'Cultural Activist' jailed: All countries, large and small, should speak out - Will They?

‘CULTURAL ACTIVIST’: ALL COUNTRIES LARGE AND SMALL SHOULD SPEAK OUT - WILL THEY?

In the Isle of Man we live in a world where ‘cultural activism’ can it seems be divorced from politics but for some the reality is more harsh

Tashi Wangchuk a Tibetan activist who wants to promote his countries language has recently been sentenced to five years in prison - he could yet face harsher penalty.

Tashi Wangchuk does not advocate violence or separatism indeed he has cited as the mover behind his attempts to stop the linguistic cleansing that China forces on the Tibetan people the Constitution of China itself

China’s Constitution states that “All nationalities have the freedom to use and develop their own spoken and written languages….”. There are a further 12 laws and 27 regulations to “protect” ethnic minorities’ language rights. China’s asserts these facts itself in a report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Tashi Wangchuk therefore used that most benign weapon ‘the law’ and he filed a suit in the courts over the failure of local officials to ensure that opportunities to learn Tibetan were not available in schools.

I see some of my Breton colleagues have criticised the stance of the French government in condemning China’s actions against Tashi. It is hypocritical they say whilst France is hardly beneficent in its stance towards minority languages within its borders. On this occasion although I see their point I can’t agree.

Historically the Celtic languages have been badly treated by the Nation States of the UK and France but fortunately we have moved on somewhat from them taking draconian action against those who wish to use or promote their language these days.

It is therefore important that all States, large and small, join the condemnation of China and its treatment of this mild mannered exponent of the Tibetan language whose only ‘weapon’ was the law.

Even the Manx government, often talking up its business opportunities with China, should not be silent. It would after all be truly hypocritical to promote the Culture (including the language) of Ellan Vannin whilst turning ‘a Nelson’s Eye’ to what China has down.

Image: Tashi Wangchuk