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Eli Wallach the Hollywood character actor died this Tuesday at the age of 98. As a boy in Darjeeling I had see him in a number of classic Westerns: How the West was Won, Mackenna’s Gold, The Good the Bad and the Ugly and my favorite The Magnificent Seven. He invariably played the bad guy, but in a funny, nasty, scruffy and hugely memorable fashion. He also had some great lines. In the Good the Bad and the Ugly he is waylaid in his bath by an enemy who talks at length on why he’s going to kill him. Eli Wallach has a pistol hidden in the soapsuds and guns him down. His parting advice “When you have to shoot…Shoot. Don’t talk.
The last film I mentioned, The Magnificent Seven, is an underrated classic. It is perhaps not as monumental a film as Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai, from which it was re-made, but it has one profound line of dialogue where the Mexican bandit chief, Calvera, played by Eli Wallach, explains to Chris (Yul Brynner) the leader of the “Seven” defending the Mexican village, why he robs peasants: “If God had not meant them to be sheared, he would not have made them sheep.”
Which brought to mind a “sheep” moment in modern Tibetan history.
All Tibetans have heard the story of how when the Chinese invaded in October 1950 and the cabinet secretary in Lhasa was informed of this by radio from Army HQ at Chamdo, he is said to have replied that the kashag could not be disturbed as they were having their annual party (or picnic). Okay, this is not good, but then I suppose nobody likes to bust up a good party. There is actually another event, leading up to this exchange, which is far more disgraceful, and which clearly reveals the sheep mentality endemic within much of the Tibetan leadership then.
None of the Tibetan frontline units at the Drichu river had radios, so the first news of the long-feared Chinese invasion arrived at Chamdo military headquarters only five days after the first attack. The exhausted army messenger from General Karchung rode into the residency of the Governor-General just before midnight on the 11th of October. Ngapo immediately informed the kashag in Lhasa. On the 12th evening when Radio Lhasa went on air at 5 p.m. with the news in English, Tibetan and Chinese, there was no mention of the invasion. Robert Ford, our chief radio-operator and other Tibetan officials at Chamdo who were waiting anxiously for the announcement, were stunned and dismayed. The next day and the day after that there was still dead silence from Radio Lhasa. Ford found it difficult to comprehend the Tibetan government’s silence, and later in his book Captured in Tibet (1957) wrote:
The actions of the Lhasa government would have been easier to understand if it had intended to offer only a token resistance to the Chinese and then sue for peace, but it was not doing anything of the kind. The resistance was real … there was never any question of surrender. I could only think it was a matter of habit. The Lhasa government was so used to the policy of saying nothing that might offend or provoke the Chinese that it kept it up after provocation had become irrelevant. It was still trying to avert a war that had already broken out.
If you think that’s bad in terms of sheep-like behavior, then how about the mentality of our leadership now, pretending that nothing terrible has really happened in the last sixty five years. That the Chinese are “our brothers and sisters”, and that all we have to do is not to raise the issue of Tibetan independence or democracy, prohibit all exile groups and organizations from protesting against Beijing, and then China will surely come around to inviting us for another round of talks (the 26th?) in Beijing, or at least permit His Holiness go on a pilgrimage to Wutai Shan, to which end so many exile officials and Chinese intellectual friends are working their fingers to the bone.
This is worse than sheep behavior, this is dead sheep behavior. China’s greatest modern writer, Lu Xun, who wrote essay after essay bemoaning the sheep-like nature of the Chinese people, pointed out in one zawen that there was perhaps a way that even such a stubborn character trait could be fundamentally altered:
You tell me ‘sheep will always be sheep. What else can they do but obediently walk in line to the slaughterhouse? As to the pigs, which have to be dragged, which jump squeal, and try to run away, in the end they still cannot escape their fate. Why such desperate efforts? Is it not a sheer waste of energy?’ But this is to say that even when faced with death, one should behave like sheep; thus the world will be in peace, and everyone will be spared much trouble. Very well, this is perhaps an excellent solution. However, have you ever considered wild boars? With their tusks they can force even experienced hunters to keep at a distance. Actually all that an ordinary pig needs to do is run away from the sty where the swineherd was keeping it locked, and reach the forest – and in no time it will grow such tusks.
It is time for all Tibetans living in the free world to start grow tusks – or something else. In the last couple of years nearly everyone I know in the exile community (including inji supporters) seem to have crawled into their personal funk holes, nervous of being accused of “hurting the feelings of the Dalai Lama”, or “causing him to live only to the age of 108 and not 113 as he had intended” (Penpa Tsering), or of being a secret Shugden propitiator. I personally live in relative peace and seclusion in the mountains of Tennessee so it would be wrong of me to tell my friends, who probably live cheek by jowl with maroon ayatollahs and fundamentalist yahoos, what they should or should not do. This task would perhaps be better left to the inimitable Lu Xun:
“If there are still men who really want to live in this world, they should dare to speak out, to laugh, to cry, to be angry, to accuse, to fight – that they may at least cleanse this accursed place of its accursed atmosphere!”
Thank You Jamyang la.
Maroon Ayatollah. I am a little offended by this insensitive language. It takes away from what is otherwise a valid criticism.
With regards to the schism between the religiosity and secular in our society, a more apt analogy from the movie GB&U would have been the scene between Tuco and his brother in the monastery where they argue about the different paths they have taken in life and even physically fight but in the end parting with genuine affection towards one another.
Jamyang, through your dogged attempts to provide a “cure” for Tibetan society, you have clearly shown that you are the—or at the very least a—Tibetan Lu Xun. Thanks for pointing out this towering writer, critic and individualist who, I understand, is still revered by China’s communists but never joined the party because his strong sense of indignation always transcended dogma.
I “enjoyed” your “Dialectics of Being Sheep” blog. It reminded me of what a British official told a Sri Lankan politician when India gained independence. Asked by the politician why Sri Lanka, too, wasn’t freed, the official is said to have retorted: “If you want independence, agitate.” (For better or worse, Sri Lanka became free without a single shot being fired or even a roar from the Sinhala lion. I guess they had been storing their ammunition for what they would eventually to the Eelam tiger 60 years later.)
The truth is too many talkers, no doers! Too many writers, no doers either. It is being part of selfish human being, secure self interest first and then see which sheep can be goaded to fight for hollow slogans designed with a lofty goals. This is the sad situation of Tibetan diaspora. Tibetans diaspora, as I observe and experience for past 20 years, it is crumbling donw, from the most basic variables that is part and parcel of foundation of a what people call, community, nation, country, freedom struggle. It is becoming worse and there is no point in finding a hope in a hopeless diaspora which is doom to own its own, not by enemies. Anthropology of Tibetan diasora in various forms is almost reached beyond point of no return. Of course, slogan shouting and mud slinging of each other will continue for times because these generation is still draging on the rare slogans with good intention. When they are done, that is the story. Tibetans has no card! The cards they have at very private space and individual capable is long abandoned in favor of lofty philosophy talks at parties where wines and beers are flowing and ladies are shaking butt!
NG
Thanks Jamyang Norbu la, for bringing up Lu Xun. He’s still hugely admired in China but some dissidents have started to criticize him for being too radical. China is in dire need of another Lu Xun who’s a true passionate, relentless, honest, selfless revolutionary and visionary. But at least two generations of Chinese have been studying a carefully handpicked selection of his essays in school textbooks and have grown to dislike him because he became part of the CCP’s brainwashing process.
My artist father and I have been huge fans of Lu as a writer and as a person. We always joke if he had lived beyond 1949, he would have been persecuted to death by CCP or killed himself because he wouldn’t have done self-criticism or kowtowing to CCP like many other prominent Chinese intellectuals. Instead, he was hugely used by CCP.
BTW, My parents taught in Xiamen University where Lu used to teach in the 20’s. And my Chinese first name “Lu” was named after the last sentence of his short story “Hometown”. Nothing to do with his surname Lu but it means “road”, “path” or “way”. The last sentence in “Hometown” goes like this: “Hope is not something that you say it exists or it doesn’t. It’s just like the roads on the ground. There were no roads (way) on the earth in the beginning, but as more and more people walk on the same path, there comes a road.”
Cut to the chase
“When you have to shoot…Shoot. Don’t talk.
yea, we are not shooting, we are just talking. Our reality reflect the dialogue JN cites, even JN is also in the talking camp, not in the shooting camp.
NG
Maroon ayatollah hien! Where is then the moustasch Charlee chaplain!?
I prefer sharing a roasted beef which is a favorite dish of maroon ayatollahs with Charlie Chaplin.
… with the offering of jack daniels in the whorehouse of the red- you become him the laughing stock.
Charlie Chaplin, or Sir Charlie Chaplin, is a genius, who comically yet accurately, depicted industrial english lives. I would rather be a Charlie Chaplin than a maroon Ayotollah.
who is this maroon ayatollah? jamyang noru has the arts of concealment and ambiguity. his sheep like supporters, start hurling it. i am not sure jn’s insinuation and his sheep like dubious supporters, mean the same thing? anyway, have the guts pinpoinnt the ayatollah rather than dwelling on an imaginary fantasy?
ng
Liberty and Human Rights are not optional. Rangzen! ~ http://facebook.com/TibetParaoMundo
Tibet can be free, as the non-communist China as well ~ http://tibetparaomundo.blogspot.com
FMV, professor
http://avidaeodireito.blogspot.com
whorehouse of the red. you mean red robes. You mean? Visit the subjects’ online discussions where the pressing topic of the day is invariably on wantoness and lechery. Desperate and indiscriminate. It’s an occupation in the economic sense. Not a calling in the spiritual sense.
You be whoever you wish to be-the laughing-stock in the political worldcup or the sheep confirming his sheepish ancestry! Red-hood sad fela.
n.g. you can only shoot mouth off. you can’t even write sentence of correct english, except using dirty language. remember Jn was in shooting camp with kahmpas in Lo. you havnt farted in direction of China. JN is real writer and writing is most powerful weapon. pen is migtier than swrod.
Some people talk talk talk parrots if they had mouth as big as cave they can swallow heads!!!!!!!
@pasang: i am not ashamed if i cannot write properly in English, i would be truly ashamed if i cannot write in Tibetan. I am not which one is “dirty” language i used. Can you point them out for public understanding? Jamyang la indeed held to a gun when he was an idealistic youth, but he never shot a bullet, in facf he studied English with a load of books he took on the back of mule. Anyway, for a long time, JN had been shooting the wrong target. Can point us to an article that jn la penned for Chinese? Let check out the date as well! JN is seemingly approaching to the politics of old Lhasa elites when Tibet proper was relatively independent.
I am sure you are one of those niave idealist in exile fed by exiles own propaganda machines. Dude, whether you like it or not, whether you acknowledge reality or not, the variables that is fohndation of a nation is almost changed in Tibet, variables for a strong movement for our collective idealism is compromised in exiles by each individuals choice. Do you think Tibetans in the west can sustain? The hard data shows assimilation and cross racial breeding is unstoppable, India based Tibetans are ultimately integrated into Indian skcieties as second class citizen like chinky north-easterners, of course our good old gyakhampas.
Please rebut these unbeatable daily and proving realities of today.
NG
NG
Why don’t we just burn the books and exile the loud mouth writers. Or send them of to do productive manual labor just like the great Chairman did.
Phayul- “TYC shunned from Kalachakra social service oportunity due to Independence”.
What is this craziness going on? Enough is enough of this pettiness and sheep herding business. Please tell me its not true.
First it was Shugden propitiators, now it is the TYC and Rangzen advocates who are being shunned from religious gatherings. Looks like maroon ayatollahs and fundamentalist yahoos are hard at work.
Kalsanng phuntsok la, who are these maroon Ayatollahs? Who are these fundametalist yahoos? Mind the pinpoint the real culprit? Or is this simply one man’s way of expressing grievances of political past? If you cannnot pipoint, sheeps are being herded here, there is nno fundamental difference between CCP’s brainwashing propaganda about agents of western capitalist in Tibet as a protext to send i PLA.
NG
Dorje shugden controversy is nothing but private animosity between Upper Zimshak ( HHDL ) and Lower Zimshak ( Duezin Drakpa Gyaltsen) and this has nothing to do with Tibet – a Nation. Gandhi didn’t want independent India until Hindus and Muslim can live together like brothers and sister. I too, do not want independent until the law of land becomes supreme ruler. May their rise an infallible leader among Tibetan in Tibet. I have lost total faith in exile leaders. No nation has won freedom by fighting from outside – less fighting among themselves. The shadow of dark age Tibet still persist and it can be eradicate by means of reasoning – not by blind faith.
J.N thanks for wonderful writing. It inspires people like me all the time from reading your writing and your thoughts. If our exile community is a normal community with sane leadership, your ideas will find lot of attention. But our is not a normal community.
In highly advance countries, people with wonderful ideas are much sorted after, by the political leadership and by medias as THOUGHT LEADERS!
But I would defer on one issue with you and many other Rangzen activists.
Don’t get cosy with Harry Wu of Laogai. He is a fake. If any of you seriously believe in this guy then you should follow the trial of the letters he wrote to U.S. government and Congress on the issue of RAF.
I remember greeting him with white scarves to thank him for his show of support for Tibet. Alerted by a friend and after observing him for close to a decade, I find this guy as disgusting as any red communist.
Now talking of fundamentalists Yahoos, Kalden Lodroe of RAF is the flag bearer.
Folks do your own research. My sources tell me that he is claiming that he is the mastermind behind sidelining TYC from Kalachakra program in Ladakh. Same source says he claims he is one of the advisors of the Ladakh Kalachakra Organizing Committee and he thrust this idea of keeping TYC away.
ng, ng, you claim to write in Tibetan, but what have you written. Nothing. Nothing. Name me one book or article you have written in Tibetan. pathertic. just jealous and bitter of everyone else who does something constructive.
Ng
“even JN is also in the talking camp, not in the shooting camp.”!
well said!!!
this is the reality of Tibetans today, the best of them, is the one who write!!!!
why can’t some(at least if not all) Tibetans be the player in the stadium!!! instead of screaming fans!!!!!
why don’t Tibetans learn from Palestinian people, or lets say, southern sudan!!
when they learn how to carry up weapons and fight the Chinese!!!????
in Fact, Tibetans have oportunity to do such thing, they can easily do smuggling weapons to inside Tibet!!! they have Hymalaian border, which can do it!!!
big talk wonder go shoot crows
Sad thing is most Tibetans sit on the fence and wait like a puppy to be told what to believe. And if someone disagrees with their view of things they get irrationally angry. When they can no longer defend their argument with logic they blame people for being against His Holiness. Buddhist lamas are used to having argumentative students and historically they are very tolerant but this new breed of partially educated Tibetans are making Tibetan Buddhism resemble Talibanism where criticism of elders and teachers are taken as horrible moral flaws. There is a passive aggression against people who think differently from them. I could laugh at some of their childish reasoning except that it makes me weep inside that so many of our people are so limited and so sure that the truth is only on their side. There is no hesitation in condemning whole groups of people based on the action of a few.
Most Tibetans? Where is the data? The worse conclusion is, 97.5% of Tibetans in Tibet, not sure how above dude made up their mjnd for his little pokitical self. Exiles should make it more convincing by verbalizing clearly they refer to 2.5% exile populations. I am sure unreasonable Talibanese defenders will declare their know the minds of Tibetans in Tibet who are the true majority.
NG
Your last line applies to the umey lam walas who claim to know the minds of the Tibetans in TIbet.
Many Tibetans I am in contact with in or out of Tibet are big time fence riders. I advice you not put the Tibetans in Tibet too high on pedestal. Otherwise when you meet them face to face you will be disappoint to find out they are human beings just like you and me. Remember the western supporters were shocked to see how materialistic Tibetans are once they get the chance and may be more. Turns out that they found out the display of omami padme hun face is like a dress that can be put on or taken off.
@Lark, i am not putting Tibetans so high up there. The reality is they live on the land unlike exiles running around opportunistically and exploit the situations for their own gain. Another thing, unlike you who only met couple of Tibetans from Tibet, i have experience of living there. So i can do more realistic comparizons of propagandas. Last, i questioned how did you get your “majority of Tibetan” statistic, i only suggested it will be convicing if you put your casual obervasion as statistic in the context of exiles where your bread ad butter lied and nourished on them. The, you are going tagent like most of exile peers by making moral high ground expectation.
Hilarious!
NG
I am not basing my observation on statistics. When people say most people or most things in life it is manner of speech and not exact statistical data. Also the way you write in that immature tone tells me you live or lived in exile yourself too long. It’s hard to tell which of us knows more people from what place.
Larkk, i give you a big lol. Next time, choose better word. Statistics embrace yourself.
Ng
See viral video on North Korean dictator by Chinese while they will never dare to make video on Mao or any other Chinese leaders. Here Kim get knocked down and ridiculed by Obama.
http://shanghaiist.com/2014/07/19/north-korea-furious-over-viral-chinse-video.php
If nitpicking were money you would be a wealthy person.
Chinese lies busted by NYT
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/world/asia/trending-attractive-people-sharing-upbeat-news-about-tibet-.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
Thanks to Karze for the link!!!!
@lark, i am a detailed, well travelled, well read, and academically inclined, someone who has guts let the fact speaks for itself, rather than emotionally vieled sentences, phony statistics, and propagada jargon.
NG
Listen u Both sheep and it’s herders I think the Sheeps are being killed day and night by the pla wolves right under ur nose and u guys argueing under whose herder Sheeps needs to follow.i think we need some dokhyi to defend these sheep first frm the wolves.I m sick of these middle way propaganda and their old Tibet tactic politics of pleasing the PRC thats wat those Kalon and kudrak did before we lost out beloved country.now are these MWA people waiting till Tibetan people gets instinct?i myself was a member of tyc during my college days but now m also sick of ur good for nothing 1 hr protest and one night parties and fake unto death hunger strike.i have lost faith in both thse parties.i suggest let unite,organise and attack thse pla before its too late.p:s all mu-bahadur I don’t need ur lectures.i have already liberated myself.
Galagoda Atte Gnanasara the fat militant hatemongering Sri Lankan monk’s insane reaction against HHDL when HHDL reminded the Sri Lankan buddhist community that beating and killing Muslims is against core Buddhist principles.
http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/sri-lankan-monk-dalai-lama-spiritual-leader–17994.html
c’mon Rangzenwalla, you know that that is not insane reaction. It is the human nature survival/egositic reaction. They are not enlightened and morever they are Thervadans who dont believe the our Vajrayana, nor do they care what we think.
We have no business in Sri Langka. Kundun should stop issuing comments. They are being Buddhist is not my concern. Surely they are concerned about population explosion which ultimately change the balance of power. It is same as exiles mixed with others, there will be a tipping point, a point of no return. Its same shit. I know exiles will evoke human rights clauses of freedom of sexual partners while blaminng and ridiculing China’s ecouragement of inter ethnic marriage on voa and onnlinne Channnels. Dont be hypocritical, all these are natural human tendencies!
NG
You are no doubt well read, well traveled and may be tall dark and handsome too. All these have nothing to do with the topic at hand.
Why are we hesitant to speak about Chinese killings of innocent Tibetans yet condemn the Sri Lankan, Burma and Israel.
I agree. we also don’t know how those people became radicalized. Try to get to know them personally and understand why they are doing what they are doing instead of just criticising them without understanding the whole picture. We all know that the shallow and cowardly media will buzz around sensational news to sell their story and will not ask the hard questions. That is one of the main reason what is happening to those in Tibet do not see the light of day. To such things the world leaders and celebraties pay half hearted attention.
People getting radicalized in different forms everywhere, in the name of religion, democracy, freedom, and last but not least, country! Many are institutionalized radicalization, radicalization of minority is caused by perception of threat to one’s way of life. But funny thing is, none istitutionalized radicalization are deemed illegal, immoral, worst fundametalist extremist and terrorist, while istitutionalized radicalization are deemed as legal, moral, and harbinger of peace.
NG
Prestigious New York Times Publishes Profile on Honourable Dr. Lobsang Sangay
Odd comment from Lobsang Sangey la
Meanwhile, Mr. Sangay offers evidence that Tibetans are opening their hearts to him. In his office hangs a thangka — a traditional painting that usually features Buddhist deities — that has been custom-made by an admirer in China to include his face. He sends out links to worshipful songs that have been written in his honor and posted on YouTube. Asked where he falls in the hierarchy of leaders, he described himself as “a secondary voice,” but added a postscript.
“I am a secondary voice,” he said, “who will someday be a primary voice.”
http://tibet.net/2014/07/19/prestigious-new-york-times-publishes-profile-on-honourable-dr-lobsang-sangay/
Someday he will be the primary voice? What does this mean? Is he hinting that HHDL will pick him as the 15th DL?
If the Silkyong is admitting he is a secondary voice and since HHDL has already retired from politics then who is the primary voice at this time in Tibpolitics?
@NG Chinese state policy to dilute Tibetans by offering incentive in job, promotion etc is different for the few exile who choose to marry non foreign cannot be compared or equated.
It would be child and imprudent to compare such.
@Karze: In the final analysis, they lead to same consequence whether desirable or undesirable. I simply said, whatever might be the intention and motivation behind, it leads to the same result. It depends on whether you want let the hard statistics speak itself or others. I personally trust statistical numbers than pseudo intellectuals devoid of underpinning statistics. For me, I only see hypocrisy in such discussion and statement. As long as Chinese state is not forcing inter-ethnic marriage, it is perfectly fine. I did not see such policy, there are people, and more so tie the knot willingly. SO don’t pass judgment on their life and we should be happy for them rather than making insulting statement because it does not fit exile’s political project. You also make unfounded statement, can you explain how marrying Chinese dilutes Tibetan, at the same time marrying Europeans, North Americans, Africans, and so forth, in short marrying anybody apart from Chinese is not DILUTING Tibetan? What kind of logic is this? Can you give examples of Chinese giving incentives and promotions only to mixed parentage of Chinese and Tibetan? By the way, Chinese and Tibetans are SAME RACE, different ethnic groups. Exiles have the tendency to classify Tibetans and Chinese as different race! We all are mongoliod!
NG
China Warlord, Xi Jinping
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWaF_KMG0FY#t=522
@NG State cannot dictate the citizen who can you sleep with. Today even people resent the interference by parent in marriage.
Chinese policy include economic incentive including job, promotion and recruitment into party etc. Such an act is an inducement.
A state that too representing occupation force is the last one to listen to unless your life is at stake.
A consensual decision by two adult is legal and binding.
Really couldn’t agree more…perhaps the time has come for all of us to bolt to the forest and grow our tusks. On that note…could you tell me if there is an English edition of Lu Xun’s essays? Would love to read them.
NG, I’M REALLY HAPPY FOR THOSE HAPPILY MARRIED TIBETAN -CHINESE UNIONS. THE DIFFERENCE IS USUALLY WHEN TIBS MARRY INJI, THEY BECOME LIKE MORE TIBETAN IN SPIRIT AT LEAST.BUT WITH MARRYING CHINESE THE TIBETANNESS BECOMES LESS AND MORE BECOME LIKE CHINESE. THAT
Did you know old chinese Mistress culture is back in full force in china.There is a BOOM of Mistress villages (besides cancer villages) for Chinese nouve rich.
@tdamdul Sadly the mistress and paramor culture is in “full force” in Tibet too.
@NG
Tibetans and Chinese are not of the same race. If the difference between the two are of ethnicity what is there to bitch about. You keep on at this thing about statistics. Where do you get them? Source them. Your just saying it is statistics doesn’t make it.
Tibetan National Congress has sent an Open Letter of Questions to Sikyong regarding the recent New York Times profile report. Please read at the following link:
http://www.tibetnc.org/2014/07/25/an-open-letter-to-sikyong-lobsang-sangay/?lang=en
Thank you for this link.
Lol, becoming racist! Chinese and Tibetans have More common than innji or indian. The statistics are easy, do a google about populationn on both sides of himalayas, then find the percent. Its that simple. anyway, there is no state sponsored forced marriage. The trend is integration, i am all for integration. Someone is using a chinnese politicians slipped statement, but lack of proofs. There never were forced marriage as exile propagadist claim whe i first first arrived in india, i was perplexed by the propagadas of the timE. There will never will be forced marriage in the future. Everything is inclined to integration. Exiles will have big ego problems, and psycholoogically sick. Well, as times goes on, you becomes irrelevant.
NG
Anna, You can access a number of Lu Xun’s essays and stories at the Lu Xun Reference Archives. http://www.marxists.org/archive/lu-xun/index.htm.
I got the 4volume Lu Xun Selected Works and other books by him from the Foreign Language Press, Beijing. This was back in the early 70s when they practically give you the books if you got in touch with them. I am sure they cost a lot more now. Still absolutely worth reading, and re-reading.
English Translation is not a 100% accurate since Lu Xun primarily wrote in Chinese, there are always words superficially chosen due to different cultural and anthropological context. There are always something lost in translation due to inability of foreign language to effectively translate the meaning that is carried by the words either directly pronounced or indirectly implied, in the context of Chinese history, politics, language, and philosophical tradition.
Of course, you can always scratch some surface and gets an overall theme!
NG
@NG: So you believe in forever living under Chinese imperialism.
Karze la, dont bother engaging this NG. i think he either lacking confidence in his identity and feeling inferior complex when faced with occupier imperialist or has some serious issues. He just might have more in common with chinese than with us.
No. He is just a lost baaa. Comparing exiles marrying foreigners with Tibetans inside Tibet marrying Chinese. ROTFLMAO!
He is one of those to whom everything has to be literal. To those like him forced racial integration has to be marriage that takes place at gun point. If a whole race is made to feel inferior and are made to feel marrying the colonist is marrying up that is not forced integration in the minds such people.
At gun point? Even exile propagandist governmment did not come out with proof? Where did you get it? Plus, although exile government was giving out a false propagada on this forced integration, the suddenly dropped in silence. I am interested in knowing proof! Dont give damn cents to propagadists who were fed in exile, never knew Tibet except gradparets stories of good times, but erasing crushing sins of kudras. Chinese have a better kowledge than exile propagada.
NG
CHinese imperialism? Its a political jargon! Many areas lived with side by side with Chinese and political Tibet, i have no prolem with chinese. Those have prolems are those politically brainwashed who has no iota of power to affect changes, onnly bark like a coward dogs at night who follow the leading bark.
NG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y-8FlFhSKQ
Tibetans need moresongs like this!
Forecasting Future: Ready for day!
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/08/01/longforms_picks_of_the_week
NG
NG,
If you are so happy being under Chinese, (although I believe you are an ethnic Chinese by the look of your fierce loyalty to China), why waste your time spitting venom here?
Why not enjoy your happiness to the full?
oh wait…may be you have to spit such venom to earn your livelihood…
Poor wretched you, life must be hard and stressful to have to constantly brew venom to earn you bread and butter.
TCL
This person NG has no idea of how Tibetans live over there. He lives in the bubble of some institution like a monastery or school and his only knowledge of Tibet comes from what he hears from others. If he really lived in Tibet he would know more of the reality there. Or he is one of those cynical traitors who live in gated community in a Tibetan city with uniformed person in front of his pseudo villa. His knowledge of life there is superficial that even foreigners including decent chinese who visits the country will find his claim shameless.
Tibetan monasteries are forced to hang portraits of “great” CCP leaders but ng needed no such prodding, he was the first Tibetan to enthusiastically hang a poster of Xi Jinping on his bedroom wall.
NG, you don’t like pro rangzen tibetans, you don’t like the pro middleway Tibetans, you don’t like exile (propagandist) government. You don’t like exile Tibetans period. You don’t seem to like Woeser la either, and yet, at the same time, you talk as though you speak for all the Tibetans in Tibet.
If you hate all the exile Tibetans and a big chunk of the Tibetans in Tibet and further, you believe in integration, then you must be one of those rare Tibetans no one talks about in diaspora. You must be on of those Tibetans who are pro CCP, another version of Bapa Phuntsok Wangyal without the “equality” before “unity” bit..
Am I right?
most elite wealthy SOB became so through the suffering of others..just like our SOB before the MF communist chinese showed up to take the suffering farther….those rich commn chinese bastard are lving a luxury life off the sufferingof the poor…
Its not the political power and land that i am concerned about— these SOB should be punished..needs to be studied, tracked down and cut off their extended SOB livng in foriegn land enjoying thats undeserving…
stop your tribal land disputes and lets fk those SOB.
Tall,
Tell me which group of people to fight – the early elites who were elites by birth or lineage and who most long gone or the new breed of opportunistic and corrupt elites? Also answer me did did HHDL advise you to fight them first before fighting chinese? give me answer quick. I need to study and analyse your kind of base level mind thinking.
Why Chinese occupation of Tibet is liberation while Japanese invasion of China is seen as Rape and brutality. Is that a racism – Chinese are always noble and incapable of doing harm while others are brute (Japanese) and barbaric and backward (Tibetan.
Becoz that is the Dialect of this global world bleeting to CCP’s – Ka-ching! and
Being like a sheep is slightly better than a wolf in sheep’s skin. I am not sure where must this latter metaphor be fit in, perhaps, to nobody. The characterisation of wild boar and pig is just stunning. I hope it is that easy to grow tusks. We must really give a try. Being like wild boars!
They are not violent. They are more or less vegetarian. Their tusks are only for self-defense. Just as “they can force even experienced hunters to keep at a distance”, we might do the same to Chinese.
CTA constantly reaffirms MWA whenever they have the opportunity. That’s once every few months. Once again on the Sikyong’s three year commemoration of being in office, at a prayer service he is busy beating the MWA drum. It is like MWA was his own pet idea which he can’t stop talking about. Sangay is again reiterating his commitment to Middle Way Approach in solving the crisis inside Tibet because the whole world knows how successful MWA has gone down with the Chinese government.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=35173&article=Tibetan+PM+reaffirms+commitment+to+MWA+at+prayer+marking+3+years
Informative website for those interested in Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism
http://info-buddhism.com/
A must read article by Professor Elliot Sperling:
http://bit.ly/1nJHOD3
Not sure, “must read”, as this seem to be a truncated version of Incivilities, in which Herr Professor let it be known in no uncertain terms, his distaste for the MIddle Way Approach. And now with the further enfeeblement that is the Partial Middle Way, thanks to the Sikyong, we should all fear for the professor’s very sanity.
Now I know the professor is a friend of Tibet, he has done a great service translating articles for Woeser la and her hubby Wang, also two dear friends of Tibet. (Incidentally, Wang Lixiong back when he met His Holiness, supported the MW but recently, he seems to have chilled on the idea.
Anyway, I was hoping for the professor to tell me something I didn’t already know, like if P-MW is wishful thinking, then what is a realistic, workable alternative? Surely not killing every Han til independence is reached ala Weeger is it?
@80 MWA proponent has no middle way approach towards the Rangzen group. Rangzen doesn’t guarantee that its bloodless struggle but also doesn’t mean its blood letting like Chinese occupation army did to Tibetans.
Every nation had shed blood if need be to protect themselves so why should Tibetans be different breed of human after all we too live in this same planet with same emotion and 23 pair of DNA that humans share.
Our country is not given to us by your parents,
it was loaned to us by your children.
Stand up for your country. It was not given to you by your parents,
it was loaned to you by your children.
Don’t sell your country. It was not given to you by your parents,
it was loaned to you by your children.
Karze I personally have no issues about shedding blood, especially if it isn’t my blood thats being shed. But, seriously, before we even get to the stage where we talk about shedding blood and such, a clear, concrete, workable blueprint must be in place so that lives are not wasted, right?
So, my question was, if the MW is such complete failure, as the professor, and many of us allege, what is/are the alternative strategy/strategies?
Does TNC have such a blueprint? I don’t believe so, what’s more, having watched the NA President Jigme Ugen la speak at Harvard, I am not expecting one either.
@ 85 problem with MWA is that they would never give a chance to Rangzen and will block at every effort made by rangzen proponent while remaining silent to the Chinese atrocities and even praising the original sin aka Mao as great leader and traitor Phunstok Wanggyal and Ngabo.
The blood is being shed in Tibet every day by Chinese of innocent Tibetans although not on the large scale of 1950-70 ties.
Why we Tibetans have to pretend to be compassionate even to those who brought immeasurable suffering to Tibetans – Chinese occupation forces who not only murdered countless Tibetans but stole and plundered Tibet and every made very existence of Tibetan doubt.
When was Rangzen given a chance?
Karze, I hear you man.Its getting weird and weirder i dont know what to make of it.one thing i can say is that its not working. now world leaders also seem confused and dont know if they have to praise China or rebuke China. I know its all good intention and therefore enjoy peace of mind but we really need a more skillful approach and not just appease and give and give.
anyone listening ot the panel discussion on Shugden?
@85
Let’s first stop telling the world that we are not seeking independence, or that we don’t challenge the Communist party rule. Let’s first stop pretending as if MWA is even a strategy. Its only a distraction that confuses the Tibetans and supporters and sucks the momentum out of our struggle. Once we start being truthful to ourselves, then we can all focus on one clear goal and move together. And once we start moving together in that direction – toward Independence, a path will naturally emerge. That is why it is called a struggle. There is no “blueprint” showing a path from A to Z. We are fighting to regain our country for crying out loud, not building a house. And remember, we’ll have a chance for genuine autonomy only if we aim for full Independence. Whereas if we aim for only autonomy, failure means status quo or even worse.
don’t waste your time with NG, because he is obvious CCP planted in this blog
he is no morethan 50 cent Chinese internet army
as for my opinion
I agree 100% with DROGPA..well said!!!
Tibetans needs to do like Uyghurs, smach up China!!!
Chinese now scared as hell, for walking in the street, thousands chinese leave East Turkistan!!!
don’t waste your time with NG, because he is obvious CCP planted in this blog
he is no morethan 50 cent Chinese internet army
as for my opinion
I agree 100% with DROGPA..well said!!!
Tibetans needs to do like Uyghurs, smach up China!!!
Chinese now scared as hell, for walking in the street, thousdns chinese leave East Turkistan!!!
Guys, I believe, like you guys do, that the goal of independence has so many salient points, not the least is the fact that, everyone would feel good about themselves and the cause because Tibetans are so nationalistic, so its almost instinctual to yearn for nationhood. In this regard, Jamyang Norbu la has written extensively and eloquently so no need for me to overstate.
Actually my question was directed to the professor, who being full of wisdom may give me some insights, so I don’t get all this, “first the MW should do this and then the MW should do that.” MiddleWay isn’t likely to change to Rangzen, for the obvious fact they call themselves the MIDDLE WAY!!
I am not here to defend the MW, they have the exile government and His Holiness to do that.
For the time being, don’t even bring up the MW, assume MW is no more, now what is the plan? the long term strategy, the blueprint for a nation-what kind of government? What kind of economic system?, What about immigration, are we going to have relationship with China, yes or no, why yes, why no.. and so on ..
listen, a concrete blueprint might not be essential, but it definitely wouldn’t hurt and will give intellectuals and tibet experts, something to chew on, and give us peasants something concrete to debate on..
“…a path will naturally emerge.” mindset is above the moon and totally irresponsible.
Amen! for Kalsang Phuntsok la @ post 89.
Sick and tired of U-mae Lam crap.
Tsering Woeser la said in an interview that growing up and educated in the Chinese Communist school, she didn’t know anything about the Tibetan situation til she read, In Exile from the Land of Snows by John Avedon.
Whatever happen to John Avedon?
#92: I am agreeing with you wholeheartedly about the need to put some plans together.
A few years back there was a TPR article that had some ideas about how to start… i just looked it up and it’s worth reading again… http://www.tibetanpoliticalreview.org/articles/tibetanfreedomandthedayafter
Every Tibetan whether they support Umelam or Rangzen should think about what the future should bring and plan accordingly.
Who are those Tibetans monks protesting in Ferguson? They if they have time then they should go to protest at Chinese Embassy or Consulate.
Talking of TYC and RFA:
It is now well know that Kalden Lodoe is the one who disclosed to his close Gaden phodrang associates about getting rid of TYC socials service during the Ladakh Kalachakra. It is also a fact not disclosed to the public that this person is also the undisclosed official representative of Gaden Phodrang at RRA. Can you believe! Why not, talk to insider in Dharamsala and Washintong DC. You will know it.
Also, did any one report about Kalden Lodi accompanying Libby Liue (RFA director, now aspiring to become the CEO of the ensuing shakeup of US Broadcasting Board).
Ladakh’s were stunt to see His Holiness welcoming libby and she returing his affection with a flying hand kiss in from the whole Kalachakra gathering. Holy cow. No wonder where were not video clippings (well censured by those in power).
Libby has and is opening courting His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Aung San Sue, Rabiya Khadeer etc. and a host of US officials, especially Congressmen of both parties to win their hearts.
Have you heard that the new director of RFA Tibetan Service, Mr. Tethong T N. has not or little say over the management of his service.
Kalden Lodoe who was recent promoted to a newly created position as Senior Managing Editor was done so bypassing the unit director. My source thinks Mr. Tethong, and for that matter the whole service, is in big trouble. He Mr. Tethong fails to reign in before it is too late, my sources claim, the future of free speech and free press at the Tibetan Service is a forgone conclusion. Friction within the service is simmering, and my source also disclosed to someone what Libby Liu had to sent Kaldlen Lodoe who has been picking up quarrels with is subordinates was sent to a day-long anger management out of DC.
If you are visiting DC, visit RFA for yourself, and feel what is wrong with the Tibetan people.
Tibetan RFA is a tiny bug amongst many bugs amongst many. Chinese has ay least have two section of rfa witj more staffs tjan Tibetan section. Mandarin and Cantonese. Libby does not meed gangden podrang’s endorsement. Simple logic.
Ng
Lelkyi Tsho, I think you are wrong.
I heard that he is a well known flirt, corrupt, power hungry and seeks and gains of all kinds of benefits, be it material or some say even sex for selling access to, what every one knows now.
Despite all this, I think, unbeknownst to his self, he is making a yeoman contribution to Tibetan society.
Though it may sound oxymoron here, he is like this innocent child in the Emperor is naked story.
Through him and his dealings with Gaden Prodang, all the Tibetan youths, educated and with a faculty to think for themselves (generation that will make decision for Tibet in coming five to ten years) are getting an opportunity to see that our own emperor is not that divine.
Future generation will have lot to that thank him for giving them that maturity.
For anyone who doubts this proposition, I challenge them to prove my thesis wrong by doing your own intelligent inquiry into what this guy has done to gain this much popularity /notoriety or to keep your eye trained on the dealings of this guy and members of his extended family.
Angry ex-Monk Kalden Lodie is not an elected official of CTA, he is a nobody ex-Monk who with an aggressive personality, family and friends connections in the right place got him where he is. He is successful because he is a corrupt bully. That can’t mean he is someone whom the younger generation of Tibetans of the future will look up to. He is one of those power hungry, horny, angry, loser who will be forgotten in a day.
Libby lius and Kalden Lodoe types are the pure manifestations of this materialistic world. Having mastered or maybe even born with their focus on their lower chakras, these people are driven to seek and are able to reach heihgts in terms of power, sex, fame and wealth. their higher chakras are completely closed blocked and they remain clueless about true spirituality. Maybe our Sikyong fall in that category too. one could argue that these people just cant help it thats why they are drawn to politics or whatever there is power, fame money and sex in the first place. It can be said that China as a country as a whole is raging on with speed activity in the lowest of the lowest chakra. starting from MAo Tse Tung.Tibet on the whole was just the opposite before which is not a good thing if you are to survive as a nation.
All the chakras functioning at the right level would make a healthy, balanced individual.
The pimp leads the slut and the slut blows kisses to our god-king, sitting on high throne, giving kalachkara teaching . OMG.
When the history of Tibetan struggle will be written, this dragon lady will figure prominently for undermining Tibetan democracy through press censorship at RAF.
Democracy is, what one Tibetologist describes as our Holy man’s only legacy.
Minus democracy, the scholar said, exile Tibetans have nothing to show, except of course thukpa, momo and prayer flags.
Tenam-la. You are right, Sikyong is another slimy one. Right at this point there is two important whisper campaign going on at the highest level in Dharamsala.
Insiders tell us that Sikyong Sangay’s kashag has two layers: one a regular kashag and two his inner kitchen cabinet.
Kitchen Cabinet, we are told consist of kalon Pema Chonnjor, Health Kalon ( his in-law), US Dhonchoe, and one former Dhonchoe based outside India.
The news is that Sikyong is about to announce that CTA is going to host next Kalachakra at Bodh Gaya next year, said to be dedicated to Tibet and Tibetan patriots. But in reality this is the insiders political strategy to start his re-election campaign .
Second is, he is thinking of inducting Swiss Dhonchoe Tseten Samdup into his cabinet as new minister for youth empowerment. Insiders say this is more to deepen his relation with Gaden Prodrang.
Be warned that these two whisper campaign may be totally baseless. But it is worth keeping an ear for. Only time will prove how much this rumor is worth. Although my sources swears these are true.
Recently Hindu newspaper published an article with reference to so called Talks.
As usual there is no prompt rebuttal either from HHDL or CTA regarding the statement made by the Chinese officials that so called “Talks (9)” were only about the return of the Dalai Lama and not about Tibet.
By not issuing a prompt rebuttal it will give credence to Chinese statement.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/dalai-lama-in-talks-to-return-says-wu-yingjie-deputy-secretary-of-communist-party-committee-for-tibet/article6347847.ece
@karze, that statement was issued after the settling national disaster of cultural in China, it was the official stance since then. Where were you sleeping?
NG
I am not all that crazy for gossip mongering, especially if the gossip monger is out of touch with current affairs.
Now I personally have no experience of Dharamsala politics but if i was to speculate, a, so called, Sikyong’s “Kitchen Cabinet”, of inner circle of people that does not include Kalon Dicki Chhoyang la is hard for me to imagine because these two seem inseparable. Whether they are inaugurating the new MW website with a blessing by His Holiness, or presenting tutorial to general public on the Middle Way Agenda (how to navigate the site). Both one face on mainstream english speaking media attempting to sell the partial MW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcsV46m5FVY
At this moment, they are together at Hamburg sino-tibet conference, and so on…….
There doesn’t seem to be a great mystery as to the why of this conjoinment, the lady Kalon is quite impressive in the way she presents herself and rumor has it, lol, shes got a bit of the Iron Lady in her attitude. She definitely enhances the stature and the office of the PM. Actually, a smart move by Doctor Lobsang Sangay to use his assets well. They make a good team.
My liberal bias opinion is that everyone has the right to critique our democratically elected officials, its not only our right but our responsibility as well, however, let me say something good about Doctor Lobsang Sangay when it comes to Education. He is doing a bang up job! I especially love how he stresses the importance of education to the Tibetan kids as well as cajoling the teachers to teach better.
@105 NG: I know that since the so called negotiation with China by Gyalo Dondup after Deng came to power. The Hindu link is the recent repeat of the past statement.
What I am surprise is that CTA never refute promptly any statement made by Chinese which contradict the statement made by CTA to Tibetans about the negotiation – the talks is about 6 million Tibetans well being and not just return of HHDL.