Garma Tseten, Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, said that the steering, planning, and guidance of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, is the greatest guarantee for the development of various undertakings in Tibet. He stated, “You'll never lose your way following the Big Dipper. You'll be happy following the Communist Party.”
According to the Tibet Daily, Saturday (March 28) marked the 18th Tibet Million Serfs Emancipation Day. On the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the emancipation of Tibet’s million serfs, Garma Tseten delivered a commemorative speech. He said that 67 years ago, a great democratic reform that thoroughly ended the dark, cruel, barbaric, and backward theocratic feudal serfdom swept across Tibet with overwhelming force. From then on, the snowy plateau was transformed, and a socialist new Tibet wherein people are masters of their own affairs proudly stood at the top of the world.
Garma Tseten said that 67 eventful years have witnessed the new life and human rights development of a million serfs. For those who experienced old Tibet, memories as if of a “nightmare” or “hell” remain etched in their hearts: dozens of cruel punishments, such as cutting tongues, cutting noses, severing hands and feet, gouging out eyes, flaying, skinning alive, drowning, and even being thrown into scorpion pits, were wantonly used to punish serfs.
He continued that people living in new Tibet enjoy comprehensive, full, real, and effective human rights. They pursue their careers with confidence and pride, travel the world singing and laughing, in stark contrast with serfs in old Tibet who lived in worry and fear and dared not even look up while walking.
Garma Tseten stated that after the democratic reform, the Party's ethnic and religious policies have been fully implemented and have taken root amongst the people. All ethnic groups watch over each other and maintain fraternal bonds. The fruit of regional ethnic autonomy is abundant, illustrating a historic picture of grand unity among the people of all ethnic groups nationwide. Practice has fully proven that without the Communist Party of China, there would be no new China, no new Tibet, and no prosperity and progress in today’s Tibet or an even better tomorrow.
Garma Tseten mentioned that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, under the steering and direction of Xi Jinping, with the kind care of the CPC Central Committee and the strong support of the people across the country, Tibet has entered the best period for development in its history, featuring the greatest changes and the most tangible benefits for the masses. He further stated that this is an era of gratitude and striving forward, and overlapping opportunities. The steering, planning, and guidance of Xi Jinping is the greatest guarantee for the development of all of Tibet’s undertakings.
Garma Tseten also said, you’ll never lose your way following the Big Dipper, and you’ll be happy following the Communist Party. He called for unwavering determination to follow the Party, firmly upholding the “Two Establishes” and resolutely achieving the “Two Safeguards”, fully implementing Xi Jinping’s important instructions on Tibet work and the Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the new era, continuing to focus on the four major tasks of stability, development, ecology, and strengthening the border, aligning thoughts and efforts, resolutely opposing separatism, safeguarding national unity and ethnic solidarity, and working together to advance long-term stability and high-quality development.
Garma Tseten also said we must stay true to our original aspiration of benefiting the people, always uphold the people-first principle, achieve results for the people and through practical effort, and truly write achievements into the hearts of the people. We must improve our work style and focus on concrete implementation, take immediate action and work with real determination, ensuring a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan and steady, far-reaching development of all of Tibet’s undertakings.