By Tedi Elliott

China, Tibet, and the Dalai Lama; all three have been in the news again recently. China’s preparations for the Olympic Games and its efforts to become an accepted world power are contrasted with protests and demonstrations against China as Tibetans call attention to China’s ongoing violations of their human and national rights.

The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, forced into exile in 1959 during the Chinese take-over of Tibet, continues his attempts at non-violent reconciliation between his beloved home country and its giant, powerful neighbor. Now at 72 years of age, after a lifetime of striving for even a partial freedom for Tibet, could all the complex circumstances be aligning to create a window of opportunity for this possibility to finally become a reality?

One of the striking aspects in these stories on the increased unrest between China and Tibet are China’s repeated attempts to disparage the Dalai Lama himself, accusing him of maliciously and intentionally stirring up protesters, planning demonstrations, or secretly plotting suicide attacks against China. These accusations are difficult to believe, considering the fact that as a Buddhist monk, the Dalai Lama advocates peace, non-violence and loving-kindness towards all.

In recent accounts, he has repeated that if his followers or any Tibetans resort to violence in their actions against China, he will immediately step down as the spiritual and cultural leader of Tibet. He is a universally recognized peacemaker, yet China continues to insist that he is behind the worst of any protests that turn violent.

A Look Back in History

There is some historical precedent for this type of distortion of truth used by the Chinese government against the Dalai Lama and Tibet. In “Reflections from the Journey of Life – Collected Sayings of the Dalai Lama”, 2001, edited by Catherine Barry, a look back at history makes it very clear that China has used these techniques before:

“Relations with China were always complex and subtle, but had never been one of total conquest and annexation of one people by another. At one time the Dalai Lama was the spiritual guide of the Chinese emperor, exchanging a spiritual protection on one side for a military protection on the other. But beginning in 1910, the Chinese progressively attempted to distort the history of these bonds in a colonialist propaganda which denies the truth that the two have always been separate and independent countries, geographically, culturally, and politically.”

“Reflections” also provides a helpful timeline of some important dates in modern Tibetan history:

“End of 1949: Invasions of Tibet by the People’s Liberation Army of China. During the occupation, Mao promises Tibetan autonomy. The beginning of the total destruction of the historical entity of Tibet.

1951: The Seventeen Point Agreement joins Tibet to its giant neighbor. Several provinces are occupied by Chinese forces, and Tibetan autonomy is reduced by half, in violation of the treaty.

1959: The uprising of March 10 th, which marks a pivotal defeat for the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama is forced to flee to India at the last minute. Over 100,000 Tibetans follow him into exile.

1966-76: The Cultural Revolution in China, a period of extremism which also began its genocidal policy against Tibetan people and culture. Thousands of temples and monasteries are pillaged and destroyed, women are forced to have abortions and sterilizations, sometimes en masse. Chinese is declared as the first language of the country and the language of its schools. It is forbidden to practice Buddhism. And the very land itself is attacked: huge deforestation projects are undertaken, so that the Roof of the World (Tibet) may serve as a strategic site for missiles and other military installations. This also is the beginning of the pollution of Tibet’s rivers, which are the source of some of the greatest rivers of Asia.

1965: The first riots in Lhasa, capitol of Tibet.

1988: The Chinese government breaks off all dialogue with Tibetan representatives.

1989: Institution of martial law in Tibet, lasting until 1990. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the Dalai Lama.”