http://web.archive.org/web/20090923181631/http://www.nowpublic.com/world/long-and-deep-look-tibet
World
A Long and Deep Look into Tibet
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by sm4096 | August 4, 2009 at 07:24 pm
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Informed consent is the solution to the instability of the Tibetan question. There are many tensions protests, and riots revoking consent to be governed. As things go few people seem to understand the troubles or something would have been done already. We need to come to a understanding. For those of us who believe in vast corporate, government and media conspiracies my work may come as somewhat of a shock. This is not to say that such things don't exist, but its just that most people are not part of them. I will put forward and try to make a case that the issues in Tibet are the result of misguided misinformed persons and intentions.
A complaint people have of the media is it had not looked deep into the causes of the unrest in Tibet. Largely we read reports on the symptoms of the problem, or what is on the surface but not so much on the cause. They did not pick up on or make much of massive peaceful ralies in support of keeping China United (Montreal / Toronto). Little raises more red flags then a pro-china rally.
There is undeniable good will towards Tibetans by Chinese both in and out of China. Tibet until recently was left alone isolated and backward in the view of the developed world. China has engaged in projects providing clean water housing, medicine, and education and much of what we take for granted as necessities in modern life. The region is very remote undeveloped and such projects are not just well meaning, but they are also costly. If one compares Google maps with old photo's and accounts from before the modernization one can get a true idea of the scope and effort involved.
Tibet Diary is a reference novel for seeing how far the region has come. The slogan "Free Tibet" causes distress to Chinese at they view Tibet as part of China as Canadians consider First Nations and Quebec a part of Canada. It causes China much distress to see foreigners who are largely not well informed trying to tear their country apart.
The CIA also acknowledges having meddled in China in the past and has a legacy of meddling to live down. China has a lot more legitimate claim to Tibet then the Americans do. Many Chinese are convinced with good cause that foreign interference is at the root of problems in Tibet. Dali Lama himself insists a cultural genocide is taking place in Tibet. Chinese point out that they understand and acknowledge the failures of the Great Leap Forward where books where burned and culture was destroyed to make way for modernization. The people of China would not knowingly allow such a loss to be inflicted on the Tibetan people. China took steps to preserve knowledge, artifacts, monasteries and other aspects of Culture. It is understandable why Dali lama is reviled in the rest of China. The accusations he is making are deeply flawed and well understood to be false. Dali lama is not talking to the the Chinese People(there are quite a few available to talk to) so he does not understand what is going on in Tibet.
In the modernization of Tibet China saw problems with housing sanitation medicine, hygiene etc and imposed solutions. China also abolished serfdom in Tibet. Many in China are of the belief that people do not need to know and should not question decisions of the Government unlike the western idea somewhat in contrast where the media really asks what it wants and goes where it wants for a story. Explaining obvious decisions to people in undeveloped regions is seen as impossible given they lack many of the basic concepts behind medicine science , etc. It is only recently that efforts have been taken to develop and modernize Tibet. For all the benefits bestowed many Chinese do not understand what happened in Tibet to make them Tibetans so upset. Tibetans see and notice a different attitude in western tourists and reporters. The west does not well understand what Tibet is saying or what it wants but it does one thing that China is not doing very well, it listens. It is not the western media at the root cause of the Problems in Tibet.
If Dali Lama listened and thus, understood the Chinese people he would know to make an accusation of Cultural Rape and not Cultural Genocide. There needs to be informed consent of a type to the changes to peoples lives. It causes problems to simply tell people that the way they lived their whole lives is wrong. This creates feelings of outrage and misery. While I will grant there exist other causes, a strong case can be made for the need of informed consent. Compulsory education is hardly consensual and somewhat of a red Flag. It is China's ambition to make great changes in Tibet. They are asking Tibetans to make drastic changes to their way of life, changes that they don't understand. An obvious prerequisite for such a undertaking should be trust. Any major changes imposed without trust would in the least cause great anxiety. It is highly inconceivable to keep trust without a dialog. The very notion of sending kids to school is foreign to Tibetans. Tibetans did not welcome the prospects of compulsory education. Advertising education as compulsory is a bit of a red flag.
Chinese who do not understand why Tibetans would cross the mountains and go to the Dali Lama in India, especially given his history, mistaken views and past involvement with the CIA. Many also do not understand why Tibetan monks literally fell over themselves to talk to reporters. The simplest answer is often the best. They need someone who to Trust. They want to be listened to. Who clearly speaks on Tibetans behalf? The Dalia lama can be such a voice, the west recognizes.
Conversations and interaction foster trust. Banning the subject of Tibet undermines any Trust Tibetans have if in the rest of China. Tibetans are looking outside because they can not turn to China. To put forward that the subject of free speech, A institution that does not allow itself to be the subject of criticism over time looses the a ability to make good decisions. or to put it more simply not listening leads to poor decisions being made.
Trust without understanding is something one would expect to hear from a cult but not from the Chinese government. It seems perilous to make change without establishing trust. That is why I put forward the idea of asking for informed consent that is of a revocable kind of like democracy but not necessarily taking the same form.
The wold needs to earn the trust of the Tibetan people and stop to there being frostbitten Traumatized Tibetans. For people who are trying to cross the border, If China believed in Tibetans welfare they really should insist on outfitting them with good shoes and warm cloths before they undertake such a journey. I see no conflict in telling Tibetans,We don't want them to leave but we will help you have a safe journey if they insist on going. What is the alternative? One can't hold people at gunpoint or shoot them. So make some warm clothes, and write, "from China with Love" all over the clothes. Who knows maybe in exchange they can tell you why they are leaving. I am just running through some absurdly humorous and appropriate ideas. I can see how a message of show trust , have trust and earn trust would be well received. I am sure others can think of more and better ideas.
There is also an issue of causes of distrust. While my objective is not to push Democracy onto China many may consider it as a solution to China's problems. There are many flaws to democracy, but It does undermine peoples trust in government and carries an implicit insecurity implied in your decisions if people can not openly talk about and debate its merits. I would venture to say that censorship of ideas in general undermines peoples trust in their government. It seems a futile move to ask Tibetans to blindly trust the Government when other Chinese people have themselves lost it.
It is not knowing that problems exist that shatters peoples trust in their government, but rather it is things covered up until they grow so big as to be impossible to cover up. For people to have trust in the government transparency is important. People need to see their problems and concerns are heard, prioritized and dealt with in a prompt appropriate and effisient manner.
I act in accordance to free will. I have talked with thousands of people on youTube under sm4096. I have viewed and read what people gave me and listened for endless hours. As far as I am concerned having listened to all sides makes me more informed.
Anonymous said...
"Hello - just to make it short and a hopefully usefull reminder - tibet is a illegally occupied country - really, you should made at least some research into the political history.
why do you think - democracy is not a solution to the tibetans and the chinese..? this seem to me very strange - just asking, are you in favour of the totalitarian hu jintao, wen jiabao clieque.. "
----reply Communism is not what it used to be. Why not let them grow into something better instead of imposing what we believe on them. It is possible for different valid mutually exclusive moral codes to coexist peacefully. Canada is a good example. Consider the diversity present in any picture of a large group of Canadians.
Anyhow there are practical concerns regarding china's stability as Tibet is the source of much of China's fresh water. Tibet remaining autonomously a region of China should improve regional stability.
Overall Its clear that the path China is on with regards to Tibet is well meaning and intentioned. Its my hope this article clears things up for those who need some clarity and maybe cause some well placed Understanding such that such mistakes can be better avoided in the future.
Author: Stanely Marcinkowski sm4096@gmail.com
Edited: John B. Pinchbeck gardeninc@hotmail.com
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at 19:35 on August 4th, 2009
China will never allow a free Tibet.
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sm4096
at 11:13 on August 5th, 2009
I must have stockholm syndrome from listening to so many people..... Be carefull if you talk to them you might get it too. It can be Contagious.
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sm4096
at 09:03 on August 6th, 2009
I think one of the things to be learned from the social antropologist is he released his guilt about not beeing clean or wearing washed clothing. Telling people they are living their lives wrong creates a lot of guilt if you do not tell or are unable to explain why those changes are in thier own interest. Other then trust people are made to feel guilty they have lived their whole lives wrong. Be carefull how you point your good intentions.
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