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TIBET AT A TURNING POINT: THE SPRING UPRISING AND CHINA’S NEW CRACKDOWN
in addition to the press cameras. Labrang monastery was already full of security
police and the monks were experiencing severe repression following protests on
March 14 and 15 that were dispersed by armed police with tear gas. The monks spoke
quickly, often at the same time, in their rush to communicate their concerns face to
face with an outside delegation.
According to a translation of their comments from footage of the protests broadcast
internationally, one of the monks said that they were not against the Chinese hosting
the Olympic Games. A young monk holding the large Tibetan flag says “We support
the Olympic Games and you must understand this.” Another monk interjects by saying,
“Yes, you must understand this.” The young monk continues, saying “The Olympic
Games will start in August and we’re not protesting against them.” Referring to plainclothes
police or soldiers, another monk says “In recent days we haven’t had many
tourists like this but they are Chinese soldiers in ordinary clothes just for show.”
One monk told the journalists “We want human rights”, and speaking to the other
monks said “Do we want human rights?” The response was in the affirmative in
Tibetan, and one monk repeated this in Chinese. One of the young monks holding the
large Tibetan flag shouts “We want human rights, we want freedom for Tibetans [Free
Tibet]. We can no longer bear to live under this repressive Chinese rule. They exercise
repression in every part of Tibet and because of that we can no longer develop the
Buddha dharma and without that the idea of world peace (cannot flourish).”
Another monk addressed the current situation in Labrang during the crackdown, saying
“A lot of people have been arrested, and a lot of army are in the streets. No human
rights. No freedom. We have to denounce the Dalai Lama. We want the Dalai Lama to
come back soon. A few days before we protested and then they put the poison [tear gas]
on us. A lot of people arrested. A lot of soldiers here. No human rights. No freedom.”
During the protest, monks shouted repeatedly “We want human rights, we want
human rights!” Off the camera a journalist asks, “What’s your message?” A monk
responds holding a small white banner with another monk “We don’t have human
rights. We want the Dalai Lama to return. We want the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet
soon.” The banner reads “Human Rights!”
One of the monks tells the journalists “Tibetans, especially the elderly, are like the
setting sun over the peak of a mountain.” According to the translator, this means that
Tibetans are leading a precarious existence on the brink of extinction.
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