Spring Break
Olympics draw new attention to Tibet
Aditi Dubey
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Ed-Op
Many of you probably saw the worldwide demonstrations last week against China, demanding, "Free Tibet." Protesters across the globe came together to do whatever they could to disrupt the Olympic torch relay. Now, how are these two connected? Well, first and foremost, hosting the Olympics is the golden opportunity China had been waiting for and sought for many years. The country's moment of glory - its claim to fame.
Being the host for the Olympics puts any country under the global lens, which brings with it more international trade and other profitable opportunities that promise to boost the economy. China, like any other country, is acting in its own interests and those of its people, and no one can blame them for it.
So, what's Tibet got to do with all this? Also called "the roof of the world," this region is governed as an autonomous region of China. As an autonomous region, it has more legislative rights and its own local government. However, by BBC's definition, an autonomous region is a first-level administrative subdivision of China; therefore, Tibet is controlled and governed by China. When it was not controlled and governed by China, it was governed by someone else. In short, Tibet has never been free.
Tibet has a pretty chaotic past, during which it was an independent entity for some periods of time before the 13th century, and at other times, it was ruled by powerful Chinese and Mongolian dynasties.
That is where most of Tibet's culture came from - the language, the religion and everything else. In 1950, thousands of Chinese troops invaded the region for possession; some areas were claimed as the "Tibetan Autonomous Region," and others were incorporated into neighboring Chinese provinces, according to BBC. Tibetan leaders were made to sign a "Seventeen Point Agreement," which essentially gave China control over Tibet's external affairs and allowed them military occupation of the region in return for safeguarding Tibet's political system - a promise which was never kept.
Being the host for the Olympics puts any country under the global lens, which brings with it more international trade and other profitable opportunities that promise to boost the economy. China, like any other country, is acting in its own interests and those of its people, and no one can blame them for it.
So, what's Tibet got to do with all this? Also called "the roof of the world," this region is governed as an autonomous region of China. As an autonomous region, it has more legislative rights and its own local government. However, by BBC's definition, an autonomous region is a first-level administrative subdivision of China; therefore, Tibet is controlled and governed by China. When it was not controlled and governed by China, it was governed by someone else. In short, Tibet has never been free.
Tibet has a pretty chaotic past, during which it was an independent entity for some periods of time before the 13th century, and at other times, it was ruled by powerful Chinese and Mongolian dynasties.
That is where most of Tibet's culture came from - the language, the religion and everything else. In 1950, thousands of Chinese troops invaded the region for possession; some areas were claimed as the "Tibetan Autonomous Region," and others were incorporated into neighboring Chinese provinces, according to BBC. Tibetan leaders were made to sign a "Seventeen Point Agreement," which essentially gave China control over Tibet's external affairs and allowed them military occupation of the region in return for safeguarding Tibet's political system - a promise which was never kept.
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