Friday, March 14, 2008

Interesting Times

The Chinese want to show off their country to the world.

There are plenty of people in China (but not Chinese) who are equally eager for the spotlight to shine on China:

Peaceful street marches by Tibetan Buddhist monks over past days gave way to the biggest demonstrations the remote, Himalayan region has seen in nearly two decades, with anti-riot police patrolling the streets just months before the Beijing Olympics.

"Now it's very chaotic outside," an ethnic Tibetan resident said by telephone. "People have been burning cars and motorbikes and buses. There is smoke everywhere and they have been throwing rocks and breaking windows. We're scared."

Japan's Kyodo news agency said rioters had taken control of central Lhasa, quoting a British journalist there. Radio Free Asia said Chinese police fired on rioting Tibetan protesters, killing at least two.


China wanted attention in 2008. I wonder how many other people in China unhappy with decades of quiet oppression out of sight of the world want attention, too.

China might want to be careful about what they wish for.