John Whitehead's Commentary
Dalai Lama's White House Visit a Victory for Freedom
When the Dalai Lama visited George W. Bush in the Oval Office recently, it was a defining moment for the new president. Already on chilly terms with China after the spy plane scandal and arms deal with Taiwan, Bush did not relent to political pressure. Instead, he hosted the man whom the Chinese consider public enemy number one. In doing so, the president, whether intentional or not, put the fundamental interests of human dignity, religious freedom and individual autonomy over political expediency.
The Dalai Lama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, is the political and spiritual leader of the exiled Tibetan government, which was forced to flee its homeland in the 1950s to escape the Chinese. Prior to the Chinese takeover, Tibet had been existing as a distinct and separate entity for over 2,000 years.
The Dalai Lama is considered the fourteenth reincarnation of the original Dalai Lama, who was born in 1351. Since accepting his role as leader of Tibet at a mere 15 years of age, for the past 50 years the Dalai Lama has been fighting a seemingly endless battle for Tibetan independence, the origins of which were strikingly illustrated by Martin Scorsese in his 1997 film, Kundun.
In October 1950, Chinese troops invaded the Tibetan town of Chamdo, overwhelming the city and instituting the occupation of Tibet. In response, Tibet attempted to negotiate a peaceful end to the aggression. But when its delegation arrived in Beijing--a delegation that did not include the Dalai Lama and was only authorized to negotiate terms but not to finalize any treaty--the Tibetans were forced to sign an agreement the Chinese characterized as allowing for the "peaceful liberation of Tibet" (a charge the Chinese vehemently deny). Ever since, the Chinese government has used the agreement to back its claim of ownership of Tibet, despite the ongoing denials of its authenticity by the Dalai Lama and the rest of the exiled Tibetan government.
From his exiled home in India, the Dalai Lama has championed the cause of Tibet ever since. He charges the Chinese government with destroying the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet, as well as laying waste to its natural beauty. For their part, the Chinese claim that the occupation of Tibet has brought increased religious freedom and economic opportunity--a claim denied by human rights organizations around the world.
Indeed, Human Rights Watch details numerous incidents of human rights abuses, including some 600 political prisoners in Tibet, most of them monks and nuns. For example, a Tibetan arrested in Lhasa in August 1999 for trying to raise the Tibetan flag in a public square was brutally beaten before being taken away by so-called Chinese public security officers. In March 2000, he was reported to have committed suicide in prison a month earlier. In April 2000, a further death in custody was reported, that of a farmer from a town near Lhasa. He had been arrested with two others in 1992 for unfurling a Tibetan flag during a protest and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
These and other tragedies like them are what the Dalai Lama is bringing to light. But instead of working to correct such abuses, the Chinese continue to carry out a program to discredit the work of the Dalai Lama. The Chinese call the Dalai Lama a "political exile engaged in activities aimed at splitting the motherland."
This vociferous response to a man who consistently preaches a message of peace and non-violence reveals the fear that authoritarian regimes have for the power of ideas. Tyrants are terrified of the power of one person who speaks the truth. This was clearly illustrated by Chinese authorities when they massacred the students who were peacefully demonstrating in Tiananmen Square in 1989. That crackdown on free speech by the Chinese military resulted in several hundred dead and hundreds more imprisoned.
Unfortunately, reports from such organizations as Amnesty International that human rights conditions inside China have deteriorated have the Chinese government on edge. This is one reason that China is so sensitive of its image and standing in the international community. It is also why China has vigorously resisted any debate on its human rights record at the annual meetings of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. And it's why the Chinese authorities so vociferously protest the Dalai Lama's continuing campaign to free Tibet from Chinese control.
The Dalai Lama's stands are a fitting lesson for this postmodern age that denies the existence--or discoverability--of truth. But when it comes to the issue of Tibet, there are no postmodernists in Red Square. The Chinese know that the truth about their treatment of the Tibetan people could set the conquered country free.
That is what makes the president's willingness to host the Dalai Lama so important. These days, politicians aren't known for standing up for the truth. Too often, the truth is whatever the American corporation with the most money invested in China says it should be. And all along, the people of Tibet and all of the other deeply religious citizens living in the People's Republic suffer under a regime that denies them religious liberty with all of its rights and opportunities.
The Dalai Lama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, is the political and spiritual leader of the exiled Tibetan government, which was forced to flee its homeland in the 1950s to escape the Chinese. Prior to the Chinese takeover, Tibet had been existing as a distinct and separate entity for over 2,000 years.
The Dalai Lama is considered the fourteenth reincarnation of the original Dalai Lama, who was born in 1351. Since accepting his role as leader of Tibet at a mere 15 years of age, for the past 50 years the Dalai Lama has been fighting a seemingly endless battle for Tibetan independence, the origins of which were strikingly illustrated by Martin Scorsese in his 1997 film, Kundun.
In October 1950, Chinese troops invaded the Tibetan town of Chamdo, overwhelming the city and instituting the occupation of Tibet. In response, Tibet attempted to negotiate a peaceful end to the aggression. But when its delegation arrived in Beijing--a delegation that did not include the Dalai Lama and was only authorized to negotiate terms but not to finalize any treaty--the Tibetans were forced to sign an agreement the Chinese characterized as allowing for the "peaceful liberation of Tibet" (a charge the Chinese vehemently deny). Ever since, the Chinese government has used the agreement to back its claim of ownership of Tibet, despite the ongoing denials of its authenticity by the Dalai Lama and the rest of the exiled Tibetan government.
From his exiled home in India, the Dalai Lama has championed the cause of Tibet ever since. He charges the Chinese government with destroying the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet, as well as laying waste to its natural beauty. For their part, the Chinese claim that the occupation of Tibet has brought increased religious freedom and economic opportunity--a claim denied by human rights organizations around the world.
Indeed, Human Rights Watch details numerous incidents of human rights abuses, including some 600 political prisoners in Tibet, most of them monks and nuns. For example, a Tibetan arrested in Lhasa in August 1999 for trying to raise the Tibetan flag in a public square was brutally beaten before being taken away by so-called Chinese public security officers. In March 2000, he was reported to have committed suicide in prison a month earlier. In April 2000, a further death in custody was reported, that of a farmer from a town near Lhasa. He had been arrested with two others in 1992 for unfurling a Tibetan flag during a protest and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
These and other tragedies like them are what the Dalai Lama is bringing to light. But instead of working to correct such abuses, the Chinese continue to carry out a program to discredit the work of the Dalai Lama. The Chinese call the Dalai Lama a "political exile engaged in activities aimed at splitting the motherland."
This vociferous response to a man who consistently preaches a message of peace and non-violence reveals the fear that authoritarian regimes have for the power of ideas. Tyrants are terrified of the power of one person who speaks the truth. This was clearly illustrated by Chinese authorities when they massacred the students who were peacefully demonstrating in Tiananmen Square in 1989. That crackdown on free speech by the Chinese military resulted in several hundred dead and hundreds more imprisoned.
Unfortunately, reports from such organizations as Amnesty International that human rights conditions inside China have deteriorated have the Chinese government on edge. This is one reason that China is so sensitive of its image and standing in the international community. It is also why China has vigorously resisted any debate on its human rights record at the annual meetings of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. And it's why the Chinese authorities so vociferously protest the Dalai Lama's continuing campaign to free Tibet from Chinese control.
The Dalai Lama's stands are a fitting lesson for this postmodern age that denies the existence--or discoverability--of truth. But when it comes to the issue of Tibet, there are no postmodernists in Red Square. The Chinese know that the truth about their treatment of the Tibetan people could set the conquered country free.
That is what makes the president's willingness to host the Dalai Lama so important. These days, politicians aren't known for standing up for the truth. Too often, the truth is whatever the American corporation with the most money invested in China says it should be. And all along, the people of Tibet and all of the other deeply religious citizens living in the People's Republic suffer under a regime that denies them religious liberty with all of its rights and opportunities.
ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His most recent books are the best-selling Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the award-winning A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and a debut dystopian fiction novel, The Erik Blair Diaries. Whitehead can be contacted at staff@rutherford.org. Nisha Whitehead is the Executive Director of The Rutherford Institute. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org.
Publication Guidelines / Reprint Permission
John W. Whitehead’s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact staff@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
