It seems like every day a new report is out about Tibetans protesting the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the Chinese government that is hosting the games. Where did this whole thing come from? It seems like it started all of a sudden one day, and now it’s everywhere. What is it all about?
This will require a quick history lesson: In 1971, The Qing Dynasty that ruled China established the Dalai Lama and his regents as the spiritual and political leaders of Tibet. They continued in their rule through 1951. In 1911, Tibet proclaimed its independence from China, and although no other country recognized Tibet, it continued as a de-facto independent state until 1950.
In 1950, the Chinese army invaded Tibet, and easily overran the small Tibetan army. Since then the Tibetan government led by the Dalai Lama has been in exile, and the Chinese government has been in control of the region. Chinese citizens were moved in to populate the area, and many Tibetans feel that their culture is being threatened.
March 2008 saw a flare-up in anti-China protests by Buddhist Monks living in Tibet, and has spread in advance of the China-hosted Olympics.
Whether or not China should relinquish some or all of its control of Tibet is one question, but the real issue is the way China has responded to the Tibetan protesters. Hundreds of peaceful protesters have been arrested, and journalists and diplomats have been barred from the region.
The US and the EU are pressuring China to change its ways, but this only highlights the question the world must be asking itself about choosing China to host the Summer Olympics. Will China clean up its human rights record? Will China stop persecuting members of the Falun Gong groups? Will China put pressure on the Sudanese government to stop the massacres in Darfur? Will China stop its ruthless crackdown of Tibetan dissent?
This is what the Tibet protests are all about. This is what we can all be thinking as we head towards the Summer Olympics that are only 129 days away.
