Sunday, October 7, 2007

Tibet: Death by consumerism

The New Statesman
Article by Lindsey Hilsum
Published 30 August 2007

As part of its "civilising mission" - and to deter independence - China is taking control of the Tibetan economy. Modernity is being imposed by force, creating ghettos and spreading deprivation across the countryside...

According to government figures, Tibet's economy has grown by more than 12 per cent per year for the past five years. In its attempt to deter "splittists" - those who believe Tibet should be independent - the government is trying to knit the Tibetan economy into the fabric of China. Chinese companies are encouraged to "go west" to start mines, tourism companies and other businesses, while Chinese provinces sponsor development aid and town twinning projects. The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy says more than 50 ethnic Tibetan officials have recently been sidelined, while a further 850 reliable Communist cadres from across China have been offered incentives to join others spending three years in Tibet. Full Article Link

No comments: