Source: The Epoch Times
April 5, 2008 Author: Chen Pokong
In March 2008, the largest demonstration in the past 19 years erupted in Tibet to protest the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) rule. It was peaceful from March 10th to 13th. On the 14th, it turned violent.
A group of men in their 20s were very systematic. They shouted slogans and quickly set cars on fire near Jokhang Temple. They then broke in and robbed nearby stores, and set dozens of them on fire. They were orderly and purposeful; and they looked trained. At the crossroads near Jokhang Temple, there were rocks of uniform size and weight (2-5lbs) piled up. Police and public security patrolling somehow did not find these rocks. Later, a great number of military police and vehicles arrived and conveniently started shooting at the 'rioters.'
Who planed this 'riot' and who were these 'rioters?' In 1989, Tang Daxian, a former Chinese reporter now living in Paris, went to Tibet and wrote what happened in her book "Events in Lhasa March 2 -10, 1989." "That year, a few days after the Tibetans held their peaceful demonstration, the CCP sent in many special agents and plainclothes police disguised as civilians and monks. They burnt down the sutra pagodas, smashed and robbed stores and food, and incited civilians to steal from the shops. After a series of 'shocking events,' the military came in and started a bloody suppression," Tang said in her book.
Nineteen years later, did the CCP do it again? It is definitely suspect. After the military police suppressed the 'riot,' Beijing claimed the Dalai Lama's regime engineered the riot. At the same time, authorities expelled all foreign reporters from Tibet. (Why not leave them in Tibet and collect evidence of how the 'Dalai Lama's regime systemically and premeditatedly planned and stirred up the riot?)
The Dalai Lama categorically denied Beijing's accusation. In fact, everyone knows the Dalai Lama represents the moderates of exiled Tibetans.
For many years, Beijing has kept contact with and negotiated with the Dalai Lama under international pressure. However, the CCP blocks all information about Tibet and many Chinese have not the slightest idea about what happened in Tibet. The Dalai Lama hopes events will not go to the extreme. He does not seek independence but wants a highly autonomous Tibet. He wants to keep the status quo of 'one country, two systems' to solve the issue in Tibet. The CCP, on the other hand, uses negotiations as a way to put things off and be perfunctory.
Every time something happens in Tibet, the CCP accuses and scorns the Dalai Lama, thinking it will make him come out and help to restrain Tibetans and save the CCP some trouble. What the CCP doesn't know is the Dalai Lama can no longer restrain all Tibetans. The young generations of the exiled Tibetans can't wait any more. Since Beijing won't even tolerate an autonomous Tibet as the Dalai Lama proposed, the relations between Beijing and Tibetans has evolved into fire and water. This March, the large-scale demonstrations that spread into three provinces were a clear portrayal of such tension. The totalitarian rule of the CCP has pushed Tibetans' last button and called for a revolt. From a certain aspect, the CCP itself indeed caused the riot in Tibet.
In Zhang Rong's book Mao: The Unknown Story published in 2005, it says in the 50s, during the CCP's 'democratic reform' in Tibet, over 2500 temples, 97 percent of the total were demolished. The tenth Panchen Lama, who stayed in China, sighed, "The 'new Tibet under socialism' looks like it just went through a war and was wrecked by bombs."
The protest in March 2008 shows to the world that the CCP's totalitarian regime is not invincible. There could be large-scale demonstrations erupting at anytime in the country and that would put the CCP in an embarrassing situation. The great wall of the dictatorship can crack at any time.
The blatant political pressure hidden behind the beautiful economic development did not win Tibetan's hearts. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway that cost US$4.2 billion and was said to improve the economy in Tibet. However, hidden behind it was the CCP's political intention of resource scavenging and political control.
The history of Tibet and China dates back 300 years. The two regions managed well separately during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. After the CCP took over, the high level religious leader went into long-term exile. The only thing the CCP did to China is split it. It has sickened people by repeatedly singing the tune of 'national unification.'
Adopted from Radio Free Asia, March 18, 2008.