Tibetans protest over prosperity article by paper

Hundreds of Tibetans here have protested against a recent article by an Indian publication which showcased prosperity in Tibet under Chinese rule, terming it as misguiding.

Chennai, Aug 1 : Hundreds of Tibetans here have protested against a recent article by an Indian publication which showcased prosperity in Tibet under Chinese rule, terming it as misguiding.

The protesters gathered at the War Memorial Hall and shouted slogans against the Hindu publication.

They alleged that the publication was trying to support the Chinese regime in Tibet by publishing 'false' figures and statistics of economic growth in the region.

The article, "tackling the fate of Tibet's independence", quotes figures showcasing 13.2 per cent growth in Tibet as compared to 10.5 per cent growth in China last year.

The article further describes how the country was flourishing under the Chinese rule and how rise in standard of living, education and the process of modernization was transforming the life and work of the Tibetan population.

"All these information remains highly misleading to the readers. The statistics and figures shown by the Hindu (newspaper) and Frontline (magazine) are like a script given by the Chinese Government," said Tenzin Tsering, member of Tibetan Students Association.

China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist since People's Liberation Army troops occupied the region in 1950 and has vowed to bring economic prosperity to the impoverished Himalayan region.

China's critics accuse Beijing of engaging in a systematic attempt to crush Tibetan Buddhist culture and flood the region with ethnic Chinese settlers.

But, Beijing rejects the criticism, arguing five decades of communist rule freed one million Tibetan serfs, boosted the economy and raised the living standards of Tibetans.

ANI