Amy Cooper
Advertisement
Why we can't turn our backs on Tibet
Last time I returned to the UK, a customs official nodded at my British passport and said: "welcome home, ma'am." I felt a little warm and fuzzy then gave it no further thought, because in the free world those of us living away from our birth countries take for granted our right to go home whenever we want.
But imagine if you couldn't. Imagine if your country, your home town, your family and friends were out of bounds because a foreign power had invaded Australia and now the only people welcome there were those who agreed to cast off their Australian identity and culture and embrace those of the occupying power. Imagine if you'd had to flee because you wanted to remain Australian and to do so would mean punishment, torture or even death.
It's a repugnant scenario and almost incomprehensible to citizens in a free democracy. We resent any assault, no matter how minor, upon our values and rights. It's why we fear Osama Bin Laden's Islamic extremists: they threaten our way of life and want to impose theirs upon us.
We are fortunate that this is highly unlikely to happen to us. But for Tibetans living under Chinese rule, it has been reality for almost 50 years.
This week, as increasingly disturbing images of the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan protesters filled our screens, I watched with growing outrage and sorrow. If you believe in freedom, democracy and justice, how could you not?
In today's Sun-Herald I've written an article about local Tibetans and their responses to the crisis in their homeland. I spent the week talking to ex-political prisoners and refugees, community workers and teachers. As story after heartrending story poured out about first-hand experience of torture, oppression, persecution and suffering I knew that there would only be space on the page to print a fraction of what I'd heard. Each Tibetan ended our interview with the same plea: "Tell people to believe us. Tell them to help us. Tell them this could be our last chance."
I first met Tibetan people some years ago on a travel assignment in southwest China, in an area which historically fell within Tibetan borders. Back then, I'm ashamed to say, I knew almost nothing about their culture but I was impressed by these engaging people, their dry sense of humour and their optimism.
After the trip I set about learning as much as I could about Tibet. I had to, because the friends I'd made were not allowed to talk to me about their Buddhist religion or history. They were watched closely and constantly by both police and government informers, aware that the wrong comment at any time could send them straight to prison.
As a news journalist I'd worked in countries with repressive regimes before, but the pervasive fear and paranoia among Tibetans was the worst I'd encountered. The government's iron grip was often insidious, embedded in rules and regulations, exercised through a complex system of informants working in monasteries and Tibetan areas, and therefore often undetectable to tourists.
The same skill at stage-managing large-scale, impressive productions which helped win the the Olympics appears equally effective at misleading the outside world about how Tibetans are treated. One of the Sydney Tibetans told me how in 2005 his family in Lhasa were forced to participate in the celebrations marking the fortieth anniversary of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (the central area of old Tibet portioned off by the Chinese in 1965). It resembled a bizarre, big-budget movie set with Tibetans herded in as extras.
"On TV it all looked wonderful," he said. "There was a large crowd of Tibetans all around the Potala Palace." In reality, though, that crowd had been rounded up and forced to spend a cold, rainy night outside the palace, where the ceremony was to take place the following morning.
"They were instructed to report to the Potala Square at 10pm the night before, given raincoats and ordered not to move anywhere," said my local contact. "And the cameras didn't show the masses of armed soldiers surrounding them. They were everywhere - outnumbering the civilians, in the trees, on the grass."
I spoke to this man as part of a report I was writing about how the run-up to the Olympics was affecting life for Tibetans. One of my most disturbing discoveries was that instead of improving human rights in China, as the world had hoped, the games seemed to be serving as a justification for greater abuses.
In the last year, Tibetans here say their families and friends inside Tibet have experienced intensifying oppression. Their freedom of movement has been even further restricted and police presence at public gatherings has significantly increased. One government worker in Lhasa reported that Chinese police officers were patrolling there disguised as monks, complete with shaved heads and maroon robes. Buddhist monasteries were being scrutinised by resident government committees, which were monitoring all activity and even checking the wording of prayers for 'splittist' sentiments. There have been greater incidences of arrests and 'disappearances,' and stricter bans on celebrating religious festivals. All these crackdowns have been implemented under the banner of greater security against terrorism, for the Olympics.
Last September, an Amnesty International report echoed this concern, with AI's USA executive director Larry Cox, saying: "Flagrant human rights abuses continue in China and the appalling 're-education through labour' system appears to be flourishing in the run up to the 2008 Olympic Games. This is contrary to the Olympic Charter ideal and clearly negates the 'preservation of human dignity' that Beijing, as an Olympic host, has committed to uphold."
The implications of this are ominous: although many observers have suggested the Olympics have served as an opportunity for the Tibetans to air grievances, the Games in fact may have helped push the tensions to breaking point.
Tibetans here are adamant that the riots exploded after deliberate provocation by the Chinese. "Recently the intimidation, and the massive police and army presence at gatherings of Tibetans just became unbearable," one local told me. "I believe this was done to push us to breaking point and to therefore allow them to come down hard on Tibetans.
In the community here, rumours are even circulating about 'agent provocateurs' dressed as monks helping to incite the riots. It's impossible to confirm this, just as it's impossible to confirm just about everything happening now in Tibet due to the ban on foreign media.
What Tibetans here know for sure is that many of their families and friends in Tibet are under house arrest, Tibetans have been killed (the exile government's last estimate was 99 fatalities and they believe this could be conservative), and vast convoys of military trucks are pouring into all the Tibetan regions.
Says Lobsang, another local Tibetan: "I called a friend's mother, who lives in central Lhasa. She said she had been locked inside the house since the Friday. She is nearly 80. Soldiers carrying guns are standing outside her front door. She says if she tries to go out, she will be shot at. Even when people tried to go out onto their roofs, they have been shot at. She can't get any fresh food, so she is living on a little rice and barley flour. She is too frightened to even look out of the window because there is a soldier standing in front of it.
"House to house searches are going on. If there is a monk or nun in the house, they are taken away, no questions. Computers are also being taken away and the police are checking everyone's telephone bills to see if they have made many calls overseas."
As I write this, the Chinese government is showing no intention of softening its approach, and their rhetoric continues to be aggressive and uncompromising.
The Tibetans' greatest fear is that very soon, all access to information in the region will be blocked, and that as press attention fades and reports dwindle, the Chinese will seize their oportunity to massacre Tibetans.
One of Sydney's most respected Tibetans, Dorje Dadul, a teacher of the Tibetan language who last year won two major awards for his community work, is terrified it could be a chance to wipe out the Tibetans once and for all (there are, after all, only 6 million left and the Tibetan Government in Exile claims that 1.2 million have been killed during the 49-year occupation):
"I am really fearful for Tibetans inside Tibet," he says, "as all we can see is truckloads of army going in there. We are so frightened there will be a lot of deaths. Tibet is locked down. It is virtually a prison now. This could be the time they take the opportunity to really crack down and it could be the end of Tibet and Tibetans."
The Dalai Lama's representative in Australia, Tenzin Atisha, agrees. "My biggest fear is that in a week, when no-one is watching any more, the backlash for Tibetans will be terrible. That is when we will need to speak for them."
It is an appalling possibility, but a very real one: the world is in danger of witnessing the demise of a nation and its rich, ancient culture. Anyone who has stood, as I have, among the forlorn ruins of one of the 6,000 beautiful old monasteries destroyed in Mao's cultural revolution knows all too well the capability of the Chinese government to eradicate whatever stands in its way, no matter how precious, how peaceful or how vulnerable it is.
To allow this to happen would be obscene. As citizens of a a freedom-loving democracy, it is our moral duty to protect the liberty of others.
We have a prime minister who is elected to carry out our wishes. Tibetans are not so fortunate, but we can speak for them. This is a chance for Australian people, famous for loving a fair go, to do the right thing.
What Tibetans are asking for is hardly extreme. They want independent observers and media to be allowed access to Tibet so we can all know the truth about what's happening there; they want an end to the slaughter of their people, the freedom to practice their religion, a peaceful dialogue between the Chinese leadership and their leader, the Dalai Lama, and they want the basic human rights we take for granted.
The last word goes to Tenpa Amdo, another Sydney Tibetan: "If the free world stood up to China they would have to listen, and find a peaceful way to solve this crisis.
"If you believe in truth, please speak up for us."
Useful links:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=26290
http://www.freedom4tibet.org/
http://www.atc.org.au/content/view/13/76/
COMMENTS
Well written, Amy.
I think what is most important right now is to increase the public awareness about the Tibet crisis. I personally knew nothing about the Tibetan woe until I learned about the riot on the media.
I was brought up under the Vietnamese communist regime which is probably another identical copy of the Chinese one. The education system is way too biased, focusing on how great the Party has done, how much things have been achieved, etc. It is probably safe to say everyone is brainwashed from a young age and grows up with no sense of democracy. I too looked at life under that lense, seeing everything was so pretty and wonderful but in reality there was a lot of thing going behind the scence that the public never knew about.
Now I'm quite fortunate to live in a place where the voice of ordinary people are truly heard not muffled. But not many people are so lucky.
It is certainly about time mankind should know about the evil acts of these martyr governments. IT will be a hard job to stop them completely but at least what we can do is to speak out and face the truth.
- by Huy Vu on March 23, 2008 at 11:44 AM
I was in Australia for 8 years. I was sad to see that people in western country was badly misled by main media in terms of development of China. The comment here is another example of bias and prejustice which are full with double standards. It is inheritage of cold war thinking. All the comments should cover parties involved in the events. Unfortunately, no mention of tremendous help from chinese goverment who poured billions of dollar into Tibet in the last 50 years in this comment to improve living standard of Tibetan people and preserve temples. The author avoids touch of historty that Tibet has been in China's territory for hundreds of years. They forget to tell the readers that thousands of slaves served Dalai lama alone when he was in Tibet. The author also is reluctant to mention how poor the people in Tibet were when Dalai Lama fleed the Tibet. In sight of violence, the author does not show any sympathy to people killed by criminals. In contrast, she even hinted that rioters are disguised by chinese policeman. It seems that the writer has no interests in letting readers know why Dalai Lama instigates this event before Beijing Olympic. All in all, the impression I get is Beijing should have let Tibet be independent. They should not crack down on criminal if they are Tibetans despite the fact that they burned 5 young girls to death in the shops. I just wonder why she was not so keen to write similar comments when Qubec in Canada sought independence in 1990s.
- by Yue on March 23, 2008 at 03:20 PM
You are just as ignorant as other so called western journalists who published the same old deeply biased one side story.
When was last time you had been to Tibet? Ten years, or may be fifteen years ago? If I am telling you that the people have much more freedom than ten years ago in Tibet, would you believe me? The people talked to you have their own agendas. I wouldn�t called them all liars, but have you ever checked their stories? Do they have any concrete evidences to back up their claims?
Dalai Lama called the riots were peaceful demonstration turned violent spontaneous, and you called them provoked. Tell me, Amy, does spontaneous mean walking on the streets carry sticks and knives, have backpack full of rocks, torched every building and cars in its path, killed every Han people they were across, and burning people alive. Yeah, may be just as you claimed, Chinese Public Security Bureau did it.
Thank you John, you deserve to have your say too, and you are lucky that you live in a country where you can do so without risk of imprisonment. The individuals in my story are reliable contacts - if anything, they are probably too honest for their own good - and yes, I have been in Tibet recently - several times in the last three years. AC
- by John on March 23, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Thank you for this poignant and insightful blog on the disgusting human rights violations inflicted on Tibetans. The question is, do world leaders have the courage to take a stand against the Chinese government on these abuses? It would be great to see the Olympics used as a way to protest and draw the world's attention to what's going on in Tibet.
- by Pablo on March 23, 2008 at 04:56 PM
thank you for the article, and let's hope most people who believe in freedom, for the Tibetans people do not watch the Olympic games this year. Let's hope they all protest by turning of the tv set's.
- by henrik mortensen on March 23, 2008 at 07:39 PM
You have put forward a very valid point, you have forgotten about how Aborigines were handled when English settlers went to Australia, how about Columbus landing in USA , oh don't forget about South Africa!
It's all fine and well to stand and judge. I'm not agreeing with China's hard line policy towards Tibet but politics is always about gains.
Did Sadam really have weapons of mass destruction?
This is a good point. Of course we can't ignore our own failings and true, Britain in particular has a much less than clean track record when it comes to imperialism. We cannot take back the mistakes of the past but we can perhaps try to atone for some of them by doing the right thing in future. AC
- by 2 sided on March 23, 2008 at 07:46 PM
Well said Amy,
Perhaps Australians will get as concerned about Tibet as they did about a few whales..or then again maybe not. Where are those do good greenies from the Sea Shepard Organization now?
Do not hold you breath waiting for action though, it seems although the Australian government got all worked about about whaling all that Kevin "Mao" Rudd could say about Tibet was to urge China to "show restraint" or some whimpy words to that effect. (those trips the Chinese paid for must have been pretty good)
Sadly Australia is now in the hands of a government that will only do what is popular while at the same time not offending Beijing.
- by Greg A. on March 23, 2008 at 08:31 PM
anyone who is interested in gaining insight into the current Tibet issue should do a Google search on the article in the online edition of Indian national newspaper The Hindu, titled "The politics of Tibet: a 2007 reality check"
- by hannah on March 23, 2008 at 08:39 PM
Well written, Amy. The world needs more unbiased voices speaking up for Tibet. Unfortunately such articles resonate with readers who are already sympathetic to the Tibetan cause and those who are undiscerning or self-righteous will remain unmoved. I don't know if anything positive will come out of these protests. Just think Myanmar. One can only hope it doesn't lead to a massacre. Buddhism is such a peaceful religion that when even monks are moved to join in protests, something terribly oppressive and unjust must be going on.
- by munch on March 23, 2008 at 08:42 PM
I am a Chinese living in Australia. It is no doubts that Tibet has been part of China for more than 1300 years(Since Yuan Dynasty).
How many of you know this ? Why not UK Government allows North Ireland to be reunited with Ireland? or why not Australian allow aborginal people to have their own country. Even hard to say sorry to "stolen generation' until last year?
And how many of you have been to Tibet?
There are no ways for foreigner or third party can separate Tibet and Taiwan from mainland China. No ways!!!!
- by Jacky Fang on March 23, 2008 at 08:48 PM
The article only tells one side of the story. It is full of prejudice and half truths to believe. I am not convinced of this reporting that this rioting is called peaceful protest! If it happens in our country, riot police will be ther to stop and round up the riorters and trouble makers and put them in jail. Remember the Redfern riot?
Dalai lama is protrayed as a pacifist and he has in fact blood on his hands. It is the Dalai who incites violence, burning, attacking the innocents, torching buildings and cars and killing the innocents that the world would want the account. This is not a peaceful protest and is never the right way to go about achieving their aim.
- by Jack Elliot on March 23, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Can the writer or anyone explains about the logic behind the Chinese provocation theory? Why would the Chinese want to stir up the Tibetans to cause trouble for them before the Olympic? I can only see the inverse is more believable, which is the Tibetans trash up the place so that the Chinese will track down the "peaceful" protests and the Tibetans can stand on the moral high ground to score sympathy.
- by don't understand on March 23, 2008 at 09:22 PM
Good article for spreading out the message on democracy and freedom, and expressing about the current WORLD issues on Tibet.
I think the Chinese will never learned about the word "respect" on human rights as their culture are base on hierarchy and bureaucracy for many thousands of years.
In order to preserve this hierarchical elements, the government will do whatever is takes to ensure the people's ideas are being controlled and monitored, if necessarily disclosed at whatever means.
I certainly don't agree with the action by the chinese government on the Tibetan protester, but i think it would be naive to think the chinese govt will change its course of action if the olympics are being sanctioned or boycott. Still i like your optimism.
- by Gerson on March 23, 2008 at 09:33 PM
All the comments defending China are from Chinese people YOU have been brainwashed .China invaded Tibet killing innocent people , the world must boycott the Olympic Games
- by as on March 23, 2008 at 09:54 PM
This article would have been more balanced if it placed Tibetan issue in its correct perspective i.e. the mistreatment of an ethnic minority by a non-democratic government.
History is replete with similar brutal repression/genocide of minorities e.g. the Kurds in pre-WWII Turkey & more recently in Saddam's Iraq, or the Chechens in modern-day Russia. Sad to say, few of these were widely reported in the western press.
Anyway, this begs the wider question of how conscientious individuals (& governments) in the free world should react to the mistreatment of ethnic minorities in other countries, democratic or otherwise.
- by Michael Hooi on March 23, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Well done Amy,
So good to see you shift your focus away from the social x-rays and vacuous nobodies to write about something that should be a matter of profound shame for the free world.
It needs journalists with a conscience to let people in Australia know what China has been doing to Tibet for the past 50 years; the fact is that far too many Australians have absolutely no idea of the level of brutality and repression inflicted on the Tibetan people. John is a good case in point - a man who accepts the Chinese government's line completely. Over a million Tibetans dead, hundreds of thousands exiled, and over 600 monasteries destroyed - and he thinks the Tibetan response is excessive?
If journalists such as yourself keep hammering away across the free world, then eventually media and political pressure will insist China has to talk to the Dalai Lama about the future of Tibet. If nothing changes before the current Dalai Lama dies, the future for the remaining Tibetan people looks very bleak indeed.
Perhaps the Olympic Games could yet prove to be Tibet's best chance to be heard - we can only hope so. I'm with Henrik - turn off your TV set, and to hell with Beijing and their rotten Olympics. Oh, and the rotten IOC and their self-serving "officials" too.
- by Sam on March 23, 2008 at 10:52 PM
For all readers, no matter what do you think about the Chinese authority, please at least read some Chinese history and use some simple logics and judegement in relation to the article before you take your side. If you need some handy Tibet history education, there is a very popular video on Youtube which will help you get a better understanding of the so-called issue. Reasonable people could easily comprehend who is playing a provoctive role when the Games is approaching. Asking anyone around you who had a chance to travel to Tibet, what did they see? Police using vioence against peaceful demonstrator, or ritors indeed. BTW, Chinses people does cherish the once-in-a-generation chance to hold the Olympics , however, if anyone has any wishful thought or daydream that China could be blackmailed, forget about it and save your hassle.
- by whyuthinkuknoweverything on March 23, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Amy, look at your own backyard. Look at your own aborigines, how you 'white thrash' have reduced to such pitiful state. How you still have the cheek to write about Tibet boggles my mine. You and your discarded John Howard are obviously no different-shameless red neck racists.Come on, admit it. Yes, CHINA! What can you do about?
- by Richard chai on March 23, 2008 at 11:05 PM
how many people in tibet have you talked with? and do you know the number of tibet population? so please dont say you know the truth!
and, tibet is one part of china from nearly one thousand years ago, so please dont say chinese and tibetan.
- by peace on March 23, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Thank you Amy! World is waking up and people should remember. Tibetans are asking for freedom and human rights. My thoughts goes out to all Tibetans who have been killed by Communist govt in the last few days.
love peace and nonviolence= Support Tibet
- by Tenpa on March 23, 2008 at 11:11 PM
AC is a liar.
I will not worry about imprisonment in China by speaking out ( NOT burning, stabbing etc).
I now really worry about that in Australia because of those terror laws.
I don't think now Austrlia has more freedom than China has.
If I can talk to chinese, I would like them to stop the Oplympics.
Personally, I hate Olympics which is an evil dungeon for druggies. Most druggies are only busted years later.
People make China believe it is good to have Olympics. They are wrong.
China already is famous.
It is time to piss off the Olympics.
- by Henry HU on March 23, 2008 at 11:25 PM
What is the difference between the Chinese occupying the land of the indigenous peoples in Tibet and Xinjiang and the Europeans occupying the land of the indigenous peoples in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and South America? The only difference I can see is that the Chinese are yellow and the Europeans are white. If the whites are so concerned about human rights, what about give the land back to the indigenous peoples and let them be the boss and rule the countries.
The world we live in are full of hypocrites!
- by Konpunboyong on March 23, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Interesting article.
To my mind, China is just another bully. And like all bullies, it likes to throw it's weight around.
Unlike the Americans, whose follies are global, the Chinese tend to restrict themselves to lording it over their immediate neighbours, and I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies. Still, as the place grows both in terms of economic strength and it's own sense of self-importance, I expect that will change with time.
Tibet and the tibetans will just end-up being ground to powder, while we sit back and make a buck flogging stuff-off to China.
Enjoy the Olympics, everyone.
- by Evan on March 24, 2008 at 12:31 AM
"- and yes, I have been in Tibet recently - several times in the last three years", the fact that you were able to go there (and more than once) freely, doesn't that tell people something about the current status of Tibet? I do not believe everything the Chinese government tells the world, however, neither do I believe every word that comes out of these 'extremists'. I do not see how there can be any excuse for doing what they did as shown on the news -simply put, rioting. I only know one thing for sure, people who resort to these violent acts sure should not be forgiven and in any country, east or west, it would've been condemned as terrorist act. Can it be forgiven just because it is happening in a country which the west considers to be 'different' and therefore an 'enemy'? If this is what their religion tells them to do, then how is that different to the 'holy war' held towards the west by the muslim extremists? I think you sure have a double standard here. Have you ever imagined what if you were one of the innocent people killed during the right, whether it being Tibetan or Han Chinese? How would you feel about this so called 'peaceful' rally?
- by Anne on March 24, 2008 at 12:37 AM
"Imagine if your country, your home town, your family and friends were out of bounds because a foreign power had invaded Australia and now the only people welcome there were those who agreed to cast off their Australian identity and culture and embrace those of the occupying power. "
That's totally based wrong assumption. You should learn Chinese history, Tibet is not a country at all.
"This week, as increasingly disturbing images of the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan protesters filled our screens, I watched with growing outrage and sorrow. If you believe in freedom, democracy and justice, how could you not?"
How many disturbing images you have seen in terms of crack down? How many images you have seen in terms rioting, killing innocents? If you like, I can show you many western media uses other country's crackdown as Chinese crackdown. If you have any Chinese crackdown images, please let me know the links, I am more interetested to know the fact in Tibet riots. These rioters kill so many innocents, burning houses, even schools, have you seen that? It's not recorded by Chinese media, it's recorded by third party media. Should these rioters be punished? If not, how can we adjustfy 9.11?
"Each Tibetan ended our interview with the same plea: "Tell people to believe us. Tell them to help us. Tell them this could be our last chance." "
That's totally manifested that Dalai Lama's followers just want grip the chance Beijing's Olympic game to do split movement, Richar Gear said the riots are spontaneous, LIE, LIE, LIE.
"On TV it all looked wonderful,"
This no only happened in Tibet, also in other area. It's shame on Communist party, but these things not specially for Tibetens, it's quite common in other area. If there is no human rights in Tibet, I would say there is no human rights in the whole China. All human rights virtually are the same in China. So is this justified to split Tiber from China because of bad human rights record?
To cover up the riots and focus so-called Chinese crackdown in Tibet is what I called western media brainwashing people, because western media is so powerful, even white can be said to be black. Plus some people like you to use your power to influence readers, to cover up the reality, to express your hate to Chinese govenment. I would say, this is the last desperate for Dalai Lama, but he will be failed.
I don't care people boycott Beijing Olympic, but I care Chinese integrity shouldn't be challenged by any people, any organisations and any govenments. If you know Chinese language, you are welcome to see how's Chinese responses.
- by Roland on March 24, 2008 at 12:38 AM
Amy I see you've failed to answer John's questions as to how an alleged 'peaceful demonstration' began with armed men roaming the streets. It is clearly calculated and intended to stir up international sentiments in the lead up to the Olympics. It's always easy to get caught up in emotions and empathise with the underdogs. But what about all those people that's worked all their lives to build up their family businesses and to have all of that burnt down in the fury caused by demonstrators? Let's not turn our backs to all those hard working families that had to suffer the wrath of the Tibetan riots.
Despite being a relatively new territory of China, Tibet has been part of China for much longer than Australia has existed as we know it. And with the number of minority ethnicities in China, it becomes unnecessary to go into the ethnicity argument. I have always pondered how much rational thought has been put behind Western sentiments for independence in Asia (from China to Indonesia). People overlook the complex geopolitical issues involved in these areas of the world and base their arguments on their nothing more than their emotions. It's as if these Asian countries have infinite amount of land that can be peeled off to dissidents and ethnic minorities. As for the Aborigines of Australia they don't deserve one square inch of their land. And if any Mabo decision gives them restricted rights to their land that's just injustice.
All too often arguments like these are based on spontaneous emotions cleverly engineered by the rioters. The real problem of human rights in China then becomes overlooked.
- by Hingles on March 24, 2008 at 12:52 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7302625.stm (China cracks down on news)
This link is not available now, I am sure BBC used wrong images.
I can give you links how western media false report:
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/p/2008-03-21/232315198897.shtml
http://www.lviv.cn/article.asp?id=1238
- by Roland on March 24, 2008 at 01:24 AM
China propanda media has shown the worst they could show about recent protest in Tibet. Now Tibet,a huge country, is completely closed from outside world. One of the principle ingredient of modern olympic is free speech and media reporting, Tibet has none of these, it clearly shows it's occupied country. Now we will never see the massacre they will carry inside Tibet.
- by Well on March 24, 2008 at 01:51 AM
We Tibetan need love and respect for our uniqe Tibetan culture.Tibetan script and culture which is thousand years old is now becomming like latin.killing and brutality of peacefull protesters is not the solution.never never trust the CCP propagenda.If PRC is innocent,why Tibet is
caged in????Why don't let eccess red cross and reporters in Tibet?Why shying away??
- by miggyal on March 24, 2008 at 02:09 AM
The comments of the Chinese stooges pretending to be westerners with false names are hilarious. They should die of shame.
If Tibet was 'a part of China for the last 1000 years', why was it necessary to invade it in 1950?
Why do Chinese authorities pretend Tibet wants independence when it has been made quite clear their simply want autonomy and a say in their own future?
Why do the Chinese deny Tibetans freedom of movement, a basic human right?
What do the Chinese have to hide that they have denied access to the region to the Western media? Can they compare that situation with anything happening anywhere else in the civilised world where the western press are denied access by the local government?
These stooges should also note that 9/11 was an act of terrorism in a foreign land, not an attempt to have self-determination in their homeland. China's state-sponsored terror tactics in Tibet bear closer comparison to 9/11 (and inevitably comparison to Nazi Germany) than the repressed Tibetans and their attempts to throw off the shackles of Chinese tyranny.
If China had nothing to hide, they would never have banned the Western media from entering the area.
If China had nothing to hide, they would allow Tibetans to have free and unhindered access to the outside world.
If China had nothing to hide, they would not censor the internet to its own citizens, never mind its annexed territories.
The Olympics gave China the chance to join the rest of the world in the 21st Century. They have broken that bond and should be exiled into the Dark Ages where they belong.
Their actions, once again, are beneath contempt and shame anyone who condones it or turns a blind eye to it.
Many Chinese people I have met have been good people...but they are the ones who left the country. The Chinese government however is beyond despicable.
They've obviously forgotten what it felt like when they were under the brutal kosh of an invading force as happened when Japan terrorised them in the 1930s.
They were grateful for the West's 'interference' then...
- by Kevin on March 24, 2008 at 03:38 AM
no one has answered John's question yet, I guess it's just not important to you that innocent lives are being lost as a result of this so called "peacefeul riot" because the Tibetan Independence issue is such a great cause. People are basically saying that violence directed at innocents is justified if they feel it's justified, and not justified if they feel it's not justified (Bali Bombing & 911). Now to me, that is hypocrisy. I hope the Aboriginal people stand up for themselves, I'll certainly be telling them to do so when I go to Redfern next time.
I am utterly disgusted at you, Amy Cooper, as well as all your supporters writing in ignorance.
- by Shannon on March 24, 2008 at 08:31 AM
No surprise that many people here thinks Tibet was part of China for 1000's of years. Remember there are 40,000 net police in China. They have part-time, casual and even volunteer to screen words like freedom, Tibet, Dalai Lama, justice, democracy, and so forth.
Some comments here might be one of 40,000
- by Tenzin on March 24, 2008 at 09:42 AM
Amy, I respect that you have a strong emotional feeling about the Tibet issue, but you should respect the basic facts when arguing your points. Calling a riot, where properties were set on fire, shops looted and young girls burnt to death, peaceful demonstration, will only do harm to your cause.
It's almost amusing if the matter had not been so serious, to see in the last few weeks many "respectful" media outlets such as CNN and Washington Post to resort to fact-twisting to present their views. CNN cut off a portion of a photo which showed the rioters were throwing stones on a army trucks, and gave readers the impression that people were running away from the trucks. Washington Post captioned a photo of Napalese police hitting a Tibetan demonstrator as "Chinese Authorities Cracking Down on Tibetan Demonstration". Now you have offered that the Chinese government provoked the riots. Do you have any evidance of that? Have you even given a second thought when coming up with such a theory, so utterly illogical as it is. What on earth can the Chinese government hope to gain by provoking such a riot, as if they haven't enough trouble in their hands.
It is also ridiculous to link the Dalai Lama with democracy, freedom and human rights, and showed your ignorance of the Tibetan culture. Under the Dalai Lama, Tibet is a serfdom theocracy. His Lamaship was determined by incarnation when he was only few months old, and 90% of the population were semi-slaves to him and his theocratic ruling elite. There were no democracy, freedom or human rights.
To those readers who are going to say I am a Chinese government stooge, let's a be clear that I am a Chinese Australian who have lived and worked in Australia for more than 20 years. So if there were any CCP brainwashing, it would have been long gone.
- by Zhao Jian on March 24, 2008 at 12:16 PM
To Kevin:
You said: "If Tibet was 'a part of China for the last 1000 years', why was it necessary to invade it in 1950?"
Have you read chinese history? If not, go back have a read.
Tell me what's Tibetans freedom of movement's objective?
Tell me why western media and Dalai Lama said the riots are sponteneous? You think is spontenous? go read the links by Amy.
Tell me how many western media report violance by these rioters? If chinese cover up riots, why western media do false report? why western media not condemn these violance? are these killing innocents are justified?
From your sentence, you are more happy that innocents even children are killed.
Whatever reasons, killing innocents should be condemned and punished, otherwise where is the justice? Because I hate chinese government, so I can kill innocents?
"They were grateful for the West's 'interference' then..."
Not At All. Such "interference" are not welcomed by any Chinese people, because these kind of interferences are full biased and malicious toward chinese government or China.
- by Roland on March 24, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Insightful well-written piece, thank you. China IS vulnerable to a downturn in export business decline resulting from 5 billions of us outside China simply buying less, or no, "Made in China" goods, say round $15
per person per month to start, for as many years as it takes to cause catastrophic ecomonic dislocation in China. A severely weakened economy will loosen China's stranglehold on Tibet, and might even induce a major change in leadership in China, perhaps resulting in an implosion similar to the former USSR's. No politician or country leader is about to take on China. It is up to us as individuals. "Drop by drop the glass is filled".
- by Tucano Fulano on March 24, 2008 at 12:50 PM
We done Amy. great article. We are placing extra-ordinary faith in Kevin Rudd right now, me too, but maybe Sussan Fey showed us something too last week in parliament about true courage..
Last night I talked to a young Tibetan friend whose 10 year old cousin was beaten almost to death in Tibet last week.
www.beijingwideopen.org shows the very moving interview with the monk Choedak, whose cousin, a fifteen year old nun, was shot to death last week for putting a picture of the Dalai Lama up on a fence!
NOW is the time for the world to show great comapssion and ACTION collectively, to show that the majority of humans are moral. In this Nancy Pelosi is right, articulate and on the ball.
For Australians to understand small details, read Claire Scobie's book 'Last Seen in Lhasa' recently remaindered and cheap now. It is current and truly avoiding all the Tibetan romanticism we Australians use as an excuse not to wake up and take collective action.
I feel frustrated as I listen to Australians in my day complaining about the weather, interest rates, etc etc. and I felt sick at the obliviousness of some of your esponders to the very real situation in Tibet. THANK GOODNESS people like you and some others are reporting what is curtting edge humanity at this moment.
Do people also realise that 46% of the oare the Chinese using the country for industry, mining, military installations and nuclear waste dump, (not to mention genocide) but THEY ARE ALSO RE-ROUTING WATER!
Please don't stop writing. Amy. Australia, it's time to wake up and be a part of what is going to be a turning point for humanity. And it is NOW.
- by Kerry Wright on March 24, 2008 at 01:22 PM
And Munch, last I took up a collection at my school and collected $90.00 which I sent to Burmese monks hiding in Northern Thailand, after escaping reprisals in Burma. This meant they had food and could apply for political asylum, instead of going to a Thai refugee camp in Woop Woop. They are now in New York!
We are not powerless, to help Tibet and Burma! We just have to stay awake.
- by Kerry Wright on March 24, 2008 at 01:26 PM
To the many Chinese you have commented here, PLEASE...PLEASE...we do not need your billions, development and all that crap! We just want our freedom. The Communist China has no business in Tibet. Just leave Tibet and everyone would be happy!
- by Luyultsang on March 24, 2008 at 02:06 PM
Kevin you definitely need a history lesson from one of these 'stooges'. Just to give you a brief preview China was caught up with the Sino-Japanese War and its own civil wars pretty much for the first half of the 20th century. Tibet saw this as an opportunity to secede. And despite this it was not internationally recognised. It was not until after a clear victor emerged in China that it was able to re-establish control of this region. Yes and that sometimes involves force. You've got to realise propaganda can be used from both sides.
"Many Chinese people I have met have been good people...but they are the ones who left the country."
And Kevin when was this ever become an issue of the integrity of the Chinese people? Your ignorance is the type that further fuels these divisive sentiments.
There is definitely a large problem with human rights in China and its refusal to allow free journalism is testament to that. But it's just beyond me why Tibet (keeping in mind that there is no universal human right of secession as opposed to self-determinism) becomes the pinnacle of human rights abuses when there are so many other more significant issues.
- by Hingles on March 24, 2008 at 02:17 PM
While I would accept that there are two sides to the argument about which territory belonged to who in history - does that excuse the METHODS the CHinese use for backing up their claims to this disputed territory? Does any claim, no matter how valid - justify massacre, torture and restriction upon religious expression and human rights? So many of us would respect the Chinese if they behaved like a mature, developed nation instead of dealing with dissenters using these barbaric methods. Stop torturing and incarcerating people and the rest of the world might take you seriously and stop seeing you as an irrational and aggressive bully nation.
- by Miki on March 24, 2008 at 06:22 PM
"..no matter how valid - justify massacre, torture and restriction upon religious expression and human rights? " Miki
No it does not justify for that.. however neither can the cause of so-called 'free tibet' justify for the the bashing and killing of innocent people by the rioters in Tibet. They claimed they were the victims and they wanted an independence of Tibet. Does this give them the excuse to kill and hurt vulnerable innocent peole as shown on the video?? I thought their religion teaches them to be generous, tolerant.. If they only did this to the government officials or the polices, then at least, I could understand their frustration and anger. But to innocent people, whether they being Han Chinese or Muslims? They made me sick! Surely they are not really believe in their religion! They are no better than those who carried out Bali bombing and 911.
- by anne on March 25, 2008 at 12:10 AM
I am a student from China. Although I disagree the so called democracy in China, I dont think the Chinese government is so silly to light up the riot up at this moment, especially before the Olympic games which is goning to held in Beijing. In chinese conventional wisdom. When we try to control somebody, they resent us. When someboy tries to control us, we resent it. So, if the Tibetans didnt feel enough freedom, why didnt they fight for their freedom 1000 years ago? Or 100 years ago? Or 50 years ago? There must be complicit of the people who seperate Tibet from China. But I support my Chinese government to smash these peoples tricks.
- by kai on March 25, 2008 at 01:18 AM
What ever the views on the subject of Tibet that your readers have ,
how fortunate they are to be able to discuss and debate via the blog. I find I have nothing to add except to say how unfortunate that the countries of the world do not learn from events of history, and mans inhumanity to man continues in so many places. I feel very sad for the chinese who have gone into the tibet region over the years and are now suffering from the violence with their businesses destroyed, but I am also very sad that the tibetans have over the years been restricted in their lifestyle and because of the government have not developed a proper relationship with the chinese who moved to be their neighbours.
The chinese government has been all controlling over their vast country, and I am sure that the chinese who have left and live in the west while being rightly proud of their countries history under the emperors must be very thankful that they no longer have to live under the present government. Western governments are not all that good but at least we can critize them freely, and vote them out.
I hope that the fears of the tibetans in Sydney are not realized and there is no massacre.
- by leaflet Lil on March 25, 2008 at 04:52 AM
wonderful piece Amy, we all need to be reminded of the gift of freedom. It would be a very sad day if the wonderful culture of the Tibetian people were lost.
- by Margaret love on March 25, 2008 at 11:17 PM
All the pro-China and Chinese citizen here. Please remember that Tibetans in Tibet are asking for their culture, language and religion to be respected and preserved. Nothing more, nothing less! And those who have written about the voilence against Han Chinese by Tibetans in Lhasa. Well, it was instigated by Communist government. Read this article http://www.phayul.com/news/article.
aspxid=20039&article=Chinese+Regime+Implicated+in+Staging+Violence+in+Lhasa
- by Tenpa on March 25, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Tibet belong to China more than 600 years, and more than 60% other races are living Tibet for generations. Does any country is such being the case, let Tibet go? NO!
China has 56 Races and more than 550 spoken languages, lots of different religions. they are mostly live thier own regions, They are under defferent Chinese rule over Thousands years, some of at least more than 400 years. Do you want them all Independent? NO!!!
The leader of other countries please read little bit the history about China before point the finger out!!!!
- by Jean on March 26, 2008 at 10:44 AM
yeh .. thx for all the craping on about freedom of speech.. blah blah. I had try for the last 2 days posting a comment and somehow it mysteriously refuse to appear.
- by chinese stooge on March 26, 2008 at 04:44 PM
To Roland and any China supporters:
I wonder if you are one of the 40000 net police as mentioned in Tenzin's post lol. Of course in a conflict the innocent people are more vulnerable and they are usually caught in the cross fire. When you say the rioters deserve to be punished, do you guarantee that no innocent Tibetans will be harmed either accidentally or deliberately as we speak? What will guarantee the Chinese government won't use this excuse to apply more pressure on Tibet?
Of course you won't know because Tibet is locked down from the outside world so no foreign journalists can give "false reports". You are more satisfied with what is being fed on Xinhua since it should portray Utopia.
To those who claim Tibet is a part of China, I wonder if they realise it also came from imperialism. Did you see the Tibetans happily gave away their freedom with both hands? If they're satisfied with the way it is how come there're many protests around the world?
I wonder if they know how many times China tried to invade Vietnam and if the Vietnamese didn't fight back I can imagine this day you will also claim the same thing, not just the Spratly and Paracel Islands.
I laugh at those pathetic claim because it's full of hypocrisy. So please don't use other countries as examples to support your claim. Also it's ironic to use other people 's mistake to justify your wrong doings. It will gain no sympathy or respect.
China's tentacle reached the Spratly and Paracel Islands yet the Vietnamese government was too coward to do anything. They could only responded weakly by saying a few words and all the truth sank. It's just like seeing someone robbing you and you can only ask what do you rob me for? There were protests in the street but quickly dismissed and never made it in the local media. Students I talked to online said they wanted to join but their family stopped them because they were fearful of losing their enrolments. My family members in Vietnam are not happy with the government but what can they do? People who don't believe in the government are always labeled as rebels. It's frustrating and pathetic.
The bottom line is you should be open minded, democratic and listen to both sides of the story. Violence is never a good solution whether it is riot or crack down. The real solution is to let the Tibetans express what they want and work out a compromise. But at this rate, it is a luxurious thing to wish for.
- by Huy Vu on March 26, 2008 at 11:17 PM
The reports are now filtering in that the Chinese government were using Chinese PLA soldiers disguised as Tibetans and Tibetan monks started the riots. The evidence is convincing. And based on the past similar behavior of Chinese government, it's highly plausible and likely.
- by Hal on March 29, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Great piece of work, now I know why trash �current fair� shows like TT and ACA last for years. It attempts to bring out people�s emotions and fear. There is no point of letting facts get in the way of prejudice and scaremongering.
I feel as sorry for the Tibetans as I do for the natives in US and Aboriginals in Australia. But if there are some Aborigines group calls for independent and starts a riot, burning down shops and killing other non-aboriginal Australians, I believe you and all your wonderful activist friends would fully support the governments� action in sent in the police and troops if it gets out of hand.
The Aborigines can feel a lot more hard done by than their sorry brothers in Tibet. The Tibetan can claim their homeland to be 1/8 of the total area of the PRC. The population of Tibetans were 2 million in 1950 and 6 million recently (so much for the �slaughtering�, the commies are not doing a good job).
Amy, could you please tell me what is the population of Aborigines since the English �invasion� (I have been taught �white settlement� in primary school, talk about brainwashing) compared to now?
The Tibetan exile government were bunch of religious clergies borne to rule. Worst thing is that they brainwashed the rest of their subjects to accept their spiritual and political authorities. This is worst than Communism, the commies only want to control you when you are alive but those mobs dictate your after-life as well.
Now tell me about freedom and democracy.
I�m not here to defend the PRC government�s policies in Tibet, (this is a job for the Chinese spies, stooges and ungrateful Chinese immigrants) but hope people like you who have a voice to lay out arguments from both sides so that the general public can decide for themselves.
If you are really interested in what has been going on, I would advise you to have a good read of an essay by Melvyn C. Goldstein, Tibet, China and the United States: Reflections on the Tibet Question. (http://omni.cc.purdue.edu/~wtv/tibet/article/art4.html). Even though I disagree with some of his views on history but it is fairly balanced, it detailed the on-going negotiations between the central government and the Tibetan exiles. And here is an extract:
��the exile government was deeply committed to the recreation of a "Greater" Tibet, that is to say a Tibet that included traditional political Tibet and ethnographic Tibet. This had been a goal of previous Tibetan governments (e.g., at the Simla talks in 1913-1914) and was deeply felt, but it was especially important in exile because of the presence of large numbers of Tibetan refugees from those ethnic areas. The Dalai Lama had worked hard since 1959 to meld the disparate refugees into a unified community by including these Tibetans in the exile government as equals, and by setting as a fundamental political objective the inclusion of their areas in a future "free" Tibet. However, the goal of a Greater Tibet was not politically realistic. Tibet had not ruled most of these areas for a century or more, and it is difficult to see how China could have handed over large areas in Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan, many of which included Chinese and Chinese Muslim populations that had migrated there well before the communists came to power in 1949.�
One side wants to control 6 million people and 1/4 of the area of PRC and the other side doesn�t want to relinquish.
This is not about the suffering of the poor Tibetan people, it is all about land, power and control.
Anyone who believed anything otherwise either have their own agendas or just plainly na�ve.
- by chinese stooge on March 29, 2008 at 11:34 PM
Excuse my childish language.
To those who are going on about �brainwashes� from the CCP � forget it. I�ve only had 3 or so years of education in China (and, mind you, I am a Chinese through and through.). We do NOT receive ignorant and one-sided education from our teachers. My parents, both born in the 1960s', lived in china for more than 30 years. They are too not affect by the CCP; in fact, they aren't even members of the party yet. The only reason I'm defending my country right now is because I love China. I'm sure that if anyone pointed out anything negative about Australia or America or wherever you're from, you'd be too, disappointed or upset.
And to those who suspect that I�m one of those net police� All I can say is, I�m a Yr.9 student in a selective school in Melbourne who cannot stand AC�s prejudiced comments on China.
Kevin �
"If China had nothing to hide, they would never have banned the Western media from entering the area."
And I suppose the ''Western media' won't try to twist the truth once again?
"Why do Chinese authorities pretend Tibet wants independence when it has been made quite clear their simply want autonomy and a say in their own future?"
Face it Kevin, TIBET WANTS INDEPENDENCE. Is that message not clear enough?
"Why do the Chinese deny Tibetans freedom of movement, a basic human right?"
- No, of course not. It's their very right to harm innocent people who cannot help themselves been born as a Han.
"The Olympics gave China the chance to join the rest of the world in the 21st Century. They have broken that bond and should be exiled into the Dark Ages where they belong."
Yes, you're 'superior Westerner'. But on issues as such, I can only tell you to SHUT UP.
"Many Chinese people I have met have been good people...but they are the ones who left the country."
So are you trying to imply to that, the Chinese who still remains in China, including friends and relatives of the "good people" you've met, are all filthy, violent and brutal?
To tell the truth, living in Australia and not affect much by the Tibet unrest, I wasn�t that concerned. In fact, I�m sure that most Tibetans are lovely people, having met some myself. One of the classmate of my friend in China is a Tibetan, and she told me that he is very friendly, but feels awkward when discussing the Tibet topic. But, as Zhao Jian mentioned, Tibet is a theocracy under the Dalai Lama. Forgive me if I say that, it�s the rioters who are brainwashed by religion, not us.
America obviously has its eyes on Tibet, while giving out a negative impression about China. So. Puh-leaz people. Don't look at a question one-sided.
- by Zhang on April 19, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Two thoughts.
If the "feudal" system in Tibet was corrupt and the Chinese leadership and strategy is successful, why are so many Tibetans taking such risks to get out of Tibet. Check the community in exile, the risks they took to get out and the dates they fled.
Second thought - if there is nothing to hide, why is the press and free international movement and medical aid banned?
Feels like something is wrong here.
Well done Amy for good article
- by Just thinking on April 20, 2008 at 11:58 PM
POST A COMMENT
Comments Terms & Conditions
When posting comments on blogs you agree to abide by our terms and conditions.
Comments that are offensive, defamatory, unsuitable or that breach any aspects of the terms will be deleted.
Advertisement
RECENT ENTRIES
ARCHIVES
| member centre | network map | mobile | advertise with us | place a classified ad |
a wonderful article, but lets face it. china gets its way with EVERYTHING!!! chinese chauvinism always wins- when have they ever backed down on anything???
the olympics going to china was an absolute travesty- the only way the world can atone for such a blunder is widespread boycott of the olympics- show them what we really think of them.
but unfortunately, money talks. economic concerns are foremost. no country (including australia) wants to damage its economic relationship with china. hence governments around the world prefer, by and large, to turn a blind eye to tibet.