China/Tibet, and the Olympics... and America
There's been an official total news blackout in Tibet, so information that is leaking out is difficult to confirm. It hasn't been easy to get there even previously, very few reporters and/or Westerners were allowed in and required special passes. Missionaries have been kicked out, out of concern that they were agitating the locals to riot. Concerned about the upcoming Olympics, China is doing what many other countries do when about to host the world in a public way - they put activists on trial, or even better, just quietly in jail where they have no voice, create no opposition. Or they kill them.
China has been brilliant though, the person that has been stating most clearly that Tibet does not want independence is the Dalai Lama himself. They're just waiting for him to die so they can put someone else in his place, and Tibet will firmly stay part of China. He's threatening to retire from his position if the protests continue to be violent, which of course leaves China even more gleeful than before - they may not have to wait for his death, they say he's masterminding the violent protests, and linking him negatively with the Olympics ("Dalai Lama Wants to Sour Olympics"). China and Tibet have a long history together in any case, a key point that many well-intentioned outsiders totally miss.
Today in cities across the world people are protesting at Chinese embassies, but this probably won't receive too much mainstream coverage. Despite China's promise to work on improving human rights (something they agreed to in order to have the honor of hosting the Olympics), there's really been no sign of such things. What they have done is efficiently increased their political and economic clout so that despite the human rights violations and the terrible environmental situation (a real hazard to the health of the athletes, not to mention to everyone else) no one is even talking about boycotting the all-important Olympics. Well, save for an individual athlete here or there.
When I visited China, the oddest thing I discovered was that everyone there perceived themselves as some kind of international underdog, as if China was some kind of country bumpkin, aware of their status as such. The desire to be "modern" was palpable, and the Olympics are seen as reclaiming some kind of glory and self-respect which have been lost through the years. Like Iran, China (well the Han at least) perceive themselves as part of a proud, powerful kingdom unbroken in lineage for thousands of years. They remember well the wrongs they have incurred, the Opium Wars, the Treaty of Nanking, Boxer Rebellion and the Rape of Nanking (to name a few), shameful humiliations and atrocities by the Modern West and the Japanese. They have not forgotten.
The Tibetans are an annoyance, and due to the remoteness of their region, haven't quite been absorbed like the other minority groups. So they built the railroad, they've been moving Han Chinese out there as rapidly as they can, they've torn down traditional Tibetan structures/restructured their way of life. These nomads have been given modernized housing and health care, but they have no way of continuing life the way it was or using the skills that they know. They resent the Han invaders, but they're gaining indoor plumbing and electricity. The younger Tibetans that are impatient for change appear to be less likely to head the Dalai Lama's calls for peaceful protest. Nevermind that the Panda, the national symbol of China, is from Tibet. The Sinoization of Tibet continues.
It's a similar story and situation that has been repeated throughout the world. The quest for Tibetan independence is probably hopeless. Even if the protestors are nonviolent, the Chinese have no qualms with being violent. The Chinese are comfortable with the use of propaganda.
The UN considers this to be an internal matter. The world is too busy enjoying Chinese investment, goods, ownership of American debt to care.
The last time the US tried to mention human rights to China, they just pointed out Guantanamo, how prisoners are locked up without due process. China now tops the list on carbon emissions. But the US is number 2. Oh and China owns us. So don't be expecting the US gov't to be doing anything about this situation either. After all, we're pretty familiar with locking up protestors before anything actually happens, and know all about wiping out minority cultures through invasion of their land. We may not have thousands of years of mythological history to look back to for ancient military and moral glory, but many Americans have turned the founding fathers into sainted geniuses, interpret the Constitution as justifying their beliefs/values/way of life, and ignore the concerns of the still-oppressed minorities who live within our defined borders.
It will be interesting to see what will happen in the future in regards to the Tibet/China situation, and how China will handle having the Olympics, the eyes of the world focused on them. Just don't expect the US to do anything about it.
China has been brilliant though, the person that has been stating most clearly that Tibet does not want independence is the Dalai Lama himself. They're just waiting for him to die so they can put someone else in his place, and Tibet will firmly stay part of China. He's threatening to retire from his position if the protests continue to be violent, which of course leaves China even more gleeful than before - they may not have to wait for his death, they say he's masterminding the violent protests, and linking him negatively with the Olympics ("Dalai Lama Wants to Sour Olympics"). China and Tibet have a long history together in any case, a key point that many well-intentioned outsiders totally miss.
Today in cities across the world people are protesting at Chinese embassies, but this probably won't receive too much mainstream coverage. Despite China's promise to work on improving human rights (something they agreed to in order to have the honor of hosting the Olympics), there's really been no sign of such things. What they have done is efficiently increased their political and economic clout so that despite the human rights violations and the terrible environmental situation (a real hazard to the health of the athletes, not to mention to everyone else) no one is even talking about boycotting the all-important Olympics. Well, save for an individual athlete here or there.
When I visited China, the oddest thing I discovered was that everyone there perceived themselves as some kind of international underdog, as if China was some kind of country bumpkin, aware of their status as such. The desire to be "modern" was palpable, and the Olympics are seen as reclaiming some kind of glory and self-respect which have been lost through the years. Like Iran, China (well the Han at least) perceive themselves as part of a proud, powerful kingdom unbroken in lineage for thousands of years. They remember well the wrongs they have incurred, the Opium Wars, the Treaty of Nanking, Boxer Rebellion and the Rape of Nanking (to name a few), shameful humiliations and atrocities by the Modern West and the Japanese. They have not forgotten.
The Tibetans are an annoyance, and due to the remoteness of their region, haven't quite been absorbed like the other minority groups. So they built the railroad, they've been moving Han Chinese out there as rapidly as they can, they've torn down traditional Tibetan structures/restructured their way of life. These nomads have been given modernized housing and health care, but they have no way of continuing life the way it was or using the skills that they know. They resent the Han invaders, but they're gaining indoor plumbing and electricity. The younger Tibetans that are impatient for change appear to be less likely to head the Dalai Lama's calls for peaceful protest. Nevermind that the Panda, the national symbol of China, is from Tibet. The Sinoization of Tibet continues.
It's a similar story and situation that has been repeated throughout the world. The quest for Tibetan independence is probably hopeless. Even if the protestors are nonviolent, the Chinese have no qualms with being violent. The Chinese are comfortable with the use of propaganda.
The UN considers this to be an internal matter. The world is too busy enjoying Chinese investment, goods, ownership of American debt to care.
The last time the US tried to mention human rights to China, they just pointed out Guantanamo, how prisoners are locked up without due process. China now tops the list on carbon emissions. But the US is number 2. Oh and China owns us. So don't be expecting the US gov't to be doing anything about this situation either. After all, we're pretty familiar with locking up protestors before anything actually happens, and know all about wiping out minority cultures through invasion of their land. We may not have thousands of years of mythological history to look back to for ancient military and moral glory, but many Americans have turned the founding fathers into sainted geniuses, interpret the Constitution as justifying their beliefs/values/way of life, and ignore the concerns of the still-oppressed minorities who live within our defined borders.
It will be interesting to see what will happen in the future in regards to the Tibet/China situation, and how China will handle having the Olympics, the eyes of the world focused on them. Just don't expect the US to do anything about it.