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Subscribe to RSSSince January, demonstrations have erupted across the Tibetan areas of China. For more than a year now, Tibetans have been setting themselves on fire as a form of protest against Chinese rule, the latest being a father of three. A warning, this report from our International editor Lindsey Hilsum does contain very distressing images.
It's illegal for Tibetans to protest, and yet demonstrations against Chinese rule have taken place almost daily for the past two months.
Several monks have set themselves alight, illustrating the desperation of Tibetans resisting Chinese rule.
The spate of self-immolations in the Tibetan-dominated areas of China that have occurred over the past year is "extreme" and hurts social harmony, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said recently.
Wen's comments, at a news conference at the end of the annual meeting of parliament, come after around 26 Tibetans have set themselves on fire, mostly in southwestern China, to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet. At least 19 have died, according to Tibetan rights groups.
Activists say China violently stamps out religious freedom and culture in Tibet, which has been under Chinese control since 1950.
China rejects criticism that it is eroding Tibetan culture and faith, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development to a backward region.
The brother of a monk who self-immolated spoke from exile, saying he was "shocked" when he heard the news, but understands the monk's sacrifice. "I feel really, really proud of him and I respect his sacrifice a lot," he said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Don't worry China. Dr. Assad makes house calls !
Too bad the imperialist dictatorial tyrants in Beijing will not allow Tibetans the freedom and independence that they deserve.
China is the last imperialist power on Earth that subjugates captive nations; crushing the aspirations of the native people; trying to destroy the indegenous language, culture, religion, government, social institutions, and economy; and treating the conquered populace like garbage.
It's time to free Hawaii.
Ineptia,
Few non-Hawaiin's own the land their houses are sitting on...
In 1967, roughly half of the land on the islands was owned by the U.S. or Hawaii State governments and almost as much was owned by just 72 private land owners. The Land Reform Act of 1967 allowed for redistribution of Hawaii lands through means of eminent domain, based on various criteria and conditions.
The Chinese don't need any visits from Assad, they taught him.
For nearly 60 years China has kept an illegal occupation of Tibet with policies equal to genocide... FREE TIBET NOW
Hummm, seems to that occupying a nation, killing, and incarcerating it's population is also "extreme" and hurts social harmony", IMHO.
Free Tibet!!!
China will wait until the last idiot Tibetan set himself on fire.
There is no way China will give freedom to Tibet, as our own Native American did with the conqueror White man, Tibetans should settle the dispute with their masters, maybe they would get casino licenses.
The empire always wins, the rebels win only in the movies or if they have another empire helping them, it is the sad truth.
Let’s how much the veto power will help. Wen Jiabao, you’re a** is ours now.
I wonder if Assad took lessons from the Chinese after the Tiannamen Square bloodbath
This is why I know that no country will be taken over by an extreme totalitarian, censoring government like the Chinese: the majority won't allow their religious freedoms to be stepped on just for the reward of economic prosperity.
Capitalism aka (centralized managerial industrial societies) does a better job at slowly eroding religious or moral beliefs than do Socialist or Communist governments.
It has always been a dream to visit Tibet. An ancient paradise of spirituality and peace. I can do without the chinese tanks and guy hitting me in the head with a rifle. God bless the monk's, they are brave.
China should just give Tibet back to the Tibetans. The appropriation of an entire country against the protests of all the residents is merely a land grab and definitely colonialism. Though Tibet had its own problems, China is merely grabbing land and installing Chinese settlers to populate that country. No good has come of it.
We in the United States could do the same.
Imperialist Chinese Communisist dictators have already absorbed half of Tibet's territory into Chinese provinces and moved settlers in to drive the Tibetans out. Now they are trying to destroy the heart of Tibet, and they are trying to be very thorough about it.
Tibetans are not Han ren (Chinese ethnicity), they do not speak any Chinese language or dialect, they do not speak a tonal language, as all Chinese do, they have their own language called Tibetan, they do not read or write with Chinese characters, they use an alphabet based on Sanskritic letters, not Chinese characters, they have their own religion (Tantric Buddhism), there own culture, their own religious and social institutions and governing traditions, none of which are shared by any group in China (except Tibetans who have been 'absorbed' into Chinese provinces).
There is absolutely no parallel in the United States, and it is an insult to all Tibetans to suggest that there is.
mathuin
JBAbbott
Really JBAbbott ? I must have missed a news flash. May I ask exactly where we are doing that?
And yet we support Israel when they occupy land that isn't theirs? Im not even going to talk about areas like the Golem Heights, because this extends beyond defensive positions they feel they need to keep from being at a tactical disadvantage. Why are they building settlements in the West Bank, and all over Palestinian land? The Golem heights is in Syria, but this primarily has to do with the Palestinians. They are not an imagined people, because there are over 4 million of them. Regardless of your opinion on this matter, you surely must realize that things can not truly progress until this issue is addressed. My main point though was, why are we railing against China's occupation of other areas, but not Israel? So just because theyre our ally we see and hear no evil? Just because theyre our ally we condone them every step of the way and never criticize them? Obama tried to, mildly, and the backlash even for doing that was ridiculous. When will people realize our unconditional support of Israel hurts our standing all over the world? Its not just muslim nations that condemn Israeli colonialism. Our support of Israel is one of the most prevalent reasons that muslims hate us, as well as being a primary reason we've lost our moral standing in the world. We can't continue to use this double standard. We may barely realize it, but most people in the world have caught on. We criticize our enemies and praise our allies for doing the same thing.
No one's denying the Tibetans are a separate culture but what the heck are you saying
"There is absolutely no parallel in the United States, and it is an insult to all Tibetans to suggest that there is."
You are joking, right? The Native Americans have no cultural similarity or background to Europe. The Mexicans (of which we illegally took half) are quite different too. As are Hawaiians, who were clearly a distinct and recognized sovereign nation before takeover. You are correct if you mean by no parallel that the United States so utterly demolished and relegated these ethnic groups to the tiniest proportion of population in their own homelands, that the destruction was so complete, then yes you are correct, there are few parallels... Spanish/Portuguese conquest of South America comes to mind.
Caedo 713
When will "you" people understand that the Jewish people have been in Israel even 400 years before Islam existed. How can they be occupiers when they are in a land they have always lived on? As for the west bank, Israel won this fair during an attempt of their neighbors trying to annihilate them in the 7 day war. Dozens of times over the years Israel had even given much of the land back in peace offerings but the Palestinians were never interested in peace, they only use the land to launch more missiles at Israeli civilians. Now for the security of their own populace they must hold on to that land as a buffer against the longer range missiles Hamas gets from Iran. And this is all caught on news video daily from all countries, so try not not to claim its propaganda, most of the world knows the truth.
Caedo: You must have meant the "GOLAN HEIGHTS". Golem is a Jewish wives tale, Sort of a mud monster / slave.
Sure mathoin, just give it to the monks rule, the lazy bloodsuckers, they are the ones complaining the most. Where on earth you find one fifth of the population being monks? Well in Tibet. Who do you think has to support them? The hard working people of Tibet and Chinese government. It is not Chinese rule, it's more like Chinese help. Without Chinese, Tibetans would have the burden to feed them. Unless of coarse USA government would step in and take care of them for exchange they would allow US to build some missile sites and maybe even allow deployment of US military advisers. It is little bit more complicated than your dim witted brain can comprehend.
ladislaver
Are you by chance Chinese? I don't know how, but I could actually hear a Chinese accent through your typing. LOL
Paid Chinese Newsviners. That wouldn't surprise me. I read an article a few months ago talking about how Chinese prisoners are forced to play World of Warcraft to mine cyber gold then to be sold to other people playing the game for real money.
I smell a mole!
I don't think they are even paid... Brainwash and indoctrination can last a lifetime
PRC Army "Intelligence"or lack there of.
Caedo 713 When did the Tibetans invade China and which pro Tibetan nations helped Tibet invade China? Did the Tibetans leave Tibet so that pro Tibetan nations could invade China kill every Chinese and then take over China for the exclusive use of the Tibetans?
Take you time, research history and get back to me. Then you can look at the U.N. that gave land to Israel, which was happy to get the Negev desert and wanted to live in peace with its Arab neighbors. When you finish flip flopping and lying, get back to me.
No matter how the social structure was in Tibet, it was Tibetan and Tibet was not going to invade any other country.
mgunn - we did not take half of Mexico illegally. They lost it in the war. Remember the Alamo. General Santa Anna got his rear end kicked after that and signed over the territory. It was as legally binding document as he was Mexico's top military official at the time.
China wants water rights ... Tibet is the head of the water system flowing from the Hymilayas to China on one side and to India on the other.
That is also the reason they insist on keeping North Korea in a constant state of confilict with South Korea. It they were to unite... the Yalu river comes into dispute.
Some of you are thinking short term - when the real issue is Long term. Water wars are coming - not as far away as you would think. There is only so much un managed potable water in the world. Every time a dam is build there is less and the people down stream are held hostage to the ones upstream with the keys to the dams.
Viet Nam is already starting to complain about China daming the rivers flowing into its country. The Delta is drying up and China has only "begun" to divert water to start agriculture in it desert areas.
It'll get worse if the plans they have are fully realized. Taken to the extreme. China may want to divert the whole system to the desert, use underground storage. Meaning Viet Nam gets flooded by the sea.
Isreal wants water rights - which are in Arab hands.... its just that simple.
They have drained every source within their boarders. They have desalination plants. But the issue with gives then nightmares is ... what if all their Arab neighbors decide to increase their own irrigation needs (as Israel has done) and have legitimate need for "all" the water which comes through their lands?
If that were true, then Israel could not claim they were holding the water for spite - they would have a justifiable reason under international law to use the resources which originate within their borders.
Israel would need to negotiate. They do not want that to happen. That is the real reason to maintain unrest in the area. In the hope that another war will justify further incursions toward securing complete control of water sources.
There are alternatives to Oil, but not to water.
China out of Tibet!
End Chinese imperialism and oppression!
Boycott Chinese goods and businesses until Tibetans receive their freedom and independence and all Christians in China are allowed to worship openly and freely.
To commonsense. You got to be kidding, you are saying this just after USA pulled out of Iraq after they killed hundredths of thousands civilians (collateral damage, they called it) and waging war in Afghanistan. The common Tibetan don't give... about who rules as long as they can support their families. With out Chinese help they would be starving, I man the people, not the monks, they would still have nice pot bellies.
All Chrstians, and Buddhists, and Muslims, and a long et cetera...
Ladislaver, There is a great difference between the Occupation of Iraq and the war in Afghanistan... The first has ended and the second is to be ended. Both were temporary from their beginnin... When will the murderous regime of the Cinese end in Tibet? You make many weak statements on the Ttibetans... Molish perhaps?
R U frilling kidding? You must be pulling this out your fourth point of contact (a$$). You know the adage about "you head is in the clouds?" Well, yours isn't in the clouds but up your...
Show us a reputable link where it states "hundredths of thousands civilians" were killed in collateral damage? Yea, didn't think so! Guess your internet connection through the PRC pipe is filtering out any reputible, honest, truthfull sites.
Innocent Tibetan blood is on the hands of the imperialist Chinese tyrants.
There is no historical, cultural, linguistic, religious, or political justification for the invasion and mistreatment of Tibet.
God bless Tibet!
The justification has always been the same for all invasions: militaristic.
cmmonsense, no parallel, I guess that American Indians living in Indian territories would disagree.
There is nothing to bless.
5 Americans set themselves on fire during the Vietnam War and not much was heard about it, one was within view of McNamera's office. Tibet might be better as an autonomous buffer between China and India if the CIA woulkd stay out and not try to foment rebellion like they were before in a time when they were dropping saboteurs into China trying to undermine their regime. I suppose alot of the Vietnam startegy was to have bases close to China too as in encirclement and the dominos was just a convenient excuse.
McNamara did talk about that man in "the fog of war"
If you want to boycott chines good's " Don't go to the chinamart " O I'm sorry walmar???????????????????????
Actually China has outlawed the both the Tibetan language, and Tibetan alphabet. Teachers are chosen by a special Party Committee to teach only Chinese letters, numbers, and words to Tibetan children.
Where I live we banned the Paiute from theirs until the 1970's. This occurred throughout I think including the Aleuts in Alaska for example, the list goes on.
KeyOrion, you are full of it, facts do not support your comment. Illiteracy rate was 90% before Chinese help. Chinese helped build 200 primary schools, and enrollment of children in public schools in Tibet reached 98.8% in 2010. Most classes are taught in the Tibetan language, but mathematics, physics, and chemistry, are taught in Chinese. Tuition fees for ethnic Tibetans from primary school through college are completely subsidized by the central government.
Well, ask the Tibetans what they want. Seems to me they prefer their poverty, illiteracy, language, & freedom to all of the "benefits" provided by the Chinese. Lets let the native Tibetans vote & see what they say.
Chinese Help? hahahahaha, that is a good joke!
Wait... What? you are not joking?... That is even a better joke!
A grest deal of progress has been made in Tibet since its liberation from the daiai's serfdom in 1951. Chinese government has spent great effort in transforming Tibet from what was a feudal society to a modern and prosperous one as it is now. The inhabitants enjoy a rising standard of living with improved infrastructures, education and employment opportunities. Tibetan culture and religion are well preserved and Tibetan schools teach both Tibet and Chinese language. This is assimilation rather than cultural genocide as those who hold malice or ill-feeling towards China would claim. This is akin to American Indians learning English.
Religous fanatics exist not only amount the muslims but also prevail among the Tibetan monks. They are separatists and thier desire to split Tibet from China under the control of dalai is well-known. They become more desperate under the Chinese rule,where the bulk of Tibetans are happy and content with their life, and resort to acts of self-immolation in the believe that they wil ascend to the matyrdom.
You're obviously a Chinese troll. Take your empty-headed propaganda back to China. You lie like a rug.
Separatists: You mean they want their country back? What party line are you reading that Tibetans are "happy and content" with their lives. That sounds a lot like the peasants in the rural areas of China and students JUST PRIOR to Tienanmen Square. The official Party line was everyone was now very happy, in re-education camps. Better to die free than live as a slave.
Henrich von Dorf,
The Chinese leaders wrote a treaty with Tibet during 822/3 CE. This defined their borders and stated their peaceful intentions. This was carved on three stone obelisk and one of these still exist on their border, today...
When Genghis Khan conquered this area and most of China during the 1100s CE. Tibet was a separate country and was the spiritual adviser of the Mongol Empire. Years prior to China regaining their independence from Mongolia, Tibet was a functional separate Nation...
Following China's Independence, China also interred into agreements with Tibet as a 'Spiritual Advisor'...
When Nepal applied for UN membership, during the 1950's, they cited their diplomatic relations with the Nation of Tibet...
Even the USA has officially recognized Tibet as a separate Nation, during the 1960's...
The UN still list Tibet as a OCCUPIED Nation...
Henrich if the people of Tibet are so happy then why is does this story of 25 Tibetan monks setting themselves on fire exist?
Could it be that the Tibetans have been fighting to regain their independence since 1951 when the Chinese annexed their country and abolished their government in 1959?
What I find really curious is that Tibet had been and unified empire since the 7th century and have been trying to get there independence back since the Chinese stole it from them in the 50's and the World Community does nothing. Yet Libya rebels start militant movements and the U.N, United States etc. does a no fly zone to help them in a couple of months. Egypt starts protests, etc.. and the U.N. United States etc.. jumps in to help. Syria, Yemen, etc. the same thing.
"Arab Spring" is O.k. and we'll do what we can including using military might, economic sanctions, etc. ,but if your not Arab, and have been fighting to get your independence back for decades from a government that stole your independence from you, too bad?
Is there any question why China laughs at the rest of the World?
VonDorf, go back to sleep!
Ordinary Tibetans are contented with their lifes, only separatists want to split Tibet from China. They are mostly Tibetan monks influenced by the separatist agenda of dalai. Self-immolation acts were only confined to the monks who want to stir trouble and believe the act will lead them to martyrdom.
@ac robertson
Tibet was part of China until the downfall of Qing Dynasty in 1911 upon which Tibet unilaterally declared independence. Tibet was re-united with China in 1952 after the birth of PRC.
For those knockers, go to Tibet in perosn and find out first hand instead of brainwashed by western media who spread lies and fabricated stories. Ordinary Tibetans are contented and happy except those who seek turnmoil and plot to cause trouble.
Westerm media are well known for fabricating negative stories as examplified by the reporting of the Singkiang riot in 2008.
Tibetans Monks fighting communist rule in China. I'm down for the monks and Tibetan people they just want to be left alone to worship on their mountain. Trained Warriors.
It is illegal to protest to protest in China. Sound familiar? With the passing of 347 this march it is now illegal and a FELONY OFFENSE TO PROTEST ON FEDERAL LAND.
What are these Tibetans going to do with independence? Rely on foreign aid? They don't make anything, they don't sell anything. They should be happy China took on the burden of supporting that region.
They are going to live their lives as they see fit just like they did BEFORE China invaded. Not everyone uses gasoline and needs an iPod to be happy.
The Tibetan people are perfectly capable of sustaining themselves without the help of you, or your kind and gentle friends, the Communist Chinese government. Obviously you know little if anything about Tibet and its people, so why show your ignorance by supporting the cultural genocide of Tibet. Perhaps you'd like to see the Chinese government take on the burden of supporting the USA too by taking over our government; not just buying our debt.
He brings a valid point. Sure they should be independent, but don't for a second think the outsiders like the United States really cares. It's all fake. Just look at other landlocked countries and see what we've done for them. Ans. very little. Afghanistan comes to mind.
Tibet has massive quantities of 'Rare Earth' deposits, other minerals, and water resources...
These are why China is there. Just like the oil/NG deposits in the South China sea, North China Sea, and Taiwan Strait that China is claiming...
Jim are you sure your not talking about the United States and Not Tibet? You sound like someone that believes big government and government dependance is the answer to everything.
It would probably come as a shock to you that there are people in the world that can actually care for themselves and survive without government handouts.
The buddist will not fight the chinese, it is against their religion. They believe in peace, tranquility and harm no one. Not that they won't protest by giving of their own lives. Budda was a prince in India. At his birth it was predicted he would become a great priest. His father kept him from leaving the family compound giving him everything material anyone could want. Yet Budda was not happy, so he snuck out and saw reality, a dead man, a sick man, a poor man. And he wanted to know why man suffered so. he then left all he had in search of that answer. Near death he finally found enlightenment. He taught the middle road, not too much, not too little. He lived 600 yrs before Christ. yet most of his sayings are close to Christs. Like do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Read the Dharma. Buddists believe in Reincaration, and Karma is their law. That the soul comes back again and again until it learns the lessons of life and gives its self willingly and without reservation to God. They don't need material things from anyone else's world to be happy and to live their lives. They are the only religion that didn't and doesn't spread it self violence, and force. Budda never claimed nor do the Buddist claim that he was God or a son of God. Just that he was and is an enlightened teacher. He lived to be in his 80's, walking the country with nothing but his bowl and robes teaching people to love one another.
Research Genghis Khan, he came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of northeast Asia founding the Mongol Empire. It later became the largest contiguous empire in the history of the World....
He drove the Muslims out of Asia, the EU, and north Africa. Plus conquered the Chinese, along the way...
He established Buddhism as the official religion of the Mongol Empire and the Tibet leader was his spiritual adviser...
When Khan went into a country, he killed ALL the POLITICIANS and burned their seats of Government to the ground. His troops then disseminated the local population, taking many new brides, which established family ties and alliances...
So much for the followers of Buddhism, being non-violent. Especially after the THOUSANDS of Buddhist that were killed by the Muslim hordes, as they occupied Asia during the 800 to 1100's CE...
It will be just time before another LEADER rises against the infestation of the Hans...
You stated - "He lived 600 yrs before Christ. yet most of his sayings are close to Christs."
There is a reason for this, during Christ's life, the Buddhist Beliefs were becoming widely accepted throughout the Middle East. Christ and his followers just copied most of them...
No, much of what Christ taught came from the Old Testament, not Buddhist beliefs. He separated the wheat (love God and one another) from the chaff (obsession with and abuse of "the Law").
do not protest, the monks should just live their lives. the military want to fight and the gov't wants power. the monks are just trying to live. it is really sad. the chinese could learn something from the monks, instead they want to control them.
uhm, yeah tibet good luck with that. the only countries modern day who have the moral code to intervene are at chinas mercy. the tibetans will need to do more than protest to really guilt the us and western antions into action. since they will not use violence, they better think of something.
U. Asked4it
I wish Tibetans fullfill their dream of indepednence; but tell me in details how are they going to sustain themselves without the economic connection to rest China. Just look at those monks, all males in their education and labor years, instead of being in school, working, or datging are serving a religion. Tibetans buddism is not human in many aspects including graping little boys away from normal childhood and education opportunity. There was economic reason why slavery was practiced for long time before the CCP abolished it. Within the limitation of religious social structure -- a massive part of human capital not engaged in economic production, the rest engaged in the economic production can hardly keep any benefit of their production when they had to support these many monks. I can see if Tibetans really gain independence, the society actually will have a revolt against the monk tradition, and asking to be returned back to rest China. Just looked at the Tibet's geological position, not to even mention their ignorance to science and technology because edcuation devoted to buddism teaching...it's a place can be easilly isolated from the rest of the world, a landmass with vast area of high plaetaue desert, not much agricuture can grow, no reasonable industrial investment will be put into there... the best opt for tibetans is developing tourism, which requires a supply of tourist from the rest of China... if it's cut off from the rest of China, few westerns probably will make to their, and how are they going to develop and accomodate tourism industry without trade with China? Since they really almost don't produce anything.
I wish they gain their independence, then they will regret！
Tibet was a unified empire since the 7th century until the Chines stole their country from them in the 1950's. They were able to survive as a Nation for 13 centuries but now there's no way they could survive without their benevolent Communist Dictators?
The Tibetans will be just fine once they get their freedom back.
Resources in Tibet according to http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=199&catid=6&subcatid=37
1. Tibet has more than 3,000 proven mineral reserves, including China biggest chromium and copper deposits. China Daily, an official English-language newspaper, quoted a Tibetan official in March saying that mining could make up at least 30 percent of Tibet gross domestic product by 2020, up from 3 percent now.
Exiled supporters of the Dalai Lama claim the government in Beijing wants to drive Tibetans off the land so it can extract minerals and water resources from the mountain region. The communist government says it is investing heavily in measures to improve the environment of the region. [Ibid]
2. Tibet as large deposits of copper and iron. The new railway will make it easier to exploit them. Tibetans have traditionally frowned up mining because its disturbs the sacred essence of the soil. The Chinese however have no such qualms and have conducted extensive geological surveys across Tibet.
Chinese geologists have found new deposits of copper, iron, lead, and zinc, and possibly oil, accessible to the train route. Total possible reserves have been estimated 20 million tons of copper and 10 million tons of lead and zinc.
3. Tibet contains half the world's lithium reserves, almost all of it from a single mine in northeRn Tibet. China’s largest chromium deposits and it third largest copper mine are in Tibet. There is also gold, uranium, diamonds, silver, boron, antimony and borax.
4. Gold, turquoise and other gems comes from three specific areas in the southern and western Tibet. In the late 1980s and early 1990s there was huge gold rush in western Qinghai. Thousands of illegal gold diggers flocked to region and disrupted the fragile environment there. In July 2010, China National Gold Group, the nation largest gold producer, began work at a polymetallic mine whose daily output is expected to reach 15,000 tons.
Plus the tourism unless China closes the borders...
In the wake of the 2008 unrest, foreign tourists were banned from travelling to Tibet for more than 12 months.
In March 2011, China closed Tibet to tourists ahead of the third anniversary of anti-government in 2008. Zhang Qingli, the Communist party secretary in Tibet, said there were "some control measures" for safety reasons, citing potential overcrowding and freezing winter weather. He told reporters at an annual political meeting in Beijing that the region was stable. "It's not that the anti-Chinese forces and the Dalai clique haven't thought of it but the fact is they haven't been able to stir up any unrest since the March 14 incident." [Source: Tania Branigan, The Guardian, March 7, 2011]
In mid June 2011, foreign tourists were barred from going to Tibet until the end of July."At the moment we're not admitting foreign tourists," an employee at China Travel Service in the regional capital Lhasa told AFP by phone, adding the agency had received a notice saying this would be enforced until July 26. A worker at the Tibet Youth Travel Service agency confirmed the ban, saying it begins on Tuesday and was linked to celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of China's rule over Tibet, scheduled for July. [Source: AFP, June 13, 2011]
etc, etc... Ha! Ha!
It's obvious you know nothing of Tibetans or their way of life/religion. They were a happy people before China came in and destroyed their land, drove away their leader and took away the freedom of religion, culture, language, etc. Tibetans are resourceful people. They do not need the things that the West thinks they can't live without. They sustained themselves for a very long time without any help from any other country. China is a monster...who came in with lies and violence and has nearly wiped out an entire society. No one should be OK with this. Saying they're better off is saying it from your point of view.. not from theirs. As a Tibetan Buddhist, I've spoken with Tibetans who disagree with your POV. I think before the West tries to decide what's best for another culture, another country, they need to take care of their own. China decided that another country would be better off being like them... but it was really about getting more land for their overpopulation problem and taking resources from Tibet. The West needs to do something to help Tibet. They started to long ago, but then bowed down to China because they found they could get more for themselves by allowing China to kill an entire ethnic population.
What I find really curious is that Tibet had been and unified empire since the 7th century and have been trying to get there independence back since the Chinese stole it from them in the 50's and the World Community does nothing. Yet Libya rebels start militant movements and the U.N, United States etc. does a no fly zone to help them in a couple of months. Egypt starts protests, etc.. and the U.N. United States etc.. jumps in to help. Syria, Yemen, etc. the same thing.
"Arab Spring" is O.k. and we'll do what we can including using military might, economic sanctions, etc. ,but if your not Arab, and have been fighting to get your independence back for decades from a government that stole your independence from you, too bad?
Look at what happens when the Dalia Lama, the spiritual, and until recently the political leader, of the Tibetan people visited the United States.
President Obama wouldn't even have a meeting with the Dalai Lama for fear of upsetting the Chinese. Then because of public outcry, which embarrassed the President, he relented and agreed to have a meeting. Look how the Dalai Lama was treated. Brought in through a back door of the White house. A Half an hour meeting with the President, no press conference, No photo opps, etc.
Is there any question why China laughs at the rest of the World?
The real problem for the Tibetan people is that their not Arab or Muslim.
The Tibet-China relationship is complicated. I believe that Tibet SHOULD be independent, but there is precedent for China's claim of historical connections to Tibet, which they use to legitimatize their being there. Tibet has been a nation since the 7th century, but it has not always been unified, not has it always governed itself completely. Different Buddhist sects have vied for power in Tibet over the centuries. From the 9th to the 13th century, it had no central rule. It became part of the Mongol empire in the 13th century, and by the 18th century, both Nepal and Tibet acknowledged the somewhat symbolic authority of the Chinese Ching emperor. The Ching Dynasty was Manchurian, and the Ching court adhered to the Gelugpa Tibetan form of Buddhism. A Tibetan Buddhist temple has stood in the Forbidden City for several centuries. Though TIbetans looked after their own affairs for the most part, there was a time when the emperor had final approval of any Dali Lama selected. In other words, China had a presence in Tibet long before the Communist Chinese entered in the 1950's. This of course doesn't make China's being there now, or the Communist attempt to destroy the local culture, justifiable.
Instead of putting themselve on fire,these monks can become suicide-bombers trying to kill some communist leaders in Peking. If they can kill enough of those old bastards, the younger leaders may allow an independent Tibet.
OMG is the land of perfect harmony not as harmonious as China claims it is?
Those monks are a bunch of charlatans. Before the Chinese came in, the monks were having their way with the people. They were living it up on the backs of the rest of the Tibetans and the gray train came to an end when the Chinese showed up. So of course they are going to vilify the Chinese and light themselves on fire. The things people will do for the good life.
So true. Painful, horrible self immolation, perpetrated by Buddhist monks who believe that such sacrifice is of benefit to sentient beings, even though it destroys their own body and ability to attain enlightenment in human form in this existence, is a perfect example of selfishness and attachment to the good life that you speak of.
What hurts "social harmony" you Communist dictator IS the fact you invaded a sovereign country, repressed its people and culture, are trying to destroy it by crushing any sign of independence, freedom, justice, and finishing them off by letting thousands of Chinese settle there. HOW ABOUT THIS? Do what the Russians did. They let Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, the Ukraine go ALONG WITH control of all of Eastern Europe. NO ONE is threatening them, although Putin is a paranoid, power grabbing petty dictator destroying his own country. GET OUT OF TIBET. Make a deal to secure the borders and then GET OUT!!!!
Why does Tibetan independence in your mind mean a permanent break in relations or interaction with China? China interacts with other countries. Why wouldn't it do so with a free Tibet? Independence dos not mean that the Tibetans would not want to trade with China or welcome tourists from China. The United States broke with England in the 18th century (not the same situation of course, it BECAME a nation whereas Tibet already WAS a nation) but England and the U.S. formed trade bonds and maintained cultural ties and mutual respect. An independent Tibet and China could do the same.
Let us never forget that the Chinese government is a dictatorship which squashes protest with crude violence.
The thugs in Beijing are no better than the thugs in Damascus, they're just smarter.
How anyone on these boards has the ignorance to justify the Chinese brutal occupation of Tibet is beyond me! The atrocities committed upon the Tibetans including the raping of monks and nuns in public squares while their villages burned, the banning of even carrying a picture of the Dalai Lama, much less being able to practice tibetan buddhism....UN forces should've stepped in long ago, but of course at that time, the whole world was dealing with other problems, and of course our intervention is mostly monetarily motivated. This was an antiquated and very secret part of the world where no one gave a @!$%#e. Well hopefully people are starting to wake up. Compassion. Preserving ancient cultures. We do it in other parts of the world, why not for the people of Tibet who have suffered and are being culturally wiped off the map of their own country.
Long live H.H. Dalai Lama and Panchan Lama (oh wait, the Chinese abducted him years ago too--so he won't be able to pick the next Dalai Lama) such a sad story.
I wounder how long before this starts to happen in the U.S. we have been losing or freedoms little by little for the last 70 yrs. and faster and faster sense 9/11,are government knows more and more about us then ever before,I wounder how long before it just starts to decide whats best for all of us????
When we see Wall Streeters self-immolating to protest restrictive regulations............then we'll know it's all over.
jali957 I wonder how long before the government decides what's best for us! Where have you been?
It already has! Take the Debacle they call the Healthcare Bill as just one example!Forcing it down people's throats.
Plus the fact,I don't know if you are aware of it or not,but when that internet censor bill was trying to be passed, they took the model of that bill right out of the Chinese Bible on Laws,Rules, and Regulations.They tried to model that bill after China's!That bill still isn't dead yet!
There's Chinese Lobbyist's on Capital Hill! There's an economist who is very buddy buddy with Obama,his last name is Stern,who visits him quite regularly, and gives him tips on the economy,modeled right after China's. Stern loves the Chinese Model of how an economy should be!
The mess going on with the Healthcare bill and the religions in this country are just a sampling of Obama taking a page right the Chinese Government's play book!
I can go on and on,but it would be way to long!