Tibet and the Dalai Lama

The fight for the independence of Tibet rings louder and louder in our ears as the Beijing Olympics approach. Surprisingly enough, even George Bush has been paying attention and was involved in the ceremony in which the Dalai Lama recieved the congressional gold medal. Now, we all know that China is far from having a clean record on human rights: its support of the junta in Burma, of military elite in Sudan, and current repression of the voice of the peasantry which it so originally claim to represent are all ardent examples of China's oppressive regime. We must ask though, WHO will benefit from an autonomous or independent Tibet?




The Party for Socialism and Liberation recently published an article that traces the history of the Tibetan counter-revolutionary movement and its deep rooted history with the C.I.A.. What is important to note is that before the "socialist" Chinese government set in, Tibetans were worst off under the rule of the Dalai Lama. Tibet before China was not a nation of peace and harmony, and humble ruling monks. It was one that supported, and fought, to maintain a cultural social institution that kept much of the population under serfdom, another form of slavery.

"Of a serf’s production, 50 to 70 percent was owed to his manorial master, in addition to forced labor called "ulag." Dozens of taxes had to be paid, including a butter tax, meat tax, wool tax, woolen cloth tax and a tax on tsampa—a staple food usually made from barley—to support the monasteries. Prayer festival taxes, hay taxes, utensil taxes, meat taxes, past-due taxes, corvée taxes in the form of labor, military taxes and others had to be paid to the government. Many additional taxes were paid to the feudal lord.

The extremely high number of manor estates and monks—who performed no work but lived from others’ labor—was an enormous drain on society. Out of the 37,000 inhabitants in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital, 16,000 were monks. The Drepung monastery alone had "185 manors, 20,000 serfs, 300 pastures and 16,000 herdsmen." (6)

Profoundly superstitious beliefs, complete religious control by Tibetan Buddhist lamas over the masses and severe punishment, including death, for any type of disobedience effectively kept the people from questioning their conditions or rebelling.

It is no coincidence that the recent chain of events leading up to the present turmoil began on March 10. On that day in 1959, the Dalai Lama and the feudal nobility launched an armed rebellion in Tibet in opposition to major social changes introduced after the triumph of the Chinese Revolution."

(for entire article click here)

The struggle against serfdom in earlier Tibet, reminds me of the struggle of Europeans to overcome the elite ruling class that was supported by the Roman Catholic Church, and that later was imported to Mexico via Haciendas. (Check out Spirits Rebellious by Khalil Gibran!)

The article continues with the history of the counter-revolution to what is currently going on in Lhasa. I recommend you read it to get a different perspective than that of the one that is currently being presented through our media outlets. As progressive thinkers, we must be critical of all information that is provided by the media and seek to understand issues historically and objectively while maintaining an open heart to all human struggle.

-Rudy

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If you're interested in learning more about Tibet's struggle, I recommend that you pick up a book on the history of Tibet. But, being that probably won't happen for most, here are some sites:

Students for a Free Tibet
A student grassroots network towards an independent Tibet.

Party for Socialism and Liberation
For the socialist perspective on world and local issues.

Team Tibet
Learn more about Tibet and the Beijing Olympics

Tibet Wiki
The Wikipedia article on Tibet which gives a decent account of both sides and an overview history of Tibet.

If you know any other insightful sites (or specific books), please feel free to post them up.