China alleges the protests in Tibet are a conspiracy by the Dalai Lama and says it has granted the region genuine autonomy. The Tibetan government-in-exile in says Chinese security forces have killed 99 people in Lhasa, where riots began last Friday, but Beijing says 13 "innocent civilians" were killed in the violence.
Beijing alleges the Dalai Lama wants to embarrass China before Olympics. Tibetans say they want China to talk with the Dalai Lama. What do young Tibetans want from China? What sparked the current protests in Tibet?
Dawa Lokyitsang, a member of the Students for a Free Tibet organization, took questions from IBNLive readers on Wednesday. Excerpts from the web-chat.
Nilanjana Som: Do you think Tibet will survive as an independent country? This at a time when no country wants to upset China? As an Indian I support the middle-path but will not tolerate the use and abuse of my country especially at a time when we have to resolve the issue of Arunachal Pradesh. We do not need to appease China but there is no reason to irritate them.
Dawa Lokyitsang: We Tibetans are more than thankful, more then any other country for giving us asylum. But we also hope India remembers it's past, that India was once under colonial power and it too fought for it's Independence. We too want the same thing. We want our land back and we want to live there as Tibetans. I do not think the Tibetans are trying to abuse India but trying to use the rights given by the Indian government to freedom of gathering, freedom of speech and freedom of movement. We regard India as one of the great democratic countries in the world and we only hope India gives us the right that it gives to all of its citizens. India wanted and fought for Independence some 60 plus years ago and we only the right to do the same, while hoping India understands our passion for a free nation as well.
Karunakar: What is really happening in Lhasa?
Dawa Lokyitsang: On March 10, about 300 monks from Drepung monastery gathered to protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet. The Chinese police came and shut down the monastery. After a few hours, 600 monks from Sera held a protest while reports of a few monks and Tibetans protesting in Lhasa, in front of the Tsuklakang (temple) in Lhasa protesting as well came out. All peaceful and all shut down by the Chinese military as reported by the BBC and eyewitness accounts. In the next days, monks started protesting while Tibetans in Lhasa joined them protesting the occupation of Tibet. The crowd became big and the military started to panic and they started shooting. Calls from Tibet starting being made to family members in India (including my own) that the police were shooting and killing people. The crowd was agitated by the Chinese military who started shooting them and the people reacted by fighting back with the military. That is when things escalated and things became violent. Reports of more then 100 Tibetans were reported by eyewitness accounts.
Karthi: How does the Chinese government treat Tibetans?
Dawa Lokyitsang: Tibetans inside Tibet are treated like second-class citizens without the freedom of speech, gathering and religion.
Tenzin Namsik: We know that violence can’t challenge the Chinese but the Dalai Lama’s non-violent approach hasn’t changed China’s attitude. In such scenario what do you think the Youth of Tibet must do?
Dawa Lokyitsang: We should keep fighting non-violently.
Manas: Is there any light of hope of free Tibet?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I am and we are all extremely hopeful that it will happen.
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PC: Most bloggers in China have accused the Tibetan protests as selfish, as they will certainly lead to a backlash by security services. They blame you and you blame them, but in the end it's a shared responsibility. All decisions and actions have consequences, regardless of one's ideals and reasons. How do you take responsibility for this?
Dawa Lokyitsang: As you mentioned, the Chinese bloggers are restricted by China's security services. We don’t blame the people, because it is the Government that is occupying Tibet and we want the Chinese government out.
Hashir: Why doesn’t Tibet want to be part of China? Won’t that bring prosperity to the region? What is the driving force behind this rebellion?
Dawa Lokyitsang: Why did India not want to be part of Great Britain? We fight for those same reasons.
Anjani Kumar Rai: How can I help Tibet?
Dawa Lokyitsang: Thanks a lot for showing support. I would say contact your government to let us protest non-violently. Contact the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to express your concerns for Tibetans inside Tibet. Contact the UN. China has expelled all foreigners and foreign journalist from Tibet, which means things can get worse in Tibet, the killings might worsen. So appeal to the UN, the IOC and your government.
Sonal: Do you think exiled Tibetan youth today would want to return to Tibet and leave behind the progressive nations they may now be residing in?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I can't say about all youth in exile but yes most of us would want to go back to Tibet. This movement is not about if younger Tibetans want to go back to Tibet or not but for freedom and justice for Tibetans inside Tibet.
Preetam: World governments have reacted softly to the Chinese crackdown in Tibet. India says it's ‘distressed’, US says it's concerned. Why is the world so soft on China?
Dawa Lokyitsang: We are outraged as well and we appeal to the people of the world to pressure their governments to take a stronger stand.
Banu: China is a very powerful country, do you think that it will give independence to Tibet?
Dawa Lokyitsang: Did Great Britain give India independence? It did. Sometimes the impossible can be achieved and India itself knows that cause it happened.
Tisha: The Chinese say that if they free Tibet, there will be monarchy and not democracy. Is this true?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I would say do not believe the colonisers. The Tibetans inside speaking out themselves are the prime evidence for not being happy under the Chinese occupation.
Varun Sharma: What’s your take on the Indian Governments stance on the current crisis? How do you look at the UN’s statement showing its concern on Tibet but distancing itself from taking any measures?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I am not surprised. China holds veto power in the UN. I can only ask the Indian and international community to appeal to the UN to act on the principles it stands for, regardless of China holding veto power.
Gaurav Kumar: It took India nearly 100 years to achieve independence. Other countries took more than 100 years. So shouldn’t Tibetans remain patient and continue with their efforts for complete independence, rather than accepting autonomy.
Dawa Lokyitsang: Freedom is something one needs to fight for, not wait.
Gaurav Kumar: Do you think India should support Tibetans campaign for independence by providing arms and ammunition?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I only feel India should give us the right it gives its own people—freedom of movement and speech. We hope India will remember its great struggle for Independence in the past and helps us in our struggle for Freedom as well.
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TI: Do you want to restore monarchy (Dalai Lama’s rule) or do you want democracy in Tibet?
Dawa Lokyitsang: There is no monarchy. The Dalai Lama himself implemented a democratic system here in exile. We elect our own prime minister and officials.
Sen: What is your long-term plan? Your protests are getting attention now but what happens after the Olympics?
Dawa Lokyitsang: We hope the world will join us in solidarity in not letting the ‘Genocide (Olympic) Torch’ go through their country and if the torch does go through, we hope the people in their respective countries would rise and show their solidarity with the Tibetans inside and outside Tibet.
Sanjeev P: Don’t you think Tibet would gain being a part of China?
Dawa Lokyitsang: No! During India’s independence movement, I do not think Indians thought it would be beneficial to be part of Britain. It is not about economic gain, it is about basic right to be who we are—Tibetans.
TI: Do ALL Tibetan protestors want China to have dialogue with the Dalai Lama? Do ALL of you accept the Dalai Lama as your ultimate leader? Or, do some of you want democracy instead of monarchy?
Dawa Lokyitsang: We all regard the Dalai Lama as our leader, no doubts what so ever. And yes, we do want China to have a dialogue with the Dalai Lama.
Pescortes: What has been done so far to have the issue resolved through dialogue with the UN as moderator?
Dawa Lokyitsang: We, the Tibetan people, demand the UN send a fact-finding mission to Tibet. Yet we all have to remember, China holds veto power in the UN.
Sathyan: It is rumoured that China is filling Tibet with ethnic Chinese. Is this true?
Dawa Lokyitsang: It is not a rumor. In Lhasa, Tibetans are a minority. There are more Chinese living there then Tibetans, according to actual facts recorded by researchers. Although China is powerful, we are fighting on the side of truth. Britain was a great power but India fighting for truth was able to overcome and be free.
Syed Abudhahir: Do you see any reason why the Chinese military agitated the peaceful protesters by tear-gassing them?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I'm assuming they panicked and did not want this to get any bigger than it became and possibly spread to other parts of Tibet, which it did, like in the TAP (Tibetan Autonomous Provinces, outside of Tibetan autonomous region) Amdho and Kham.
Debs: Were the current protests premeditated to make a big impact before the Olympics?
Dawa Lokyitsang: We have always been fighting but we just never got so much media coverage. This year the Tibetans inside and outside know the importance of Olympics to China and that is the reason why I think the Tibetans in Tibet have chosen to rise up. They want to tell the world that they are not happy and cannot take the illegal occupation of Tibet another year. It has been more than 50 years and Tibetans are fed up. When news of Lhasa uprising hit the big media that is when the world decided to take notice. Those of us in exile have always been fighting the fight.
Sarthak Bartaria: When do you think the present tension is likely to settle down?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I am not sure but there are protests springing up everywhere in Amdho (Gansu province). Also there was a silent protest held in Beijing by a group of Tibetan students who go to Beijing University. The Guardian reported it. The students were expelled and arrested.
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Nirmal: Why have Tibetans chosen the violent path? Why not protest in a peaceful way?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I already explained that the violence happened because the Chinese military was reported to have agitated the peaceful protesters by tear gassing them and opening fire on protesters in Lhasa. That is when the violence erupted. As for the violence outside, we have to understand that those of us living in exile still have family in Tibet. These Tibetans have been getting frantic calls that their relatives have been shot dead or that there are shootings happening. Young people don't know where to take out all their anger at but the Chinese embassy. What would you do if you heard your mother, father, brother or sister was shot dead? It is not an excuse for their action but it is better to understand where their anger is coming from.
Deepak: What triggered the initial protest on March 10 in Lhasa?
Dawa Lokyitsang: March 10 marked the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising that happened 49 years ago in Lhasa.
Ashish Mangal: What are your plans?
Dawa Lokyitsang: I plan to keep fighting until China is out of Tibet and we, the third generation in exile, can finally return Home.
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