Lhasa Speaks Out. On April 15 the inhabitants of Lhasa　turned out in force to demonstrate their support for the　Central People's Government in quelling the rebellion in　Tibet. It was the biggest demonstration ever held in　Tibetan history. For two solid hours contingent after　packed contingent of marchers, waving flags and placards　and shouting slogans, filed past the shopping centre of　Parkor and other streets as they headed towards the People's Square for the noonday mass rally.

Women in colourful, festive dresses; some with babes　in their arms, lamas in their monastic robes, Hans and　Huis as well as Tibetans, patriotic members of the upper　strata of Tibetan society, businessmen, militiamen, young　and old--all took to the streets for the big event while　the Lhasa valley was still shrouded in its morning mist.

The marching columns passed through the main　streets of the ancient city to the beating of drums and　cymbals, and as they went along many performed the　traditional Tibetan yak dance, adding gaiety to a solemn　occasion. More than 2,000 lamas from Lhasa's famous　Daipung, Sera and Jokhan Monasteries joined in the　demonstration in a common stand with the laymen to　denounce the rebels who had desecrated and devastated many holy places in the region.

Mass Rally. Before the Potala. At half past twelve twothirds of the population of Lhasa gathered in the square　in front of the towering Potala Palace. Two young　Tibetan children hoisted the national flag in the centre of　the square, to the accompaniment of band music, to herald　the opening of the rally. When the people saw a detachment of the People's Liberation Army coming to join them in the rally they gave the P.L.A. men a special welcome.

Teng Shao-tung, Director of the P.L.A. Military Control Commission in Lhasa, who was one of the first to　address the rally, said that the reactionary clique harboured diabolical designs in engineering the open armed　rebellion in Tibet. With the support of foreign imperialism and foreign reaction as well as the support of the　Chiang Kai-shek clique, he said, they tried to use this　armed rebellion to preserve their rule, which was based　on feudal serfdom, to obstruct the complete emancipation　of the Tibetan people, undermine the unification of the　motherland and the solidarity between the two nationalities-the Tibetans and Hans. They attempted to sell　out the people of Tibet and place them once again in　chains of imperialist enslavement, said Teng Shao-tung.

Since its establishment, he continued, the Military Control Commission in Lhasa has achieved much ?in restoring peace and order to Lhasa, carrying out the Communist Party's policies, organizing employment, granting loans to peasants and helping them with their spring cultivation, and administering relief and welfare services for　those in need. In doing so the Military Control Commission has won the approval and support of the people.

Sampo Tsewong-Rentzen, Tibetan Deputy Director of　the Military Control Commission, also spoke at the rally. He had recovered from the wound inflicted by the rebels　because of his opposition to the rebellion. Sampo Tsewong-Rentzen said that the people of Lhasa were　extremely happy to greet the rebirth of Tibet and he　urged all sections of the population to unite and do their best under the leadership of the Working Committee of　the Communist Party in Tibet, the Preparatory Committee for the Autonomous Region of Tibet and the P.L.A. Military Area Command.

Other Tibetans availed themselves of the opportunity　to denounce the reactionary clique of rebels and their　criminal activities. They unmasked these traitors and　their imperialist masters, who mouth phrases about "the　good of the Tibetan people," but who organized armed　rebellion to betray the interests and thwart the progress　of the Tibetan nationality and its unity with the other　nationalities of China. Quite a number of the speakers　had suffered at the hands of the rebels and the facts they related at the rally tugged at the hearts of all present. The rally became a mass indictment of the rebels. Officers and men of the P.L.A. at the rally were incensed by what　they heard and. they pledged not to rest till the last rebels　had been mopped up in the Tibetan region. At the end, a message was sent out to the people of all nationalities　and all walks of life in Tibet to quell the rebellion and　march forward along the path of democracy and socialism.

Rebel Elements Surrendered. Many who were impressed　into the rebellious units have surrendered to the People's　Liberation Army. Among them were lamas and people　of various occupations. In keeping with the policy of the　Central People's Government, the People's Liberation　Army treated them leniently and allowed them to return　to their monasteries and homes. These Tibetans have　since given eye-witness accounts of the crimes committed by the various gangs of rebels who robbed the people of their property and raped women and nuns.

Tibetans Hail P.L.A. The Preparatory Committee for　the Autonomous Region of Tibet held a meeting a few　days ago as a mark of appreciation for the officers and　men of the People's Liberation Army who had put down　the rebellion in the Lhasa area. A silk banner inscribed　with the words "Salute to the People's Liberation Army　Units in Tibet!" was presented to the commanding officers　of the P.L.A. by Lamin Yishi Tsuden, Deputy Secretary　General of the Preparatory Committee, and Chantung　Lozongnamje, member of the Preparatory Committee. Lamin Yishi Tsuden paid a warm tribute to the People's　Liberation Army. He said all the people of Tibet, lamas　and laymen, will continue to give their unstinted support　to the P.L.A. for rooting out the rebellion in Tibet. "Our　assistance will be available wherever the troops suppressing the rebels will go. The army can count on our help　to solve any problems they face."

Aid to the Peasants. The Military Control Commission　in Lhasa has sent out more than ten special work teams　since its establishment to help the Tibetan peasants on　the outskirts of the city make up for lost time in farming　caused by the rebels. The fields are busy once again. The chugging of tractors can be heard on the experimental　farms outside Lhasa. Tibetan peasant women can be seen　in the fields in a spurt of late spring sowing.

In former years too, the P.L.A. garrison in Tibet used to make loans of grain to the Tibetan peasants on which no interest was charged. But in most cases these fell into the grasping hands of the reactionary hierarchy. Now the Military Control Commission has issued large amounts of interest-free loans of grain seeds directly to the peasants. In the Lhasa area alone five or six times more　grain seeds than last year have been issued. At Langruchika, to cite but one example, 7,500 jin have been distributed to 35 peasant households in the village.

In Shigatse, the Branch Working Committee of the Chinese Communist Party has sent out four special work　teams to visit people living along the Tsangpo and Nyangehu Rivers and bring relief and interest-free loans to　needy Tibetan peasants who had been plundered and persecuted by the rebels. In these places the teams have　handed out 835,800 jin of grain to 5,940 peasant families　to tide them over for the spring.

Cadres of the Military Control Commission in Lhasa　and the work teams sent out by the Communist Party　Committee in Shigatse have not only brought needed　grain to the people. They helped them work out their belated spring sowing programme, went into the fields　to give the peasants a hand and helped them build irrigation projects as well.

Panchen Erdeni in Peking. Panchen Erdeni, Acting　Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the Autonomous Region of Tibet, who came from Lhasa to Peking　to attend the National People's Congress, was honoured　at a banquet tendered by Premier Chou En-lai on April　14. Ngapo Ngawang-Jigme, Vice-Chairman of the Preparatory Committee, and Chantung Jijigme and Shirou　Dungchu, members of the Preparatory Committee, who　came to Peking with Panchen Erdeni to attend the　National People's Congress; and Ngapo Tsirten Choga, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's　Political Consultative Conference, which is also in session　in Peking, were other guests of honour.

In a speech of welcome, Premier Chou En-lai said　that the great majority of the people of Tibet want to free　themselves from the dark system of serfdom and that　many members of the upper and middle strata in Tibet　who. are patriotic and know what is right and just also　advocate gradual reform of the unreasonable social system. In the interests of national solidarity and taking into consideration the specific conditions of Tibet, he said,the Central People's Government had followed a policy of slowing down the tempo and waiting patiently as far as reform in Tibet was concerned. However, the dyed-inthe-wool reactionaries in Tibet courted self-destruction　and chose the path of betrayal of the people of Tibet and　of the motherland. They chose the path of their own　destruction and in fact created extremely favourable conditions for the democratization of Tibet. From now on, Premier Chou En-lai said, the people of Tibet will gradually free themselves from poverty and backwardness and　advance along the bright road of prosperity and happiness.

Premier Chou went on: "Now while we are rejoicing　in our reunion here, the Dalai Lama has been abducted　abroad by the rebels. From the three letters written by　the Dalai Lama to General Tan Kuan-san, acting representative of the Central People's Government, we can sense his grief and worry and his plight. Like all the people of Tibet, we express our deep concern about the Dalai Lama."

Premier Chou En-lai pointed out that in the past　few years great achievements had been attained in all　fields of endeavour in the motherland. The traitors of　Tibet had vainly tried to split the country but the contrary　result was that this led to a strengthening of the unification of the motherland, greater unity between the Tibetan　and Han peoples, and the rebirth of the Tibetan people.

(This article appears on page 16, No. 16, 1959)