VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESETTLED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000091 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM, DRL, AND G/STC BANGKOK FOR USAID/MSTIEVATER E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/6/2027 TAGS: ECON PHUM PGOV CH SUBJECT: VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESETTLED TIBETAN NOMADS REF: A) CHENGDU 83 B) 06 CHENGDU 1011 C) 06 CHENGDU 969 D) 05 CHENGDU 322 CHENGDU 00000091 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Kathryn Pongonis, Acting Consul General, United States Consulate, Chengdu. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR),local Poverty Alleviation, Animal Husbandry and Labor Bureaus are responsible for carrying out the job skills and vocational training programs that complement nomadic and pastoral resettlement policies. Officials acknowledge that changing rural people's thinking is essential due to new employment opportunities as well as competition since the opening of the Qinghai-TAR Railroad. They lament that even though new employment options are available, some Tibetans are unwilling to engage in those jobs. It is clear that it will take time for resettled Tibetans to adapt to what for many is a completely foreign work environment, and that they will continue to face competition due to migration of workers from inland China. End Summary. ¶2. (U) During a March reporting trip to the TAR, CG, Beijing POLMINCOUNS, and Chengdu CONGENOFF met with officials from the Naqu Prefecture Animal Husbandry and Labor and Social Security Bureaus, and TAR Poverty Alleviation and Animal Husbandry Bureaus, the principal offices tasked with carrying out nomadic and pastoral resettlement policies. One of the principal aspects of these policies is provision of job skills and vocational training for newly settled Tibetan populations. The Labor Bureau focuses principally on urban populations and the PAO and Animal Husbandry Bureau primarily dedicate resources to rural residents. ¶3. (C) In Naqu Prefecture, the TAR's largest nomadic area, Jique (one name only),the Deputy Director of the Labor and Social Security Bureau said his office has provided training to over 3,000 people. He stated that approximately 72 percent of trainees get jobs. In 2006, 3,100 people in Naqu became unemployed and were trained by the Bureau. Two thousand of those individuals were later re-employed. Jique said construction skills, woodworking and electronics are the most popular courses, but that there are no training classes on tourism or mining. When queried by Congenoff about typical wages trainees could hope to earn, Jique responded that the bureau is not particularly concerned about how much money residents can make, but rather that they acquire skills to allow them to build their own houses and assist friends in building their homes. Beijing POLMINCOUNS asked about competition for construction jobs between these Tibetans and Han Chinese who come from inland China to look for jobs in the TAR. Jique said it is still very difficult for Tibetans to compete against more experienced Han for such job opportunities. ¶4. (SBU) TAR PAO Director Wang Jian said his bureau provides free training to assist rural youngsters in gaining employment. Cosmetology, hotel service, construction, woodworking, driving, traditional Tibetan tangka painting, security, and weaving are some of the courses offered. In addition, as part of the bureau's mission to carry out comprehensive agricultural development, Wang said that his staff empower people to manage their land, for example, by providing professional training on planting trees and building greenhouses. ¶5. (SBU) International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) complement government efforts to provide skills training in the TAR. The Bridge Fund (TBF) and the Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund (TPAF),which receive funding from the United States Agency for International Development, both have skills training programs in the areas of public health care and Tibetan medicine, motorcycle repair, woodworking, and hotel/restaurant service. Representatives of TPAF report that a number of graduates of their motorcycle repair courses have returned to their home communities and started successful businesses. TPAF partners with the TAR PAO and TAR Academy of Animal and Agricultural Science. During Consulate's visit, Director Wang of the TAR PAO praised the NGO's work in this area and said the government had a lot to learn from working closely with TPAF. Wang proudly displayed several Tibetan-language skills training manuals that were published as a part of this collaboration. Response to New Employment Competition -------------- ¶6. (C) The TAR Animal Husbandry Bureau Vice Director, Tsutrim (one name only) said changing rural people's thinking is important because of new employment competition since the opening of the Qinghai-TAR Railroad (Ref. A). He echoed a statement from another official that there is stiff job CHENGDU 00000091 002.2 OF 003 competition with people from inland China. Tsutrim opined that the government should not practice local protectionism, and that he hoped job pressure would improve local people's sense of competitiveness. In order to work toward this goal, the Animal Husbandry Bureau 1) offers technical training for farmers so that they can begin nonagricultural work, 2) organizes "labor export" to other areas of the region, 3) organizes rural construction teams, and 4) supports "industry-leading" poverty alleviation work by providing training in the first, second and third industries. ¶7. (C) Beijing POLMINCOUNS queried Tsutrim about the railroad's effect on prices of goods and services in the TAR. Tsutrim said prices for produce and foodstuffs have increased slightly because of increased demand, but noted that the railway has also brought new employment opportunities due to increased consumption. He claimed there had been a 17.2 percent increase in farmers' income since the opening of the line. Tsutrim also added that the government controls the prices of goods so they have not risen too much. ¶8. (C) In a separate conversation, Wang from the TAR PAO said government agencies involved in poverty alleviation all hope local people will take advantage of new employment opportunities, but asserted they are not always interested. For example, he stated that local Tibetan people don't want to wash other people's hair even though hairdressers can earn 1000 RMB (USD 129) per month. Therefore, these types of jobs tend to be filled by outsiders even though Tibetans are receiving the requisite skills training (Ref. B). In addition, Wang asserted local people's production capacity is too low. Yogurt is a popular product and is widely produced and consumed in the region; however, local supply cannot keep up with demand, so "the only solution" is to import the product from inland China. Wang concluded by saying that while he had not heard of any local enterprises going bankrupt, he was sure they would continue face big challenges in light of the new competition. ¶9. (C) Wang expressed similar views about competition in the construction sector when Congenoff remarked on the strong presence of inland Han Chinese laborers in the Sister Lakes Special Administrative District (Tibetan: Tsonyi, Chinese: Shuanghu) in remote Naqu Prefecture. During a 2006 reporting trip to the district, Congenoff interviewed workers from Sichuan and Gansu earning 80-150 RMB (USD 10-19) per day. Wang responded that it was a "free market," and that "we can't force Tibetans into that business. The only solution is to let other people fill those jobs." He commented that he is not worried about Han Chinese diluting the Tibetan population in Shuanghu because it is very tough environment where Han will not stay for long. Wang added that local people would rather raise yaks than earn 30 RMB (USD 3.90) per day running a small shop in a remote area. "We want to help these local people and train them, but the result is very disappointing. It is very hard to convince them to work in an urban area." New Economic Opportunities -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Dozha (one name only),Director of the Naqu Animal Husbandry Bureau said his office works to create new economic opportunities for resettled nomads. In 2006, 383 million RMB (USD 4.9 million) in central level funding was allocated to resettle 7,340 households in the prefecture. As a largely nomadic prefecture, the GDP from animal husbandry was 717 million RMB (USD 9.2 million) in 2006 and the rural per capita income was 2,489 RMB (USD 321). State-owned enterprises are shifting their aid from urban to rural areas and specifically to nomadic areas as a part of the great Western Development Initiative. Dozha reported that recently Naqu has submitted proposals to central authorities to develop the cashmere industry in Nima, Bange, Shuanghu, Amdo and Shenzha counties. The Animal Husbandry Bureau is also closely involved in the management of caterpillar fungus collection which has become a competitive industry because the price has risen to 40,000 RMB (USD 5,161) per pound in the last year. ¶11. (U) Wang of the TAR PAO stated that the goal of the "Urban and Rural Township Poverty Alleviation Program" is to improve public participation in decision making about spending which has potential to increase economic benefits to communities. As part of the program, each township was allocated 3 million RMB (USD 387,000). Wang said most communities opted to build roads and bridges. Another PAO program is "Industry Leading Poverty Alleviation" which has a goal of helping villagers switch to higher income-producing crops and animals. In the non-agricultural sector, the program seeks to achieve efficiency improvements in service industries, tourism and handicraft production. CHENGDU 00000091 003.2 OF 003 Social Conflicts -------------- ¶12. (C) When asked whether there had been any increases in the crime rate as a result of economic pressures on resettled Tibetans, Dozha of the Naqu Animal Husbandry responded negatively. With regard to social conflicts in the collection of caterpillar fungus that have occurred in Tibetan areas outside of the TAR (Ref. D),TAR Animal Husbandry Bureau Director Tsutrim said that potential conflicts would be regulated by a "Management Procedure" which requires every collector to apply for a license in order for the industry to develop sustainably. Comment -------------- ¶13. (C) While government bureaus and NGOs have programs in place to provide training in a variety of marketable skill areas, it is clear that it will take time for resettled Tibetans to adapt to what for many is a completely foreign work environment (REF B). Competition from inland Chinese workers will only continue to increase as tourism, mining and other industries grow in the TAR. BOUGHNER