Tibet-Demo vor der Chinesischen Botschaft in Wien

Meine Sicht der Dinge:

Seit dem Einmarsch versucht die Chinesische Regierung, die Tibetische Kultur zu vernichten. Sei es früher mit der großen Kulturrevolution oder heute durch die aktuelle "Chinesisierungs"-Politik. Beispielsweise hat auch der Bau der Eisenbahnlinie den Zugang nach Tibet für Chinesen entscheidend erleichtert.

Gleichzeitig bedeutet Kultur aber Identität, und Identität ist ein Grundbedürfniss des Menschen, und daher vollkommen legitim. Die Tibetische Kultur zeigt sich bisher auch erstaunlich widerstandsfähig gegenüber diesen chinesischen Einflüssen.

Bei China handelt es sich aber um einen vollkommen autoritären Staat, der es niemals zulassen würde, dass irgendwer oder irgendetwas seinen Machtanspruch in Frage stellt. Und diesen Anspruch sehen sie in Tibet durchaus gefährdet, selbst wenn der Dalai Lama ledeglich Autonomie, nicht Unabhängigkeit, fordert. Und China schreckt auch nicht davor zurück Menschenrechte zu verletzen, um diesen Anspruch auf Tibet zu verteidigen. Das ist die eine Seite der Medaille.

Nun haben aber die Tibeter, vor allem die jungen, offensichtlich das Gefühl, genug geschluckt zu haben.

In Lhasa sind spontan (zumindest ist mir nicht bekannt, dass es sich um eine geplante und koordinierte Aktion gehandelt hat) Proteste ausgebrochen. Aber die Gewalt hat sich nicht nur auf die chinesichen Behörden beschränkt, sondern richtete sich gegen alles chinesische: Chinesen, die zufällig in der Nähe waren, wurden vom Mob wahllos niedergeschlagen. Chinesische Geschäfte wurden geplündert. Das ist die andere Seite der Medaille.

Ich kann den Grundsätzlichen Anspruch der Tibeter auf Autonomie und Selbstverwaltung nur unterstützen - allerdings muss man auch sehen, dass die Mittel, die sie dazu einsetzten, nicht legitim sind. Ich Verurteile diese Gewaltausbrüche gegen die chinesische Bevölkerung. Auf diese Art und Weise entsteht eine Spirale der Gewalt, die einen friedlichen Konsens langfristig massiv erschweren wird - schließlich müssen die Chinesen, die jetzt Opfer der Gewaltausbrüche werden, danach ja auch irgendwo leben. Auf der anderen Seite - würde der Westen überhaupt hinschaun, wenn nicht Blut fließen würde??

Sehr viele der Demonstranten waren Tibeter, die Letzten Dienstag, am 18.3. fand auch vor der Chinesischen Botschaft in Wien eine Demo statt. Der Präsident der Österreichischen Exil-Tibeter Vereinigung (wenn ich mich nicht irre) hat dann anfangs auch eine Ansprache geführt, in der er gefordert hat, dass die westlichen Länder klar Stellung beziehen, und nicht nur den Schwanz einziehen.

Für viele der Tibeter war die Kundgebung sehr emotional - was ich verstehen kann, schließlich hatten viele auch Verwandte in Tibet, die direkt von der aktuellen Situation betroffen sind.

Nach dem singen einiger Tibetischer Lieder stürmten dann einige an den (noch wenigen) Polizisten vorbei vor die Botschaft, wo sie lautstark ihrem Unmut kund taten. Einem der Demonstranten gelang es, auf den Balkon der Botschaft zu klettern...



...wo er dann die chinesische Fahne herunter riss, und die Tibetische schwenkte.




Die Chinesische Botschaft hat ihn aber relativ schnell überwältigt, und in die Botschaft gezerrt. Erst nach ca. einer halben Stunde wurde er der Exekutive übergeben - erst danach löste sich die Demonstration langsam auf.

Plötzlich war dann auch ganz viel Polizei herum, und die Chinesen konnten wieder eine neue Fahne hissen...


Einen guten Bericht dazu: http://video.vienna.at/members.stadtreporter/flv-tibetdemo.flv/viewer.html

Meiner Meinung nach war diese Aktion legitim - da sie sich in erster Linie gegen die Chinesischen Behörden gerichtet hat, nicht gegen chinesische Bevölkerung.

Die Anliegen gehören jedenfalls unterstützt. Sucht euch Kundgebungen, auf die Ihr geht. Unterstützt einen Olympia-Boykott. Außerdem könnt ihr die folgende Petition an den Chinesischen Presidenten ganz einfach online unterstützen unterstützen:

Petition to Chinese President Hu Jintao:

As citizens around the world, we call on you to show restraint and respect for human rights in your response to the protests in Tibet, and to address the concerns of all Tibetans by opening meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Only dialogue and reform will bring lasting stability. China's brightest future, and its most positive relationship with the world, lies in harmonious development, dialogue and respect.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/54.php?cl=66146994

Burma

Friedvoll
marschieren die Einen

Lebensgefährlich
die Forderung nach Dialog

Utopisch
der Gedanke an Gerechtigkeit

Gewaltvoll
die Antwort der Anderen.

untätig schaut die Welt zu
wie aus friedlichen Protesten
eine Demonstration von Gewalt wird.

The best Shots - finally!

I'm glad I bought a good camera before I went to this trip. Even if you wouldn't need a expensive camerea over there, since you can hardly make bad shots!! Whereever you accidantly pull the trigger, afterwards it turns out to be a great photo!

Also I finally managed to select the best out of the 30 gigs of pictures I shot during my time in Bhutan and Tibet - and I tell you, it was the hell of a job!! They are all nice - But only a few are perfect.
And of course, anything less than perfect wouldn't make it onto this blog ;)


I Splitted the whole thing up into three parts, I'll show only one part here, to see all parts visit my Flicker page!!:

Enjoy, and don't hesitate to give me some feedback on my babies!!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.


Some impressions from a Tsechu in Bhutan. This monks in their beautiful dresses and old, wooden, colorful masks are a perfect motive for every photographer!

A Tsechu is a religious festival, introduced by a big guru some hundert years ago. It lasts three days, and monks perform mask dances to teach the audience religious wisdoms.


View the other Pictures!



All pictures Copyright by Lukas Eggler. If anyone is interested to use one of them, contact me.

Rollin' down the Friendship Highway...

Note: There are already millions of travel reports for the trip on the "Friendship Highway" from Lhasa to Kathmandu, so I will keep this one short (just some nice pics with comments).

We had a beautiful time in Lhasa, but our time / visa was running out. So we had to find a way out of the country. Since individual traveling is not very welcome by the Chinese government this is not as easy as it seems: You need to rent a vehicle via an official Tour Operator, with an official licenced tour-guide who can act as a kind of watchdog for dangerous international tourists.
We found 3 Canadian girls who were traveling the same way the same time, so we agreed to rent a Land-Crouiser to get to the border town (Zhangmo) with a quick stop at Everest Base camp in 4 days / 3 nights.

I’ve never seen more off-road trucks (Toyota Land-cruiser) than here in Tibet.



and after a while it was also clear why – I never drove that rought roads!!












our driver kept us entertained with a really nice tape – Only problem was, that that was his only on, and at the end of our tour we could sing along, even if the songs were in Tibetan!








shigatse was a beautiful town – but plan enough time for the monastery!









Landscape is just stunning!


But to get to the Everest Base camp we had to cross some rough terrain...





sometimes we couldnt even drive!!







Well, OK OK, maybe we drove most of it ;)




when we arrived we walked a little (really only a little!! On 5200m you get out of breath from turning around in the bed at night!!) into the valley, but the big mountain was in clouds...






But in the morning it cleared up…

And there he was! Everest! So close! You could almost touch him!
And after one more hard day of driving we finally reached the Border.

There we were seperating from the canadian girls again - after 4 days crowded together in a Landcruiser I think we all were happy. It wasnt bad, but sometimes traveling can get, hrmm, un-relaxed if you are stuck with people you do not really fit together with - especially if 7 people are driving in one land cruiser!

And what happened first thing we arrived back in Kathmandu? As soon as we stepped out of the car we saw Shelby walking along - a nice american lady we met and had a lot of fun with 2 weeks earlier. (We expected her to be already in Bangkok by the time we get back to Kathmandu!) I only say: Best "Truth or Dare" in ages!! And: Kathmandu Rooftops rock!!!! ;)


And I was also meeting a good old School Friend again - STRACKIIII!!!

Man, It was good meeting him again after such a long time!! Phillip surely chose one of the more fascinating ways after we finished school together 4 years ago!!


Well, and after this three days in Kathmandu my sister and me finally flew home. Thats it, I hope I will get into that corner of the world again, the people deeply fascinated me.

And I'm happy I finally finished my blog! In the near future you will also find the best pictures of my whole journey on this page, so stay updated! I'd love your comments on on my photos!

Lukas

Tidrum Nunnery Hot Springs

Hello, hello! It took some time, I know, but you finally get a new entry!

I won't bore you with long monologues this time (you got your sermon already the last time ;) but rather give you some impressions of a really impressive country, in Film and Word!

Well, what do two austrians from the alps do when visit Tibet? Right, look for more mountains!! And so did we!!

"We" means my sister and me of course, and my friend Walter from Burgenland and his Girlfriend Ana from Spain - both of them are working in Tibet for a year. It seems that there are easier things to do in life than running an NGO in China, especially Tibet, but this is another Story (which I promised to spare you this time :)

They took us to a place which felt completly like Home!

The Mountains looked the same...
... Marmots (even if I never heard one whistling!)
... Gemsen ("Mountain Deer" in good old english...) ...
... one could take Yaks for really really ugly cows...

... with a little phantasy even a monastery looks like an Alp-Huette!!
But the only thing that did not fit AT ALL, and what really made it clear to us that we are not at home were millions of EDELWEISS!!

A bit crazy that Austrians have to fly to Tibet to see their first Edelweiss, isnt it?? ;)

Well, we had a beautiful time there in the tidrum-Nunnery - Where, by the way, you can have the stunning experience to have a bath in the natural Hot Springs - together with a Busload of Tibetan Monks (who seem to stop washing themselfs already two weeks before they go there!! ;)


This would also be one of my TRAVEL TIPS:
Tidrum Nunnery is a nice place - not the Nunnery itself, but the surroundings! Get a Tent and walk a couple of hours up the steep gorge (There are two gorges - take the left one!) until you reach the little monastery you see on the picture. It must be bautiful to camp up there (I think they will let you stay there if you ask the caretaker), but definetly much nicer than staying in the accomodations provided at the Hot Springs. Its a quite dirty, yak-butter-smelling place there, its better to camp on you own. And dont miss out a bath in the hot springs - its still a natural stone hotspring (not a big concrete tub) and its visited mostly by locals. You wont find many tourists there.

China vs. Tibet - an unfair fight...

Yes, I know, "Somwhen next week" is already over quite a long time - but I'm really sorry, I just did not have the time! And besides visitor-numbers are dropping significantly, so I thought its about time for some more brainwash - ahhm - stories :)

This is probably a good point to put forward some critical thoughts about China and Tibet. It's especially a good point because I cant't be imprisoned here in Austria for publishing my thoughts, whereas in China it might bring you into serious trouble (I would be considered "Counter-Revolutionary" by the Chinese Communist Party, and therefore of course criminal!)...

As most of you probably know China invaded ("Liberated" in chinese government approved speaking...) Tibet in 1949/50. Thousands of Tibetan soldiers died trying to resist the People’s Liberation Army’s advance towards Lhasa. Chinese historians even noted that Tibetan peasants applauded Chinese troops who entered their villages, but they apparently didn’t realize that in parts of Tibet people customarily clap their hands to ward off evil spirits... ;)

Needless to say that the rich cultural and religious way of life in Tibet did not really fit into a communist regime (Since Marx already declared religion as "Opium of the people").
In 1959 the Dalai Lama, before the invasion the spiritual as well as worldly leader of Tibet, was forced into exile to India and is seen as the main Enemy of the State ever since. And whoever is considered to be in any relation to him is in trouble as well.
For example many Tibetans pilger to the Dalai Lama because of spiritual reasons - if the government ever finds out they will have no chance to get a job from the government (like e.g. teacher) or work in certain other restricted fields (e.g. tourism, which is after all still a quite important source of income for tibetans - and it is paradox that most guides in Tibet are Chinese!) or may even get detained.

After the so-called "Peaceful Liberation" and the exile of the Dalai Lama the "Cultural Revolution" - one of Mao's last big burst-outs of crazyness - was the next big shock for Tibet. From 1966 to 1976 More than 6000 Monasterys and Nunnerys have been destroyed, monks and Nuns disrobed, imprisoned or worse, and tibetan culture was derided as ‘backwards’ and ‘primitive’ and in need of ‘modernization’ by China.

Debating is an important part of buddistic culture, and moncs have always been educated in this skill.
The only thing is, that they cant discuss everything they want to nowdays - if they express pro- Dalai Lama views they risk getting imprisoned.
In Sera monastery you can watch monks debating. But be aware that you feel like a visitor in a zoo, becaus thats how the chinese government has set the whole thing up, as a tourist attraction.


Only very recently the chinese governmen realized, that tourism could be an important source of income for the region - they are in a kind of struggle now: On one side the Tibetan culture proves to be extremely resistant against all chinese assimilation attempts and the Tibetans deep loyality to the Dalai Lama - which is rooted in their culture - endagers Chinas claims on the land. And thereby of course also their acces to the natural ressources which are located in Tibet.On the other side the rich Tibetan culture attracts a lot of Tourists, and as everybody knows money is everything in modern China.


So they rebuild Monasterys which have been destroyed, but at the same time they suppress the religion. They create Buildings which lack the soul. This is exactly what you experience when you visit the Potala (on the left side. It has been turned into a big museum nowdays), former residence of the Dalai Lama, or his summer palace.





But it is not always as bad as I described it above. I soon realized how strong the faith of the people still is. And it is absolutely impressive to see how Tibetan People can take all this suppression and hidden or open discrimination, and still keep their faith!!

I have never seen more pilgrims then in Tibet. Especially in Lhasa - if you jump into the crowd of pilgrims on the Kora (A "Kora" is allways a ring-way around a holy temple, building, lake or mountain which people proceed clockwards wo earn themselfs good karma) arround the Jokhang-Temple you feel the deep faith of the Tibetans, Mongolians and Bhutanese who come a long way to visit this most holy temple of all.




Here you see some pilgrims turning a gigant prayer wheel on the Kora rount the Jokhang-Temple. I have never seen this wheel standing still!












Pilgrims turning Prayerwheels on the Kora arount the Potala...












Here some Tibetan women selling incsense (branches of special bushes, or powder made of some special plants) to pilgrims...











...who burn it - its supposed to make a lot of smoke and thereby cast out evil spirits









If you read this, you made it through the whole entry! Congratulations! ;)

I'm sorry, it was a lot of text this time, but I couldnt make it shorter, the topic is just to important to me.

But next time you will get a nice little travel-picture-story again, I promise!

cya! Lukas






TRAVEL TIPS:
If you travel to Tibet you should do this in a responsible way. And therfore you must be aware of the relationship between China and Tibet, because you don't want to put yourself, or even worse, other tibetans in danger.
(e.g. by starting arguing with an Tibetan about the Dalai Lama in the middle of Bakor-square, while you know that Lhasa is full of police and spys. If the Tibetan makes pro-Dalai Lama Statements he puts himself in great danger, so you shouldnt drive him into that.)

I reccomend that you read this alternative guide in order to prepare for your journey. It mentions a lot of background on the Chinese-Tibetan relations, where to look to find signs of the chinese suppression, how you should act in order to put no one in danger, and how you can help the Tibetan people in the country.

PARADOX LOST: HOW NOT TO BE A TOURIST IN TIBET
www.savetibet.org

Kathmandu - Lhasa - Gangte

Hello Everybody!!

Since there are so many dear friends I would like to read (and maybe also understand;) my Blog, but they can't speak german, this is going to be my first english Blog-Entry! Spelling-mistakes regretted ;)

Well, a lot happened since my last entry. I didn't get used to drunk tourists in masses and Gogo-bars in Kathmandu, but I found out that the City has also other, positiv, sides - you just have to see them!

After strolling around one day in the historic Center of the town I even have to admit, that the City is beautiful!! You can walk around, and behind every second corner there waits something to be discovered!

be it a giant choerton...

...just a nice shop...

... or a tempel occupied by Pigeons!

And there is much more for us to see! Btw, since the shopping-possibilities are really great, also stephanie liked it a lot ;)

Since we had 3 days before our departure to Lhasa, we decided to make a little adventure-trip as well -

here you see stephanie 'swinging' - that means you are standing on a 160m high suspension bridge, and have a approx. 50m long rope tied to your harness. The other End of the rope is fixed to a massive steel-rope, which is fixed to a steel-rope which is strained over the ravine as well. And then you jump. And Scream ;)

But the best thing about that trip was, that we met some very nice guys there, from the US, Netherlands and the Pharao-islands (sorry, elisabeth, had to write that ;) who we could hang out with for the next couple of days! I really hope to see some of them again some time!

But Time is always running fastest, when you enjoy it! And so we soon had to leave per plane to Lhasa...

...having some beautiful views of Tibets harsh landscape!!

And here we go, LHASA!! A rather chinese city nowdays, but still beautiful (if you stay in the tibetan corner of the city).

Amazing for me was, how big the streets all the sudden have become (compared to Nepal and Bhutan especially)! Potala in the Background...

and, ok, this has nothing much to do with lhasa itself, but have you ever seen a cat with two different eye-colors?? We found one guarding a little little monastry inside the old city! Strange but beautiful!

And today we went to Ganden-Monastery - an unbelivible place build on a little hill about 45 min north of lhasa

And from upthere you just have the most amazing view! The only problem is to walk up there - since the air is really getting thin above 4000m!!

Here you see one of the many temples from inside - as you mention correctly, its the first picture of the inside of an monastry on this blog so far. This is because in Bhutan its strictly forbitdden to take pictures of the temple, but china doesnt seem to care, they ask for a photo-fee and you dont even have to take off your shoes...

and thats it already - another entry will come somewhen next week!

cya

Travel Tips:

• Dont go Canyoning in the Monsoon season (at least not at Last Resort): Only the small canyon will be available (because the bigger ones have to much water). But what they dont tell you is, that at the small one all the water is used for irrigation of the fields above, so you basically repell down a more or less dry gorge, and the only reason you are wet is because you are sweating like hell in the wetsuit!! So dont get talked into it!
• The Kathmandu Guesthouse in Kathmandu is a good palce to stay. They have all kinds of rooms from 2 USD to 60 USD, but all are clean and safe. Besides it is located in the touristic center of the Town, in Thamel. You can also buy some beers in the shop round the corner and drink them in peace on the roof top - really nice! Sometimes you will find taxi drivers who will bring you from the Airport to the Guesthouse for free (because they get comission).
• If you like it a little cheaper go to the Freak-streat. This is the old touristic center of the Hippy-times, not so important nowdays. But you get pretty good places for cheap, try e.g. the Moon Stay Lodge, it has a really cosy atmosphere and rooms start from 150 NRP per night
• Dont miss the monkey temple in Kathmandu - great view on the city!
• In Lhasa we were staying in the Kirey Hotel - Rooms are clean, even if the shared toilets arn't always. But its a local place (you support tibetans by staying there!) and you have a very good and cheap restaurant (Tashi II) in the courtyard
• Dont miss Ganden Monastery! Really nice! And walk up the top of the Hill, the view is really worth it!