Opinion The flag still flies
You can erase the Tibetan flag,Censor Board,but not the movement
If you watch the new Imtiaz Ali-directed Rockstar,you might see a mysterious blue-and-red haze waving over the heads of the raucous fans as Ranbir Kapoor furiously belts out Sadda Haq. You will see a blur because the censor board has asked for images of the Tibetan flag to be blurred (or deleted).
It is ridiculous,but perhaps no longer surprising in our cynical times,that the sight of a few Tibetan flags has sent the censor board into such a tizzy. Governments across the world are scurrying to distance themselves from the Tibet issue. This was seen recently when the Dalai Lama could not obtain a visa on time to attend Archbishop Tutus birthday celebrations in South Africa. One might have expected a post-apartheid South African government to be more sympathetic to the cause of a disenfranchised people,but the sheer size of investments flowing into the region nudge these expectations into the realm of fantasy.
With faltering financial systems looking eastward for bailouts and China firmly entrenched in global trade with most major economies (China is among the largest trading partners with both the US and India),governments are now willing to overlook the minor nuisances of human rights and legitimate rights of minorities,except as issues to be whipped out as the occasional bargaining chip.
What governments dont account for is the fact that the Tibetan cause is among the most resilient movements in the world. For over half a century,Tibetans in exile have asserted that they have a legitimate right to self-determination. Within Tibet,media restrictions imply it is difficult to ascertain the level of dissent (any hint of protests trigger a complete ban on foreign journalists in the area). But the last few years have seen a renewed wave of protests.
It seems the Tibetans,inside Tibet or in exile,are not tiring of the protests. And no amount of international indifference,denial or censorship can wish away their rights and aspirations. Within China,advocacy groups maintain that security measures have been enhanced since the 2008 protests. The means of protest are thus becoming even more radical,with ghastly consequences.
Last week,a 35-year-old nun,Palden Choetso,set herself on fire in protest against enhanced security measures. This is the eleventh self-immolation in Tibet this year; many who set themselves on fire came from the Kirti monastery. Most called for Tibetan freedom as they ignited themselves. In the face of unprecedented surveillance and repression,people are using the only weapon left: their bodies.
Kirti was also the rallying point for a widespread uprising in 2008. Advocacy groups reported that at least10 people were killed. At least 300 monks have been taken away this year for patriotic re-education,a process that is not as innocuous as it sounds. One amusing exercise during the these programmes involves participants endlessly repeating phrases such as I oppose the Dalai clique and I recognise the Partys great kindness. Repeat ad infinitum till it rings true.
One would have expected India to lend greater support to the movement. Or,at the least,not crush the possibility of any form of debate on the issue. The censor board should be reminded that denying any space to even the most basic symbols of resistance runs counter to the grant narrative of India being the model of democracy in the region. If you cannot grant a people their haq,do not deny Imtiaz Ali the right to show his support.
Tibetan organisations such as Students for a Free Tibet are protesting the heavy-handed censor board directive. Perhaps the board could have learnt a lesson from our neighbours and avoided the brouhaha. They could have simply asked viewers to repeat during the movie screening: There is no Tibet flag on screen. Repeat enough times and the screen might just start blurring. Happy viewing.
The writer has worked on rural development projects in Asia and West Africa. His first novel,Windhorse,based on the Tibetan resistance,will be published in 2012
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