Explain Tibet stuffs to foreign friends
kicering(hexun.com/kicering)

The day before yesterday, in a pub, one my foreign friend, who comes from Germany, asked me prudently, "can I ask a silly question... do you know the issues in Tibet? I read some news, but maybe not so accurate, do you know more of that?"

I realized immediately his concern, and understood I need explain something to this critical guy.

"What did you read?"

"Well, most of the news talks about the inequity of Tibet people's life compared to that of migrated Chinese people. I heard most of Tibet people have less education, and in worse conditions compared to Han people, and they usually get lower salaries, in a poorer living standard then." This guy said.

"I guess that is partly true", after a little bit though, I've to recognize this, "You know Mandarin is the official language in the whole China, especially in the government, which leads to the situation that higher-salary jobs require Mandarin speakers, just as in US, if you are not an English native speaker, to find a good job is not such easy. This is the same in Tibet: The original people have natural disadvantage in languages, so more difficult to seek a good job, especially in the government. Nevertheless, the living condition has improved much in the last decade. Thus, in my thought, economic reason is part of the truth, but not the whole: why minority people in US seldom rebel although their jobs are not as good as the white people?"

My friend was more confused, "sounds reasonable.. but what is the main problem there?"

"I guess the main problem is the religious issue. Tibet people have their own religious belief, which is significantly different from Han people, who actually have not any beliefs, except material respect. For Tibet people, they can endure if no food, but can not bear to defy their GOD. The Han people who migrated to Tibet seem have not respected the native conviction seriously, therefore they actually have quite different angle to observe affairs. For example, a Tibet may buy some captured fish from Han, and free them in the river, while the Han will jeer this silly behavior, and will catch those fish again. Lots of such things make Tibet people have the feeling that they are defied, and their GOD is defied. The problem is that the government does never realize this kind of difference in living and beliefs, or the dichotomy , and keep on their daily executive with the Han custom. "

"Oh, that's probable", my friend was becoming to understand, "I can image the severity of religious conflict. In Europe, this kind of conflict is quite normal in history and even today. This is a very tough affair for all governments, and I believe all people in the world would have a clearer picture considering that. "

"Sure, but the rebel is rebel, anyway, and out of endurance of any government. This is why the Chinese government suppressed the rebel with iron hands." I reconfirmed that.

"But to be straight, the Chinese government is something stupid: why it drove medias away? Which left so much space of suspicion..."

"Well, you can say that. But Chinese people are not. And people should not boycott the Olympic games just because of some rebels."

"Sure thing!" he nodded.