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Ms. Xinna at detention
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In Southern Mongolia, recently there have been several popular books sold in underground book markets. Books published in Hong Kong and Taiwan in particular can be found at these underground markets.
Two books authored by Chinese writers regarding Southern Mongolia are very popular currently. One is entitled the "Record of the Cultural Revolution in Inner Mongolia: 'Ethnic Separatism' and the Movement to 'Weed out' Counterrevolutionaries" by Qi Zhi. The other is entitled the "Cultural Revolution in Inner Mongolia" by Gao Shuhua. Both books make an important point that ethnic misfortune originated from political misfortune and are sympathetic to the Mongols' suffering, expressing a unique opinion on the Mongol ethnic issue.
The Qi Zhi book discusses the Cultural Revolution's impact on the 1981 Mongolian student movement. The book is well documented and includes previously unpublished photos of the student petitioners to Beijing during the Cultural Revolution. Unlike other books regarding the Inner Mongolian People's Party massacre, the author's historical analysis states that even though Kang Sheng, Lin Biao and the Gang of Four must be held accountable for the massacre of the Mongols, the true culprit is Mao Zedong, not these individuals.
The Gao Shuhua book is a memoir of the times. The author was a leader of student rebels. The main subject of the book concerns the "Digging up" movement and how it affected the ethnic relationship between Mongols and Chinese. According to the book, Mr. Ulaanbagan, an ethnic Mongolian on whom all blame was placed for the Mongolian Massacre, was in fact a scapegoat. The true criminal was General Teng Haiqing who was never held responsible or brought to justice. Many documents, both official and unofficial, show that tens of thousands of Mongols lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were tortured and imprisoned. About 300,000 Mongols had been persecuted as active members of the Inner Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, an organization dissolved long before the Cultural Revolution. The Mongols hold a profound grievance towards the Chinese Government for protecting General Teng Haiqing, the primary agent of the massive massacre campaign, an individual who has never been brought to justice.
Due to their popularity, the Inner Mongolia Public Security Bureau Department No.3 has launched a campaign to ban this book. The authorities have confiscated copies from underground book markets making them almost unavailable although still available in some private book sellers.
The reasons why these books have been blacklisted is because of two reasons, 1. their uncensored nature , 2. popularity. For these reasons the authorities react very quickly to confiscate and ban them. These books are not allowed to sell publicly because they tell people the truths.
There are many other books that are not allowed to be sold publicly. The Cultural Market Management personnel often come to bookstores to search for banned books.
Books regarding the Cultural Revolution in Southern Mongolia by Mr. Bayantai, ethnic Mongolian writer, are not allowed to be sold here. Mr. Muunohai's books are also not available in the market. Bayantai was questioned by the Public Security authorities and is still under close monitoring by the authorities.
About internet access, it is extremely difficult for us to access internet sites hosted abroad. We are not able to access your websites. There is no freedom and space for speech and press here.
Changing
Inner Mongolia: Pastoral Mongolian Society and the Chinese State (Oxford
Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)
