At this point, the Tibetans are placing their hope with the international powers to step up, putting pressure on China, as the only reaction they get from China itself is detaining and killing those who 'disrupt the normal harmony of society.'
First of all, one thing I've yet to see in the media, is that within Beijing itself among Chinese there have been huge protests for democracy at the same time as the incidents in Tibet. Another piece is that in the media the death tolls are also incredibly low. A girl here in Dharamsala was taken to hospital after she went crazy upon hearing the news that both her parents had been killed. It is not even true that because of the Chinese occupation, Tibet has developed economically. When I was there in October, it felt far from free and relaxed politically, as there is very little religious freedom, even to gather for peace prayer ceremonies. There are accounts that much of the violence such as building burnings was instigated by Chinese disguised as monks. These ‘monks speak fluent Tibetan,
wear monks' robes, and would not be suspected by many Tibetans as being Chinese military. Further reports say that hundreds of protestors that were detained were burned to death in their detention building.None of my friends here in Dharamsala can make any phone calls into Tibet to their relatives, though some news has leaked out via mobile phones and internet. As most of the world knows, the Dalai Lama spends his whole life promoting peace not only among his own people, but as an international message. Communist Party secretary Zhang Qingli calling the Dalai Lama "a monk in wolf’s clothing" only makes the Chinese look more at fault. It is almost humorous to hear the phrase, “Dalai clique" as most all Tibetans worldwide consider him to be their spiritual and political leader. Not to mention that the Chinese government has been oppressing its own people’s protests for democracy in Beijing itself. In any case, it is not just a handful of protestors in Lhasa, but ordinary monastics and lay people from all over have been rising up. You can read in some of the photos attached about young protestors who were killed protesting peacefully.
My boyfriend, a Tibetan, got a phone call saying that there were over a thousand people from his homeland in Kham, including some from his local monastery, protesting, and that the nine main leaders of the march were detained. One of them is known for sure to have been killed, and they said others among the march were likely killed, but it is hard to tell now. As I write this, another friend just got a phone call saying five people near where he's from were killed, including a friend of his. I've seen pictures of massacred monks.
According what I heard from the Tibetans, the midnight 'deadline' the Chinese imposed was an order to kill anyone who protested after that point. I've seen men crying every day here as they protest up and down the streets with their signs that read, "I Miss my Family" and "Stop the Genocide in Tibet" hoping their voices get heard by the international community. They are not disheartened, but they are definitely disgusted by the Chinese reaction, given this year's Olympic games. The Dalai Lama has remained unequivocally for peace. He has not opposed the Olympic games in the least, asks not even for full independence but for human rights and continues to urge his fellow Tibetans not to resort to violence.
The nuns have been on hunger strike for four days now, seated next to the Dalai Lama's temple, watching as the protests go 'round and 'round Dharamsala's streets all Tibetan shops are closed out of respect for the entire week. Thankfully, the Indian authorities have allowed people to express themselves, and the feeling here is completely peaceful.
I would like to add too, and most all Tibetans share this view, that the everyday Chinese people there are wonderful. Even the police and soldiers are only acting according to their strict orders. If the Chinese government accepts that it is committing genocide now, it would prove that they
have been all this time, and therefore they continue to deny the situation.
Please help to raise awareness around this issue with your friends, and look at the few links I have found below, though there are plenty more out there. Apologies for this letter's disorganization, I've simply sent it out as soon as I could! Click on the pics for larger view (especially the pics I took of news bulletins) as well as this youtube video I took of the protests here.
