Exclusive interview to Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: China’s democratization is not a panacea to solve national issues, but serves as the precondition for national self-determination.
The second “Forum on Mongolian-Han nationalities and Democratic Issue” closed on November 29th, 2015 in Cologne, Germany. Chairman of People’s Party of Inner Mongolia Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud and Deputy Secretary General Tuv Shinzaya , the Director General of the Forum on Global Support for Democratization in China and Asia Fei Liangyong and Secretary General Pan Yongzhong, Civil Force sponsor Yang Jianli, Chairman of the Republican Party of China Wang Ce and Vice-chairman Wu Jiang, Vice-chairman of the Overseas Committee of Democratic Party of China Wang Xingguo, the elected General Secretary of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) Mr. Dolkun Isa and the Spokesman Dilxat Raxit, Chief Supervisor of the World Taiwanese Commerce Guo Chen and scholars Dr. Meng Yongxin and Dr. Peng Tao ,the Mongolian Dr. Bao Yintu of Yokohama National University, and the writer of Deutsche Welle Chang Ping etc attend this forum.
The main topics are: 1.the crux and source for China’s national problems; 2.the experience of democratic countries in solving national problems; 3.how to protect national culture and environment when developing the economy; 4. the general strategy and principles for China’s democratic movement; 5.how to strengthen the cooperation between the democracy organizations of different nations; 6.establish the consultative mechanism for the democracy organizations and human rights groups.
The representatives reached a consensus that the Inner Mongolia under the rule of CPC are still confronted with the invasion of human rights, democracy and freedom and the Mongolian people should have the rights of national autonomy and self-determination.
Here, Reporter of the Southern Mongolian youth Forum telephone interviewed Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud, Chairman of Inner Mongolia People’s Party and asked him about the outcomes of this forum. .
Reporter:Hello, Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud! The second “Forum on Mongolian-Han nationalities and Democratic Issue” was closed, would you please give us a brief introduction of it.
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: This year’s “Forum on Mongolian-Han nationalities and Democratic Issue” was the second forum after the first one held in November 2011, Germany. “Morigen Massacre” which caused the largest demonstration for nearly 30 years in South Mongolia of 2011 and then Chinese government mobilized the military to maintain the social stability. Thus, I thought the large scale of the ethnic conflicts were coming into play. we must establish a rational dialogue platform to communicate with the overseas representatives and exchange the opinions in seek of the mutual support. We really hope that “Forum on Mongolian-Han nationalities and Democratic Issue” could provide a platform for the solution of the issue of colonization in South Mongolia after the China democratization.
Reporter: what’s the theme of this forum?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: it included: 1. the crucial reason and origin of Chinese ethnic issue; 2. Democratic country’s experience of solving national contradictions;3.how to promote the economic development while protect the national culture and ecological environment. 4.the whole strategy and action principle of Chinese democratic movement. 5. how to enhance the cooperation of all the organizations in national democratic movement. 6. establish the consultation mechanism among the democratic organizations and national human rights groups.
Reporter: In the eyes of the overseas South Mongolians, the Inner Mongolian People’s Party and you are tagged with “the independence of the South Mongolia” and you are known as the “South Mongolian separatist”. This Forum mainly discuss about the national autonomy and national self-determination rights. It’s obvious to disobey your route of independence you have been insisting on. Recently I realize you shift your stand and frequently begin to talk about the “national self-determination rights”, which led to some South Mongolians to criticize your behavior. They believe you have already given up your previous hard independence route and come to an agreement with Chinese government. Could you give us your perspective on it?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: I have been in the overseas democratic countries for nearly 20 years. I often consider the issue of South Mongolian human rights and try to talk about the “national self-determination rights” with the Mongolian friends around. I think our South Mongolia’s future political route should be decided by 5 million South Mongolians which called “national self-determination rights”. If our overseas South Mongolian democrats do not have legal rights, we can also not to represent overall South Mongolians to determinate their future political route. the meaning of the existence of IMPP should help 5 million persecuted South Mongolians to strive for the national self-determination rights, implement human rights and build South Mongolia’s own democracy.
Meanwhile, I need to brief that the national self-determination rights do not mean to give up independence, but return the right of independence to the whole South Mongolian people. They can do whatever they want , either independence or federation autonomy.
Reporter: Perhaps someone thinks that South Mongolia has 25 million people, but only 5 million of these people are Mongolians. Even if we want to vote for South Mongolia’s Independence, it is impossible to realize. how do you think of it?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: the destiny of South Mongolia should be determinated by the 5 million Mongolians and they have multiple choices, i.e. they can split out South Mongolia from China，South Mongolia autonomy and South Mongolia independence, etc. It can’t be decided by someone or some groups. I believe that when implementing the national self-determination rights in the future, the South Mongolians can vote for a realizable political route. Now IMPP’s principle pursues the national self-determination rights and return the right to determine the destiny of South Mongolia to South Mongolian people.
Reporter: Have you ever made an introduction of this opinion to the other overseas democrats?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: Yes, we have made a IMPP’s news conference at the beginning of this year. We declared our political route and principle of the “national self-determination rights”, So nobody felt unfamiliar with it. Both the IMPP and the other democrats talk with the national issues based on human rights and democracy.
Reporter: what do you think of the overseas democracy movement? Do you think China’s future democratic system can contribute to your “national self-determination rights”?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: Comparing to the dictatorship, the democratic system, which is based on separation of the executive, legislative and judicial powers and respect for human rights, is quite beneficial to protect human rights. Although democratization of China is not the cure-all for all the ethnic minority issues, it is the necessary prerequisite for implementation of the right of national self-determination.
There is another point on this issue we should pay special attention to, i.e. as for our South-Mongolians, we must show the utmost patience and sense of rationality before the upcoming collapse of China’s colonial autocracy, and solve the issue of colonization and land ownership of South-Mongolia with China peacefully. Apparently, our political negotiation partner should only be the democratized Chinese government that respects human rights.
Reporter: In the above dialogue, you have mentioned of solving the issue of colonization and land ownership of South-Mongolia reasonably and peacefully. I want to confirm that whether this is the guiding principle of the Inner Mongolian People’s Party, or your own moral principle?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: We have confirmed the nonviolence principle on the early days of our party. If the South-Mongolians choose to pursue political goals in the form of violence, the Chinese government will surely slaughter Mongolians under the banner of maintaining public order, which will lead to painful price for the South-Mongolians. I hope the democratization of South-Mongolia and the process striving for the right of national self-determination could be carried out in the form of nonviolent and reasonable protests.
Reporter: Do you have any other political pursuits besides the nonviolence-based right of national self-determination?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: Under the circumstance of dictatorship and colonization in China, we, who are carrying out South-Mongolian democratic movement overseas, can only organize some political rallies in foreign countries, with the aim to let the governments of western countries and international community understand the human rights situation in South-Mongolia. We will also urge the democratic countries to impose certain diplomatic pressures on Chinese government based on the principle of “human rights foremost” and relieve the colonial persecution suffered by South-Mongolians. All the issues involving human rights in South-Mongolia will be the center work of Inner Mongolian People’s Party, and that’s what we can do at the present stage.
Reporter: How many registered members in your party throughout the world at present? Is there any shortage of backbone members serving as a link between the old and young in your party?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: The Inner Mongolian People’s Party has established a lot of branches in major western countries, and in each branch there will be dedicated people in charge of political operation. With the development of party affairs in recent years, the number of our oversea party members has reached about 1000. Furthermore, our party also adopts the principle of “joining the party secretly”. Those who accept the basic principles of our party could be admitted to the party, only after notifying the chairman of the Inner Mongolian People’s Party branch in relating countries and being contacted and accepted by the dedicated people in charge. Thus they can become formal members of the Inner Mongolian People’s Party, and there is no need to let the third party know it. There are also a number of members recruited with this method. Some people born in 1980’s and 1990’s have become core members in the Inner Mongolian People’s Party branch in relating countries and I am very pleased with this.
Reporter: Before today’s interview, I saw some media reporting that the representatives of right-defending herdsmen in South-Mongolia were arrested and six thousand mu of grassland owned by one herdsman was forcibly occupied, which coincided with the holding of this seminar on November 26. What’s your opinion on such frequent right-defending incidents in South-Mongolia?
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: In essence, right-defending is a phenomenon of citizen protest after the public power violated human rights forcibly with the help of justice department. In the autocratic system, nothing can constrain the public power because the executive, judicial and legislative departments are all operated by the Communist Party, and even the so-called “National Army” is the private armed forces of the Communist Party. Thus, when its government violates the private properties of its citizens, no power could prevent its atrocities. Therefore, as long as China does not adopt democratic system, the South-Mongolia would never get freedom, and violation of human rights in South-Mongolia will be more and more frequent.
Hereby I would like to emphasize that the principle of “human rights foremost” is beyond national boundaries and should be put in the first place, and this is the core universal values in modern world. I feel very angry at the repeated violations of human rights by the Chinese government. Meanwhile, I would keep an eye on the human rights situation in South-Mongolia and propagate it persistently and continue to express support for the rights-defending events in South-Mongolia.
Reporter: OK, that’s all for today’s interview. Thank you for your cooperation, Chairman Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud. Wish you good health！
Mr.Temtselt Shobshuud: Thanks and wish you good health too！