Possibly the greatest test for the future of Tibetan Buddhism has begun. Whether or not this assembly will reach consensus, I believe the young people will go their own way, much like my generation did in the 60s. While fearing for their safety and ability to maintain their virtue and dignity as Tibetans, I understand the impatience of youth and how suseptible they are to delusions and grandiouse thinking. Change is the only constant. Pray and hope for the best future for all Tibetans.
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008
Tibetans Look to Future, Without Dalai Lama 
By Jyoti Thottam
Hundreds of Tibetan political leaders, activists and individuals from all over the world have just begun a meeting in Dharamsala, India, that is unprecedented in its ambition: to bring all Tibetans together to decide their own future, without the direct guidance of the Dalai Lama.
The week-long summit, which includes elected members of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, non-governmental organizations and protest groups, comes at a critical time. After the Dalai Lama indicated recently that he had all but given up on negotiations with China over autonomy for Tibet, there is increasing tension between Tibetan conservatives, who favor continuing talks, and younger radicals who want to push for a free Tibet. After protests this March in Lhasa that turned violent, the radicals were energized. But since then, they have been unable channel their efforts constructively. "The community is feeling slightly lost and helpless," says Tsering Shakya, a Tibetan scholar and professor at the University of British Columbia who has written extensively about modern Tibetan history. This week's meeting is an attempt on the part of Tibetan leadership to allow them to voice their views openly — without feeling inhibited about criticizing th
e Dalai Lama — and perhaps restore some sense of unity.
But the choice that Tibetans are facing isn't a simple fork in the road between seeking independence or seeking autonomy. That's clear from looking at the people expected to play a key role in the talks, which are closed to the public. The central voices of the Tibetan establishment include Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama's envoy to Washington and chief negotiator with the Chinese, and Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche, who is also seen as a conservative force, along with several cabinet ministers. Those pushing for radical change include the Tibetan Youth Congress, who are vocal and visible, but to date have had little sway over the Tibetan political system; Students for a Free Tibet, who are very well organized but whose influence has been limited to English-speaking world; and individuals like Jamyang Norbu, a writer and fiery orator who could have an outsized influence in this kind of forum. There are also several NGOs and individuals with regional influence over different parts of the Tibetan diasp
ora, and a secularist group pushing for more lay leadership.
But perhaps the biggest wild card in the talks will be Tibetans inside Tibet, says Robbie Barnett, a professor of Tibetan studies at Columbia University in New York City. (There are 5.5 million, compared to about 130,000 in the global diaspora.) They won't be able to attend in person, but many of them are making their views heard through informal or secret communications. And here too, there is a wide range of views, from radicalized former prisoners to those who are actually pushing for more concessions to China in the hopes of bringing the Dalai Lama back to Tibet before the end of his life.
It will be up to the chair of the meeting, Karma Choepel, the speaker of the Tibetan parliament, to allow open and frank discussion. The Dalai Lama will not participate in any of the talks, although he is expected to address the gathering after the end of the summit. The meeting, Barnett says, is "explicitly a response by the Dalai Lama to criticism that his charisma has cramped any space for real discussion." But no one is expecting Tibetans to 
suddenly shift course from the "Middle Path," which advocates for negotiating with Beijing for autonomy, not independence, and has been steered so carefully by their spiritual leader for the last 30 years. Instead, the summit will be considered a success if it reaches some consensus about how to choose the Dalai Lama's successor, and if it brings Tibetans together to discuss issues like education and how to involve young Tibetans in the political process. Barnett notes that China may find it more difficult to control a movement that is strong and unified around a common purpose. "If they can achieve that, it will really be quite significant." And perhaps the most radical move of all.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1859974,00.html?xid=feed-rss-netzero
November 18, 2008
What Will Tibetans Do?
August 30, 2008
Something About Tibetans
On August 23 and August 24, 2008 a tremendous outpouring of support for a free, autonomous Tibet occurred in the main "free speech zones" of NYC. Thanks to the organizers, Students for a Free Tibet, the Tibetan Women’s Association, the Tibetan Youth Congress, International Campaign for Tibet and other groups, Tibetans, Asians and European Americans gathered to let the world know human rights are still MIA in China. The Bejing Olympics didn't change a thing.
China lied about peaceful protest and freedom for the press. More reports will emerge over the next few months, but we must speak out for people who cannot speak for themselves . The struggle for a free Tibet will go on until Tibetans can go home.
The itinerary was well organized. On August 23 we began at the Chinese Embassy, where the longest continual demonstration has been happening since March! This was followed by a rally in Times Square which was peaceful, despite attempts by one lonely lunatic who shouted "CIA" at the group while trying to distribute propaganda in support of the wonderful government of China (hee hee!). Food was distributed (love those Tibetans!) and officially ended, but the group wasn't ready to stop. An ad hoc group gathered in Union Square to pay tribute to fallen heroes with a die-in and ferocious speeches.
Sunday, August 24 began at Dag Hammerskold Plaza. We chanted, listened to speakers which included four Americans just back from Bejing. They were very warmly received and shortly after there was
more food (yeah!) and we marched across 42nd Street back to the Chinese Embassy. There, in the hot sun we listened to music and more speakers, including Robert Thurman, founder of Tibet House. It was an uplifting experience without any problems. May we grow and endure!
Something About Tibetans
For many years Buddhism has been my refuge from the pains and chaos of life. When the pressures of injustice begin to wear me down, I turn to the teachings to get back on the path of compassion and
nonviolence. It was with gratitude for this assistance that on August 23-24 I devoted
myself to street actions that promote Tibetan self-determination. I wanted to show support not only for Tibetan Buddhism as a life philosophy, but also to bear witness to the Tibetan people’s struggle. The weekend was transformative for this old veteran of peace and justice campaigns.
ers and enjoying food
Tibetans comport themselves with disciple and restraint, needing very little direction from “leaders” regarding when to chant or march, sit or stand with fists in the air, and were even sincerely gracious in thanking the police for their patience in escorting them. Their ability to main
tain dignity in the face of such enormous adversity was truly inspiring. I wanted to understand better how they endured, more than 50 years after being attacked to the very core of their being. More than that, I wanted the progressive movement
to listen, learn and evolve from their experiences. But without media coverage, most dedicated human rights supporters would never know a single thing about these events
A small group of non-Asian participants fresh from demonstrating in China were present. Although they already seemed to be “insiders,” they kept a low profile to make sure Tibetans remained at the center of the events. Their behavior, as that of the Tibetans, was a stark contrast to thewildly confrontational and publicity-seeking style of typical anti-war/racism/poverty, etc. demos and meetings, where people fight over the megaphone, microphone or podium to ensure their point of view will beat the forefront. He who shouted loudest or longest got to lead the parade. Progressives could learn from their example, but first needed to know it existed.
Aug. 23, Times Square: American "Free Speech Zone"
In addition to the lack of knowledge was a gross misrepresentation of facts. Because of this, I thought to provide a bit of history and a simplified perspective of what Tibetans seek to achieve.
In 1950 the People’s Republic of China invaded Tibet. Nonviolent to a fault, the Tibetan people tried to accommodate their changed reality as best they could without a real army or backup from a foreign government. As time passed it became clear that China was determined to destroy Tibetan culture and religion. Complete eradication of Tibetan Buddhism was essential for the Maoists because they knew Buddhism w
as and continues to be integral to the identity of Tibetans, traditionally, socially and politically. This struggle is difficult for Americans to understand because our national identity is persistently transitional, but an example from my history may bridge the gap.
Aug. 23, Times Square:
Radical statements
When my father was six months old, my grandparents participated in demonstrations against Mussolini in our tiny hometown in Sicily. Everyone known to have participated was swept up and placed in jail, not for Fascist reeducation but just straight out intimidation. Early one morning my “nonni” were arrested and, because Dad was still breastfeeding, he was brought to prison with them. Not knowing what the future would bring, a priest in the group offered to “confirm” my Dad, a procedure one is supposed to undertake in adolescence.
Aug. 23, Union Square: Standing together after the Die-In
There is great historical significance to this ritual. In the early days of the Roman Catholic Church, when the Roman authorities persecuted Christians, a person voluntarily and with total awareness became confirmed as a soldier of Christ, willing to die rather than disgrace his name. Obviously a 6 month old is not capable of comprehending any of this, but in times of desperation, you use what you’ve got to get what 
you need.
Aug. 24, UN Rally: Getting ready to march
For the Sicilians in that prison, my Dad provided a cause to rally around and feel unified in their mission against the mighty powers of Il Duce. This became one of my favorite history lessons and surely set me on the path of righteousness in the name of the people. It imbued them with an identity and ideology that encompassed both Sicilian pride and the Roman Catholic virtues within our language and culture. The Tibetan cause is just like the Sicilian struggle against Fascism because of the common thread of powerless people demanding the right to maintain their common identity against the powerful.
Aug. 24, UN Rally: Young folks pick up the flag
China’s leaders believed the only way to subsume Tibet was to utterly destroy the fabric of daily life. This should sound familiar to Americans who remember our failed Vietnam policy of destroying villages to in order to “save” them. In addition to bloodshed and threats of imprisonment for “incorrect thinking,” every day for the past 50+ years Tibetans were bombarded with lies, misrepresentations and slander about themselves. Their national icon, the Dalai Lama was demonized to the extent where anyone with so much as a picture of him risked horrible punishment. China’s leadership continues to use the Dalai Lama as a reason to suppress Tibeta
ns even as the rest of the world has accepted some of his teachings from this very old and constantly evolving philosophy.
Aug. 24, UN Rally: Cautious Beauty
This year the Tibetan cause again burst upon the attention of the world shortly after the March 10 anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, which commemorates the events of 1959 when Tibetans first shook off the shackles of fear and intimidation and took to the streets. This time the world waited to see how China would respond because the Olympics were conferred upon China only with explicit promises of tolerance for dissent. Unfortunately, China proved its word could not be trusted as tanks, missiles and bullets were used to put down demonstrations of unarmed lay people, monks and nuns, all over Tibet and throughout China. Because of their courage the actions of Tibetans, Uyghurs, other ethnic minorities and Chinese nationals in 2008 will be remembered as even greater than the 1989 protests which commemorated Tibetan National Uprising Day.
Aug. 24, Chinese Embassy Rally: The march across 42nd Street ended with another rally. The Hudson River to our left and the Chinese Embassy to our right
As China tried to present a perfect, homogenous nation for the Bejing Olympics,
YouTubers watched in horror as monks, nuns, children, grandparents and citizens raised fists against clubs, thr
ew stones at tanks and ran from bullets. We may never know exactly how many people died or were disappeared during those riots, but most amazing was that the movement was not suppressed but instead vitalized beyond expectation. Thanks to the Internet, people who knew little or nothing about Tibet saw with their own eyes the horror of a totalitarian state. Concerned outsiders understood this issue would not go away without strong and sane intervention, but where to turn was problematic.
Aug. 24, Chinese Embassy Rally: Longing for home
“Free” media only reported the most sensational aspects of the story and gave little substance to flesh out the who, what, when, where and most importantly, why of what was happening. Alternative news was almost completely lacking in coverage, since overstretched activists were trying to cover everything from Iraq to Palestine, Oaxaca to Burma. The only westerners to consistently (and very loudly) speak about Tibet seemed dedicated to presenting Tibetans as pawns of the CIA or sympathizers with feudalism. Such bizarre allegations were as informative and useful as Fox News! The realization was beginning to dawn that while the USA was sinking under its own bloated burdens, China’s repression could just as easily be exported with the toxic toys.
Aug. 24, Chinese Embassy Rally: One of the speakers was noted Tibetan scholar, Robert Thurman
Being a minority at Tibet events hasn’t diminished my enthusiasm. The Tibetan cause is as true as the Vietnamese struggle was to reunite and take control of their country. I felt connected to the Vietnamese in 1965 and did everything I could to help. The connection with Tibetans is much more personal because I embrace Tibetan Buddhism as a way to live an ethical life in a world that seems bent on cruelty and 
destruction.
If you still don’t understand what the big deal is, that’s okay. Perhaps Tibet is too small a country for Americans to be bothered about. Time will prove whether or not their struggle is as enduring as the Iraq struggle, the Palestinian struggle, and the inherent desire for all people to be free from servitude, be it outside oppression or from within. It’s also true the struggle for self-expression, self-determination and real liberty can occur in many different places all at the same time. There’s no rule saying how best to advance liberty, no template for steps 1 through 12. The only rule seems to be to participate somewhere, somehow and in some shape or manner. Buddhism teaches cause and effect, and we measure each action with a potential reaction. If it is a good action, more good actions will arise. Maybe I’ll see you at the next event!
August 24, 2008
US, Other Embassys Roll Over for China
How more obvious can it get? Pretend it's the not too distant future, like ten (10) years from now. Venezuela is hosting the Olympics and ten (10), TEN American citizens are suddenly placed in detention for ten (10), TEN days (whew, at least that's a relief! What if they're not honest about releasing them? In the meantime, these are some of the heroes from today's Tibetan Freedom Fighters, courtesy of Students for Free Tibet and Free Tibet 2008.
Beijing: Tibetan Flag
Rangzen Fist Salute
Aug. 21, 2008
A plain clothed security official, bottom right, grabs a Tibetan flag from three pro-Tibet activists as they gesture in protest opposite the National Stadium, where the Olympic athletics competition had just finished, Beijing, early Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. Swarms of plainclothes police took away four foreign activists protesting Chinese rule over Tibet - the latest in a series of such demonstrations during the Olympics. (AP Photo)
August 22nd Update: Four Sentenced to Ten Days ‘Administrative Detention’ Breaking news– the embassies of the four Tibet activists arrested early on August 21 have told family members that they have been sentenced to 10 days “administrative detention” by Chinese police. Under Chinese law, Chinese police can subject people to the punishment of administrative detention without a trial or court hearing This follows on yesterday’s sentencing of six other Tibet supporters in Beijing to the same punishment. Little else is known at this time but Students for a Free Tibet will fight this however we can and we will post additional information as we learn more.
What You Can Do To Help
1) Create your own videos and images in support of Florian, Jeremy, John and Mandie and submit them to: http://freetibet2008.tv/submit/. We will air them on the Windhorse report and promote them on our site.
2) Demand their release today by calling the Chinese foreign ministry: +86-10-65961114
3) Send emails and letters of support to: ft08tv@studentsforafreetibet.org
5) Watch and share Florian Norbu Gyanatshang’s personal video statementAt approximately 12:05 am Beijing time, Florian Norbu Gyanatshang, a Tibetan-German man and American Tibet supporters, Jeremy Wells and John Watterberg were detained by Beijing authorities for protesting near the Bird’s Nest stadium. The three had been unde r intense surveillance by up to 50 plainclothes police.
They called out “Free Tibet” and Florian Norbu unfurled the Tibetan flag. They raised their fists in a salute in the spirit of defiance and resistance displayed by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Last night’s protest took place as spectators were leaving the Bird’s Nest where the men’s 200 metre final had been held just hours before. It was on the medal podium for this same event 40 years ago that Smith and Carlos stage d their courageous protest.
A fourth Tibet activist, Mandie McKeown from Britain, who observed the protest was also detained. The four were taken away in a police vehicle and their whereabouts are unknown. Two photographers from the Associated Press who were at the scene were also briefly detained.
http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/tibetanflag/
August 20, 2008
Tibet Lives After Olympics
Lhasa on my mind...
A rally for Tibet is planned for Sunday, August 24 (the closing day of the Beijing Olympics) to be held in front of the United Nations in New York City. The organizers of the rally include Students for a Free Tibet, the Tibetan Women’s Association and the Tibetan Youth Congress, and they have asked the International Campaign for Tibet and our supporters to join in sending a message to China that the Tibetan struggle continues long after the Olympics conclude.
The event is planned to start at 11:00 in the morning at
Dag Hammars
kjold Park, 47th Street and 1st Avenue.
Thousands of Tibetans from all over the United States are expected to attend. The Tibetan people and their supporters made sure that China’s crackdown in Tibet this spring and summer was known to the Olympics audience, in spite of the Chinese government’s determination to control every element of its Olympics story.
I hope you will join the rally to amplify the call for human rights in Tibet and basic freedoms for the Tibetan people! For more information, please email Mr. Tsering Palden at tsering.palden@gmail.com.
Olympian Ideals Support Tibet
China can’t block the music! If the bureaucrats think people won't buy this CD because THEY tell them not to, then they're going to be disappointed. Remember: use your freedom to help others without it. Peace can only exist when we are all free to express ourselves.
Over 40 Olympic athletes in Beijing download Tibet solidarity album 'Songs for Tibet'
International Campaign for Tibet and the Art of Peace Foundation
August 18th, 2008
Washington DC, (August 18, 2008) - The album 'Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace,' a top-selling rock download in the US, Canada, several European countries and Japan - which reached #4 on the Billboard album download charts in its first week of sales - has been downloaded by more than 40 Olympic athletes competing at the Beijing Games. China's official media published a provocative online article that reported many "angry" Chinese 'netizens' are "denouncing" the project and that some have called for a boycott on companies that make the pro-peace album available for sale on the web, and a ban on those involved in making the album from entering China. Over a hundred download sites and on-line retailers sell the album worldwide. Twenty musicians contributed tracks, including Sting, Dave Matthews, Alanis Morissette, John Mayer and Moby. [my bold]
Michael Wohl, Executive Director of the Art of Peace Foundation which initiated the project, said today: "We are delighted that Olympics athletes took the opportunity to download this unique album, which conveys a message of hope and solidarity with the Tibetan people, as well as a commitment to freedom of expression that cannot be suppressed."
Over 40 Olympic athletes in North America, Europe and even Beijing contacted The Art of Peace Foundation by email and through the Foundation's website. Athletes downloaded the album as an act of solidarity with Tibet. International organizations including the International Campaign for Tibet, Students for a Free Tibet, and Team Darfur helped contact the athletes. Several of the athletes, who were assured anonymity, thanked the Art of Peace Foundation. In one case, an Olympian commended the Foundation's "efforts, music and passion for peace."
Following international media coverage of the album and its success, an article about the album - which referred to "angry netizens" who "are rallying together to denounce internet retailers that offer 'Songs for Tibet' for purchase" was published on two Chinese websites, china.org.cn - the authorized government portal site to China, managed by the Information Office of the State Council (http://www.china.org.cn/china/national/2008-08/08/content_16161481.htm) - and http://www.chinanews.com, a semi-official internet news portal which operates under close scrutiny and control of the Communist Party. This follows demonstrations by overseas Chinese against some companies (such as the French supermarket chain Carrefour) and broadcasters (CNN and the BBC) that have occurred since the international community has criticized China for its crackdown in Tibet, and in the buildup to the Olympics. The demonstrations and outpouring of Chinese nationalism, particularly linked to protests against Chinese government policies at the time of the Olympic torch relay, have been fueled by misinformation and propaganda from the Chinese authorities.
"The predictably hostile response to the album from Chinese internet users and an official website at this time reflects continued attempts to suppress any support for Tibet
at a time of crisis for the Tibetan people, as well as the level of entrenched misinformation about Tibet propagated by the Beijing government among the Chinese public," said Kate Saunders from the International Campaign for Tibet, which is supporting the project.
The double album, 'Songs for Tibet' celebrates peace, the Dalai Lama and Tibet. Twenty artists, including Sting, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews, John Mayer and Moby contributed songs for the release.
Proceeds that the foundation receives will support initiatives for promoting peace and Tibetan cultural preservation projects. Details at http://www.artofpeacefoundation.org. The video for the album, 'Songs for Tibet - Freedom is Expression,' is available on YouTube.
May 8, 2008
NO Chinese Assault on Mt. Everest!
Join/Create a Vigil for Tibet and Mount Everest
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Committee issued an ominous threat:
"The command centre has given its order for the final assault tomorrow."
He was referring to China's climbing team that took the Olympic torch to the summit of Mt. Everest late yesterday. But never before has the mountaineering term 'assault' been used more appropriately.
China's assault on Mount Everest – sacred Mount Chomolungma to Tibetans – is in fact an assault on Tibet and the Tibetan people, not to mention the Olympic ideals.
After an Olympic torch relay that has already been met with free Tibet protests and heavy-handed security everywhere it's gone, China's ascent of the Everest summit with the torch is a blatant attempt to underscore its claims to Tibet. Desperate to ensure a successful propaganda exercise, the Chinese government staged its assault on the sacred peak, but only after surrounding the climbing team with armed police, while Nepal threatened to shoot anyone who might protest on its side of the mountain!
Because of China's intense secrecy, we learned of its "final assault" on Everest just hours before the team summitted with the torch.
Tibetans and supporters around the world have planned prayer vigils to mourn those Tibetans killed in the recent crackdown while the Chinese government celebrates its hollow victory.
Please join a vigil today – CLICK HERE to see if there is a gathering planned for your area, or if there is an organizer who can help you get involved.
If there is no vigil planned for your area, please consider organizing one. Gather some friends or family. Even a vigil of one in a busy place in your community is an inspiring act of solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet. CLICK HERE to find materials and helpful hints.
Don't forget, the Tibet movement beat China's tainted torch to Everest by more than a year when SFT's Tenzin Dorjee and several courageous Tibet supporters lit the Tibetan Freedom Torch at Everest base camp in April 2007. And the fire of Tibetan freedom is still raging in the hearts of Tibetans everywhere.
Together, we'll show the world that the Chinese government's propaganda victory on Everest is as hollow as its rule in Tibet.
One World, One Dream: Free Tibet!
-The SFT Headquarters Crew
Some simple tips for holding a vigil:
- Find an appropriate location. If you don't live near a Chinese Consulate (99% of people don't), choose a busy place with a lot of foot traffic.
- Establish a pattern where you can be seen. Don't block entranceways or sidewalks.
- Stand far enough apart to increase the visual impact of the group.
- Decide with your group whether you will be silent, or sing quietly, or chant slogans, etc.
- If passersby want to talk, give them a flier, tell them why you're there, and how to find more information (the SFT website). You may consider having a couple people distributing information away from the vigil line.
- Spread your strongest supporters out. Their spirit can help maintain the vigil.
CLICK HERE for an information flier (as a word document)
CLICK HERE for an information flier (as a PDF document)
CLICK HERE for a general '10 Facts About Tibet' flier (PDF)
CLICK HERE for more materials, etc. in SFT's Activist Toolbox
CLICK HERE to read SFT's press release about China's assault on Everest
Contact: David Demes- david.demes@studentsforafreetibet.de
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=1517
April 10, 2008
Support Students for a Free Tibet
[...] Tibetans and Tibet activists from across North America were joined by tens of thousands of San Franciscans to protest China's Olympic torch. Behind a massive banner reading "San Francisco Says: No Torch in Tibet," thousands marched down the planned torch relay route, forcing officials to change the route at the last minute in an attempt to keep the enormous protests away from the torch. At least two torchbearers publicly showed support for Tibet during their torch run, one displaying a Tibetan flag alongside the torch. [my bold] 
Officials were finally forced to cancel the closing ceremony. After celebrating the huge show of support in London, Paris and San Francisco, Tibetans and their supporters finished the day by acknowledging the continued protests in Tibet, vowing to keep up our efforts in solidarity with people like the fifteen monks at Labrang Monastery who, just yesterday, courageously – and desperately – staged a protest before foreign journalists on a state-managed tour.
In light of our collective efforts to amplify the voice of Tibetans inside Tibet, government resolutions in the US and the EU are being passed in support of Tibet and the IOC is holding "urgent talks" with senior members of the Olympic movement to discuss the impact pro-Tibet protests are having on the relay and on the Games themselves. 
Let's help them make the correct decision.
It is critical that the IOC and Olympic sponsors be forced to react proactively to the increasingly dire situation in Tibet. It is only one month before the Chinese government proposes to take its blood-stained torch through the streets of Lhasa and to the top of Mt. Everest. Take action now and demand that Tibet be removed from the torch relay route!
> CLICK HERE TO SEND AN EMAIL to IOC President Jacques Rogge.
> CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION to contact your National Olympic Committee (NOC).
> CLICK HERE FOR TALKING POINTS for calling your NOC and a sample letter for mail/email.
For additional info, visit http://www.notorchintibet.org/
March 28, 2008
Tibet Will Endure
As the sun set I thought I saw snowflakes...
united.
Our hearts will always love Tibet
Union Square, NYC, USA 22 March, 2008March 22, 2008
The Difficult "Middle" Way
The Occupiers' Burden
Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:02:09 -0500
Josh Schrei
Is the Dalai Lama's pacifist stance helping or hurting the Tibetan cause?
[...] But the burden of restraint should not be on Tibetans, who have acted with restraint for over 50 years. Tibetans have, except for the very rare times when passions and frustrations flare, followed His Holiness’s lead, bit their tongues, and suffered the humiliation of colonization with nobility and grace. These Tibetans, who finally, after years of brutal occupation, are acting violently, are no mindless hooligans. It takes a lot to make a Tibetan pick up a stone and throw it at another person. A Tibetan, raised steeped in Buddhist morality and with a sense of absolute obedience to the wishes and words of the Dalai Lama, has to go through a pretty deep moral struggle in order to pick up that rock, as it represents not only rising up against their occupier, but rising up against their own cultural fabric of Buddhist nonviolence as well. They do not do this lightly.
[...] The only question that remains is if Beijing will finally be sensible and take a constructive approach to solving a situation that won’t go away, or if they will continue to act like the neighborhood bully, in which case they can probably expect a lot more stones.
GNN contributor Josh Schrei is a producer, writer, and nonprofit strategist living in New York City. Josh has closely followed the situation on the ground in Tibet for 19 years, writing numerous articles on the subject that have been widely published. Josh served as Campaigns Coordinator for the Milarepa Fund from 1996 – 2001 and on the Board of Students for a Free Tibet from 1999 – 2004.
http://www.gnn.tv/articles/3558/The_Occupiers_Burden