When I Think of Tibet
As the weeks go by and tensions and violence escalate in Tibet, it makes me more and more anxious. Tibet is a beautiful, mysterious country. I visited many years ago, and although there were always problems (I remember one incident when my travel party was delayed for several hours because of public executions!!) it was much calmer than it is now.
There isn't enough air, which makes everyone who is just visiting a little high. To add to the trippy nature of the place, pretty much every site is religious. Even the graffiti is of different incarnations of Buddha - painted all over the sides of mountain rocks. If you felt sick, you were encouraged to meditate on the cool, indigo blue medicine Buddha, the deity whose color reminded me of the Milk of Magnesia bottle, whose image would soothe, coat and relieve as you pondered upon it. Tibet has the most challenging toilets in the world. I have been everywhere and I can attest to that! Hands down, Tibet is the number one worst place to go number two.
But to counter that, Tibet has the best-looking people in the world. They are Asian but with light eyes! Like green and blue! So everyone kind of looks like they are wearing contacts but they are not. I remember sitting in the courtyard of the Drepung monastery, watching all the gorgeously hot monks draped in their deep red robes, flinging their prayer beads at each other as they argued about philosophy while trying to steal looks at us at the same time. I know you aren't supposed to hit on celibate people so I just sat on my hands the whole time and tried not to make eye contact for more than three seconds. Girl, it was hard!
I also loved the dog monastery, a special temple for wayward monks who have reincarnated into dogs. The grounds are covered in dogs of every size and shape and breed and hue, silently pondering the cycle of birth and rebirth. Squirming litters of puppies wriggle underneath their dog mothers and their distinguished elders nap in the patches of sun breaking through the clouds. There is no barking, no howling, no fighting, and miracles of miracles -- no poo! -- nothing but the quiet mediation of dogs and monks. You are allowed to feed the dogs small pieces of dough, and they actually wait in line! When I think of Tibet, I remember the politeness of the dogs, pulling back their dog lips and ever so gently taking the food from my hand with their open teeth, not wanting to bite my hand accidentally and then looking warmly into my eyes with a silent thanks. The thought of rioting and looting and blood in the streets there is too painful to comprehend.
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Interesting piece in the Washington Post by China's leading human rights activist just imprisoned by the PRC for daring to speak the truth in his own country!
http://www
hpid=opinionsbox1
And in case that address doesn't work properly here is the article it was taken from on HuffPO.
http://www
A few of his quotes:
"To clear space for Olympic-related construction, thousands of civilian houses have been destroyed without their former owners being properly compensated. It has been reported that over 1.25 million people have been forced to move because of Olympic constructi
Rule of Law, the activities of Teng Biao, Hu Jia and Chen Guangcheng are admirable. Teng Biao and Chen Guangcheng are both civil rights lawyers who are reforming the system from within, using legal means, to promote the Rule of Law in China. They aim to institutionalize civil rights in China by basing their activities on Chinese law. They challenge the system to put the muscle behind the skeletal legal framework which China has built in the last 30 years of reform.
They have allies within the Chinese government who are seeking to create a strong civil rights system.
Most foreigners often do not understand the central vs local government conflict. The U.S.1960's Civil Rights Movement involved (mostly) abusive local government, with the feds being asked to extend Constitutional rights to the States. The Chinese central government is generally better than the often inept and corrupt local government. But the problems are too many and will take the central government decades to manage. Think Tammany Hall, Chicago Daly Machine and New Orleans police, multiplied by 1,000 - how to solve them all at one time? Not sure popular voting will do it.
These reformist activities should be supported by the international community to the extent that it promotes positive change in China. Foreigners need to be very sensitive that well-meaning "help" doesn't set back the civil rights movement by strengthening the hand of hardliners.
Regarding Teng Biao, Hu Jia and Chen Guangcheng, in my view, foreigners can help China by using the same arguments that these activists themselves use - Chinese society needs to follow and enforce Chinese law.
In my view, it would hurt the efforts of these activists if foreigners use their "insider" critiques of the Chinese government as a basis for "China-bashing" and advocating breakdown of relations. These would be moving backward, not forward. So advocating boycotts of any kind (whether economic or sporting or cultural or political) would tend to worsen the civil rights environment in China.
There is also the danger of "human rights imperialism". Google this term and decide for yourself.
In the U.S., there is the danger that demonizing China on human rights will lead to a breakdown in relations, and a rise of jingoism. It's happened before.
Personally I believe in building strong economic, cultural, educational, charitable, and yes, sporting ties, to create stronger civil institutions in China as the best way to promote civil rights there. For example, the Strategic Economic Dialogue is very important for both Americans and Chinese http://www
I believe Teng Biao, Hu Jia and Chen Guangcheng. I don't believe all the exaggerations, half-truths and propaganda from the Tibetan exiles. I don't agree with calling for boycotting the Olympics or interfering with the torch relay.
Ypi just don't get it. This isn't just about lofty civil rights goals - its about having Tibetan people having some control over their own government and culture. Its about the Tibetan people being ruled at the local, state and national level by the Han. Its about having their traditional lands confiscated and redistributed to Han settlers. Its about having your culture degraded by Han institutions. They don't want to be Chinese, they don't want to have their culture wiped out by Chinese culture. They desire some measure of governmental and cultural autonomy.
You say "Personally I believe in building strong economic, cultural, educational, charitable, and yes, sporting ties, to create stronger civil institutions in China"
Thats great for China, but how does it help the Tibetans feel like they have some measure of representation?
Interesting discussions at PBS.org
http://dis
Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Sunday, April 06, 2008
BEIJING - Saying Tibet is "China's problem," a high-ranking Olympic official warned athletes Saturday not to engage in political protests at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games or risk serious sanctions.
Mario Vazquez Rana, president of the Association of National Olympic Committees, also became the latest IOC official to dismiss calls for a boycott by some European politicians, whom he said are "committing a serious error" by trying to link China's treatment of Tibet to the Olympics.
Ok, so let's get this straight Mario---the invasion, murder of thousands and 60 years of enslavement is "China's problem," not a concern for every humanitarian in the world? Not an issue for people with consciences and hearts?
Sanctions will be enforced against athletes who dare question your insane Party Line? Sounds like a threat. And nations, like France, showing much more courage than this beaten dog of a country, also face your implied threat for their "serious errors?" You do realize, Mario, how damned much your talk sounds like something from the mouths of the PRC ministry of Crappola?
Tell you what, Mario--You want to remove politics from the Olympics, then lets' start by throwing out all those national uniforms and flags and banners and chants of "USA USA" etc etc. Because, my weaselly little friend, the olympics have been Nothing But an excuse for Politics and National Pride since the very first one. At least those guys played naked.
This is the behavior of bullies. The behavior of a totalitarian tyranny so weak that just the picture of the Dalai Lama makes them shake in their jack boots. An entire government built on fear and lies that does not have the courage of its own convictions; the strength to allow open and free discourse, free press, and Freedom for those who seek it.
BEIJING (AFP) - China's top official in Tibet, rejecting a demand of activists around the world, has insisted that the Beijing Olympics torch relay will pass through the Himalayan region as planned.
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The iconic flame was Sunday carried through London, where demonstrations against the Chinese crackdown in Tibet saw 37 protesters arrested, but the Dalai Lama urged Tibetan exiles not to disrupt events leading up to the Games.
Zhang Qingli, the most senior Chinese Communist Party official in Tibet, told local leaders that Beijing was in no mood to listen to the demands of demonstrators calling for the route to be changed.
The PRC INSISTS! They are in NO MOOD! They will have what they want, when they want it, because, as their minister of BS says, "You're not the boss of me!" What cowards and bullies they are.
"The thought of rioting and looting and blood in the streets there is too painful to comprehend
What about here, as the depression deepens and there's no impeachment?
23, you know, as a fan, i agree that our country sets one of the worst examples in the world. And that's the direction these spooks want to take the discussion, because they thrive on distraction and obfuscation. Throw enough rice up into the air and hope that the chaff blinds the world to your militaristic imperialism and weak justifications.
What they still don't get is that over 70% of Americans hate what this regime (Bush) has done and won't argue any of those points here. So their entire strategy of pushing our faces in what this rogue government of ours has done, and then trying to equate That Bad Behavior with what the PRC does as some warped sort of rationale, just doesn't wash! These guys are supposed to be the next rulers of the world, if you buy into their party line, and they can't even figure something as simple as that out?. What dupes.
Saying that America has made mistakes, and we have--what country hasn't?--as a way of excusing their subjugation of not just Tibet, but Mongolia, and many smaller ethnic sects that are persecuted and never reported on, is the Global equivalent of 3rd grade playground, "Well, Johnny did it too...!" Bs. If that's their best shot, then they have a long way to go to supplant the old European families that run this world and are bleeding us dry.
i don't get it. i think it is just bad timing. the dogs in line was funny but chinese imperialism is no joke!
Thursday February 28, 2008
China detains Mongolian dissident at airport - report
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police detained an ethnic Mongolian dissident at Beijing airport as he arrived from Mongolia, a country of which he is now a citizen, according to a report from an exiled human rights group.
Jiranbayariin Soyolt, originally from China's Inner Mongolia, was placed in handcuffs when he landed on Jan. 7 from Ulan Bator for a business trip, the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Centre said in an emailed statement.
Soyolt was a leader of the 1981 Mongolian Student Movement, which was formed to protest Chinese government plans to move Han Chinese into Inner Mongolia, the group said. He went into exile in Mongolia in 1992 and was granted citizenship there in 1997.
His detention has only just come to light because the Chinese government had told his family not to talk to the press "in order not to make things worse", the statement said.
"Under this threat, family members and friends of Soyolt have kept quiet and waited for his release until fairly recently," it added.
It is not clear exactly why he has been held, though the group cited him as telling his business partner that it was because there was "some issue with his passport".
Decades of migration by the dominant Han have made Chinese Mongolians a minority in their own land, officially comprising less than 20 percent of the almost 24 million population of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region.
Tibet isn't China's only problem. Resentment still simmers in its traditionally Muslim Central Asian frontier, which shares borders with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Russia, among other countries.
The ethnic problems in Xinjiang for Beijing come on top of nearly a month of anti-government riots and protests in Tibet and in several other provinces with sizable Tibetan populations.
China has often used harsh repression to control the Uighurs, who speak a Turkic language and whose customs and religion are distinct from the ethnic majority Han Chinese. The government has also flooded Xinjiang, which means "New Frontier," with military personnel and migrants who control much of the economy, fueled by rich oil and natural gas reserves.
"They have no culture and they don't try to study and improve themselves," said a Chinese delivery driver who would only give his surname, Wang, because he said the government didn't want him to speak ill of the Uighurs. "Most businesses don't want to hire them. That's why they hire Han Chinese. Their religion, Islam, it's no good. It fills their heads with nonsense."
Ah, yes; The voice of the "New China," all tolerance and acceptance and brotherhood. Except if there is much needed oil or natural gas involved. Look for open rebellion soon in Mongolia as well...
The jailing of prominent Chinese dissident Hu Jia on Thursday for subversion added to concerns around the world that the human rights situation in China was worsening ahead of the Games.
But China showed no signs of backing down on Saturday.
The state-run Tibet Daily quoted the region's deputy Communist Party chief as telling a group of influential monks that "reinforcing patriotic education" was now a top priority.
HuffPost's Pick
Shanghaislim - I posted most of this earlier, but it's way back there, so to bring it to the fore:
In 1959, 10,000 Tibetans were killed by Chinese troops, who had been sent to Tibet to crush a rebellion.
Now, in the last few years, the Chinese have come up with a better plan...the
Now, in the last few weeks, there have been new protests and lo and behold!!! Here come the Chinese troops and security forces to gas, beat, and shoot the protestors. Nothing has changed really, except it looks like the Chinese will finally succeed in destroying Tibetan culture once and for all.
Shanghaislim, you seem to have read quite a bit about Chinese History, but there's nothing like a current club in the face or bullet to the head to make all historical reference praising the Chinese go right down the toxic toilet.
Excellent post, Mark!
marko77, to be fair, it is deplorable that traditional Tibetan culture loses out. But isn't this an issue generally of globalization, modernity, and rising incomes, and technological change?
So Western tourists who go to Dharamsala to imbibe the mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism have no impact at all on traditional Tibetan culture?
The Tibetan exiles who have learned English and become activists, wearing blue jeans, like rock music and using mobile phones - this is not evidence of "destroying" traditional Tibetan culture? I'm sure there was a whole lot of that in the traditional theocratic feudal society of pre-1959 Tibet. Why is this not considered "cultural genocide?" Western culture is sweeping the globe, and China as well. Is this not also cultural genocide? Would you say no to Starbucks in Tibet? How about a 5-star hotel?
We worry about the dying out of all kinds of traditional cultures in the U.S. Mississippi Delta Blues is an important cultural tradition, but preserving it shouldn't be an argument to stop economic development efforts in the deep South. The issue is appropriate sensitivity which is appropriate to discuss.
The reality is that culture evolves in the face of changes in technology. Your view is positively Luddite. No, actually, its racist and elitist: Get me away from the "tacky Chinese tourists". Ewww! What if I wrote "tacky white American tourists" should stay out of New Orleans?
wonderingstar
I would oppose 5 star hotels and Starbucks in Tibet because both will destroy the age-old pristine atmosphere, although that has already begun. There's more to life than "flash and trash," but if that's what you want, you can find it in many other places.
What is "luddite" about wanting to preserve a unique and age-old atmosphere? What does that have to do with resisting new technology??? I think nothing. Must all the countries on the world become subservient to the whims and wishes of the well-connected and ecomomically powerful?? I hope not.
"Tacky white American tourists" visit New Orleans all the time, and there's no problem there - but tacky Chinese tourists will help to turn Tibet into a Disneyland that is not wanted or needed.
Your logic runs: "Economic prosperity = Chinese totalitarianism, disregard for human rights, systematic, intentional destruction of a culture for the purpose of political domination
Dude, what has China done to preserve their culture? Tibet has enjoyed a historically unique culture due to it's adjacency to India. When Buddhism fell in India, a lot of Monks left India for China through Tibet (to escape persecution). The native Han's always distrusted these immigrants and this is even apparent in today's Chinese pop culture (anyone remember Chinese Ghost Story?"...
I suggest you ramp up on history ...
"...it is deplorable that traditional Tibetan culture loses out. But isn't this an issue generally of globalization, modernity, and rising incomes, and technological change?"
All of the things you mentioned do tend weaken traditional cultures, but traditional cultures usually invite these changes into their lives. But Tibetan culture is being weakened much quicker and much more deliberately by a force that they did not choose to let in - the Han government and people. Tibetan culture is being affected by Han settlers flooding in Lhasa, controling local businesses and politics, and constructing houses on what was Tibetan land.
The incident was sparked when a team of government officials attempted to enforce patriotic education at the Tongkor monastery in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, according to the London-based Free Tibet Campaign and the International Campaign for Tibet.
But the monks refused to criticize the Dalai Lama, and thousands of paramilitary troops searched the monastery for pictures of the exiled Tibetan leader. Two monks were detained after his pictures were found in their quarters.
Troops opened fire on a crowd of several hundred Buddhist monks and several hundred more citizens who had marched on local government offices in Donggu town to demand the release of the monks, the activist groups said.
The U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia said Saturday it had unconfirmed reports that up to 15 people were killed and dozens more injured in the violence.
It is confirmed that hundreds of thousands of Iraqs have died as a result of the Ameican invasion of Iraq in what was purported to be an attempt to impose American values and ways on the Iraqis. However, it is know the real reason was to gain control over oil. Four thousand American soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands have suffered serious injuries. Many American contractors have also been killed. The Iraqi infrastructure has collapsed and Iraqis live with electricity shotages which limit them to only a few hours of electricity a day. Violence has caused infinite damage to homes and religious sites. The museum which housed the most important relics concerning the emrgence of civillization was looted despite the promises of President G. W. Bush to protect it. American tanks and personnel situated close to the museum did nothing to protect this museum but American tanks and personnel did protect the Iraqi Ministry of Oi.
How can you compare Iraq with Tibet? I am not saying I was ever for Iraq war, but at least free press is allowed there, when the government changes in Nov., we will pull out. We never invaded because we thought it was our historic right to, because some 8th century king said somewhere that Iraq was part of US and had a few maps drawn just in case, showing Iraq was part of US.
YOu need to know what you are talking about before you start typing..
I think what happened in Iraq was a crime. What happened in Tibet is also a crime. I oppose imperialism where ever it happens - in Iraq or Tibet. I hope that after the election, Bush officials will be prosecuted for war crimes. I am very doubtful that the Chinese government will ever be forced to face trial for their crimes in Tibet.
That is so sad... they are trying to erase the Dalai Lama from people's consciousness. I can only assume what they are attempting is cultural genocide, where new generations of tibetans will grow up not knowing about the dalai lama, or tibetan culture.
China vowed Saturday to ramp up a campaign requiring Tibetan Buddhist monks to denounce the Dalai Lama and declare their loyalty to Beijing.
But resentment over "patriotic education" has ignited protests that have left eight people dead in recent days in a southwestern province and could fuel future unrest despite a massive security presence aimed at quelling the demonstrations.
The Tibet Daily newspaper reported Saturday that the government pledged to "strengthen patriotic education" especially among young monks to help them "become patriotic, religion-loving and law-abidin
"We should strengthen patriotic education so as to guide the masses of monks to continuously display the patriotic tradition and uphold the banner of patriotism," the paper quoted Hao Peng, Tibet's deputy Communist Party chief, as saying.
China has been using the much-reviled practice of enforcing patriotism education for more than a decade in an attempt to exert greater control over religion. The practice requires monks to do ritual denunciations of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and accept the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, the second-highest ranking Buddhist leader.
Rule of Law - If only American fanatics such as Hagee et al could be taught to be law abidding patriots and not try to initiate the end of the world by supporting Israel when it engages in provocative and illegal acts.
2B.
"The deplorable human rights situation in Tibet added weight to this conclusion. But in recent years, as a result of speaking with many Chinese, both in China and overseas, and reading a wide variety of publications by Chinese authors (both inside and outside the PRC), my inescapable conclusion is that they do sincerely believe the party line. This is true of most overseas Chinese, as well as residents of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Their commitment to its veracity is as strong as that of the Tibetans to their own paradigm, and any problemization of it is generally viewed as dangerous, the crumbling edge of a slippery slope that leads to the destruction of the certainties that sustain the Chinese worldview and the Chinese state.
The certainty with which most Chinese accept their "regime of truth" with regard to Tibet should give pause even to the most passionate Tibet activist. Chinese people commonly assert that they have a valid perspective that has largely been ignored by a world that is either ignorant of the facts or deliberately misrepresents Chinese actions in Tibet. They claims that trying to present their case to pro-Tibet foreigners is like arguing with a brick wall -- exactly the experience their opponents have with them. In this situation, it seems likely that both sides will continue to argue at cross-purposes, and it is difficult to imagine a resolution in light of the incommensurability of their respective premises and sources of evidence."
I am less concerned with what Americans or Chinese believe or want for Tibet, as I am concerned with what Tibetans want for Tibet. It is their homeland, not the Taiwanese homeland, not the American homeland, and they should have a voice in how it is governed. The Tibetans should decide how Tibet is governed - not you, not me, not a European. The only thing that I am arguing for is for THEM to be given a voice - via vote, public forum, etc, to decide what they want for their homeland, and in 50+ years, the Han government has refused to let this happen.
These are great words---
"Without compassion you can conquer a nation, in the end you leave a trail of destruction and death. Without compassion you can win through your arrogance but you cannot gain people's acceptance.
Too bad the PRC doesn't take to heart what their operatives say here!
By the way, I have a good command of many languages; Chinese just doesn't happen to be one of them. And since it looks like my last "last word" post was lost, I'll try to paraphrase it for you. You recommend a book you haven't read, quote a passage from the Amazon review and expect me to take this as the "last word" in Tibetan history? I prefer to deal in facts and the facts are, that on the internet can be found thousands of documents that prove, beyond any doubt, the existence of a Free and Independent Tibet going back to your Ming dynasty, at least. Let's leave Iraq and other nonsense news items, that just serve to distract from these facts, out of the discussion, hmmm? I won't defend American policy, its media and a lot more. You, one of you accuse me of being egotistical, and you are right; because in America, and the West, people are actually encouraged to think for themselves, and that's a good thing. So, thank you!
Rule of Law, Sorry, part 2 of my 3-part post did not upload for some reason, rendering my entire post somewhat incomprehensible, so your incredulity is understandable.
The 250-word comment limit is a real pain! Here again is Part 2 (now split into 2A and 2B) of the 3-part (now 4-part) post.
2A. ESWN has summarized some of Powers' conclusions and quoted a few paragraphs in this thought-provoking essay called "History Textbooks in China" -see http://zon
From Powers' book, as quoted by ESWN:
"When I [i.e., John Powers] first began this study, my background in Tibetan studies mostly consisted of philosophical and doctrinal studies with refugee Tibetan lamas. During my tenure in graduate school and in subsequent research trips to South Asia, I lived in Tibetan communities and developed friendships with a number of Tibetans. In this situation, my exposure to Tibetan history was heavily conditioned by their perspective, and I implicitly assumed that the authors of Chinese versions of Tibetan history particularly those related to the takeover of Tibet in the 1950s, must be aware that they were lying, distorting, and fabricating and that the Tibetan case for independence was so compelling that anyone with even the slightest exposure to the facts would reach that conclusion
RuleOfLaw - "These are great words---
"Without compassion you can conquer a nation, in the end you leave a trail of destruction and death. Without compassion you can win through your arrogance but you cannot gain people's acceptance
Americans should think about them. It would have saved a few trillion dollars and the lives of thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. For an American to criticize China about Tibet is to have the pot calling the kettle black and also to display the usual ignorance of Americans who cannot find America on a map much less Tibet.
And you should learn a lot about the old Tibet. Life there was not nice. The dogs in the dog monastery were definitely better off than the slaves and the majority who were poor but giving there all to the well fed monks.
3. (cont'd)
From John Powers' book:
"One striking aspect of the competing narratives is their incommensurability. There is no real debate between proponents of the Chinese paradigm and those who accept the Tibetan exile version of Tibetan history...
The rival premises are such that we possess no rational way of weighing the claims of one as against another. For each premise employs some quite different normative or evaluative concept from the others, so that the claims made upon us are of quite different kinds. Hence it seems that underlying our own position there must be some non-rational decision to adopt that position. Corresponding to the interminability of public arguments there is at least the appearance of a disquieting private arbitrariness. It is a small wonder if we become defensive and therefore shrill."
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