Thread: Tibet protest in a perspective.

Wiesel is a close friend of Dalai Lama, so he definitely pleads for him. Dalai Lama was a Buddhist, (yes, I said "was") but once he goes into politics, he becomes a politician. Any politician's words need to be questioned: did he tell the truth or is he defending his own benefit? Obviously, Wiesel did not doubt on this.

Wiesel says "I don't understand the Chinese hierarchy there, are they afraid of Tibet?" We can see from this sentence that he knows little about China. That's why he used the word "afraid".

The publisher insisted that "Led by Buddhist monks, protests had begun peacefully in Lhasa early last week but erupted into rioting on March 14, drawing a harsh response from Chinese authorities."

From his/her words, it seems the rioters were "forced" to make destruction. They killed innocent people, burned shops and smashed cars because the policy "forced" them to do so! If they were angry about the Chinese authorities, why didn't they take on conflicts only with the police? Under no circumstance, should they kill innocent people! Some Tibetans said that their destruction was not made randomly. Who they killed were all Hans, and those shops where operated by the Han immigrants, the cars were all Japanese cars used by the rich. As can be seen, their destruction was not driven by the "crackdown", but was well planned before hand. They targetted not on the government, but the Hans. Isn't it nationality racism?

Who knows whether this is a trap aboratively set up by Dalai? Imagine that Dalai ordered monks to have a peaceful parade first. Irrespecting how the Chinese government reacted, rioters made destruction on the second day. And then made an excuse that kiling people was not his idea, the Chinese government made it happen. The timing of this incident is very good, just before the Beijing Olympic games and Taiwan's election, which further confirms that the riot was aboratively planned before hand. Making incidents like Hollywood movies is a usual artifice of politicians. Why didn't the publisher think about it?

New York Times says the Chinese authorities executed "violent crackdown". But did the publisher see a bullet shell in Lhasa? Is there evidence showing the Chinese troops used weapons of destruction? Did they see soldiers and tanks going into Tibet only, then "assumed" that violent weapons were used? Journalists should be honest on the truth. If high-pressure water guns and tear bombs are "weapons of destruction", then every country executed "violent crackdown" to rioters.

Imagine that our houses were burned, and our family were kill by someone, would we call the police to arrest the criminals? If the criminals resisted, would the police use "violent" action to arrest them? The rioters made serious destruction in the city of Lhasa, police should definitely come out to stop them. Every country does so since this is a "must" to maintain the peace.

Wiesel says "All he (Dalai) wants is religious and cultural autonomy", ''(the autonomy) is fundamental to the preservation of the ancient Tibetan heritage.''

As far as I know, some Tibetans reject Hans just because they reject to live in the same way as the Han immigrants do. Some Tibetans, especially the elder ones, don't like doing business, they prefer their traditional way of living - depasturage and slavery. They deemed the opening of Tibet's economy as a breach of their traditional culture. If younger Tibetans accept the Hans' living style, they deem them betrayers. Under the progress of Globalization, the culture (including living style, religion, faith) of many western countries has entered into the developing countries in Asia. But the Asian did not reject this culture import. They welcomed the incoming cultures, at the same time, they insisted their traditional culture. This is much better than purely rejecting any incoming culture which is a "must be" under the opening of economy. The Tibetans deem the opening of Tibet as Hans' economic and cultural invasion, this is a kind of "nationality chauvinism". If Tibet goes independent, the western culture will have no way to go into Tibet as well. The US government's intension to make Tibet another economic colony will only lead to another riot in Tibet.

Demonstrating one's wants by killing innocent people, burning shops and smashing cars is somewhat like terrorists do. (hope they aren't) New York Times supports such terroristic action is anti-human. Think of how the Bush government react to terroristic destruction? It launched war with Iraq! It carried out more than "violent", but "brutal" action in the mid-east asia by kiling millions of innocent people and torturing the Islamic prisoners. Did they respect the human rights in other countries? Obsolutely no! So how can the US publisher blame Chinese authorities' reaction shamelessly?

I welcome international parties to surveil China's human rights problem, and urge the Chinese government to make improvements. This is good for the Chinese civilians. But using the method of making destructions and restraining China's economy growth harms Chinese people. I hope international human rights organisations help China CONSTRUCTIVELY instead of throwing China into Chaos, and avoid being used by some governments who don't want to see China becoming stronger.

Associated Press

China Blankets Tibetan Areas With Troops

By GREG BAKER 03.21.08, 3:44 AM ET

ZHONGDIAN, China -

Thousands of troops converged on foot, trucks and helicopters in Tibetan areas of western China on Friday as the government stepped up its hunt for protesters in last week's anti-government riots in Tibet's capital.

The violence in Lhasa - a stunning show of defiance against 57 years of Chinese rule - has sparked sympathy demonstrations in neighboring provinces, prompting Beijing to blanket a huge area with troops and warn tourists and foreign journalists to stay away.

China's communist leadership, embarrassed by the chaos and international criticism of its response, has blamed the unrest on the Dalai Lama and his supporters and vigorously defended its reputation as a suitable host for the Beijing Olympics.

On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with the Dalai Lama in India and called on the world to denounce China's crackdown in Tibet.

Photos of 21 men wanted in connection with the Lhasa riots were posted on major Chinese Internet sites.

A resident in Qinghai province said about 300 troops were in the town of Zeku after monks protested Thursday outside the county government office. The woman, who did not want to give her name for fear authorities would harass her, said she did not dare leave her home and could not provide details of the demonstration.

Telephones at Zeku's government and public security bureau rang unanswered.

In the largely Tibetan town of Zhongdian, in the far north of Yunnan province, some 30 armed police with batons marched in the main square as residents went about their daily life. Overnight, another two dozen trucks of riot police had arrived, adding to a presence of about 400 troops.

Patrols had also been set up in other nearby towns, including the tourist attraction of Tiger Leaping Gorge.

In Xiahe, a city in Gansu province where there were two days of protests last week, the 50-room Xilin Hotel was "completely occupied by police with guns and batons," said a man who answered the telephone and did not want to give his name.

"No tourists are allowed here and we do not feel safe going outside," the man said. He said things had calmed down but vehicles had been patrolling the streets asking Tibetans who had participated in last week's demonstrations to turn themselves in.

Residents in Ganzi county in Sichuan province said they saw troops, trucks and helicopters on patrol.

The massive mobilization of riot police was helping authorities reassert control after the broadest, most sustained protests by Tibetans against Chinese rule in decades. Demonstrations had flared across Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces in support of protests that were started in Lhasa.

Led by Buddhist monks, protests began peacefully early last week but erupted into rioting on March 14, drawing a harsh response from Chinese authorities.

Numbers for injuries and death tolls have been varied and hard to confirm because China keeps a tight control over information. Tibetan exile groups say 99 people were killed - 80 in Lhasa and 19 in Gansu - while Beijing maintains that 16 died and more than 300 were injured in Lhasa.

The official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday that police shot and wounded four rioters "in self defense" during violent protests on Sunday in Aba County in Sichuan. It is the first time the government has acknowledged shooting any protesters.

The crackdown drew worldwide attention to China's human rights record, threatening to overshadow Beijing's attempts to project an image of unity and prosperity in the lead-up to the Aug. 8-24 Olympics.

Pelosi, one of the fiercest Congressional critics of China, called on the international community to denounce Beijing's rule in Tibet and its handling of the anti-government protests.

"If freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China and the Chinese in Tibet, we have lost all moral authority to speak out on human rights," Pelosi said before a crowd of thousands of cheering Tibetans in Dharmsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile.

Pelosi, heading a Congressional delegation, was greeted warmly by the Dalai Lama, who draped a gold scarf around her neck.

On Thursday, the White House said President Bush will still attend the Games but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged restraint when she spoke to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Xinhua said Yang blamed the Lhasa riots on the Dalai Lama's supporters.

"They attempted to exert pressure on the Chinese government, disturb the 2008 Beijing Olympics and sabotage China's social stability and harmony," it cited Yang as saying.

In Lhasa on Friday, residents said police were still patrolling the streets and people were free to go where they want as long as they had identity cards.

An employee of the local Coca-Cola (nyse: KO - news - people ) distributor said the business was still closed. "Nobody dares to go out," said the man who didn't give his name for fear of retribution.

A woman who answered the telephone at the Religious Affairs Bureau said the Sera and Drepung monasteries, whose monks launched the initial protests, were still closed. The Jokhang temple, Tibet's most sacred shrine and the heart of Lhasa's old city, was also shuttered, she said.

Late Thursday, state broadcaster China Central Television aired a 15-minute program showing how Tibetan rioters rampaged through Lhasa last week but none of the ensuing police crackdown.

Video from security cameras showed burned shops, wounded Chinese and a knife-wielding Tibetan standing atop a police car. Buddhist monks were shown throwing sticks and other debris at riot police in a scuffle on March 10, in an attempt to portray the protests as having been started by monks.

The photos of the 21 men posted on the Internet appeared to be taken from videos and cameras and were shown under the heading of "Lhasa Public Security Bureau's Wanted List of Criminal Suspects for Beating, Smashing, Looting and Burning."

The images included a man with a mustache who has been shown on news programs slashing at another man with a foot-long blade. Another suspect wielded what appeared to be a long sword.

One of the suspects has already been apprehended and another turned himself in, the government's China News Agency reported without giving any details. Their photos were later taken down.

Authorities were offering rewards and guaranteed the anonymity of tipsters.

The Lhasa Public Security Bureau refused to comment on the photos.

China Blankets Tibetan Areas With Troops - Forbes.com

Very little is known of China's internal situation since China is a country which has tight security and many sensitive areas are out of bounds for foreigners.

Possibly it was believed by the Chinese authorities that Tibet has been brought under control and the Tibetan Buddhism structured adequately to suit the Chinese masters that they allowed foreigners to visit Tibet.

Unfortunately, the Chinese calculations and perceptions has gone seriously wrong and skewed.

The Tibetan uprising was obviously burning under the surface and it erupted. There is no doubt that it is spontaneous and can hardly be the work of Dalai Lama or anyone else since it appears to have engulfed not only Tibet but also the neighbouring provinces. It is too huge a confrontation to have been organised by a single source.

The timing of this rebellion is also interesting. The tenth anniversary of the Original Uprising and an excellent way to wreck up the Olympics, which was to showcase China as having arrived in the world as equal partners to the greats!! It sure has the Chinese redfaced!

Notwithstanding the numbers of dead the Chinese official media may claim, the Chinese will surely come down with a heavy hand and reprisals of gigantic nature would not be out of place given China's history of eliminating its 'enemies' without remorse i.e. the Cultural Revolution etc. One will never know of the same since foreigners and the international media will not be allowed to watch and report the proceedings.

This rebellion of the Tibetan does indicate that China is not a country where the minorities are at peace and that it is not a united country as the Chinese take pain to indicate. They, too, are with feet of clay. China stands exposed that their minorities do not accept the Han superiority and that it is time that all are given equal rights.

Even so, China will surely ride over this crisis. It is but a close society and a totalitarian regime that is no answerable to anyone for repression. And anyway, with foreigners not allowed, none will be wiser!

Dalai Lama wants autonomy for Tibet.

Does he have a case?

Why are the Chinese so afraid of the Dalai Lama?

He claims to be a Man of Peace as the Chinese claim that they are a Nation that promotes Peaceful Coexistence!

I am no friend of the Dalai Lama.

He should go to Tibet and see to it that it remains a peaceful country and with peace with China.

But then the Chinese have other ideas!!

They want a Chinese Tibetan and that is a weird concoction!!

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

Sir,

The protests have spread but not the rebellion. There are no riots outside of Tibet and I strongly doubt that there would be. Outside of Tibet, the three provinces with sizeable Tibetan populations have them in the minority. While the Tibetans inside Tibet may feel brave enough to burn down Han-Chinese shops because they outnumber the Han-Chinese 10 to 1, when the opposite is true, it's a really bad idea.

Call the protest with whatever name you want.

It has become such a serious affair that the Chinese are admitting that they are shooting these blokes down!!

Imagine a closed society doing so!

The fire has been kindled!

Tibet will never be FREE, but the Chinese will never be able to live this embarrassment down!

The minorities will never accept the perceived Han domination.

The Huis and the Uighurs are the next!!

China has little or no independent media, with the government controlling the people. What else is new.

Going to Dharamshala or any other area with Tibetans, one can talk with people who risk it all to come to that place is truly amazing, they are willing to live in absolute poverty with little or no chance of finding even a half decent job just to see their spiritual leader, and live in air which is less restricting,
if a Tibetan reads this, i am sorry we could not help, my grandfather used to tell me stories of a time when we were ready to endure anything for our freedom, however that time has gone away, and few remember it. I am sorry we could not do anything to help you.

Kudos to Nancy Pelosi, Indian leaders are just oxygen theives

Chinese will clamp and in time will pick up all the rioters throw'em in the gallows and throw away the key, or shoot point blank

Originally Posted by Ray

Tibet will never be FREE,

Sir, how can Tibet be free when the rest of China is not?

Originally Posted by Ray

but the Chinese will never be able to live this embarrassment down!

Sir, the Chinese are smiling. They've put this unexpected turmoil down extremely fast and there is hardly an international hiccup. Sanctions were in place within 72 hours of Tienamen Square. Not even a diplomatic protest here.

Sir,

In the world today, China is no longer what it was in 1991. Dalai Lama knows that, therefore his subdued response. What really triggered the riots.


Adu

Originally Posted by Adux

What really triggered the riots.

The Tibetan Youth Congress with the Dali Lama's blessing though I don't think that he really knew what they planned.

Why are the Chinese so afraid of the Dalai Lama?

For the same reasons they don't like the Moslem Imans or the nationalist they offer a choice of self determination that is not Han-communist.

Originally Posted by zraver

For the same reasons they don't like the Moslem Imans or the nationalist they offer a choice of self determination that is not Han-communist.

The Imams are appointed by the State and are vetted for loyalty. The same applies to the Bishops. There was a huge spat between the Pope and the Chinese over the selection and appointment of the Bishop.

I think that Chinese, and for that matter all Communists, are afraid of religion! Technically, they are right since religious leaders can whip up a huge frenzy that can cause discomfort to the rulers.

Originally Posted by Ray

The minorities will never accept the perceived Han domination.

Who are the Manchus, again?

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

The Tibetan Youth Congress with the Dali Lama's blessing though I don't think that he really knew what they planned.

on what pretext? other than inflow of Han Chinese?