Chinese Marxists Embrace Market Reforms But Continue Cultural Genocide of a Proud People in Tibet
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Nagarjuna
Mar 10, 2009, 12:51:19 PM3/10/09
to Buddhist Art and Architecture
From Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/tibet/4967761/Dalai-Lama-China-has-created-hell-in-Tibet.html
The Dalai Lama, speaking to around 2,000 of his supporters in
Dharamsala, his home in India, has said China had brought "untold
suffering and destruction to the land and people of Tibet".
He accused it of carrying out a series of repressive and violent
campaigns which "thrust Tibetans into such depths of suffering and
hardship that they literally experienced hell on earth."
He said that Chinese rule in the region was bringing the Tibetan way
of life to an end.
"Today, the religion, culture, language and identity are nearing
extinction; in short, the Tibetan people are regarded like criminals
deserving to be put to death."
The Tibetan leader recalled the events that led to his exile,
beginning with the arrival of Communist troops into the north-eastern
states of Kham and Amdo in 1949 and culminating in an escalating wave
of "immense chaos and destruction".
He blamed Chinese occupation for directly causing the deaths of
"hundreds of thousands" of Tibetans since 1959. At least 200,000
Tibetans are also thought to be in exile around the world.
The Dalai Lama tempered his unusually strong comments with a
commitment to further negotiations with the Chinese, and called for
support for his "Middle Way", which calls for Tibetan autonomy under
Chinese rule.
"I have no doubt that the justice of the Tibetan cause will prevail if
we continue to tread a path of truth and non-violence," he said.
Many Tibetans have recently expressed dismay at their leader for being
too soft on China and have called for a harder line, and the speech
may have been a response.
Thousands of young Tibetans marched through Dharamsala after he spoke,
and a further thousand marched peacefully through New Delhi. More
protests were held across the world, especially in Seoul and Canberra,
the Australian capital, where four protesters were arrested in
scuffles outside the Chinese embassy.
In Lhasa, the atmosphere was "calm", according to eyewitnesses, who
said there had not been any unrest. Last year, a peaceful
demonstration escalated into widespread riots in which at least 200
Tibetans were killed, according to human rights activists.
This year, China has taken no chances, sealing the region's borders,
banning all foreigners and pouring troops onto the streets to maintain
the peace. "Today is just like any other day," said one Tibetan in
Lhasa.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign ministry said he would "not
respond to the Dalai Lama's lies". He added: "The Dalai Lama clique is
spreading rumours. The democratic reforms are the widest and most
profound in Tibetan history. In the past 50 years, Tibet has witnessed
profound changes and the millions of serfs have become the new owners
of Tibet."
The Dalai Lama, speaking to around 2,000 of his supporters in
Dharamsala, his home in India, has said China had brought "untold
suffering and destruction to the land and people of Tibet".
He accused it of carrying out a series of repressive and violent
campaigns which "thrust Tibetans into such depths of suffering and
hardship that they literally experienced hell on earth."
He said that Chinese rule in the region was bringing the Tibetan way
of life to an end.
"Today, the religion, culture, language and identity are nearing
extinction; in short, the Tibetan people are regarded like criminals
deserving to be put to death."
The Tibetan leader recalled the events that led to his exile,
beginning with the arrival of Communist troops into the north-eastern
states of Kham and Amdo in 1949 and culminating in an escalating wave
of "immense chaos and destruction".
He blamed Chinese occupation for directly causing the deaths of
"hundreds of thousands" of Tibetans since 1959. At least 200,000
Tibetans are also thought to be in exile around the world.
The Dalai Lama tempered his unusually strong comments with a
commitment to further negotiations with the Chinese, and called for
support for his "Middle Way", which calls for Tibetan autonomy under
Chinese rule.
"I have no doubt that the justice of the Tibetan cause will prevail if
we continue to tread a path of truth and non-violence," he said.
Many Tibetans have recently expressed dismay at their leader for being
too soft on China and have called for a harder line, and the speech
may have been a response.
Thousands of young Tibetans marched through Dharamsala after he spoke,
and a further thousand marched peacefully through New Delhi. More
protests were held across the world, especially in Seoul and Canberra,
the Australian capital, where four protesters were arrested in
scuffles outside the Chinese embassy.
In Lhasa, the atmosphere was "calm", according to eyewitnesses, who
said there had not been any unrest. Last year, a peaceful
demonstration escalated into widespread riots in which at least 200
Tibetans were killed, according to human rights activists.
This year, China has taken no chances, sealing the region's borders,
banning all foreigners and pouring troops onto the streets to maintain
the peace. "Today is just like any other day," said one Tibetan in
Lhasa.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign ministry said he would "not
respond to the Dalai Lama's lies". He added: "The Dalai Lama clique is
spreading rumours. The democratic reforms are the widest and most
profound in Tibetan history. In the past 50 years, Tibet has witnessed
profound changes and the millions of serfs have become the new owners
of Tibet."
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