From Burma to Tibet?
Tibet and Burma are linked in many ways: their peoples and languages are related, and they share a deep faith in Buddhism and the misfortune of being under brutal regimes. Tibet and Burma also both saw widespread protests for freedom in the late 1980s, which their respective regimes crushed violently.
Could a new wave of technology-enabled protests in Burma right now presage a fresh era of resistance in Tibet as well?
As the New York Times reports, small but persistent protests have erupted across Burma for the past two weeks, in one of the biggest challenges to the dictatorship since the 1988 demonstrations were brutally crushed.
The protests … do not appear to be centrally organized and have continued despite the arrests of a number of activist leaders.
[...] “A week and a half ago people were saying the protests didn’t have that much future,” said Dave Mathieson, an expert on [Burma]… “But they are starting to spread, and they are continuing in Rangoon.”
What has changed to give the protests added power against the ruthlessness of the military government? Technology in the hands of individual citizens.
The protests may also be spreading because of transmissions through the Internet of photographs and video that have slipped past government controls.
[...] The readily accessible visual images have given the small demonstrations a disproportionate impact both abroad and at home.
“That’s the big difference from 1988,” said Mr. Mathieson. “The technology is completely different. Even though the military’s power may be the same, the ability of the protesters to get their message around the country has grown.”
It’s far too early to know how much impact the Burmese demonstrations will ultimately have. Their biggest “success” so far is simply happening, given the authoritarian environment. The junta is not afraid to use coercion, and is relatively impervious to outside pressure thanks to China’s protection. But despite these challenges, these tech-enabled protests give hope to people who support Burmese democracy.
Is something similar happening in Tibet?
SFT effectively used new communication technology to spread around the world dramatic photos and video from our protests on Mount Everest and the Great Wall. Our messages and images were picked up by global media, and we also know they made their way into Tibet and China (Tibetans inside Tibet have communicated to us how inspired they were).
What about actions that originate in Tibet, where the stakes are even higher?
We’re already seeing how mobile phones and digital cameras have allowed word to spread about the crisis in Lithang (where Runggye Adak’s inspiring act of free speech led to his arrest, demonstrations by hundreds of Tibetans, a violent crackdown by Chinese security forces, and an ongoing tense standoff).
Tibetans in other parts of Tibet know about, and are being inspired by, this bravery — despite China’s best efforts at censoring the internet and jamming radio. It’s also possible that the Chinese government feels constrained knowing that almost instantaneous information about its actions will get out. Did the People’s Armed Police use tear gas and shock grenades instead of live ammunition, as they did in Tibet in the late 1980s, because the world is watching?
What would have happened if the internet, mobile phones, and YouTube existed during the massive pro-independence demonstrations in Lhasa from 1987 to 1989? Would they have spread even more? How would things have changed if the world saw shocking, immediate images of the brutality of China’s initial occupation of Tibet in the 1950s? Would more have been done?
Technology wouldn’t have changed everything, but it would have changed some things — and some things could have made a big difference.
The brave Burmese protesters are showing that when a group of people stand up to the most brutal regimes, technology can give them more impact than ever before. Maybe protests in Rangoon or Lithang won’t bring down the respective regimes (this time), but they will shake the leadership in ways that wouldn’t have happened before. Now, citizens have a new power to document and spread what is happening, tipping the balance in the battle over information. The rise of tech-empowered protesters means that for repressive regimes, things will never be the same again.
No Responsesto “From Burma to Tibet?”
Leave a Reply
on 
on 
on 
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
[...] Yahoo From Burma to Tibet? » This Summary is from an article posted at Tibet Will Be Free on Friday, August 31, 2007 This article’s contents are copywritten by the author of Tibet Will Be Free . Please click "View Original Article…" below to view the article. Summary Provided by Technorati.comView Original Article at Tibet Will Be Free » 10 Most Recent News Articles About YouTube [...]
[...] YouTube From Burma to Tibet? » This Summary is from an article posted at Tibet Will Be Free on Friday, August 31, 2007 This article’s contents are copywritten by the author of Tibet Will Be Free . Please click "View Original Article…" below to view the article. Summary Provided by Technorati.comView Original Article at Tibet Will Be Free » 10 Most Recent News Articles About Digital Cameras [...]
Basic Digital Photography – Capturing Night Time Images…
From sparkling city skylines to moonlit rural landscapes, night time scenes can be enchanting. Although digital cameras are capable of capturing more color within a night scene than the human eye is capable of registering, capturing such a view require…