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Ashwini Bhatia / AP
Exiled Tibetan Buddhist monks walk past a banner of photos of Tibetan protesters as they participate in a candlelit vigil organized by the Tibetan parliament in exile in Dharmsala, India, on Thursday.
Chinese authorities detained 70 people in ethnically Tibetan areas Thursday in a bid to crack down on the gruesome spectacle of people setting themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule, state media said.
The operation, the largest of its kind yet reported by Beijing, is part of an intensifying effort to quell the fiery protests. It comes on the heels of a documentary released in China that blames Westerners, particularly Voice of America, for encouraging people to set themselves on fire and then treating those who do as heroes.
Nearly 100 people have set themselves alight since 2009 to protest Chinese rule, and most of them have died from their injuries.
Twelve of the 70 people detained Thursday were officially arrested in connection with self-immolation cases in what China calls the Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province deputy police chief Lyu Bengqian said, according to state media.
Lyu is head of a special police team investigating self-immolation cases. He said efforts would be stepped up to investigate the protests and to "seriously punish" anyone seen as inciting them.
China blames the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader in exile, as well as the West for the increase in self-immolations.
The U.S. State Department has been critical of the recent arrests.
In her Feb. 1 news briefing, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland criticized China's Tibet policies, in particular the heavy sentencing in January of a Tibetan monk and his nephew, who were charged with inciting eight people to set themselves on fire.
"We continue both publicly and privately to urge the Chinese government at all levels to address policies in Tibet -- in Tibetan areas -- that have created tensions and that threaten the distinct religious, cultural and linguistic identity of the Tibetan people."
On Wednesday, Voice of America shot back at China's assertion that it had encouraged Tibetans to set themselves on fire.
"That is totally false," Voice of America Director David Ensor said in a news release. "We do report these tragic stories; we do not encourage these self-immolations, that is wrong."
CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster, produced and aired a documentary that pointed fingers at Voice of America, which is the U.S. government's official broadcaster overseas.
The program showed a Tibetan man in a hospital bed who allegedly attempted to self-immolate.
Apparently prompted to explain why he had attempted to light himself on fire, the man said, "I did it after watching VOA, I saw the photographs of self-immolators being commemorated. They were treated like heroes."
The documentary also sensationally accuses VOA of employing secret codes to send messages to people inside Tibet.
"That is one of the more amazing parts of the CCTV report," Ensor said. "That suggestion is totally absurd."
VOA is asking that both CCTV and the China Daily retract their reports.
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I do not understand the problem except the communist do not want the world to see them. Fire or Bullet to the back of the head, what is the difference?
Perhaps I am wrong, but I see China as trying drift away from the tyrannical methods of the old school Communist. something like this does not happen in a day.
Lazarus
You are...wrong....
ALL CHINA Has Done...Is HIDE..what would make YOU..Cry...then..Throw Up..
Chairman Meow..Stay on Topic
China has always - since the first Dynasty been a totalitarian nation - they invented totalitarianism.
Today, it remains the last great evil empire, that would, if it could, but it can't so it doesn't have us all under its thumb living the life of intellectual slavery they impose upon their own people.
Ultimately, I believe it will come down to our right war between China and Western democracy - unless the Chinese people rise up and destroy their Communist slave masters.
In lieu of war, we should begin a total boycott of all things made in China - including American products by pseudo American companies - like Apple. If we were able to derail their economy - much as Regan derailed that of Russia with the attendant implosion that brought down the iron curtain, it would be obviously be better than an outright war.
Truman missed his chance to stop the Chinese when he wimped out and stopped MacArthur from kicking their butts out of North Korea as he was in the process of doing - until Washington got weak kneed and stopped him. (The Democrats - Roosevelt, Truman seem to have had a problem seeing through the abhorrent nature of the communist regimes. Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt thought that good old Uncle Joe Stalin, who murder how many - 30,000,000 of his own people; was just fine and dandy and turned a blind eye to the spying of the Russians. Rather like someone today who thinks you can reason with the Iranians.)
Oh well, in the end, China will fall - as Gandhi said, all despotic regimes ultimately do, even though for a time they always appear invincible, and the "bigger they are, the harder they fall."
I may not like China's policies regarding Tibet - but they are right to try to stop these horrifying suicides.
These Horrifying Suicides ..are Something..you Do not..will Not ....maybe..EVER...Understand...
CHINA...is Contantly TRYING..to SANITIZE..It's IMAGE..
It's Not All Acrobat contorsionists ..Balancing spinning plates..on their Heads..
it's not All...Tourists ..watching Fireworks...Theater Musicals...
It's a HISTORY
Of The RAPE..of TIBET..
Of The ONGOING...OCCUPATION ..of TIBET..
Of Outlawing TIBETAN CULTURE..
OF TORTURE
Of MURDER
Of DESTRUCTION of RELIGION
Of GENOCIDE...and EXTRERMINATION...
That's the Wonderful...CHINESE..LEGACY...For TIBET...
Total...SLAVERY...DEATH..of FREEDOM
MAD COW DISEASE..? OCCU=PLOP Wall Street..?
The world rarely seems to grasp the life and rule of China over Tibet. It's been awhile since I've read a related article to this topic. You would think that 100 people setting themselves ablaze would send the message that they'd rather die then be treated like animals, yet China will blame westerners for apparently promoting these suicides. Hello, people are killing themselves in a painful fasion becase to them the burn from the fire is less torturous than living with the treatment that is given by their inhumane occupiers.
infantacide
genocide
extermination...
you must be an ignorant obama supporter...
bow2me,
Ask the American Indians how they liked the invasion & occupation of their Nation...
Ask the Uighurs in southern China how their 'Modernization' is working out for them???
After China bulldozed the Uighur home sites and towns to make room for the strip mining of COAL. The Hans imported to do the work/supervise are now out of work...
The Chinese Coal Industry has fallen on hard times with the slowing of Chinese Industry and LOW World coal prices...
The Tibetan people have been saved from this fast Modernization, due to their remote location and difficulty of constructing the roads/railroads for the shipping of their resources to China...
When Nationalist China became Communist China, China invaded again in 1951, taking over Tibet. Religion of all forms was then banned, this was modified after Mao's dead and the failure of his Cultural Revolution..
It was Mao that stated, "Religion is a disease that weakens the Tibet Society and has to be eradicated..." This was what he supposedly told the Dalai Lama during the 1950s after the Chinese invasion...
The following Chinese 'White Papers' on Tibet 'White Wash' China's actions. There is now, NO mention of the Cultural Revolution, leave alone the other atrocities committed on the Tibetan people, including the 1.2 million Tibetans who died as a direct result of the Chinese communist occupation of Tibet...
BTY - While the US Presidents would not overtly support Tibet. The US CIA did train Tibetain FREEDOM Fighters for decades. But this was just one of the FIRST of the CIAs FAILURES...
The US Congress has continuously supplied support for the Dalia Lama and MOST US Presidents have welcomed the Dalia Lama's official visits. That was until OBAMA assumed office....
Tibet has existed CENTURIES on their own...
Prior to 1951 Tibet; had its own army, currency and operated its own postal system...
The Nepal and Tibet Treaties of 1789, 1792 and 1856 CE, established their common border and inter Government relations...
The Sino-Tibetan treaties between China and Tibet of 706 and 822 CE, established their common border and self-determination. A stone Obelisk is still marking the China/Tibet border, with the treaty of 822 engraved in the stone...
Tibet also has abundant natural resources:
1. Total surface water resources amount to 448.2 billion cubic meters...
2. More than 3,000 proven mineral reserves containing 102 varieties of resources...
3. It has China's biggest proven chromium and copper reserves, the Yulong Copper Mine, one of China's biggest copper mines...
4. A salt lake area in the northwest that is expected to become a major base for saline minerals and lithium (rare earths)...
5. A railroad between China & Tibet was completed last year. Now Tibet's resources will be raped @ much higher rates...
These resources are why China will not let Tibet go, without a FIGHT...
Google - Riots in Tibet, 10Mar2008:
These are a few of the reliable sources...
1. Human Rights Watch - hrw.org/en/news/2010/07/19/china-witnesses-lift-veil-abuses-security-forces-tibet
2. New York Times - nytimes.com/2008/03/16/world/asia/16iht-tibet.4.11148124.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
3. The Wall Street Journal - online.wsj.com/article/SB120661528938768371.html
Normal Westerner thinking, even if you are of Chinese discent - What happened 20+years ago does not matter...
The tribes/ethnic people of the Middle East and Asia have a very long memory. The Chinese are still using the Rape of Nanking for current riots against Japan...
All Countries manipulate the Media and the news available to their average Citizen...
The South China Sea Conflict or many other names by other Countries, is ALL about the ENERGY reserves. Just Japan has almost 7 tcf of natural gas/hydrated methane located in the waters around their islands...
The ASEAN Countries are facing major problems if they can not build a 'United Front' against China's aggression toward; Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei & others. These countries are already building their Military Forces to counter China's Military threats. Unfortunately for ASEAN; Cambodia, Laos & Myanmar are on China's side. Thailand & the Philippines are sitting on the fence, with many business ties & Chinese people living in their countries...
Of course the USA and Russia are happy to sell the needed/requested weapons systems and supply Military support...
IMO - If China Militarly moves against any nation with US Treaty ties, especially these mentioned prior, or uses a DF-21d against any US Naval vessel. The SEA WAR will be over very quickly, there will be few US Ground Troops moved against China's land mass itself. Containment will be the Key Objective...
The ESCALATION will come when the nuclear tipped missiles start flying against the land areas, BOTH ways...
BTY - I do not depend on any ONE source, verify, verify, verify. Preferably multiple sources from different Continents...
Tibet is very hard to find good references, Good Luck in your research...
Remember 'Fifty cent Warrors' seldom use the word 'THE' in their writing...
People that will immolate themselves will never be ruled by others.
BOW WOW WOW...2 Me..
an OBAMA MILITANT ATHEIST..
Has NEVER BEEN TO CHINA..
Simply a LIAR..Like His COMMUNIST Wannabe >OBAMA
you have made something rare these days....sense
yes...
Hey Chairman Meow..Stay on topic...
INFANTACIDE
GENOCIDE..
NO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
IMPERIALISM...
LYING
STEALING
ENSLAVING..
STILL...
CHINA
So Your OBAMCARE LOBOTOMY..was a Failure...?
ALONG with Disney World ..In Hong Kong..
China will Now add a New Theme Park of It's own...in The Capital..
It's called "MAO's World"..you go for a ride ..in The Park...and You NEVER..come Back...
What's the big deal China?
China should just stop killing Tibetans and get the hell out of their country. Nobody asked China to invade Tibet.
Poor Susie Soros..
Always Blowing The big balooney..In The Marxist Martyrs day Parade
"To prevent you from harming yourself by self-immolation, we have sentenced you to death."
Love, Your Friendly Neighborhood Communist Party Cadre
If the Dali Lama asked me to self immolate for his cause. I would say "you first or is my life less important"
Surely there is a better way to spread your message then getting your followers to burn themselves alive. It's only one step away from strapping a bomb to your self and we all know what that leads to.
Buddhists are Not FUNDAMENTALISTS..
Buddhists Do Not ASK YOU...To Do..Anything..
Buddhists ARE NOT..Evangelists..They Do Not Care if You Believe or join..they DO NOT "Recruit"..
The Dalai Lama is NOT a God ..Or A Messenger..he Makes This Clear..He's just a man..
Buddhism is not DOGMATIC...Beliefs Change...Nothing is STATIC..
Buddhism respects ..ALL RELIGIONS..and Does Not Proselitize..
Also Tibet has been under either Chinese or Mongolian rule for about the last 1300 years. It wasn't until the 20th century and the influence of the western cultures that prompted the Tibetan to leader to to ignore the apology of the Chinese government and accept the influence of British India through the Simla Accord. If they had accepted the apology back then they would of been allowed to continue their autonomous control of the region.
SIMPLY A LIE..
ASK ANYONE..
WHO LIVED
THROUGH THE CHINESE..>INVASION<..Stop LYING
I think it is hilarious that the Chinese point @ their being CONQUERED by Genghis Khan as the time frame that UNITED them and Tibet...
There was NO tribute being paid by Tibet to the Mongols prior to 1240.[10] There is no evidence of interaction between the two nations prior to Doorda Darkhan's invasion of Tibet in 1240.[11]
The region retained a degree of political autonomy under the Sakya lama, who was the de jure head of Tibet. He was also the spiritual leader of the Mongol Empire, when Buddhism was adopted as their Official Religion. Kublai Khan would later include Tibet into his Yuan Dynasty, and the region remained administratively separate from the conquered provinces of Song Dynasty China. Tibet never adopted the imperial examinations or Neo-Confucian policies...
The succession of Sakya lamas in Tibet came to an end in 1358, when central Tibet in its entirety came under control of the Kagyu sect, and Tibet's independence was restored, lasting nearly 400 years.[22]
Tibet was a INDEPENDENT COUNTRY a DECADE prior to the Chinese winning their FREEDOM from Mongol rule in 1368...
Excellent ...HONEST...POST
CHINA..
STOP
YOUR CULTURAL
ETHNIC
GENOCIDE
OF TIBET
NOW....
Most Temples..Were Destroyed...
Homes and Temples..Were Looted...
Women..were forced..to have..Sterilizations...
Culture,....Language....Religion....Forbidden...
Ethnic Population...Shipped Away...Like Hitler's Methods..w.w.ii
Cities,Geo-Population..Replaced with Chinese Nationals..like Stalin's Methods..w.w.ii
Genocidal,Corrupt China..has no claim....to TIBET
There
Is
No
Personal
Freedom...
IN
CHINA...TODAY..
CHINESE...ARE....COMMUNISTS
There is plenty of personal freedom in China today aliblahblah you raving rightwing wacko. I live here, I know. Why don't you go back to bed with your Jap lover Abe and quit spouting your anti-China hate? Stay out of China's business!
A PRETEND CHINESE..
More Like an OBAMA"SPAWN"..
HUMAN RIGHTS...is EVERYBODY'S.."BUSINESS"...
You are What you eat...Fu Lai EATS / Is..... "Won-Dum-Puk"...
Who cares about Tibet when someone farts in Israel and the wind is blowing toward Gazastan?
100+ have lit themselves on fire!? We hardly hear about any of it.
Sad....and the Tibetans have a real cause.