Tuesday 17 January 2012

Colonialism in Tibet counterproductive to China

(TibetanReview.net, Jan16, 2012)  Despite its claims of having liberated Tibet and ushered in modernization and development there, China is, in reality, practicing colonialism whose result is counterproductive, Dr Dibyesh Anand, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Westminster University, London, was cited as saying, delivering a talk on “Self immolation in Tibet and its impact on India, China and Tibet, at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, on Jan 13. The practice of colonialism is, in fact, the greatest threat to China’s credibility and ultimately its continuity in Tibet, isikkim.com Jan 4 cited Dr Anand as saying.

He has noted that China’s attacks on the Dalai Lama was seen by Tibetans as contempt for their way of life and disrespect to their dignity. Its familiar approach of blaming the Dalai Lama for all the problems in Tibet contradicts its own denial of there being any ‘Tibet issue’, he has added.

On the spate of self-immolations by protesting Tibetans, he has said the development should be seen in terms of continuity of the politics of resistance and not as a radical break from the past. He has blamed China’s hardline policies and a total securitisation of every aspect of life in Tibet for adding to the desperateness of the Tibetan people. He has pointed out that the repeated incidents of self immolation protests, despite China’s constant claims that Tibetans are happy members of the great Chinese motherland, proved the point the other way round.

He also felt that the insecurity the bulk of exile Tibetans feel despite being Indian in all practical sense was also the reason why the struggle for Tibet would continue. He has reiterated that Tibetans should be give credit for their contribution in reviving Buddhism in India and Buddhist sites like the Bodhgaya.

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