Tibet: Beyond Nationalism

international | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis

Saturday October 22, 2005 18:11

by Robbie Sinnott

Ireland

a 22min exploration with Yungchen Lhamo and Neil Steedman

With the construction of the China-Tibet railway this week, the destruction of Tibet reaches a new level.

Studio interview with Yungchen Lhamo (from Tibet) and Neil Steedman (Tibet Support Group Ireland). mp3 (22mins, FM-friendly).

To listen on broadband (immediately - depending on your player settings/preferences), left-click the next link.

http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/yungchenradioedit.mp3

to download on any connection, right-click etc.
The above link is also the radio edit, suitable for rebroadcasting on FM.

The same interview is segmented at lower resolution for immediate access for all sorts of internet connections lower down, and synopsis given under those headings.

This week marks the completion of the China-Tibet railway, the construction of which began in June 2001.
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/yungchenradioedit.mp3

Its completion will accelerate the orchestrated migration of Han Chinese to further marginalise Tibetans in their own country (which was illegally invaded by China in 1950).

The construction of the railway will also bring to a new level, the economic and environmental plunder of Tibet, despite ongoing bilateral negotiations in Switzerland.

Yungchen Lhamo is a singer and Tibetan exile. At the age of 15 she trekked through the Himalayas to India, but the sense of loss and yearning for her country is palpable in her conversation.

Part 1 (5m34s; mp3 32kbps)
In the first five minutes, Yungchen explains the importance of singing to her and the impact that Chinese imperilaism has had on her culture.
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/1.music_culture.mp3

Part 2 (4m30s; mp3 32kbps)
In the next five minutes, Yungchen speakss about the destruction of Tibet’s landscape, before describing debilitating health issues among the neglected indigenous population.
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/2.imperialneglectofhealth_education.mp3

Part 3 (10m; mp3 32kbps)
In the third part, Yungchen outlines Tibetan strategy of spiritual resistance, and non-hatred. Yungchen suggests that the world under capitalism will face many hardships if humans continue to alienate themselves with materialism.
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/3.alternativetonationalism.mp3

Part 4 (2m; mp3 32kbps)
Neil Steedman of TSGI outlines what Irish people, if not everyone globally can do to try to alleviate some of the difficulties faced by Tibetans today.
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/4.tsgi.mp3

Irish Tibet Support Group website
www.tibet.org/Resources/TSG/Groups/ireland.html

Part 5 (1m; mp3 32kbps - not on full radio edit version).
Outro and contact details for Majority World [email protected]
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/5.outro_contact.mp3

The interview was originally broadcast live in studio on Near FM's Majority World, July 22nd, 2005 (about 5 on a Thursday afternoon). coppyleft as always.

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Comments (5 of 5)

beyond nazism

by Borbo - Tonks

Thu Oct 27, 2005 19:04

Good job there advancing the aims of the Nazi SS and the CIA.

Liberate Tibet . . . so the Dali Lama can have slaves again?

Neither the Dali Lama nor most Tibetans support Tibet independence.

I agree there are problems with Chinese rule, but there is no movement for an independent Tibet. It's a creation of Nazis and the CIA.

Borbo

by Panchen

Fri Oct 28, 2005 09:55

Typical infantile crap about the Dalai Lama and slaves. The whole population are slaves now. Those who have survived nearly half a centiry of brutality and murder at the hands of the liberators of mankind.-

Barbo

by RobbieS

Tue Nov 29, 2005 20:53

It is apparent by Barbo's comment, that s/he couldn't be bothered listening to the audio, or failed to grasp its central point.

Before commenting, Barbo might even have looked at the title of the piece Tibet: BEYOND Nationalism [caps this time to guide the wilfully dense]. The sentiment that Yungchen relays, is one of post-nationalism. She doesn't mind Chinese people living there, even as part of China, but she does want parity of esteem.

Comparing the content of this story to Nazism is an ignorant inversion of reality to be sure.

The Chinese invasion of 1949 was uninvited, unwanted, unwarranted, unlawful, undemocratic, unworthy of your attention, apparently.

A Few Questions to To Neil Steedman

by Becky - NA

Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:05

Please do not use the number of death in Tibet to play around. If you insist doing this, should also check how many Chinese were killed in theTibet for nothing and how much Chinese government placed funds to build up roads and econmoy for them. It is objective to look at both side then make an adjustment.

Secondly, have you ever been to China and stayed in Tibet? or just collect your information from some ramdom people to make youself famous?

I do respect your opinion but as a chinese who have been lived home for 24 years, I strongly disagree with yours and believe you are NOT doing the right thing.

It might be used under the name of "human right" but shall you look at your own country's affair first?

Dont be funny!

The chinese built up the infrastructure..

by Hypocritter

Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:49

Mainly to ease the removal of Tibet's natural resources to fuel Chinese industry (study the route vs the location of large deposits of valuable raw materials). Of course it also expedites the dilution of the indigenous population with lots of emigrant chinese. This ain't to help Tibetans do their shopping in Bejing y'know! They are doing the same in the Congo right now. They build the roads/rail first to optimise getting the goodies out.

Thats why this is such a hot issue for the Chinese. And there's no way they will ever give up all those resources. No matter who marches where or what the Dali Lama says.

The US and others are well aware of this, and they don't give 2 shits about Tibet either, but are just opportunistically talking all this up for political gain. They'd steal those resources themselves in a heartbeat if they could under an "American plan to build bases and bring democracy to Tibet"

It's no skin off their noses if the Olympics are fucked up but they are still quietly outsourcing their polluting industries and jobs to China, taking those big loans, and their business friends are making their usual millions. No boycotts there. The athletes livelihoods are a cheap price to politicians. There won't be the same clamour around the London Olympics though. despite Britain's continual imperialist resource grabbing policies right up to the present day in Iraq.

So let the athletes have their day and try to improve relations with China. Antagonising China only makes talking to them harder and makes them buy more weapons (gee I wonder whose agenda that serves??) and thats bad in the long run for everyone. And no matter what happens, they are not giving up Tibet's resources so forget that.

Not a good situation for Tibetans I agree. And they will probably be blamed for the international embarrassment which won't help their cause with the Chinese much either. But like the rest of us they might just have to get used to having their identities and natural resources stolen without being able to do much about it. I have to say, Tibetans seem to have a lot more fight in them than us. I admire their spirit and anti-capitalist sensibilities and I wish them the best in their "David and Goliath" uphill struggle.

But right now its all just being spun on the world stage for cheap political points.

And the hypocrisy really stinks.

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Tibet: Beyond Nationalism

Comments (5 of 5)