Musings...

" The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will."

Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential. - Winston Churchill

BY HIMANI KUMAR SANAGARAM With Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping’s visit to United States in February this year, a number of questions related to the Chinese security, economy and human rights situation were raised. Although Jinping acknowledged that China needed to improve its human rights situation, he has called on America to respect Chinese claims of sovereignty over Taiwan and Tibet. Tibetan protestors have rallied at various events where Xinping visited. There have been 25 confirmed self-immolations in Tibet since Feb. 2009, according to the International Campaign for Tibet Web site. In January, Tibetan reincarnate monk Lama Sobha self-immolated himself. Found in Sobha’s robe was a tape recorded message to family and friends, which expressed his wish that Tibetans should: “Unite and work together to build a strong and prosperous Tibetan nation in the future.” Speaking in Amdo Tibetan, he said: “Give love and education to the children, who should study hard to master...

50 years on, Tibetan cause still a toss-up?  Over 50 years, Tibetan freedom struggle still in limbo BY HIMANI KUMAR In 2001, women started going to school in Afghanistan and in 2005 the first free elections were conducted in Iraq. These events were viewed as major human rights accomplishments. Human rights seemed to be gaining ground. But over 50 years have passed and nothing tangible has been achieved by Tibetans, who are still under the Chinese rule. The struggle to gain independence that started in 1959 is still in a limbo. Sixty-two years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations, something still is missing and needs to be done. The Chinese have oppressed the Tibetans in selective spheres - academic and economic. In the guise of development that China has promised to the Tibetans, Tibet is being subjected to wide-scale changes and Tibetans are being forced to give up their religion and culture with attempts to neutralize suppo...