News and Views on Tibet

Opinion: 70 years of Chinese occupation, a futile exercise

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China marked the so called 70th founding anniversary of Tibet Autonomous Region in Lhasa, Tibet on June 1, 2021 (Photo/Reuters)

By Tenzin Khedup

In 1950 when the PRC invaded Tibet under the pretext of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet the Tibetan people were completely taken by surprise and were not prepared to defend ourselves. At that time no country came to our rescue as we had no links with the outside world.

Today China is celebrating 70 years of the peaceful liberation of Tibet. Over a hundred thousand Tibetans died defending their country. A million Tibetans perished in the last seventy years.

What has China got to show after seventy years of occupation. Tibetans in Tibet hate the Chinese and likewise Tibetan cadres are not trusted by the Chinese and are treated as second class citizens. No religious freedom absolutely no freedom of speech or movement. No Tibetan in the last ten years has been able to get a Chinese passport. No Tibetan can travel to China without being questioned. Why should Tibet be a part of China. Tibetans deserve the right to choose their own destiny. Tibet is now being flooded with Han settlers making them a minority in the big cities like Lhasa and Shigatse.  What the Chinese have accomplished is the systematic degradation of the Tibetan culture to the point where the Tibetan people are completely subservient to China.

During Xi’s recent to Tibet visit which was meant to celebrate the 70th anniversary of “17 point agreement” and “peaceful liberation” of Tibet.  But during the entire visit and in all his talks there’s no mention of “17 point agreement”, not much “peaceful “, but only “liberation”! But his visit itself during this tense situation and his high profile meetings with the military in Tibet certainly showed China’s commitment to the defense of their strategic interest in Tibet.

After seventy years of occupation Wang Yang the Chairman of the CPPCC on a visit to Tibet calls on Tibetans to accept Communist Party rule.  Beijing has lost the race to control the minds of the Tibetan people and feel unsure of their control. In the minds of the Tibetan people lies the spirit of the Dalai Lama. No Tibetan can be coerced to change their strong traditional religious beliefs. Beijing is trying to raise the image of their appointed Panchen in front of the Tibetan people thinking that one day he will be able to replace the Dalai Lama. This strategy will not work as the Tibetan people will never accept him.

Seventy years of occupation of Tibet has turned out to be a futile exercise for China as it has failed to win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people.

(Views expressed are his own)

The author is a former member of Parliament who served from the Dhomay constituency in the 12th and 13th TPiE.

One Response

  1. Yes, it was neither a peaceful “liberation” nor was the 17 point “agreement” an agreement between two nations or parties.

    Communist China entered forcefully Tibet with militrary violence and then forced the Tibetan delegates to sign the 17 point “agreement”. The communist China threatened the Tibetan delegates if they did not sign the paper, the communist China would employ more forces and violence against Tibet and that the Tibetan delegates would be responsible for the consequences. They even used a forged seal for the Tibetans. So it was not a peaceful “liberation” and the 17 point “agreement” was not an agreement in real sense.

    When you go through this 17 point “agreement”, you will see that the communist Chinese themselves violated all the points in this paper. The communist Chinese have done and are doing against every single point in this so called damn “17 point agreement”. The 4th point in this “agreement” says, for example, “The Central authorities will not alter the existing political systems in Tibet. The central authorities also will not alter the established status, functions and power of the Dalai Lama. Officials of various ranks shall continue to hold office”. Did they abide by this point of the 17-point “agreement” and do they still? They are violeting even their own constitution. For example the Article 36 says, “Citizens of the Peoples Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief” Further it says, “No state organ, public organisation or individuel may compel citizens to believe in, nor not to believe in, any relgion, nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, nor do not believe in any religion”. Here you are! Is the communist Chinese government abiding by this Article? This is only one example from hundreds, how they are violating even their own constitution.

    Chinese have suffered a lot under foreign powers: of the Mongols in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and then under the Manchus and later from Japanese forces and then also under the western countries. Therefore they must actually know or have the feeling how it is to be overpowered and be robbed of one`s freedom. It looks like retaliations but to the wrong people and nation.

    Tibet is suffering under the communist Chinese in all the fields. They are looting ruthlessly the natural resources of Tibet, the Tibetans have no human rights – no right of speech, no right of their culture, religion and their own language. Even the innocent people in the social fields face imprisonment without judicial processes. Inprisonment means torture and even death. The communist Chinese high leaders have great fear when a normal person in the public gains some popularity through their social works or in any other form or fields. They fear that the popularity of people other than their own will undermine their authority. That is the only reason why they are trying to demonize His Holiness the Dalai Lama. No body respects Xi Jiping really from his heart, but millions of people in the world respect and follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Therefore the communist Chinese are trying with all means to undermine the popularity of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet and in China. But they will not succeed in the long run. las ‘bras la slu ba yod ma red. If you believe or not, it is unfailable. It is only a question of time due to the circumstancial conditions.

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