在少数民族问题上，我还是一个小学生。
On the question of minority nationalities, I am still a pupil.
我今天主要是把西南的情况，同少数民族的问题联系起来讲一讲。
Today I shall speak mainly on the issue of minority nationalities in connection with the situation in the southwest.
少数民族问题，在西南来说是很重要的。
The question of minority nationalities is very important in the southwest.
我们中国的少数民族最多的地区，一个是西北，一个是西南。
In China most of the minority nationalities live in the northwest and southwest.
恐怕西南比西北还多，而且情况也比较复杂。
Perhaps a greater number of them live here in the southwest than in the northwest, and the situation here is also quite complicated.
西南的国境线从西藏到云南、广西，有几千公里，在这么长的边境上，居住的绝大多数是少数民族。
The southwestern boundary line is several thousand kilometres long, extending from Tibet to Yunnan and Guangxi, along which the overwhelming majority of inhabitants are minority nationalities.
少数民族问题解决得不好，国防问题就不可能解决好。
So, if the issue of minority nationalities is not handled well, the matter of national defence cannot be handled well.
因此从西南的情况来说，单就国防问题考虑，也应该把少数民族工作摆在很高的位置。
Therefore, in view of the importance of the southwest to national defence alone, we should give high priority to our work among the minority nationalities.
西南的少数民族究竟有多少，现在还不清楚。
At present we are not certain about the exact number of minority nationalities in the southwest.
据云南近来的报告，全省上报的民族名称有七十多种。
According to the latest reports from Yunnan, there are more than 70 names of nationalities in that province.
贵州的苗族，据说有一百多种，实际上有些不是苗族。
It is said that the Miao nationality in Guizhou has over one hundred branches.
In fact, some of them do not belong to the Miao nationality.
例如侗族，过去一般都认为是苗族，实际上语言、历史都不同，他们自己也反对这么说。
For instance, the Dong people used to be believed to belong to the Miao nationality, when in fact, the two have different languages and histories and they themselves hate to be lumped together.
从这一情况就可看出，我们对少数民族问题不仅没有入门，连皮毛还没有摸着。
From this we can see that we do not know the first thing about the subject of minority nationalities, let alone a good working knowledge.
在中国的历史上，少数民族与汉族的隔阂是很深的。
Historically, China's minority nationalities have been estranged to a high degree from the Han nationality.
由于我们过去的以及这半年的工作，使这种情况逐渐地在改变，但不是说我们今天已经消除了隔阂。
As a result of our work done in the past and particularly over the past six months, this state of affairs has been changing gradually, but we still cannot say that we have cleared up this estrangement.
少数民族要经过一个长时间，通过事实，才能解除历史上大汉族主义造成的他们同汉族的隔阂。
Only after a long time through examining the facts will we be able to put an end to the historical estrangement between the minority nationalities and the Han nationality caused by Han chauvinism.
要使他们相信，在政治上，中国境内各民族是真正平等的；在经济上，他们的生活会得到改善；在文化上，也会得到提高。
We should convince the various minority nationality people that, politically, all nationalities within China's boundaries are truly equal, that their living standards can be improved and that their cultural level can be raised.
如果我们不在这三方面取得成效，这种历史的隔阂、历史的裂痕就不可能消除。
Unless we succeed in these three aspects of work, it will be impossible to iron out this historical estrangement or rift.
我们中华人民共和国是一个多民族的国家，只有在消除民族隔阂的基础上，经过各族人民的共同努力，才能真正形成中华民族美好的大家庭。
The People's Republic of China is a multi-national country and only by ending this national estrangement and enlisting the concerted efforts of the various nationalities can we form a truly great, happy family of the Chinese nation.
我们是有条件消除民族隔阂的。
The conditions are present for eliminating this estrangement.
历史上的反动统治实行的是大民族主义的政策，只能加深民族隔阂，而今天我们政协共同纲领所规定的民族政策，一定能够消除这种隔阂，实现各民族的大团结。
The policy of Han chauvinism adopted by the reactionary regimes of the past deepened the national estrangement, but the nationality policy stipulated in the Common Programme, adopted at the Political Consultative Conference, will certainly end this estrangement and bring about a great unity of the various nationalities.
我想讲点西康藏族的情况。
I should like to make a few remarks on the Tibetan nationality in Xikang.
过去藏族与汉族的隔阂很深，但是我们进军西南，特别是宣布了解放西藏的方针，提出十项条件以后，发生了很大的变化。
In the past the Tibetan and Han nationalities were very estranged.
However, after our army entered the southwest, and especially after we proclaimed the policy concerning the liberation of Tibet and put forth the ten terms, great changes have taken place.
过去他们的情况怎样呢？
How did they fare in the past?