Student joins Tibetan protests

The sun had barely risen as Matthew Gordon found himself inside a jailhouse in a small town a few miles away from Dharamsala, India. Unlike most, who view spring break as a precious escape from the relentless pressure of midterms, Gordon saw his break as an opportunity to do the extraordinary.

The sophomore from Hamilton College interrupted his studies abroad in India to join a large group of Tibetan refugees in a massive march protesting the Chinese presence in Tibet. The march, which mainly consisted of monks, nuns and religious students, had endured for over 15 days and was supposed to continue until the marchers reach Tibet. Gordon had only been walking with the march for two days when police officers suddenly broke it up.

"The monks sat holding hands or locking arms, and the police officers ripped them apart from each other. They did not use more force than was necessary, but the monks would go completely limp, and so the police dragged them onto a bus. So I got picked up and dragged onto the bus along with everyone else and everyone was shouting 'Poe Gyalo' (Victory for Tibet)," Gordon said in an e-mail.

Upon his arrival at the local jail, Gordon was told to leave immediately with the other Westerners while the Tibetan monks were led to cells.

"I told the police officer, 'We have no where to go, we'll just sit here and wait for our friends,'" Gordon said.

After waiting for eight hours, Gordon found that the monks were each given 14-day jail sentences, so he returned to the camp where they had been sleeping the night before. The next day, the Indian police forced the remaining activists to leave the state or risk deportation.

Numerous other protest marches have followed Gordon's during the past few weeks. On March 10, what began as a peaceful demonstration outside a small temple in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, escalated into one of the largest protests against the Chinese government's rule in nearly two decades. Armed police sealed off three of the city's largest monasteries last week, fueling an increase in violence that has already spread throughout Tibet, India, and parts of China.

The protests began at a sensitive time for the people of Tibet. March 10 marked the 49th anniversary of the failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule.

These protests were a result of numerous aggravations the Tibetan people feel they have suffered including political tension, food shortages, and rising inflation, all for which they blame China.

Many, however, claim that the grievances against the Chinese have deeper roots. The conflict for autonomy in Tibet is anything but new. Beginning in the seventh century A.D., Tibet and China struggled for power, shifting land from one country to the other. China officially ruled Tibet in the beginning of the 20th century, although the Tibetan people retained autonomy and were led by the Dalai Lama. In 1950, Chinese forces invaded Tibet, and the outnumbered Tibetan army quickly surrendered.

While the Tibetans claim that this invasion and the subsequent Chinese occupation of Tibet violate their rights as a sovereign nation, China, who still sees Tibet as a part of the Chinese republic, defended its right to rule over Tibet. China claims that Tibet was, by law, a legitimate part of the republic and that the invasion was really one of liberation of the Tibetan people from their underdeveloped government.

In fact, since the Chinese occupation of Tibet began, the population has increased from 1.2 million to almost three million, and the life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in 1950 to 67 years. According to Asian Labour News, Tibetan workers have the second highest wages in all of China. The gross domestic product of Tibet is 30 times what it was in 1950, and 22 kilometers of highways have been built, as well as 25 scientific research institutes.

In response to the recent violent protests sweeping Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama told reporters, "If things become out of control, then my only option is to completely resign." The Tibetan leader, who has been in exile in India since 1950, has stated numerous times that he does not oppose the Chinese occupation of Tibet and believes it will be beneficial to the country. He urges China, however, to allow Tibet to retain "genuine autonomy."

China's unsuccessful attempts to deal with the protests in a quick and quiet manner have led many to question its capacity to host the anticipated 2008 Summer Olympics.

While China sees the Olympics as an opportunity to display its economic and social advancement to the world, many are planning to use the spotlight to illuminate a darker side of Chinese foreign policy.

"The Olympics in China are coming up fast, and this is the best opportunity we've had to do something about the human rights situation there," Gordon said.

Slowly but surely the world community is hearing Tibet's cries for attention as responses are generated all around the globe. A protest of over 100 people outside the U.N. Headquarters in New York City on March 14 resulted in arrests after six members attempted to break into the building. The Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. was crowded with pro-Tibetan activists on March 21. Meanwhile, two protests are scheduled to occur in Boston. The Human Rights Torch Relay, which focuses on Chinese crimes against humanity, will be gathering in the Boston Common on March 30 at 12 p.m. In addition, the Torch Relay Marathon will begin on the same day at 8 a.m.

"A revolution is happening, and it's going on all over the world. Don't let this pass unnoticed," Gordon said. "Write letters, spread the word!"