In this day of virtually instant communication we can be sure, even while paying little attention, to learn our geography lessons on the run. How many of us could open a world map and without swirling an index finger drop the tip on Iraq before the American invasion. Who knew where Afghanistan was before NATO decided to kick out the Taliban? An almost hundred-year romantic version of Tibet remains with us from stories of a kingdom at peace with itself called Shangri-La. I bet after the past two weeks most of us could open a map of the world, or even of Asia, and immediately point to Tibet.
In keeping with the premise of True North Perspective, I decided to scour the Internet to reach beyond the propaganda of vested interests to provide readers with a sober, rational background on the mêlée on what has been called the roof of the world.
I won’t get into the claims and counter claims of demonstrators and Chinese authorities except to say that as the dust settled it appeared that demonstrators were breaking windows and torching stores and the authorities responded in kind.
What is important to me is the context of developments there. My search revealed from well-documented sources that the Chinese army of Mao Tse Tung marched into Tibet with a token force to reinforce a claim to Tibet that goes back to the thirteen century and the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan who engineered a shot-gun marriage between the two.
At that time, and ever since, the peaceful kingdom of Tibet has been drenched in blood that was shed as lamas and secular lords fought each other and outsiders for control. In 1953 the Chinese mostly allowed what was a combination feudal and slave state. Mao had just kicked his opponents over the water to Taiwan and had plenty to do. However, when the rulers in Tibet decided take advantage of a China mostly otherwise occupied and picked up sword in 1959 they soon learned that though China was busy it still had time to take care of business in Tibet.
This time they freed the slaves and the serfs and divided the huge estates owned by the Dalai Lama and his friends among those who worked the land. It’s not hard to imagine that this affront caused the Tibetan ruling class to be immediately annoyed. And they’ve been annoyed ever since.
But I’ll leave it here except to urge you to return to the cover and click on …
… for a well-documented scholarly 8,247 word backgrounder on Tibet. I know that’s a long time to spend looking at a computer screen (even if it’s an iMac) so print the piece and read it at your leisure and pass it around. That way when the subject again hits the headlines you and your neighbours will be the first on the block to have some background to judge who’s kidding who.
Meanwhile, I draw special attention to a contribution by True North’s new Literary Editor that is written in beautiful, powerful prose and poetry about the successful campaign to recognize those who worked and those who died in the building of the Rideau Canal. Don’t miss …
Scan the cover and read what interests you even while you surely must have joy in your heart if only because Spring comes to us with greater strength with each passing day.
Take it easy, but take it.
Looking forward
Carl Dow
Editor and Publisher
True North Perspective