Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy

Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy

(Adopted at the Second Session of the Sixth National People's Congress on May 31, 1984 and promulgated by Order No.13 of the President of the People’s Republic of China on May 31, 1984; amended in accordance with the Decision on the Amending the Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy made at the 20th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress on February 28, 2001)

The People's Republic of China is a unitary multinational State created jointly by the people of all its nationalities. Regional national autonomy is the basic policy adopted by the Communist Party of China for the solution of the national question in China through its application of Marxism-Leninism; it is a basic political system of the State.

Regional national autonomy means that the minority nationalities, under unified State leadership, practise regional autonomy in areas where they live in concentrated communities and set up organs of self-government for the exercise of the power of autonomy. Regional national autonomy embodies the State's full respect for and guarantee of the right of the minority nationalities to administer their internal affairs and its adherence to the principle of equality, unity and common prosperity for all the nationalities.

Regional national autonomy has played an enormous role in giving full play to the initiative of all the nationalities as masters of the country, in developing among them a socialist relationship of equality, unity and mutual assistance, in consolidating the unification of the country and in promoting socialist construction in the national autonomous areas and the rest of the country. In the years to come, continued efforts shall be made to uphold and improve the system of regional national autonomy, so that it will play a greater role in the country's socialist modernization drive.

It has been proven by practice that adherence to regional national autonomy requires that the national autonomous areas be given effective guarantees for implementing State laws and policies in the light of existing local conditions; that large numbers of cadres at various levels and specialized personnel and skilled workers of various professions and trades be trained from among the minority nationalities; that the national autonomous areas strive to promote local socialist construction in the spirit of self-reliance and hard work and contribute to the nation's construction as a whole; and that the State strive to help the national autonomous areas speed up their economic and cultural development in accordance with the plans for national economic and social development. In the effort to maintain the unity of the nationalities, both big-nation chauvinism, mainly Han chauvinism, and local national chauvinism must be opposed.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, the people of various nationalities in the autonomous areas shall, together with the people of the whole country, adhere to the people's democratic dictatorship and to the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, march along the road of constructing socialism with Chinese characteristics, concentrate their efforts on the socialist modernization drive, develop the socialist market economy, foster the development of socialist democracy and the socialist legal system, enhance socialist cultural and ideological progress, speed up the economic and cultural development of the national autonomous areas, work towards their unity and prosperity and strive for the common prosperity of all the nationalities and for the transformation of China into a prosperous, powerful, democratic and culturally advanced socialist country.

LTTE Leader Calls for Autonomy and Self-Government for Tamil Homeland

LTTE Leader Calls for Autonomy and Self-Government for Tamil Homeland

In a radical move to clarify the policy orientation of his organisation, Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) declared that he would favourably consider a political framework that offers substantial regional autonomy and self-government to the Tamil people on the basis of their right to internal self-determination.

Enunciating the organisation’s policy in his annual Heroes’ Day address today, the Tamil Tiger leader explained that the Tamil people want to live in freedom and dignity in their own historical homeland pursuing the development of their language, culture and economy and managing their own affairs under a system of self-rule.

Mr Pirapaharan appealed to the Sinhala people to support the aspirations of the Tamils for autonomy and self-government in their own lands. ‘If our demand for regional self-rule based on the right to internal self-determination is rejected, we have no alternative other than to secede and form an independent state,’ the Tamil leader declared.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress of the peace negotiations between the government and his organisation, Mr Pirapaharan said that the keen interest shown by the international community over the current peace efforts and their offer of humanitarian assistance to the war affected population was encouraging. ‘It is our deepest desire that the current peace talks facilitated by Norway should succeed and all the communities living in the island should co-exist in harmony.’

The Tiger leader further said that the LTTE is prepared to discuss all issues underlying the ethnic conflict. ‘But the talks should be conducted freely without constraints, without conditions, without timeframes. Imposing parameters or stipulating conceptual limits for political negotiations entails an infringement on the basic political freedom and choice of our people. The freedom to determine their political status and to pursue their social, cultural and economic development are the fundamental political rights of our people,’ Mr Pirapaharan explained.

The following are extracts from Mr Pirapaharan’s statement:

‘Our liberation struggle has reached a new historical turning point and entered into a new developmental stage. We are facing a new challenge. We have ceased armed hostilities and are now engaged in a peaceful negotiating process to resolve the ethnic conflict. Our sincere and dedicated commitment to the peace process has falsified and demolished the propaganda campaign carried out by Sinhala chauvinists that we are enemies of peace.

Even on the issue of cease-fire, we took the initiative. We declared a unilateral cease-fire and called upon the government to reciprocate. The new government, which assumed power with a mandate for peace, reciprocated positively to our declaration of cease-fire. The mutually agreed cessation of hostilities came into effect on 23 February under the supervision of an international monitoring team. This cease-fire has been in force for the past nine months. There have been several provocative attempts by certain elements of the armed forces and anti-peace racist forces to disrupt the peace process. There were incidents in which several innocent Tamils were killed. Nevertheless, we maintained a rigid discipline and observed peace. This is a clear demonstration of our genuine commitment to the path of peace.

If a reasonable settlement to the Tamil national question could be realised by peaceful means we will make every endeavour, with honesty and sincerity to pursue that path. Our political objective is to ensure that our people should live in freedom and dignity in their homeland enjoying the right of self-rule. If this political objective could be realised by peaceful means, we are prepared to adopt that method.

We have never shown any disinclination to win the political rights of our people through peaceful means. We have participated in peace negotiations at different places, at different times in different historical circumstances i.e in Thimpu, in Delhi, in Colombo, in Jaffna and now in Thailand. All previous attempts to a negotiated political settlement ended in fiasco. These failures could only be attributed to the hard-line attitude and deceitful political approaches of previous Sri Lanka governments. Now, the government of Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe is attempting to resolve the problems of the Tamils with sincerity and courage. Furthermore, the current cease-fire, built on a strong foundation and the sincere efforts of the international monitoring mission to further stabilise it, has helped to consolidate the peace process. The capable and skilful facilitation by the Norwegians has also contributed to the steady progress of the current peace talks. Above all, the concern, interests and enthusiasm shown by the international community has given hope and encouragement to both parties. The ideal approach is to move the talks forward, systematically, step by step, standing on a strong foundation of peace and building mutual confidence.

As a consequence of the brutal war that continued incessantly for more than two decades, our people face enormous existential problems. The social and political infrastructures of the Tamil nation are in ruins. The cities, towns and villages have been razed to the ground. Houses, temples and schools have been destroyed. An ancient civilization that stood on our lands for centuries has been uprooted. It is not possible for our people to rebuild their ruined social and economic structures. It is a monumental humanitarian problem. We hope that the international community will view the problem sympathetically. We are relieved to learn that international governments have come forward to assist the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the war damaged Tamil nation.

Though there is peace in the Tamil homeland, conditions of normalcy have not been restored. Under the cover of ‘high security zones’, the Sinhala armed forces are occupying residential areas and social, economic and cultural centres. Forty thousand troops are occupying Jaffna peninsula, which is a tiny geographical region with a dense population. The military occupation is suffocating the civilian masses and causing tensions. Jaffna, which is the cultural heartland of the Tamil people, has turned into an open prison. The occupying forces are using the civilians as their protective shields. As several villages, houses and roads are entrapped by occupation several thousands of internally displaced are unable to return to their residences. Unless this problem is resolved there is no possibility for normalcy and social peace to be restored to Jaffna.

It has always been our position that the urgent and immediate problems of our people should be resolved during the early stages of the peace talks. The former government of Sri Lanka rejected our position. As a result the peace talks broke down. There was a misconception on the part of the former regime that we were hesitant to take up the fundamental political issues and insisted on the resolution of the immediate problems. But the present government has been taking concrete actions redressing the urgent and immediate problems of our people. This is a positive development.

The objective of our struggle is based on the concept of self-determination as articulated in the UN Charter and other instruments. We have always been consistent with our policy with regard to our struggle for self-determination. Tamil homeland, Tamil nationality and Tamils’ right to self-determination are the fundamentals underlying our political struggle. We have been insisting on these fundamentals from Thimpu to Thailand. Our position is that the Tamil national question should be resolved on the basis of these core principles. Tamils constitute themselves as a people, or rather as a national formation since they possess a distinct language, culture and history with a clearly defined homeland and a consciousness of their ethnic identity. As a distinct people they are entitled to the right to self-determination. The right to self-determination has two aspects: internal and external. The internal self-determination entitles a people to regional self-rule.

The Tamil people want to live in freedom and dignity in their own lands, in their historically constituted traditional lands without the domination of external forces. They want to protect their national identity pursing the development of their language, culture and economy. They want to live in their homeland under a system of self-rule. This is the political aspiration of our people. This constitutes the essential meaning of internal self-determination. We are prepared to consider favourably a political framework that offers substantial regional autonomy and self-government in our homeland on the basis of our right to internal self-determination. But if our people’s right to self-determination is denied and our demand for regional self-rule is rejected we have no alternative other than to secede and form an independent state.

Racism and racist oppression are the causative factors for rebellions and secessionist politics. The Sinhalese people should identify and reject the racist forces if they desire a permanent peace, ethnic harmony and economic prosperity. They should support, wholeheartedly, the efforts to find a political solution by peaceful means. The Sinhalese people should not oppose the Tamils’ aspirations to manage their own affairs under a system of self-rule in their own homeland. It is the politics of the Sinhala nation that will eventually determine whether the Sinhalese could peacefully co-exist with the Tamils or to compel the Tamils to secede.

We are pleased to note that the talks between the government and the LTTE are progressing forward under the conditions of mutual trust and goodwill. We are encouraged by the interest shown by the international community in the peace process and their willingness to offer assistance to rebuild the war damaged economy of the Tamil nation. It is our deepest desire that the current peace talks facilitated by Norway should succeed and all the communities living in the island should co-exist in harmony. If the Sinhala chauvinistic forces, for their own petty political reasons scuttle this peace effort which has raised high hopes and expectations and gained the support of the international community, the Tamil people will be compelled to pursue the path of secession and political independence,’ Mr Pirapaharan declared.

The world's working regional autonomies - an introduction and comparative analysis

Many countries are faced with ethnic conflict and the necessity of the protection of national minorities. Regional territorial autonomy is a legal-political device to combine minority protection with internal self-determination in a regional framework, without changing the concerned state’s boundaries. By that way in about 60 regions within at least 22 states serious and protracted state-minority-conflicts could be solved in a sustainable manner, giving space to a new partnership between the central state and the regional community. After a theoretical introduction in the political concept of autonomy the author takes you on “a travel through the world of the operating autonomy systems”, today existing in all continents. In a functional analysis the main issues of territorial autonomy are compared in their practical application, typical elements are worked out, success factors explained and perspectives of further development highlighted. Regional autonomy is a precious experience of political organisation in a growing number of regions in the world. In many current conflict scenarios it offers an important concept of conflict solving and minority protection. A comprehensive insight in the world of the autonomous regions not only for experts.

Special Autonomous for Bali

 Special Autonomous for Bali

Bali with all its unique has generated a big income from its tourism industry. Yes, it is true that Bali has no natural resources but Bali has contributed 20% up to 30% foreign exchange to the central government of Indonesia. If we draw an analogy between Bali and a boy who has grown up and has strength to stand on his own feet, he will choose to be able to manage himself for sure. So, it is a normal willing if Bali asks for special autonomous for its capability to manage its region.

In fact, Bali has had its autonomy but there were some problems arisen from it. It is stated in the regional autonomy act number 32 year 2004 that every region in Bali – in this case the regencies in Bali, have authority to control their region respectively. This policy has created gaps among those regencies. Let’s see there are only three regencies in Bali which succeed to develop due to they have a lot of tourism assets than the other regencies. This condition makes a social jealousy and it could make segregation between the richer region and the poorer one and the impact is Bali will loss its unity.

It would be better if Bali has special autonomous for the province, so it can manage the prosperity among regencies. It can create a suitable policy for its education sector, agriculture sector, economy sector, tourism, and etc. And there must be a fair income distribution between region and central government otherwise many regions in Indonesia will utter their protest against the central government. A different thing cannot be forced to be similar but it is on how we appreciate, how we respect the difference to build the unity among us.

Million march for Catalonia's right to autonomy

 Million march for Catalonia's right to autonomy

BARCELONA: More than a million people have gathered in Barcelona to demand greater regional autonomy for Catalonia and protest against a recent court ruling forbidding the prosperous region from calling itself a nation.

A city government spokesman said police had counted 1.1 million people at a vast rally on Saturday that filled Barcelona's Gran Via, Diagonal and Paseo de Gracia boulevards. The rally organisers, Omnium Cultural, calculated attendance at 1.5 million.

Spain's courts recently granted sweeping powers of self-rule to the region, but its highest court ruled on Friday that the constitution recognised Spain as the country's only nation, dealing a blow to efforts by Catalonia to assume that status.

The verdict came after four years of debate in which conservative and liberal judges locked horns over whether the charter went beyond the limits of Spain's system of granting varying degrees of self-rule to its 17 regions.

The Catalan region's statute of autonomy, which was earlier approved by the Spanish parliament and endorsed by Catalan voters in a 2006 referendum, gave the regional parliament enhanced powers in taxation and judicial matters as well as more control over airports, ports and immigration.

The court approved in June most of Catalonia's statute of autonomy but changed some of the most controversial points, drawing the anger of the government of the nationalist-minded region.

The statute has the support of most political parties in Catalonia, where a sizeable minority would like to see the wealthy region, which has its own language and distinct culture, break away from Spain.

The statute was one of the first initiatives of the Socialist government of the Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, which took office in 2004.

Catalans are proud of a history which, until 1714, linked them to the independent Kingdom of Aragon.

During the dictatorship of Francisco Franco from 1939 to 1975 Catalans were forbidden to speak their language and it was illegal to publish books in Catalan.

A spokesman for Omnium Cultural, Daniel Jove, said about 1400 Catalan organisations, including political parties, trade unions and cultural and business associations, had called on members to gather.

Television news reports showed a huge crowd waving Catalan nationalist flags, chanting and carrying banners saying ''We are a nation''.

Catalonia is home to about 7 million of Spain's population of some 47 million, and accounts for 25 per cent of its gross domestic product.

''This demonstration is the start of independence that we want for our country,'' a Catalan student said.

The Socialist head of the regional government, Jose Montilla, and his two predecessors led the march. But Josep-Lluis Carod-Rovira, the deputy leader of the Catalan regional government and a leader of the separatist Catalan Republican Left party, said the march's timing was poor.

''This is ridiculous,'' he said. ''We will end up with more Spanish flags being waved for the Spain-Holland [World Cup final] match on Sunday than Catalan flags on the Saturday demonstration.''

Bolivia's on autonomy

The vote was the first of four referendums on greater autonomy from central government being planned by Bolivia's eastern lowland provinces, deepening a divide between Morales' supporters and the conservative opposition.

According to the pollster Focaliza cited by local television, Santa Cruz residents voted 86 percent in favor of autonomy and 14 percent against. The result had been widely expected because Morales backers vowed to boycott the polls and the exit polls did not estimate turnout.

On the streets of Santa Cruz city, residents honked car horns as they celebrated victory in a referendum that Morales had branded as illegal.

"We feel the battle has not been in vain," said Rodolfo Ochoa, 30, a craftsman in the city's main square where crowds gathered and danced soon after the exit polls were broadcast.

Voting was mainly calm, but officials said at least 18 people were hurt as supporters and opponents of Morales, a former coca farmer, fought with sticks and stones in the region's capital. One man died as police fired tear gas to quell the unrest, a Reuters witness said.

The referendum theoretically gives Santa Cruz's conservative leaders more control over natural resources that include fertile farmland and about 10 percent of Bolivia's oil and natural gas reserves.

Despite Morales' rejection of the validity of the ballot, the resounding "yes" vote could force him to negotiate with his opponents in Santa Cruz and three other pro-autonomy regions in Bolivia's eastern lowlands.

NATURAL GAS

The growing demands for regional autonomy have exposed a bitter divide between Bolivia's wealthier lowlands and the poor Andean highlands, where tens of thousands of people marched to show support for Morales -- Bolivia's first Indian president -- in several cities.

Political tensions have heightened in recent weeks in South America's poorest country and Bolivia's armed forces issued a rare statement on Saturday that backed the president and called the referendum a threat to national security.

The historically unstable country's eastern areas are home to vast natural gas reserves, the second-largest in South America and a key supply source for Brazil and Argentina.

Santa Cruz also has rich farmland and its population has grown fast over the past 40 years, with Bolivians from the highlands seeking a better life due to its growing economy. It is now home to a quarter of Bolivia's some 9 million people.

Morales, a close ally of Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez, sees the referendum as a bid to destabilize his government, engineered by conservative rivals who oppose his efforts to break up large land holdings and empower the poor, indigenous majority.

The Andean highlands are more heavily indigenous, while areas like Santa Cruz have a larger European-descended population.

Morales sought to play down the significance of the referendum in recent days and appeared on national television playing soccer earlier on Sunday.

Political commentators fear any decision by Morales to reject the vote might spark wider, potentially violent protests between his opponents and supporters.

In Spain, crowds rally for Catalan autonomy

AFP - Hundreds of thousands of people on Saturday marched in northeastern Spain in support of the Catalan region's statute of autonomy, after it was challenged by a constitutional court.

The statute, which was earlier approved by the Spanish parliament and endorsed by Catalan voters in a 2006 referendum, gave the regional parliament enhanced powers in taxation and judicial matters as well as more control over airports, ports and immigration.

Reports put the number of demonstrators at several hundred thousand.

A vast column of protesters was preceded by a huge Catalan flag with the slogan "we are a nation, we decide ourselves" while thousands of red and yellow Catalan banners were visible among the huge crowd.

"This demonstration is the start of independence that we want for our country (Catalonia)" one student told AFP.

The protest was staged hours after the confirmation by Spain's Constitutional Court of the June 28 ruling which removed important parts of the new statute of autonomy.

The ruling, published on Friday, stated that the term "nation" defining Catalonia in the statute had no legal value because "the constitution only knows one nation, Spain."

The court in June approved most of Catalonia's statute of autonomy but changed some of the most controversial points, drawing the ire of the government of the nationalist-minded region.

The statute has the support of the vast majority of political parties in Catalonia, where a sizeable minority would like to see the wealthy region, which has its own language and distinct culture, break away from Spain.

The statute was one of the first initiatives of the Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, which took office in 2004.

It was approved by the parliament in Madrid in 2006 and endorsed by Catalan voters in a referendum.

Catalonia is home to around seven million of Spain's population of some 47 million, and accounts for 25 percent of its gross domestic product.

Statement of Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari, Head of the Tibetan Delegation, following the 8th round of discussions

 Statement of Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari, Head of the Tibetan Delegation, following the 8th round of discussions

Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen and I, accompanied by senior aides Sonam N. Dagpo and Bhuchung K. Tsering, both members of the Task Force on Sino-Tibetan Negotiations, and Kalsang Tsering from the Secretariat of the Task Force, visited China from October 30 to November 5, 2008. We returned to India on November 6, 2008.

Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari meeting Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Minister of the Central United Front Work Department Du Qinglin on November 4, 2008 in Beijing. Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen is to his right and Executive Vice Minister Zhu Weiqun is to the left of Vice Chairman Du. Credit: CTA/DIIR

The main purpose of this trip was to follow up on the discussions held during the seventh round in July this year. We presented a memorandum to the Chinese leadership on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people.

In Beijing we met with Mr. Du Qinglin, Vice Chariman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Minister of the Central United Front Work Department, on November 4, 2008. We also had a day-long discussion Mr. Zhu Weiqun, Executive Vice Minister, and Mr. Sithar, Vice Minister of the Central United Front Work Department, on November 5, 2008. An official from the Tibet Autonomous Region, Pema Trinley, Executive Vice Governor, was also present in the Chinese side. We had a briefing, organized by the United Front, by experts on Chinese Constitution and the Law on Regional National Autonomy at the China Tibetology Research Center. It was moderated by Mr. Lhakpa Phuntsok, Director of the Center. We also visited the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen and their team at the meeting with Executive Vice Minister Zhu Weiqun and Vice Minister Sithar and their team on November 5, 2008 in Beijing. Credit: CTA/DIIR

This morning we briefed Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche, Chairman of the Tibetan Cabinet, in New Delhi about our discussions. As a special general meeting of the Tibetan people is being convened later this month at the suggestion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we have been advised not to make statements about our discussions before this meeting.

Our host for this visit was the Central United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party. The United Front Work Departments of Beijing City and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region were also involved with our visit. We thank them for their hospitality.

Political Stability and Economic Autonomy

Tatarstan has gained international recognition for its tough-minded negotiations with Moscow to achieve regional economic autonomy while maintaining political stability. It was in Kazan that Boris Yeltsin made his oft-quoted statement to the regions of Russia: "Take as much sovereignty as you can swallow". Tatarstan took its at his words.

 Mintimer Shaimiev was elected the first President of Republic of Tatarstan in June 1991, the same day that Boris Yeltsin was elected the first President of Russian Federation. For negotiating the path-breaking agreement with Moscow and maintaining political stability Shaimiev enjoys overwhelming popularity in Tatarstan and as widely expected was reelected for a second five-year term in June 1996.

Other regions in Russia are following the path of Tatarstan and signing treaties with Moscow, a complex process to build a more healthy and decentralized Russian Federation. Outside observers have also proposed the "Tatarstan model" to resolve regional issues in federal states beyond Russia.

The Students of Map UNS Sragen Learns From Sragen

SRAGEN-Sragen Government received a visit from  Post Graduate students of Public Administration (MAP) class VII Sebelas Maret University (UNS) Surakarta on  Wednesday (14/10).  The visit took place in Citrayasa Room in the Official house of Sragen Regent, received by the Regional Secretary (Secretary) Sragen, Drs.  Kushardjono.  The delegation was led by the Chairman of MAP Study Program, Drs.  Sudarmo, MA, PhD, accompanied by Drs.  Revelation Nurhajadmo, M. Si, and Drs.  Sonhaji, M.Sc.

       Sudarmo explained that Sragen Regency has been successfully implemented decentralization and regional autonomy.  This visit program functioned as a means ngangsu kawruh (learning) to understand these two  policy issues (regional autonomy and decentralization) in the reality.  It is expected that the information  obtained can be used for transfer knowledge and  experience to the students.  By visiting the site directly then it will simplify and accelerate the students in finishing their studies.    

       On this occasion, Secretary explained that the short-term development priorities, medium-and long term planning in Sragen Regency covering education, economy and health.  In carrying out this development, human resources (HR) development is more important than Natural Resources (SDA).  Lack of natural resources in Sragen push the empowering of communities  supported by a customized facilities. 

       Secretary explained further that autonomy is the reform mandate  therefore all policies are implemented by standing up to the people.  The Government supported by the officials functions as a public servant.  Sragen itself provides excellent service to the public in administrative, facilitative and consultative field.  While  the empowering (public Empowering) of four pillars of people economy covering  government sectors, private, community and academics.

       Regional autonomy implementation is actually the local government authority followed by the development of bureaucratic reform.  They are namely institutional arrangement, decentralization of authority at the lowest level (village), institutional innovation and optimizing the role of the regional work units (SKPD).  To support the successful implementation of the bureaucracy reform, Information Technology (IT) has been built in Sragen. Even a computerized on-line system reached into the village level.  By the placement program of three civil servants as extension officers, administration and IT-based, rural development is much faster implemented.

       The optimizing of SKPD (departments) functions as the Revenue Center, Training Center, Production Center and Development Center, added the Seretary.  While the civil servants in Sragen Regency uses the principle of “Five C“ of commitment, Consequent, Consistent, Continuous, and Conceptual.

       In the middle of the occasion, there is  souvenirs exchanging.  It is followed by discussion and visiting to several institutions of the Women Empowering Departments, Bappeda (Regional Development Departments) and the Department of Education.

Catalans rally for greater autonomy within Spain

Catalans rally for greater autonomy within Spain

BARCELONA, Spain: More than a million people gathered Saturday in northeastern Barcelona to demand greater regional autonomy for Catalonia and protest a recent court ruling forbidding this prosperous region from calling itself a nation.

City government spokesman Manuel Campillo said police had counted 1.1 million people at a vast rally that filled Barcelona's major Gran Via, Diagonal and Paseo de Gracia boulevards. Rally organizers, Omnium Cultural, calculated attendance at 1.5 million, spokesman Daniel Jove said.

Spain's courts recently granted sweeping new powers of self-rule to the region, but on Friday its highest court ruled that the country's Constitution recognized Spain as the country's only nation, dealing a blow to efforts by Catalonia to assume that status.

The verdict came after four years of debate in which conservative and liberal judges locked horns over whether the charter went beyond the limits of Spain's system of granting varying degrees of self-rule to its 17 regions.

Catalans have their own language and are proud of a history which, until 1714, linked them to the independent Kingdom of Aragon.

During the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco (1939-1975) Catalans were forbidden from speaking their language and it was illegal to publish books in Catalan.

Jove said about 1,400 Catalan organizations, including political parties, trade unions as well as cultural and business associations, had called on members to gather.

Sunny, hot weather enticed many people to attend the rally. Television news reports showed a multitudinous crowd waving Catalan nationalist flags, chanting and carrying banners saying "We are a Nation."

Fifty-six ethnic groups

China is a united multi-ethnic nation of 56 ethnic groups. As the majority (91.6 percent) of the population is of the Han ethnic group, China's other 55 ethnic groups are customarily referred to as ethnic minorities. According to the fifth national census in 2000, 18 ethnic minorities have a population of over one million, namely the Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uygur, Yi, Tujia, Mongolian, Tibetan, Bouyei, Dong, Yao, Korean, Bai, Hani, Li, Kazak and Dai. Of these the Zhuang ethnic group has the biggest population, numbering 16.179 million. There are 17 ethnic groups with a population of between 100,000 and one million, namely the She, Lisu, Gelao, Lahu, Dongxiang, Va, Sui, Naxi, Qiang, Tu, Xibe, Mulam, Kirgiz, Daur, Jingpo, Salar and Maonan. There are 20 ethnic groups with a population of between 10,000 and 100,000, namely, Blang, Tajik, Primi, Achang, Nu, Ewenki, Gin, Jino, Deang, Ozbek, Russian, Bonan, Monba, Oroqen, Derung, Tatar, Hezhen, Gaoshan (excluding the Gaoshan ethnic group in Taiwan) and Lhoba. The Lhoba ethnic group, at 2,965, has the smallest population.

The Han people can be found throughout the country, mainly on the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Pearl River valleys, and the Northeast Plain. The 55 ethnic minorities, though fewer in number, are also scattered over vast areas and can be found in approximately 64.3 percent of China, mainly distributed in the border areas of northeast, north, northwest and southwest China. Yunnan Province, home to more than 20 ethnic groups, has the greatest diversity of ethnic groups in China. Over China's long history, repeated instances of ethnic group migrations, opening up new land for cultivation, emigration, relocation of the ruling dynasty, and a host of other reasons, gave rise to the situation of “living together over vast areas while some living in compact communities in small areas.” This continues to provide the practical basis for political, economic and cultural intercourse between the Han and the various minority peoples, and for the functioning of the regional ethnic autonomy system.

Government told to rethink regional autonomy

The government and lawmakers have been urged to reevaluate the regional autonomy policy, which in 10 years has led to the creation of more than 200 new regions which have not always improved conditions for local communities.

The executive director of the Regional Administration Innovation Foundation (YIPD), Alit Merthayasa, on Wednesday said the creation of new regions, while drawing money from the central government, inevitably led to a reduction in the amount of funds disbursed to existing regions.

“New autonomous regions need large sums of money to finance infrastructure, public facilities and government offices, and to pay the salaries of new regional heads and their staff, and councilors.

“Meanwhile, other regions not involved in the creation of these new regions will see smaller portions of the general allocation funds [DAU] from the central government,” Alit told a discussion here. The amount of DAU was not increased in line with increases in the number of regions, he added.

While many new regions were created for the sake of, among other things, simplifying administrative procedures for public services, in many cases these services ended up worse off because of typical fund management inefficiency and the lack of human resources endemic to new regions, Alit said.

Robert Endi Jaweng from the Working Group on Regional Autonomy said in the first five years, new regions would usually undergo an administrative transition period, during which development agendas left by past administrations had to be delayed.

Typically, the poor capacity of new administrations meant new regions’ aspirations for faster economic growth ended in slower growth instead, he said.

A professor in planology from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Tommy Firman, said despite aims to settle conflicts, newly-formed regions often engaged in conflicts with neighbors, for example over water resources and other strategic needs.

“And we’ve seen many powerful elites emerge in regions and more corrupt leaders than we had
previously.

“We’ve often heard news about these regents getting questioned by the KPK [Corruption Eradication Commission], being imprisoned, etc,” Tommy said.

Since the enactment of the regional autonomy law in 1999, Indonesia has seen seven new provinces and 196 new regencies and municipalities. This brings Indonesia’s total number of provinces to 33 and regencies/municipalities to 491 (from 26 and 293 before 1999).

Speakers at the Wednesday discussion entitled “Creation of New Regions and Democracy in Indonesia” agreed that forming new regions should not be forbidden, but that policy makers should first conduct comprehensive evaluations of the implementation of the policy and regulation tools that support it.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called for a moratorium on the creation of new administrative regions, following the death of North Sumatra council speaker Abdul Aziz Angkat in
February.

Abdul died from a heart attack just hours after a mob assaulted him during a violent protest to demand the creation of a new province, Tapanuli.

House of Representatives speaker Agung Laksono has said in response to Yudhoyono that the regional autonomy police do need to be reevaluated.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits the Regional Autonomous Governments of South Tyrol and Trento in Italy

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits the Regional Autonomous Governments of South Tyrol and Trento in Italy

Rome, 17 November: “Welcome to our country, city and home, Your Holiness” said President Luis Durnwalder of South Tyrol. His Holiness the Dalai Lama today visited Bolzano and Trento, the capital cities of the Regional Autonomous Governments of South Tyrol and Trento, in Northern Italy. His Holiness expressed his appreciation for the support from the people and governments of the two autonomous regions.

President Durnwalder asked about the situation in Tibet. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that the situation inside Tibet was worst. After 10 March 2008 demonstrations across Tibet, he had hoped that the Chinese government would address Tibet’s real problem. Unfortunately this hasn’t happened.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama showed President Durnwalder the map of Tibet showing all the places where peaceful demonstrations took place in 2008. While looking at the map President Durnwalder asked where Lhasa was. After showing where Lhasa was, His Holiness pointed on the map where he was born in Amdo.

Despite the grim situation in Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said things are changing. More Chinese scholars were showing sympathy and understanding of the Tibetan struggle. Over 800 articles in Chinese have been written on the Tibetan issue and many were written from Mainland China.

While in Bolzano as part of the Series “Meet the Nobel Laureates” organized by European Academy Bolzano, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in questions and answers session spoke about his childhood, reincarnation, Tibetan Buddhism, non-violence and the Tibetan issue.

Regional Ethnic Autonomy

 Regional Ethnic Autonomy

 Equality, unity, mutual help and common prosperity are the basic principles of the Chinese government in handling the relations between ethnic groups. In accordance with these basic principles, China practices a regional ethnic autonomy system. Where ethnic minorities live in compact communities, autonomous organs of self-government are established under the unified leadership of the state. The minority people exercise autonomous rights, are masters in their own areas and administer their own internal affairs. Besides, the state makes great efforts to train ethnic minority cadres and professional technicians in institutions of higher learning, and universities, colleges and cadre schools for ethnic minorities. The Central Government also actively aids the ethnic autonomous areas with funds and materials so as to promote the development of the local economies and cultures. The Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy adopted in 1984 at the Second Session of the Sixth NPC is the basic law specifically guaranteeing that the constitutionally decreed regional ethnic autonomy system is carried out. Today, in addition to the five autonomous regions (Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang Uygur, Guangxi Zhuang, Ningxia Hui, and Tibet autonomous regions), China has 30 autonomous prefectures and 120 autonomous counties (known, in some cases, as "banners"), as well as over 1,100 ethnic townships. The organs of self-government in ethnic autonomous areas are the people's congresses and people's governments of autonomous regions, autonomous prefectures and autonomous counties (banners). The chairperson or vice-chairpersons of the standing committee of the people's congress and the head of an autonomous region, autonomous prefecture or autonomous county (banner) shall be citizens of the ethnic group exercising regional autonomy in the area concerned.

Organs of self-government in ethnic autonomous areas enjoy extensive self-government rights beyond those held by other state organs at the same level. These include: enacting regulations on the exercise of autonomy and separate regulations corresponding to the political, economic and cultural characteristics of the ethnic group(s) in the areas concerned; having the freedom to manage and use all revenues accruing to the ethnic autonomous areas; independently arranging and managing local economic development, education, science, culture, public health and physical culture, protecting and sorting out the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups, and developing and invigorating their cultures.

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