Opening Speech by Dr.Yang, Jian-li at Interethnic Leadership Conference
Monday, Oct.2, 2000, Campion Renewal Center, Weston, MA, USA
Tom, Mr. Yao, Dr. Liu, Mr. Flum, Ambassador McDonald, Distinguished Guests, My Dear Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is heartening and encouraging to see so many younger generation leaders from the Mainland China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Macao and ethnic Mongolians, Muslims, Tibetans and Uyghurs, gather together at the beginning of the new century. It is unprecedented. It is the first time in history that leaders from these ethnic groups and regions have come together without coercion, to stand up together for justice and love without fear and hesitation.
We are here for the future of all, a future that should be better than our past and our present. Nobody would agree that our past and present is beautiful; it is actually even nowhere close to being satisfactory. Dominance of one by another, ethnic divisions, killings, atrocities, war, the threat of force, ethnic culture destruction�have prevailed in the history of our relations, especially in the past half a century of the communist rule in China. We are lying if we say there is no hatred, resentment, distrust among us, whether they are planted by autocratic rulers or grow out of the Satan dwelling in our own hearts.
It is a my deep belief, and I hope it is also yours, that there must be a better way, a better way to live together, a better way to cherish one another, a better way to honor our sacred potential, a better way to serve the life force, a better way to build justice and peace into the fabric of our lives. We are, most of us, beginning to see that the way we have been going about things has not been working. We may still not be clear about, or disagree on, which way will work, but we are becoming very clear about and more agreed on which way will not. More and more of us, after experience with the Chinese communist one-party dominance, are shaking our heads, saying �That system doesn�t work�.
Yesterday was the 51st anniversary of the founding of the People�s Republic of China. Business as usual, the communists celebrated with boasting about their achievements in the 51 years of their ruling, including inevitably that of their policies toward ethnic minorities and Taiwan, and that of their practices of �one country, two systems� in Hongkong and Macao. Our assembly here is the most obvious and vivid demonstration of the failure of these policies and practices. The 51 years of the communist rule has widened the existing rifts and planted new seeds of hatred. Ethnic and nationalistic tensions are mounting as Chinese communists continue to crack down on ethnic minorities, especially Tibetans and Uyghurs, to threaten democratic Taiwan with military build-up in the Taiwan Straits, and to project a re-structuring of the democratic systems in Hongkong and Macao against the wishes of Hongkong and Macao citizens. We must have learned the lesson, from our own experiences as well as world history, and we must know instinctively, that nationalism cannot always be justified and that what submission brings about is often not peace but the reinforcement of that logic: Might is right. Real lasting justice and peace among us can never be assured as long as someone is not free, whether that someone is a Han Chinese or Tibetan. In order to find the better way, we must tear down the mountain of the communist tyranny and erect democracy in China. This is our shared cause.
We must also tear down the mountain of the old ways of thinking. Somebody has said � Many people want to change the world, but few want to change themselves.� Yes, we are deeply embedded in the thoughts of dominance. Relationships based on dominance create conflicts. They ultimately lead to recurring cycles of violence, war, revenge, and breakdown of order. Now we have to reap the inevitable bitter fruits of such thoughts, and to learn hard lessons from the backlash. Now it is time for all of us to reprogram our thoughts, words and deeds from dominance to partnership. A partnership is not about sameness but about being equal and sharing. We have multiple differences. But whoever we are and whatever we bring, we can bring fully to the relationship. We can honor one another as equals, and treat all parties with respect, within the bounty of our diversity. Relationships based on partnership create peace and justice. They ultimately lead to cooperation, sharing, goodwill and building.
In order to find the better way, we must tear down the mountain of lies that stands between us. We cannot make right relationship if we cannot know each other truly.
It is especially important that the mainland Han Chinese develop a deeper understanding of the history, culture, current situations, concerns and aspirations of the Tibetans, Mongolians, Uyghurs and other Muslims, as well as the needs of the people of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao. The first step for us to find the better way is to make authentic human contact, heart to heart and mind to mind, and discover how we make sense to each other, build up mutual trust among us. Only then can we cross through the mountain of lies to find the way leading to the place where we all say that we want to be. We are gathering here to take the very first step. This is encouraging news.
We have had difficult times in the past, we will have difficult times down the road ahead. It is going to take determined and widespread leadership to find a better way to live together in love, harmony, peace and justice. My dear friends, you are leaders of your people. You are needed. You have committed to the values of human rights and human dignity; you have the power of human kindness; you also have the skills and knowledge to make a difference; you can build bridges across the deepening chasm among us; you must lead in the great crusade to build peace, restore justice and establish a democratic governance on the great land we all call home. Early this year, when I went to many individuals and organizations asking help for this assembly. I remember one day after I enthusiastically talked to an executive of a big peace-promoting organization about the idea of organizing such an event, and of course about my vision for the future, he said disdainfully � you like to think big.� � Yes, I do!� I stood and answered and left, with as much determination as I could muster. Yes, we like to think big and we are prepared to do big. A new system based on the values of freedom and premises of partnership is only one possible outcome of the breaking down of the old system that was built on domination. We must not act small when history entrusts us with a big mission.
My dear friends, we are meeting in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, whose birthday we celebrate today-that we may transcend the differences among us and live in harmony together. At last, let me ask you to lift your eyes beyond the dangers of today to the hopes of tomorrow, beyond the freedom some of us are enjoying outside Mainland China to the advance of freedom of the people there. When all of us are free then we look forward to that day when we will be joined one.
Thank you all.