h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm glad you're raised that...and having seen the Free Tibet blob on you're page, you're as sensible a person as any to ask.

I've been reading various things about Mao and The Cultural Revolution recently. While I totally accept that the Chinese Communist government has long been corrupt, incompetent and evil...there is also a lingering sense of egalitarian decency somewhere in there, albeit one which has been thoroughly perverted and misused.

Now, obviously China invaded Tibet for broadly geopolitical reasons. On the other hand, they have - especially of late - started to develop the region considerably. The development is as fraught with hideousness as elsewhere in China, but they have brought a measure of the benefits that you and I would regard as 'good': Healthcare, education, access to the outside world, material goods.

My question is...how does this compare with the previous dark-ages of a hierarchical, feudal society ruled by a jovial yet aloof god king who contributed little if anything towards the physical wellbeing of his subjects? I mean, he's a jolly nice man and all...but...?

A curious fact is that in the hundreds of years of Lama rule there was certainly hardship in Tibet, but there never was a famine until the Chinese came in fifty years ago. Egalitarian, perhaps, thinking of the famines in China under the Great Leap Forward . . . but what did the Tibetans do to earn a famine?

My closest friend here in Dublin is Chaiwallah, and he is the driving force in Tibet Support Ireland, so that is where I'm coming from. Some other friends say like you "what's so awful about Chinese rule?" and think that a theocracy is bound to be oppressive, despite occasional benevolent Lamas. The figures however are awful; Tibetans are outnumbered and marginalised, peaceful opposition is brutally punished, and the things China is taking out of Tibet cannot be justified.

Chaiwallah has written two entires, A3073691 "Tibet - China's Claim to Rule" and A2671814 "Tibet - Why the Chinese are There" that answer your questions directly; I would also direct you to the Barkhor Notice Board F1731573?thread=375421 which has a lot of information along the way, eg the last part of post 223. There are various links given too, particularly in a recent exchange between Mudhooks and a Chinese apologist.

http://www.tibetnepalimports.com/info.html gives another account: ". . . In order for the Chinese to claim sovereign rights over Tibet, they would have to show at what particular moment in history they first legally acquired these rights. Ironically, China's claim over Tibet is based on two periods in history, when both Tibet and China fell under the rule of a foreign empire. Once in the 13th century, when they fell under rule of the Mongols and again in the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty.

In the case of the Mongol empire, China claims that during the Mongols' control of Tibet and China, the two countries were merged into one, however there is no evidence to support this claim. Therefore, it would be like claiming that any country that had once been conquered by the Roman empire could now claim sovereign rights over any other country that had been conquered by the Roman empire. Additionally, the Mongols were very respectful of the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader. As a result, a close relationship between the Mongolian and Tibetan people exists to this day. As an interesting note, Tibet regained their independence from the Mongols before China did. Tibet then maintained their independence until the 18th century.

In the 17th century, the Manchus conquered China and created the Qing Dynasty. The Manchus had great respect for Buddhism, as a result the Dalai Lama gave spiritual guidance to the Manchu emperor in exchange for the protection of Tibet. Although Tibet maintained its independence, during the 18th century, the Manchus did exert tremendous influence when it came to the political and foreign affairs of Tibet. The relationship ceased when the Qing dynasty was overthrown in 1911. Again, there was no relationship between China and Tibet. This case for Chinese rule of Tibet, is even more tenuous since truly Tibet was never even under the rule of the Qing dynasty.

Once again Tibet remained independent until 1949, when the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet. From this point on, the Tibetan people have suffered greatly under the illegal occupation of their country. . . "

And about conditions under the Chinese " . . . The result of [the National Uprising of 1959 by the people of Tibet] is painful to recount. Somewhere between 87,000 and 430,000 of Tibet's people were killed (The lower number is reported by China, the higher number is reported by Tibet). Fearing for their lives and safety, over 100,000 Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama were forced to flee Tibet, most seeking refuge in India and Nepal.

The atrocities continue:

* Approximately 6,000 monasteries and shrines where destroyed.

* Prior to the Chinese invasion Tibet was ecologically stable. The Chinese then used 80% of farmable land for harvesting wheat. Failure of harvests and the export of food to mainland China led to famines in the early 1960s. It is estimated that 340,000 Tibetans died as a result.

* Human rights groups have confirmed by name over 700 Tibetan political prisoners. Many of whom are monks and nuns.

* In 1995, the 11th Panchen Lama disappeared. A Panchen Lama is the second most important religious figure in Tibetan culture. [ . . .]

* The Chinese government has implemented financial incentive programs to encourage the Chinese to move to Tibet. This has resulted in the Tibetan people being the minority. As such they have suffered an increase in unemployment and are discriminated against in their own country.

* There are at least 3 nuclear missile launch sites in Tibet. Nuclear waste from the research facility is feared to be dumped on the nearby plains where Tibetan nomads allege they have suffered illness and death from strange diseases consistent with radiation sickness.

* Deforestation since the Chinese invasion has resulted in the loss of 50% of Tibet's forests.

* China maintains an occupation army in Tibet in excess of 250,000."