We ?ve been hearing of it for nearly three weeks now the increasing violence between China and Tibet. The death toll is growing and China has made accusations that the responsibility for the unrest lies with the Dalai Lama. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao stated that: The violent acts have demonstrated the true nature of the Dalai clique. In response, the Dalai Lama has blamed China for unimaginable and gross violations of human rights in his homeland, along with denial of religious freedom and politicization of religious issues. However, he has reiterated that he supports Chinas right to host the Olympic Games. Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, has been rocked with riots, culminating in calls from Tibetan monks for return of the Dalai Lama from exile and increased pressure by the populace, both at home and abroad, for the countrys independence.
China has reacted to this turbulence with ominous forbearance. The Xinhua News Agency quoted an official as saying, We are fully capable of maintaining the social stability of Tibet. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao stated that, The Chinese government will unwaveringly protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and, though Chinese heavy-handedness has not been evident, troops have set up checkpoints throughout Lhasa and have mobilized to quell any further uprising. Information circulated on March 18th revealed that China has closed Tibet to foreign news organizations and has systematically removed foreign tourists. On March 16th the Dalai Lama called for an investigation into Chinas response to Tibetan protests to ascertain whether Chinas actions are an attempt at cultural genocide. In answer, Premier Wen Jiabao said, Claims that the Chinese government is involved in so-called cultural genocide are nothing but lies.
The pertinent questions behind the threats and posturing are: What factors are influencing the response of the Chinese government to the Tibetan unrest, and why is the Dalai Lama speaking out so strongly about the threat of cultural genocide? Descent in Tibet is not new. China and Tibet have had a testy relationship ever since they established contact in the 7th century. The culmination of the acrimony was the establishment of Tibet as an autonomous region of the Chinese Peoples Republic in 1950 and the flight of the Dalai Lama in 1959 after a popular uprising in the country. What is new is the fact that the riots and unrest in Tibet are spilling over to the western Chinese provinces and even into Beijing, where students held a vigil earlier this week. As early as May, 2007 Chinas official media reported a warning from Tibets communist leader, Zhang Qingli, that the Dalai Lama was joining with separatist forces in Xinjiang province and Taiwan as well as democracy activists and the banned religious group, Falun Gong.
The possibility of spreading opposition, especially in such outlying Chinese provinces as Muslim Xinjiang or Taiwan, threatens Beijings hold on power. These provinces are not always ethnically Han, which increases their suspicion of the central government. China knows that it is in the worlds eye right now, and it does not wish to endanger the economic windfall from Beijings hosting of the Olympic games. It knows also that the way in which the Communist government handles the current disturbances could affect its own very questionable human rights record. The last thing the Chinese government wants is another Tiananmen Square or Tibetan liberation to explain away.
So, Beijing is walking a very thin line between repression and restraint. This situation plays into the hands of the Dalai Lama in his quest to gain some sort of cultural autonomy for his country. Jane Macartney, the Times China Correspondent, when asked if the Dalai Lama wanted Tibetan independence from China, answered: No. He has given up that idea and says that he is asking for genuine autonomy and this now seems to mean that he wants cultural autonomy, leaving the central Government in Beijing in charge. This statement supports the Dalai Lamas recent actions and statements. He has reiterated that he wants the Olympic games to go ahead, probably with the hope that they will improve the human rights situation in China and its possessions. Opening up China to the world means that human rights violations are more likely to become known. It is difficult to hide dirty laundry from houseguests. Secondly, people talk. China has gone to a great deal of trouble to present the country as welcoming and friendly. It would be very problematical to prevent the populace from mixing with the athletes and reporters and still maintain this faade. Once again, the regime has to find the balance between keeping human rights violations it own dirty little secret, and at least giving the appearance that the situation in Tibet and other western provinces is normal.
The Dalai Lama wants to upset that balance and he may just pull it off. The IOC is still committed to holding the Olympics in Beijing, in spite of all the unrest, and the spotlights will illuminate the country and its society. The question is will the dirt in the corners of the room actually be revealed?
