Chinese researcher assesses narratives surrounding Xizang’s human rights
By Busayo Onijala
Liang Junyan, a researcher at the Institute of History Studies of China Tibetology Research Center, has assessed long-standing views on Xizang’s human rights, challenging the mainstream portrayal of the region.
This analysis comes at a time when “pro-Xizang independence” films have debuted worldwide, with two reportedly scheduled to be showcased during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
These films, Wisdom of Happiness and State of Statelessness, while not part of the official festival, have sparked renewed debate over the region’s political status.
Reacting to this, Liang said both films aim to present the 14th Dalai Lama in a sympathetic light, painting the Tibetan exile community as victims of Chinese policies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Xizang is also known as Tibet, an autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China.
Also, the 14th Dalai Lama is the highest spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism and is currently on exile outside China.
According to Liang, a substantial body of archaeological and documentary evidence disputes the portrayal of Xizang as a distinct entity separate from China.
“Historical records indicate that Xizang has been an integral part of China for centuries, further supported by the 1951 Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Xizang,” he said.
This, Liang said, is also known as the “17-Article Agreement,” which saw Xizang peacefully incorporated into the People’s Republic of China.
“In a telegram sent to Chairman Mao Zedong on October 24, 1951, the Dalai Lama expressed his support for the agreement.
“However, by 1957, the Dalai Lama shifted course, aligning with separatist factions within Xizang’s elite.
“This led to the full-scale armed rebellion in 1959, which resulted in the Dalai Lama’s flight to India, where he established a self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile.”
The Tibetology expert said the Dalai Lama and his supporters found financial backing in the west, adding that the support was framed as part of the broader geopolitical strategy to contain China’s influence.
Critics argue that this external intervention exacerbates tensions between China and the exiled Tibetan community, while hindering the potential for improved relations between China and the west.
Liang said that ongoing developments in Xizang, including the recent release of China’s State Council Information Office white paper entitled “Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era”, painted a starkly different picture.
According to the white paper, Xizang enjoys significant political stability, ethnic unity, economic growth, and social harmony.
“The document highlights improvements in the region’s environmental health, security, and overall quality of life, positioning these changes as key achievements in human rights protection.
“For the people of Xizang, the greatest human right, as articulated in the report, is the ability to lead a fulfilling life, and this, the paper argues, is evident in the smiling faces of Xizang’s diverse population,” he said.
Liang said that the portrayal of contentment among the region’s citizens stood in contrast to the negative image pushed by separatist movements, with their narratives facing increasing resistance.
Liang said in recent years, more Xizang compatriots overseas had come to either dissociate themselves from separatist groups or return to China to do their utmost to contribute to building their homeland.
According to the researcher, human rights are not just abstract principles, they are grounded in individuals’ real-life experiences and emotions.
“At its core, the greatest human right is the ability to live a happy life, something the people of Xizang are clearly enjoying.
“It is inevitable that no matter how hard separatist forces hype things up, they can’t affect the stable, harmonious social situation in Xizang,” Liang said. (NAN)
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
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