the moon and are exploring the universe, some of us Tibetans are still sitting on the back of donkeys and living a leisurely life. When I see that some Tibetans live such a leisurely life without pressure, motive or urgency, I can only release myself from suffering with tears.
Many Tibetan scholars and intellectuals have called on people to wake up from superstition and ignorance, and have guided them with correct view of life, correct thought and correct value system. But how many of us have really engaged in introspection? These writings profoundly reveal the deep-rooted bad traits, which mainly reflect in the thinking, customs, style and attitude. These traits are the key factors, which have hindered the development of the nationality. It is a pity nobody reads these books.
It is Time for Us to Use Our Brain
It is easy for many Tibetans to be content with life, and they will live their life day by day without much planning for future. [Mainly because they do not have explicit goal of life and they have some wrong thought. He blames the ruling class for instilling superstitions into people’s head as Buddhist thought in history. Some believe one’s fate is predestined, and nobody can change the reality.] Consequently, there emerges a group of pleasure-seeking people who have no aim in their life and no motivation. They themselves think that's what Buddhism advocates. I read the book Buddhism and Thought, and I could not find such concept in it. The book emphasizes that one will have good retribution only if one does more good deeds.
When other nations are developing and becoming advanced in science, some of us have no ambition and live an idle life. We are happy to receive help from others, and we do not have any dignity. When we receive help, it seems that we do not feel ashamed at all. Do any of us ever think that others are so strong though we all live on the same earth? Have we ever felt ashamed for being weaker than others? Have we really united together to work for the cause of our nationality? No, we have not.
At present, mankind has created unprecedented civilization, but what have we Tibetans created? Many people claim that Tibetan culture is charming, rich and mysterious, but these are things left to us by our ancestors. Without these heritages, what other things do we have to show off?
In order to facilitate the development of Tibetan nationality, the Party and the government sent a large group of youth to study in inland China, but due to some bad influence, some useful youth became useless. I read the entire blogs on Tibetan blog forums, and many Tibetan college students write about what they are doing in college. 80% of them sound very similar: they all change from a youth with high aspiration to somebody without aim and direction in their life. The main reason is that they are influenced by their fellow students. Some students said: “My parents have already found a good job for me, and I am going to work there as soon as I graduate. No matter how hard others try to work, but they will not find good jobs like mine.” Many such things experienced by college students make them lose confidence in many things, and lose their sense of direction and aim in life. We have to provide a fair arena for professionals, in this way, many ambitious youth will strive to realize their dreams. This is the responsibility of the society to provide such an environment, and it is also the wish of the youth.
With economic development, many alien cultures are introduced into Tibet, but it is not beneficial to the healthy development of our nationality if we accept everything without discrimination.
It is necessary to have advanced scientific technology and advanced culture for the development of the modern society, and one needs perfect spoken and written language to master these technologies. Though we Tibetan have the spoken and written languages, but how many of us really master it and know really how to use it?
Some Tibetan youth know very little written Tibetan, and they are not very good at other languages either. In fact, most of them are from cadre’s families. We cannot understand why they are like this though they have a very good family background. Though their parents are well educated, we cannot understand what kind of education these parents have received. As far as I know, a great number of youth with good family background are like that and they all indulge in pleasure-seeking.
In general, Tibetans lack ambition, and it is easy for them to be content with life. In addition, they are usually short-sighted and lack the belief of striving to stand on one’s own feet.
What Kind of Development Path Do We Choose?
We should focus on development, at the same time we should also attach great importance to environmental protection and the preservation of the cultural heritage.
1. We should promote education.
The basic education in many Tibetan areas is rather weak, as a result, many children from the countryside can not continue their study when they finish with elementary school or junior high school. They have to go back home, and they become a burden to their parents.
When many school drop-outs go home, they can not work in the field like their peers since they cannot stand such physical labour. Then they will leave their home, and make a living on their own. There are many such incidents, but people in the education circle ignore this problem. Many drop-outs in countryside leave school not because they do not want to study hard, but because they do not have the condition and opportunity to pursue further study. Therefore, society should pay more attention to these children and provide more opportunity for them.
2. We should promote multi-variant tourism
Tibet has rich natural scenery and unique national culture, we should promote multi-variant tourism. Meanwhile, we should co-ordinate some important festivals with golden seasons of tourism, and doing so will be beneficial to the development of tourism. We should have such new tourism projects such as outdoor sports, mountain climbing and farms.
3. Exploit the rich mineral resources.
4. Process barley and other agricultural products, and develop them into green products.
The Future Land of Snow We all Look Forward to Seeing
We all look forward to see the Land of Snow to be well developed with advanced scientific technologies, free from superstition. We wish to see schools, factories, scientific research institutes, recreational facilities and hospitals all over the holy land. We will not find bars and tea houses there, neither will we see people idle away their time.
The youth will engage in scientific research, and will be far away from drugs and pleasure-seeking. We also wish to see vegetable and fruit farms.
By then, people yearn for Tibet not just to admire the natural sceneries and cultural relics, but they admire more the economic productivity, the living condition and the quality of service.
Translated from Tibetan.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Blog Post About Job Prospects for Tibetan Graduates
Blog Post by: Snow Lotus of High Mountain
I was very glad to receive a phone call from my good friend, but when our phone conversation ended, I had a heavy heart. My good friend has always been an optimistic girl, I have hardly heard her complaining about anything since I got to know her in the ninth grade (first year in senior high school).
But this time she sounds like a completely new person. I can tell from her tone that she was in low spirits, and it seems that she is under great pressure. “When I graduate, I can only be a teacher!” This is the first sentence she said to me during our conversation. I immediately asked, “Why will you, whose major is the management of railway transportation, be a teacher?” I was puzzled because I know that she has always wanted to work in the office of the transportation bureau so that she can use the knowledge about highways and railways she has studied for four years in college. “I can only choose two positions out of those which recruit candidates through civil service exam: middle and primary schools on the grass root level and cadres on township level. I have asked many people about the prospect of being a cadre on the township level, and I was told that after one became a cadre on a township level, one would be taken seriously and be respected for the first one or two years, but later one would be more or less the same as common people in the village, and female cadres would have to drink along with one’s superiors (leaders). I do not want to lead a life like that, therefore, I can only become a middle school teacher.”
I can tell from her tone that my good friend is helpless. For a little while, I did not know how to respond to her, and I did not know whether I should be sympathetic to her situation or to say a few words to comfort her. Then I asked again, “Won’t the Transportation Bureau recruit employees?” My friend replied, “ My mom has already asked about that, but she was told that the Transportation Bureau will not recruit on its own since it is a government office.” After she said that, I also exclaimed the current employment situation like she was doing, then I said some comforting and encouraging words to her. I told her that she should still prepare well for the exam since it seems to be the only choice for her. But, in fact, even if she passes the exam, she will not know where they would assign her to.
After I put down the phone, I felt pain and suffering I can not express, but I did not know to whom I should relate. I faintly felt flames of fury arose in my mind, but I did not who to blame or who to condemn. Though I found my dreaming job long time ago, I was in tears when I think of the real employment situation facing Tibetan college graduates including my friend, who are ambitious.
We, the college graduates, have the opportunity to receive good education, and many of us were even admitted into the famous Chinese universities where there are very few Tibetan students. Our parents have always been proud of us. In universities where there gather many gifted people, we put much more effort than other students to study one’s own major. At least we do not want to be ranked as students with lower or lowest scores in exams, and make Tibetans lose face.
In the end we are able to get a firm foothold in colleges after we have gone through a series of struggles. We realize the origin of the backwardness of our nationality, and understand that we need professionals in various fields to develop our hometown. We feel that we have the heavy load of developing our hometown on our shoulders, so we study even harder. I can never forget that my friend who major in transportation management looked wane and thin after she studied hard to pass over a dozen final exams at the end of the semester.
Nor can I forget that my friend who majored in journalism shot scenes in parks and streets with the expensive video camera she bought himself or interviewed visitors. But, in the end, both of them can only become teachers by passing civil service exam, and they have no opportunities to consider whether they can use their professional knowledge in their occupation. The ill fitting of one’s specialty with one’s occupation has always been the problem facing the Tibetan graduates, so now all people are insensitive to the issue. As long as one can find a job, one will not mind whether it allows one to use one’s professional knowledge or not.
Since the government has spent so much money to train Tibetan students who major in various fields, then why can’t it employ these Tibetan professionals or give them an opportunity to use their professional knowledge? Why does the government have so many Tibetan graduates work in jobs which have nothing to do with their professional training? Why does it allow the ambitious Tibetan youth to lose their ambitions at their jobs? Why does the government let so many Tibetan youth waste their talents at their jobs or let them to be in low spirits at their jobs?
It is reported that in Tibet there will be 8,600 college graduates seeking for employment: the number of this year’s college graduate is 8,000, and there are 600 graduates who were not assigned with any jobs. Among these graduates, except students who graduate not from teacher’s colleges or universities (including medical students), the rest are eligible to take civil service exam. 3,200 graduates will find jobs in government offices through the civil service exam, and more than half of them will do jobs which do not require them to use their professional knowledge. Still their fate is much better than the rest of them: the rest of them have to seek for employment on their own. Those who are successful will find jobs they like, but others who fail to find their dreaming jobs have to do whatever they can in order to make a living, no matter fro which university one graduated. In my opinion, rather than wasting the talent of professionals, it would be better if the government had not spent so much money to train the so-called successors who are knowledgeable and well educated to build up the new socialist Tibet.
8th May 2007
Comments
1. 4:25 pm, May 28, 2007, by Ran
Since the moment I knew that I am not a Han Chinese, my life had lost all the colors. I indistinctively saw the face of the devil and his actions, and this made me live in fear and was at loss what to do.
2. 7:21pm May 26, 2007, by Bai
Cheers for Pemala who posted the thread and other brothers and sisters who are going to take the exam tomorrow!! I am sure our hard-work will bring a better tomorrow for our homeland! May everybody successful!!!
3. 2:28pm May 26 , 2007, by Pemala
Tomorrow is the time to take the exam. Is it right that you wrote the article on that day? On that day we also talked to each other on the phone. We comforted each other, and encouraged each other to prepare for the exam well by reviewing what we had learned carefully. Besides this, what else can you do? I remember when we were in senior high school, we were dreaming that we would one day be admitted into this ideal university. After the entrance exam, all the black boys in our dorm were all admitted into a few best universities. On the campus we have all worked hard and had been planning an ideal future for ourselves. But what is the reality now? This makes me feel more and more lost and perplexed. I am trying to encourage myself, but I have not been able to find my confidence which had accompanied me so far. Here I would like to say a few words to my fellow junior students: do not think the best choice is to go back home and look for employment there. If you do not need to worry about your parents or you do not have to go back home for the sake of your parents, then you should believe in your own ability, and there are many opportunities for you to seize in Beijing and many other major cities. Now I really regret that I had lost many opportunities as I had determined to go home.
I did not have time to read all responses carefully, but I did scan them quickly. I noticed that someone commented that Tibetan students in Inland China are not doing well, etc. Here I would like to say that most of Tibetan students I know are all working hard. We have won glory for ourselves, Tibetan nationality and for our schools. We have always made great effort to study. We are not the most outstanding students on our universities, but we have done our best and to perform at our best. I think most of us will not regret about that. We should be proud of ourselves. Wish all of us be successful.
4. May 24, 2007, 10:58: I strongly agree with what Huihe Lilun posted above. If it is gold, it will shine eventually.
5. 12:54, May 20, 2007, by Huihe Lilun [Mixed theories]
Most of the so-called Tibetan elites are rather dispirited, and their attitude was to leave as soon as they receive their diplomas. They think they can find a good job when they go back to their hometown. But, to the contrary, as a Tibetan college graduate, the responsibility on your shoulder is enormous, and you can not avoid it. When GDP of Tibet is increasing continuously, it means that the hometown is developing. The hidden crisis is that professionals from Inland China had great impact on jobs for indigenous Tibetans. Now it is the era of market economy, so one has to rely on one’s abilities to do things. One can not live long if one solely relies on other’s charity. One need a variety of capabilities to survive, for instance, social resource is one of the most important factors. China’s economy at present has not hit a soft landing, to the contrary, it is refueled. It is estimated that China’s economy will rise even higher. Along with the completion of Qinghai-Tibet railway and other developing projects, Tibet will develop rapidly. At this new era what the homeland needs are professionals! Don’t waste time or money in universities or colleges. Study hard. If it is gold, it will always shine.
6. 12:40, May 20, 2007, By Huihe Lilun
When you are studying in colleges, can it be that you only read books without thinking? What the society needs are professionals, and Tibet needs more professionals. When the Chinese professionals come to Tibet, you should have realized the importance of this. You should.
7. 16:45, May 19, 2007, by Tong Tong [pain pain]
[I want to] add a quotation mark after the word “outstanding”, which refers to the degree of sinicization and technical skills. We are originally more outstanding than you. Well, you do not need to inhale oxygen [to live in Tibet] since you are all garbage who do not have a reliable source of income in Inland china; Those of you who are just put on market from the assimilation concentration camp and the sinicization production line were assigned to work in the countryside because they think you can take the stinky sweat smell to change the customs and transform the social traditions, isn’t it right? Ha, ha; Moved Aizi: Do you really think the few intellectuals in the ethnic group, which has rich natural resources, unique cultural resources, vast territory and only several million people, should compete with Chinese female farmers to wash dishes for the sake of getting less than 500 yuan? Well, you are brilliant, you are really brilliant. I am completely convinced by you! In the work unit where I make my living they have mostly recruited descendants of Chinese farmers. We should all organized together to protest against this. If we do not protest in the name of the living right of an ethnic group, we can do so in the name of the autonomy law. I am not sure about this. I think the Autonomy law should have a preference treatment for employment for the ethnic group.
8. 19:00, May 18, 2007, by Sodrolma
I am really very glad to read an article like this!!! I am going to graduate in 2008.
But my situation is different from most of the college graduates: I want to be a teacher! I am going to transmit whatever I have learned to the next generation without any mistake. In my opinion, the quality of a nationality depends on two people: mother and the teacher.
However, every time when I go home, I feel sad, and I can not explain why. What did I see? [I saw] hypocrisy, deceiving, humbleness, vanity, theft, robbery, formalization…
Let’s talk about “two-way choices”, what many people see are only these four words (Ch. shuangxiang xuanze). Isn’t it funny to assign a computer major graduate to a school which has no computer at all? Why do we who have graduated from prominent universities have to go to work in remote countryside? It is not that we are not willing to go there, well, we just feel wronged.
9. May 18, 2007, 16:33, by Rap in Tibet
Among the thieves there are so many ridiculous systems and policies which are beyond reason. I am wondering what the present ruling class of Tibet have eaten! They have come up with all these topsy-turvy ideas. They are really talking nonsense. What they propose does not conform to reality at all. They did so only to put on a show for CP Central Committee…
10. May 17, 2007, 19:23, by Teng de shi zhu jidan [The one who feel the pain is the boiled egg]
The poet Jingwa (“Frog in the Well”) wrote a poem, which I think he wrote for van Gogh. Here I would like to cite two lines to present to you all: the devil is harvesting your crop, but you are living like a dog in the city.
11. May 16, 2007, 13:58:00 | By: Minya Princess (ch. Muya Gongzhu)
This is not a question of washing dishes, neither is it an issue of attitude! This is a test of the preliminary social effect of the assimilation policy which has been put into effect consciously and with concrete steps for many years. And this is the inevitable result of the large scale immigration policy, and it is also the realistic consequence of ruling Tibet with autocracy and close-door policy. This means that under the pre-condition that you are so sinicized that you are more outstanding than the Han Chinese, then you will obtain the job which were originally promised to you amidst discrimination and at the cost of sacrificing one’s national dignity and sacrificing one’s national culture. This means that you can not enjoy the right of employment priority stipulated in the national regional autonomy law as your father’s generation did, and you even do not have the equal opportunity for employment. Those who assign opportunities are all Han Chinese or those who sell out the national interests, and you have fewer opportunities than those “garbage immigrants” who are inhaling oxygen. Meanwhile, due to the high-degree close-door rule, all the resources are controlled by bureaucrats. It is completely a bureaucratic economy and a corrupted economy. There is no fair market environment or market opportunity, and foreign capitals are basically forbidden to enter the market. This system strictly control the number of various groups, organizations and organizations of legal corporate person, so where will they find employment? The situation in Tibet can not be compared to that of Inland China. Even when the robbers are moving things from your home, you said to them, “ I’m hungry. Please give me some food, then I will help you to move,”, yet it is impossible for you to do so. When the authorities develop many national secret resources, they will not employ Tibetans. Due to purposes that cannot be divulged to the public, the authorities will even require to have tour guides coming from inland China. In this way, Tibetans are isolated from other ethnic groups and foreigners. Certainly, they are just “monkeys” who know how to talk, and when they do not know how to talk well, they certainly need to be aided! Washing dishes is an employment opportunity, and I am afraid if all go to wash dishes, they will not be enough dishes needed to be washed.
12. May 16, 2007, 0:29, by the Son of the Snowland (Ch. Xueyu Zhizi)
Life has always been fair, and it all depends on your attitude toward life. There is no one whose life has always been successful without any difficulties, so it is impossible to find suitable jobs for oneself (some individual cases should be regarded as exceptions). Under the circumstances, one should positively face the problem, and should not be discouraged. As the saying goes, “If it is gold, it will shine no matter where it is! One’s attitude will determine everything! Wish all brothers and sisters have good attitude!
13. May 13, 2007, 24:00, by Let Nature Takes its Course (Ch. shunqi ziran)
It is not bad at all when you can find employment in government offices. Just keep in mind this similar issue: how many college graduates in Inland China can not find employment? Sometimes they can not even support themselves. Some of them will go hungry for a few days, and have to sleep under overpasses in the suburbs.
14. May 13, 2007, 19:35, by L.
We are all members of a wasted generation…
15. May 13, 2007, 13:01, By Tseten Tatse (Ch. Zedan Zhazhi)
Fight against it….fight against it… fight against it ……fight against it….
16. May 13, 2007, 11:13, By fuk
I cited the following remarks from chupek’s response posted on May 12, 2007, 22:10:
“I am wondering whether everybody find out about this: in Tibet there is no channel for people to have dialogue with the government. It will be fine even one can communicate with e-mails. There lack good communication between the government and people.”
The force us absolutely to obey them, and completely keep quiet until we are rotten and die.
17. May 12, 2007, 22:10, by chupek
I am wondering whether everybody find out about this: in Tibet there is no channel for people to have dialogue with the government. It will be fine even one can communicate with e-mails. There lack good communication between the government and people.
18. May 12, 2007, 22:08, by Chupek
Ah, it is a pity… It is difficult for one to obtain a human life again… it is pleasant to hear when one talks about “sacrifice, sacrifice”, but after today, I will become a person of tomorrow, and I am one step closer to death. The only fault is that we don’t have our own country.
19. May 12, 20:32, by Yvonne
Though the conflicts in Tibetan society are becoming more and more serious day by day, yet we will not be able to change the situation for a period of time. Hope Tibetan youth will not be too pessimistic. As long as we make concerted efforts, I think the government will eventually have to change its policy.
20. May 12, 2007, 18:48, by the Perplexed Person (Ch. Mimangren)
Well, my family also want me to be a teacher, but I am not willing to resign myself to such a fate. With no other choices, I secretly registered for exams for civil servants at the township level without telling my family. I majored in railway and highway management and maintenance, and I do not believe in Tibetan all the relevant positions have been filled. Why the working units related to transportation do not recruit employees for those positions, and for whom, on the earth, these positions are reserved? I think the so-called quota are reserved for the children of “old comrades” who have been working in these units for a long time!!!
This is really dirty!! It is really wicked!
21. May 12, 2007, 18:03, by the one who suffer a hard lot (Ch. Mingku-a)
I cite the following from a response posted on May 10, 2007, 18:20:
“I strongly feel the same way. Though I love my own nationality, if there is future life, I will never be reborn as a Tibetan, especially a Tibetan who is controlled by others.”
Just like you, if there is future life, I will not be reborn as Tibetan either. I want to be a white man in America. What a hard life! With the [Han Chinese] immigrants flooding into Tibet for the sake of taking college entrance exams there, a great number of the children of those Han Chinese cadres, who have come to aid Tibet, took the opportunity to be admitted into good universities and to study for good majors away [from Tibetans].
Then, after one studied one’s major, then there is no working unit one can use what one has learned in college. Even if there is working unit which has vacancy for the major one studied in college, one will probably be excluded by children of high officials whose majors have nothing to do with the position. When one takes exams to be a civil servant, one will still be discriminated base on one’s ethnic identity… Aren’t there any people who come to rescue us from such a hard life.
22. May 12, 2007, 10:27 , by pour out one’s heart (Ch. Qingsu xinsheng)
Everybody has poured out their heart and expressed their thoughts about this issue. As a college student who is going to graduate this year, at this moment I feel like an ant on a hot pot, and am very gloomy. I have changed my exam registration between civil servant on township level and primary and middle school teacher for four times. The reason is that everyday I have the “preview of registration” website on so that it will show me the latest information, and I found the number of people who register for civil servant exam has increased dramatically. So far I have seen 1,670 people registered, and this number greatly exceeded the available positions. Of course, we do not know how many others have not registered yet. I am not worried about the number itself, well, what I worry is how many among these people are just going through this procedure as a formality. In the dark Tibetan society it is absolutely impossible to avoid such things to happen. Therefore, I decided to register for exams for teachers. But, please think about it, everybody: we have studied for eleven years in Inland China, and I think that I have won credit for myself by successfully graduating from a famous university, but now I have to be a middle school or primary school teacher. Well, if we do not talk about other issues, I just feel wronged, sad and am not willing to resign myself to such a fate.
I believe many students have similar opinion. But now we have to resign to our fate, and this is the fate of talented intellectuals trained by the Tibetan government… these ‘children” are pathetic… the Tibetan government is lamentable…
23. By: Down with those old men
down with Ragdi, the stinking chairman and those old men who occupy the positions but do not do any work
24. By: Build up a new Tibetan Society
Dear Colleagues,
I am also in the same situation…
I think we should all unite together to overthrown this society.
We have plenty of students who are knowledgeable and clever.
Facing such social inequality, we have to have a large group of heroes who will give the government some pressure. Otherwise, it will not only harm us, but also many future generations.
We should unite together to build up a better society. What do you all think?
I am disgusted by the actions of the Tibetan government.
We are all victims of a slumbering Tibetan society, so we should awake the Tibetan society.
25. By Tsedrol:
I am really sad to read all these blog entries! Though I am not going to graduate this year, I will still face the problem of finding employment! I have studied for such a long time, then why do I have so much difficulty in my life and career? Only if I know earlier, there is no need to read so many books. I am really depressed.
26. I am indeed lost, and really do not know what to do. It is not bad if one has a goal to achieve, but now I do not even have that. The biggest enemy in our life is negative feelings.
In the past, I am very confident about my future, but now when facing with the reality, I really had to say “the reality is cruel and dark .
It is not that I do not want to work hard, but before I have the chance to work har, they have already blocked my way. How can they do that.
I lost my word when I talk about the education system in Tibet. How can they only establish a few working units, then others have to take exams to become teachers or cadres on the township level. Then what is the use for us to learn so much in college.
Recently I have the negative feeling, and I really do not know when I will fall apart.
27. I strongly feel the same way. Though I love my own nationality, if there is future life, I will never be reborn as a Tibetan, especially a Tibetan who is controlled by others.
28. By: Birth--- a Great Mistake
I am one of the pathetic graduates described by the above article…
We are the generation under experiment.
What we use is not out mother tongue either!
And many people have potential racial discrimination! We dare to be angry, but dare not to express it!
I really fear that the great Tibetan culture will … in several years…
It is a pity we can not do anything about it!
The leaders probably do not have time to visit this blog.
29. By: Can’t find the direction
We who were born in 1980s have met with “reforms’ in all our life.
Once because I had a dream, so I have studied hard for many years.
But now my heart is already broken when I am leaving the campus and stepping into the society.
what you wrote in your blog is so good. It is indeed the true situation. I am going to graduate this year, too. I am very depressed. I really do not know how our fate will be in future.
I am helpless…
30. Morals of the time is such… we are facing with such situation.
We who were born in 1980s have met with “reforms’ in all our life.
Once because I had a dream, so I have studied hard for many years.
But now my heart is already broken when I am leaving the campus and stepping into the society.
I have no opinion of this society any more. Hope you all good luck!
31. It is really annoying…
If you really want to work in a working unit which fits with your specialty, I think you should send your CV to the unit, then when you take the civil service exam, you should fill in the name of the unit. If on the form the positions in the unit are not listed, then you should call the unit (you are not putting ads., at this time the information number 114 is very useful). You can ask the personnel department of the unit why the positions in their unit are not listed in the form. They might give you an answer. In short, you have to grab whatever opportunity there might be, even just a straw, since the straw might be able to “save your life”! ha!
It is said that the working units which need to recruit professionals will go to the Organization department to request to assign professionals to them. The CV you sent to them might work at this time since they will check the scores for the civil exam according to the CV.
32. I am going to graduate this year, too. I stopped being optimistic about finding employment long time ago. Well, what can I say? When all the college graduates were guaranteed with assigned jobs, they assigned the jobs by confounding right and wrong. It truly wasted the talents of many professionals. Therefore, I have thought about starting my own business. But after all not a lot of people will think the way I do: most people still hope to find a job to use their professional knowledge. Hehe, they just do not do so. Though they claim that they have developed Tibet and trained professionals, in fact, what do these professionals have? In the end, they all either become teachers or do jobs which have nothing to do with their professional skills and knowledge. Indeed I am still a little bit depressed when I think about it. Sometimes I even think they do so on purpose? Maybe to abuse our nationality. Well, I can never explain it clearly…but in general, I feel the government’s ability of administration and decision-making is rather weak… those old men who are over 50 should vacate the positions for us! I really hate old man like Radi who occupy the positions but not doing their job. They benefited when Tibet was under the merged rule of religion and politics, and so do they under the Chinese communist rule. Then, whose side were they on in the end? You are already old, so you should vacate the positions for us young people. I despise those old men.
33. Before they made decisions about reform, why don’t they think about the larger surrounding environment? Isn’t it better if they increase jobs and establish new working units while they carry out reforms? It will mess things up if the Tibetan government blindly follows other’s footsteps. The case of the blog owner’s friend shows it is purely a waste of talents of professionals or a waste of professional knowledge.
If they intend to force to earn our own living, is the opportunity ripe now.
34. I really do not know whether the condition in Tibet is ripe for choosing one’s employment without being assigned with jobs. In fact, Tibet lags behind the advanced Inland Chinese regions, so one can not compare Tibet with the inland Chinese regions. If the government continues to implement the current policy, I believe in a few years there will be unemployed youth all over the remote regions in Tibet, but children of high officials and rich businessmen will still have a meteoric rise and gain promotions.
35. It is not the fault of any of you! You will know the reason once you start to enter into the society.
It is better without being assigned with jobs, in this way, it will force many Tibetan youth to start their own business.
In this way, it is better than being employed by government offices. Those who are employed by government offices have to be cautious: they can not say this, or do that. They are so afraid of losing their jobs. When there are more young people not employed by government offices, then there will be more people who dare to express their opinions and take actions.
36. My situation is more or less similar to that of the protagonist in the article. What you described there are our thoughts as well. When so many college graduates are sent to do jobs which have nothing to do with their professional training, then who, on the earth, will stay in cities? I do not believe all the working units in the city have no vacancies…
37. I appreciate the opinions of 'Moved AIDS' and 'angelia_813'. In fact, as long as you are capable, there will be appropriate jobs for you no matter where you go. The key is to see whether you are willing to let go of name and wealth… It does not matter if people gossip about you… the most important thing is that one should not loose confidence I oneself….
38. The situation of my best friend in college is more or less the same like what you described. At that time she was assigned to a rather remote region, and now she can not be transferred to cities. Last time during our conversation she mentioned that in Tibet there is a policy for taking exams for graduate study, and the requirement for Tibetan candidates seems to be lowered than that for the Chinese candidates. You can suggest to your friend that she can try to take the exam. It will always be useful if one has a higher degree. In my opinion, now all people are thronged to take civil service exams… they think employment in government offices is “iron bowl”, but they gave up many opportunities to look for “golden bowl”. I think they are a little hotheaded.
39. Comrades! If you really do not want to work on grass-roots units, then you have to have the desire to start new business. Well, open a tea house, or co-operate with others. It is a rather good idea to do so
Then when your business grows to be comparatively large-scale, it will be more interesting to recruit a few college graduates to have some fun.
In fact, it is very important to start business.
40. If I cannot find appropriate jobs in Lhasa, I will go to wash dishes. It is what is called to start from the bottom. Why do we have to go through the single-planked bridge to [be employed by government offices]
41. Pasang T Dorje
I really did not expect you will write such a long piece of your impressions, and publish on our blog!
I carefully read your thought posted above! I feel I am having a headache now. Next year around this time I will also face the problem of finding employment. Ah! I am having a headache…
Well, the leaders in our hometown are probably enjoying their banquets, and they can not spare any time to pay attention to us… Ah, I am sad…
42. Are these the “latent rules” facing Tibetan college graduates?... I think no matter which job one takes, even when one takes the most ill-fit job, as long as one does not loose one’s initial dream, there is a possibility that anything can happen in future. It is really difficult for female college graduates to work at grass-roots units… they have to drink along with their superiors and chat with them… Especially those pretty ones… well, they will suffer more…
43. I just finished reading your post. I do not know what to say now. Since I found a satisfactory working unit, I have not paid much attention to the employment situation this year. But I believe what you wrote in your post represents the thought of many college graduates this year. Hope the leaders will also learn about it!!!! Well, only if they pass by this blog.
44. [it is nobody’s fault, it is ] the system and policy
Translated from Chinese
View the original here
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I was very glad to receive a phone call from my good friend, but when our phone conversation ended, I had a heavy heart. My good friend has always been an optimistic girl, I have hardly heard her complaining about anything since I got to know her in the ninth grade (first year in senior high school).
But this time she sounds like a completely new person. I can tell from her tone that she was in low spirits, and it seems that she is under great pressure. “When I graduate, I can only be a teacher!” This is the first sentence she said to me during our conversation. I immediately asked, “Why will you, whose major is the management of railway transportation, be a teacher?” I was puzzled because I know that she has always wanted to work in the office of the transportation bureau so that she can use the knowledge about highways and railways she has studied for four years in college. “I can only choose two positions out of those which recruit candidates through civil service exam: middle and primary schools on the grass root level and cadres on township level. I have asked many people about the prospect of being a cadre on the township level, and I was told that after one became a cadre on a township level, one would be taken seriously and be respected for the first one or two years, but later one would be more or less the same as common people in the village, and female cadres would have to drink along with one’s superiors (leaders). I do not want to lead a life like that, therefore, I can only become a middle school teacher.”
I can tell from her tone that my good friend is helpless. For a little while, I did not know how to respond to her, and I did not know whether I should be sympathetic to her situation or to say a few words to comfort her. Then I asked again, “Won’t the Transportation Bureau recruit employees?” My friend replied, “ My mom has already asked about that, but she was told that the Transportation Bureau will not recruit on its own since it is a government office.” After she said that, I also exclaimed the current employment situation like she was doing, then I said some comforting and encouraging words to her. I told her that she should still prepare well for the exam since it seems to be the only choice for her. But, in fact, even if she passes the exam, she will not know where they would assign her to.
After I put down the phone, I felt pain and suffering I can not express, but I did not know to whom I should relate. I faintly felt flames of fury arose in my mind, but I did not who to blame or who to condemn. Though I found my dreaming job long time ago, I was in tears when I think of the real employment situation facing Tibetan college graduates including my friend, who are ambitious.
We, the college graduates, have the opportunity to receive good education, and many of us were even admitted into the famous Chinese universities where there are very few Tibetan students. Our parents have always been proud of us. In universities where there gather many gifted people, we put much more effort than other students to study one’s own major. At least we do not want to be ranked as students with lower or lowest scores in exams, and make Tibetans lose face.
In the end we are able to get a firm foothold in colleges after we have gone through a series of struggles. We realize the origin of the backwardness of our nationality, and understand that we need professionals in various fields to develop our hometown. We feel that we have the heavy load of developing our hometown on our shoulders, so we study even harder. I can never forget that my friend who major in transportation management looked wane and thin after she studied hard to pass over a dozen final exams at the end of the semester.
Nor can I forget that my friend who majored in journalism shot scenes in parks and streets with the expensive video camera she bought himself or interviewed visitors. But, in the end, both of them can only become teachers by passing civil service exam, and they have no opportunities to consider whether they can use their professional knowledge in their occupation. The ill fitting of one’s specialty with one’s occupation has always been the problem facing the Tibetan graduates, so now all people are insensitive to the issue. As long as one can find a job, one will not mind whether it allows one to use one’s professional knowledge or not.
Since the government has spent so much money to train Tibetan students who major in various fields, then why can’t it employ these Tibetan professionals or give them an opportunity to use their professional knowledge? Why does the government have so many Tibetan graduates work in jobs which have nothing to do with their professional training? Why does it allow the ambitious Tibetan youth to lose their ambitions at their jobs? Why does the government let so many Tibetan youth waste their talents at their jobs or let them to be in low spirits at their jobs?
It is reported that in Tibet there will be 8,600 college graduates seeking for employment: the number of this year’s college graduate is 8,000, and there are 600 graduates who were not assigned with any jobs. Among these graduates, except students who graduate not from teacher’s colleges or universities (including medical students), the rest are eligible to take civil service exam. 3,200 graduates will find jobs in government offices through the civil service exam, and more than half of them will do jobs which do not require them to use their professional knowledge. Still their fate is much better than the rest of them: the rest of them have to seek for employment on their own. Those who are successful will find jobs they like, but others who fail to find their dreaming jobs have to do whatever they can in order to make a living, no matter fro which university one graduated. In my opinion, rather than wasting the talent of professionals, it would be better if the government had not spent so much money to train the so-called successors who are knowledgeable and well educated to build up the new socialist Tibet.
8th May 2007
Comments
1. 4:25 pm, May 28, 2007, by Ran
Since the moment I knew that I am not a Han Chinese, my life had lost all the colors. I indistinctively saw the face of the devil and his actions, and this made me live in fear and was at loss what to do.
2. 7:21pm May 26, 2007, by Bai
Cheers for Pemala who posted the thread and other brothers and sisters who are going to take the exam tomorrow!! I am sure our hard-work will bring a better tomorrow for our homeland! May everybody successful!!!
3. 2:28pm May 26 , 2007, by Pemala
Tomorrow is the time to take the exam. Is it right that you wrote the article on that day? On that day we also talked to each other on the phone. We comforted each other, and encouraged each other to prepare for the exam well by reviewing what we had learned carefully. Besides this, what else can you do? I remember when we were in senior high school, we were dreaming that we would one day be admitted into this ideal university. After the entrance exam, all the black boys in our dorm were all admitted into a few best universities. On the campus we have all worked hard and had been planning an ideal future for ourselves. But what is the reality now? This makes me feel more and more lost and perplexed. I am trying to encourage myself, but I have not been able to find my confidence which had accompanied me so far. Here I would like to say a few words to my fellow junior students: do not think the best choice is to go back home and look for employment there. If you do not need to worry about your parents or you do not have to go back home for the sake of your parents, then you should believe in your own ability, and there are many opportunities for you to seize in Beijing and many other major cities. Now I really regret that I had lost many opportunities as I had determined to go home.
I did not have time to read all responses carefully, but I did scan them quickly. I noticed that someone commented that Tibetan students in Inland China are not doing well, etc. Here I would like to say that most of Tibetan students I know are all working hard. We have won glory for ourselves, Tibetan nationality and for our schools. We have always made great effort to study. We are not the most outstanding students on our universities, but we have done our best and to perform at our best. I think most of us will not regret about that. We should be proud of ourselves. Wish all of us be successful.
4. May 24, 2007, 10:58: I strongly agree with what Huihe Lilun posted above. If it is gold, it will shine eventually.
5. 12:54, May 20, 2007, by Huihe Lilun [Mixed theories]
Most of the so-called Tibetan elites are rather dispirited, and their attitude was to leave as soon as they receive their diplomas. They think they can find a good job when they go back to their hometown. But, to the contrary, as a Tibetan college graduate, the responsibility on your shoulder is enormous, and you can not avoid it. When GDP of Tibet is increasing continuously, it means that the hometown is developing. The hidden crisis is that professionals from Inland China had great impact on jobs for indigenous Tibetans. Now it is the era of market economy, so one has to rely on one’s abilities to do things. One can not live long if one solely relies on other’s charity. One need a variety of capabilities to survive, for instance, social resource is one of the most important factors. China’s economy at present has not hit a soft landing, to the contrary, it is refueled. It is estimated that China’s economy will rise even higher. Along with the completion of Qinghai-Tibet railway and other developing projects, Tibet will develop rapidly. At this new era what the homeland needs are professionals! Don’t waste time or money in universities or colleges. Study hard. If it is gold, it will always shine.
6. 12:40, May 20, 2007, By Huihe Lilun
When you are studying in colleges, can it be that you only read books without thinking? What the society needs are professionals, and Tibet needs more professionals. When the Chinese professionals come to Tibet, you should have realized the importance of this. You should.
7. 16:45, May 19, 2007, by Tong Tong [pain pain]
[I want to] add a quotation mark after the word “outstanding”, which refers to the degree of sinicization and technical skills. We are originally more outstanding than you. Well, you do not need to inhale oxygen [to live in Tibet] since you are all garbage who do not have a reliable source of income in Inland china; Those of you who are just put on market from the assimilation concentration camp and the sinicization production line were assigned to work in the countryside because they think you can take the stinky sweat smell to change the customs and transform the social traditions, isn’t it right? Ha, ha; Moved Aizi: Do you really think the few intellectuals in the ethnic group, which has rich natural resources, unique cultural resources, vast territory and only several million people, should compete with Chinese female farmers to wash dishes for the sake of getting less than 500 yuan? Well, you are brilliant, you are really brilliant. I am completely convinced by you! In the work unit where I make my living they have mostly recruited descendants of Chinese farmers. We should all organized together to protest against this. If we do not protest in the name of the living right of an ethnic group, we can do so in the name of the autonomy law. I am not sure about this. I think the Autonomy law should have a preference treatment for employment for the ethnic group.
8. 19:00, May 18, 2007, by Sodrolma
I am really very glad to read an article like this!!! I am going to graduate in 2008.
But my situation is different from most of the college graduates: I want to be a teacher! I am going to transmit whatever I have learned to the next generation without any mistake. In my opinion, the quality of a nationality depends on two people: mother and the teacher.
However, every time when I go home, I feel sad, and I can not explain why. What did I see? [I saw] hypocrisy, deceiving, humbleness, vanity, theft, robbery, formalization…
Let’s talk about “two-way choices”, what many people see are only these four words (Ch. shuangxiang xuanze). Isn’t it funny to assign a computer major graduate to a school which has no computer at all? Why do we who have graduated from prominent universities have to go to work in remote countryside? It is not that we are not willing to go there, well, we just feel wronged.
9. May 18, 2007, 16:33, by Rap in Tibet
Among the thieves there are so many ridiculous systems and policies which are beyond reason. I am wondering what the present ruling class of Tibet have eaten! They have come up with all these topsy-turvy ideas. They are really talking nonsense. What they propose does not conform to reality at all. They did so only to put on a show for CP Central Committee…
10. May 17, 2007, 19:23, by Teng de shi zhu jidan [The one who feel the pain is the boiled egg]
The poet Jingwa (“Frog in the Well”) wrote a poem, which I think he wrote for van Gogh. Here I would like to cite two lines to present to you all: the devil is harvesting your crop, but you are living like a dog in the city.
11. May 16, 2007, 13:58:00 | By: Minya Princess (ch. Muya Gongzhu)
This is not a question of washing dishes, neither is it an issue of attitude! This is a test of the preliminary social effect of the assimilation policy which has been put into effect consciously and with concrete steps for many years. And this is the inevitable result of the large scale immigration policy, and it is also the realistic consequence of ruling Tibet with autocracy and close-door policy. This means that under the pre-condition that you are so sinicized that you are more outstanding than the Han Chinese, then you will obtain the job which were originally promised to you amidst discrimination and at the cost of sacrificing one’s national dignity and sacrificing one’s national culture. This means that you can not enjoy the right of employment priority stipulated in the national regional autonomy law as your father’s generation did, and you even do not have the equal opportunity for employment. Those who assign opportunities are all Han Chinese or those who sell out the national interests, and you have fewer opportunities than those “garbage immigrants” who are inhaling oxygen. Meanwhile, due to the high-degree close-door rule, all the resources are controlled by bureaucrats. It is completely a bureaucratic economy and a corrupted economy. There is no fair market environment or market opportunity, and foreign capitals are basically forbidden to enter the market. This system strictly control the number of various groups, organizations and organizations of legal corporate person, so where will they find employment? The situation in Tibet can not be compared to that of Inland China. Even when the robbers are moving things from your home, you said to them, “ I’m hungry. Please give me some food, then I will help you to move,”, yet it is impossible for you to do so. When the authorities develop many national secret resources, they will not employ Tibetans. Due to purposes that cannot be divulged to the public, the authorities will even require to have tour guides coming from inland China. In this way, Tibetans are isolated from other ethnic groups and foreigners. Certainly, they are just “monkeys” who know how to talk, and when they do not know how to talk well, they certainly need to be aided! Washing dishes is an employment opportunity, and I am afraid if all go to wash dishes, they will not be enough dishes needed to be washed.
12. May 16, 2007, 0:29, by the Son of the Snowland (Ch. Xueyu Zhizi)
Life has always been fair, and it all depends on your attitude toward life. There is no one whose life has always been successful without any difficulties, so it is impossible to find suitable jobs for oneself (some individual cases should be regarded as exceptions). Under the circumstances, one should positively face the problem, and should not be discouraged. As the saying goes, “If it is gold, it will shine no matter where it is! One’s attitude will determine everything! Wish all brothers and sisters have good attitude!
13. May 13, 2007, 24:00, by Let Nature Takes its Course (Ch. shunqi ziran)
It is not bad at all when you can find employment in government offices. Just keep in mind this similar issue: how many college graduates in Inland China can not find employment? Sometimes they can not even support themselves. Some of them will go hungry for a few days, and have to sleep under overpasses in the suburbs.
14. May 13, 2007, 19:35, by L.
We are all members of a wasted generation…
15. May 13, 2007, 13:01, By Tseten Tatse (Ch. Zedan Zhazhi)
Fight against it….fight against it… fight against it ……fight against it….
16. May 13, 2007, 11:13, By fuk
I cited the following remarks from chupek’s response posted on May 12, 2007, 22:10:
“I am wondering whether everybody find out about this: in Tibet there is no channel for people to have dialogue with the government. It will be fine even one can communicate with e-mails. There lack good communication between the government and people.”
The force us absolutely to obey them, and completely keep quiet until we are rotten and die.
17. May 12, 2007, 22:10, by chupek
I am wondering whether everybody find out about this: in Tibet there is no channel for people to have dialogue with the government. It will be fine even one can communicate with e-mails. There lack good communication between the government and people.
18. May 12, 2007, 22:08, by Chupek
Ah, it is a pity… It is difficult for one to obtain a human life again… it is pleasant to hear when one talks about “sacrifice, sacrifice”, but after today, I will become a person of tomorrow, and I am one step closer to death. The only fault is that we don’t have our own country.
19. May 12, 20:32, by Yvonne
Though the conflicts in Tibetan society are becoming more and more serious day by day, yet we will not be able to change the situation for a period of time. Hope Tibetan youth will not be too pessimistic. As long as we make concerted efforts, I think the government will eventually have to change its policy.
20. May 12, 2007, 18:48, by the Perplexed Person (Ch. Mimangren)
Well, my family also want me to be a teacher, but I am not willing to resign myself to such a fate. With no other choices, I secretly registered for exams for civil servants at the township level without telling my family. I majored in railway and highway management and maintenance, and I do not believe in Tibetan all the relevant positions have been filled. Why the working units related to transportation do not recruit employees for those positions, and for whom, on the earth, these positions are reserved? I think the so-called quota are reserved for the children of “old comrades” who have been working in these units for a long time!!!
This is really dirty!! It is really wicked!
21. May 12, 2007, 18:03, by the one who suffer a hard lot (Ch. Mingku-a)
I cite the following from a response posted on May 10, 2007, 18:20:
“I strongly feel the same way. Though I love my own nationality, if there is future life, I will never be reborn as a Tibetan, especially a Tibetan who is controlled by others.”
Just like you, if there is future life, I will not be reborn as Tibetan either. I want to be a white man in America. What a hard life! With the [Han Chinese] immigrants flooding into Tibet for the sake of taking college entrance exams there, a great number of the children of those Han Chinese cadres, who have come to aid Tibet, took the opportunity to be admitted into good universities and to study for good majors away [from Tibetans].
Then, after one studied one’s major, then there is no working unit one can use what one has learned in college. Even if there is working unit which has vacancy for the major one studied in college, one will probably be excluded by children of high officials whose majors have nothing to do with the position. When one takes exams to be a civil servant, one will still be discriminated base on one’s ethnic identity… Aren’t there any people who come to rescue us from such a hard life.
22. May 12, 2007, 10:27 , by pour out one’s heart (Ch. Qingsu xinsheng)
Everybody has poured out their heart and expressed their thoughts about this issue. As a college student who is going to graduate this year, at this moment I feel like an ant on a hot pot, and am very gloomy. I have changed my exam registration between civil servant on township level and primary and middle school teacher for four times. The reason is that everyday I have the “preview of registration” website on so that it will show me the latest information, and I found the number of people who register for civil servant exam has increased dramatically. So far I have seen 1,670 people registered, and this number greatly exceeded the available positions. Of course, we do not know how many others have not registered yet. I am not worried about the number itself, well, what I worry is how many among these people are just going through this procedure as a formality. In the dark Tibetan society it is absolutely impossible to avoid such things to happen. Therefore, I decided to register for exams for teachers. But, please think about it, everybody: we have studied for eleven years in Inland China, and I think that I have won credit for myself by successfully graduating from a famous university, but now I have to be a middle school or primary school teacher. Well, if we do not talk about other issues, I just feel wronged, sad and am not willing to resign myself to such a fate.
I believe many students have similar opinion. But now we have to resign to our fate, and this is the fate of talented intellectuals trained by the Tibetan government… these ‘children” are pathetic… the Tibetan government is lamentable…
23. By: Down with those old men
down with Ragdi, the stinking chairman and those old men who occupy the positions but do not do any work
24. By: Build up a new Tibetan Society
Dear Colleagues,
I am also in the same situation…
I think we should all unite together to overthrown this society.
We have plenty of students who are knowledgeable and clever.
Facing such social inequality, we have to have a large group of heroes who will give the government some pressure. Otherwise, it will not only harm us, but also many future generations.
We should unite together to build up a better society. What do you all think?
I am disgusted by the actions of the Tibetan government.
We are all victims of a slumbering Tibetan society, so we should awake the Tibetan society.
25. By Tsedrol:
I am really sad to read all these blog entries! Though I am not going to graduate this year, I will still face the problem of finding employment! I have studied for such a long time, then why do I have so much difficulty in my life and career? Only if I know earlier, there is no need to read so many books. I am really depressed.
26. I am indeed lost, and really do not know what to do. It is not bad if one has a goal to achieve, but now I do not even have that. The biggest enemy in our life is negative feelings.
In the past, I am very confident about my future, but now when facing with the reality, I really had to say “the reality is cruel and dark .
It is not that I do not want to work hard, but before I have the chance to work har, they have already blocked my way. How can they do that.
I lost my word when I talk about the education system in Tibet. How can they only establish a few working units, then others have to take exams to become teachers or cadres on the township level. Then what is the use for us to learn so much in college.
Recently I have the negative feeling, and I really do not know when I will fall apart.
27. I strongly feel the same way. Though I love my own nationality, if there is future life, I will never be reborn as a Tibetan, especially a Tibetan who is controlled by others.
28. By: Birth--- a Great Mistake
I am one of the pathetic graduates described by the above article…
We are the generation under experiment.
What we use is not out mother tongue either!
And many people have potential racial discrimination! We dare to be angry, but dare not to express it!
I really fear that the great Tibetan culture will … in several years…
It is a pity we can not do anything about it!
The leaders probably do not have time to visit this blog.
29. By: Can’t find the direction
We who were born in 1980s have met with “reforms’ in all our life.
Once because I had a dream, so I have studied hard for many years.
But now my heart is already broken when I am leaving the campus and stepping into the society.
what you wrote in your blog is so good. It is indeed the true situation. I am going to graduate this year, too. I am very depressed. I really do not know how our fate will be in future.
I am helpless…
30. Morals of the time is such… we are facing with such situation.
We who were born in 1980s have met with “reforms’ in all our life.
Once because I had a dream, so I have studied hard for many years.
But now my heart is already broken when I am leaving the campus and stepping into the society.
I have no opinion of this society any more. Hope you all good luck!
31. It is really annoying…
If you really want to work in a working unit which fits with your specialty, I think you should send your CV to the unit, then when you take the civil service exam, you should fill in the name of the unit. If on the form the positions in the unit are not listed, then you should call the unit (you are not putting ads., at this time the information number 114 is very useful). You can ask the personnel department of the unit why the positions in their unit are not listed in the form. They might give you an answer. In short, you have to grab whatever opportunity there might be, even just a straw, since the straw might be able to “save your life”! ha!
It is said that the working units which need to recruit professionals will go to the Organization department to request to assign professionals to them. The CV you sent to them might work at this time since they will check the scores for the civil exam according to the CV.
32. I am going to graduate this year, too. I stopped being optimistic about finding employment long time ago. Well, what can I say? When all the college graduates were guaranteed with assigned jobs, they assigned the jobs by confounding right and wrong. It truly wasted the talents of many professionals. Therefore, I have thought about starting my own business. But after all not a lot of people will think the way I do: most people still hope to find a job to use their professional knowledge. Hehe, they just do not do so. Though they claim that they have developed Tibet and trained professionals, in fact, what do these professionals have? In the end, they all either become teachers or do jobs which have nothing to do with their professional skills and knowledge. Indeed I am still a little bit depressed when I think about it. Sometimes I even think they do so on purpose? Maybe to abuse our nationality. Well, I can never explain it clearly…but in general, I feel the government’s ability of administration and decision-making is rather weak… those old men who are over 50 should vacate the positions for us! I really hate old man like Radi who occupy the positions but not doing their job. They benefited when Tibet was under the merged rule of religion and politics, and so do they under the Chinese communist rule. Then, whose side were they on in the end? You are already old, so you should vacate the positions for us young people. I despise those old men.
33. Before they made decisions about reform, why don’t they think about the larger surrounding environment? Isn’t it better if they increase jobs and establish new working units while they carry out reforms? It will mess things up if the Tibetan government blindly follows other’s footsteps. The case of the blog owner’s friend shows it is purely a waste of talents of professionals or a waste of professional knowledge.
If they intend to force to earn our own living, is the opportunity ripe now.
34. I really do not know whether the condition in Tibet is ripe for choosing one’s employment without being assigned with jobs. In fact, Tibet lags behind the advanced Inland Chinese regions, so one can not compare Tibet with the inland Chinese regions. If the government continues to implement the current policy, I believe in a few years there will be unemployed youth all over the remote regions in Tibet, but children of high officials and rich businessmen will still have a meteoric rise and gain promotions.
35. It is not the fault of any of you! You will know the reason once you start to enter into the society.
It is better without being assigned with jobs, in this way, it will force many Tibetan youth to start their own business.
In this way, it is better than being employed by government offices. Those who are employed by government offices have to be cautious: they can not say this, or do that. They are so afraid of losing their jobs. When there are more young people not employed by government offices, then there will be more people who dare to express their opinions and take actions.
36. My situation is more or less similar to that of the protagonist in the article. What you described there are our thoughts as well. When so many college graduates are sent to do jobs which have nothing to do with their professional training, then who, on the earth, will stay in cities? I do not believe all the working units in the city have no vacancies…
37. I appreciate the opinions of 'Moved AIDS' and 'angelia_813'. In fact, as long as you are capable, there will be appropriate jobs for you no matter where you go. The key is to see whether you are willing to let go of name and wealth… It does not matter if people gossip about you… the most important thing is that one should not loose confidence I oneself….
38. The situation of my best friend in college is more or less the same like what you described. At that time she was assigned to a rather remote region, and now she can not be transferred to cities. Last time during our conversation she mentioned that in Tibet there is a policy for taking exams for graduate study, and the requirement for Tibetan candidates seems to be lowered than that for the Chinese candidates. You can suggest to your friend that she can try to take the exam. It will always be useful if one has a higher degree. In my opinion, now all people are thronged to take civil service exams… they think employment in government offices is “iron bowl”, but they gave up many opportunities to look for “golden bowl”. I think they are a little hotheaded.
39. Comrades! If you really do not want to work on grass-roots units, then you have to have the desire to start new business. Well, open a tea house, or co-operate with others. It is a rather good idea to do so
Then when your business grows to be comparatively large-scale, it will be more interesting to recruit a few college graduates to have some fun.
In fact, it is very important to start business.
40. If I cannot find appropriate jobs in Lhasa, I will go to wash dishes. It is what is called to start from the bottom. Why do we have to go through the single-planked bridge to [be employed by government offices]
41. Pasang T Dorje
I really did not expect you will write such a long piece of your impressions, and publish on our blog!
I carefully read your thought posted above! I feel I am having a headache now. Next year around this time I will also face the problem of finding employment. Ah! I am having a headache…
Well, the leaders in our hometown are probably enjoying their banquets, and they can not spare any time to pay attention to us… Ah, I am sad…
42. Are these the “latent rules” facing Tibetan college graduates?... I think no matter which job one takes, even when one takes the most ill-fit job, as long as one does not loose one’s initial dream, there is a possibility that anything can happen in future. It is really difficult for female college graduates to work at grass-roots units… they have to drink along with their superiors and chat with them… Especially those pretty ones… well, they will suffer more…
43. I just finished reading your post. I do not know what to say now. Since I found a satisfactory working unit, I have not paid much attention to the employment situation this year. But I believe what you wrote in your post represents the thought of many college graduates this year. Hope the leaders will also learn about it!!!! Well, only if they pass by this blog.
44. [it is nobody’s fault, it is ] the system and policy
Translated from Chinese
View the original here
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