Ethnic discrimination in China

By William Schue

July 10, 2008

 

Beijing, China ― The date, June 28, on which a riot occurred in the county of Wengan in southwestern China appeared to have a mysterious connection with the date, March 14, on which riots broke out in the city of Lhasa in Tibet. In Chinese, where months are expressed as numbers, the former is exactly twice the latter. There were many similarities between the two events as well.

For many Chinese, who are sensitive to numbers and the invisible arrangements of destiny, this was more than a simple coincidence.

Both incidents involved group violence in which ordinary citizens fought against armed police or soldiers. And in both cases, the authorities adopted the same official line, accusing the common people of initiating the violence.

There were also critical differences between the two incidents in the minds of the Chinese public, however. Lhasa is a famous city while Wengan is an unknown county. They also involved people of different races, therefore the attitudes of Chinese citizens toward these two riots were different.

It is difficult for state-controlled media to report real public opinion, as they are only tools to propagate the official viewpoint. Chinese netizens' postings on major online forums like Tianya and Cat898.com, however, reveal public opinion to some degree. An examination of online remarks shows that a majority of netizens supported the government and objected to the riots by ethnic Tibetans, while many supported the riot by ethnic Chinese in Wengan who were fighting against the government.

The Wengan riot was only 105 days after the Lhasa riot. Both locations are remote from well-developed areas, so the "truth" of what happened in both cases was subject to blocks and manipulation by the authorities.

Under these very similar circumstances, why did netizens, lacking firsthand information, hold completely opposite attitudes toward these two incidents where common people became involved in acts of violence? If the Tibetan people were blamed for the outbreak of violence, why were the people of Wengan, in the same situation, afforded understanding and sympathy?

If sympathy for the weak inspired the majority of Chinese to stand with the people of Wengan, why did so few people show similar sympathy for the powerless Tibetans? Why did the majority groundlessly consider the people of Wengan innocent while assuming the Tibetans were guilty?

The netizens' attitudes demonstrate a double standard in view of the facts. Ethnicity matters, and is one of the factors that influence general public attitudes.

The majority of Chinese netizens belong to the "great Han people," including the original Han Chinese ethnic group and other ethnic groups that have been assimilated by the Han.

The ideology of political power based in the central plains of China and nationalism have impacted the "great Han people." These factors have shaped the thinking of the Han people and have also alienated China's other races. In the eyes of many Han people, the ethnic minorities in their conventional costumes are viewed as having violent tendencies, uncivilized ways and uneducated minds.

Hence, the Han rulers were strengthened in their ancient idea � "Let those who comply with me thrive and those who resist me perish."

In China, the people who are most discriminated against are not those from small minority groups, but those whose populations are sizeable, who inhabit remote regions and hold unique religious beliefs, and are therefore unable to easily assimilate to the Han lifestyle, customs, racial characteristics and culture. These include the Tibetans, the Hui and the Uygurs. Their obviously different racial characteristics are an everlasting pain for the "great Han people," who insist on being extremely conceited.

The Tibetan people in Lhasa were fighting against oppression by authorities who represent the interests of the great Han people. Their actions in the March 14 riot were therefore demonized by the Han people. In the June 28 incident, however, when citizens of the "great Han people" conflicted with the Han authorities in their appeal for justice, this was viewed as an internal conflict, so they could win sympathy and support.

Although it is true that some individuals among the ethnic minorities engage in lawless conduct such as stealing, beating people, and so on, such tales are often magnified so the image of the whole group is tainted. On the other hand, news media often avoid covering social issues involving ethnic minorities for fear of arousing and expanding ethnic conflicts. That unfortunately leads to ethnic issues remaining underground.

Ignorance of real information leads to the spread of rumors, and unfounded rumors about China's ethnic minorities influence and prejudice the views of the Han people. Consequently, ethnic discrimination in China cannot be freely discussed.

The unwillingness of political authorities and the news media to face this issue means the entire Chinese people neglect the issue of ethnic discrimination. Although discrimination rarely surfaces among those working within the state system, and few people would consider themselves prejudiced, these attitudes are hidden in the minds of many great Han people. As soon as an incident like the March 14 riot in Lhasa occurs, this tendency is stirred up.

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(William Schue is a freelance writer with a background in law and journalism. This article is translated and edited from the Chinese; the original can be found at www.ncn.org and williamschue007cn.spaces.live.com. ©Copyright William Schue.)

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