We don't really know Tibet

This post is about Tibet, one of the most sensitive topics in my country, China.

I've never expected that the first post this year would be on this topic. I really hope it could be something else discussed here, however, since the situation seems getting worse and worse with the coming of the Olympic games, some kind of conscience forces me to write my thoughts down.

First, most of Chinese never been to Tibet, we are taught and told that the lives of Tibetans are improving year after year, we are taught and told that Dalai Lama is a separatist, that always seeks opportunities to separate our "great country", and nothing more about him was taught and told. We Chinese don't understand why he is so popular and given great respect in the west, after all, in our world, he is depicted more like an "evil" (this word is not very appropriate, sorry). Our education and media always convey the ideas like: Tibet is always one part of China, Tibetans suffered great misery before our PLA went to "liberate" them; Tibetans are becoming richer and happier than ever before.

So, when the westerns use "invasion" to depict the situation in Tibet, we are very confused, after all, we are taught, that our "great" PLA "liberated" the ordinary people there who were slaves and suffered a lot from landlord and monks who once owned the lands. We don't have a clue of what happened in the early 1950s, our government and schools just told us that we liberate the Tibetans, and our great country are united again...

What is the real situation? No one cares, at least, for most ordinary people. When you were kids, and your parents and teachers told you that Santa would come at Christmas Even, most of you would just accept and believe it, that's a very similar situation here, once the first impression was there in one's mind, we always prefer to just accept it, rather than challenging it.

Are the Chinese to be blamed? I really don't think so. We loved the Tibetans, as our brothers and sisters, we are told the all ethnic are equal and gathered as a big family in this great country, it really hurts our feelings when the Tibetans beat us, Hans in the street of Lhasa, we did not do anything wrong, we don't even know the truth, or even the reason why Tibetans are so angry...

I feel ashamed for our government, even outraged towards the Party controls my country, for too many lies are told, not only about Tibet and Dalai Lama. However, I don't think violence could solve any problems here, we had experienced the bloody tragedy in 1989, we saw fighting, we saw crying, but what we got finally? More restrictions on media, personal rights and speech freedom...

I myself hold great compassion towards the Tibetans, I understand why they feel angry, why Tibetans around the world call for independence and the return of Dalai Lama, however, more Chinese don't, not because they stand firmly alongside the government, but for the reason that they don't know what is the truth, and what is going on outside. Today, Youtube is officially block in China, I believe it's because the "riot" in Tibet, and the related clips on Youtube. If most of the people in China who firmly follow the government cannot gains real democracy, objective views of history between 1910-1989 and free access to the outside world, I don't think the situation in Tibet would improve as well.

Maybe I am a fool, but I still have hope for our government, they know the situation, they know what is the real essence of a modern society, so I'm still waiting for its improvement, still hope things can get better and better.