Anti-CNN.com

http://www.anti-cnn.com/

I heard about this on NPR this morning. It's a site run by an independent activist inside China that attempts to point out the anti-Chinese bias in the Western media that surrounds the Tibet protest issue. I am personally of mixed opinion about the Tibet issue, but I think it probably has garnered disproportionate attention in the West, especially given the much, much worse abuses of human rights and international law that occur throughout the world. I have never quite understood why so many people are up in arms over Tibet but never mention word one about Chinese weapons sales to Zimbabwe or oil deals with Sudan, two countries with absolutely deplorable human rights records. Anyway, I just wanted to toss this up here it show a different view of events. Media should always be subject to scrutiny, and God knows what you read in the paper or see on CNN is often not the "whole" story.

China 'holds Tibetan dissidents'

Security forces in the Tibetan city of Lhasa are rounding up dissidents, exiled Tibetans say, as a deadline approaches for protesters to surrender.

China has given demonstrators in the city until midnight (1600 GMT) to give themselves up or face punishment.

Dozens are feared dead after days of rioting in Lhasa, with each side accusing the other of excessive force.

Other parts of China also saw rallies on the weekend, while Tibetans in Nepal and India are continuing to protest.

Qiangba Puncog, the Tibetan regional governor, said 13 "innocent civilians" had been killed by mobs in Lhasa.

He blamed the unrest on outside forces including Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who heads the Tibetan government-in-exile from India.

TIBET DIVIDE China says Tibet was always part of its territory Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th century 1950: China launched a military assault Opposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959 Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India

"The Dalai group and some other people in Western countries look at the beating, burning and smashing activities in the riots in Lhasa as peaceful demonstrations," he said.

"No democratic country in the world will tolerate this kind of crime."

The exiled Tibetan government says at least 80 protesters died in the Chinese crackdown.

Spokesman Tenzin Takhla said the security forces had regained control of the city and it was impossible for anyone to hold a rally there at the moment.

He said there were house-to-house searches going on and a number of former political prisoners were reported to have been detained again.

One Lhasa resident told the BBC late on Sunday that there was a heavy police presence in the city - but signs of normal life had returned.

"The schools are now open and children are going to school but shops are still closed as lots have been damaged and burned," he said.

Rocks hurled

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Sichuan province, rights groups say seven people were killed when security forces opened fire on Tibetan protesters in the city of Aba on Sunday.

And in Machu, Gansu province, a protester told the BBC a crowd of people set government buildings on fire on Sunday.

Groups of people also took down the Chinese flag and set it on fire, replacing it with the Tibetan flag, he said.

Smaller protests were reported elsewhere in Gansu and Tibet.

China has given Tibetans involved in the Lhasa protests a deadline of midnight on Monday local time to surrender to police.

The Dalai Lama has called for an international inquiry into China's crackdown, while Western leaders have called for restraint.

Anti-China rallies began on 10 March - the anniversary of a Tibetan uprising - and gradually intensified.

On Friday, demonstrators in Lhasa set fire to Chinese-owned shops and hurled rocks at local police, triggering a crackdown.

The unrest comes as preparations for this year's Olympic Games in Beijing are well advanced.

China has already faced calls for boycotts over its policies in Africa, and Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said he was "very concerned" about the situation in Tibet.

China says Tibet has always been part of its territory. But Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before the 20th Century and many Tibetans remain loyal to the Dalai Lama, who fled in 1959.

From BBC.co.uk

Thoughts? I am rather surprised at China's relatively tame response (at least compared to the 1989 Tianamen crackdown). I suppose that world attention brought in part by the Olympic games is restraining them to a large degree. Interestingly, it seems that these protests are more about economics than independence. Tibetans are upset by the flood of Chinese immigrants taking up jobs; the independence issue seems to be hyped up by Tibetans living in exile that still want Tibet's sovereignty restored--and likely they see Kosovo as a window of opportunity.