Inner Mongolia — another Tibet

Many people are at least somewhat familiar with the tragedy known as Tibet. Lesser-known but equally heartbreaking and unjust is the ill-treatment of the people of Inner Mongolia.

The Mongols are a herding people. Starting in 2001 the Chinese government began a policy of of removing 800,000 herders off their grazing lands. They lost their livestock, homes and property. Resisters were imprisoned. Grazing has been prohibited in more than one-third of Inner Mongolia's territory. The relocation policy has endangered the very existence of the Mongolians as a people. Even more painful than the loss of income is the loss of their traditional way of life, their cultural identity. (www.smhric.org)

In schools, classes in Mongolian are being eliminated.

Buddhist materials cannot be read outside the temples; Mongolian lamas must report their activities to authorities.

Hada, an ethnic Mongolian, has been sentenced to 15 years in the notorious Chifeng Prison for peacefully promoting Mongolian culture. (See Dissidents page.) Prison guards threatened to kill him and repeatedly encouraged other inmates to beat him, supplying them with rubber clubs and electric prods. (www.free-hada-now.org)

Ma Qinghai was sentenced to nine years in Chifeng prison because he publicized the government's persecution against Falun Gong. (See Religious Persecution page). He has been repeatedly tortured. For example, he was tied to a cross. Guards then held him down with two stools and shocked him with two 300kV electric batons for two hours.