The protests by the Buddhist monks in Burma last year seems to have energised the Tibetan rank and file across the globe. Although brutally suppressed by the military junta, the protests forced the international community to recognise the political repression in Burma, and there are some signs that global pressure is having some impact. For the Tibetans, the summer Olympics presented a window of opportunity that could be used to put their own plight before the world.

The Chinese authorities want the Olympics to be their coming-of-age party, an economic and political global power confident to engage with the rest of the world. Instead, the attention now seems to be on China’s human rights record. First, it was the Chinese foreign policy in Sudan that came under attack and now it is the turn of Tibet. But unless the Western governments speak out, nothing else would matter. And no one is ready to annoy the Chinese. The Bush administration’s gung-ho democracy agenda somehow seems to falter as it reaches the shores of China. The European Union’s liberal post-modern world view apparently can co-exist side by side with the Chinese model so long as the Chinese market is available.

The West, however, faces a dilemma. First, as societies that uphold liberal humanist values, shouldn’t they speak out for the Tibetans, whose cultural identity is under threat? Second, Tibet’s struggle for independence (autonomy now) is perhaps one of its kind in the contemporary world, a non-violent movement. At a time when it is in vogue to take up arms and use violent means to attain political objectives, wouldn’t supporting Tibetan struggle sends a strong signal on means and ends? Third, tensions in Tibet are not good for regional stability in the Asian region, as Tibet is at the core of Sino-Indian relations. Though clearly Sino-Indian ties today are multi-faceted, problems in Tibet can easily spill over and lead to broader tensions between the two. Is it in the world’s interest to have tense ties between two of the leading global economic powers? Finally, the entire Western approach towards China, for the last several years, has been premised on the notion of engagement. When does the West re-evaluate its position and see how far its policy has actually worked?

... contd.