Violence or Silence: Will 50th Anniversary of Tibetan Rebellion Bring Another Uprising?

By Alyssa Landers

This Tuesday, March 10, 2009, will mark the 50^th anniversary of the Tibetans’ rebellion against China, and although there have been reports of preparations for violence, Chinese government officials, along with Qiangba Puncog, the Governor of the Tibet Autonomous Region, claim that all is well in the region. 

 Last year on the anniversary of the 1959 rebellion violent protests erupted in the region as Tibetans clashed with Chinese police forces in the area.  It was also said to be the most violent protest since the actual uprising itself in 1959, with ambiguous death tolls ranging anywhere from 10 to 40 people killed and thousands imprisoned.    

 Judging by last year’s displays, it would seem that violence would be anticipated for this year as well, but both the Chinese and the Governor maintain that there is nothing out of the ordinary, despite the fact that journalists and tourists are banned from the region. 

 However, Chinese testimony that there are no ethnic or national hostilities in the area leading up to this year’s 50^th anniversary milestone remain unconvincing, as travelers reported the deployment of Chinese police to secure the area against another violent uprising similar to that of last year, as well as a tense environment in the region.  According to The New York Times, it is “the largest troop deployment since the Sichuan earthquake last spring.”   

Tibet, a region whose sovereignty bas been debated for centuries, was invaded by the People’s Republic of Chine (PRC) in 1950, and has been under its rule since then.  In 1959 in Lhasa, the region’s capital, Tibetans staged an uprising against the Chinese government, but it proved futile in gaining independence for the region. 

Although the Chinese note progress in the area, the vast highland region to the west of China remains resistant to Chinese rule.

 In the meantime, the Dalai Lama, who fled to exile in India following the 1959 uprising, is urging his people to be peaceful and patient.

 Despite this warning, some Tibetans have forgone any consecration of Losar, the Tibetan new year, and many monks have held rallies, with one monk actually lighting himself on fire in protest. 

 As of now, it remains unclear as to whether another rebellion like that of March 2008 will emerge.  Yet with this year marking the 50^th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan stand against China, it seems like everyone is preparing for the worst.