4 posts tagged “tibet”

Thought I should finally get around to posting pictures of the Tibetan sand mandala thing that took place this weekend.  Had some monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery in India in town for a show.  The sand mandala started on Thursday, we went to see how it was going on Friday, there was a 'Mystical Arts of Tibet' show on Saturday night that we went to, then I went to the closing ceremony on Sunday when they destroy the mandala.
The show was fantastic.  I was really hoping for some cultural Tibetan music and dance, but it was all monastic.  Still really neat, and I love their chanting, so it was still great.  I hadn't seen any monastic dancing while I was in China, so that was new for me!  They had the snow lion dance too, which was fantastic, I've always wanted to see it!  It was adorable.  I want one ;)  I was really hoping that my parents would see some of the awesome Tibetan dancing though.  I don't think my dad enjoyed himself at all, too much chanting for him, and I think my mom only enjoyed it for the experience.  If I can ever get them to go to Tibet or China though, they'll see some of the awesome Tibetan dancing and singing.

Anyway, onto the pics!

First is the picture I took of them working on it when I saw it on Friday.  So impressive how they do it.  So painstakingly careful and exact.  Very impressive.  The finished product was absolutely stunning!  So detailed and so colourful!  It is the mandala of compassion :)   Read about mandalas HERE and Avalokitesvara, or Guan Yin, the bodhisattva of compassion, incarnated in HH Dalai Lama HERE.
Before the closing ceremony, the monks had a long discussion on the symbolism of the different levels of the mandala.  It was very detailed, you can probably find it on the link I provided (Wikipedia :P ).  And if you don't know anything about sand mandalas, they destroy them at the end.  A symbol of the impermenance of everything.  I thought it was very powerful to watch them destroy it.  They passed out the sand to the people who were there and did a procession to the river/bay nearby to throw the rest into the water, to distribute it to the rest of the world.  I had to miss that part as I was meeting my parents and aunt and uncle for dinner, but going to the ceremony was definitely worth it.
The destruction:

Awesome.  I so wish there was a protest going on around me.  I would so be there.  I'm still so furious at the mention of China.  I know that each protest makes it worse for the Tibetans, or at the very least, doesn't really help their cause but man, I get a twisted joy out of knowing that they must be so annoyed and embarrassed at not being able to get the torch through hardly any of the cities. I'll stop there, because I will get venomous if I keep talking about it.

After Paris?
San Fransisco.

Whoever thought they would be able to get through San Fransisco without incidents should be fired.
That is a picture of some protesters scaling the golden gate bridge. I can't imagine how windy it must be up there. I hope they don't get hurt.  Fantastic though.

The problem I have is that none of this really matters.  Sure, it embarrasses them, sure it 'brings the human rights abuses in China to light' (bad idea, Olympic Committee, btw), but it won't really change anything.  China is still going to benefit from getting the Olympics.  Even with the protests and lack of substantial reproach, it is just an international showing that China can get away with anything without fear of serious retribution.  Seriously, Olympic Committee, what did you expect?  Sure, they made promises, but what incentives do they have to keep them since they already won the Olympic bid?  The repression in China has gotten worse since the second they won that stupid bid.  Good job Olympic Committee.  This goes on your heads too.
Seriously, it is like giving the Olympics to Nazi Germany.  Great idea that was.

Screw you China.

~Nikki

China summons U.S. envoy over Dalai Lama award
US Dalai Lama award angers China
Dalai Lama honor stokes U.S.-Chinese tensions

I have mixed feelings about this.  Mainly because the suppressed realist in me knows the futility of his cause in dealing with China.  Honestly, does anyone in the world (outside of China) really think he could be a threat?  It's ridiculous.  I love that he won this award, the pictures just put a huge smile on my face.  But I worry.  I worry about the repercussions to the people in Tibet.  There has recently already been a huge round of Anti-Dalai Lama campaigns in Tibet and this, I fear, will just make it worse.  It is a double edged sword.  The Dalai Lama receiving this award, just like visiting Germany last month, are huge steps for the Tibetan cause and are showing that, little by little, more things are being done to help.  Or at least showing that we aren't so afraid of China.  But, I know enough about China that they don't take outside interference nicely, and even if the threats against U.S.-China diplomatic relations are just empty threats, the things that will go on inside Tibet will be completely real.
Exile Tibetan Government insists China to adopt sincere approach to Tibet issue
That's the real kick isn't it.  China just pisses me off sometimes.  I guess they are just playing the role of a authoritarian state.  Pretend that things are going great, make it look like you are 'talking' but really not doing anything.  It's just stalling, why open up talks at all?  To get international pressure off their backs while they wait for the Dalai Lama to die.  Which will open a whole other can of worms, don't get me started on what I think will happen then.  Beijing just pisses me off.  This is the problem I had with the Conflict Analysis paper I just wrote over the issue.  She wanted us to come up with a solution, which I didn't.  You know the only thing I could think of    

Why can't we all just get along?

Some more links
Resolve Tibet issue: Dalai Lama

Burma and Tibet: The world's double standards
Wow, it's like an article on the discussions I've been having with people for the past few weeks.  (If you only read one of the articles, you should read this one)

And just for kicks Tibet officials "furious" at Dalai Lama's U.S. award
Tibet officials=China
"If the Dalai Lama can receive such an award, there must be no justice or good people in the world."
I'm sorry, I find that comment extremely hilarious (in a not funny way -_-)

On another note, I won't really go into it, here is a response from Taiwan to China's comment about reunifying (or whatever they want to call it).

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday offered talks on a formal peace accord with Taiwan, but Taiwan rejected the call, saying it is an independent country whose future must be decided by the Taiwan people. "We cannot discuss peaceful reunification with a regime that suppresses Tibet, shoots its own people and backs Myanmar's military government," Government Information Office Minister Shieh Jhy-wey told reporters.

"Taiwan's founding principles are human rights and democracy. If Hu Jintao really places hope on the Taiwan people, as he said, he should listen to the Taiwan people's voice. Although the Chinese Communist Party rules China, it does not represent the Chinese people," Shieh said.

~Nikki

I never really understood the concept of petitions, I feel like they never really work, especially against something like the Chinese government.  Like they are going to change because of a bunch of online signatures?  Yea right.
I did just get an e-mail from Care2 with a petition to 'End China's Human Rights Abuses in Tibet before the 2008 Olympics'
If I know anything about China, they will never end their abuses towards Tibet, and I will venture to guess that public outcry will only make it worse.  That is the impression that I get.
Never the less,
Petition
Sponsored by International Campaign for Tibet