Tibet is erupting!!!
Unless you have been off the Internet in the last week, you’ve seen a stream of news reports about violence in Tibet. Today, it even reached the top news of Yahoo.com (Chinese security forces swarm Tibet; Protests turn violent in Tibet) and front pages of The Economist (Fire on the Roof of the World) and New York Times (Tibetans Clash With Chinese Police in Second City). Even my favorite adventure website MountEverest.net reports on the clash between Tibetans and Chinese troops: Himalaya is burning.
It certainly brings unwanted attention ahead of Beijing 2008 Olympics. The eyes of the world are on China looking how it will react. If it’s business as usual with storming army troops and abusive security forces, it will only reinforce views that China’s attempts at granting more autonomy to Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) are superficial, at best. If the Communist leadership in Beijing concedes that they need to address Tibet differently, it will be a fresh change. The latter looks next to impossible given the latest rhetoric coming out of China accusing protesters of anti-Chinese activities and the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles around the world of splittist tendencies.
Here are more links with up-to-date reporting on the situation in Tibet:
Plus, below is an email from my globe-trotting friend Travelling Z (and his friends) to raise awareness about the current situation in Tibet:
My dear friends,
It’s been long time since I wrote last.
Many of you might know about my interest in the Tibetan culture and Tibet itself. Now with the forthcoming Olympic Games in Beiging has many people focused their aim on highlighting conditions of the Chinese rule in Tibet, the way people are treated there and also the influence China is lately imposing on the outside world. Like many times in the history money are turning the wheel of politic and China indeed has strong economical power in its hands. Many countries lately are overlooking the human rights and bending under the global rule of economical influence. It is interesting and sad to see, how much
bigger influence has economical power over the force treat. People raise against the thread of force, but bent to pamper of riches.You know I am not a person of the politic and also this statement is not a political agitation. I would like to raise a bit of awareness about the recent happenings. To me, they are related not only as to a traveler, someone who met many Tibetans and made friends among them, but at first as to a human being.
There are many “peaceful” protest marches being held through the world to support Tibet. Many countries are forbidding and suppressing them. If you interested, here is some more info:
