WARNING: Contains Graphic Images
When many think
of Tibet, they think of a world lost in time, an area isolated and
untouched. An image of harmony,
Buddhist monks, and untouched landscape is what is fed to those outside of the
region by China. However, the Tibetan
region has been an area of deep unrest and discontent. Since China’s invasion in1949, Tibet
has suffered over 60 years of Chinese Occupation. The tension and hostility between the people of Tibet and
China has forced Tibet’s religious leader, the Dali Llama, to live in exile in India
since 1959. Many of the Tibetan riots
such as those recent in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012, gave the Chinese government
the opportunity to blame such violence on the supporters of the Dali
Llama. Peaceful protests by monks
have turned into “bloody rioting and sparked demonstrations”
as anger with the Chinese government flared. Between 2011 and 2012, 16 monks, nuns, and protesters have set
themselves on fire in self-immolation, causing
an influx of Chinese soldiers sent into Tibet by the government.
The
Chinese government has supported the policy of population transfer where there
has been a huge influx of Hans Chinese moving into the Tibetan Plateau. Han Chinese population has overtaken
that of Tibetans in the area “reduce(ing) the Tibetans to a minority in theirown country”. China’s tightening
of security forces, and control of population and economy “threatens the very
existence of Tibetan culture, religion and national identity”. While the Chinese government continues its
occupation of Tibet, their tactics include “sweeping signs of discontentunder the rug and repressing any group” that tries to shatter the harmonious façade
they have made for Tibet.
Clearly, the Roof of the World and Land of Snow isn’t as
untouchable as once thought.
