I support the Tibetan freedom struggle. And yes, it’s partly due to my feeling of deep disgust towards anything communist. The communist Chinese Government sits at the top of this hate list. Just look at the way they occupied Tibet. In 1949, the Chinese Army just barged into Tibet and occupied it. In 1959, there was an uprising led by the Dalai Lama which was obviously crushed and the Dalai Lama fled to India, where he still is.
And now, as the Beijing Olympics draw closer, this struggle is intensifying again. The only problem here is that these protests are becoming violent now. At the moment, China can’t afford to let these protests continue in Tibet. And therefore, you can be sure that if these protests get violent, China will crack down…brutally.
So what can the Tibetans do now? Let me (just a naive Indian, mind you) make a suggestion. Violence never works. It only ends in tragedy and unnecessary bloodshed. The Tibetans should follow the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. They should learn the art of Satyagraha (a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mahatma Gandhi) and non-cooperation. Just imagine: if the Tibetans refuse to cooperate with the Chinese Government and also refuse to retaliate when the Chinese resort to violent methods to crush these protests, who will get the moral victory? You bet it will be the Tibetans. And then the whole international community will rally behind them.
The Britishers faced a similar dilemma during India’s freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi. They were brought down to their knees and finally were forced to leave India solely due to Satyagraha. If Satyagraha worked then, there is no reason why it won’t work now. And with the international community behind them, I am sure that the Tibetans can win their freedom. Let’s hope for the best.
Meanwhile, if you want to help Tibet’s freedom struggle, you may like to check out this website: International Campaign for Tibet
Your Opinion? You can just drop in a comment on this issue or write in to me by clicking here
20 responses so far ↓
chunzhu // March 15, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Hello, just stumbled on your blog so I figured I’d leave a comment since I rarely get any myself.
I echo your sentiments about the CCP since I also have strong negative feelings towards them, but I can’t see this situation as one-sided as you do. As much as I want to support the Tibetans in gaining autonomy, once the protests became blindly violent… it just didn’t feel right.
I mean I am Han ethnicity, though born and raised abroad. What if I was traveling in Lhasa at that time? Or my friends in China who are also Han? Would they have been beaten too? I would say probably yes, because the Tibetans in their rage have considered all Han to be the enemy, just as many Han Chinese are now responding towards Tibetans with their own hate-filled words.
Since I’m American, I’ll quote a different civil rights activist, Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love”
Liju Philip // March 15, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Am afraid, the time for non-violence is over. The Dalai Lama is not young anymore. Once he’s gone, the young tibetean population will have no other means other than resorting to violence.
Its precisely what we are seeing today. The young are restless and see that following the Dalai Lama way is not yielding them what they want.
Anyway, am happy to see some good embarrassment to the tinpot Chinese govt just as the Olympics is nearing.
Indian Homemaker // March 15, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Not-so-naive-Indian I agree with you. Martin Luther King Jr was also an admirer of Gandhi’s non violence policy. Violence will hurt the Tibetans the most. I hope they fight, really really put up a fight, but I do hope they do not resort to violence. I totally believe in Satyagrah.
Krishna Aradhi // March 15, 2008 at 9:01 pm
@ chunzhu
That is exactly my point. I am saying that the protests should be non-violent, otherwise the Tibetans will find international support for their movement dwindling. No one likes violence.
@ Liju Philip
You have a valid point. With the Dalai Lama clearly losing his control over the movement, the young and restless may just resort to violence. This will be a great tragedy indeed. As for embarrassment to the tinpot Chinese govt, I echo your feelings. I am rejoicing!
Krishna Aradhi // March 15, 2008 at 9:05 pm
@ Indian Homemaker
Yikes! Am I not a naive Indian? I may just have to change the blog title now.
And yes, Satyagraha rocks! A great gift to the world from our Father.
Over Rated // March 16, 2008 at 9:38 am
It’s sad to see that our own government is crushing the Tibetan protests. It’s sad and pathetic to see that people are able to protest about Jodha Akbar screenings and not able to protest for their countries freedom. And that too in a country who was in a similar situation about 60 years ago.
Vinod Sharma // March 16, 2008 at 9:04 pm
A lot of the blood of Tibetans is on Indian hands too, for the way this country just meekly let the Chinese come into Tibet after the British left.
A non violent approach, I am afraid, may not yield the dividend it did in India, Reason? Simple arithmetic. The British were too few and Indians too many. In Tibet, Chinese settlers, strategically moved by the government to make Tibet their home, already outnumber Tibetans by far. So, even if the latter do not cooperate, the Chinese will still be able to manage. That is possibly why Tibetans are demanding only autonomy, not independence from China.
Krishna Aradhi // March 16, 2008 at 9:17 pm
@ Over Rated
That’s how the media influences us. They’ll devote loads of airtime to show stupid stuff like the Jodhaa Akbar protests and squeeze important stuff like the Tibetan problem into a small plot. End result? The people are not aware of the gravity of the real problems.
@ Vinod Sharma
Talking about artihmetic, when Gandhiji successfully protested in South Africa against discrimination towards Indians, we were outnumbered. It’s not about arithmetic, it’s about the will and patience to fight for your rights. And I guess, non-violence is the best way to do that.
But do you think the Tibetans will be granted autonomy? If the Chinese are so strategically well-placed anyway, why would they consider Tibetan demands?
OldSailor // March 19, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I agree Satyagraha is a time tested method. It takes long time to give the desired results. Present day youth have no patience to wait so long. Bad luck for China.
Krishna Aradhi // March 20, 2008 at 6:42 am
@ OldSailor
Yes, bad luck for China. And also for Tibet. Now they have little chance of getting their independence.
remark // March 28, 2008 at 6:38 am
i’m not much of a debat guy
but i’m chinese living in europe
and what really bother’s me is that the western news allways says that chinese are cracking the tibetans violently but
the truth is that the tibetans are no different
in recent days the tibetans burned a chinese restaurant with a han chinees mother with her 1 month old baby(ps i know it doesn’t get on westerners news with all the politics and stuff like that)
the dalai lama said that he ask the tibetans for not to be voilent but they don’t listen
so i wander is there a other party who is making trouble in china with the eyes on the olympic games
Krishna Aradhi // March 28, 2008 at 6:56 am
@ remark
Tibetans are no different? The violence you are seeing now is a fallout of Chinese repression for years. The Chinese have systematically destroyed Tibetan culture for years now. The fact that Chinese outnumber Tibetans in Tibet is evidence of that. Is it a wonder then that we are seeing these protests today?
Nitin Pande // March 30, 2008 at 1:36 am
The hypocrisy of China and the communists! They blame it all to Dalai Lama. He got the Nobel prize for peace almost the same time when Chinese were running over their students in Tiananmen Square. Remember 1989?
Tibet was never part of China, if you really look at it they are closer to India in terms language, culture, and even religion.
China in general is a hate mongering expansionist regime. Had they been as powerful as Soviets or Americans, we would have already been through a third world war.
Krishna Aradhi // March 30, 2008 at 7:08 am
@ Nitin Pande
That’s how the Chinese play the game. They control the media and show what is convenient for them. Blaming the Dalai Lama for all that is happening in Tibet is another one of their disgusting ploys to distort facts.
Yep, China is a hate mongering expansionist regime, which is why every country thinks twice before criticizing the Chinese for their misadventure in Tibet, especially our spine-less Indian Government.
Panchajanya // March 31, 2008 at 9:19 am
We have something in common
http://jokesfromindianleft.blogspot.com/
Nitin Pande // March 31, 2008 at 7:25 pm
@ Panchajanya
Now here is an anomaly that baffles me. Highly literate Keralites electing commies! I guess they skipped history and economics in school.
@Krishna Aradhi
Oh don’t even start me on Indian government, especially Congress led! One word comes to my mind for them: SCUM!!
This is when I find US as the only one left to have the “balls” to say some thing about Tibet! Allying with US is always beneficial, look what it did to Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan etc…..
Krishna Aradhi // March 31, 2008 at 8:25 pm
@ Panchajanya
Yep, we do! Dynasty-Bashing and Commie-Bashing
@ Nitin Pande
Hehehe…SCUM they are
Panchajanya // April 1, 2008 at 11:42 am
Keralites donot have much choice, Its a choice between Devil and Deep Sea. They endup alternating between these two..
remark // April 8, 2008 at 7:20 pm
@Krishna Aradhi
I think its a wonder why people think the tibetans are peacefull
i mean it doesn’t mean that you are a monk that you are peacefull. there are enough videomaterial were tibetan monks throw rocks at a chinese restaurant.
before the civil war in china
tibet was part of the chinese empire
and in the past tibet had a army who also did some expanding
ps the olympic games ain’t politic’s games .
Its a international multi-sport event.
i guess everybody is being influenced by politics.
if the olympic games was held in the USA would you ban it because they are occupying IRAK(place of weapon of mass destruction)
Ajay Jain // July 15, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Global Amity Foundation announces The Dalai Lama True Gandhian Award-2009″ for Tibet cause.
Dharamshala (HP) India,6July2008..! Free Tibet activist-Dr..Mahesh Yadav,president,Global Amity Foundation (India) and Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement (India) along with his associate vice president Ajay Jain have announced a one lakh Rupee “The Dalai Lama True Gandhian Award-2009″ for Tibet cause”which will be awarded to an individul or organization from any regoin of the world dedicatingly struggle by adopting Non-Violence, Democratic and Peaceful way of Father of World Peace Mahatma Gandhi for the Tibet cause and sustainance of Human Rights of Tibetan. A trophy and certificate of honour will also be given along with the money (geven on 6th July every year).Nominations will be held from 10th March to 25th april through post or e-mail every year,A prestigious platform will provided on an international level.Details of Award will be available on the website:www.globalamityfoundation.org
Dr.Yadav in Lord Budh Temple in mcleod-ganj Dharamsala H.P..,have announced this award on the occasion of the 73rd birth anniversary of H.H. The Dalai Lama, by publically drawing a portrait of H.H. The Dalai Lama by his own injected out blood with the pray for his long life.
Dr.Yadav further said while addressing the representatives from NDTV Channel, Danik Jagaran, Amar ujjala, Divya Himachal and other news reporters that “they sees His Holiness as True Gandhian and so that is why since last 13 years we are incessantly going on with our dedicated efforts for the sake of peaceful solution of Tibet cause by public awareness movement at local,National and International levels all with our own created finanacial sources. And there had have been a tremendous strong support by both Indian public and Media towards it”.
Dr. Yadav further said while addressing the Media that “the main object of this award is that people must with whole commitment work by adopting the peaceful and non-violent way followed by you for the Tibet cause and victory of this Gandhian way of must for the sake of peace on Earth otherwise no one will ever adopt this way and this non adoption will never help for establishing peace on Earth..!”
Dr. Yadav finally said that “they are firmly commited to uplift and sustain Human Rights of overall innocent Tibetans and during there audience for the first time on 1st July 1997 with His Holiness they had commited him for massive public awareness movement for Tibet cause”and he lamenated that this all had been very well fullfilled by us.
Ajay jainVice president- Global amity FoundationWorking president- Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement (India)
http://www.globalamityfoudation.org
http://www.bloodmovementforpeace.org
http://www.drmaheshyadav.com