It looks like there are some substantial protests brewing in the capital of Tibet. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that protests by Tibetan Monks had drawn the attention of Chinese security forces:
BEIJING — Chinese security forces were reportedly surrounding three monasteries outside Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, on Thursday after hundreds of monks took to the streets this week in what are believed to be the largest Tibetan protests against Chinese rule in two decades.
The turmoil in Lhasa occurred at a politically delicate time for China, which is facing increasing criticism over its human rights record as it prepares to play host to the Olympic Games in August and is seeking to appear harmonious to the outside world.
Beijing has kept a tight lid on dissent before the Games. But people with grievances against the governing Communist Party have tried to promote their causes when top officials may be wary of cracking down by using force.
Qin Gang, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed Thursday that protests had erupted in Lhasa, but declined to provide details. He described the situation as stable.
“In the past couple of days, a few monks in Lhasa have made some disturbances in an effort to cause unrest,” Mr. Qin said Thursday at a news conference. “Thanks to the efforts of the local government and the democratic administration of the temples, the situation in Lhasa has been stabilized.”
Apparently, in Chinese “stabilized” means that it became more violent:
BEIJING — Violent protests erupted Friday in a busy market area of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, as Buddhist monks and other ethnic Tibetans clashed with Chinese security forces. Witnesses say the protesters burned shops, cars, military vehicles and at least one tourist bus.
The chaotic scene marked the most violent demonstrations since protests by Buddhist monks began in Lhasa on Monday, the anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. The protests have been the largest in Tibet since the late 1980s, when Chinese security forces repeatedly used lethal force to restore order in the region.
The developments prompted the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, to issue a statement, saying he was concerned about the situation and appealing to the Chinese leadership to “stop using force and address the long-simmering resentment of the Tibetan people”.
By Friday night, Chinese authorities had placed much of the central part of the city under a curfew, including neighborhoods around different Buddhist monasteries, according to two Lhasa residents reached by telephone. Military police were blocking roads in some ethnic Tibetan neighborhoods, several Lhasa residents said.
And now the international community is getting involved issuing pointless statements:
The European Union called on China to show restraint and Washington said Beijing needed to respect Tibetan culture. Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, appealed to China not to use force against protesters.
The truth of the matter is that the people of Tibet are on their own in this fight and, since we won’t see any images of the carnage thanks to China’s control over media access, it will likely be ignored by the rest of the world.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Piss off , shit . How much you known about China and Tibet . You even dont known where is Tibet . Have you ever been Tibet ? What is their life ? Is there only Tibetan live in Tibet ? And lots of Han people believe Buddhasm , They love Tibet either .
Dalai Lama , Looks more like the political tool of you western government !!!!!
March 15th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Chinese propaganda bred ignorance into an entire generation of it’s own citizens, as exemplified by ‘Chinese people’s comments. China invaded a sovereign nation, committed genocide upon it’s clergy and enslaved it’s people for economic gain. Control over rich raw materials is enough motivation to relocate hundreds of thousands of Han ethnics, give them housing and employment exploiting the Tibetan earth. Loving Buddhism is not enough. Stop the killing now, or China suffer the consequences of global rejection.
March 15th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Before western countries address announcements about Tibet. I just wanna call here to free the Scotland seprated from British. Also, United Stats should be shame about their seizure to Native American land and all of Afric-Americans should declare independent and build their own country in United States.
The comments of “World People” is ridiculous. I just cant help asking him to go back to elementary school to review the history of Asia. Tibet has been a multi-race territory for a couple of thousands of years.
March 17th, 2008 at 2:02 am
the “World People” is pity. I can conclude he have never been china, he have never heard the voice of billions chinese. I must tell “World People” some truths he have never know: 1, the Dalai Lama is the most big laird who control all tibetans as slave. the tibetans are 100 times deplorable before 1951 PLA come into tibet. 2, 90% of tibetans in tibet they are beneficiary to china goverment policy. but they can not speak english and they do not need to cry help to western-peoples. 3, these tibetans who protest and cry to western-peoples, they are non-beneficiary to china goverment policy, because most of them is of noble birth and monk(monk have hight social class at past time). 4, World People,please trust me, you are using by some tibetan who is not the most of tibetans. 5, welcome you to china to heard billions chinese’s voice and the voice of those tibetans who live in china happy and rich.