China issues demolition order on world’s largest religious town in Tibet

Post by rakoo » Sat, Jun 18, 2016, 8:38 PM UTC

fractallyte wrote: post #172

jjcc wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's seldom known to westerners but many knowledgeable Chinese know that there are financial aid programs for minorities. Similar to that of financial support from Canadian government to the natives in northern Canada. In other words, the money from tax payers of developed areas in China feeds the people. The purpose of the programs is also quite similar to the Canadian government, (at least in the beginning): the pe…

Why should an entire nation of people be satisfied with 'minority' status? There's a much simpler solution: 'self determination'. Furthermore, in this instance, it has a compelling precedent: Tibet, which China invaded in 1950.

Post by rrggrr » Sat, Jun 18, 2016, 8:50 PM UTC

Udik wrote: post #195

rrggrr wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, and Nevada and California make the same complaint of Colorado. Cities and states inland of the US Great Lakes make the same complaint. Water rights are disputed globally, and that doesn't make Palestine the equivalent of Tibet. In Gaza (and Sinai), Israel gave up its settlements. In the West Bank there is one disputed formal settlement, and several nutcase Israeli squatter camps under dispute. The reality is tha…

> Nevada and California make the same complaint of Colorado I hope this is supposed to be a joke. There is the small difference that citizens of Nevada, California and Colorado elect their representatives in the Congress and other institutions where the decisions on how to share the resources are made. While Israel just takes what it wants by force, and the West Bank Palestinians have no say in it.

Post by hackuser » Sat, Jun 18, 2016, 9:11 PM UTC

jsnk wrote: post #143

andy_ppp wrote: post #128

I do not understand the cowardice and fear the Chinese government seem to have of a small buddhist settlement in the middle of nowhere high up in the mountains of Tibet... It looks like they feel the opposite of a superpower and that a few buddhist monks might threaten them so much they have to destroy them. It's very easy to forget how free we are by comparison to those persecuted in occupied territories.

Chinese government is attuned to history. Chinese history is a constant cycle of disintegration and reunification and the current government knows it is not special. At some point, it too will disintegrate into 100 pieces. It's just that they don't plan on making that any time soon. Anything they can do to delay the inevitable, they will do so.

Post by roywiggins » Sat, Jun 18, 2016, 9:17 PM UTC

hackuser wrote: post #205

jsnk wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chinese government is attuned to history. Chinese history is a constant cycle of disintegration and reunification and the current government knows it is not special. At some point, it too will disintegrate into 100 pieces. It's just that they don't plan on making that any time soon. Anything they can do to delay the inevitable, they will do so.

> At some point, it too will disintegrate into 100 pieces. That generally doesn't happen with democracies; they could adopt democratic reforms.

Post by curiousDog » Sat, Jun 18, 2016, 9:26 PM UTC

kweks wrote: post #29

I was there literally three days ago. The place is nothing short of breathtaking. Nestled at 4200km, it was a three day motorbike ride from Chengdu. Even at its foothills, you have no concept of the scale of the town hiding in the hills. This will truly be a tragic loss - the town is much more than the 'slum' it is represented as - it's arguably the most important Buddhist learning institution in the world.. Photos f…