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Tibet rail line is a marvel, but China is mum
Chinese reticence has much to do with aspirations for Tibetan independence
GOLMUD, SEPTEMBER 12: By the time the great railroad reaches this town from the east, it will already have traversed more than half of China, past the high desert of Qinghai, around one of the world’s great salt lakes, through the arid fastness of Gansu and over and around mountain ranges arrayed like endless sets of waves all the way to Beijing.
The biggest challenges, however, lie when the line heads to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, over what is often called the roof of the world. For long stretches the railway, which is fast nearing completion, will operate at altitudes higher than many small planes can fly. Indeed, the train, whose engines will need turbochargers just to get enough oxygen to run, will often soar above the clouds.
One might expect a country that is pulling off one of the world’s great engineering feats to be eager to show off its handiwork. If so, no one has told the Railway Ministry, which for a full year refused to answer requests to visit the new line.
What could explain such a reluctance to show off this marvel of railway building? As was underscored by events in Lhasa—where Beijing was celebrating the 40th anniversary of what it calls the Tibet Autonomous Region—it had much to do with Tibetan aspirations for independence.
By some estimates, the new train will carry as many as 900,000 people to Tibet each year, with the newcomers overwhelmingly consisting of members of China’s Han majority, many of whom will opt to stay.
‘‘The Han population is rising and the Tibetan language, our mother language, is losing its position among our people,’’ said a Tibetan teacher who fled to India in January after being arrested several times for his views. ‘‘The road building jobs and the construction jobs are not open to Tibetans, and young Tibetan girls are turning to prostitution.’’
If the Chinese wish to help Tibet, said the teacher, who asked not to be identified, ‘‘They should stop the immigration and give the opportunities to local people so they can improve their lives, and we can protect our culture’’.
—NYT
Tibet rail line is a marvel, but China is mum
Chinese reticence has much to do with aspirations for Tibetan independence
GOLMUD, SEPTEMBER 12: By the time the great railroad reaches this town from the east, it will already have traversed more than half of China, past the high desert of Qinghai, around one of the world’s great salt lakes, through the arid fastness of Gansu and over and around mountain ranges arrayed like endless sets of waves all the way to Beijing.
The biggest challenges, however, lie when the line heads to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, over what is often called the roof of the world. For long stretches the railway, which is fast nearing completion, will operate at altitudes higher than many small planes can fly. Indeed, the train, whose engines will need turbochargers just to get enough oxygen to run, will often soar above the clouds.
One might expect a country that is pulling off one of the world’s great engineering feats to be eager to show off its handiwork. If so, no one has told the Railway Ministry, which for a full year refused to answer requests to visit the new line.
What could explain such a reluctance to show off this marvel of railway building? As was underscored by events in Lhasa—where Beijing was celebrating the 40th anniversary of what it calls the Tibet Autonomous Region—it had much to do with Tibetan aspirations for independence.
By some estimates, the new train will carry as many as 900,000 people to Tibet each year, with the newcomers overwhelmingly consisting of members of China’s Han majority, many of whom will opt to stay.
‘‘The Han population is rising and the Tibetan language, our mother language, is losing its position among our people,’’ said a Tibetan teacher who fled to India in January after being arrested several times for his views. ‘‘The road building jobs and the construction jobs are not open to Tibetans, and young Tibetan girls are turning to prostitution.’’
If the Chinese wish to help Tibet, said the teacher, who asked not to be identified, ‘‘They should stop the immigration and give the opportunities to local people so they can improve their lives, and we can protect our culture’’.
—NYT
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Can't you discuss anything with out flaming?
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