From: fstawit@icomp01.lerc.nasa.gov (Tawit Chitsomboon)
Subject: Re: What About Tibet?
Originator: fstawit@icomp01
Organization: Institute for Computational Mechanics in Propulsion - NASA Lewis
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 18:46:10 GMT


I have always thought that the Chinese people are polite, courteous
and most of all civilized. That's why I married a Chinese. That was
probably why my mother married a Chinese.

My recent posting about the the atrocities the Chinese have done to
the Tibetans has obviously upset a lot of Chinese. I thought the
Chinese has more class than bombarding fellow human with abusive
languages. Perhaps, I underestimate the effect of CULTURAL revolution.

My simple questions to my Chinese friends:

1) If you all claim that Chinese atrocities to Tibetans never occured
as published in foreign press, why not open the area for free information
gathering?

2) Why do you all believe in the Chinese government publication about
Tibet while totally rejecting those in foreign press? I chose to honor
the Tibetan version because they are the ones who suffer, I tend to
give them benefit of a doubt. Again, the truth can be settle very
easily just by letting free foreign journalists to gather news.
Until then, all the Chinese gov report should be considered as
nothing but distortion.

3) If the Chinese government can committ gross human right violation
to its own fresh and blood (The Tienanmen Incident), Why do you find
it's incredible that the Chinese government will be even more harsh
to the 'babarians' out west?

4) If the Chinese soldier can hit the monk's head with the rifle's butt
in front of foreign journalist's camera, Why do you find it's incredible
that they will be much more cruel in the jail where no one can see their
action?

5) You all claim that Tibet is a province of China as a historical fact.
I'm sure that Tibetans will not agree. There's a stone inscription in 
Tibet portraying the agreement between a Tibetan king and a Chinese
King recognizing each other national soveriegnty and friendship 'forever'.
To me, this is quite an evidence that the Chinese recognized Tibet as a
nation of it own long time ago. But, I'll go further, Why does the
Tibetan need the Chinese recognition to be able to call themselve a nation? 
They existed as they existed, that should be enough to get respect to be an
indepentdent nation. Even if they were really a part of China all along,
Why can't they demand independence now? What if the Mongol claim that
China used to be part of Mongolia?, I'm sure none of you would go with
that. As a matter of fact, large part of Southwestern China use to be
provinces of Thailand. What if Thailand claims Southwesthern China as 
China claims Tibet?  The prosperous Nan-Choa kingdom (in present day
southwestern China) was also of Tibetan people; can they claim back
their land? Of course not, it's ridiculous to do so.
How far back in time do we go to use history as our 
pretext for selfish acquisition of territory ?  Seems to me, we go
as far as our military might allow us to.

I hope some of my Chinese friends will enlighten me in civilized ways
to my questions. We are all fellow human beings. We all want happiness;
none of us want sufferring. But it has all along been our nature that our
happiness is more important than other people's happiness. Why can't we
open our heart and see the sufferring of the Tibetan people. They have
existed uniquely as a nation for so long, why can't they continue to
exist as such? I used to hear the phrase "Those who have no respect
for themselves will not respect others", it didn't seem very deep to me.
As I think more and more about the phrase as I get older and older
having more and more insight into things (still far from being able
to call myself a 'learned' man), I begin to realize the deep philoso-
phical implication of this phrase, more and more. I ask that my
intelligent Chinese friends, collectively as a nation, search their
souls and learn how to respect themselves as a nation. Until then,
all you will have is national pride and patriotism which will cause
more and more suffering to anyone you come in contact with.

-Tawit

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Outside the cage of compassion, wisdom is the most dangerous beast ever
roams planet earth.
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