The new year of the Earth- Ox arrives in Tibet with the region under armed guard.
Last October Britain’s government had been the only one not to formerly recognise China’s sovereignty in Tibet, instead accepting de facto control. After discussion with Chinese diplomats, Britain, apparently ignorant of the importance of the issue to China and exiled Tibetans, tactlessly changed policy in a bland statement published on the internet.

The economic downturn has pushed Tibet further down the international agenda. Last week when Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, visited China she said that rights concerns should not be allowed to hinder co-operation between the two countries on issues such as the global economic crisis and climate change.

However last Wednesday’s release of an annual US state department report alleged that the attitude of the Chinese leadership to human rights worsened last year, with increased repressive policies in Tibet and the predominantly Muslim province of Xinjiang, and was restricting dissent and religious freedom in the two western regions. The report went on to say that, “The government’s human rights record remained poor and worsened in some areas,”. China has strongly rejected these criticisms of its human rights record, with state media describing the charges as “groundless, irresponsible and an interference in Chinese affairs”.

In what China deceivingly calls the “Tibet Autonomous Region”and in neighboring provinces, security had been intensified, foreigners had been kept out and Tibet had been close; to prepare for the 50th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule that led the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, into exile in India.

Yesterday residents and witnesses said a Tibetan monk protesting against Chinese rule was shot dead after he set himself on fire in the Tibetan-populated town of Aba, in China’s southwest, during a gathering of more than 1,000 monks. An echo of the bloody anti-Chinese riots in Lhasa that occurred last year, the 50 year long problem is something China must solve in order to move forwards.

China blames the problem on a “few reactionaries manipulated by foreign powers”, believing that a solution will be found upon the passing of main reactionary, the Dalai Lama.

However the Dalai Lama is Tibet’s greatest hope for salvation, unlike most of his followers in exiled populations and in Tibet itself, he accepts Chinese rule. The Dalai Lama only demands true “autonomy” and that his followers pursue their aims peacefully.

50 years has shown us that Tibet is an issue that cannot be solved by time alone, only through discussion until a solution is found, with the spiritual leader approaching 75, China may one day regret their rejection of the Dalai Lama’s moderating leadership.

via Mubarak Elmubarak, 1 March 2009 9:35am | |