Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Events in Tibet

My mother asked me yesterday how come I had nothing to say about what is happening in Tibet. Good question. The answer lies in the fact that I really don't know much about it. Prima facie it is clear that a lot of innocent people have lost their lives. It is also obvious that the Chinese Government is very brutal in its crackdown. They will always have a rationale for what they do. So there is no point in listening to them. Of course one must condone condemn this kind of state repression.

Just as in many regions of the world, the national question is not settled there either. The real tragedy is that in India we know so little about our most important neighbour. Maybe it is the huge mountain range. Maybe it is the colonization experience. Maybe it is the westward gaze that clutters the mind and one does not feel obliged to learn more about China. Maybe there is no real excuse.

Update: Thanks to one of the comments, I have made a correction

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope you meant condemn and not condone :) Realistically speaking, if we sympathise with Tibet's wish for autonomy or freedom we have to sympathise with seccesionist movements within India as well. Wouldn't you agree? Although Tibet proclaimed independence in 1911, it was never supported by the west. So arguably China can say with some justification that it belongs to them.

Anant said...

Tarun: thanks for the correction. Of course I mean condemn! I have written in many places that the national question in India is not settled. In fact, if the question is not settled it gives even more ammunition to enemies of the peoples of India to meddle in our affairs. It is the people of India who must settle the question in the country.

Anonymous said...

Why we know so little about China ?. Ofcourse, it is their own iorn curtain. About, the west, it is very easy to get info or even travel.

Other than, N. Ram, nobody has acesses to info about China.