2001 Losar
Tibetan Returnees Celebrate New Year
"This is where we truly belong,"said Yexe-Bandan, a
Tibetan returnee who has settled down in this
capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
Witnessing the fast development of Tibet over the past 50 years,
Yexe-Bandan said at a Wednesday returnee sodality organized by
local government to celebrate the coming Spring Festival and Tibetan
New year that the Dalai Lama's separatist activities will not
be supported by Tibetan people.
Statistics show that 1,557 Tibetan returnees have chosen to dwell
in Tibet after living in other countries for a period of time
and some 55,000 Tibetans sojourning in 30 countries and regions
had visited Tibet by the end of 2001.
Qoigyi Gyaincain, who has relatives abroad, said that China is
becoming increasingly powerful with entry into the World Trade
Organization and successful bid for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games.
He said that the central government not only strives to develop
the local economy but takes all necessary measures to protect
the Tibetan heritage such as the Potala Palace, Sagya Temple and
Norpu Lingka, fully respecting Tibetan people's religious belief.
The Chinese government has always attached great importance to
work concerning Tibetan returnees and spared no efforts to help
them solve problems, said a local official Samzhub.
Sources said that as great changes are taking place in Tibet,
an increasing number of overseas Tibetans will come back to the
motherland, awakening from the Dalai Lama's separatist propaganda.
