By Tenzin Sangmo
New Delhi, April 29 – With China rescheduling opening Tibet to the outside world, Tibetan economy suffers every passing day. China had earlier announced its plan of letting foreigners into the riot hit region once again starting May 1. Tibet had been sealed off from the outside world following the recent demonstrations that resulted in mass atrocities against ethnic Tibetans.
But last Thursday a tourism official, claiming to be the Director of the Bureau’s Lhasa office revealed that China has abandoned plans to re-open Tibet to visitors. Citing ‘conditions are not ripe’ he confirmed to AFP on phone that re-opening the region for domestic and foreign tourists have been postponed until further notice.
The rescheduling was first reported by the US based International Campaign for Tibet last week. Reports of persisting unrest in Tibet have caused Beijing to retract from its initial stance of welcoming tourists in Tibet. It is also said that Tibet might not be re-opened until after the August 8-24 Beijing Olympics.
In lieu of current events, the Olympic flame’s ‘journey of harmony’ has been anything but harmonious in the free world. Closer home, China has failed to live up to its pledge to the International Olympic Committee of respecting human rights- which include freedom of expression and assembly. The authorities came down hard on protestors which resulted in many deaths and saw thousands behind bars. Photo evidence revealed the brutal nature of the Chinese government and the systematic clampdown in the protest hit areas.
