Tibet riot - the other side of the story

While the world is watching how the riot plays out in Tibet, I found some interesting discussions on Chinese forums and witness accounts by Chinese civilians living in Tibet. Perhaps these accounts can serve to show another side of the story.

Blogger "Fenghuang Xiaocheng" on wenxuecity.com wrote about what he saw in the four hours he spent in Lhasa on March 14. The blogger is believed to be a academic doing research in Tibet. (update Sunday March 16: full translation by eastsouthwestnorth.)

The rioters are young Tibetans in their early 20s. They began by burning cars around the Xiaochao Temple. Then they banged into neighbouring shops, looting them and burning them. The only store being exempted from being damaged was a Tibetan shop that sells pottery.

When my car arrived at the intersection of Xiaochao Temple, I saw rocks weighing 1-2 kg each all over the place. A taxi was burned to its bone.

The riot caught the cops by surprise. They didn't even have guns, 20+ cops were injured almost immediately.

When my car drove pass the Lhasa police station, I saw lots of rocks on the lobby floor.

People are SMSing me that "Don't go out!", "Take good care!" etc. On the streets, people were running for life, fearing of being targeted by the rioters.

I knew that the cops have been ordered "not to fight back if attacked". As a result, many 17- or 18-year-old cops were injured.

At one intersection, a car was burning and many people were watching. A police cruiser arrived and dozens of rioters ran away. Just another 300 metres away, two more taxis were on fire. I saw an ethnic Chinese girl running with blood all over her face.

It's 10:30pm now, there are more sirens and sounds of explosions outside. How long would the riot last? I'm really worried about my country.

A taxi driver working in Lhasa told a Hong Kong TV reporter:

Those Tibetans are armed. Each carries a knife. There're a lot of injuries and even deaths. They used their knives to stab and killed the Han Chinese. (How?) They stabbed whoever Han Chinese in sight!

Some responses from various forums:

"Sury": I've seen many Tibetans... such as those not buying train tickets. We (Han Chinese) have been trying so hard to stay away from them... both because of our multi-ethnic policy and their roughness. Train police also avoid clashing with them. In the cities, they are ganged up and we are afraid of them -- fearing they would hang out their Tibetan knives any time.

I agree that our government has been too weak on ethnic peoples. In my school, my workplace and in my society, I've seen officials of every level of government trying too hard to accommodate them. If Han Chinese and ethnic minorities commit the same wrongdoing, the Han would be penalized but not the latter. It's been two generations since we have the multi-ethnic policy in place and our government should review its validity. As we are progressing into governing by the rule of law, we can't treat them differently because of their ethnicities. It's just too unfair.

I had a classmate who came from Tibet. When he lost his temper one day, he threw out a bottle out of the classroom, breaking glasses. If we (Han Chinese) did the same thing, we would definitely be fined or penalized if not expelled. However, my classmate got some "comfort" from the counsellor, who even told us to be patient with him and be nice to him.

"animalland": I thought Tibetan monks are peace loving... perhaps I'm too naive.

"xiayu buchou": I don't understand these communists. How can they order the cops to "not fight back when attacked" when faced with looting situations like this? Come on, even if you don't fight back, no international media would commend you. They are coming at you. It's all because of our weak and submissive muliti-ethnic policy set up since the Hu Yaobang time (late 80s). These Tibetans are spoiled.

"xiao yi xiao": I have a different opinion. I believe it's important to win media sympathy. Didn't you read reports were saying that the riot was targetted against Han Chinese? If Han Chinese reacted or fought back... Dalai Lama et al are actually hoping for gunshots fired!

"xiayu buchou": It's about our legal system. The communists have always playing the "empathy" card. They thought being nice to these people, they would repay you with respect. It shouldn't work that way! What's urgent for us is that we should cancel the preferential treatments of the Tibetans, cancel their status being "super citizens". If they are rioters, then treat them as rioters, no matter what ethnicity they are. These people only know how to ask for more if we give them more.

"lixiang biejing": Come on, bro. Don't be silly. Even when we are treating them (Tibetans) like gods, western human rights activists are still saying we're not doing enough. Even if you don't mess with them, those westerners are already picking bones in the eggs. You wanna cancel their preferential treatments? I bet we would be expelled from the world stage.

Be patient, repress your anger. Let's wait until China becomes a real power. Look at the US, they chose to finish the Iraqis and who dared to stop them?

See also:Western Tibetophilla = escaping disgust with modernity
Mainstream media bias against China is live and thriving: US tourist
'There're no innocent Chinese bystanders': pro-Tibet blogger
On Sinophobia
Biased media reports 'unite all Chinese'
Evidence of Western media bias
Tourist video of Lhasa riot shows mob violence
'Chinese authorities exercise great restraint': CTV
Accounts from Lhasa and beyond
'Howling' mob attack anything, anyone looks Chinese: Western tourists
Hong Kong reporters, foreigners expelled from Lhasa (footage)
Tibet riot - BBC
Tibet riot photos taken by eyewitnesses
'They don't even let go women and children'
Tibet riot - great INDEPENDENT accounts
Rioter to Dalai Lama: 'Please don't ask us to stop'
Han Chinese not humans?
Latest AP photos of the Lhasa riot
Beijing, Dharamasala both use heavy propaganda machines
Tibet riot - more eyewitness accounts
'They stopped throwing stones at the boy when I rushed forward'
Tibet riot - the other side of the story