Tibet and China

The conflict between Tibet and China has been prominent in the news lately, and we will see much more about this issue as protests follow the Olympic torch to Beijing. This offers a good opportunity to learn and teach your students about the world. This issue of College Updates presents the background for the conflict and provides resources for you and your students to explore.

We will start with excerpts from an excellent BBC News website that presents a balanced introduction to the conflict.

BBC News Q&A: China and Tibet

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7299221.stm

Tibetan communities have launched a series of protests against Chinese rule in Tibet. It is the biggest challenge to Beijing's authority there since 1989.

What sparked the protests?

Buddhist monks marched from monasteries in and around Lhasa on 10 March to mark the 49th anniversary of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

According to reports, security forces arrested some of the marchers, and the following day more monks marched through the streets to appeal for their colleagues to be freed.

As the protests escalated, economic and social grievances came to the fore, and more members of the general Tibetan population became involved in the monks' protests.

There were confirmed reports of mass rioting on the streets of Lhasa. Protests and violence were later reported in areas of Gansu, Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, which are home to sizeable Tibetan communities.

The protests were fueled by day-to-day grievances, as well as a desire for Tibetan independence.

Many Tibetans are angry at the increasing numbers of Han Chinese migrants arriving in the region, accusing them of taking the best jobs.

Tibetans feel they have been left behind by the economic boom which coastal provinces have enjoyed, yet they are suffering from China's accelerating inflation.

What are the underlying issues?

The two sides disagree about the legal status of Tibet. China says Tibet has officially been part of the Chinese nation since the mid-13th Century, so should continue to be ruled by Beijing. Many Tibetans disagree, pointing out that the Himalayan region was an independent kingdom for many centuries, and that Chinese rule over Tibet has not been constant.

For example, after a brief military conflict between China and Tibet in the early part of the 20th Century, Tibet declared itself an independent republic in 1912. Although its status did not receive widespread recognition, Tibet functioned as an independent government until 1951. China sent troops to Tibet in 1950 and summoned a Tibetan delegation the following year to sign a treaty ceding sovereignty to China. Since then there have been periods of unrest and sporadic uprisings as resentment to Beijing's rule has persisted.

Although China has invested in the economy, rights groups point to widespread mistreatment of the Tibetan population and a denial of religious and political freedom.

Will the two sides be able to resolve their differences?

The Chinese government has been engaged in low-level talks with Tibet's government-in-exile, based in India, over recent years. But the BBC's Michael Bristow, in Beijing, says the talks have not got very far, and do not show much hope for the future either. The gulf between the two sides is too great, our correspondent says.

China insists that the Tibetans in exile, led by the Dalai Lama, want nothing less than to separate Tibet from the motherland. The Dalai Lama - Tibet's spiritual leader - says he wants nothing more than genuine autonomy for the region.

Why is the Tibet issue so well-known?

Perhaps one of the reasons Westerners know so much about Tibet is because of the Dalai Lama. Since fleeing Tibet following a failed uprising in 1959, he has traveled the world advocating more autonomy for his homeland, yet stressing non-violence. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1989.

But Beijing faces disputes from other quarters, as well as Tibet. The island of Taiwan has essentially been self-governing for half a century, but China regards it as part of its territory - and has said it is willing to use force if necessary to make sure this remains the case. Uighur separatists in Muslim-majority Xinjiang province have waged a low-level insurgency against the Beijing government for many years.

The Beijing government frequently claims it faces "international terrorism" in Xinjiang, and that the Taliban is active there, but human rights groups say these claims are exaggerated.

Will there be further protests?

China has responded to these protests with a show of force. There is now a heavy military presence in Lhasa and in other areas where unrest was reported. Officials and state media have vowed to "resolutely crush" pro-independence sentiment.

But the fundamental cause of the demonstrations has not been resolved and so tension is likely to persist, correspondents say.

Also, the Olympics will be held in Beijing this summer and campaigners both inside and outside China have already started using the publicity surrounding the event to highlight their particular concerns. Protesters have targeted the tour of the Olympic torch, which will be carried through 20 countries before arriving at the Beijing Games opening ceremony on 8 August. The lighting of the torch in Olympia, Greece, was greeted with noisy demonstrations, and dozens of protesters were arrested in London after severely disrupting the torch's passage through the UK capital.

It is highly likely that those who want greater autonomy for Tibet will continue their campaign. One potential flashpoint could come when the torch arrives in Tibet in a few months' time.

Resources on Tibet/China Conflict

BBC
The following links from the above BBC website provide further analysis, background, and eyewitness accounts.


Features and Analysis
China stands firm on Tibet relay
China confirms new Tibetan riots
India footballer in Tibet protest
China makes 'suicide squad' claim


 Background
Tibetan monks: A controlled life
China's quandary
Tibet's unsettled borders


Eyewitness
Tibetans describe unrest
Chinese react to violence


OTHER WEBSITES

Tibet and China: Two Distinct Views http://www.rangzen.com/history/views.htm
The Chinese position and the Tibetan response are provided on Tibetan history, whether world governments recognize Tibet, and whether Tibet was liberated or occupied by China.


Human Rights Watch Asia
http://hrw.org/doc/?t=asia&c=china
Reports, commentary and press releases on the human rights situation in China and Tibet .


International Herald Tribune
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/21/asia/china.php
Beijing begins education drive in Tibet aimed at party officials.


Friends of Tibet
http://www.friendsoftibet.org/
“A people's movement to keep alive the issue of Tibet through direct action. Our activities are aimed at ending China's occupation of Tibet and the suffering of the Tibetan people.”


China’s Tibet
http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/eng/zhuanti/xz/
Updated news about China's latest development, statements by the spokespersons of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and news releases from The Consulate General of the Peoples’ Republic of China in San Francisco.