|
Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 17, 2008 8:30:20 GMT -1
Chinese government's deadline passes at midnight (local time) today - 4pm our time. I doubt the protestors will just go home quietly, so that begs the question - what'll happen? Foreign journalists are being kept out, and apparently the army have been going round removing SIM cards from people's phones, which sounds to me like a means of ensuring no pictures/video leak out. Apparently, a lot of buildings that house westerners (hotels, hostels etc) have had the power cut too, even though other buildings around them still have power. No internet for them. Police/military personnel are also heavily restricting movement; there's a curfew on, and no-one's allowed into the streets without an escort, even just to cross the road to buy some food - and the police/army apparently aren't feeling particularly helpful. With the Olympics coming up, I doubt the Chinese govt will want a bloodbath á la Tiananmen (or Burma, more recently), but on the other hand they won't want to look like they're giving the protesters even an inch. The coverage black-out they're trying to impose suggests to me that they're certainly considering the use of force if the protestors don't back down - how far will they go, though?
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:35:17 GMT -1
FREE TIBET!!
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:35:37 GMT -1
.... and then outer monglia....
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:37:11 GMT -1
followed by freeing the Uyghurs
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:37:42 GMT -1
... then possibly Cornwall.
|
|
|
Post by jh1980 on Mar 17, 2008 8:37:53 GMT -1
...into the hands of a Buddhist Theocracy?! *courts pointless controversy*
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:40:50 GMT -1
...into the hands of a Buddhist Theocracy?! *courts pointless controversy* TheoWalcottcracy?
|
|
|
Post by jh1980 on Mar 17, 2008 8:43:12 GMT -1
|
|
|
Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 17, 2008 8:46:44 GMT -1
In all fairness, the Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans aren't calling for freedom; they just want a working autocracy, where they can protect their culture and religion to a reasonable extent. Some of the younger generations are now calling for full independence, but that certainly isn't too likely.
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:46:45 GMT -1
i suppose the reality is that with China being made up of numerous minorities, to show any sort of lenience towards any independence movement would simple court further insurrections....
|
|
|
Post by addicted2venos on Mar 17, 2008 8:47:13 GMT -1
...into the hands of a Buddhist Theocracy?! *courts pointless controversy* Well as the vast majority of them are Buddists, they'll probably quite like it!! After all living in this country we're all good old followers of the C of E, aren't we??
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:47:55 GMT -1
In all fairness, the Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans aren't calling for freedom; they just want a working autocracy, where they can protect their culture and religion to a reasonable extent. Some of the younger generations are now calling for full independence, but that certainly isn't too likely. autocracy? when did china conquer tibet?.... *goes to look up*
|
|
|
Post by CHOPPER READ on Mar 17, 2008 8:48:14 GMT -1
I used to like Tibet,but now i am against all forms of gambling.
|
|
|
Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 17, 2008 8:48:52 GMT -1
i suppose the reality is that with China being made up of numerous minorities, to show any sort of lenience towards any independence movement would simple court further insurrections.... Exactly - they can't afford to show anything other than an iron fist, in that respect. On the other hand, though, you can bet the rest of the world is watching this with interest, and this year was supposed to be China's year of showing the world they can be humans rights-friendly and general good guys on the international scene. Spielberg resigning over Darfur was somewhat embarrassing; behind the scenes, I suspect this protest will be infuriating them.
|
|
|
Post by Neko Bazu on Mar 17, 2008 8:49:57 GMT -1
In all fairness, the Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans aren't calling for freedom; they just want a working autocracy, where they can protect their culture and religion to a reasonable extent. Some of the younger generations are now calling for full independence, but that certainly isn't too likely. autocracy? when did china conquer tibet?.... *goes to look up* As far as I'm aware, China maintains Tibet has always been part of its territory, but they began 'enforcing' this in the 1950's.
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:51:25 GMT -1
Ooow its quite interesting.... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibet"In the battle for supremacy in central Asia between Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia, a British force under soldier Francis Younghusband eventually invaded Tibet, cut down its warriors with the Maxim gun and occupied Lhasa in 1904. The invasion led to a peace treaty between Britain and Tibet, a document that some Tibetan historians see as recognition of their remote mountain home as an independent entity. Imperial China was outraged by the invasion but could do nothing to stop it and waged a diplomatic battle to protect its own claims over Tibet."
|
|
|
Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Mar 17, 2008 8:52:48 GMT -1
i suppose the reality is that with China being made up of numerous minorities, to show any sort of lenience towards any independence movement would simple court further insurrections.... Exactly - they can't afford to show anything other than an iron fist, in that respect. On the other hand, though, you can bet the rest of the world is watching this with interest, and this year was supposed to be China's year of showing the world they can be humans rights-friendly and general good guys on the international scene. Spielberg resigning over Darfur was somewhat embarrassing; behind the scenes, I suspect this protest will be infuriating them. i don't think china cares alot about what the rest of the world thinks.....
|
|
|
Post by CmonYouSpurs on Mar 17, 2008 8:53:33 GMT -1
I used to like Tibet,but now i am against all forms of gambling. ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by addicted2venos on Mar 17, 2008 8:55:51 GMT -1
i suppose the reality is that with China being made up of numerous minorities, to show any sort of lenience towards any independence movement would simple court further insurrections.... Exactly - they can't afford to show anything other than an iron fist, in that respect. On the other hand, though, you can bet the rest of the world is watching this with interest, and this year was supposed to be China's year of showing the world they can be humans rights-friendly and general good guys on the international scene. Spielberg resigning over Darfur was somewhat embarrassing; behind the scenes, I suspect this protest will be infuriating them. We should probably boycott the Olympics, as we'll probably win no more than 2 bronzes. 1 at synchronised knitting and one wheel tapping. We could then claim we'd pulled out in moral indignation over the situation in Tibet. While in reality saving face over our abysmal levels of performance by not bothering to compete in the first place!! ;D
|
|
|
Post by CHOPPER READ on Mar 17, 2008 8:56:12 GMT -1
Exactly - they can't afford to show anything other than an iron fist, in that respect. On the other hand, though, you can bet the rest of the world is watching this with interest, and this year was supposed to be China's year of showing the world they can be humans rights-friendly and general good guys on the international scene. Spielberg resigning over Darfur was somewhat embarrassing; behind the scenes, I suspect this protest will be infuriating them. i don't think china cares alot about what the rest of the world thinks..... They do moreso than ever but still not that much. In Olympic year they are conscious of the international eye watching them but they have the Olympics now and are coming it again.
|
|