Image: landofsnows
You know the history, unless of course educated within the US system, but it goes like this. Europeans invade and colonize lands while suppressing indigenous people. The foreign colonizers increase in numbers expanding military, political and economic control, while at the same time waging a war of cultural genocide against the original inhabitants. Having established dominance they then set about exploiting natural resources, causing widespread environmental damage and pollution. With the progression of laws and regional and national democratic process eventually various rights and protections are approved, including the establishment of national parks. Protected for the benefit of the now firmly-in-control citizen and also to conserve the environment and ecology. Meanwhile beyond the boundaries (and in cases, within) of such protected areas corporations are free to pollute, degrade and destroy in the pursuit of profit.
Image: geographical
Now exchange the title United States of America with occupied Tibet, and a similar process is underway, administered by a brutal Chinese regime. Which as with the emergent political establishment of the USA, regards itself as having some inalienable claim not that of a god, but through a falsified history, infused with delusion. The outcomes, however, are similar, not completely, but with serious environmental impacts, in which the Tibetan people, oppressed, marginalized and without political authority or freedom can only watch.
Image: wondersoftibet
Once, pristine lakes and rivers polluted, mountains sacred to Tibetan traditions mined into oblivion, forested areas transformed into deserts, atmospheric and ground pollution by asbestos and uranium mining and increased NO2 levels from cars and trucks. But don’t worry folks, just when you would be forgiven in concluding that the Chinese regime didn’t give a damn about the environment in Tibet its propaganda ministry announced recently that a number of national parks were being considered for the region. Guess we just didn’t give Xi Jinping and his regime sufficient credit, right?
Image: airpaz
These proposals are of course, like all those issued by the Chinese authorities, saturated with political concerns and priorities. They also serve a clear propaganda aim. To convince those reading such reports in the West that China’s intentions inside occupied Tibet are honorable and respectful of the Tibetan environment. Not sure if that’ll work! Meanwhile, the ecocide against Tibet continues. As Tibetans, their land stolen, and culture enslaved (forcefully replaced by an increasingly dominant Han Chinese presence) face a dangerous and fragile future.
There’s only one outcome which could halt the wholesale degradation of Tibet’s environment and establish genuine respect and responsible stewardship of that beautiful and ecologically vital land. That would require national freedom for the Tibetan people!
tibettruth.com 