The Great Wall of China is a perfect symbol for China, for one reason. It stands tall and high but the world wouldn’t know how many lives went under it. Guess I need a disclaimer now :) I have nothing personal against the country or its people. In fact I admire it as one of the greatest civilization and for its great tradition and history. But for a long time, the Tibetan story has been telling a different story to the world. There is a sense that an ordinary Tibetan doesn’t live a usual life like the rest of us!
Happen to watch ‘Kundun’, an other masterpiece from Scorsese. The story revolves around the 14th Dalai Lama from his childhood to the time when he fled Tibet. He’s now on his exile and it’s been over 50 years since he saw his motherland. I dug a little more into some of his interviews and a few documentaries. The situation has been worse at times and broke an uprising in Tibet. The most recent was the 2008 riots. But unfortunately we would never know what really happened because the foreign media, even those form Honk Kong were not allowed to enter the region. And quite obviously the domestic media has widely downplayed the scene!
The people have gone through tragic phases in their lives right from the times of the Chinese invasion. Monastery’s were bombed, Monks were killed, people were made to fornicate on the streets. Children were handed guns and were made to kill their parents! So all this just seems to be happening over and over in all parts of the world. But for different reasons! Now there is no point in pitying the Chinese for the Nanking massacre. The Japanese did it to the Chinese and now the Chinese do it to the Tibetans!
“Religion is poison” - Mao
I don’t know how many people will agree to that. But that’s what the tyrant had to say to the Dalai Lama! We can setup a separate debate and not reach any consensus on this subject. But to me he might be a great statesman, politician, philosopher or whatever. It all makes no sense when he doesn’t show a little compassion to a fellow human being and show some respect to the religious sentiments of a community. Now after all these years, the entire struggle stands not for obtaining independence! All that they ask for is the military troops to be withdrawn and to be honored with a complete autonomy.
The world looks up to CHINA when they showcase all their might in the Olympics or when they pull off to become the world’s second largest economy. But all that couldn’t take them far enough. After all that they have done to the people of Tibet and to its own they wouldn’t really sustain even if they happen to become a super power. The world has seen enough history of what happened to countries that ruled its people on a gunpoint. Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin all led their countries to the peak just to bring them the greatest downfall. But unlike a single dictator, things are a little different here. Yet if the government continues to do what it does, there would be a new addition to the list of bygone eras! Probably in the next century china would be remembered as a land of great tradition, that lost all its color to become blood red, of the communist party. Just like what happened to Germany and Russia!!
The country’s ban has gone from freedom of speech, Internet/ Media content, Facebook, Twitter, Movies to a lot more. The latest was Time travel movies! Crazy isn't it? The government fears that the people would have nostalgia about their good old times if they were influenced by the movies! So they already know that their rule is a nightmare! Now there is literally no point for us even if the people cry with their larynx out!
So what is it that the Chinese government doesn’t realize? Of course it has done a commendable job in improving the lives of an ordinary citizen but the price that they have asked them to pay is quite high. Freedom is just as important as food, water, clothing and shelter to every human. So a common question arises to all of us. Is this the only way to treat the citizens to become progressive? Well… not really. The US, Australia, Japan and the countries from the EU have proved us otherwise. It might not be a perfect comparison especially with the size and population of china. But then all are humans and I guess that’s just enough to think of common grounds. A loaf of bread is as important to a Chinese as it is to a American! A better tomorrow awaits china and hope the 'Sun rises again in Tibet'.
