Tibet Protests and Britain's Moral Weight By Martin Deane Green Party (01482) 471467

The news over the weekend was full of the protests in London over the Olympic torch being carried through London for the Olympics in Beijing, China. There were 37 arrests in London with China expressing disgust at such protests. The protests were for the cause of Tibet which has seen a clampdown in recent months by the Chinese occupying authorities including much brutality, wounding and a number of deaths. The deaths are put at 19 by the Chinese government which has also defined the Dalai Lama as a dangerous terrorist. This is an unfortunate description of a man held to be a great spiritual leader not just by Buddhists and Tibetans but by many people wishing to follow a more spiritual life around the world.

Tibet was invaded by China in 1950 shortly after Chairman Mao established the People's Republic in 1949, and has been occupied by the Chinese ever since. This has included a large influx of ethnic Chinese with jobs, industries and services which strengthen the Chinese claim that Tibet is de facto part of Chinese territory. There is a petition to boycott the Olympic Games in China on human rights grounds and Tibet. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Reincarnation/

Although I have signed this strongly worded petition it is important to bear in mind that people in Britain or the United States don't quite have the right to tell the Chinese what to do over Tibet while we remain in occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, which we do in almost complete opposition to the desires of those peoples! In fact the number one desire expressed in polls in Iraq before the elections was that foreign troops leave their soil! What do they get? A surge!

They are fighting for their own country. We are not. The Americans are not. To underscore that, late last year (2007) British troops left Basra for the airport (ie we retreated). Violence in the city then dropped by 90%. Our troops were the inspiration to fight, just as now the 'puppet' Iraqi army won't subdue Basra despite American support. The people of Basra are fighting for their very own city.

The cause of human rights in Britain can be served in many ways including campaigning for Tibet but our number one goal at this time is the removal of our troops and British support for the continuing American occupation. The 2003 war and the occupation violence is reckoned to have cost over 1 million Iraqi lives. It is a long time since China took anything like that number of lives although it has, and more, in its past. Neither is it right that the members of the Labour cabinet, the most informed of the MPs, who voted for war, stay in post or in government. Rather a full inquiry into how exactly they and Britain was led to make war on Iraq with a 'false prospectus' should be carried out.

But instead what do we see? Even Blair, free, hardly challenged by other politicians, and talking about the role faith plays for him from Westminster Cathedral last Thursday!

He said he had 'no claims to moral superiority'. Oh yes he bloody does! It was precisely Blair's moral superiority together with the establishment practice of supporting America especially over oil. I wonder if it is only fitting he deliver such clear poppycock from the sanctuary of his new Christian Church. Where were the churches on the big demonstrations? From our position on the top of the global heap we have a duty to take ENOUGH interest in politics to change it from a chief warmongering, arms dealer and global exploiter of people and planet into a politics, a way of relating, that we can truly be proud of. The people protesting over Tibet are part of that movement. Are you?

Joanna Lumley speaking at recent Tibet rally

Martin Deane Green Party (01482) 471467 hull@greenparty.org.uk

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