Tibetans' cries for help
NEW. YORK. April 1. KAZINFORM Tibetans have long occupied a special place in the heart of the West. But that has not done them very much good.
According to CNN, over the past year, as the world focused on the Arab uprisings, and as China's growth shadowed over a weak global economy, the Tibetan struggle for autonomy entered a disturbing phase.
From a distance, it might have looked as if China thoroughly succeeded in crushing Tibet's hope. But at home, in a western part of China, Tibetans are giving notice that their struggle is not over. Chinese authorities would do well to reconsider their strong-arm approach, because with or without Western attention, the Tibetans will continue their fight.
It started in March of last year when a young Tibetan monk, Phuntsog, set himself on fire in a protest against China's policies . Since then, some 30 other Tibetans, mostly monks, have doused themselves with fuel and lit the spark that turned them into human torches, shouting cries for freedom and for the return of the Dalai Lama to his homeland, before collapsing and writhing in pain.
Beijing has responded with crackdowns. But despite a large presence of security forces and some 21,000 Communist party officials, the self-immolations continue. Most of the cases have occurred in a remote area that allows Chinese authorities to easily block out foreign reporters. Exile groups say Tibetan protests occur daily.
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