Yesterday, 18th of November, the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama told exclusively to the BBC how worried he was because of the increasing self-inmolations made by Tibetan monks and nuns that were protesting against the Chinse rule in Tibet.
11 deaths have been recorded already this year. These monks and nuns set themselves on fire because they totally disagree with the Chinese mandate that rule their lives.
Dalai Lama said he supported these actions because they took courage to do so, fighting for the cause they were supporting, but he added that he didn't know how effective these deaths were.As Dalai Lama said: "Courage alone is no substitute. You must utilise your wisdom."
The increasing number of people inmolating themselves is considered as a symbol of the desperation people in Tibet are suffering, as one of the BBC correspondent has said.
''They know while the West has backed the Arab Spring, with China it talks with a much quieter voice, he says.That leaves Tibetans with few options to shine a light on their struggle.From inside Tibet, the word is that more monks are preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice'', the correspondent adds.
These suicides are seen by China as inmoral and inhuman, claimiming these actions will never succeed.
I think this is not the appropiate way to prove that someone is against something. To commit suicide because of a cause you believe in is not moral and, in my opinion, it will not help supporting your cause. Talking and negotiating is the best way to achieve your pourposes; even though you believe this won't do anything, it's clear that every negotiation takes time and probably, in a future, it will bear fruit.
I obviously agree with you that this is not the way to as for changes or to show disagreement with the Chinese regime. At the same time, I ask myself why many people in our Western society believe that hunger strikes are affective. Aren't they comparable to suicide? I think that both techniques should be seen by any government as immoral, because playing with life (even though people might believe in reincarnation) is not a moral way to express political views. But sometimes I feel like we tend to see suicide as totally immoral (and I believe it is) but we don't really judge people going on hunger strikes. This article made me think about it.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Clara and Cristina. The fact that you put yourself on fire is selfish, impulsive and reckless. It might be for the better cause, but these people seem to forget that they're not alone on the planet, and that they leave family or friends or other monks and nuns who suffer because of the loss of someone they loved. I also agree with Clara saying that hunger strikes are totally useless and immoral. I can understand that people are desperate, and that they want change, but they obviously don't think about their actions. If you look at Africa for example, people are fleeing because they don't have any food, because they are desperate and because they have no other options. So having a hunger strike because you chose to do so, is selfish and meaningless, because there are already enough people suffering in the world, and they don't chose for it.
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