Devotion to Tibetan god-king vies with loyalty to heirs of Chairman Mao

An old Tibetan peering through spectacles as thick as magnifying lenses spits with anger at the mention of the leader whom he blames for enslaving him: the Dalai Lama. A young man with high cheekbones, long hair and slim jeans bursts into a tirade against the authorities he charges have stolen his freedom: Beijing.

When it comes to emotive issues such as independence from China or the return of the exiled god-king, Tibetans are not necessarily of one mind. Many have become materially better off under Chinese rule; many others miss their spiritual leader and are distressed by the constraints imposed by a distrustful government.

There are few reminders of the anti-Chinese riots that rocked Lhasa, the capital, on March 14 last year when mobs of angry Tibetans raced through the streets setting fire to shops, offices and banks, killing 18. Residents point to the only clothes store where five shop girls, one Tibetan and four ethnic Han Chinese, were burnt to death.

One Han Chinese doctor working in the ethnic Han section of the city said: “It’s quite safe to go into the Old Town now. There are lots of army and police there to maintain order. But better not to go out late at night.” Read Article

By Jane Macartney