By Rachel Oppenheimer
Chinese embassies worldwide gear up for Tibetan protests. Tuesday, March 10 will mark the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that forced the Dalai Lama into exile. Qiangba Puncog, the Chinese-appointed governor of Tibet, assured that past dissenters now trust the Chinese government. He expects only minor unrest come Tuesday.
If last year's events indicate lasting Tibetan sentiment, protesters may well prove Puncog wrong. A year ago this month, angry nomads stormed through the Tibetan plateau of Maqu, China, raiding a police compound and setting fire to squad cars. Further north, Tibetans on horseback galloped into a schoolyard, replaced a Chinese flag with a Tibetan one, and shouted “Free Tibet!” Violent riots in Lhasa last March resulted in 18 civilian deaths. In monasteries, nomad tents, villages, and grasslands, Tibetans' fury against Chinese rule has raged since last year's riots and the violent repression that followed. Signs of this year's mounting resistance abound, including the Tibetan advocacy group report that security officers shot at a monk from Sichuan who lit himself on fire in a market last Friday.
Beijing will make a strong show of force in Tibetan areas to prevent a repeat of violent acts. A kind of martial law already exists in anticipation of the anniversary, with constant tension spreading across a third of Beijing's territory. In preparation for the big day, Nepal authorities said they have increased security near the Chinese Embassy. Between 20,000 and 25,000 Tibetan exiles live in Nepal. “Rallies, sit-ins and sloganeering will not be allowed within the prohibited area,” said Nabaraj Silwal, the chief of the Kathmandu city police. The Nepal government, which recognizes Tibet as a part of China, has little patience for anti-Chinese activities within its borders. As tensions run high in Tibet, New Zealanders too plan protests, including a demonstration outside the Chinese consulate office, a march on Queen Street and a memorial service outside the Auckland Museum. Only Tuesday will tell how much protest the Tibetans have left in them.
While this is by no means a popular stance to take in the West, the Chinese government really has no problem or xenophobic agenda against the Tibetian people any more than the Uyghur Muslims to the north in XinJiang province.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese government is not keen on any demonstration of rebellion against its power not because it hates its populace or wants to stamp out opposition, but because its legitimacy is defined by how well it can maintain order.
This is very different from the Western system of government, but we need to learn to accept this difference and try to reconcile with China on grounds that it can agree with.
While obviously we have always opposed the notion of one-party rule in the West, in China it is acceptable because of the "Mandate of Heaven" Confucian notion that states that the people have an inalienable right to overthrow their leaders if they are not serving them well.
While this may not be a terribly effective system, it indicates the degree of responsibility that is otherwise never asserted to be possessed by the Chinese government. They MUST be responsible to their people, and they are TERRIFIED of a Tibet issue not because they hate the Dalai Lama, but because he represents a pillar around which popular discontent could form.
The Chinese government do not want to bring this up as a political issue, so they are just as keen as those in the west to propagate the notion that there is some sort of "cultural eradication" going on. However arguing about that topic will likely get us nowhere and lead to a degree of panic when the Dalai Lama eventually dies.
It is my personal opinion that we need to find a way to address this issue on Chinese terms in a matter that is not zero-sum. Western declarations for Tibetan independence only embolden the determination for complete control by central government authorities. If we can stop the extremism on both sides, maybe there can be a peaceful resolution for this situation in the near future.
Also interesting is the number of anniversaries this year for China, including the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen square, the10th anniversary of the banning of the Falun Gong, and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's republic, leading to a state of fear for the Chinese government. It will be interesting to watch their reactions in 2009.
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