Dalai Lama Blasts "Brutal" Action In Tibet

Buddhist Spiritual Leader Says Culture And Identity "Nearing Extinction" Amid China Crackdown

(CBS/AP)  The Dalai Lama says China has launched a "brutal crackdown" in Tibet since protests shook the Himalayan region last year.

Tibetan culture and identity are "nearing extinction," he says in a speech, according to an advance copy released by his aides. "The Tibetan people are regarded like criminals, deserving to be put to death."

He was giving the speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the failed uprising that sent him into exile.

A peaceful commemoration last year by monks in Lhasa, Tibet's regional capital, erupted into anti-Chinese rioting four days later and spread to surrounding provinces - the most sustained and violent demonstrations by Tibetans in decades.

This year, chains of police checkpoints confront travelers to ethnically Tibetan areas - a quarter of Chinese territory that stretches from Tibet to parts of Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces. Convoys of armored vehicles and sandbagged sentry posts have turned the remote mountainous region into something of an armed camp. Police patrols have increased outside Buddhist monasteries.

Recent visitors to Lhasa have described armed police posted on rooftops. Local governments in Tibetan areas have ordered foreign tourists out, and foreign journalists have been detained and told to leave. Internet and text-messaging services, which helped spread word of last year's protests, have been unplugged in parts of the region.

"There won't be large-scale protests because the security situation in areas of Tibetan populations is very tight," said Dibyesh Anand, a Tibet expert at London's Westminster University. "Let's say there is a protest in a small town somewhere. How would we know? ... Even if there is a clampdown we will not find out."

Following protests last year in Tibet, China has stepped up its campaign to vilify the Dalai Lama, accusing him of leading a campaign to split the region from the rest of the country.

The Dalai Lama has denied the allegations, saying he is only seeking greater autonomy for the region to protect its unique Buddhist culture.

Tibet's China-installed governor, Champa Phuntsok, said Monday that officials would not allow a repeat of last year's March 14 riots.

"We've adopted strong enough prevention measures," he told reporters in Beijing. "Nothing serious will happen."

But disruptions continued.

Early Monday, small bombs ripped the emergency lights and roofs off a police car and fire engine at a timber farm in a Tibetan area in Qinghai province, Xinhua said. No deaths were reported. A local official, surnamed Qi, confirmed the explosion.

It was unclear if the blasts were connected with tensions over the tight security, but they were made by "unsophisticated homemade explosives" and came hours after a clash between locals and police who were inspecting vehicles at the Makahe timber farm, Xinhua said.

In Aba, dozens of monks from Gomang monastery marched a week ago, shouting "Long live the Dalai Lama" and "We want human rights," to show support for a monk who had set himself ablaze at a nearby monastery to protest religious repression, according to accounts from Phayul.com, a Tibetan Web site, and Students for a Free Tibet.

[pugster]

I have absolutly no problem with capitalism. Been raised on it since I was knee high to a grasshopper.....
I was refering to the obvious double standards. China preaches communism but the people in the upper levels are so into capitalism it smells.
Because of mans inbred greed, communism does not work on a large scale without the use of force and violance.
Posted by batchitcrazy

The problem with that statement is that China is only communist by name. It is more like an capitalistic, Authoritarian government. The Tibetan Government In Exile in Dharamsala government is more like a backwarded feudal theocracy where the Dalai Lama is the 'head of state' and he appoints the various cabinet members in that region. As a result, this 'government' could hardly barely manage the economy in that area and religion is strictly enforced. Tibetans who preach the Dorje Shugden are persecuted there because they should be preaching the Dalai Lama instead. In an recent interview with the propagandist Ann Curry, the Dalai Lama believes that he can 'help' bringing 'spiritual wealth' to China and China can bring 'material wealth' to Tibet. This is the 'Dalai Lama's 'middle way' approach, is to bring backwarded feudal society back to Tibet, and China has to preach his backwarded teachings.

[sopheapang]

I guesee this reincarnated Tibetan parasite wants to incite hatreds again, hoping that Nancy Pelosi will feel sorry for him and bring him a stimulus package.

[batchitcrazy]

Oooo, the evils of capitalism. Maybe that's the problem in the US.
Posted by pugster at 2:38 PM : Mar 11, 2009
-----------------------------------
I have absolutly no problem with capitalism. Been raised on it since I was knee high to a grasshopper.....
I was refering to the obvious double standards. China preaches communism but the people in the upper levels are so into capitalism it smells.
Because of mans inbred greed, communism does not work on a large scale without the use of force and violance.

[pugster]

(1) You are forcing capitalism on Tibet?
(2) Ramping up the tourist industry? More capitalism.
(3) Many cultures all over the world are so. Try and integrate western culture in Tehran. For that matter, try and build a mosque in NYC.
(4) Same attitude a majority of people in the catholic church support.
(5) Now China supports citizens who pursue capaitalism?
Posted by batchitcrazy

Oooo, the evils of capitalism. Maybe that's the problem in the US.

[batchitcrazy]

(1) A globalized consumer culture is now flourishing in many of the Tibetan Cities and towns, which is the thing that the traditionalist Tibetans like the Dalai Lama rejects.
(2) This globalization also revived the Tibetan Culture also helped the growth of the tourism industry.
(3) The Dalai Lama is extremely xenophobic and does not want to integrate Tibetan culture into mainstream society.
(4) The Dalai Lama rejects homosexuality and premarital sex, but also believes that sex should be used for 'reproduction.'
(5) Because of his conservative policies toward capitalism, many people who want to have decent jobs have to leave while Dharamsala remains a very poor economically.
Posted by pugster at 6:32 AM : Mar 11, 2009
------------------------------
(1) You are forcing capitalism on Tibet?
(2) Ramping up the tourist industry? More capitalism.
(3) Many cultures all over the world are so. Try and integrate western culture in Tehran. For that matter, try and build a mosque in NYC.
(4) Same attitude a majority of people in the catholic church support.
(5) Now China supports citizens who pursue capaitalism?

[pugster]

alphaa10000,

This so called 'Cultural Genocide' is totally false. There is certainly a cultural change within Tibet as well as rest of China. A globalized consumer culture is now flourishing in many of the Tibetan Cities and towns, which is the thing that the traditionalist Tibetans like the Dalai Lama rejects. This globalization also revived the Tibetan Culture also helped the growth of the tourism industry. More Tibetan people in China are learning to read and write Tibetan than before the so called Chinese 'invasion' because the only elite few are allowed to learn to read and write. Besides the Dalai Lama's fear of westernization of Tibet, he has extremely conservative views of everything from integration of society to premarital sex. The Dalai Lama is extremely xenophobic and does not want to integrate Tibetan culture into mainstream society. The Dalai Lama rejects homosexuality and premarital sex, but also believes that sex should be used for 'reproduction.' Check out this recent Time magazine article: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1884187,00.html on how the Dalai Lama's conservative attitude lead many of his fellow Tibetans to leave his flock in Dharamsala. Because of his conservative policies toward capitalism, many people who want to have decent jobs have to leave while Dharamsala remains a very poor economically.

[wcreader]

The Dalai Lama says ":China has launched a "brutal crackdown" in Tibet " ??? "Dalai Lama Says Tibet 'Hell on Earth' Under China" ??? Is all these Claim True? It is the FACT???? could some responsible reporter of AP/CBS checks first? Frist of all, Many people had been to Tibet, China, Dalai Lama claim it is far from TRUE! "the Dalai Lama said Tuesday?????? Just and just base on what this person said?? Dalai Lama whom had proved to have self and special political interest, had used different event sto make political attack to China. Is AP news has to make this political public relationship news release for Dalai Lama? ????? is it true that just this old slave master wants to get his slavemastership back now. It is just so sad and so unfortunate that news media like AP /CBS had to make big one sided, bias negative reporting on Tibet. Is AP a news agency or is AP part of the Dalai Lama?s public relationship team? It seems this news is nothing but for Dalai Lama to make demonize speech and political attack.

[inachu1]

No slaves in Tibet = no religion in Tibet.

Tibet religion works by mob rule like caste members.

Slaves are not even treated as humans in Tibet society. No slave in Tibet can be a monk. If a slave tries to leave they kill the slave. No monk can perform being a monk on their own supporting their own way of life. Monks need slaves or they can't meditate.

[pugster]

Despite the endless ramblings by the Dalai Lama of the number of Tibetans are thrown in jail, the number of Tibetan political prisoners in China is not tens of thousands, or thousands, or even hundreds for that matter. According to the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China 2007 Annual Report, there are only 64 political prisoners. The rest of the Tibetan prisoners are really just plain thugs and not innocent as you think. Of course, that's something that the government doesn't want you to know.

[straightalk]

The CIA connection with Dalai Lama is only a secret in North America. If you people have ever bother to read & research beyond the North American boundary, you would have known about this years ago. CIA admitted to this already. US media chose not to ignor this. Just because you people want to believe the lies of Dalai Lama does not mean he is telling the truth. He just want to go back to Tibet to be the slave master he used to be.

[heuristic1]

heuristic1, if the dalai lama is that holy & peace loving, why is he receiving money & arms from CIA?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Chinese are masters of propaganda. Looks like you've swallowed their vile little $hitball whole.

[heuristic1]

Anyone who denies that the Chinese butchers have slaughtered tens of thousands of Tibetans and are systemically destroying Tibetan culture are witless Chinese stooges. Chinese vermin are overrunning Tibet like a hoard of cockroaches. Look what they have done to Lhasa as an example of their "improvements." The Tibetan people understandably want maintain their identity and culture, as old as China's and many times more sophisticated. The Dharmapalas will one day descend from the Himalayas and cleanse Tibet of the Chinese contagion.

[gangesdak]

The only one who has consistenly acting as war monger since early 1950 is China. All one has to do is take a look at Chinese behavior in all matters of territory and money. All the Tibetans wanted was to be left alone. China brutalized Tibet, and beat the Tibetans to submisssion. Dalai Lama has no arms, no money either. Yet, knowing his moral force China has tried to belittle him for the past 50 years at every instant.

[craftycandi]

I pray for the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama that they might find peace and closure on this very important topic.

I also pray for the 15th Dalai Lama that the Chinese stole (and imprisoned) as a small child that he may be returned to his people unharmed.

[straightalk]

heuristic1, if the dalai lama is that holy & peace loving, why is he receiving money & arms from CIA? He is nothing but a phony slave master hoping to return to Tibet one day to be king-god again. The government of China does not allow slavery. That's why he had to run. US government is using him for their propaganda purpose & the people of Tibet is caught in the middle.

[pugster]

Pigstar,

You're probably a Holocaust denier too. In the end, you and the Han cockroaches will be driven from Tibet. You are not worth the dirt between a Tibetan farmer's toes.

Long Live the Dalai Lama!

Posted by heuristic1

The holocaust exist because there proof of all the concentration camps, and all the mass graves. However, the Tibetan movement claimed that 1.8 million Tibetans died during the 'uprising' yet nobody knows where these 'killing fields' and mass graves are. Either China can keep a really big secret or these mass graves don't exist.

[straightalk]

People, you should go to this web site:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8442

Dalai Lama has been a CIA agent since 1956.

[mdalerwill]

1. The Dalai Lama is not "self-proclaiming", he was chosen when he was a child.
2. What mumbo jumbo does Buddism preach? Living a peaceful life is not mumbo jumbo.
3. I am not a shameless American fool. I accuse my government as well on other forums in the "free press" which democracy quarantees.
4. What happened to the native Americans is a very dark spot on our history, there is no excuse. It cannot be changed, but we can learn from past mistakes.
4. Tibet is Tibet and China is China. Both should be seperate states.
One last point. Calling someone as phenomenal as he is a parasite just shows what you are for a person. It's a shame more world leaders couldn't have his mind-set.
Posted by batchitcrazy at 8:56 AM : Mar 10, 2009

Excellent post. Hits all the points I would have.

[rushlimpdrug]

I didn't realize Rihanna and Chris Brown visiting Tibet.

[batchitcrazy]

ooops, sorry about the double 4.....