Tibetan delegates to China congress wear loyalty pins

[WhiteTara]

http://news.yahoo.com/tibetan-delegates-china-congress-wear-loyalty-pins-091035225.html

BEIJING (AP) — Along with their traditional robes, Tibetan delegates to the annual meeting of China's ceremonial parliament are sporting unique lapel pins displaying their loyalty to the Beijing leadership at a time of simmering tensions in their Himalayan homeland.

New this year and not seen on any other group of delegates, one of the round, inch-wide (2.5 cm-wide) pins shows a Chinese flag and busts of five Chinese leaders, from revolutionary founding father Mao Zedong to current President Xi Jinping. The other shows a smiling Xi visiting with Tibetan people.

"We want to express our gratitude to the Communist Party leadership and State Council, so it's only natural we wear the pin of the leaders of five generations," Hongwei, one of the 18 delegates from the Tibetan Autonomous Region, told The Associated Press at Saturday's opening session of the National People's Congress.

"There have been so many great changes in Tibet," said Hongwei, who like many Tibetans uses just one name. "If we don't thank the party leadership the State Council, if we don't thank the socialist system, who else should we thank?"

A totally demoralized people. This is sad

[yuiyoshida]

1. amazing how it looks like a BANK OF AMERICA ATM CARD