Protestors: Free Tibet! Free Tibet!
Peter Griffin: I’ll take it!
[He runs to a nearby phone booth]
Peter Griffin: Hello, China? I have something you may want. But it’s gonna cost ya. That’s right. All the tea.
Overview
While hardly a new issue, a week of violently suppressed protests has brought Tibet back to the political forefront. Specifically, Tibetan monks started non violent protests in the city of Lhasa on March 14th. As the protests grew in size and intensity, the government response got increasingly heavy handed. This issue is especially timely considering its proximity to the Olympics and Taiwanese elections. Ever since Chinese Communists occupied the independent nation of Tibet in the 1950’s there has been struggle between the Chinese government and Tibetan separatists. Tactics that have been used to quell separatism have ranged from the outlawing to Buddhism and closing of regional boarders (both now discontinued), to the violent suppression of all dissent and cultural imperialism. Further the responses from international governments tend to be inconsistent and ineffective.
Key Terms and Figures
The Riots: The protests began on Friday in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on the anniversary of a 1959 uprising that led to the Dalai Lama fleeing into exile. Since then it has spread across areas with large Tibetan populations. Protests have included non-violent protest by monks and arsons and violence from average citizens.
Death, injury and arrest totals: Since the riots began, there have been an estimated 100 fatalities, mostly placed at the hands of police and soldiers; the Chinese government asserts there have only been 13 casualties, all at the hands of protesters. Over 400 have been injured – including 61 police. Also over 1000 ethnic Tibetans have been arrested across China as part of random sweeps to find supporters.
Dalai Lama: Spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, was the chief government officer in the region from occupation until the crackdowns in the 1959. Has been in exile in India, with Tibetan government, since. Has stated he will resign as leader of the government if it helps to rectify the growing violence. Awarded Nobel peace prize in 1989, congressional medal of honor in 2007.
Chinese Colonization of Tibet: One of the major points of contention is that recently the Chinese government has engaged in policies encouraging non-Tibetans to settle in Tibet. These ethic Chinese are then given government jobs and contracts. The Government in exile has called it “Cultural Genocide,” arguing that it is economically forcing Tibetans to conform and surrender their autonomy and culture. The State replied that such claims were a “lie” and “since the peaceful liberation and especially the democratic reform, Tibet has moved forward and become more developed.” However, it must be noted that this was in the state media agency, and only mentions the economic prosperity of the region, not ethnic Tibetans.
Major Issues
The Olympics and Politics: These specific protests have taken further steps to politicize an Olympic games already wrought in controversy. Beyond concerns about press freedom, the environment – and the health risks this poses to athletes, human rights abuses against the Falun Gong and general protest of Chinese authoritarianism, the heavy handedness of the response to the Lhasa protests has increased calls for Olympic boycotts. Most recently many dissident have appealed to the international Olympic committee changed the route of the torch relay to not include Tibet; there are currently two separate occasions where the torch is supposed to go through the region. This has raised questions about the efficacy of Olympic boycotts. While they do offer an important symbolic gesture, the economic and political fallout is minimal – and has, empirically, never led to any change. As such it is open to question whether it would be better to make a statement, risking Chinese anger with a boycott – or to try to work within the system, utilizing negotiation and diplomacy.
China and the Press: This controversy has also highlighted the degree to which the Chinese government controls the Press. Currently, in China, if someone tries to navigate to YouTube they encounter a black screen. More shocking than the fact that China has been censoring the internet is the Western complicity in the issue. Google has long-assisted in censoring its search engines and has fully complied with China on all efforts to silence this story. It raises questions about the role business have in protecting human rights, especially with all the business opportunities China provides.
Regional Response: Besides just impacting the home front, these protests have been affecting the politics in neighboring hotspots. Initially, the protests have spread to Nepal, where 50 people were arrested for protesting outside the UN embassy – demanding that the UN investigate the violence. With its large population of displaced Tibetans, the current protests threaten to destabilize a nation that is already seeing huge shifts in the political order. But beyond Nepal, the conflict may have ramifications in Taiwan. The insecurity of Tibet is being used to draw voters to the polls under the assumption that China could attempt a similar crackdown in Taiwan. Further, the head of the CDU in Germany declared that “The German federal government has always held that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China and will continue to adhere to the one-China policy.” In many ways this issue is forcing nations to decide on the legitimacy of anti-Chinese separatist movements, a move that could drastically lessen the legitimacy of Taiwan on the global stage.
Sample Questions
Will Protests in Lhasa help or hinder the Tibetan separatist movement in the long run?
Are Tibetan protesters a threat to the stability of Nepal?
Should the UN investigate the Lhasa protests?
Should the US boycott the Beijing Olympics?
What can the international community do to free Tibet?