This thread will look at the Chinese government's rule and policies in Tibet, and the opposition in exile led by the Dalai Lama.

From the the official web site of the Tibetan government-in-exile, here's the Dalai Lama's vision for a future free Tibet:


The following is the official translation of The Guidelines For Future Tibet's Polity And Basic Features of Its Constitution, which His Holiness the Dalai Lama issued on 26 February 1992. In this, His Holiness makes important suggestions for future Tibet's democracy. He categorically declares that he will not hold official position in the government of future Tibet since he thinks that he will be "in a better position to serve the people as an individual outside the government".


Introduction

Although it is difficult to predict the future, all human beings who wish to achieve happiness and avoid suffering must plan for future. As a result of the Chinese occupation, Tibetans in Tibet are deprived of their basic human rights; this tragic situation cannot be permitted to continue for long.

Tibet has a recorded history of over 2,000 years, and according to archaeological findings, a civilization dating back to over 4,000 years. In terms of geographical features of the country, as well as in terms of race, culture, language, dress and customs, Tibet is a distinct nation.

Under Tibet's Kings and the Dalai Lamas, we had a political system that was firmly rooted in our spiritual values. As a result, peace and happiness prevailed in Tibet.

However, by the middle of this century, Chinese occupation forces marched into Tibet through its eastern border regions of Kham and Amdo. Soon after, the Chinese intensified their military repression in Tibet, driving our political situation to a crisis point. In the face of this, I had no alternative, but to comply to my people's request to assume full responsibility as the head of state of Tibet, although I was then only 16.

In the hope of winning peace and happiness for my people, I tried for years to establish an amicable relationship with the powerful and authoritarian Chinese officials. Also, I set out to reform the unsavory aspects of our social system. With the view to introducing democracy, I constituted a committee consisting some 50 members. On the recommendation of the committee, some social welfare reforms were implemented, but my efforts towards introducing further reforms failed as the Chinese had by then converted Tibet into their colony.

As soon as the Chinese army had gained full control of Tibet, they shed their initial semblance of discipline and politeness to become ever more demanding and repressive. Brutal forces were used to suppress the Tibetan resistance, first in Kham and Amdo, and finally in the whole of Tibet by March 1959.

As a result, I was compelled to seek refuge in India in order to continue our struggle for the cause of Tibet. Among my initiatives in exile were to see to it that the Tibetan refugees, who were arriving in India in thousands, were given proper education and rehabilitation facilities. I also set out to continue my earlier plans to democratise Tibetan society.

People's Deputies (the Tibetan legislative body), was introduced in India. Since then we have had eleven such Assemblies. In 1961, I promulgated a constitution for future, free Tibet, based on the principles of modern democracy. In general, this Constitution received overwhelming support from the Tibetans. The Tibetans, however, strongly opposed one provision, which stipulated that if circumstances demanded, the power of the Dalai Lama could be taken away according to the Constitution. Therefore, this provision had to be revised.

In 1963, an even more comprehensive draft constitution was announced. In an attempt to democratise the exile Tibetan Administration, the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies was entrusted with the authority to abolish the traditional bipolar system of appointing monk and lay officials to each position. The Assembly also annulled all the hereditary titles and prerogatives granted to small groups of people under the old system. In its place, new guidelines were introduced by which government officials would be appointed in a democratic fashion.

The 1963 draft constitution also authorised a Council of Regents to assume the powers of the Dalai Lama under specific circumstances if that was seen to be in the highest interest of the nation. In deference to the wishes of the people, as I stated earlier, and circumstances prevailing at that time, the constitution gave the ultimate authority of the government to the Dalai Lama. Naturally, I was not satisfied with this clause. I felt that this constitution fell far short of my aim for a genuine democracy.

Therefore, in my speech of the March 10 Anniversary in 1969, I declared that when the Tibetans regained their right to rule themselves, the people must decide for themselves as to what kind of system of government they wanted. I also stated that it was not certain whether the system of government with the Dalai Lama as the supreme head would continue or not.

About three decades have passed since the draft constitution of 1963 was promulgated. During those years, the world has changed dramatically and people throughout the world have begun to value democratic rights more than ever before. They have realised that democracy is the foundation for the free expression of human thoughts and potentials. Therefore, Tibet also must change when it becomes free.

With regard to the question of Tibet, although it is an international issue, the Chinese leadership has failed to respond positively to my overtures of 1987 and 1988. This is unfortunate, because I undertook these two initiatives as sincere and timely efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue of Tibet.

The issue of Tibet is not merely a question of the survival of a people with their own distinct history and culture, it also has direct bearing on the fate of this world and Asian peace, and particularly upon the relationship between the world's two most populous nations: India and China. At stake is also the serious question of human rights, as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the world body's efforts to put an end to the era of colonialism and expansionism. Even the Chinese people themselves are opposed to the present Chinese system of governance and are demanding changes.

Chinese dissidents in exile have come to realise and accept the reality that Tibet and China are two completely separate entities. They have also come to recognise the fact that the Tibetans have the right to independence and self-determination. They find no justification in their leadership's claim that Tibet is a part of China.

Globally speaking, the values of democracy, freedom and justice are being appreciated and accepted more widely, especially in Eastern European countries where the totalitarian system, labelled centralised democracy, is giving way to a true and free democracy. The peoples of these nations are now gaining freedom and independence from oppressive regimes.

Similarly, the Tibetan Administration and population in exile, and more especially the Tibetans in Tibet, are striving hard for our freedom. For over 40 years, our brethren in Tibet have lived under an oppressive and tyrannical regime, completely deprived of basic human rights. Naturally, 99 percent of them - be they young, old, cadres, officials - are deeply resentful of the Chinese occupation of Tibet.

Despite the tremendous risks involved, many young people in Tibet have chosen to sacrifice their personal interests to demonstrate against Chinese rule in Tibet. Today there is much better understanding of the Tibetan issue in the world and this has heightened international interest in, and support for, our cause. In the light of this, the Chinese leadership will have no alternative but to abandon its rigid policy and come to the negotiating table to find a peaceful solution to the question of Tibet. It will not be long before the Chinese rulers find themselves compelled to leave Tibet.

When this joyful occasion comes, the time when the Tibetans in Tibet and those in exile are re-united in a free Tibet, the present totalitarian system, dubbed centralised democracy, will have to give way to true democracy under which the people of all the three provinces of Tibet, namely U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo, can enjoy the freedom of thought, expression, and movement. My hope is that Tibet will then be a zone of peace, with environmental protection as its official policy. I also hope that Tibetan democracy will derive its inspiration from the Buddhist principles of compassion, justice and equality.

I believe that in future, Tibet should have a multi-party system of parliament, and that it should have three organs of government - legislature, executive and judiciary - with a clear separation of powers between them, each independent of the other and vested with equal powers and authority. As I have often said, Tibet belongs to Tibetans, and especially to those who are in Tibet.

Therefore, Tibetans in Tibet shall bear the main responsibility in future Tibet's democratic government. Moreover, Tibetan officials presently serving the government of Chinese-occupied Tibet should bear even greater responsibility as they have more experience in running the affairs of the state. It is important that such Tibetan officials eschew all feelings of uncertainty and doubt. Instead, they should strengthen their determination to improve the quality of the future administration of Tibet, and re-dedicate themselves to the cause of Tibetan freedom.

Of course, some Tibetans, egged on by their Chinese masters, have said and done detrimental things. They have done this either due to ignorance or out of fear. Therefore, I see that no purpose will be served by seeking retribution for their past deeds. What is vitally important is to strive unitedly for a happy future.

Personally, I have made up my mind that I will not play any role in the future government of Tibet, let alone seek the Dalai Lama's traditional political position in the government. There are important reasons why I have made this decision. There is no doubt that Tibetans, both in and outside Tibet, have great hope in, and reverence for, me. From my side too, I am determined to do whatever I can for the well-being of my people. The fact that I am in a position to do this is due to my karma and prayers over past lives. However, in future I will not hold any official position in the government. I will most likely remain a public figure who may be called on to offer advice or resolve some particularly significant and difficult problems which could not be overcome by the existing government or political mechanisms. I think I will be in a better position to serve the people as an individual outside the government.

Moreover, if Tibet is to survive as an equal member of the modern international community, it should reflect the collective potential of all its citizens, and not rely on one individual. In other words, people must be actively involved in charting their own political and social destiny.

It is, therefore, in the interests of the Tibetan people, both long- and short-term, that I have come to this decision, and not because I am losing interest in my responsibilities. There is no need to worry on this count.

Once Tibet regains its freedom and the Chinese forces are withdrawn, there will be a transitional period before the adoption of a new constitution. During this period the existing Administration in Tibet, with all its Tibetan functionaries, will be retained to look after such affairs of State, such as health, economy, education, culture, and transport and communications. This means the Tibetan officials presently working under the Chinese should be ready to assume full responsibilities.

The interim government will be headed by a president, who will assume all the political powers presently held by me. The present Tibetan Government-in-Exile will be considered dissolved ipso facto. Although no one will be entitled to special privileges by virtue of his/her position in the Tibetan Administration in exile, I hope the officials of the exile Administration will willingly accept whatever responsibilities are entrusted to them in view of their qualifications, experience and abilities.

The principal responsibility of the transitional government will be to form a Constituent Assembly with representatives from all parts of Tibet. The Constituent Assembly, in turn, will prepare Tibet's new constitution on the basis of various drafts prepared in exile. This new constitution will be adopted only with the assent of the interim President. Then, in accordance with the constitution, the interim President will appoint an Election Commission, which will conduct the election of the new government.

Provisional order during the transitional period

The time between the withdrawal of repressive Chinese forces from Tibet and the formation of a new Tibetan government, elected in accordance with the democratic constitution, shall be referred to as the "transitional period".

1. Since we must have an interim President to head the government during the transitional period, the following procedures will be followed to appoint him or her. a) I shall constitute a small committee of leaders from Cholka-Sum, or the three provinces of Tibet. This committee, in consultation with the officials of various departments throughout Tibet, will summon an emergency meeting of all the deputies representing administrative divisions no smaller than a district. The meeting, in turn, will elect not more than seven candidates, from whom I shall appoint one as the President. b) In the event of this meeting failing to elect the candidates, I shall directly appoint the interim President.

2. The interim President, whether appointed directly or from the elected candidates, will take the oath of office in my presence.

3. Upon taking the oath of office, the interim President will be vested with all the powers and responsibilities of government hitherto entrusted to me.

4. The interim President will form a Constituent Assembly. Within one year of its formation, the Constituent Assembly will finalise the new Constitution of Tibet, after studying the draft proposals.

5. The interim President will appoint the Chairperson and other members of the Election Commission. In accordance with the newly-adopted constitution, the Election Commission will conduct the election of members of the Tibetan legislative bodies, their chairpersons, as well as the President and the Prime Minister.

6. The entire process - from the date of adoption of the Constitution to the election of legislative members and the President and the formation of the government - should not exceed two years.

7. The Constituent Assembly of Tibet shall comprise of not less than 250 representatives elected from cities, towns, regions, districts, etc.

8. The first task of the Constituent Assembly will be to establish the rules on the basis of which it will conduct its proceedings.

9. The Constituent Assembly will be deemed to have ceased to exist as soon as the new parliament is sworn in.

10. Likewise, the interim President, and the Election Commission appointed by him will relinquish their positions as soon as the new Assembly is sworn in. From then on, the business of a representative form of government will begin in accordance with the Constitution.

The preparation of comprehensive draft constitutions for several alternative models of democracy is underway at the moment. However, the Constituent Assembly, comprising of representatives from all regions of Tibet, will have a final say in deciding which form of constitution should be adopted. What I have done here is to give a preliminary picture of what to expect in future Tibet's democratic set-up.

Principal Features of the Constitution

Salient Features:
The Constitution of Tibet will be the supreme law and source of all political powers in Tibet.

Nature of Polity:
The Tibetan polity should be founded on spiritual values and must uphold the interests of Tibet, its neighbouring countries and the world at large. Based on the principles of Ahimsa, and aimed at making Tibet a zone of peace, it should uphold the ideals of freedom, social welfare, democracy, cooperation and environmental protection.

Fundamental Principles of the Government:
The Tibetan Government will observe and adhere to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and promote the moral and material welfare of its citizens.

Renunciation of Violence and Military Force:
Tibet will be a zone of peace, based on the principles of nonviolence, compassion and protection of the natural environment. Tibet will remain nonaligned in the international communities and will not resort to war for any reason.

Fundamental Rights:
All Tibetan citizens will be equal before the law. They are entitled to equal rights without discrimination on grounds of sex, race, language, religion, social origin, etc.

Other Fundamental Rights:
All Tibetan citizens will have the right to life, liberty and property; and freedom of speech and expression, freedom to form associations, to publish and disseminate news and views. They will have the right to be gainfully employed, whether in the government or in any institution or department under its authority.

Right to Vote and Hold Public Office:
All citizens of Tibet, men or women, will have the right to hold public ofce and vote in accordance with the law.

Ownership of Land:
For the benet of the people and their habitat, the lands within the territory of Tibet shall be distributed appropriately according to the nature of the land. The distribution of lands will be for the purpose of residence, farming, buildings, factories, business and other livelihood purposes. Lands not privately owned will remain with the state.

The Economic System:
Avoiding the two extremes of capitalism and socialism, Tibet will formulate a special economic system to suit its own needs. The taxation system of Tibet will be based on income criteria.

Education and Culture:
Since education is key to the development of good human beings and to ensuring social progress, special attention will be paid to formulate a sound educational policy. All assistance will be given to schools, universities, institutes for science, technology and other professional trainings.

Public Health:
A public health care system will be established in order to provide adequate health care facilities to the people.

Legislative Power:
The legislative power of the Tibetan Government will be vested in the two chambers, namely the House of Regions and the House of People. Bills passed by them must receive Presidents assent before becoming law. The House of People will be the highest law-making body. It will consist of representatives directly elected by citizens from all constituencies, which will be demarcated in accordance with population distribution. The House of Regions will consist of members elected by the assemblies at regional level. A limited number of members (the number to be specied in the Constitution) in this House will be nominated by the President.

Executive Power:
a) If the parliamentary system of government is adopted, there shall be a President and a Vice President elected by members of the two national-level Houses and regional assemblies.
b) The executive power of the government, under the parliamentary system, will rest with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers formed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must be from a party or any other group constituting majority of members present in the House of People. Failing this, all the members of the House of People will elect the Prime Minister.

Judicial Power:
For the purpose of interpreting and upholding the Constitution, as well as for ensuring impartial adjudication of cases involving the State or individuals, there will be a judicial organ which is independent of the other two organs, legislative and executive, of the government. There will be a Supreme Court, which is the highest judicial and appellate court of justice.

Regions:
The Tibetan National Assembly will decide the demarcation of Tibets regions after taking into account the regional economic, geographical, demographic, and transport and communications features. In each region, there should be an assembly consisting of members elected by the people of the particular region. This assembly will be the regional legislative organ.

Also, every region will have a Governor appointed by the President, and a Cabinet headed by a chief Regional Minister, who in turn, is elected by the regional assembly. All the judicial power in the region will be vested in a regional High Court.

In view of the local needs, the regional assemblies can pass laws and regulations affecting their respective regions. Except for some very important matters, the regional assemblies will have the full authority to make decisions governing their respective areas of jurisdiction.

This is an example of one model of parliamentary system. There are various other models of parliamentary or non-parliamentary democracies. A draft constitution based on each of these models is being prepared in consultation with legal experts so that the future Constituent Assembly can choose the one that is seen to be most suitable to Tibet. It is not for me to make this decision.

Conclusion

Known as the Roof of the World, Tibet is in the heartland of Asia between India and China. The people of Tibet are by nature honest, gentle and kind.

Future Tibet will be a peace-loving nation, adhering to the principle of Ahimsa. It will have a democratic system of government committed to preserving a clean, healthy and beautiful environment. Tibet will be a completely demilitarised nation.

Although technological advancement has brought material prosperity to much of today's world, it has also resulted in the loss of respect for human beings. Human beings have also lost much of their freedom, so much so that they have become the slaves of machines. While a privileged few live in an island of plenty, the vast majority have to go without even the most basic necessities of life.

In order to prevent this kind of economic disparity, a more preferable economic course needs to be charted for future, free Tibet. Although we will go for a free economy, our economic policy will be aimed at serving the interest of the nation and general masses. We will make efforts to ensure that all the citizens are able to get the basic necessities of life.

In our international policy, Tibet will not align itself with the policy and ideology of any other nation. It will remain neutral in the true sense of the word. Tibet will maintain harmonious relations with its neighbours, based on equality and mutual benefit. It will renounce hostility and promote friendly relations with all nations.

I hope all sincere and right-thinking Tibetans will strive with a sense of pride and joy to attain the goals I have stated in the foregoing lines.

From the Taipei Times, here's an article analyzing the Dalai Lama's latest strategy for putting pressure on China about its rule of Tibet. An excerpt:

The Dalai Lama is frustrated by China's refusal to discuss "cultural" autonomy for Tibet, but sees a window to sway public opinion ahead of the Beijing Olympics, analysts said yesterday.

The Buddhist leader has used high-profile events such as a US Congress award ceremony attended by US President George W. Bush, meetings with heads of state in Germany, Canada and Austria and press interviews to raise the stakes with China, said Kate Saunders, spokeswoman of the International Campaign for Tibet.

"China has been stepping up its criticism of the Dalai Lama since the US visit, internationally and within Tibet, because they don't think it was a coincidence he started to talk about the succession issue in Washington," Saunders said in a telephone interview from Washington.

From the BBC, here's the story of how China reportedly forced the disqualification of Miss Tibet from an international beauty pageant, because she refused to wear a sash that read "Miss Tibet-China."

China governs Tibet as an autonomous region and swiftly clamps down on any suggestion of Tibetan nationalism.

Miss Chungtak, who is an ethnic Tibetan living in Delhi, said that to take part in the competition wearing the sash would be have been "unacceptable".

"I was really shocked," the 22-year-old student said. "This is a pageant, it's not anything related to politics."

But in a statement on the Miss Tibet website she said: "China is in control of Tibet, and there is no freedom in Tibet."

China has not yet commented officially on the case.

Here's a story from The Guardianin which Tibet's government-in-exile argues that Chinese development is harming Tibet's environment and people:

China's push to develop Tibet is leaving Tibetans behind and threatening the fragile environment of the plateau, the source of rivers that serve hundreds of millions of people in Asia, Tibet's government-in-exile said in a report released Monday.

The report says Beijing should stop dictating the future of the region and give Tibetans a say in how the plateau is developed.

``Many past mistakes can avoid being repeated if Tibetans are treated as equal partners,'' the report said, echoing demands by the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, that China give the region full autonomy.

Despite the report's often confrontational content - it says China is responsible for Tibet's abysmal 48 percent literacy rate, for example - its authors insist they are not looking to assign blame.

Rather, they say their aim is to work with Beijing to improve conditions in Tibet.

The report ``will make the Chinese understand that the development taking place in Tibet does not help the Tibetan people,'' said Kalon Tempa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration, the India-based exile government led by the Dalai Lama.

Whether Beijing will listen is another matter. Beijing has long insisted it helped Tibetans by ending the Dalai Lama's rule - which Chinese officials often deride as ``feudal'' - and that its efforts to develop and industrialize the region will result in a modern, thriving Tibet.

Tibet's exiled government says otherwise, and the report catalogs numerous problems created by Chinese rule - from the from the erosion of Tibetan culture to threats to the plateau's fragile environment.

In Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry official who would not give his name said the ministry was aware of the report but had no immediate comment.

A central issue is a new railroad linked Beijing to Tibet's capital, Lhasa. Tibetans fear that an influx of China's Han majority, which has grown since the train began running last year, will overwhelm the region's Buddhist culture.

The train is also bringing tourists - some 2.45 million in 2006, a 36 percent jump over the previous year, the report said.

``Such a drastic increase in tourism will surely overwhelm this destination, which is considered to be a place of spiritual power, mental purification and transformation,'' it said.

The railway is also making it easier for Beijing to mine the plateau rich in iron, copper, zinc and other minerals, and speed construction of numerous dams that will provide hydroelectric power needed to fuel China's growing economy.

Tibet, the world's highest plateau, is the source of rivers that serve hundreds of millions of people and such projects could ``seriously decrease the water supplies'' across South and Southeast Asia, the report said.

Chinese communist troops occupied Tibet in 1951 and Beijing continues to rule the region with a heavy hand. Beijing enforces strict controls on religious institutions and routinely vilifies the 71-year-old Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 amid an aborted uprising against Chinese rule.

China says it has ruled Tibet for centuries, although many Tibetans say their homeland was essentially an independent state for most of that time.

Google News is reporting that Prince Charles will not be attending the Beijing Olympics, apparently in protest over China's treatment of Tibet

Prince Charles will not attend games: Tibet rights group
16 hours ago

LONDON (AFP) — Prince Charles will not be attending the opening ceremony of this year's Olympic Games in Beijing, he told a group that campaigns against human rights abuses in Tibet in a letter disclosed Monday.

A spokeswoman for the prince at Clarence House declined to comment, saying only: "We would not be able discuss any private correspondence."

According to the Free Tibet campaign group, it wrote to Charles, the heir to the throne, calling on him not to attend this summer's games hosted by the Chinese capital.

In response, the prince's deputy private secretary Clive Alderton wrote: "As you know, His Royal Highness has long taken a close interest in Tibet and indeed has been pleased to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on several occasions."

"You asked if the Prince of Wales would be attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His Royal Highness will not be attending the ceremony."

It was not clear whether the prince, whose sister Princess Anne is a member of the International Olympic Committee, had been invited to the ceremony, and whether his refusal to attend had any relation to alleged human rights abuses in Tibet.

The prince is a well-known supporter of the Tibetan cause, and hosted a reception at St. James's Palace in May 2004 for Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing regards as a separatist.

In a diary entry made public in 2006, Charles wrote on the occasion of Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997 that China's leaders resembled a "group of appalling old waxworks" and also lamented the "awful Soviet-style display" of Chinese troops "goose-stepping" at the event.

A Free Tibet spokesman said: "We welcome the fact that the Prince of Wales will not be endorsing China's ongoing human rights' abuses in Tibet by attending the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and we are calling on other high-profile public figures and politicians to follow suit.

"Human rights abuses in Tibet have worsened since China was awarded the games in 2001. These games will come to be known as the Games of Shame."

The news may dent British government hopes to strengthen relations with China -- Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited Beijing and Shanghai on a diplomatic visit earlier this month.

While there, he and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said they had set a target to raise two-way trade between China and Britain to 60 billion dollars by 2010, roughly 50 percent higher than the present level, and Brown described the relationship as "a dynamic, comprehensive and strategic partnership."

The issue of Tibet has sparked tensions between China and other countries recently as well -- the Chinese and German foreign ministers said only last week that ties between their countries had normalised after months of tensions over Berlin receiving the Dalai Lama in September.

Flamboyant Icelandic pop music singer Bjork shocked the chinese by calling for Tibetan independence during a concert appearance in Shanghai, according to the Independent (UK):

Bjork is better known as a pop eccentric than as a political force, but the Icelander showed she can still raise establishment hackles when she caused a storm in Shanghai by crying "Tibet! Tibet!" at the end of her protest song, "Declare Independence".


Discussing anything to do with Tibetan calls for greater autonomy is one of the great taboos in China but Bjork lived up to her billing in the Chinese financial capital – local media had called her the "Queen of the Wildly Unpredictable" and flagged the show as "Bjork's Shanghai Surprise".

Her comments, low key as they were, illustrate the kind of problems the Chinese government is going to have keeping a lid on athletes and other visitors making political statements during August's Olympic Games in Beijing. Bjork, who performed in the ceremonies at the Athens Games, has used the song "Declare Independence" to highlight political issues during her current tour, including backing Kosovo's independence.

Many of the 3,000 fans gathered for the show in the Shanghai International Gymnastic Centre reportedly missed the reference, and state media did not report the incident, but news of Bjork's message did prompt a number of outraged responses on bulletin boards and blogs.

"If she really did this, then this woman really makes people throw up," ran one comment on Sina.com, while the Danwei website quoted another person saying: "Those who put on the show should be severely fined and not allowed to bring this kind of trash in for performances."

Bjork is the latest of a host of singers to play in China. Until a couple of years ago only the safest pop was allowed. Lately, more risqué acts have come to China but bands like The Rolling Stones have stuck closely to the agreed text to avoid offending their hosts.

Bjork has always insisted she is an amateur when it comes to politics, but she once said: "Maybe I can be a spokesperson for people who aren't normally interested in politics."

Tibet is rarely discussed in China. The People's Liberation Army occupied Tibet, which has a distinctive Buddhist culture, in 1950 and Beijing has kept a tight grip on it ever since, though it claims the region enjoys significant autonomy.

Bjork's protest comes as several Tibetan independence groups are running campaigns to promote their cause ahead of the Olympics.

From the Tibetan exile web site Phayul.com, here's a story about Tibetans' fear that Chinese immigration to Tibet will overwhelm and supplant their indigenous culture.

The influx of Chinese immigrants in Tibet is a serious threat: British MP
OoT, London[Monday, March 10, 2008 12:18]
London, March 9: The 49th anniversary of the 10th March 1959 Tibetan national uprising day was marked here yesterday with a huge rally from the Chinese Embassy to the Office of the British Prime Minister and a remembrance Tibet day afternoon event, followed by an evening concert to honour the reunion of some former Drapchi prisoners of conscience, popularly know as the 'Singing nuns of Tibet' now living in freedom in exile.


Fabian Hamilton,MP and member of UK Foreign Affairs Committee addressing the gathering (Photo: Luke Ward)
Speaking on the occasion, the Guest Speaker, Mr. Fabian Hamilton, MP and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told the afternoon gathering at the Westminster Cathedral Hall that the issue of Tibet is serious and worthy of every support.

“The influx of Chinese settlers in Tibet is a serious threat and is making the Tibetans a minority in their own land. When we were in Lhasa (capital of Tibet) we saw Chinese everywhere and more were due to arrive and many will have come now because of the introduction of the railway line from China to Tibet,” said Mr. Hamilton, who was one of the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons that visited Tibet in 2006 and reported their findings in a report.

He informed the audience how during their visit to Lhasa he and his colleagues and the interpreter from the British Embassy in Beijing had to dodge Chinese minders so that they could see the real situation of the Tibetan people. He also said that at one point on seeing the picture of the previous Panchen Lama in a temple, he asked the Chinese interpreter where was the picture of the Dalai Lama? He said the Chinese interpreter had no answer and was looking nervously at the Chinese official accompanying them.

“For some reason His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a man of great peace is considered a threat by the Chinese authorities,” said Mr. Hamilton, adding that for once he agreed with the current American President George W. Bush, who when presenting the US Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness said that China should not fear because the Dalai Lama is “a man of faith, sincerity and peace.”

The British parliamentarian also urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to meet with His Holiness during his visit to UK in May. “Our duty today is to see to it that peaceful and non-violence means adopted to resolve issues makes ‘headlines’”, said Mr. Hamilton, who accompanied by his family also visited Dharamsala last year with five other members of the parliament. Besides witnessing the various aspects of the democratic set up of the Tibetans in Diaspora, they also had an audience with His Holiness.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is visiting UK in May this year primarily at the invitations received from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, Tibet Society, Dharma Network (formed of various Buddhist organisations in UK), Blackfriars Hall of Oxford University and the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, to give a series of public talks and teachings in London, Oxford and Nottingham. This visit, as other visits of His Holiness to Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries, is being coordinated by the Office of Tibet, London. An Early Day Motion (EDM) 984 sponsored in the House of Commons by Mr. Norman Baker, MP, while welcoming the forthcoming visit of His Holiness to the UK calls upon the British Prime Minister to recognise “the strong historical connections between this country and Tibet” and “take the opportunity to met the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his visit” in line with how the Tibetan Nobel Peace Laureate has recently been met by “President George Bush, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Australia, Canada and Austria”.


Representative Tsering Tashi and former Drapchi prisoners of conscience Gyaltsen Drolkar and Ngawang Sangdrol among the audience listening to the Guest Speaker (Photo: Luke Ward)
In his address, Mr. Tsering Tashi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries, said Mr. Hamilton’s acceptance of the invitation to the Tibetan event despite his busy schedule demonstrates the British public’s sympathy and support for the just cause of Tibet. He also thanked everyone, including some Tibetans and supporters who had come from different parts of the UK and Europe, for coming to the event to mark the Tibet Day. He said the presence, especially of the four former Drapchi prisoners of conscience clearly proves that the global and Tibetan efforts in exile is not in vain.

“The story of their road to freedom in exile after suffering many years of hardship and even torture at the hands of the Chinese authorities in occupied Tibet is a reminder to all of us that the human sprit cannot be vanquished by force,” said Mr. Tashi, who is based at the Office of Tibet in London.

Mr. Tashi spoke about the contrasting situation of the globally acknowledged success story of the Tibetan refugee community in exile and the ongoing plight of the Tibetans back home in Tibet under the Chinese rule.


He expressed concern at the increasing Chinese population in Tibet, which is transforming the Tibetans not only into a powerless and an insignificant minority in their own land but also posing a serious threat to the very survival of the Tibetan culture and identity. He said although the work that some NGOs and Western governments are doing in Tibet aimed to help the Tibetans is much appreciated, the outcome would be diluted when faced with the reality of the overwhelming immigrant Chinese population force.

“The important work that now remains to be done is how to reverse this dangerous demographic aggression of Tibet and persuade China to discourage the settling of Chinese in Tibet,” Mr. Tashi said, while acknowledging the fact that with better awareness and information more and more Chinese were showing respect for Tibetan Buddhist culture and supporting His Holiness the Dalai Lama‘s non-violent Middle-Way Approach to resolve the Tibet issue that takes into consideration the long term interest of both the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.

Mr. Tashi also referred to similar concerns raised by the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who in her autobiography says, “The Chinese claim to Tibet is dubious on historical grounds,” and that “The Chinese now appear to have resolved upon a programme of ’modernisation’ that involves shifting the ethnic balance in favour of Han Chinese and away from Tibetans, as a final solution to the continuing resistance. I hope that they do not succeed.”

As in the past, the afternoon Tibet Day event was jointly organised by the Tibetan Commemorative Committee consisting of the Office of Tibet, the Tibetan Community in Britain and the Tibet Society. A specially prepared drama-song presented by the Tibetan Community Dance Group showing how Tibetan prisoners are being harshly treated by the Chinese authorities in Tibet, generated gasps and total silence in the capacity-filled hall and moved many people to tears. The event began with prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and peace in world, and closed with the singing of the Tibetan national anthem.

The former Tibetan nun political prisoners Phuntsok Nyidron, Ngawang Sangdrol, Gyaltsen Drolkar and Namdrol Lhamo, who currently live in Switzerland, the United States and Belgium respectively, are in London at the invitation of the Tibetan Community in Britain as a part of its effort to raise more awareness about the Tibet issue. With help of Students for a Free Tibet and other supporters, they will be touring for about four weeks giving talks and participating in concerts at various educational and public venues in different parts of the UK.

Earlier on March 8 the Reuters while reporting on the exploits of “the 'singing nuns' of Drapchi prison,” quoted Ngawang Sangdrol, who suffered a 10 year prison sentence, as saying, “It is not very big, what we did. We just sang songs, peacefully, for the love of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for a free Tibet,” adding, “They say we want to destroy the government, but how can songs destroy a government?”.

When asked for a message to send to Tibetans inside Tibet, the Reuters quoted the four women as saying, “Keep the spirit alive, know the world is watching, and don't be disheartened.”

Report by: Office of Tibet, London

The Times of India is reporting that 300 Tibetan monks were arrested by the PRC in Tibet for celebrating the anniversary of a 1959 revolt against PRC rule. China also warned India not to recognize the Tibetan government-in-exile led by the Dalai Lama, and accused critics of PRC rule in Tibet of a "continuous distortion of facts."

This is from today's Washington Post:


A Web site that organizes expeditions to Mount Everest posted a notice this week that China was barring climbers from the north face until after May 10, when a runner carrying the Olympic torch is to reach the summit en route to Beijing. Last April, Chinese expelled five Americans after they unfurled "Free Tibet" banners at the Everest base camp.


Interesting. This is the first that I'd heard of the April 2007 protest. I have to say that those climbers showed some real nerve by displaying those banners. But then again, I guess you have to have a lot of nerve just to be a climber.

I just saw spotted this story onWashingtonpost.com:

BEIJING, March 14 -- A week of tense confrontations over Chinese rule in Tibet erupted in violence Friday, as hundreds of protesters clashed with police and set fire to shops in the center of Lhasa. Doctors reported dozens of wounded streaming into area hospitals, and one witness said the downtown area was "in a state of siege."

The rare breakout of violence, the worst in 20 years in the capital city of a remote mountainous region that is the heart of Tibetan Buddhism, posed a challenge to the Chinese government as it prepares to host the 2008 Olympic Games in August. Seeking to make the Games a worldwide celebration of its swift economic progress during the past three decades, the Chinese government has steadfastly attempted to project an image of harmony and stability, even while tightening its grip over the restive region.

"This spiraling unrest has triggered the scenario the Chinese prayed would not happen," said Robbie Barnett, director of modern Tibetan studies at Columbia University. "Now we're just watching the clock tick until people get off the street or the Chinese open fire."

Clark T. Randt Jr., the U.S. ambassador to China, met with officials in Beijing and urged them to use restraint "and not resort to use of force" in their response in Tibet, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told news services in Washington.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing, citing "first-hand reports from American citizens in the city who report gunfire and other indications of violence," issued an advisory warning tourists to avoid Lhasa. A doctor said in a telephone interview that he received 41 wounded at the Tibetan Autonomous Region People's Hospital in Lhasa. An official at the People's Hospital of Lhasa said there were many wounded but gave no details.

Here's an eyewitness account from the BBC:

Well it's early evening here, and the old Tibetan quarter of Lhasa still is very much in the control of the ethnic Tibetans who have been rioting for the last several hours since midday.


Some of them are still attacking Chinese properties, shops, restaurants, owned by ethnic Chinese. Some of them are looting those shops, taking out the contents and throwing them on huge fires which they've lit in the street.

Now I think the big question on everybody's mind is what's next? The troops for the time being are still standing there and we don't know what's holding them back.

It could be a political question, indecision in Beijing over how to handle this, because if they do move in there could be bloodshed and that could have implications for the holding of the Olympics.



WITNESS WHO WANTS TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS

The street is pretty much in flames. I saw a huge amount of military in the town.

It went crazy all of a sudden. All the Chinese shops were put on fire by Tibetans.

Tanks in the street. Tear gas. I saw people being carried away on stretchers and ordinary Tibetans going crazy.


WITNESS WHO SAW VIOLENCE ON WEDNESDAY

We saw policemen, uniformed policemen, which were unusual - we hadn't seen them in any of the temples in the days before but there were two of them at least there visible crackling into their radios.

As the monks ran down suddenly people, policemen just appeared almost as if out of nowhere and started beating, pulling and kicking them as they streamed down towards the main entrance of the temple.



JOHN, TOURIST


I just returned from Lhasa yesterday. I was in Lhasa for about 6 days, and I had just arrived at the famed Sera Monastery to see the debating monks, when they suddenly stormed out of their 'debating courtyard' and rushed for the entrance of the temple.

The Buddha Halls were immediately shut in our faces by security officials. Members of our group saw monks being beaten and kicked by the security forces that swarmed all over the temple precincts.

The monks were forced to sit in rows, surrounded by a double-phalanx of riot cops, brandishing clubs.

Our group was ushered out of the temple, and as we headed back in the direction of central Lhasa, we passed incoming troop-carriers ferrying camouflaged army regulars, with other army units marching in on foot from close locations.

All roads leading in were closed off.


LESLIE, CANADIAN VISITOR

I was in Tibet from the 6th to the 12th of March, and was also witness to the monks fleeing from Sera Monastery and being beaten by police.

Our group was denied access to the monastery, and we were told that all the tourist access has been cut off.

We were told not to take any photos by our Chinese guide, and there were police staring at us as we waited in our bus watching the monks trying to get out of the monastery.

When the population of Lhasa is rioting against Chinese rule, it's pretty hard to accept the PRC's line that Tibet is just another province of China. The nearly 60-year occupation of Tibet is a stain on the PRC's international image, and that's not going to go away just because they're hosting the Olympics this year. Now would be the perfect time for the government to back off from its hard line rule, but don't expect that to happen.

Here's what one of Japan's leading newspapers, Yomiuri Shimbun, is saying about the current unrest in Tibet:

China's ethnic policies led to Tibet riots
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Rioting in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has spread to neighboring areas.

Tibetan exiles across the world have staged protests, damaging China's image abroad ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games to be held in August.

It is ironic that the riots occurred when the National People's Congress, China's parliament, is in session until Tuesday because the parliament had made social harmony, including harmony among ethnic groups, one of the main themes of the annual session.

The latest riots could be considered the product of China's failed policy toward Tibet.

The Chinese authorities announced that 13 people were killed and 61 policemen were injured in rioting in Lhasa, while the Tibetan government-in-exile gave different figures, putting the death toll at 80 and the number of injured at 72 as of Sunday night.

The Tibetan government-in-exile called for an independent international investigation team to be sent to Tibet, a suggestion that was immediately rejected by Beijing. China apparently does not want to let the international community know the real situation in Tibet.

===

History of violence


There have been many clashes between the security authorities and Tibetan residents since the 14th Dalai Lama sought asylum in Dharmsala, India, in March 1959 following the Tibet rebellion.

Hu Jintao, who was reelected president during Saturday's National People's Congress session, oversaw an armed crackdown during the 1989 Lhasa revolt as party secretary for the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Since the mid-1990s, China's policy toward Tibet has centered around economic and social development, symbolized by the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which opened two years ago between Golmud in Qinghai Province and Lhasa.

The Chinese government encouraged the ethnic Han majority to migrate to the region through commercial development and other projects. As a result, Chinese became the dominant language over Tibetan and the assimilation of Tibetans into the Chinese majority has progressed in the educational and cultural fields.

===

Attempts to assimilate


The Tibetan government-in-exile says Han people now outnumber Tibetans in the Tibetan-inhabited areas, including the Tibet Autonomous Region, which has a total population of about 2.8 million, due to China's migration policy.

Meanwhile, the Chinese authorities have clamped down on monks and residents who took part in antigovernment activities, sent party and military personnel to temples and forced patriotic education as part of its efforts to repress Tibetan culture.

Also, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is China's Achilles' heel along with Tibet, the migration of Han people has been encouraged, triggering persistent resistance movements among the Uygur people.

The Dalai Lama dropped his demand for Tibetan independence in the 1990s and switched to a policy of seeking a "high level of autonomy" for Tibet.

China and the Tibetan government-in-exile have intermittently engaged in behind-the-scene dialogue.

The Chinese government should take the recent rioting as an opportunity to begin making concessions.


(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 18, 2008)

(Mar. 18, 2008)