“The protests, sparked by the anniversary of the failed 1959 uprising that sent Tibet’s Dalai Lama into exile, are the latest embarrassment to hit 2008 Olympic-host China.” Some deadly (and potentially Olympics-threatening) violence breaks out in Lhasa, Tibet, claiming between 10 and 100 lives (depending on the source.) “Chinese authorities blamed the Dalai Lama for the unrest, but the Dalai Lama said the protesters were simply acting out of ‘deep-rooted resentment’ of the Chinese government. ‘As I have always said, unity and stability under brute force is at best a temporary solution…I therefore appeal to the Chinese leadership to stop using force and address the long-simmering resentment of the Tibetan people through dialogue with the Tibetan people. I also urge my fellow Tibetans not to resort to violence.’“
Reporting from China, the Atlantic‘s James Fallows says the news isn’t really getting past the Great Firewall…yet.
Things are looking pretty grim in Tibet. Here is a translation of a first-hand account of the current disturbances. And here is a first hand account of what it’s like to be a tourist in Tibet, written on March 10. The resentment of the Chinese, which seems to be always simmering under the surface, has broken through. It’s a no-win situation for Beijing: do nothing and it might escalate, crack down and it could affect the Olympics. Not to mention the toll in human lives and suffering… Very disheartening.
Raising Awareness of the people, and the country in an ongoing way seems a good start to helping keeping Tibet in the foreground of peoples minds.
The London Snowman, currently on an Expedition in the Himalayas, made a start in Tibet some weeks back, look here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZP2RB3VWwI
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