Remember all that furore during the Beijing Olympics?

So whats happened…… all kissed and made up?

China still in control of Tibet, the world not doing much because the bad guy is China.

The situation in one sentence right there ^^^^.

The great Chinese people freed Tibet from its medieval religious overlords. Now the majority of people living in Tibet, want to be part of China.

Now the majority of people living in Tibet, want to be part of China.

They actually always were Chinese, because Tibet was always part of China. 🙄

They actually always were Chinese, because Tibet was always part of China

Know any Tibetans then? I’m sure the ones staging a permanent 24-hour protest outside the Chinese embassy in Portland PLace may beg to differ.

And their systematic dismantling of the religion and culture of the country, not to mention demolishing ancient towns and building roads and new empty towns all over Tibet. Since the invasion in the 50’s the Chinese have turned all the monasteries housing thousands of Buddhist monks into little more than museums with a nominal operating staff.

They are now trying to fill Tibet with Chinese workers to finally eradicate any sign of what was once a huge, complex, mysterious (to Westerners) and ancient civilisation. Personally I’d compare it to the Spanish overthrowing the Mayans.

History of Tibet

Oh and it was, as often the case, the British who prompted early interest by China in invading Tibet, as the British forced trade agreements with Tibet to get one over the Chinese and Russians 🙁

Know any Tibetans then?

Oops. Comment taken out of context… that comment was the official Chinese line, not the Tibetan one. See my earlier comment:

China still in control of Tibet, the world not doing much because the bad guy is China.

I think we all know that China invaded a sovereign state in 1950 and has since pretty much despoiled it. But, according to the Chinese, Tibet never held true sovereign status and was, in fact, Chinese all along.

Sorry Camo, missed your irony there!

Having been fortunate enough to visit Tibet, somewhere I had read stories about as a kid and saw as the mystical land in the clouds, what I saw there was quite shocking and gets me all fired up! I believe its got a lot worse now, the regeneration was bad enough 8 years ago.

I would imagine that the indigenous population are still setting themselves on fire for not being allowed to grovel before their preferred JuJu Man In A Magic Hat, whilst the Chinese military continue to kick them about and the newly-migrated Han population stand around taking photos and laughing…

I would imagine that the indigenous population are still setting themselves on fire for not being allowed to grovel before their preferred JuJu Man In A Magic Hat

Your in-depth grasp of the situation in Tibet leaves me breathless, Mr. W. Chapeau!

🙄

This one, presumably…

My point being wasn’t it interesting that our press managed to major so heavily on it in the run up and during the 2008 Olympics, dropping it straight after?

Putting aside all of the actual issues for one moment what does that sort of behaviour actually achieve? Does it sell more papers, does it make the intransigent more so, does it further the ends of the Tibetans themselves, is it governement sponsored for political ends? Whats it all about?

It just seems really weird to me, and looking back the intensity of the coverage for a month or two followed by nothing just doesn’t seem right. Surely if people were interested and bought papers because of it that interest doesn’t just wain overnight. Perhaps people never were really engaged with it and there was another motive.

It came up this am in a chat with a Chinese supplier, and got me thinking so thought I’d kick it around a bit with you lot.

More a case of how the press govern trends. Its a one-way street, they report what they like when they like, we the people absorb it. No feedback.

I was just thinking to myself this morning as I picked up my copy of “Metro” –

“So – what does Paul Dacre want us to think about today, I wonder?” 😉

It needs a list

http://www.freetibet.org/news-media/na/full-list-self-immolations-tibet

40MPH has it right…..brothers married to a Tibetan. All though she personally see’s both sides of the argument and seems to even be pro-Chinese from what I’ve gathered – as she’s had opportunities for a good education in mainland China that she would have not otherwise had.

Never mention Tibet in China though. Ever.

Bearing in mind that I susbscribe to the theory that “everyone behaves rationally according to the world as they perceive it”, whats the rationale for the press to making a big issue out of Tibet for 6 – 8 weeks during the Olympics then? Like I say if it sells papers it will do that regardless, if it doesn’t why do it?