Posted on 03/30/2005 5:46:49 PM PST by CarrotAndStick
The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has crossed the border into India after an epic 15-day journey on foot from the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, over the Himalayan mountains. There had been no news of his safety or whereabouts since he left Lhasa on 17 March with an entourage of 20 men, including six Cabinet ministers.
Many thought he had been killed in the fierce Chinese crackdown that followed the Tibetan uprising earlier this month.
Travelling at night
The Dalai Lama had to cross the 500-yard wide Brahmaputra river, and endure the harsh climate and extreme heights of the Himalayas, travelling at night to avoid the Chinese sentry guards.
He finally crossed the Indian border at the Khenzimana Pass, and is now resting at the Towang Monastery, 50 miles inside the Indian border.
It is not known whether the Indian Government will offer him asylum. The government of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has been heavily criticised internationally for failing to condemn the Chinese crackdown.
Dusk-to-dawn curfew
The Chinese repression of the rebellion in Lhasa is now complete. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed, and a military commission is now ruling the city.
It is estimated that 2,000 people died during the three days of fighting between the Tibetans and the Chinese army.
In the worst single incident, four days ago, the Chinese army fired about 800 artillery shells into the Dalai Lama's Summer Palace, razing the ancient building to the ground.
The area contained over 300 houses, and thousands of civilians died and were injured in the inferno.
Mass deportations
The tragedy marked the end of the uprising in Lhasa. All fighting-age men who had survived the revolt were deported, and those fleeing the scene reported that Chinese troops burned corpses in the city for 12 hours.
A day later, China announced in an order signed by leader Chou En-lai that a large-scale rebellion had been crushed in Lhasa, although it said the revolt was still continuing outside the capital.
It announced that the Tibetan governing body had been dissolved under martial law, and said the Dalai Lama had been replaced by the Panchen Lama, his pro-Chinese rival, as the nominal head of a committee to set up a Tibetan Autonomous Region within the Chinese People's Republic.
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® BBC 2005
Free Tibet bump
Now if only Europe in WW2, Afghanistan during the Taliban and Iraq since Saddam's rise took his approach, the world would be just wonderful, wouldn't it?
A PART I LEFT OUT IN THE ARTICLE:
In Context
The Dalai Lama was offered asylum in India and settled in Dharamsala, in northern India.
He was followed into exile by about 80,000 Tibetans, most of whom settled in the same area, which has become known as "Little Lhasa" and is home to the Tibetan government-in-exile.
The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and has become a symbol of peaceful resistance to oppression throughout the world.
He has been making some progress towards dialogue with China over the future of Tibet, and advocates a "middle way" - genuine self-rule for Tibet within China.
China, however, is mistrustful and believes he still seeks independence. The Chinese authorities have banned the Dalai Lama's photographs and writings.
Tibet is still under Chinese control, and the majority of people in Lhasa are not Tibetan. They are ruled by a Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, who is not recognised by the Dalai Lama.
Yes, but don't forget that post-WW2, the British were severely weakened to keep hold of their 'Jewel in the Crown' for any longer. Besides, almost 2 million Indians had served in WW2, and they would start demanding independence.
For the Walmart-shopping types:
http://www.boycottmadeinchina.org/en/why_boycott/
"China, however, is mistrustful and believes he still seeks independence. The Chinese authorities have banned the Dalai Lama's photographs and writings."
That is simply the public face that the communist Chinese government puts on their opposition to the Dalai Lama. The real opposition is xenophobic and cultural on the part of the Han Chinese. If the nationalists had won the civil war, they would have been equally against Tibeten independence.
The replacment of local people with Han Chinese is what they have been doing since they first arrived in the area now known as China. Research shows that most of the major groups of people in Vietnam, Laos, Combodia and Thailand migrated there from southern China over the last few thousand years, and replaced the original natives. They migrated south because they were pushed out of southern China by the Han Chinese; as they expanded in "China".
In 1949 the native population of the Xinjiang province of China was 80% from the ethnic group known as the Uihgur's. Today they represent less than 40% of the population of Xinjiang.
The centuries old method of Chinese culutral genocide is slow, long, steady and unrelenting. Its not communism, it is simple ethnic pride and prejudice; along with leaders and governments that use, exploit and reinforce it.
It is not even assimilation, because the minority ethnic identities are buried and erased, one generation at a time; not brought into the Han culture. Just imagine the U.S. culture without Jazz, and everything that Jazz grew from and everything that grew from Jazz and you have the difference and substance of what I'm talking about.
The Tibetans are just one of the latest victims of a long, long Chinese practice.
fine post .. thanx
Tibet did not practice non-violence when attacked by China. The were outgunned and outmanned. It wasn't much of a fight.
If one's opposition is attempting to bring about the destruction of life and sees the destruction of life as an end in itself than one should prepare for war and violence while presenting himself as a peaceful wall of defense.
FYI, the Dalai Lama has said it is very likely he will reincarnate in the West. This is a man who knows where the future of the world is ....
Hello, Dalai…well, hello, Dalai
We appreciate your wonderful advice
I hope you're well, Dalai…exile's hell, Dalai
China dumped all over you…I guess you think that's nice
We should have no fighting…we should ban fighting
Just like Rodney King had said, "Let's get alo-o-ong"
Richard Gere is right…we should just die without a fight
Dalai, I think Osama would love you
(musical break --- take this time for contemplation and inner peace...or, if you prefer, fire off a few rounds)
Hello, Dalai…what is new, Dalai
Oh, another 50 monks had their throats cut
That's very sad, Dalai…don't get mad, Dalai
Some nice platitudes is how you really should rebut
We should have no fighting…we should ban fighting
Just like Rodney King had said, "Let's get alo-o-ong"
Richard Gere is right…we should just die without a fight
Dalai, I think Osama would love you
Goodbye, Dalai
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