CHINA just can’t have anything to spoil the grand setting of the upcoming Olympics, but as the days for the Games get closer, it appears that old problems that have so far appeared washed under the carpet are resurfacing yet again as major obstacles. The path, at this point, is far from smooth; the glitter of the Olympics seems somewhat tarnished.
   The initial concern was over the quality of air in Beijing and with repeated reports of the level of pollution, the common understanding among the news followers around the globe was that in Beijing, it does not take long for people to choke in fumes and develop respiratory complications. Irrespective of the hyperbole in the reports about air quality in Beijing, it’s a fact that the air is polluted and the city needs to cut down on lead before the Games begin.
   However, as the grappling with the air problem seemed to come to an end, China is embarrassed in front of the whole world with Tibet. One has to say that this was the last thing the country looking forward to a smooth Olympiad needed. For the advocates and the supporters of the free Tibet movement, this is the perfect time because with the Games all eyes are already on China. To make matters worse, the demonstrations against the occupation of Tibet have turned violent. The BBC has recently shown images of people going on the rampage on the streets of Lhasa. While no efforts to quell the unrest by the Chinese law enforcers were shown, the extent of the tension and the frenzied, almost maniacal, shouts of protesters in front of the Chinese embassies around the world suggests that the reaction from the law enforcers may not have been lenient.
   At this moment, with a series of protests around the globe, the problem appears to be getting bigger and it won’t be surprising if certain nations which strictly uphold human rights refuse to come to the Games. Of course, that would be the last thing that China needs right now. Does anyone remember the Moscow Olympics boycotted by the United States or the Los Angeles Olympics boycotted by the now-defunct USSR? Suffice to say that those events were a travesty and will always be regarded with a big question mark. Even in the sporting arena, winners in those two Games are not deemed to be the best because the level of competition was not as high as it ought to have been.
   Be that as it may, with Tibetans all around demanding the removal of Chinese authority from Tibet and during a time when China is in the limelight, chances are high that this time the move will get a lot of impetus. Obviously, the Dalai Lama and his followers were blamed by Beijing for inciting such unrest but looking at this from a different perspective, it is rather obvious that this movement was being planned to coincide with the Olympics.
   Until now, the Tibetan cause has come to the international media sporadically but it fizzled out very fast each time as the world had other things on its priority list. With the Games about to start in a few months and China working hard to put on a glittering show of its booming economy as well as her sporting prowess to stabilise her position as a superpower, the Tibet issue promises to be a great thorn on its side. If she contains the rioting by resorting to ruthless means of suppression, then much of that coveted glory in the Games will be coated in blood. Already, there are reports that there have been ten or more deaths due to the rioting.
   Perhaps, the time has come for China to talk openly about Tibet – a thing the country has skirted for far too long. A few days ago, BBC reporters were shown asking Chinese people about Tibet. However, instead of providing answers which might have proved a Chinese point, the interviewees quickly brushed aside the questions and refused to talk. When we are unwilling to address an issue, the message that comes across is that we have something to feel sorry about and, as we cannot acknowledge that, we will not talk about it. Sadly, this only makes the image of a country more dubious and if China wants to be regarded as an economic superpower with a changing society and evolving ideas, she cannot brush aside these issues. There cannot be glory and lustre on some particular sides and vague and indistinct interpretations on some others.
   As we look at Tibet and take interest in her occupation, maybe we should also look at her history. A little more than a century ago, the British sent a military expedition to Tibet, under one Colonel Francis Younghusband, to ensure that it would not be handed over to the Russians by the Chinese. At that time, a rumour circulating in Delhi under the British feared such a possibility and the British expedition did go to Tibet, slaughtering some 1,300 Tibetans on the way. Later on, in 1907, the Anglo-Russian Convention drafted by the British declared that any arrangement with Tibet would have to be carried out through the mediation of China.
   If the freedom of Tibet is a matter of discussion then it is important to bring up the past because without it, much of our understanding of the issue may be partial and incomplete. History tells us that Tibet was a part of China for a long time and maybe it is that previous domination that inspires Beijing to hold on to Tibet. As we follow the events, we must also know that, in Tibet, there has been a lot of Chinese investment with a view to ensuring that the people there do not feel left out. However, reports also state that original Tibetans feel isolated and abandoned because they feel that these investments have only benefited the Chinese.
   Interestingly, the few images we do see of Lhasa do not give us the image of a laidback backward city but of a city with all the modern amenities. Whatever the case, with the violence spreading and images of protesters wrapped in the Tibetan flag becoming common, China has to do more than just use force and sideline questions.
   The Dalai Lama has always been in exile but it would be a startling and a positive development if China starts a dialogue with him and find a process which will not only neutralise the ongoing riots but also take off the often used ‘inflexible and dictatorial’ label off her.
   From Tiannamen Square, the country took a lesson and astutely changed many of her social policies. The rewards are the booming economy, a stable and dynamic young generation and a society which espouses and protects a lot of the luxuries and ideas of capitalism. Similarly, if China makes her stance toward Tibet less intransigent, a lot can be achieved. And this is the time. A breakthrough step and a few moves can turn the board and make the path to the Olympics a smoother one. China is an economic power to admire but her human rights credentials need to improve if she is to get the respect that she deserves. Hopefully, sense will dominate the desire to suppress and control.