There are huge demonstrations going on in Lhasa, Tibet, and the Chinese military is cracking down. I haven’t yet heard of any deaths, but demonstrators (including monks) have set fire to Chinese-built markets, police cars, and possibly a tourist bus. I’ll be updating events as I learn about them on the other blog.
The Mahablog
Politics. Society. Group Therapy.
My not-so-psychic powers tell me the Chinese government is going to sell the uprising as “racist” attacks against the Han Chinese in Lhasa (I suppose in the manner that Little Big Horn was a “racist” attack by Native Americans against whites). I’ll also go out on a limb and predict that the MSM goes along with this; CNN already seems to be leaning that way.
It helps that I’ve done a lot of reading about the Chinese invasion of and genocide in Tibet, but sadly, most Americans are ignorant of those facts. I’m glad you’re pointing folks to the information.
Here are the latest images of the violence in Lhasa: http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20080314-latest-images-events-lhasa
Sophie, your link told me I wasn’t authorized to view the pictures. (Whoops!)
maha’s about.com blog is full of interesting stuff. When the Chinese Army rolled into Tibet in 1950 or so, they never anticipated camera cellphones or the Internet. Hah.
The BBC is reporting 10 deaths, and Chinese tanks in the streets :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7297911.stm
Now the Guardian is reporting dozens of deaths.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/15/tibet.china3