Democratic reform is on the lips of everybody in Tibet. The Second Plenary Meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Autonomous Region of Tibet which opened in Lhasa on June 28 is discussing its implementation.

It will be carried out gradually in two stages. First, mobilization of the masses to root out the rebellion thoroughly and carry out a san fan (3 anti's) and shuang jian (2 reductions) campaign. The second stage will be distribution of land. The 3 anti's are anti-rebellion, anti-ula system and anti-slavery. The two reductions are reduction of rents and reduction of interests.

In presenting this proposal to the meeting for its deliberation, Chang Kuo-hua, Deputy-Secretary of the Working Committee of the Communist Party in Tibet and a vice-chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the Autonomous Region of Tibet, told the meeting that the measures embodied in the proposal had been formulated by the Working Committee of the Communist Party in Tibet after consultation with various circles.

Panchen Erdeni Presides. The meeting was convened in the Lhasa Auditorium with Panchen Erdeni, the Acting Chairman of the Preparatory Committee, presiding. Present were Chang Ching-wu, representative of the Central People's Government and Secretary of the Working Committee of the Communist Party in Tibet, and Wang Feng, Deputy-Chairman of the Nationality Affairs Commission under the State Council and Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party's Central Committee. Others who took part in the deliberations by invitation included leading members of the Working Committee of the Communist Party in Tibet, the Preparatory Committee, the Tibet Military Area Command, the people's organizations in Lhasa, representatives from various walks of life, from the religious circles and trades. All told, the attendance exceeded 600-the biggest gathering since the Preparatory Committee was formed in 1956.

Working People Invited. More than a hundred who were there by invitation were Tibetan working people-artisans, peasants, herdsmen, house slaves and serfs, people who were branded by the reactionary upper classes as "scum," fit only for the stables, kicked around and abused. But today they took their place, with other sections of the population, at the session and were given their first opportunity to appreciate the meaning of democracy. With their invitation badges prominently pinned to their chests, these working people made history in Tibet when they entered the hall to take part in the discussion of a matter very close to their hearts.

The Agenda. Ngapo Ngawang-Jigme, one of the vice-chairmen of the Preparatory Committee and concurrently its Secretary General, delivered the opening address. Announcing the agenda of the meeting, he said that the current session of the Preparatory Committee is of great historic significance: it will discuss measures for the democratic reform and decide on the tasks related to the cleaning up of the rebellion and work in the rural and pastoral areas.

Next, Panchen Erdeni made a report back speech on the First Session of the Second National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's　Political　Consultative　Conference, both of which he attended in Peking last April (the full text of the speech is published in this issue on p. 6). Panchen Erdeni's address and Chang Kuohua's report, the latter delivered at the afternoon session, on the question of introducing the democratic reform urgently demanded by the Tibetan people, were the major speeches of the opening day. In the following days group discussions of the two speeches were held.

Hands of Imperialism and Foreign Interventionists Behind the Rebellion.Chang Kuo-hua, who made an extended visit to the Loka area from May 15 to June 3, opened his report with an account of the conditions in this part of Tibet. It was clear from the facts that have come to his attention, he said, that the former local government of Tibet and the reactionary elements of the upper strata worked hand in glove with imperialism and　the foreign　interventionists　to initiate the rebellion. All the evidence goes to prove that the schemes for the rebellion were hatched over a long period and that the rebellion was actually first launched in the Loka area.

Peasant Associations Formed. Chang Kuo-hua spoke at length on the policy and steps to be taken in regard to the democratic reform.　He made a class analysis of the Loka area, which was a stronghold of the rebellion, and discussed how much the serfs, the peasants and herdsmen will gain from the reform.

Loka is a rich area, long known as the granary of Tibet, but for hundreds of years the feudal serf-owners have held sway.　Poverty-stricken peasants make up about 70 per cent of the population, peasants of the middle category constitute 25 to 26 per cent, while serf-owners only 4 to 5 per cent. The wealth of the area was concentrated in the hands of three kinds of feudal estate-holders or serf-owners, namely, the monasteries, nobles and the former local government of Tibet.

The masses hated this unjust social system and demanded an end to it. They demanded distribution of the land, abolition of the ula (corvee) system, abolition of unpaid menial services, abolition of usury and abolition of the extra special privileges of the monasteries. Unless this dark, backward, cruel and savage order of things comes to an end, it is impossible for Tibet to speak of developing its economy and culture and for the Tibetan people to live a bright and happy life. All these demands of the Tibetan people, the lamas and the laymen, are therefore entirely reasonable and just, said Chang Kuo-hua, and we must give them all our sympathy and support to turn these demands into reality.

Chang Kuo-hua said that in view of the situation in the Loka area and in response to the demands of the masses, apart from pressing ahead with the campaign to mop up the remnants of the rebels and enforcing the policy of allowing serfs to reap what they had sown on the land of the rebels, the san fan and shuang jian campaign will be launched and steps will be taken to set up new local organs of state power and safeguard production. These words were greeted with stormy applause by all present.

Then Chang Kuo-hua went on to define the two stages of the democratic reform and the measures to implement it　on which he had had a full exchange of views with Panchen Erdeni, Pebala Choliehnamje,　Ngapo　Ngawang-Jigme and others. He said that the important thing at present is to arouse the masses to action to abolish the ula system and the bonds that tie them to the serf-owners, and reduce the rents and interests of the estate-holders who had taken no part in the rebellion. The old regime in the countryside will be abolished and new peasant associations will be organized which will carry out the reform and exercise the functions and powers of the primary level of government during the reform.

In the distribution of land, he said, all those who did not take part in the rebellion will enjoy compensation similar to the redemption policy adopted towards the bourgeoisie in other parts of China, in regard to their land, extra houses, draught animals, and farm tools.

Trade. He said that a policy of protecting trade would be adopted and law-abiding foreign merchants would also be protected. Handicrafts will be promoted, too.

Religious Freedom Assured. Chang Kuo-hua declared that the policy of the Communist Party and state to safeguard freedom of religious belief will be firmly adhered to. All the patriotic and law-abiding lamas, and the holy places, shrines and historic sites will be protected while the campaign against the rebellion, exploitation and extra special privileges will be carried out in the monasteries.

(This article appears on page 4, No. 27, 1959)