Report: China To Provide Welfare Benefits To Tibetan Monks, Nuns
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The announcement was reportedly made by Chen Quanguo, who was recently appointed as the Communist Party chief in Tibet, while addressing a congress of the Tibetan branch of the Chinese Communist Party over the weekend.
"The establishment of harmonious model temples is encouraged in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and patriotic law-abiding monks will be praised," Chen, who is now the top-ranking Chinese official in Tibet, was quoted as telling the party congress by the Global Times newspaper.
"The government will take great pains to ensure that public services such as electricity, water, telecommunications, radio, and TV stations are provided to the local monasteries," Chen said. The planned minimum benefits include living allowances for the monks and nuns living in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
The Chinese government's plan to provide allowances to the Tibetan monks and nuns living in monasteries and temples is expected to help about 50,000 people, who until now have been depending upon public donations for daily living expenses.
The development comes in the wake of self-immolation of seven monks from the Kirti monastery in Sichuan province and three other ethnic Tibetans since March in an apparent show of protest against Beijing's rule in Tibet.
The wave of self-immolation began after one of the monks of the Kirti monastery in Aba prefecture set himself on fire on March 16. His death sparked protests in the region, prompting the arrest of some 300 monks at the Ngaba Kirti monastery.
There was no news about the monks after they were taken into custody by Chinese security forces on April 21. China, however, claims that relevant local authorities are currently "conducting legal education for the Kirti monastery monks in order to maintain religious order there."
Tensions have been high across the region ever since violent protests against Chinese rule broke out in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in 2009. China successfully crushed the uprising and arrested hundreds of Tibetans in the deadly riots. Long jail terms were given to many of them and some were put to death.
China's tough stand on Tibet has evoked international criticism and many nations have urged the Chinese government to hold further negotiations with representatives of the self-styled Tibetan government in exile in India.
Several round of talks have already taken place between China and Tibetan representatives over the issue since 2002, but have yielded little or no progress. Despite international pressure over Tibet, China maintains Tibet an internal issue and has warned other nations against supporting the Tibetan cause.
China accuses the Tibetan government in exile of seeking total independence for Tibet, but the Tibetans maintain that they are only seeking greater autonomy for Tibetan parts of western China, not absolute independence as projected by the Chinese government.
by RTT Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com
11/14/2011 6:02 PM ET
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(RTTNews) - China announced plans to provide welfare benefits like pensions, medical insurance and living allowances to Tibetan monks and nuns in order to bring stability in the region, the state-run Global Times newspaper reported Monday.
The announcement was reportedly made by Chen Quanguo, who was recently appointed as the Communist Party chief in Tibet, while addressing a congress of the Tibetan branch of the Chinese Communist Party over the weekend.
"The establishment of harmonious model temples is encouraged in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and patriotic law-abiding monks will be praised," Chen, who is now the top-ranking Chinese official in Tibet, was quoted as telling the party congress by the Global Times newspaper.
"The government will take great pains to ensure that public services such as electricity, water, telecommunications, radio, and TV stations are provided to the local monasteries," Chen said. The planned minimum benefits include living allowances for the monks and nuns living in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
The Chinese government's plan to provide allowances to the Tibetan monks and nuns living in monasteries and temples is expected to help about 50,000 people, who until now have been depending upon public donations for daily living expenses.
The development comes in the wake of self-immolation of seven monks from the Kirti monastery in Sichuan province and three other ethnic Tibetans since March in an apparent show of protest against Beijing's rule in Tibet.
The wave of self-immolation began after one of the monks of the Kirti monastery in Aba prefecture set himself on fire on March 16. His death sparked protests in the region, prompting the arrest of some 300 monks at the Ngaba Kirti monastery.
There was no news about the monks after they were taken into custody by Chinese security forces on April 21. China, however, claims that relevant local authorities are currently "conducting legal education for the Kirti monastery monks in order to maintain religious order there."
Tensions have been high across the region ever since violent protests against Chinese rule broke out in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in 2009. China successfully crushed the uprising and arrested hundreds of Tibetans in the deadly riots. Long jail terms were given to many of them and some were put to death.
China's tough stand on Tibet has evoked international criticism and many nations have urged the Chinese government to hold further negotiations with representatives of the self-styled Tibetan government in exile in India.
Several round of talks have already taken place between China and Tibetan representatives over the issue since 2002, but have yielded little or no progress. Despite international pressure over Tibet, China maintains Tibet an internal issue and has warned other nations against supporting the Tibetan cause.
China accuses the Tibetan government in exile of seeking total independence for Tibet, but the Tibetans maintain that they are only seeking greater autonomy for Tibetan parts of western China, not absolute independence as projected by the Chinese government.
by RTT Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com
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