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RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 3168

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHENGDU 000236 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/CM, S/GAC, G, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  9/25/2032 
TAGS: KHIV PGOV SOCI ECON CH
SUBJECT: HIV/AIDS AND POLITICAL CONTROLS IN ONE OF TIBET'S MOST 
SENSITIVE REGIONS 
 
 
CHENGDU 00000236  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: James A. Boughner, Consul General, U.S. Consulate 
General, Chengdu. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  While optimistic their outreach efforts can 
have a positive impact, Swiss Red Cross representatives in 
China's Tibetan prefecture of Shigatse believe that a continued 
overall lack of education and awareness about HIV/AIDS, the 
spread of prostitution in the wake of increased numbers of 
migratory laborers and tourists, and local sexual customs could 
all facilitate a rapid spread of the disease on the Tibetan 
Plateau.  Official government statistics on HIV/AIDS in the 
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) likely reflect a mere fraction of 
the extent of the problem.  Able since the late 1980's to 
operate as the only foreign organization with a full-time office 
in Shigatse, even the Swiss Red Cross has experienced a 
noticeable tightening in security and political controls during 
the last year in this highly sensitive border prefecture. 
Following the unfurling of a banner by four American citizens in 
late April 2007 at the Everest Base Camp, house-to-house 
searches for pro-Tibet independence material were conducted in 
Shigatse.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Prostitution and HIV/AIDS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) During a two-week trip to western Tibet (see septels), CG 
and Congenoff paid a courtesy call on Swiss Red Cross 
representatives stationed in Shigatse (strictly protect) and 
invited them to dinner.  Making a point to introduce us to their 
local Chinese Red Cross counterpart who shares office space with 
them, the Swiss Red Cross representatives noted their 
organization was first invited to Shigatse to work on child 
healthcare-related issues by the 10th Panchen Lama in 1988 just 
prior to his death.  Currently its principal focus is HIV/AIDS 
prevention.  Although other foreign Non-Governmental 
Organizations (NGOs) have projects in Shigatse, the Swiss Red 
Cross is the only foreign organization permitted to maintain a 
full-time office in the prefecture.  As the local Red Cross 
official appeared to listen in on the conversation from behind a 
partition across the room, the Swiss Red Cross representatives 
noted they are very happy with the dedication of their local 
staff and rely on the Chinese Red Cross to iron out any 
bureaucratic wrinkles they encounter in their work. 
 
¶3. (C) Later on the way to dinner, which the local Red Cross 
official did not wish to attend, the Swiss representatives told 
us their local counterpart became very "curious" when she 
learned the office was having foreign visitors and stayed 
uncharacteristically late to see what the meeting would be 
about.  Giving us a quick tour of the neighborhood surrounding 
their office, located on a side street just off the main 
downtown boulevard of the city of Shigatse, the Swiss pointed 
out that almost the entire area consists of small-scale houses 
of prostitution.  According to metrics used by the Swiss Red 
Cross, there are currently about 300 such establishments within 
the city's limits that, although illegal, pretty much all 
operate without interference from local security authorities. 
The Swiss Red Cross tries to visit each of the 300 at least once 
annually to conduct awareness classes on HIV/AIDS and distribute 
condoms.  Almost all hotels and restaurants in Shigatse also 
make prostitutes available to their clientele, according to the 
Swiss.  (Note: the hotel in which the Lhasa Foreign Affairs 
Office (FAO) put us up in Shigatse was connected to a rather 
garish "all night massage parlor."  End note). 
 
¶4. (SBU) The majority of prostitutes in Shigatse -- the second 
largest city in the TAR after Lhasa with a population of about 
80,000 people -- are ethnic Tibetan women, usually at least 
seventeen-years-of age, who have traveled to the city from the 
countryside in search of work.  According to the Swiss Red Cross 
representatives, growing numbers of migrant laborers from within 
and outside the TAR attracted to building projects in Shigatse, 
as well as the rise in the number of tourists, help account for 
the increased local growth in prostitution.  Extension of the 
Tibet railroad from Lhasa to Shigatse in 2009 will likely result 
in an even larger transient population in the prefecture. 
 
¶5. (C)  In addition to prostitution and general ignorance of how 
HIV/AIDS is transmitted, Tibetan sexual customs also risk 
facilitating a rapid spread of the disease.  A tradition of 
polyandry is still in evidence in both rural and some urban 
areas of the TAR and it is not uncommon for women to have more 
than one husband.  With regard to men having sex with men, the 
subject remains too much of a taboo within Tibetan society to 
 
CHENGDU 00000236  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
allow for meaningful surveys to be conducted or useful data 
collected.  Aware of local political sensitivities on the issue, 
the Swiss Red Cross does not try to collect infection data in 
Shigatse.  China's official number of 41 total HIV/AIDS cases in 
the TAR during 2006, however, is "ridiculously low." 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Conservative Political Winds 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C)  Although its long work history in the TAR gives it a 
measure of protection, even the Swiss Red Cross has experienced 
a recent noticeable increase in government scrutiny of its 
activities.  Despite having a relatively influential local 
partner to help shepherd the process, navigating the 
bureaucratic maze to update its legal registration has not 
proven easy for the Swiss Red Cross.  As has been the case with 
foreign NGO's operating in Tibetan areas of China, the Swiss Red 
Cross in Shigatse has been increasingly subjected to frequent 
demands from local security officials to provide detailed 
documentation about its ongoing activities.  Based on written 
operational guidelines agreed to with Chinese authorities, the 
Swiss Red Cross clearly has the right to move freely within and 
work in any part of Shigatse prefecture.  While it has in the 
past been able to visit border towns, however, during the last 
year the Swiss Red Cross has found its access to border areas 
with Nepal impeded. 
 
¶7. (C) In early 2007, the Swiss Red Cross representatives were 
themselves briefly detained by Chinese security officers after 
they had gone for a weekend hike in northern Shigatse.  They 
were quickly released and the Swiss believe the incident was 
just a mistake committed by overzealous officials unaware of 
their status.  All of the photographs on their cameras, however, 
were deleted and they were subjected to a lecture on why their 
activities should be confined only to Shigatse city unless they 
obtain prior government approval. 
 
¶8. (C) The Swiss Red Cross representatives commented that 
Shigatse, likely due to its sensitive border status and heavy 
Chinese military presence, is known for the conservatism of its 
local officials and relative paranoia vis-`-vis foreigners. 
They also related how, following the unfurling of a banner by 
four American citizens at the Everest base camp in late April, 
house-to-house searches were conduced throughout Shigatse for 
pro-Tibetan independence material.  The Swiss expect the current 
conservative political environment will continue to at least 
through the Olympic Games next summer. 
 
------------------------------- 
Economic Conditions 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C)  According to the Swiss Red Cross representatives, large 
capital expenditures by the Chinese government have brought 
economic benefits to both urban and rural ethnic Tibetans in the 
region.  While the hardware of new schools, roads, and other 
projects are being built, however, far less attention is being 
paid to the details of such necessary associated issues such as 
quality standards, maintenance, and, in the case of schools, 
teacher training and supplies.  Shoddy construction is readily 
apparent throughout Shigatse, as are newly-built but empty 
office buildings and schools.  Job opportunities for ethnic 
Tibetans are increasing, but many jobs go to newly-arrived Han 
or Hui Muslim Chinese.  The Swiss noted that, perhaps due to 
local cultural sensitivities over mining on the Tibetan Plateau, 
Chinese firms in control of gold, copper, and bauxite deposits 
in Shigatse hire almost exclusively Han or Hui as employees. 
 
---------------- 
Comments 
---------------- 
 
¶10. (C) Numerous government officials stressed throughout our 
two-week drive through western Tibet that mining activities are 
strictly limited and regulated, but local contacts also quietly 
told us of "informal" mining operations that were quite evident 
along our route.  Its strategic location, resources, and 
religious significance for Tibetan Buddhism will likely continue 
to make Shigatse Prefecture a focus of close government 
control/scrutiny for the foreseeable future.  One can only hope 
that its potential HIV/AIDS problems will also get some 
attention in Lhasa and Beijing as well. 
BOUGHNER