If you’ve been following the news the past few days, you’ve probably heard or read about the protests by Tibetian monks and citizens protesting against the Chinese government’s “occupation” of Tibet. The protests heightened Saturday and “Chinese Forces Say They’ve Secured Tibet’s Capital”
“Conflicting reports emerged about the violence in Lhasa on Friday. The Chinese authorities denied that they had fired on protesters there, but Tibetan leaders in India told news agencies on Saturday that they had confirmed that 30 Tibetans had died and that they had unconfirmed reports that put the number at more than 100….The violence in Lhasa and Xiahe has created a major political and public relations challenge for the ruling Communist Party as Beijing prepares to play host to the Olympic Games in August. The demonstrations are the largest in Tibet since 1989, when Chinese troops used lethal force to crush an uprising by thousands of Tibetan protesters. China’s response to this week’s demonstrations is being watched carefully by the outside world. The European Union and the United States have both called on China to act with restraint. The White House called on China to “respect Tibetan culture” and issued a renewed call for dialogue between Beijing and the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.”
This is the nightmare scenario that China probably didn’t expect. I personally believe that a host of anti-Chinese government interests will increasingly voice their protest against Chinese policies (Tibet, human rights, Taiwan, etc.) and push the limit and see how far China will go against international condemnation and embarrassment prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympic games in 8/8/2008.
Above is a BBC News is some disturbing video of the situation in Tibet.
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jun wrote:
I am going to use my substantial influence to boycott the Beijing Olympics… well i dont have any influence on anything or anyone at all, but I am still boycotting the Olympics…
Posted on 16-Mar-08 at 5:49 pm | Permalink
vivian wrote:
now, more than ever, China is trying to hide all of its uglies… Tibet, aiding Sudan in Darfur, persecuting Falun Gong, and the abuses are getting stronger because the regime wants to make sure no one speaks out about it at such a sensitive time before the Olympics begin.
i was really sad to see this video and as their leader i wish the Dalai Lama wasn’t so scared of the CCP.. what if the Tibetan people took a different approach to protests, such as adhering to non-cooperative acts like what Ghandi did? anyway, here is a great thing that’s been going around the world - the Human Rights Torch Relay. http://www.humanrightstorch.org/news/
Posted on 16-Mar-08 at 7:58 pm | Permalink
Ken wrote:
I find it interesting that there is almost no news on the Chinese that were hurt and killed by being burned alive by these same “downtrodden” Tibetens.
Posted on 17-Mar-08 at 7:04 pm | Permalink
John wrote:
Considering how the Chinese government has treated Tibetans since the1950’s, I don’t there is too much sympathy for the Chinese that were hurt or killed. Of course, the loss of any innocent life is regrettable.
Posted on 18-Mar-08 at 12:04 am | Permalink
Ken wrote:
Spoken like a true apologist.
While Tibet is a sore problem for everyone, to say that innocent Chinese bystanders being killed is merely “regrettable” is repulsive. We’re talking about shopkeepers and taxi drivers.
I, for one, don’t wish to hear any more complaints from so-called Asian American activitists when a white individual utters a “racist” phrase and saying that he regrets if anyone’s feelings were hurt.
The hypocrisy is repulsive.
Posted on 18-Mar-08 at 4:10 am | Permalink
Simon Bao wrote:
Ken, I think you are disingenuous saying “there is almost no news on the Chinese that were hurt and killed by being burned alive by these same ‘downtrodden’ Tibetans.”
If you know about that news, and I know about that news, and that news is being reported, don’t be saying there is almost no news.
Truth is exactly what’s reported up above: “Conflicting reports emerged…”
It’s next to impossible for the world to get clear, reliable, and verifiable reports about what has happened - that’s a result of the Chinese government’s actions, not a reflection on news organizations.
And a person would have to be a fool to take at face value any claims made by the Chinese authorities that Chinese residents in Tibet were the victims of violence, or were burned to death. The Chinese authorities are never truthful. Not even about little, inconsequential things. Worse, perhaps, than the Vietnamese authorities.
Posted on 18-Mar-08 at 5:47 am | Permalink
John wrote:
Ken - oh please. You are blowing my comments out of proportion. Remember, the Chinese authorities are occupying Tibet, of course the news is going to report about the death of Tibetans. And if you do read the news coverage, there has been some coverage of the Chinese.
Posted on 18-Mar-08 at 8:00 am | Permalink
John wrote:
News of Protests Is Hard to Find In China — in Media or Online
The Wall Street Journal
March 18, 2008; Page A8
“…State-run coverage of the protests has been sparse. While China Central Television, China’s national broadcaster, has run footage from the riots of people taking to the streets and overturning cars, it only showed Tibetans attacking ethnic Han-Chinese interests. It didn’t show the armed police who have stopped the protests in Lhasa. Aside from the state-run Xinhua news agency, other media have largely been silent on the issue. Media haven’t covered news that the protests spread beyond Lhasa to other Chinese provinces. Despite the dominance of the Internet in everyday life, this is one of the rare cases when the government’s filtering technology, in addition to self-censorship among Internet media companies and media consumers, seemingly has been successful in stifling a big news item.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120577947315842573.html
Posted on 18-Mar-08 at 11:12 am | Permalink