As Lhasa has supposedly quieted down, the anti-CNN.com crowd has gone off the deep end, that might be worth exploring more. The death threats they've been making towards Western media representatives stationed in China certainly haven't gone unnoticed.
On Mutant Palm blogger Davesgonechina's list of links chosen in a move to foster balanced discussion on the the number of issues he lays out, there's a link to the Dalai Lama's letter of appeal to the Chinese citizens. Where the letter has been reposted on Chinese-German website Ouline.com, a number of comments have come in:
Mr. Dalai, I've seen your statement. You're being used by the West, if what you're saying is true. In the interest of the people of the nation of China, all you have to do is disregard the danger to your person and come to Beijing to issue a formal apology to the central government….this would prove that you are in fact sincere. The interest of the nation of China is greater than that of individual interest, even if you are a celebrity.
If what's happened now wasn't premeditated, then why is Tibetan independence seen in Tibet, Sichuan and around the world? If it wasn't you then why were lamas leading the riots—as well, during the riots, as burning the Chinese flag and shouting slogans for Tibetan independence? You shout for peace, for inner exploration, but what have you given Tibet! “I assure you I have no desire to seek Tibet’s separation. Nor do I have any wish to drive a wedge between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples. On the contrary my commitment has always been to find a genuine solution to the problem of Tibet that ensures the long-term interests of both Chinese and Tibetans.” I can't even begin to believe that you actually spoke something like this.
The Dalai says he didn't organize it, but Tibetan lamas say they've been treated unjustly. Well, how does one explain the lamas in the footage of the riots? Central government policies, I'm not even gonna start, but not only for Tibet, many Chinese citizens can't understand them, but that's no reason to go beating, smashing and looting.
The Tibet incident, some are saying it was a conspiracy. In fact, it's the opposite. For years, the Dalai government and his demands have been open. It's only the Chinese government that has made him a taboo, one not to be mentioned. And before this, most people probably didn't even pay attention to what Tibetans were thinking, or Han indifference, and that is one of the reasons which gave rise to the Han-Tibetan standoff situation we see today.
I'd like to ask Mr. Dalai, are all those monks in the temples serving as monks voluntarily? Don't they want to go to university, or to go home and live normal lives? If they had these kinds of desires, would the monastery allow them to go?
Since the March 14 Tibetan independence incident, ample hostility and prejudice towards China has been exposed in Western countries and their media. German media has been the worst. They just want to see China split up. Attempting to use the Olympic Games to achieve their despicable goal. What's gratifying is how this incident has let Chinese people, especially the youth, see clearly these Westerners’ ugly faces. The youth have led the counterattack. [Chinese] Exchange students in many countries have organized counterattack protests and demonstrations. We should also rise in action.
I'd like to know what Mr. Dalai's annual income is. What do you do with it? You say the Chinese government is not transparent, so Mr. Dalai let's see you show us what being transparent means! Where do your finances come from? How much? Where does it go? Just what do you do with it all? What you don't spend you can donate to the building of schools and restoration of temples in the Tibet region, just don't do things not allowed by Buddhadharma!
When official Chinese media reported this incident, using fabricated and distorted propaganda-style truths, they may have given rise to unforeseeable consequences, maybe even burying a curse for future ethnic clashes. During the peaceful uprising in Lhasa in 1959, I too was driven into exile. The Tibetan plateau is the source for many of Asia's largest rivers, and so protecting the ecosystem on the Tibetan plateau is of utmost importance. [] For example, there has been no reasonable or just resolution to the Tiananmen incident, if there were, I believe, Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and many other major issues could also be resolved, even if the Mongolians in Inner Mongolia only comprise twenty percent of the 24-million population of the Mongolian Autonomous Region. In this regard, I call for the setting up of an independent investigation organization in the public trust, for a thorough investigation into this incident, so that the truth can be brought out.
Dalai, your words appear very gently, very moving. But how is it that until today you haven't issued a letter to the Tibetan people? Can't you even issue it to the lamas? In sending this to Han Chinese is as though Hans has smashed up your shop. Whatever, but don't you think about going back now, we won't trust you. Just keep on moving and looking, and go on with your world travels. Go see Germany, America and England and see which one likes you most, and which media are willing run your picture for free, and which which conspiratorial government supports you. Just go, we're already used to seeing you travelling.
I'd like to make my own appeal to the Dalai Lama: as the spiritual leader of Tibet, you must take full responsibility for the Lhasa riots, and ought to accept the full consequences. You though that just saying “it wasn't me who planned this” would get you off? Not so easy. After the beatingsmashinglootingtorchingkilling you call out to Chinese across the world? What about everything you've done up until now?! Before this, although I had no good feelings toward you and your bunch, I didn't hate you either. Now I despise you and everyone around you. I didn't even question you, and you're actually coming appealing to me. I may not me a well-known spiritual leader, and I haven't won any international awards, I'm just an average citizen living overseas. But let me tell you, if I ever meet you on the street one day, I won't be saying hello to you.
Killing, arson, of course are wrong. This is not up for debate. But to resolve the root problem is to look at the reasons which gave way to these occurrences. Has anybody asked why, overnight, so many Han-hating Tibetans showed up? This so-called peaceful people, just how solid a base does Harmonious Society have? Once the incident had passed, that should have been the time for people to reflect. Unfortunately, until now, the truth to many things still hasn't come out. Even proof of the central government's statements that the Dalai was operating this from behind the curtain haven't been seen.
无作者 2008-03-28 14:50:35
无标题
不管什么理由,杀害普通平民就是不对。
Whatever the reason, killing common citizens is just wrong.
无作者 2008-03-28 14:38:59
Luegen!
Wolf im Schafpelz!
The Tibet disturbances carried on for nearly one day, but actually what should be asked is, during this time, where had all the People's Armed Police [PAP] gone?
Such a large action, anyone with some knowledge will know that this had to have been organized and premeditated. Here you would look at the time, the place, the scale and the cost. Now, Mr. Dalai steps out and appeals to Chinese people, as if Hans were behind the riots in Tibet. He even pretends to mercifully show sympathy towards those innocent lives lost in the riots. When actually, the instigators were you and your interest groups. If it weren't for the involvement of foreign forces, you wouldn't even have had this capability. You say you don't oppose the Olympics being held in Beijing, but what you're doing is trying to close the mouths of Chinese around the world. You'd love to see the Olympics killed. Undermine the Chinese people's reputations. I just saw that the German president announce that she will not be attending the opening ceremony of the Olympic games in Beijing, and will not be going to watch competitions held in Beijing. There will be more Western nations making similar decisions later. Someone else is directing all this, but you're singing the lead in this anti-China chorus now on stage. How can you deal with the Chinese people around the world, yet justify this? Everything you do only proves to the world your hypocritical nature.
Those saying the Dalai is connected to the March 14 incident, up till now it's only been the Chinese government, yet even now we've still to see them produce any evidence. You can see that the Tibetans’ actions on March 14 were not organized, and it was not premeditated cathartic behavior. If people think about it, Lhasa has been under heavy military guard for years, and the one time there's a planned violent incident they foolishly bring out Tibetan daggers, bats and rock chunks to go do battle with fully-armed PAP, right? And the burning deaths mostly took place in shops and in schools. In every planned riot, isn't the first step to commandeer government offices and propaganda outlets?
Dear Mr. Dalai Lama, I've seen your appeal, and it leaves this common Chinese unable to understand you. You've always supported the Beijing Olympics, but then I see your followers in different places around the world using different approaches to call for the boycotting of the Olympic Games! You say you don't support Tibetan independence, yet I see your followers using various forms of demonstration in front of the Chinese embassies in major Western countries, even self-immolation, ripping and burning the Chinese flag, and hanging up the Tibetan flag! You say that 135 people died in these riots in Tibet, but could you just tell us how many of those dead are Hans and how many are Tibetans, and why those people died?! As the Living Buddha for Tibetan lamas and the Tibetan people's spiritual leader, why didn't you call on your followers to stop destroying, beating and smashing Hans’ shops and the buildings on the streets of Lhasa! Why don't you apologize to all the Chinese peoples for the Tibetans’ extreme and violent behavior? Why don't you apologize to the Chinese people around the world for your followers’ burning of the flag? Deep down do you really feel that Tibet is part of China?! Do you admit that you are Chinese?! As a buddhist you ought to practice benevolence. I don't think there's a single Chinese that wants to see Tibet separate from China, and especially don't want to see any person getting up to any sort of actions against China while China hosts the Olympics. There's an old saying in China, don't hang your dirty laundry outside, these things are best taken care of in-home. As the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, if you really feel like you've said, and don't advocate for Tibet's independence, but do support the Beijing Olympics, then please, do not rely on the anti-Chinese West to pressure the Chinese government. You surely know that for year's you've just been a bargaining chip used by the West, used to contain China's economic development!! There's an old saying, make amends as you near death. As a buddhist, why don't you do more things beneficial to humankind?! I think that if you called for Tibetans and Hans and all the other ethnic minorities in China to get along peacefully, to break down barriers, to grow economically, to unite inside and out, I think there could be nothing better. Everything you said and do is noticed by Chinese around the world.
Some Tibetans put on a bad face, some Tibetans put on a good face. Do they really think everyone else is stupid? They burn Han people to death and still act like they're Bodhisattva? If the Dalai can't control the militants beneath him, what's the point in negotiating with him?
The Dalai doesn't advocate independence, he only advocates for autonomy. Except for the Chinese who don't know this, pretty much everybody knows this now.
Say one thing and do another. You're not afraid your crimes are immediately about to be exposed, are you? If you were a gentleman, you'd do a few proper things for China's development. That then would be living up to buddhadharma.
Why do innocent people need to be cruelly murdered to appease your own rage? If this is some kind of religious position, then this religious organization is just evil. If this is some political organization's position, then this organization is evil. Judging from your words, I don't see any Buddhists’ sympathy. If other people's lives are worth nothing in your eyes, then in other people's eyes, your fate might as well just be that of a moth's.
If the Dalai is sincere, I request that you write a letter to the Tibetan people. Make them accept that Tibet is an inseparable part of China. Let them struggle for their own rights based on the constitution of the People's Republic of China. As soon as you come home for talks with the government, I'll support you! The 56 minorities of the People's Republic of China are one family, of which [ethnic] Tibetans are just one part. Express written support for the Chinese government's adherence to Chinese law in dealing with violent and splittist activities, as sanctioned by the legal framework!
Mr. Dalai, was this your movement? For years you've travelled the world colluding with anti-Chinese Western forces. For a conflict between two brothers, why was such a large action needed? To be honest, blood is thicker than water when it comes to the relationship between Han and Tibetan, and when the real enemies come, the only strong backing you will have to fall upon is the People's Republic of China. You've been living off others for years now, and you don't even have a bed to call your own. So who really shelters you? Haven't you had enough of living like this? One elder told me that you are an exceptionally knowledgeable person, so in your view, do you really think Tibet can be independent? Even if you don't say so, I think you understand. Tibet wasn't independent in the past, so do you really think it can be independent today from the strong hand of the People's Republic of China? For a sovereign nation, maintaining territorial integrity is her most basic obligation. You've always been a weapon to be used at will by western countries, and for you to be unable to return home even in your seventies is a true shame.