Finding the good in the horrible

If there is anything good to be found in the Chinese government’s murderous crackdown on the pro-independence demonstrations spreading like wildfire across Tibet, it is that the Tibetan people are now more unified than ever in their common identity and common demand for freedom and independence. 

Throughout history, foreign occupation or colonialism has strengthened a subjugated nation’s unity, and this has always been an ominous sign for the oppressor.

Reports the Washington Post:

The groundswell of activity suggests that anger over the Chinese government’s role in Tibet extends far beyond the remote mountainous region, particularly to outlying provinces that are home to an estimated 3 million ethnic Tibetans. Many resent Beijing’s criticism of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and the economic development that has mainly benefited the region’s Han Chinese, China’s dominant ethnic group.

“What we’ve seen is a revitalization of a sense of shared Tibetan identity and cultural and religious pride in the last few days,” said Kate Saunders, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet.

Historically, Tibet has grappled with regionalism between Tibetans living in the three traditional provinces of U-Tsang (itself two distinct regions, U and Tsang), Kham, and Amdo.  With the threat of Chinese invasion in the late 1940s, we saw Tibetans band together, but then after the invasion China chopped Tibet up among the “Tibetan Autonomous Region” and areas incorporated into the provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan and Gansu.  China has purposely been trying to “divide and conquer” Tibetans ever since.

What we are seeing now, though, is a beautiful, inspiring, powerful sense of unity and togetherness among Tibetans across the Tibetan plateau (and even those studying in Beijing!).  As a Tibetan, it is enough to bring tears to my eyes. 

So to my people in Tibet (forget you, China), I say: Tibetans are united, and Tibet will be free.



One Responseto “Finding the good in the horrible”

1. notisaiahberlin says:

   March 19, 2008 at 7:53 pm

   I think the cultural genocide in Tibet is horrible. But when people say Free Tibet what kind of freedom are they talking about?

   Do people demand a consumer robot society as in America? Do they want to be dominated by Friedmanite capitalism and Isaiah Berlin’s distorted notions of freedom and human behaviour?

   It is easy to manipulate students so I hope some will research Isaiah Berlin and how his notion of freedom is causing such misery in the West today.