Kiat-Sing Teo

s human beings, we are naturally and instinctually able to empathize with each other across culture, gender and ethnicity, whether Tibetan, Chinese or Sudanese. This is inherent in our nature and the civilization we have evolved.

Shakespeare poetically puts it, “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases healed by the same means, warmed by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?” (MV 3:1)

The Bible says, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.” (Peter 3:1)

To express a Buddhist aspiration “May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger.” (The Four Immeasurables)

From our privileged position of relative ease and peace, we need to seize responsibility for our humanity by taking active interests in the current Tibet question. Beginning on our campus community, we need to start dialogues with open hearts and minds: At this particular time of my writing, there exists a major problem in Tibet.

I emphasize “problem” because fellow human beings in Tibet are suffering from avoidable repression and brutality, caused possibly by well intentioned but nonetheless misguided governing institutions. Currently, major developments regarding the Tibet situation seem to be taking place by the day. For example, the official Chinese press agency Xinhua has just announced “the relevant department of the central government will have contact and consultation with the Dalai’s private representative in the coming days” (April 25th).

There is little merit in yet another piece attempting to make sense of Tibet from a historical or even political perspective. Scholars and experts have been and are still exploring these issues, comprehensively or superficially from various angles and degrees, in articles, books, roundtables and whatnot over many years.

Amidst the flux of events and developments in Tibet, to me the ‘problem’ of Tibet, very simply, is a humanitarian one.

For my purpose here, I will explore briefly two constants /problems Ð

1. There is little consensus between the Chinese government (or the CCP) and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA, otherwise, the Tibetan government-in-exile) regarding the situation in Tibet, from the number of reported deaths (CCP:22, CTA:140) to the number of protests taking place in Lhasa, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Beijing.

To my knowledge, China has admitted 4,000 arrests at least, half already released, though these are technically detentions not arrests.

The exile Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has listed new arrests (more than 2300 to date) and atrocities, such as the death of 38 yr-old mother Nechung and 31 yr-old farmer Dawa amongst others, from brutal tortures in the Chinese prison.

2. Both in and outside of China, there is confusion and difficulty in obtaining an unbiased understanding of the Tibetan conflict.

Independent press and media have been shut out of Tibet since 1950.

With only two half-hearted and interrupted press trips organized by Chinese authorities to Lhasa and Labrang monastery in Gansu province, there is no objective way to access the situation inside Tibet or verify any claims.

Within China, BBC’s Chinese language website has been blocked since its launch in 1999 and the English version only recently unblocked. Video sharing site YouTube, websites of UK newspapers the Times and Guardian were also either blocked or partially blocked during the Tibetan unrest.

Chinese information control prompted independent bodies like Reporters Without Borders to raise questions such as ‘With Foreign Media Still Barred From Tibet, What is the Government Hiding?’ (April 24, 2008) At the same time, China Daily has condemned western media for using misleading photographs in its reporting (Lhasa Riot Reports Show Media Bias In West, March 22nd).

To complicate the situation even more, in cyberspace too, a proliferation of videos documenting the Tibetan situation (i.e. Despatches: Undercover in Tibet) is challenged by homemade clips of doubtful rationale - logically fallacious and artistically embarrassing video: Tibet was, is and always will be a part of China has a questionable more 2 million hits on YouTube). In response to the lack of adequate clarification of the situation, protests and demonstrations in major cities as diverse as New Delhi and Munich among others mushroomed to fill the absence of information coming out of Tibet.

To defend their views, Chinese officials arranged for more than 10,000 pro-Beijing supporters to support the Olympic torch relay in Canberra, challenging independent Tibet sympathizers (source: The Daily Telegraph). Transparency, verification and investigation by a critical, independent, respected body is needed to quell the unrest in Tibet. H.H. the Dalai Lama and several individuals and organizations (including some leading Chinese intellectuals, pressure group Tiananmen Mothers, Avaaz and Students for a Free Tibet), have called for dialogue as well as for foreign journalists to be allowed free access in Tibet.

All of these groups, including Students for a Free Tibet acknowledged non-violence as key. However, China’s communist party newspaper, the People’s Daily, seem to use language diverging from a non-violent approach Ð it called on the Chinese government to “see through the secessionist forces’ evil intentions...and resolutely crush the ‘Tibet independence’ forces’ conspiracy and sabotaging activities.” China daily has accused the Tibetan Youth Congress of being a “pure terrorist organization” and accused the Dalai Lama of “monstrous crimes” a day after Chinese officials reportedly agreed with envoys of the exiled Tibetan Buddhist to keep the door open on dialogue. The president of the Tibetan Youth Congress has rejected the allegations as baseless -‘since the inception of TYC in 1970, our main goal is to regain Tibet’s independence and restore the dignity of the Tibetan people and we will continue our non-violent struggle until Tibet is independent” (Phayul, April 24th).

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been accused without conclusive evidence, of “activities aimed at splitting China...plotting and inciting violence...disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games...” (Xinhua, April 25), even though he has given repeated assurances to the Chinese people and the international community that he seeks a Middle-way approach, a meaningful autonomy, and not independence, within the framework of the People’s Republic of China.

The Japanese Prime Minister recently stated that Tibet has become an international issue despite China’s repeated assertions that it is a domestic affair. I believe the Tibetan struggle has always been an international issue, not in that it must be resolved by international organizations on a global level, but because human rights, suffering and pain are universal. In fact, this issue is so close to us as to implicate us even on our very own Columbia campus.

As I write, one of our alumni is held under arrest. Jamyang Kyi, a prominent Tibetan writer on women’s rights, TV producer and singer was a visiting scholar at Columbia University from March to April 2006, studying media practices for indigenous communities and lecturing about Tibetan journalism and music.

She was arrested on April 1st in her office in the state-owned Qinghai Television station, China. Her family has not been in contact with her since April 7th and no formal charges have been made.

Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action regarding Jamyang Kyi, urging Chinese authorities to clarify her whereabouts and to observe international standards of human rights.

With all the international and high level furor, academic discussions and even demonstrations going on, we must not lose sight that tension is prevalent right in our backyard with our alumni incarcerated and the fundamental focus should be one of immediately reducing human suffering and unnecessary brutality, tortures and deaths.

At this crucial point, I sincerely entreat everyone to let our innate compassion guide our actions. This is a most wonderful opportunity for us all to listen carefully to each other, seek to raise above any differences and arrive at a peaceful understanding.

I invite everyone, as human-loving human beings, to bravely bring forth your different views however extreme, opinions, expertise and experience to start a meaningful dialogue and critical inquiry about Tibet. I run a small group called Columbia Students for a Free Tibet and we welcome civilized discussion and sharing of ideas.

Please email me at columbiastudentsforafreetibet@gmail.com, join our mailing list, facebook group, meetings and events. To find out more about what you or your student organization can do to help Jamyang Kyi, please email me at the above address and join the facebook group Release Jamyang Kyi Now.