Tibetan Fears

ralphrepo · Jun 7, 2008

Why is Tibet so fearful of Chinese incursion? Below is a historical example:

Recognition at last for Japan's Ainu
By Philippa Fogarty BBC News

In the 19th Century, Japanese people called the northern island of Hokkaido "Ezochi". It meant "Land of the Ainu", a reference to the fair-skinned, long-haired people who had lived there for hundreds of years. The Ainu were hunters and fishermen with animist beliefs. But their communities and traditions were eroded by waves of Japanese settlement and subsequent assimilation policies. Today only small numbers of Ainu remain, and they constitute one of Japan's most marginalised groups. On Friday they will have something to celebrate. Japan's parliament is to adopt a resolution that, for the first time, formally recognises the Ainu as "an indigenous people with a distinct language, religion and culture". In a nation that has always preferred to perceive itself as ethnically homogenous, it is a highly significant move. "This resolution has great meaning," says Tadashi Kato, director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido. "It has taken the Japanese government 140 years to recognise us as an indigenous people."

Language banned

There is no definitive theory as to where the Ainu came from. What is clear is that they have lived in Hokkaido and parts of the Russian Far East - the disputed Kurile Islands and southern Sakhalin Island - for hundreds of years. Traditionally they lived off the land, worshipping natural landmarks and animals, especially bears. Japanese settlers started moving into Hokkaido in the 15th Century and gradually pushed the Ainu north. They brought infectious diseases and so Ainu populations fell. Then, when the Meiji government came to power in 1868, the pace of Japanese settlement increased.

Ainu land was redistributed to Japanese farmers. Ainu language was banned and children put into Japanese schools. Japanese names became compulsory. Finally, in 1899, the Japanese government passed an act which labelled the Ainu "former Aborigines". The idea was that, henceforth, they would assimilate. This act stood for almost 100 years. Successive governments held that there was no "Ainu issue" and insisted that Japan did not have any ethnic minority groups. Ainu culture was not seen as something to be celebrated or preserved, so many grew up ignorant or ashamed of their cultural heritage.

Discrimination was and still is a problem - in schools, in the workplace and for marriage - with some Ainu choosing not to reveal their background. Today, there is still a gap in terms of standards of living and levels of education between the Ainu and their compatriots. Events in 1997, however, signalled the start of a shift. After a legal challenge, the Sapporo district court ruled the government had illegally taken Ainu land to build a dam and failed to consider "the unique culture of the indigenous Ainu minority." It was the first official acknowledgment of any kind of separate Ainu identity. Four months later, the government replaced the act of 1899 with a law that allocated government funds to promote Ainu culture. Efforts to revive language, traditional dances and music gathered steam, contributing to a more positive appreciation of Ainu culture. But the government still did not recognise the Ainu as an indigenous people or offer substantive proposals to support them on a day to day basis.

'Symbolic value'

Now it is taking another step. The parliamentary resolution will give the Ainu formal recognition. It will also call on the government to establish an expert panel to advise on Ainu policy. Teruki Tsunemoto, director of Hokkaido University's Centre for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, says the move will put the issue on the national agenda. "It will help the government formulate comprehensive general policies towards Ainu people that will improve their economic and social position," he said. It will also have a more long-term effect of bolstering Ainu ethnic pride, he believes. "People felt they were discriminated against because they were Ainu, so being Ainu used to be a minus. Now maybe this resolution will help people to feel pride," he said.

Immediate concrete benefits of the resolution are less clear. Dr Richard Siddle, author of Race, Resistance and the Ainu of Japan, says the resolution's significance is primarily symbolic. "This admission puts no obligations on the government," he says. "Very little will change for the Ainu because of this. It's a step forward, but not an epoch-making step as some people are portraying." As to the timing of the resolution, there are several factors. International focus on the issue of indigenous rights has increased in recent years, putting more pressure on the government. There is also the issue of the Kurile Islands - both Russia and Japan claim them but the Ainu were their original inhabitants. It could be that the Japanese government has come to perceive the Ainu as a potential asset in the negotiations on this issue, Dr Siddle says.

A third factor is the upcoming G8 summit in Hokkaido in July. "The Ainu want to be involved in the summit and want to do a ceremony to open it," he says. "Involvement in the summit has given them some leverage." Whatever the reason, Japan is finally going to acknowledge that it is host to an indigenous people. After more than a century of being told they do not exist, it is a big day for the Ainu.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7437244.stm
Published: 2008/06/06 01:37:22 GMT
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There are differences between Hokkaido and Tibet, of course, and political mechanisms are now different too. I'm not sure if there would have been much of a world uproar for the Ainu during the mid 1800's, Olympics or not. Still, examples such as this give Tibetans and their supporters much to think about and fear. If history is to be recognized as a teacher, perhaps we should listen when it speaks.

Ralph

ralphrepo · Jun 19, 2008

As the Olympic torch is ready getting ready to make its way through Tibet, this was in the news:

Amnesty seeks 'missing' Tibetans

More than 1,000 Tibetans detained during protests against the Chinese government in March remain unaccounted for, Amnesty International says. In a report, the human rights group said there were reports that detainees had been beaten and deprived of food. Ahead of the Olympic torch relay through Tibet, Amnesty asked China to "shine some light" on the situation. China says rioters killed at least 19 people. Tibetan exiles say security forces killed dozens of people. The anti-China protests led by Buddhist monks - the worst in the region in 20 years - began in Lhasa on 10 March. After the riots, pro-Tibetan protesters threw China's global Olympic torch relay into disarray as it passed through several cities, including London, Paris and San Francisco.

Hundreds of raids

Olympic organisers in Beijing have confirmed that the torch will reach Tibet on Saturday. A planned three-day stay there has been cut to one day because of schedule adjustments linked to last month's Sichuan earthquake in China, they said.

"With the torch relay about to enter Tibetan areas, this should be an opportunity to shine some light on the situation there." Sam Zarifi
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The relay will run through the main city, Lhasa, the centre of the anti-China protests. Announcing the update report, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Director Sam Zarifi said the information coming out of Tibet painted "a dire picture of arbitrary detentions and abuse of detainees." Official reports only provide information on a small number of those who have been sentenced after questionable trials, Amnesty said. It said that , with foreign journalists still not allowed into Tibet, reports coming through friends and family members to the media and Tibetan organisations suggested that police had carried out hundreds of raids on monasteries, nunneries and private homes.

TIBETAN PROTESTS
Tibet: Protests began in Lhasa on 10 March, dozens reported dead over weekend
Gansu: Unrest spread to Machu , where Tibetan government in exile says 19 died, and near Hezuo , where protesters were filmed tearing down Tibetan flag
Sichuan: Reports of riots and casualties in Aba , and of unrest in other locations
Qinghai: Other unrest reported
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"Those who dare to find ways of sending information to foreign media or human rights organisations regarding protests and arrests, risk arrest and imprisonment," Amnesty said. "With the torch relay about to enter Tibetan areas, this should be an opportunity to shine some light on the situation there," Amnesty's Sam Zarifi said. Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has appealed for Tibetans not to protest during the Olympic Torch visit to the region. The leader of Tibet's government-in-exile said recently he was fully supportive of the Games beginning in August, and therefore the torch. Beijing says the Dalai Lama incited the March violence. He denies this and accuses the government of human rights abuses.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7461126.stm
Published: 2008/06/18 21:01:14 GMT
Click to expand...

Its interesting that such a well respected human rights organization like Amnesty International has set its sight on Tibet and what the Chinese are doing there. Long the nemesis of US military hawks as well as jungle warlords, this protection of human rights organization (founded by British attorney, Peter Benenson) has been at the forefront of helping those that are helpless, especially when no one else is willing.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are/history

Ralph

Tibetan Fears

ralphrepo Well-Known Member

ralphrepo Well-Known Member