VZCZCXRO5955
OO RUEHGH
DE RUEHCN #0032/01 0351211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041211Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL CHENGDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3735
INFO RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU IMMEDIATE 0248
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 4459

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 CHENGDU 000032 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/CM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV CH IN NP
SUBJECT: TIBET: LHASA MUSLIMS' RESURGING IDENTITY, WARY RELATIONS 
WITH TAR GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: A. A)      09 CHENGDU 228; B) 09 CHENGDU 257; C) 09 CHENGDU 288; 
     ¶B. D)      09 CHENGDU 289;  E) CHENGDU 16;  F) CHENGDU 22; 
     ¶C. G)      CHENGDU 30 
 
CHENGDU 00000032  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) This cable is Sensitive But Unclassified.  Not for 
Internet distribution. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary.  Lhasa's small but energetic community of 
Muslims, both ethnic Tibetan and from other regions of China, is 
closely monitored by the government of the Tibet Autonomous 
Region (TAR), CG's recent visits suggest.  A resurging interest 
in Islam among Tibet's Muslims appears to have coincided with 
Beijing's more relaxed policies toward religions in general in 
the 1980s and 90s.  The TAR government has refused to allow new 
mosques to open.  Parents have been home schooling their 
children in the Koran; there is an increasingly strong 
self-identification of young Muslims in Tibet with their 
religion.  Imams in Lhasa receive their theological training 
primarily in Nepal and India's Kashmir region, and maintain ties 
to friends and family members there, some of whom are Tibetan 
exiles.   End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) Introduction: As part of an on-going effort to gauge the 
state of religious freedom in southwest China, CG visited the 
two largest mosques in Lhasa in October, and returned to one of 
the two mosques during an early February stay in the Tibetan 
capital.  Reftels reported on Buddhist monasteries in Tibet, and 
Protestant and Catholic churches in Sichuan and Yunnan.  Septels 
will also report on meetings with Christians and Muslims in 
Yunnan, Guizhou, and Chongqing. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶I.  Lhasa's "Big Mosque": 
 
Imam Nervous About Religious Affairs Bureau Official 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) During an impromptu ,October 22 visit to Lhasa's 
largest mosque, CG first introduced himself to "Abdul," who 
happened to be one of the TAR government's Religious Affairs 
Bureau (RAB) officials, as well as a member of the mosque's 
Democratic Management Committee (DMC, or "minjianhui").  The RAB 
official then introduced CG to the mosque's head Imam, "Yakob." 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Imam Yakob explained that there were 4-5000 Muslims in 
Lhasa, and said that the mosque freely enjoyed interaction with 
Muslims from other regions of China.  The Imam said that he had 
relatives living in Kashmir, India; Pakistan; Nepal; and Saudi 
Arabia, as well as a brother in Lhasa who had studied in the 
United Arab Emirates.  Yakob, who appeared to be nervous but 
friendly, explained that the mosque's DMC only concerned itself 
with "administration," and "left religion to the Imams."  He 
expressed support for the TAR government's patriotic education 
of the mosque's Imams because "We are all Chinese, and the 
country needs citizens that love it."  Government officials come 
"to see if the mosque is OK, and ask how they can help," he 
explained.  Tibetan Muslims are a (religious) minority within a 
minority (ethnic Tibetans as part of China), Yakob said, 
recalling that in the past there had been tensions between 
Tibetan Muslims and Buddhists.  For this reason, the Imam 
explained, Muslims in Lhasa try hard to maintain cordial 
relations with Buddhist leaders. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) When CG asked whether there were any limits on the 
number of Muslims in his mosque who could make the pilgrimage 
(the "hajj") to Mecca, Yakob replied bluntly that "I can't say 
anything on that."  (Note: At one point, the Imam called Abdul, 
the RAB official, into the semi-private room to join CG -- 
perhaps to assure the official that he was not criticizing the 
TAR government.  Abdul listened briefly, and then left the room. 
  Shortly thereafter, mid-day prayers were about to start, and 
CG saw dozens of white capped Muslim men enter the mosque just 
as he left it.  End Note.) 
 
 
 
CHENGDU 00000032  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
II. October Visit to Second Lhasa Mosque: 
 
Brief Encounter With Young Imam 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) In October, CG also briefly visited a second, smaller 
mosque in Lhasa's old town not far from the main mosque.  There, 
CG met Azizula, a 32-year old Imam whose father was also an Imam 
at the mosque.  Azizula explained that he had studied Arabic and 
the Koran in Kashmir for 14 years in a town "one-day train ride 
from the border (with China)."  Azizula estimated that, over the 
years, as many as 90 members of his mosque had applied to go on 
the hajj, but that only 20 had been allowed to go.  The cost of 
traveling to Mecca is expensive: 40,000 RMB (5900 USD), the Imam 
explained. 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) When CG asked a question about the mosque's relations 
with the TAR government, Imam Azizula's father-in-law called out 
from the adjacent kitchen that he should not answer the 
question.  Nevertheless, Azizula offered to allow CG to return 
that Friday to meet the DMC and ask them questions directly. 
Before CG departed, Azizula explained that the DMC had eight 
members, five of who were from the government, and three from 
the mosque, including its senior imams.  (Note: Because of a 
tight schedule, CG was not able to meet the DMC in October, but 
returned in February.  End Note.) 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
III. Return Engagement: A Senior Imam (Mostly) Speaks His Mind 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) During a second visit to the smaller mosque on February 
1, CG met Imam Hamid Dulla, who appeared to be in his 40s or 
50s.  Imam Dulla provided somewhat higher estimates of Lhasa's 
Muslim community than had Imam Yakob: 4-5000 ethnic Tibetan 
Muslims, and 2-3000 Muslims from other regions of China, 
including from the Huizu ethnic minority, as well as non-Hui 
Muslims from Gansu and Qinghai.  Dulla explained that Lhasa had 
five mosques: the so-called "Big Mosque of Lhasa" (also visited 
by CG), his "Small Mosque of Lhasa," and three other mosques 
that were even smaller than his "Small Mosque."  About 10-15 
faithful visit his mosque daily, except for Friday, when 
approximately 600 attend prayers. 
 
 
 
Government Refusing to Allow New Mosques 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶10. (SBU) Dulla's mosque was repaired, expanded, and reopened in 
1999 after receiving government permission and financial aid to 
do so, he said.  However, the TAR government will not allow 
additional mosques to open in Lhasa, the Imam stated 
categorically.   The only reason that this mosque was allowed to 
open, he explained, was because it had been an existing mosque 
with over 400 years of history (before being closed by the PRC 
government, probably either after the Dalai Lama and many 
Tibetan Muslims fled in 1959, or during the Cultural Revolution 
in the 1960s).  (Comment: Similarly, Protestant pastors have 
told us that most current church buildings in Sichuan are those 
that reopened in recent years.  While some new church buildings 
are being approved, the process can be difficult depending on 
the locality.  End Comment.) 
 
 
 
¶11. (SBU) The mosque has not established close relations with 
mosques outside of Tibet, or with Muslims abroad, Dulla stated. 
Some foreign Muslims visiting Lhasa, e.g. from Pakistan, are 
surprised to learn that there are mosques there, and 
occasionally donate money.  When the mosque was being rebuilt 
 
CHENGDU 00000032  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
and expanded in the 1990s, many of Imam Dulla's relatives in 
Lhadak, Kashmir provided donations.  (Note: Many of the Tibetan 
Muslims who fled to India with the Dalai Lama in 1959 settled 
with him in Dharamshalla, Himachal Pradesh, or in Kashmir.  Imam 
Dulla's relatives may be among these exiles.  End Note.) 
 
 
 
Koranic Instruction of Faithful: 
 
Informal and Mainly in Tibetan; Imams Mainly Study in Nepal 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
 
 
¶12. (SBU) Dulla's mosque has eight Imams, two of whom are 
recognized by the RAB and have received an "Imam certificates" 
(ahengzheng).  The mosque does not have a school to teach Arabic 
or the Koran.  When asked why, Dulla explained that most 
member-parents of the mosque feel that if their children spent 
their time learning Arabic, they would have less time to study 
Chinese, and therefore less opportunity to find a good job. 
 
 
 
¶13. (SBU) Comment: Given that Arabic and Chinese are both 
challenging languages, the Imam's explanation may be partly 
accurate.  However, but we also believe the TAR government is 
nervous about allowing Koranic schools.  Virtually all of 
mosques in Shadian, Yunnan that we visited in January had 
schools (septel).  This small mosque in Lhasa had an unusually 
large numbers of Imams who could teach -- eight -- yet there was 
no school attached to the mosque.  It is possible that the 
Imams, in fact, provide instruction on the Koran beyond prayer 
services, but do so informally.  End Comment. 
 
 
 
¶14. (SBU) Dulla explained that, for eight years, he had studied 
Arabic in Nepal, where there were several "Arabic" (Koranic) 
schools.  The mosque's seven other imams also studied in Nepal. 
If talented, he said, some students at Koranic schools in Nepal 
are invited to continue their studies in Saudi Arabia (and 
presumably supported financially by the Saudi government or some 
other Islamic organization there). 
 
 
 
Government: Close Monitoring and Guidance 
 
to Mosque; Quotas on Muslims Going to Mecca 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶15. (SBU) Dulla explained that the mosque's DMC consisted of 
seven members, three of whom were retired cadres, and two of 
whom were from the RAB.  Every week, two RAB officials also 
observe Friday prayers.  Disingenuously, the Imam expressed 
support for the presence of these RAB officials, which he said 
was necessary so that the Government could "monitor" the mosque. 
 "One never knows when security incidents could occur that would 
threaten social stability," he explained, adding that after the 
March 2008 unrest by Buddhist Tibetans, some people tried to 
attack the mosque. 
 
 
 
¶16. (SBU) The mosque also receives regular "guidance" from the 
TAR government regarding e.g. how to promote social stability, 
ethnic solidarity, and religious harmony.  Finally, RAB 
officials periodically carry out special "official" education 
campaigns, e.g. before big festivals.  (Note:  CG has visited 
about a dozen Buddhist monasteries in Tibet, all but the 
smallest of which also had DMCs.  With two active and three 
retired government officials out of eight DMC committee members, 
this mosque had the highest ratio of government official per 
religious leader of any DMC so far.  End Note.) 
 
 
 
¶17. (SBU) The Chinese government, through its China Islamic 
Association in Beijing, grants each mosque in China a quota of 
how many of their members can make the pilgrimage (hajj) to 
Mecca.  For Lhasa's "Small Mosque," only two members per year 
can go, although this can change from year to year.  Imam Dulla 
 
CHENGDU 00000032  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
stated that, every year, 50-60 of his members wished to make the 
hajj.  When asked why the Chinese government did not allow many 
more than two to go to Mecca every year, however, he stated that 
very few of these members actually had enough money to do so. 
 
 
 
Increasing Self-Identification with Islam 
 
by Tibetan Muslims, Especially Youth 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶18. (SBU) Imam Dulla explained that he was born after the 1950s, 
and had little knowledge of what the Tibetan Muslim community 
was like before the Chinese took control of Tibet.  He felt, 
however, the quality of religious education that Tibetans Imams 
receive now is better than in the 1950s, and that the number of 
Tibetan Muslims now was greater than before.  Dulla also felt 
that Muslim youth in Tibet had a much stronger 
self-identification as Muslims now than 10-20 years earlier. 
This in part reflected the fact that many Tibetan Muslim parents 
had been providing their children with better home instruction 
about the Koran.  The Imam explained that most Tibetan Muslims 
study the Koran in Tibetan, those who can't read Tibetan mainly 
study it in Chinese, and the relatively few who read Arabic do 
so in that language.  The Imam also felt that the parents had an 
increasingly stronger self-identification as Muslims, which in 
turn was made possible in part because of more relaxed policies 
toward religion by the PRC government in recent years. 
BROWN