So the olympic torch relay was held in New Delhi without any 'major' incident. Thousands of Tibetan refugees demonstrating nearby are 'minor' and not 'major'. This world defines things in strange ways.
During my hospital stay, I watched too much of television. Many Japanese Channels were repeatedly showing scenes of olympic torch relay 'drama' from London, Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires.
I read someone (probably from Reporters without Borders) saying the next olympics "is going to be held in the biggest prison of world". People may have different opinions of this view, but nowhere it sounds truer than in the torch relay itself. Multiple layers of security arrangement gives you the feeling of a 'perfect' prison.
You can see that Chinese 'commandos' switch off the torch anytime they want. It was particulalry sad to see two French athletes, carrying 'switched off' olympic torch, abandoned by the Chinese 'Commandos'. It seems Chinese don't care about the symbolism,continuous burning of the flame, of the olympics. Their logic is that the olympic lantern is continuously burning, so it doesn't matter to switch off the torch. But what most of the people see is the torch only and it carries significance. Chinese want to complete the relay at any cost.
Tibetans have no alternative of intensifying their protests now. This is the time when world will see and hear. The world will ignore and forget them soon after the olympics. Who remembers Burmese monks now?!
Dalai Lama is not demanding independence. He wants more autonomy only. This is as flexible as possible for a leader of an annexed land. But China is not ready to talk with him. Anti-China sentiment is as bigger in Taiwan as among Tibetans. But why does China treat Taiwanese politicians and Dalai Lama so differently? Is it because Tibetans have their own culture and way of living than that of Han majority? Or is it that Taiwan can invest billions of dollars in China and Tibetans can't?
Polticians complicate simple matters. If Chinese leaders inititate dialogue with Dalai Lama, this torch relay 'drama' will end. The torch will be able to come out of 'prison'. But dictators don't see this way. They are not flexible. Their rigidity is the cause of many problems of this world.
But when they break, they break like glass and are never able to put themselves together.
Check out this link
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24226153/
Thank you Prajwoljee for the link.
ReplyDeleteBasanta Ji,
ReplyDeleteYou got your wish granted, China seems ready for talk. I do have reservation about this talk, but is definitely a progress.
Yes Prajwoljee, it is a good sign. Dialogue and compromise will be the win-win situation for both sides. it is impossible for Tibetans to gain independence. It is better to seek as much autonomy inside China as possible. Chinese also will gain a lot by granting more autonomy to Tibet(and other minorities too). A rising superpower should be able to manage discontets inside its own boundaries if it wants to respected around the world.
ReplyDeleteLets hope this is not only for making the olympics troublfree and they are really serious.
Being one of the supporters of anti-China protest, i have never opposed the idea of Olympic in China. But all tibetans around the world are protesting against the human rights voilation in china and recent killings In Tibet. These tibetan people are not demanding for the independent country but for the independence of the people of China i.e freedom to religion, speech, and of course to live. I cent per cent agree with you about the last para that u have written here. Thank you for writing this post.
ReplyDeleteThank you and welcome to this blog nawangjee.
ReplyDeleteLets hope the dialogue will start soon and Tibetan people will be able to gain maximum.