Should the Olympics be used to broadcast political outbursts to the global community? In ancient times, winners of Olympics events were present with a crown of olive leaves which symbolises hope and peace. The events that have been marring the build up to Beijing 2008 certainly don't place a lot of emphasis on hope or peace. Perhaps, in a warped way, it is done in the hope hope that a certain plight be alleviated but it's an ugly non-peaceful way of doing it.
The Olympics is no doubt more than just a major sporting event or even one that is commercially viable. There is an underlying reason for why countries compete with each other for hosting rights even though most Olympics tend to lose money and several facilities, like the atheletes village do become obsolete after the Games. For China, I believe it is more to mark their arrival on the world's stage, to show that they are taking their rightful seat as the second most populous country in the world. For us Chinese, it's also an image issue where you want to show off to your neighbours even if you must spend weeks cleaning up your house to prepare for the occassion.
From a neutral point of view, Tibetan strategists have probably gotten their timing right. What better time to highlight your case to the rest of the world and apply pressure than now as China prepares to host what is possibly the biggest sporting event in the world. Given that the Olympics is a sign of unity and peace, it would ironic for a supporter of the Olympics to be suppressing a "vassel state". Perhaps I need to be a Tibetan living in Tibet to have a better idea of what's happening but from a 3rd person's point of view, would it not be better to simply remain as part of China?
There isn't suppression to the extent of the Japanese Occupation of South East Asia during WWII, neither is the China government neglecting the development of the region. Nationalism aside, what's wrong with being part of the most exciting economy in Asia? The Tibetan railway has come up, emphasis is being put on developing the inner regions of China which eventually will go Tibet's way. From what I've read, a sizeable Chinese population has already relocated in Tibetan regions and independence, should it happen, would create a very divded state albeit one similar to Sri Lanka and Kosovo. It would be harder to survive on its own although its location between China and India may serve it well. Still, thinking that something will happen with all this pressure and media exposure appears to be pretty futile. I doubt that a significant resolution will be made at the end of all this. Pressure just doesn't work very well on China at the moment, especially not when it concerns sovereignty.
The Olympics is no doubt more than just a major sporting event or even one that is commercially viable. There is an underlying reason for why countries compete with each other for hosting rights even though most Olympics tend to lose money and several facilities, like the atheletes village do become obsolete after the Games. For China, I believe it is more to mark their arrival on the world's stage, to show that they are taking their rightful seat as the second most populous country in the world. For us Chinese, it's also an image issue where you want to show off to your neighbours even if you must spend weeks cleaning up your house to prepare for the occassion.
From a neutral point of view, Tibetan strategists have probably gotten their timing right. What better time to highlight your case to the rest of the world and apply pressure than now as China prepares to host what is possibly the biggest sporting event in the world. Given that the Olympics is a sign of unity and peace, it would ironic for a supporter of the Olympics to be suppressing a "vassel state". Perhaps I need to be a Tibetan living in Tibet to have a better idea of what's happening but from a 3rd person's point of view, would it not be better to simply remain as part of China?
There isn't suppression to the extent of the Japanese Occupation of South East Asia during WWII, neither is the China government neglecting the development of the region. Nationalism aside, what's wrong with being part of the most exciting economy in Asia? The Tibetan railway has come up, emphasis is being put on developing the inner regions of China which eventually will go Tibet's way. From what I've read, a sizeable Chinese population has already relocated in Tibetan regions and independence, should it happen, would create a very divded state albeit one similar to Sri Lanka and Kosovo. It would be harder to survive on its own although its location between China and India may serve it well. Still, thinking that something will happen with all this pressure and media exposure appears to be pretty futile. I doubt that a significant resolution will be made at the end of all this. Pressure just doesn't work very well on China at the moment, especially not when it concerns sovereignty.