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Tibet's unhappy anniversary: communist China cracks down hard as Tibetans commemorate their uprising of 50 years ago.(ASIA)
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With an average elevation of 16,000 feet, Tibet has been called "the Roof of the World." But the view was unpleasant for Tibetans this March: Chinese armored vehicles, machine-gun-wielding soldiers, and riot police ruined the landscape. It was the 50th anniversary of Tibet's uprising against communist Chinese rule, and China was taking no chances.
Tibet has a history that dates back to at least the seventh century A.D., with a unique language and culture of its own. Buddhism was established as the state religion in the eighth century. A succession of leaders, referred to by the title "Dalai Lama," constituted both the spiritual and governmental chiefs of Tibet from the 17th century until 1959.
During much of its history, Tibet was under China's control. However, after the fall of the Qing dynasty, the Dalai Lama proclaimed Tibet an independent nation in 1913. The Republic of China, founded by Sun Yat-sen, never agreed with the proclamation, but used no force against Tibet.
Bondage
However, after the communists completed their seizure of China in 1949, dictator Mao Tse-tung set his sights on the mountain nation. Although his pretext was the debatable assertion that Tibet was really part of China, his goal was conquest for communism. He sent his People's Liberation Army (PLA) to invade Tibet in October 1950. Americans, preoccupied with the Korean War that had begun that June, barely took notice. The Tibetans showed no desire to be "liberated," but Mao's troops defeated their poorly equipped army in a matter of days, killing over 5,000 Tibetan soldiers. Those who surrendered were given lectures on socialism, then released.
In May 1951, with Communist China's gun at its head, Tibet signed a 17-point agreement. Under the arrangement's terms, Tibet was declared a part of the "motherland," the People's Republic of China. In turn, China was supposed to allow the Tibetans to retain their religion, culture, and values.
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Source: HighBeam Research, Tibet's unhappy anniversary: communist China cracks down hard as...