Learn the Chosen I Have

¶ … Learn The chosen I have chosen to discuss with regards to human rights abuses is Tibet. I have a keen interest in Tibet because of its unique culture and geography, and its role in Asian history. Slide One illustrates a map of Tibet and the Tibetan areas in adjacent Chinese provinces, with a multimedia of Tibetan monk chants. Slide Two outlines the five Ws and H. Of the abuses: Who: Tibetans.

What: Strict control of religious freedom, illegal searches, flooding Tibet with ethnic Han settlers to dilute the culture, arbitrary arrest, torture and extrajudicial killings. Where: Tibet and Tibetan areas of Chinese provinces; When: from 1950 to present; Why: To exert control over Tibet's mineral wealth; How: through military and police force. The next two slides outline in greater detail two of the points above. Slide Three discusses the abuses. Slide Four outlines the natural wealth that makes Tibet so attractive to the Chinese government.

Slide Five is a chart showing the historical timeline and this comes a brief overview of why China feels they have dominion over Tibet. This covers the major points in history where China gained or lost control over Tibet. Slide Six details other examples of human rights abuses by the Communist Party in China - the Cultural Revolution, the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, and the persecution of the Falun Gong. This outlines a track record of abuse of which Tibet is just one portion.

Slide Seven compares Chinese and Tibetan responses to the issue. On the Chinese side points include official denial, statements that they are improving the lot of Tibetans, and the security crackdowns. On the Tibetan side are the calls for autonomy, the peaceful protests, and the riots of 2008. Slide Eight will embed a video shot by an Australian tourist during the Lhasa riots. The video shows Tibetan rioters flipping cars, burning building and beating Chinese citizens.

The scope of the violence illustrates the level of anger the Tibetans are harboring as a result of the abuses of the past six decades. Slide Nine illustrates Western responses to the issue. These include official condemnation, taking audience with the Dalai Lama, civilian protests, and a lack of economic sanctions.

The strong public support in the West provides optimism that the abuses may come to an end, yet the lack of strong official response indicates that the issue is not taken as serious at high levels of government, which serves to perpetuate the abuses. Slide Ten outlines a plan to solve the issue. This includes increased autonomy for TAR, increased religious freedom, cessation of the flooding settlers into the region, and official Tibetan recognition of China's present control of the area.

This corresponds with proposals of the Dalai Lama, American ordained monk Robert Thurman and other Western analysts. The solution allows the Chinese government a way out of the messy situation they have created that saves face and retains their capacity to exploit Tibet's mineral resources, while at the same time eliminating the systemic human rights abuses. The sources used for the presentation provided me with extensive information on the current situation and outlined the historical context of the events.

The State Dept page in particular outline the abuses not only in Tibet but other Chinese abuses as well. The two sources that discuss solutions are directly mentioned in the description of that slide. Sources: Ang, Audra. (2008) Uneasy, Normal Life Follows Tibet Riots. USA Today. Retrieved June 24, 2008 at http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-04-07-1007423693_x.htm Rastogi, Nina Shen. (2008) Why Does China Care About Tibet? Slate. Retrieved June 24, 2008 at http://www.slate.com/id/2187567/ McDonnell, Stephen. (2008) China Sprays Rudd over Tibet Human Rights Claims. ABC News.

Retrieved June 24, 2008 at http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/09/2212467.htm No author. (2001). Human Rights Watch World.