“Civilizing” Tibet
September 5th, 2007 by Anindita Sengupta
This article in New Statesman talks in detail about China’s efforts to “civilize” Tibet. As part of this “civilizing mission”, China is using economic growth as the primary method of infiltration into this quiet land where matters of the spirit have long taken precedence over those of the wallet.
Traditional Tibetans may be as devoutly Buddhist as ever, but modern China worships Mammon. More than half a century after the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and 48 years after the Dalai Lama fled into exile in India, China’s Communist rulers are hoping that an economic boom will help them consolidate control over the recalcitrant region. Last year, 2.5 million tourists and business people - some westerners, but most Han Chinese - visited Lhasa. Now the new railway from Beijing has reached the Tibetan capital, the number is expected to increase by 80 per cent this year alone.
Historically, Tibet has been an independent nation and since China invaded it 50 years ago, the Dalai Lama has been leading the people in non-violent resistance but China has continually notched up horrific levels of human rights violation in Tibet. The outlook has never been very hopeful because China does not really show signs of letting go. From this slightly old report on the subject:
Pessimists think it is impossible for China to change its policies toward Tibet because China needs Tibet as an armed camp for military security. They also think China needs Tibet’s vast territory and natural resources for its economic prosperity, and that China must save face in the global arena by not admitting that past policies were misguided and inhumane.
China seems to have changed tack in the last few years though and insidious colonization is taking the place of outright brutality. According to the News Statesman article:
…these days the Chinese attitude tends to be more patronising than brutal. It is official policy to tolerate ethnic minorities and their religions, provided they are loyal to the party and the state. “The government pays full respect to ethnic customs,” says Mr He. “Tibetan culture is an exotic flower among Chinese cultures. It has existed for more than 2,000 years. But we will help them remove bad or backward habits, and lead them to a more civilised life.” As part of its civilising mission, and to integrate Tibetans into the modern economy, the government has resettled 25,000 nomadic and farming families into “new socialist villages”. The plan is to settle 80 per cent of rural Tibetans in the next five years.
Tibetans have feared and protested against cultural genocide for years now and there were protests against the new railway as soon as it was announced last year. This article last year talked about the multiple ways in which the Golmud-Lhasa railway linking Tibet to several Chinese cities would affect the region.
The Golmud-Lhasa railway is expected to strengthen the iron grip that China has over Tibet and increase the militarization of the region. It would allow the rapid deployment of Chinese troops and facilitate the deployment of missiles, including nuclear weapons. The environment in Tibet will also suffer. The railway will be also facilitate the exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources, which are already plundered without any concern for the ecological impact and without collective benefit for Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama expressed that it was “politically motivated to bring about demographic change”. Their worst fears appear to be coming true. The engine of cultural obliteration is chugging fast. Whether it will succeed in overrunning a people who have held onto their beliefs despite all odds for so long remains a question. We can only pray that it will be answered in one way rather than the other.
For more information on the Free Tibet Campaign, visit their site. The Save Tibet website also offers information and updates on the situation.