Not wikipedia-related:
If you're curious about the controversies surrounding China -- if you're chinese and think the western public is gullible and uninformed, or vice versa, here's a good article.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
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2 comments:
I don't know where you're getting your statistics from but they are incorrect. What Tibetans know is Tibet and what the Chinese call Tibet are two different things. Much territory has been taken and incorporated into Chinese territory.
Humans think everything is about quantity. Quality is far more important than quantity. Tibetan culture is very distinctive. Tibet had it's own monetary system, issued its own stamps, issued passports, gad its own governmental structure. Tibetan language is nothing like Chinese. Tibetan script is nothing like Chinese and is related to Sanskrit.
Even so, that's the point if Tibet's not important why do the Chinese want to hold onto it so badly? They've taken billions of dollars in lumber and rich uranium resources. Many animals have been forced into extinction. They surely want the water rights, as this is very important to China. Not to mention the military strategic significance of Tibet.
Also, must be noted China looted monasteries and Potala Palace, melted down gold and silver and sold on international market. They took many beautiful Tibetan rugs and artifacts, destroy thousand of others, including scriptures. Before invasion, there were 6,254 monasteries, only 13 survived Chinese destruction. During early days of occupation many Tibetan children forced to shoot their parents, monks and nuns forced to fornicate in the streets at gun point.
Even today many Tibetans suffer in prisons and labor camps. I have Tibetan friends who have lost their parents, killed by Chinese soldiers. I have one friend whose Mother was tortured in prison with a cattle prod along with nuns and monks.
What is happening to Tibetans is happening today. It happened to the indigenous people of American continent. Are you suggesting that humanity continue down the same road and repeat same barbaric behavior as in the past?
It's funny how some people look at these scenarios. The British were trying to civilize the world. Please. In the case of Tibet for example, many Tibetans look at what Americans and British see as progress as barbarism. Tibetans want and need modernization but at their own pace in their own way.
There is a genocide going on in Tibet and it has been going on mostly behind closed doors for almost 60 years. The international community looks the other way. There's not much oil in Tibet and most politicians are afraid of China's growing economic clout.
Thousands upon thousands of Han-Chinese have been moved into Tibet. Early on they were given incentives and now with the new rail system they are lured by jobs, etc. In many areas Tibetans have become minority in their own country. Most of Tibetan footprint is being removed, destroyed. In Lhasa, considered to be holy city by Tibetans, Chinese outnumber Tibetans at least 2 to 1, and have opened many shops, restaurants, stupid amusement park right near Potala Palace and there are over 1,000 brothels in Lhasa to service the massive military presence in Tibet. The Chinese haven't just moved in and marginalized the Tibetans. They have spit on their culture, stepped on their most sacred ground, spit in their faces, and made monuments to display their version of history. They keep a few temples open and of course, the Potala, for tourism and photo opts. This brings in money and visitors.
There's so much more so many rationalizations and justifications made as to why it's okay that the Chinese invaded and why it's okay China continues illegal occupation. Most people who support either have no clue, or they seek to justify their own suppressed guilt for the sins and transgressions of their ancestors.
Humanity will have to evolve beyond this barbaric approach and use of force to solve disputes are humanity will be the next species on the endangered list. Tibetans are trying to teach the world that there is another way. There is a way to stop the cycle of "I hit you", "you hit me back harder" and so "I hit you back even harder". We put out one fire only to have another one pop up somewhere else in the world and we fail to see the connection.
It's not about one country vs another or one ethnicity vs another. It's about the future of humanity and the ability to live, share, and tolerate our differences even though we of the same substance.
It's important to understand that at least with the many Tibetans I've spoken with that they don't hate Chinese, they are not anti-Chinese. In fact, they feel compassion for them. With the forced assimilation that's taking place a new kind of Tibetan may arise that no longer practices non-violence, compassion and altruism.
I often read about so many Chinese who hate the Dalai Lama. They should be thanking him every day of their lives. In his absence and in the absence of his consistent "Middle Way" approach, promoting non-violence, compassion and violence it's very likely that many Titans would have long ago abandoned this approach and Tibet would be full of suicide bombers. This may happen in the future and the Chinese government will have no one to thank for it but themselves.
Great read thannkyou
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