(Photo by Yoshimi Uchida / SAVE TIBET NETWORK)Images of an angry seething Lhasa flashed on television screens and screamed from newspaper headlines. You could see shops on fire, Tibetans running on the streets throwing stones at the Chinese policemen, and monks carrying the banned flag of Tibet and photos of the Dalai Lama - risking their lives and imminent torture at the hands of the Chinese with this daring display of defiance. The images then changed to the streets of Lhasa displaying an uneasy calm while the Chinese military with guns and tanks patrolled the streets. Years of repression, cultural genocide and economic marginalization of Tibetans erupted in protests on the streets, only to be snuffed out with swift and shocking force by the Chinese. “Offenders” were given a deadline to surrender, after which the Chinese police went on door to door searches looking for the “rioters” (in Chinaspeak).
What started as a peaceful protest by a group of monks to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Failed Tibetan Uprising of 1959 turned into “violent” riots and protests that quickly spread to other parts of Tibet.
“Looks like Tibetans couldn’t sustain the non-violent movement, unlike us”, said a friend to me rather sanctimoniously. “It’s easier said than done.” Resisting a strong urge to thwack him on the head, I chose to engage him in a discussion on the different realities of the Indian Freedom Movement and the Tibetan Struggle, not to justify any sort of violence by Tibetans but in an attempt to present the situation from a Tibetan point of view. These thoughts I reproduce here because I am sure some of my blogger friends would also have similar doubts about the Tibetan Movement.
Mahatma Gandhi himself has said that non-violence as method of protest will work only if the opposite side is civilized and has a conscience. The British, inspite of everthing they did in India, did have some amount of compassion, civility and a conscience. Besides, Britain was a democratic country which meant that they tolerated dissent and non-violent protests.
To put things in perspective, let us assume it was Hitler India was up against, and not the British. Would he not have simply shot Gandhi and put all the freedom fighters in gas chambers. I may be extrapolating widely here but you do get the point, don’t you? Non-violence will not work against a barbaric government. Yes, I’m calling the Chinese government barbaric and it’s true. Human rights abuses in Tibet, Tiananmen Square, persecution of Falun Gong, support of genocide in Darfur. The examples are aplenty. Need more? Take a look at this. (This video contains photos of Tibetans killed in Tibet over the past month. Warning: contains graphic content)
However, if we examine the meaning of non-violent action itself, it is definitely not a passive resistance. Gandhiji believed in confronting his opponents aggressively, in such a way that they could not avoid dealing with him. “Gandhi said that the nonviolent activist, like any soldier, had to be ready to die for the cause. And in fact, during India’s struggle for independence, hundreds of Indians were killed by the British. The difference was that the nonviolent activist, while willing to die, was never willing to kill”. Tibetans will continue with non-violence action as a method of protest against the Chinese. It has not failed us nor have we failed it.
On April 27, 1988, the Delhi police conducted a surprise raid at the site of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) organized "Hunger Strike Unto Death”. The Tibetans had been protesting for more than six weeks against U.N. inaction on Tibet. Among the group of Tibetans was a man named Pawo Thupten Ngodup. He slipped away from the police dragnet, made his way to a public toilet and poured gasoline over himself. “As policemen dragged away Tibetan strikers and beat back protesters, he emerged from the toilet, fully ablaze. Shouting slogans of Tibetan independence, he ran through a stunned crowd. Then, as the fire consumed his body, he brought his hands together in a gesture of prayer.” He died the next day in a hospital, shortly after being visited by the Dalai Lama himself.
Driven by deep despair over the situation in Tibet, Pawo Thupten Ngodup sacrificed his life for Tibet. (“He had told a radio interviewer five days earlier that the Dalai Lama's peaceful approaches to the Chinese regime had "achieved no results" and that the situation was "desperate." He went on to say, "I am giving up my life to bring about peace and fulfillment to my unhappy people".) According to me, this is non-violent action in the truest sense. As the RYTC said, “he used his body as a lamp in order to draw the attention of the world community towards the injustice done by the Chinese government to a peace loving nation (Tibet)”. Indeed, one act of defiance can spark a revolution.
The riots in Tibet and resulting protests world wide by Exiled Tibetans, have conflicted with the common perception of Tibetans as a peaceful, harmless, prayer-beads toting race. Like I said earlier, non-violence does not mean that you have to be passive in your protest. It means throwing yourself in the face of your opponent, so that your voice is heard above the din. Tibetans in Tibet and those living in exile are enraged right now. I am enraged. Tired of all the "calls for restraint", calls for "peaceful dialogue" and other platitudes which fall on deaf Chinese ears. The Dalai Lama is willing to sit and talk, but the chair opposite is empty. Instead, the Chinese continue with their "demonising" campaign against the Dalai Lama. Calling him names and blaming the protests in Tibet on the "Dalai Lama clique". Of course we are enraged. Don’t hold our religion to us at this juncture please.
China is systematically flooding Tibet with Han Chinese, photos of the Dalai Lama are banned in Tibet, Tibetan children are not taught Tibetan history in schools, Chinese is slowing becoming the lingua franca - wiping out the Tibetan language, and the economic successes that the China boasts of in Tibet are also benefiting only the Chinese settlers and not Tibetans. Tibetans don’t have the right to practice their religion freely. Tibetans are made to denounce the Dalai Lama in public. Would you not be enraged?
Tibetans need to be relieved of the burden of their religion. Or rather the expectations from it. I am tired of Tibetans being exoticized as meditating, levitating beings. Do not roll your eyes at us and say that we have failed in our non-violent struggle. Do not think that we have turned against our own religion by engaging in more aggressive forms of protest. The Dalai Lama, a Bodhisattva, is asking for autonomy because he says “time is running out”. He is looking at a way to preserve Tibetan culture in Tibet and genuine autonomy would enable Tibetans to self-govern themselves. We ordinary Tibetans don’t have the same amount of compassion, patience and dharma practice to be so forgiving of the Chinese. We have waited long enough for any kind of resolution to our situation. Enough is enough. We want an Independent Tibet. Our call is for "Bod Rangzen" (Tibet's Freedom).
What started as a peaceful protest by a group of monks to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Failed Tibetan Uprising of 1959 turned into “violent” riots and protests that quickly spread to other parts of Tibet.
“Looks like Tibetans couldn’t sustain the non-violent movement, unlike us”, said a friend to me rather sanctimoniously. “It’s easier said than done.” Resisting a strong urge to thwack him on the head, I chose to engage him in a discussion on the different realities of the Indian Freedom Movement and the Tibetan Struggle, not to justify any sort of violence by Tibetans but in an attempt to present the situation from a Tibetan point of view. These thoughts I reproduce here because I am sure some of my blogger friends would also have similar doubts about the Tibetan Movement.
Mahatma Gandhi himself has said that non-violence as method of protest will work only if the opposite side is civilized and has a conscience. The British, inspite of everthing they did in India, did have some amount of compassion, civility and a conscience. Besides, Britain was a democratic country which meant that they tolerated dissent and non-violent protests.
To put things in perspective, let us assume it was Hitler India was up against, and not the British. Would he not have simply shot Gandhi and put all the freedom fighters in gas chambers. I may be extrapolating widely here but you do get the point, don’t you? Non-violence will not work against a barbaric government. Yes, I’m calling the Chinese government barbaric and it’s true. Human rights abuses in Tibet, Tiananmen Square, persecution of Falun Gong, support of genocide in Darfur. The examples are aplenty. Need more? Take a look at this. (This video contains photos of Tibetans killed in Tibet over the past month. Warning: contains graphic content)
However, if we examine the meaning of non-violent action itself, it is definitely not a passive resistance. Gandhiji believed in confronting his opponents aggressively, in such a way that they could not avoid dealing with him. “Gandhi said that the nonviolent activist, like any soldier, had to be ready to die for the cause. And in fact, during India’s struggle for independence, hundreds of Indians were killed by the British. The difference was that the nonviolent activist, while willing to die, was never willing to kill”. Tibetans will continue with non-violence action as a method of protest against the Chinese. It has not failed us nor have we failed it.
On April 27, 1988, the Delhi police conducted a surprise raid at the site of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) organized "Hunger Strike Unto Death”. The Tibetans had been protesting for more than six weeks against U.N. inaction on Tibet. Among the group of Tibetans was a man named Pawo Thupten Ngodup. He slipped away from the police dragnet, made his way to a public toilet and poured gasoline over himself. “As policemen dragged away Tibetan strikers and beat back protesters, he emerged from the toilet, fully ablaze. Shouting slogans of Tibetan independence, he ran through a stunned crowd. Then, as the fire consumed his body, he brought his hands together in a gesture of prayer.” He died the next day in a hospital, shortly after being visited by the Dalai Lama himself.
Driven by deep despair over the situation in Tibet, Pawo Thupten Ngodup sacrificed his life for Tibet. (“He had told a radio interviewer five days earlier that the Dalai Lama's peaceful approaches to the Chinese regime had "achieved no results" and that the situation was "desperate." He went on to say, "I am giving up my life to bring about peace and fulfillment to my unhappy people".) According to me, this is non-violent action in the truest sense. As the RYTC said, “he used his body as a lamp in order to draw the attention of the world community towards the injustice done by the Chinese government to a peace loving nation (Tibet)”. Indeed, one act of defiance can spark a revolution.
The riots in Tibet and resulting protests world wide by Exiled Tibetans, have conflicted with the common perception of Tibetans as a peaceful, harmless, prayer-beads toting race. Like I said earlier, non-violence does not mean that you have to be passive in your protest. It means throwing yourself in the face of your opponent, so that your voice is heard above the din. Tibetans in Tibet and those living in exile are enraged right now. I am enraged. Tired of all the "calls for restraint", calls for "peaceful dialogue" and other platitudes which fall on deaf Chinese ears. The Dalai Lama is willing to sit and talk, but the chair opposite is empty. Instead, the Chinese continue with their "demonising" campaign against the Dalai Lama. Calling him names and blaming the protests in Tibet on the "Dalai Lama clique". Of course we are enraged. Don’t hold our religion to us at this juncture please.
China is systematically flooding Tibet with Han Chinese, photos of the Dalai Lama are banned in Tibet, Tibetan children are not taught Tibetan history in schools, Chinese is slowing becoming the lingua franca - wiping out the Tibetan language, and the economic successes that the China boasts of in Tibet are also benefiting only the Chinese settlers and not Tibetans. Tibetans don’t have the right to practice their religion freely. Tibetans are made to denounce the Dalai Lama in public. Would you not be enraged?
Tibetans need to be relieved of the burden of their religion. Or rather the expectations from it. I am tired of Tibetans being exoticized as meditating, levitating beings. Do not roll your eyes at us and say that we have failed in our non-violent struggle. Do not think that we have turned against our own religion by engaging in more aggressive forms of protest. The Dalai Lama, a Bodhisattva, is asking for autonomy because he says “time is running out”. He is looking at a way to preserve Tibetan culture in Tibet and genuine autonomy would enable Tibetans to self-govern themselves. We ordinary Tibetans don’t have the same amount of compassion, patience and dharma practice to be so forgiving of the Chinese. We have waited long enough for any kind of resolution to our situation. Enough is enough. We want an Independent Tibet. Our call is for "Bod Rangzen" (Tibet's Freedom).
If China thinks of Tibetans calling for Freedom as separatists then I am proud to be one. I am blessed and honoured to be a part of the "Dalai Clique". All Tibetans inside Tibet and out are a part of the "Dalai clique". By demanding Independence are the Tibetans going against the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile? Absoultely not. Dalai Lama himself has ensured that the Tibetan Government in Exile is a democracy. One the the tenets of democracy is the freedom of speech and right to dissent. Kundun has granted this right to his people. Even if it means that a majority of the Tibetans would then raise their voices to demand a 'Free Tibet', in contrast to his call for autonomy for Tibet.
It is a frightening thought that one day, Tibetan culture and religion would be alive only in exile pockets around the world, while Tibet turns into another China, filled with more Chinese than Tibetans. It enrages me that China and various news reports refer to Tibetans as “ethnic Tibetans”. The land belongs to Tibetans. How dare anyone call us “ethnic” in our own country? It is ridiculous, depressing and ultimately, it highlights the need for more action.
It is now time for a revolution, and it is happening already. The agitating Tibetans in Lhasa, the nomads who bravely raised the Flag of Tibet in Kham, the monks who came out on the streets to protest – they have already started it. It the duty of Tibetans living in exile all over the world to continue the fight. And if this means that we Tibetans lose some of the godly sheen around our community, so be it!
I am sure Lobsang Yeshi, a Tibetan Activist, speaks for all Tibetans when he says “Please relieve us from the expectations of a community which is non-violent in nature. Buddhism preaches non-violence, but which religion doesn’t? Isn’t it human to shout and protest if your country is suppressed for decades, despite attempts of peaceful dialogue? We are just humans, not Buddha”.
Mahatma Gandhi has said "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you. And then... you win." I hope to God it’s true for Tibet!
5 comments:
Hear hear! Awesome post.
The thirst for freedom has not waned in 49 years. If anything, the new generation is eager to carry on the torch in ways their fathers never could.
I think that the Chinese are now in the fighting stage. The moment of victory is near.
We hope and pray to see the Dalai Lama march into free Tibet.
Hi Aqua,
I write this with choked feelings.
I can agree to you no more regarding your views on non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi's aim was to make realize the enemy of his evil doings. He wanted to make them understand that they were doing wrong. But that cant work against china, for they have no heart.
HH the Dalai Lama is too pure to be demonised by the chinese.
I have written a series of posts on my blog regarding this. Do visit if you have time.
May all those who have lost their lives in this struggle rest in peace.
Namo Amid Butsu.
Dear Aqua,
I understand the pain and the confusion ...
Amen!
my mail id is arunimaksh@yahoo.co.in
Hi,Aqua..how's things?Visiting here after quite some time.This was one awesome post..Here's hoping that the last lines come true for Tibet.
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