Barack Obama is the first presidential candidate to put out a statement in response to the protests by Tibetans inside and outside of Tibet and China’s brutal crackdown in response.
I am deeply disturbed by reports of a crackdown and arrests ordered by Chinese authorities in the wake of peaceful protests by Tibetan Buddhist monks. I condemn the use of violence to put down peaceful protests, and call on the Chinese government to respect the basic human rights of the people of Tibet, and to account for the whereabouts of detained Buddhist monks.
These events come on the 49th anniversary of the exile of the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama. They demonstrate the continuing frustration of the Tibetan people at the way in which Beijing has ruled Tibet. […]
Tibet should enjoy genuine and meaningful autonomy. […] Now is the time to respect the human rights and religious freedom of the people of Tibet.
While this is a good statement – far better than what the Bush administration has put out – I agree with Lhasa Rising’s comments at Tibet Will Be Free:
Thank you, Senator Obama.
However, Senator Obama does miss something major. Tibetans aren’t just frustrated at “the way in which Beijing has ruled Tibet.” Tibetans are fundamentally opposed to Chinese rule in the first place. They are calling for independence, not “better” rule by Beijing.
Also, Senator Obama misses the significance of March 10, 1959; in addition to being when His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled into exile, it was when Tibetans across Tibet rose up against the Chinese occupation of their country. So while we appreciate Senator Obama’s support for Tibetan autonomy, we would be much happier if he recognized and supported what Tibetans are literally dying for in the streets: independence.
Indeed. This statement is a step in the right direction, but it falls for the all too common mistake of soft peddling what Tibetans want (freedom) and what they object to (China’s military occupation of Tibet). I know criticizing China isn’t popular in the West, but when the situation is as transparent as it has become this week, you’d think the old standbys for appropriate discourse might be modified to reflect the severity of the situation.
That said, again, Obama’s statement is good and it is certainly an improved articulation of US-Sino-Tibetan policy from what the Bush administration has provided us.
Hold Fast 
Until now, I wasn’t sure where Obama stands when it comes to international issues concerning human right violation. Now i am for Obama. Man! You will raise like the King and uphold his legacy and the legacy of greater America. Not only the Americans, but the world needs such a fresh leader. 1.5 billion people in the world don’t have a basic human rights in China. Especially “minorities” in China have been systimatically put at disadvantages. It is a global issue to solve the human right violation in China. Unless Chinese government improves human rights that includes freedom of religion, freedom of expression, letting Beijing holds Olympics will only disgrace the core spirits of Olympics. I don’t think any athletes woud feel proud and happy to show their talents on the bloody ground in Beijing.
Prostests in Tibet is a manifistation of long repressed souls of under monstors of corrupted Chinese government. Tibetans have been marginilized in their own land with special previleges granted to Chinese migrants in Tibet.
Unless China deals Tibet issue realistically, no matter what, Tibetans will fight for their freedom. Tibetans have struggled for freedom with non-violence means for 49 years now, if China doesn’t reponse it, this struggle can turn into a violence mean.
May Peace Prevail on Earth.
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Senator Obama made an eloquent, much-needed condemnation of Beijing’s brutal crackdown on innocent Tibetans, but he needs to take it one step further.
The good senator must make the connection between these recent non-violent protests for freedom and the chilling events of the Tiananment Square massacre in 1989. Senator Obama and the Democrats should do more to condemn Beijing’s authoritarian attitude of simply killing innocent civilians.
The Democrats should know that speaking out against the PRC’s aggression in Tibet and threats to democratic nations such as Taiwan will not jeopardise business interests because cooperation with Beijing hasn’t been very fruitful in the first place with the countless product recalls due to poisons, toxins and shoddy workmanship – to say nothing of the PRC’s continuous aid to horrible regimes such as the Sudanese government.
The Democrats should understand that 2008 is the time that they must be in power to make change and do good rather than just be in office shying away from courage and conviction.
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Webmasters, bloggers, blog posters and BBS posters, please use the following code on your website, blogs, and posts, substituting ‘v’ brackets for “L” brackets. [a href=”http://www.freetibet.org/”] “I support the Tibetan people in their struggle for religious freedom and human rights [/A]
The Chinese-government sanctioned hackers can’t block us all!
I support the Tibetan people in their struggle for religious freedom and human rights
Viral marketing for Tibetan rights can help!
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