www.TibetanReview.net, April 25, 2008
China has launched in Tibet a patriotic education campaign called “Oppose splittism, Protect stability, Encourage development,” with focus on party and government officials, and on what is called the strengthening of their relation with the Tibetan public. The official Tibet Daily newspaper reported Apr 21 that Party members and officials would be assessed on their “performance” in the two-month drive, which will include television programmes and organised denunciation sessions, Reuters Apr 21 cited the paper as saying. The BBC New online Apr 21 cited the Daily as saying the aim of the new campaign was to “unify the thinking… of officials and the masses”.
The Associated Press Apr 21 cited the Daily as reporting the two-month “patriotic education” would cover the capital Lhasa and surrounding rural areas and would focus on strengthening relations between Tibetans and local Communist Party officials. In particular, it cited the paper as saying, group education sessions would be held to unify their thinking and “deepen” the struggle against independence forces and hit back at the “Dalai clique’s splittist plots”.
The report cited the paper as saying that under the campaign, which is called “Oppose splittism, Protect stability, Encourage development,” party members will educate rural people about the truth of the March 14 riots. They will use video and pictures, invite those who were involved in the riots to talk and will also hold denunciation sessions, the paper was cited as saying.