Tibet

As protestors follow the Olympic torch's passage across the globe, the issue of China's treatment of Tibet has captured newspaper headlines the world over. The issue of China's occupation of Tibet came up once again as protests broke out in Lhasa last month, approximately coinciding with the anniversary of the major Tibetan uprising against Chinese authorities in 1959.
What began as a series of protests by monks in Lhasa has turned into a concern for the global community; it is now a very sensitive issue with nations skirting around it, wary of ruffling any feathers.
The issue itself seems to be forgotten by the general public, hidden behind a media-driven frenzy, with scores of people running to associate themselves with the cause of “freedom”. Chinese authorities argue that Tibet is an integral part of their nation, while Tibetans accuse the Chinese government of impinging their freedom, of erasing their cultural identity.
China occupied Tibet in 1949 claiming that Tibet has historically been a part of it. Since then Tibet has enjoyed only a certain level of autonomy and it is doubtful that the Tibetan spiritual identity, based on centuries of belief, would be wiped out even under a regime with ideals so different from theirs. However, the most important effect of the occupation can be seen by the influx of non-Tibetans into Tibet. The Chinese occupation has certainly improved the economic situation in Tibet but for whom, and what cost? Can an improvement in numbers that appear in development reports justify the loss of one world’s richest cultural heritages? This is what the Tibetans argue – they do not want economic development at the cost of their independence and their identity.
While the debate over Tibet’s relationship with China can go on incessantly, the fact remains that at this point violent protests and violent crackdowns are becoming worse in Tibet and areas of China with large Tibetan populations. The problem is further compounded by the attitude of Chinese authorities towards news coverage by independent groups. Even news groups from Hong Kong have been forced to stay away from affected areas. The international community’s outrage has been heightened by China’s treatment of the issue itself, by their refusal to talk about it openly and multilaterally.
As protests mount all over the world the situation surrounding Tibet and the upcoming Olympics is getting tenser as the opening ceremony gets closer. China’s refusal to conduct dialogue with the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, or with other international leaders (China states that the entire issue is an internal affair), the protestors’ use of violence and rioting, and the refusal of world leaders to take a firm stance on Tibet are all contributing to a worsening situation in Tibet.
Violence begets violence. No matter who is right and who is wrong, world leaders have a duty to conduct peaceful talks (and reach a viable solution), to curb violence without using violence, to work towards peace swiftly. Unless dialogue is initiated immediately the world can include one more failure in the struggle for peace.