Yet another day at work and I am being unproductive. 20 minutes to lunch with colleagues and I am writing this post, when I feel I should spend much more time.

I am concerned.

Reading other socio-political Singaporean blogs yesterday riled me up, and I got all mad at the government yet again. Not to mention the furore over how we are complacent citizens expecting the government to do everything.

Well duh. If we aren't empowered as citizens to take matters into our own hands to do things the right way, and if the government loves behaving like a private corporate entity without some form of shareholder activism or checks and balances then all we can do is blame them.

The protests in Europe (Paris) against China through the Olympic torch relay events had China declaring these places had...poor security! China...it's called freedom of speech, deal with it. I read a really great article over how China's behaviour does not reflect the Olympic spirit and has gone back on its word to allow free movement of press in China at this time nearing the Games. It highlighted the two key issues these protests around Europe are addressing, China's role in the oppression of Tibet and its influence and ties with the genocidal government of Sudan.

Having been to Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, India, the headquarters of the Dalai Lama in India and home to many exiled Tibetans, I am quite sympathetic to the Tibetan cause. They are a proud people with a very strong sense of pride and identity. I may have missed the intricate details through the years of the severity of the crimes against them as a people, but I will never forget that tree in one of the temple grounds that had all these red strings tied on the branches, twigs, representing a plea for freedom for someone wrongly imprisoned back in Tibet. Posters and flyers were stuck round the place with photos of people and surprisingly, male children (the age of 6 onwards) imprisoned for being the re-incarnations of various religious leaders (as they'd succeed these leaders in the Tibetan hierarchy). China sanctions its own re-incarnation candidates for religious leadership in the region.

They are a fairly peaceful lot, and the transgressions against them for 60 years now are despicable. It is sad that in the economic landscape today, with China being a raging powerhouse, we have to bend-over and recognise their claims for our benefit.

Labels: Rantings

savoirefaire blogged at 11:40 AM



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