Yes it is very upsetting.
Also that people say child abuse is "rampant" in monasteries under the patronage of HHDL. I would never state child abuse didn't happen, it happens is all places where children are in the care of adults. However, people are ill informed- Sera Jey School (
http://serajeschool.net/home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) for example, is affiliated to the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary education) in New Delhi, which sends inspectors regularly. Part of the protocol is to check for child abuse, so there are some protections for the students in place. But yet from a few incidents HH DL and HH Karmapa are slandered and all monasteries written off as places of child abuse. Do we accuse Boy Scouts of America as being promoters of Child Abuse? Or stepfathers?
More importantly, we criticize the feudal Tibetan society and rubbish their culture without even thinking about what the Tibetans want. What if they want to preserve some aspects of that culture? But they don't have the chance, because their culture is slowly being decimated, piece by piece, very methodically, by the Chinese authorities. Don,t take my word for it, ask the European parliament:
http://tibet.net/2012/06/13/eu-concerne ... an-nomads/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"
Prior to the debate, Lady Ashton, Vice-President of the European Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy made a statement where she expressed EU’s growing concern on the deterioration of the situation in Tibet illustrated by the wave of self-immolations and by the clashes between police and local people since the beginning of the year. “The EU is particularly concerned by news of mass arrests and detentions taking place in TAR following self-immolations in Lhasa as well as reports of the area which has been closed to foreigners”, said Lady Ashton.
She further said, over the last three years an increasing number of Tibetan intellectuals and cultural figures have faced criminal charges or have been imprisoned. We are worried by restrictions on expression of Tibetan identity and freedom of expression in Tibet.
“We are most concerned about the impact of the resettlement policy of Tibetan nomads. Tibetan culture and traditional life styles are based on a nomadic way of life. We do question whether the objective of environmental protection can only be reached by eliminating the traditional way of life of Tibetans who have lived for centuries in harmony with nature. We are concerned by the compulsory resettlement of all nomads which has the potential to destroy the distinctive Tibetan culture and identity”
“We are also worried by the impact of the policy to make Mandarin Chinese as the primary language of instruction in Tibetan schools as in schools in other minority populated areas”, said Lady Ashton.
But so called liberals and intellectuals, rather than speaking out about these atrocities, prefer to pick apart at the feudal aspects of an ancient culture. Guess what? White people were feudal too. As I mentioned, Blacks were not allowed to be served at the same counter as white people just 50 years ago in the US. Canada sent Native People to residential schools. Britain supported apartheid regimes.
We have a chance to make sure that Tibetans do not face the same fate as other indigenous cultures such as the Native Americans, Aboriginees and Maori. But rather than take the politically incorrect decision to speak out against China due to fear of losing financial resources or university grants, we choose to rubbish the cultural according to Western cultural mores. Which helps China and its campaign to literally stomp out Tibetan culture, aspirations, and the faith the have in their teachers.
The Western, Industrial and "democratic" way of life is has produced the capitalism, automation, globalization and mass production that has brought the world to the brink of environmental, financial and social collapse.
We are hardly in a position to tout "Western values" as somehow superior to what the Tibetans had.
The courage with which the Tibetans stand against Chinese oppression is very moving. They are quite a remarkable people:
http://www.depauliaonline.com/opinions/ ... 24x-pXNvIU
Driru County in rural Tibet has refused to comply with the Chinese mandate that a Chinese flag must fly in every Tibetan home, which has led to a crackdown by the Chinese, who have sent thousands of paramilitary troops into Driru to restore “order” to the county, according to the Washington Post. Where are all of these Chinese soldiers staying while occupying Driru?
The homes of every Tibetan who lives in Driru have been victimized as seven soldiers have been stationed per house in order to monitor the villages and squash any attempts at protest or disobedience. Since the arrival of the troops, 40 Tibetans have disappeared after refusing to comply with the martial law the troops have implemented.
The restrictions enacted under martial law include not allowing villagers to tend their farms or animals and a restriction from loitering anywhere in the town. Despite all of the crackdown and violence that has ensued in the county, the Tibetans have remained strong in their refusal to fly the Chinese flag as evidenced by what occurred on Oct. 1, which is equivalent to America’s 4th of July.
This year, despite being occupied by thousands of soldiers, not one Chinese flag flew in the villages of Driru. For this brave disobedience the Tibetans are paying the price. On Oct. 6, peaceful protestors gathered in the town of Driru to protest the detaining of the Tibetans who refused to fly the flag.
In response, Chinese troops opened fire on them, which injured about 60 people according to Amnesty International. In addition to the initial act of violence, the people who were injured were refused care for their injuries for several days after the incident. This mistreatment of peaceful protestors is just another event in a long list of disgraceful transgressions by the Chinese against Tibet.
