October 19, 2004
Free Tibet, Not. After this statement from the Dalai Lama I don't think the 'Free Tibet' campaign can possibly survive.
Maybe the Dalai Lama just holds a necessarily longer term view.
Maybe he thinks the Beastie Boys' new stuff sucks compared to "Licensed to Ill."
Please explain, Jerry Garcia, how his just holding a necessarily longer term view can possibly allow the 'Free Tibet' campaign to continue. I have taken part in various events for this cause in the past but would feel somewhat foolish taking part in any future events.
It may be his last hope. I pray that he's right.
I've seen a documentary on Tibet some time ago. The place is overrun by Chinese immigrants, because the government heavily subsidizes colonization. The wages can be twice as high as in the rest of China, and the population is booming: they're building modern cities where there were mere villages ten years ago.
I think the Chinese government has made it impossible to return Tibet to the Tibetans without a generations-long civil war. So conciliation might be the better avenue. Of course, right now, the PROC is anything but a democratic government, and that needs to change. The rest of the world should really try to help a peaceful transition to a real democracy, if they don't want to see the underclass fed up and starting a civil war against their communist-capilatist overlords.
From the admittedly very little I know about Tibet and the Dalai Lama this doesn't sound like an about face to me. The Dalai Lama was interested in modernizing Tibet from before the Chinese invaded. The Chinese have been terrible in terms of suppressing local customs and religion but when it came to day-to-day governance the Tibetans were certainly no saints.
From the article it looks like China has been softening its stance on Tibet recently and people seem to be getting some of their cultural and religious freedoms back, so it looks like the Free Tibet movement is on its way to accomplishing its goals. The Dalai Lama acknowledging change shows nothing but optimism for Tibet's future, whether that be full independence from China or a mutually beneficial partnership where Tibetans can modernize and China can regain some form of spirituality.
What Richer said.
My guess is that Dalai Lama said what he did in part because he saw the eggs on Taiwan's face. No country wants to antagonize China over its domestic problems anymore. Without international support, neither Tibet nor Taiwan has an independent future.
"Please explain, Jerry Garcia, how his just holding a necessarily longer term view can possibly allow the 'Free Tibet' campaign to continue."
It's never been my perception that the "Free Tibet" "movement" has a lot ot do with how he thinks.
Thanks homunculus, that article has given me some things to talk over and discuss with my friends here tonight. But my initial reaction to this ain't good - Today, Tibetan culture is almost like a part of international culture. If you look at the Tibet situation locally, then it's hopeless. But from a wider perspective, it's hopeful. That's my last words on this. Not bad.
On Preview: okay Jerry Garcia we'll have to wait and see what happens.
Free Tibet (The Culture bit)!
Wait wait why free Tibet? Why not free..I don't know...China?? China's enormous.
We'd have to go up against the fearsome General Gao and his army of orange slices but I think the ends justify the sacrifice!
You know, after reading homonculus' link, I find reason for hope in Tibet. But maybe it's just that living in America right now, I'm desperate for some optimisom...
Free Tibet, with every box of Rice Krispies.
Richer: Yes, they've been cribbing from Sharon's "facts on the ground" playbook quite successfully.
From the Time article:
China [still has] the same system, but the reality is that much is changing. Freedom of information, religious freedom and freedom of the press are much better.
How so? Recently China instituted a new law that will send people to prison potentially for life over showing pornography. 250,000 hits on a web site and 'do not pass go, do not collect $200, go straight to jail.' How is that broadening "freedom of information".
Recently China has cracked down even further on being able to view the internet uncensored (heck even google got in on the act). How is that broadening "freedom of information" and "freedom of the press"?
May be trying to do the best he can with a horrid situation but I completely disagree with him.
China isn't going to fall apart like the USSR, so why not work internally to help change it? If The Dalai Lama returns he will have a voice and may be able to help shape the future of both Tibet and China. Certainly his odds following that path will be better than having no voice.
Maybe the Dalai's getting old and sick, and needs an organ transplant.
During a lecture I attended given by a Tibetan Rimpoche, someone asked about the Chinese. The Rimpoche answered something about how Tibetans' anger isn't with the Chinese people, but with the government which happened to be in place at the time. If the Chinese government allowed exiles to go back to Tibet, let them live their traditional lives, and made sure that Tibetans weren't discriminated against, they would be happy to help create a new Chinese society. He also said something about opportunities to educate the Chinese given the cultural intermixing.
The 14th Dalai Lama may be the last individual to be so known. He's old now, and this is an increasing source of worry to the community of Tibetans in exile. It is nearly impossible to sort out political from religion issues among Tibetans -- the two are tightly intertwined and various factions exist among the Tibetans, though these are not well-publicized.
Traditionally, the person most involved with discovering a Dalai Lama's sucessor is the Panchen Lama. The six year old boy discovered some year ago to be the Panchen Lama was subsequently taken into custody by the Chinese and brought to China, where he has been held for most part incommunicado. He was the world's youngest political prisoner, and I think now is about 13 or 14. As if this were not confusing enough, the Chinese also decided to appoint another Panchen Lama, so in a sense there are two of them, although only one is recognized as being the reincarnate Panchen Lama.
The Panchen Lama is traditionally the person responsible for discovering the sucessor of the 14th Dalai Lama. China wishes to control the selection of the current Dalai Lama's sucessor. It is therefore most important to the Tibetan people that this confusing situation be resolved.
The Dalai Lama is not merely a "simple monk", nor the head of Tibetan government in exile, not the man who won the Noble Prize for Peace, but also is regarded as an emanation of Avalokitsvara the Bodhisattva of Compassion, whom Tibetans know as Chenrizig, and he is is in effect a living icon. It is unthinkable to the Tibetans that the line of Dalai Lamas cease to be, because that would mean Tibet also ceases to be. This is why the Dalai Lama attempts to resolve the impasse with the Chinese government. What will happen when the 14th Dalai Lama dies is impossible to say. Tibetans know the future has the potential to become more volatile.
The above is the situation as I understand it, but it is possible I have unwittingly misinformed you here, since I am no expert on the complexities of Tibetan politics. So be aware you need to check the facts carefully.
I've always viewed the Dalai Lama as a pragmatic individual. This position makes sense in that regard, it was never in the cards for Tibet to be free of the Chinese without major intervention from a more powerful country, and that was unlikely to happen.
That said, it seems likely that this seemingly new position on the part of the Dalai Lama means the end of traditional Tibetan culture.
Beijing is concerned with secular authority. The Chinese, who are mostly communist taught, fail to grasp the nature of Vajrayana Buddhism. For Tibetan Buddhists, (which means all Tibetans as well as practioners/followers of/ Vajrayana Buddhism in other lands), Beijing doesn't have a shred of religious authority or credence. The discovery of reincarnate beings doesn't lie with Beijing. Beijing can't compete, in effect, with a living manifestation of Chenrezig or any other emanation.
Which is China's tragedy, as well as Tibet's.
A number of Tibetans are now convinced they need to remain in the West, not simply for political reasons, but in part because they believe their country incurred negative karma by its long isolation from the rest of the world, a thing which certainly enabled Tibet to refine their religion without disturbance from the rest of the world, but which left them without allies when the Chinese invaded. Now many Tibetans have become aware of the needs of the rest of the world -- and for their other part speculate that sharing knowledge of Tibetan Buddhsit teachings and meditative practices can help to heal the rifts among the world's peoples.
Contemporary Tibetan Painting:
Tibet is in a state of flux and change that impacts all of its inhabitants and cannot help but catch the notice of the many visitors and tourists that come in increasing numbers to the high plains of this magical land. Tibet's artists are at the cutting edge of this evolution: it is they who are constantly dealing with the contradictions and rapid change of their treasured home. The sense of cultural tension and excitement that is at the heart of life in Lhasa is reflected in the vibrant paintings created by the artists featured in the show.
This article points out that the Dalai Lama may be the only one preventing an insurgency in Tibet. Once he's dead, it may get violent.
I read an article (this one, I think) which said that there's no more chance of Tibet being returned to the Tibetans than there is of the Dakotas being returned to the Sioux. I think that's an apt comparison.
Not the only one, but certainly the most influential one.
True. I'm brain is mushy today. I need sleep.
My brain. There it is.
Trojan Horse Gallops from Beijing, Disguised as Dalai Lama Statement
Tibetans Face New Uncertainty in Exile
Tibetans in Dharamshala hope for better future
"You know, what Tibet does need now is only development, no other issues can prevail." Everything is tickety-boo and going according to plan.
There seems to be some concern with that lecture homunculus.
Important Security Notice:
We have been advised that each registrant attending the lecture may have to be screened by walking through a metal detector prior to entering Hall D.
Yay! It's a party, not.
That anniversary's been all over the TV here tellurian, in a fantastic combination of patronising crap and big lies.
That Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme they mention in the story is quite the character. I understand he's reviled as a traitor by many Tibetans because he surrendered the Tibetan army in Kham without a fight, and (it sez 'ere in an interesting profile) it was him who signed the '17 Point Agreement'.
The Tibetians are very important to future world history. It is unfortunate the uncivilized nature of the Chinese. I suppose tibetian freedomis far off.
Thank you for the link Abiezer_Coppe. Jigme seems to be quite the opportunist.
On the TV do they show "Warm crowds who stood along local streets withfestive decorations, presenting gifts to the delegation, chanting welcoming words, and dancing to festive tunes."
The 2008 Beijing Olympics Committee Official Mascots and the attendant Tibetan Antelope comments. More propaganda.
I had a bit of a long screed typed in here before that I ended up not posting, the gist of which was that I find this a bad choice for international campaigners to focus on. First, it's hardly news that they consider Tibet to be part of China. Second, China has made pretty good efforts to protect the chiru as these things go (though their rangeland policy certainly still sucks), the overwhelming majority of the poachers are local Tibetans and the market is primarily in India. Not the best stick to beat them with.
Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat is actually the true reincarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. All hail Fatso!
(This would make sense if MeFi hadn't gone done again. Silly MeFi.)
Attachment to MeFi's uptime is the true source of suffering.
Fatso is the Great Destroyer, dude. He blew those official Olympic mascots into a cocked hat.
*reads homunculus' comments*
*howls*
That's what this is for, H-dogg
The Dalai Lama launches his website.
I find this to be a very interesting statement. It seems fraught with all sorts of theological and political implications.
"If I were to die in the next few months or before we were able to return to Tibet, there will be a new Dalai Lama," the 69-year-old spiritual leader was quoted as telling the Hindustan Times newspaper on Tuesday.
"But if we cease to be a refugee community and live in democratic Tibet, then I don't think there should be a successor to me after I die," he reportedly said.
"Some reincarnations have not been true," the Dalai Lama told the English-language daily, but he added that he was certain he was the incarnate of the fifth incumbent who held the post for 67 years after being named the Dalai Lama in 1617.
Exiled Tibetans in Dharamsala protest Google censorship in China
hehe excellent!
I wipe out all the time too
Lower overhead: a traveling crap game!
China to Canada: Oh Geez did ya have to give the Dalai Lama an Award, eh?
Wireless Binds Tibetan Exiles
Tibetan Wi-Fi Website Attacked
Classy.
Zhang Qingli, the head of the Communist Party in Tibet, talks about the role of the Dalai Lama, Beijing's difficult relationship with the Buddhist region and China's policies on religion
What an utter, utter tool, in every sense of the word. Note that all the so-called autonomous regions of China have a Han Party secretary.
bad Buddhists abound
wild tribes lurk behind the Wall
"those who do not love their country
are not qualified to be human beings"
see? we know how to Han-dle 'em
/sarcasm
Tibetan refugees shot by PRC forces, witnesses silenced: video
Alas, this is nothing new - China doesn't want Tibetans escaping from Tibet.
After nearly sixty years, one hesitates to say Chinese-occupied Tibet - but that's what Tibet is these days.
Chinese soldiers shooting Tibetan pilgrims at Mount Everest (YouTube).
Tibetan exiles to protest Chinese rule via 'net video, March 10
A Tibetan monk who was tortured for his religious beliefs shares his thoughts about compassion
Thanks as always H-dogg. Good stuff.
And then there is the other side of the picture, the karmic results of what they have done. Negative actions lead to very negative states. When I think about this, my heart is overwhelmed with compassion. These people who tortured me, how many lives will they have to suffer! What incredible suffering will they have to go through on account of this body of mine which was the basis, the reason, for which they acted in this way.
When I contemplate this, my heart just opens up and I focus my mind with the deepest intent: "May these people not have to go through these experiences that are coming! May they be free of the suffering that they are creating for themselves through these actions." And so I actually think: "Bless them! Bless them!"
I suspect what's described there is resettlement poverty alleviation, which I wrote about for the magazine I used to work for. I did do a separate article on a scheme in Tibet but seems it's not online on the revamped site. Basically, resettlement is supposed to be voluntary, but often isn't for a whole raft of reasons, and it's handled even worse in Tibet.
There are other rural schemes on village rejuvenation which might be more likely if most of the distances involved are as short as mentioned in the article.
I'm a great admirer of Melvyn Goldstein, who's quoted in the piece, but I wonder who will benefit from the building boom. Friends working for agencies based in the TAR said it was almost impossible to find Tibetan-owned building businesses in Lhasa when they were putting contracts out to tender. I wonder how it is in the countryside. You suspect that at best it will create some temporary unskilled day labour work for locals at best.
Those are great pictures, homunculus.
China tells living Buddhas to obtain permission before they reincarnate
Congress to bestow its highest award on the Dalai Lama, angering China
Beijing's Demonstration Sports - including Tibetan Snow Shooting.
Greek police block Tibetan activists Freedom Torch Relay at Ancient Olympia
Monks Staged Bold Protest in Tibet
Tibetans protest San Francisco's hosting of Olympic torch
Monks under siege in monasteries as protest ends in a hail of gunfire
Tibetan protests in Lhasa turn violent as Chinese forces crack down
Your links are appreciated, H-dawg, even if we don't say anything.
'Beijing orchestrating Tibet riots'
Interesting. The same thing happened in Burma, so this seems quite believable to me.
The Save Darfur Coalition has been hacked too: FBI Opens Probe of China-Based Hackers
Monks Disrupt Propaganda Tour of Lhasa
That took a lot of guts.
S.F. Asians fret over insult to Olympic torch
Olympic torch symbol of oppression to Tibetans
I saw huge numbers of riot police on my way through Paris this morning.
The torch has been extinguished in Paris.
"No force can stop the torch relay of the Beijing Games."
- Beijing Olympic organising committee spokesman Sun Weide
"Military rule leads to suffering, suffering leads to anger, anger leads to riots. Resist, we must."
- Dalai Yoda
Lord Coe condemns Chinese flame protectors as ‘horrible thugs’
Torch route drastically changed to thwart hordes of protesters
Apparently one of the torchbearers tried to protest, but she was kicked out of the relay by the Chinese police:
At least one torchbearer decided to show her support for Tibetan independence during her moment in the spotlight. After being passed the Olympic flame, Majora Carter pulled out a small Tibetan flag that she had hidden in her shirt sleeve.
"The Chinese security and cops were on me like white on rice, it was no joke," said Carter, 41, who runs a nonprofit organization in New York. "They pulled me out of the race, and then San Francisco police officers pushed me back into the crowd on the side of the street."
I posted about Carter on the Blue here.
Anti-French rallies across China
Protesters in several Chinese cities have gathered to demand a boycott of French products and denounce campaigns for Tibetan independence.
There's a good thread on Chinese Nationalism on the Blue.
Dalai Lama envoys to go to China
China condemns Dalai Lama ahead of planned talks
Tibet could be 'swamped' by mass Chinese settlement after Olympics, says Dalai Lama
Tibetan monasteries empty as China jails monks to silence Olympic protests
Tsering Shakya - Tibetan Questions
Tibetan writer, a rare outspoken voice against Beijing's policies, sues Chinese government
Dalai Lama challenged by new generation of Buddhist activists
Tibet at a Turning Point: the Spring Uprising and China's New Crackdown
Over three years from 2005 to 2008, Photophormations worked with the Tibetan government living in exile in Dharamsala, India making “Recollecting Tibet”. The Documentary examines and questions the state of the Tibetan people living away from the spiritual homeland, surrounded by westernization and how tourism has been assimilated into their culture.
Tibet’s most famous woman blogger, Woeser, detained by police
China Detains 81 Ahead of 50th Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising
Tibet Closed
Tibetan New Year Protests Around the World Today: Boycotting Losar
Tensions rise in Tibet as China banishes Dalai Lama all over again
Monks taken for 're-education' before Tibet uprising anniversary
Explosions damage police cars in China
Disturbing new footage of police brutality in Tibet released by Tibetan government in exile
Competition for peak water will be the downfall of Tibet.
The Buddha himself got a headache for three days because in a previous life he had knocked a fish on the head three times. These secular Chinese masters of Tibet might get a headache for their revisionism.
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