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MATTERS have not improved between China and its
administrative region of Tibet since the riots started on March 14.
Recent developments have not been promising.
The protests began on March 10 in
the capital city of Lhasa to mark the anniversary of a failed 1959
uprising against Chinese rule of the Himalayan province. When the
protest escalated into riots four days later, China responded by
sending troops.
China sent its military into
Tibet in 1950 to “liberate” the Himalayan region, and officially
annexed it the following year. Beijing claims that Tibet, like
Taiwan, is a province and an integral part of its territory.
The death toll
Monks initially spearheaded the
protests, followed by civilians, many students and shopkeepers. The
protests spread to other areas of China with ethnic Tibetan
populations.
China has complained that rioters
killed 18 civilians and two police officers. Exiled Tibetan leaders
have estimated the death toll from the Chinese crackdown at 135-140
people, with another 1,000 injured or detained. Vandals had also
struck Han Chinese-owned businesses, Beijing officials said.
The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan
spiritual leader, had urged a dialogue with high Chinese
representatives to address the unrest and discuss the future of the
mountainous region. He made it clear that the Tibetans were not
demanding full independence but wanted increased autonomy.
Autonomy, not independence
Beijing turned down the
suggestion, saying the spiritual leader or his government in exile
in Dharamsala, India, had incited the riots and wanted to make
capital of the Summer Olympics that China is hosting in August.
China considers the Games a
historic coming-out party, a chance to show off its tremendous
economic growth and improvements in human rights observance.
Tibetan autonomy is an internal
matter that should not be linked to the Games, Chinese leaders said.
Beijing’s moves to meet the
Tibetans’ and global calls for transparency in Lhasa have produced
mixed results.
Beijing responds
Seventeen officials from 15
countries visited Lhasa during the weekend after China yielded to
global calls to allow diplomats into the special administrative
region. The visitors said they were monitored all the time.
China had also allowed foreign
journalists to visit Lhasa but apparently the newsmen were not given
full freedom to interview the residents.
China had promised that the monks
who demonstrated would not be punished and the families of the dead
and those who were hurt would receive compensation.
The unrest in Tibet has affected
preparations for the Games. Other issues, such as the Darfur crisis,
have prompted some allies to reconsider their stand.
Foreign governments have welcomed
China’s initiatives but advised more could be done to improve
relations between Beijing and the administrative region.
If the Dalai Lama goes…
China walks a tightrope on the
Tibet question. It must balance the claims of sovereignty against
world opinion. As it hosts the Games, it must compete not only for
medals but also for international respect. Progress in Tibet will
mean a brighter sheen for the Games.
US Treasury chief Henry Paulson
will take advantage of a routine two-day visit to Beijing to deliver
a message to President Hu Jintao from President Bush: the US is
interested in developments in Tibet and cares a lot about peace and
stability in the Himalayan region.
China’s hard line on the Dalai
Lama is partly premised on what it claims the spiritual leader’s
history of lying and walking away from negotiations. The Dalai Lama
has vowed to resign if the demonstrations do not stop. Without the
Dalai Lama, a symbol of nonviolent resistance, the situation could
get out of hand.
We wish the Olympics success
We wish the Olympic Games well
and China all the best for a successful hosting. Politics should not
impede the classic competition among the world’s top athletes
under Beijing’s auspices. The problem in Tibet however needs more
action and attention. A dialogue between the Dalai Lama or his
representatives and high Chinese officials is increasingly becoming
urgent.
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