Written Task 1 Draft

Now, let’s talk China’s 60 year hidden ‘cultural genocide’ in Tibet. The Merriam-Webster definition of cultural genocide is “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political or cultural group.”

In world history, language is maintained for not just communication but for national identity; it defines a culture. In many societies throughout history, the suppression of languages of minority groups has been used commonly-especially by conqueror- as a deliberate policy in order to suppress them. Resulting in a large number of the world's languages lost with the processes of colonization and migration.

It has been estimated that approximately 10,000 spoken languages have existed throughout human history. Today, only about 6,000 languages are still spoken and many of these are not being taught to children. About 2,000 of those languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers. It is predicted that more than half of these languages are unlikely to survive the next century.

The current cultural genocide of the Tibetan language by the Chinese government is through the removal of Tibetan language from schools replaced with Chinese; to make Chinese children out of Tibetan children.

Buddhism and culture depend on Tibetan. It is a rich and developed language with a complex and intricate history that could all be gone in just a few generations by Chinese policies in schools.

Beijing alleges that it has “liberated” Tibet from feudal theocracy and serfdom, propelling it into a “golden era”. However, the only feudal slavery the Tibetans have suffered is the present one where “progressive” reforms have imposed systematic destruction of the Tibetan people and their unique culture.

The genocide of the Tibetan language is an abuse and a humiliation. The Chinese communist authorities in Tibet do not accept and respect the Tibetan language as a mother tongue; this means that the authorities act like USSR dictators, who prohibited the languages to be used in the occupied states.

At least 1 million, a sixth of the entire population have been cruelly slaughtered, among hundreds of thousands of monks. Practically all of Tibet’s magnificent temples, monasteries, its ancient cultural artifacts and libraries, everything sacred to their civilization, their culture, their identity has been methodically razed and pillaged in a cracked frenzy of extermination.

There are no human rights for the Tibetans. They are forgotten people like many before. Out of sight, out of mind. At least a third of the people reading this would not have heard of the Tibetans before. But you have heard of China and despite being a growing nation and vast area, many of you do not know the different cultures and identities interspersed. Tibet emerged in the 7th century, a culture so old, rich and profound. They may be a minority but they are part of humanity, they still have identities, culture, belief and most importantly knowledge.

We as humans have evolved to not just using language as a form of communication for survival but to the extent where we have created. Now, knowledge is passed down in culture. The knowledge of Tibetan not only contributes to world peace and harmony but also one’s Dharma study and practice. To study Tibetan is to essentially practice the soul of Buddhism, which even many scientists say potentially have an important and productive influence on modern science.