China To Close Tibet During Tibetan New Year Festival

BEIJING -- For a fifth straight year, China plans to close Tibet to foreign travelers during a sensitive period starting in mid-February, travel agents said Thursday.

Agent Yu Zhi of the Lhasa Youth Tourist Agency said Thursday the government's tourist administration in Tibet's capital had informed agents that foreign travelers would be banned from Feb. 20 to March 30.

Another agent with the China International Travel Agency in Lhasa, who wouldn't give her name, said she'd been told the ban would end March 20.

The periodic closure of the Himalayan region encompasses the Feb. 22-24 Tibetan new year festival of Losar as well as the anniversary of a deadly anti-government riot among Tibetans on March 14, 2008.

Tensions are especially high this year following the self-immolations of at least 16 Buddhist monks, nuns and other Tibetans. Most have chanted for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

While authorities have never explained the rational behind the annual closure, it's seen as a standard measure based on the assumption that outsiders could either inspire or witness renewed anti-government protests or other conflicts.

"We haven't seen a written notice, but it's the same as previous bans. We were not told about the reasons, but it's probably because of the Tibetan new year," said Yu, the Lhasa agent.

In addition to the coming closure of Tibet proper, traditionally Tibetan areas of Sichuan province and other parts of western China where most of the self-immolations have taken place have been closed to outsiders for months amid a massive security presence.

A clerk with the Lhasa Tourist Bureau denied there was a ban, but declined give her name. Chinese officials often issue orders regarding sensitive political issues only verbally to allow deniability and maintain the impression of control.

Although Chinese citizens are generally exempt from such closure orders, they have dented China's hopes to develop tourism into a major economic driver in one of the country's poorest regions. Many Tibetans resent Beijing's heavy-handed rule and large-scale migration of China's ethnic Han majority to the Himalayan region. While China claims Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time.

Timeline: Tibetan monks protests Chinese rule

Comments

[Zhuubaajie]

02:41 PM on 01/19/2012

That picture above, showing the young child (he couldn't have been more than 7 o 8) in red religious garb of sangha, is a big part of the problem.

It is still not too late - Beijing should ban religious brainwashi­ng. No children (under the age of 18) should be allowed to be brainwashe­d in ANY religious school or institutio­n.

Religion is between a Man and his God or gods. Only mature, responsibl­e human beings can have true freedom of religion and the related freedoms to choose what to believe, or not to believe. It is a crime on humanity to allow tender receptive minds (younger than 18) to be subject to any form of brainwashi­ng. Just as young kids should be banned from Madrasas, so should they be banned from joining the order in any Buddhist monasterie­s before the age of 18.

Historically, I do agree that Beijing truly slipped up on Tibetan policy. If it had learned from the more advanced nations, such as the Brits and the Americans on what to do with natives, Tibet would not still be 95% native speaking and writing the Tibetan script. There'd be total assimilati­on, and no problem at all.

(OK, maybe a native ran casino or three.)

[Huff man]

06:09 AM on 01/20/2012

The chinese are just as brainwashed!!!

[Nizhenben]

02:15 PM on 01/20/2012

That picture is big part of a solution to population explosion and creating peace in the world.

[Karma2U]

01:38 PM on 01/19/2012

China only opened its doors to the greedy turncoat American corporations so they could steal their knowledge and then kick them to the curb to employ only Chinese slave labor. There is no honor among thieves.

[Sock Monkey]

01:36 PM on 01/19/2012

Of course the US cannot, or will not, take a position on the human rights atrocities committed against Tibet because our credit card is maxed out.

Nothing like buying and peddling influence on a global scale.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

[Yorksgal]

01:33 PM on 01/19/2012

Why is China so scared of a few visitors?

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

02:14 PM on 01/19/2012

They bring American made flags.

[Karma2U]

01:30 PM on 01/19/2012

AH China, the right wing's dream society.

[Zhuubaajie]

02:44 PM on 01/19/2012

I don't know what the American right wing dreams, wet or dry.

I do know that the Chinese all around the globe dream China, and for a better tomorrow.

[Huff man]

06:13 AM on 01/20/2012

Really? good to know...

[Dennis]

01:10 PM on 01/19/2012

The Chinese could easily solve their Tibet problem by having Mitt Romney come over and fire Tibet.

[Dennis]

01:10 PM on 01/19/2012

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[sachazg]

12:52 PM on 01/19/2012

Tibet is not a part of china. The longer china keeps up this oppression, the harder it will be to fix its standing in the world. Just ask Germans about the same after the holocaust. It has lasted several generations!

[Zhuubaajie]

02:49 PM on 01/19/2012

Beijing's rule over the Tibetan area (for over 700 years) is a lot longer and much more legitimate than American claim to the American continent (only 250 years). HOW MANY Jews did the Germans kill? WHAT is the Jewish population in Germany to day? What is the "Native American" population in America today (even if you count the 1/128th natives that are entitled to own casinos)?

Americans clearly did a much more thorough job with the natives than China - today in the Tibetan areas, the natives are still over 90% of the population, and they still read and write the Tibetan script (taught in schools).

[Cammi Vaughan]

05:29 PM on 01/21/2012

China has occupied Tibet for 62 years. No doubt they claim longer. The Chinese army also made it there in 1910, but during the Chinese Revolution in 1911 those Cinese troops were cut off, revolted against their officers, and were driven out by the Tibetans in 1912.

[Frizzle Fry]

12:41 PM on 01/19/2012

hey look on the bright side. at least china is murdering them and selling their organs on the black market like they do their own citizens (falun gong).

[disporting]

12:25 PM on 01/19/2012

I don't think the people of Tibet want to become a major industrial center or financial center with skyscrapers. They seem to want the freedom to live their lives in their own way.

[Zhuubaajie]

02:50 PM on 01/19/2012

Tibet is part of China. The central government decides, and plans, on the highest and best use of any and all resources of China, for the benefit and use of the largest number of citizens.

[disporting]

04:44 PM on 01/19/2012

Yes, Tibet is currently part of china. Yes, the central government decides, plans the best use for any and all resources in China. And yes, for the benefit of the largest number of people. I do not agree with their actions. While it is important to serve the most number of people, the minority still have rights. The majority should never get their way when it comes at the expense of the minority.

[Fred997]

05:20 PM on 01/19/2012

So it is OK that when I grew up in the late 50's and early 60's China moved into Tibet and killed hundreds of monks and then burned down most of the buildings related to religion. This was a wholesale invasion. Tibet has a very limited population and has always been peacfull. Back then the Chinese were on a rant to do away with all religion. This area has always been under limited control partly because it is so remote and China pretty much left this area under locals control. I guess the victor in a war writes the history.

[Asia 1]

12:18 PM on 01/19/2012

I'm rather pleased about this ... The foreign "do gooders" who want to help the Tibetans don't really know the local situation. Tibetan Monks have ruled Tibet for centuries and have used the serfs and poor population for slaves to support their comfortable lifestyle in the monasteries. That's why you only hear of monks setting themselves ablaze. They want their slaves back. China has raised the standard of living and freed the poor in Tibet. They don't need outside interference to support the Monks as the poor are frightened that acceptance of freedom will cause the Monks to ex-communicate them from their religion. Keep up the good work China.

[El Justiciero]

12:31 PM on 01/19/2012

sounds like propaganda to me.

[Frizzle Fry]

12:40 PM on 01/19/2012

haha - this guy is totally brainwashed.

[Ron Hinchley]

12:08 PM on 01/19/2012

That's our most favored nation trading partner. We learn a lot from China. In the 2016 election we're going to close New Hampshire and Iowa.

[Alois SaintMartin]

12:49 PM on 01/19/2012

Or Arizona, Or Wisconsin ?

[GO-BAMA]

12:07 PM on 01/19/2012

Tried to visit last year from Nepal, but the Chinese make it almost impossible for western foreigners. Heard some pretty scary stories from people who made it in. Terrible what they're doing to this place.

[Alois SaintMartin]

12:50 PM on 01/19/2012

Save The Yeti !

[Sockme]

01:33 PM on 01/19/2012

You obviously didn't try very hard. It's not hard at all to get into Tibet (unless of course there is some kind of poltical protest or event).

[GO-BAMA]

05:34 PM on 01/19/2012

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Not hard at all!? I lived in Asia for years and tried to visit Tibet a number of times from different countries. The Chinese keep it locked down, protests - which are squashed immediately every time - or no.

[pyea5]

12:05 PM on 01/19/2012

let's just close the mexican border that would be a great start to the new year

[Alois SaintMartin]

12:51 PM on 01/19/2012

Never Poor New Wine into Old Wine Skins,
Nver Cook a Lamb in its Mothers Milk ~

[Anne Mccormick]

11:56 AM on 01/19/2012

well of course China will do this. Beijing doesn't want any protests over its illegal occupation of Tibet.

[Alois SaintMartin]

12:52 PM on 01/19/2012

Bring the Boys Back Home !