"China even attempts to debase the greatness of Tibetan tradition to folkloric elements of happy dancing and singing in accented Mandarin by ersatz nomadic Tibetan herdsmen, who celebrate the mountain grassland scenery. The deep spirituality that is the most important characteristic of the magnificent Tibetan civilization is nowhere to be found. Instead, China invests in Tibet's material development in the vain hope that young Tibetans will abandon their backward” culture and language, and seek modernity through identification with China's Han-led rise to power.
But it appears this policy is having the opposite effect. As Tibetans become more prosperous, their yearning for affirmation of their Tibetan identity only becomes stronger. Beijing, meanwhile, responds with violence to all expressions of Tibetan nationalism, and desecrates by burning all "llegal" Tibetan flags and portraits of the Dalai Lama that the Chinese police and military can set their hands on. So the mutual anger continues to mount."
This was also published in the Montreal Gazette under the title "China seeks to silence the Dalai Lama's moderate voice" on October 22: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/China+seeks+silence+Dalai+Lama+moderate+voice/3713838/story.html
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