Tibetan Woman Holds Olympic Flame Atop Mount Everest!

[Better Believe It]

Tibetan woman holds Olympic flame atop Everest
By Nick Mulvenney
Reuters
May 8, 2008

EVEREST BASE CAMP, China (Reuters) - A Tibetan woman took the Olympic torch the last steps to the top of Everest on Thursday, realizing "a dream of all Chinese people," but Tibetan exiles criticized Beijing for politicizing the Games.

"Long live Tibet!" and "Long live Beijing!," the climbers, all wearing red, shouted joyously into a TV camera after unfurling the Chinese national flag, the Olympic flag and a flag bearing the Beijing Olympic logo.

"We have realized a promise to the world and a dream of all the Chinese people," base camp commander Li Zhixin told reporters after being mobbed by jubilant friends and colleagues.

"Beijing welcomes you!" and "tashi delek," the climbers said -- using a Tibetan greeting meaning "may everything be well" -- after escorting the flame in a mini-relay to the 8,848-metre (29,030-foot) peak at the end of a six-hour climb.

Beijing student Huang Chungui passed the flame to ethnic Tibetan woman Ciren Wangmu, who trudged the final steps unaided by oxygen to hold the torch aloft.

The Everest climbing team, which included 22 Tibetans, eight Han Chinese and one man from the Tujia minority, had been on the mountain for more than a week preparing the route along the north-east ridge.

Please read the entire article at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/08/AR2008050800617.html

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Climbers light Olympic flame atop Everest
KEYE-TV.Com

A 19-member Chinese mountaineering team made it to the summit of Mount Everest Thursday, holding aloft a specially designed torch along with the Chinese and Olympic flags.

The team's captain yelled the slogan of the Beijing Games, "One World, One Dream" as the torch was lit on the final icy incline leading to the peak.

The group broke camp above the 27,000-foot level before dawn and reached the top of the 29,035-foot-high mountain a little more than six hours later.

http://www.keyetv.com/news/world/story.aspx?content_id=a20283b3-f3d0-4872-89a4-bb002424086d

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olympic flame reaches peak of Mt Everest
By Anita Chang
The New Zealand Herald
May 8, 2008

BEIJING - The Olympic flame has reached the top of the world.

Live television footage showed a Chinese mountaineering team holding up a specially designed torch along with Chinese and Olympic flags today on the top of Mount Everest.

"One World, One Dream," one of the climbers said on the approach to the peak, repeating the slogan for the Olympics. "We have lit the torch on top of the world," added another climber.

The main flame will cross every region and province of China, returning to Beijing on August 6, two days ahead of the opening ceremony for the games.

The 19-member final assault team was comprised of both ethnic Han Chinese and Tibetan members, and also included university students. The team captain is a Tibetan, identified as Nyima Cering, while the deputy is Chinese, Luo Shen, CCTV and the Xinhua News Agency said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=502&objectid=10508867

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Olympic Torch Reaches Everest Peak
By EDWARD WONG
May 9, 2008
Chagxi Cering/Xinhua, via Reuters


BEIJING — A team of climbers trudged through snow and ice to carry the Olympic torch to the summit of Mount Everest on Thursday, fulfilling a long-held goal of the Chinese government to have the Olympic flame lit on top of the world’s highest mountain.

The state-controlled Chinese news media have highlighted the fact that most members of the climbing team on Everest are Tibetans. The torch was lit at 9:12 a.m. by Norbu Zhamdu and then carried on a 98-foot relay to the peak, Xinhua, the state news agency, reported. The team captain, Nyima Cering, was the third torch bearer and shouted the 2008 Olympic slogan, “One world, one dream.”

Photos showed a team of climbers bundled in red down jackets and wearing oxygen masks standing next to Tibetan prayer flags atop the windy, snow-bound summit. The climbers held up the Chinese flag and two white flags with the Olympic rings. The summit attempt had been repeatedly delayed by bad weather, which forced the team to sit for days at high-elevation camps.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/world/asia/09torch.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin


Norbu Zhamdu, left, lit the Olympic torch of the first torchbearer, Gegyi, at the summit of Mount Everest on Thursday.



A screen grab shows the Beijing Olympic torch at the top of Mt Everest.

[alarimer]

1. Fucking Chinese propaganda

How much do they pay you to do this?

[Better Believe It]

2. It Never Happened! Just Dirty Chinese/Tibetan Commie Propaganda!

So Mr. alarimer .... do ya think the CIA should use their rendition program on those evil Tibetan and Chinese commie mountain climbers who faked a Mount Everest climb?

We'll get the truth out of them commie bastards!

:) :) :)

[skipos]

3. I have been to Tibet, and it left me with very mixed feelings

In general
The Tibetan parts are beutiful, the Tibetans and peaceful and respectful.
The Chinese parts of Tibet are ugly as hell, and the Chinese there don't give two shits about the Tibetans or their culture.

[Better Believe It]

4. Did You Admire And Gain An Appreciation Of The Old Feudal Culture In Tibet

Sure hope the commies didn't do away with it. Ahhhh .... the good ole days of Shangri-La.

A fantasy to be sure.

[skipos]

6. What did you think of Tibet when you where there?

The fact that no one can display a picture of the Dalai Lama, not being able to use certain websites, seeing Chinese guards spitting and pissing and talking on cellphones in the Potala... seeing the Chinese treat Tibetans like they are animals at the zoo, the number of temples destroyed by the Chinese, knocking down ancient, religious buildings to put in strip malls... what did you think of it? Tibet was far from a utopia before the Chinese invaded, but they are doing their best to ruin that place.

[BuddhaGirl]

7. Amen!

not to mention the Panchen Lama, who was kidnapped in 1995 at the age of six by the Chinese, in order to interfere in the tulku lineage. The Panchen Lama recognizes the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, and vice versa.

The Panchen Lama has been called the "youngest political prisoner in the world."

[Better Believe It]

9. Well Isn't That Just Amazing And Wonderful

"The Panchen Lama recognizes the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, and vice versa."

Tell me how this reincarnation feat is performed and are you skilled enough to do it?

Hope you're not worshiping the God King of Tibet .... but that's your right.

If you want to support some right-wing religious cult figure don't let me stop you!

[skipos]

10. Are you going to answer my questions above? nt

[Kajsa]

12. No, he's not Skipos.

BBI is a regular on the threads regarding Tibet.

He's decidedly anti-Tibetan, anti- Dalai Lama,
anti- Free Tibet and spreads that propaganda
ad nauseum.

The Communist Chinese government?

He has no problem with them, whatsoever!

[Better Believe It]

25. Now You're Just Making Stuff Up!

Kajsa wrote: " The Communist Chinese government? He has no problem with them, whatsoever!"

Gee .... where do I begin?

Well, first of all, as you know, that statement is totally false. I've made clear in several posts that I didn't support the old Maoist regime in China and that I don't support the current "capitalist" ruling regime in China. But, don't let that stop from repeating that obvious falsehood!

Now let's see how much you really know about China.

You claim that China is a "communist" country.

Really?

Well, what kind of economy does China have, a "communist" economy or a developing "capitalist" economy?

I say capitalist.

Now if you wish to claim that "communist capitalists" are really in charge of a major world "capitalist" economy isn't that a contradiction?

That would be something brand new in the world!

I suppose you may also claim that "non-communist capitalists" are in charge of a "communist" economy in Cuba!

That would be just as silly!

:) :) :) :)

[Kajsa]

35. Well, BBI, if it's not "communist"

by any standards

why,

are there restrictions in travel?
Why aren't people free to leave?

Why are there restrictions in,

free speech,
right to assemble,
freedom of the press,
freedom of the internet
free elections-----?

Why are there human rights violations?



Why is the showing of the Tibetan National flag
punishable by imprisonment?

http://www.tibet.com/flag.html

Imprisonment awaits those who criticize the government, also.

Hmmm--

[Indenturedebtor]

16. Tibet should have the right to determine

Whether they would like to worship a god-king or not. China is going to ruin their country, and is actively trying to destroy their culture.

[BuddhaGirl]

28. wow, so kidnapping a little Tibetan boy is okay with you?

and kidnapping his family too - holding them hostage for the past 12 years?

It would benefit you greatly to learn some compassion. You would be happier too! :-)

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

8. No more than the new Feudal Culture in Tibet

You know the one where they tell you how many kids can have, how you can worship, who can be the head of your faith, ....

Oh yea Have you met the new boss hes the same as the old boss..

[sudopod]

48. LOL

Welcome to free speech land, where everyone is free to point out how you're being a moron.

Let me summarize pretty much every post you're making in this thread:

1) Tibet's old government was terrible.

leading to:

2) BITCH HAD IT COMMIN!

[spoony]

5. And here I'd hoped you given up propagandising

and devoted yourself to posting links about pot and air pollution and such. Oh well.

[mainegreen]

11. The joy Tibetans feel for their Chinese saviors is why China & Nepal closed down Everest?

You suck at this game.

[Better Believe It]

17. Happy They Closed It Down To Right-Wing Terrorists And Disrupters

Well, it's good that the violent physical racist attacks on ethnic Chinese and the firebombings of their homes and stores has ended in Tibet.

Do you think they should have been invited to "join" the climb?

[mainegreen]

19. There were no firebombing of ethnic chinese homes outside of tibet.

Perhaps that's because they're problem is not with the chinese people as a whole but with the chinese colonial invaders?

Right wing? You're demonstrated lack of understanding of left and right wing leaves many questions, Chinese Mandela.

[Better Believe It]

26. They "Only" Firebombed Chinese Homes Inside Tibet! Well, That Makes It OK!

I assume you also think beating up Chinese people inside Tibet is the way to go!

I have to wonder if you're disappointed that Tibetans proved unable to beat up Chinese-Americans on the streets of San Francisco.

[mainegreen]

39. I never said that. But it also doesn't excuse Chinese colonialism and theft.

As much as you would like to think it does.

"I have to wonder if you're disappointed that Tibetans proved unable to beat up Chinese-Americans on the streets of San Francisco."

Strawman. HUGE strawman. Chinese-Americans in San Fran aren't engaged in illegal/amoral colonization of an oppressed minorities country. Nice try Chairman Mao.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

23. And by disrupters

you mean those who would practice free speech right?

on edit:

BTW do you feel the Iraq Militia targeting US soldiers and american interest in Iraq are *racist*??

[arcadian]

13. I thought this was a protest.

When I read the subject header. But it's just Chinese propaganda. Why then, were other climbers turned back from climbing when they brought a Tibetan flag?

[Kajsa]

14. Because the CChinese government

is promoting

" One World- One Dream"

- theirs

[Better Believe It]

18. Think Bush Should Add China To His "Axis of Evil" List?

Well, do you?

[Kajsa]

20. He won't-

the US owes them too much money.

To answer your question- NO, I don't subscribe
to his " axis of evil".

How do you feel about it, Better Believe It?


And please differentiate between the Communist Chinese government
and the Chinese people.
They are not one and the same.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

24. Think Bush Should Add the Dali Lama To His "Axis of Evil" List?

Well, do you?

--

What an insanely stupid question..

[Better Believe It]

27. No .... They Are Pals!

The Lama called Bush "a very nice man".

OH YA!!!

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

30. Thats not his only friend

[Better Believe It]

31. But They Are Not Holding Hands!

:)

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

33. lol

wowo thats scientific..

[sudopod]

49. OH SNAP! nt

[Javaman]

15. "afterwards...

she was sent back to the sweatshop to make more, "I love Barbie dress up sets"."

[SidDithers]

21. All hail the most glorious People's Republic!...nt

:puke:

Sid

[Better Believe It]

47. Freedom Is The Distance Between Church And State

And does that principal include Tibet when it was ruled by the Dalai Lama, the God King of Tibet?

[Kajsa]

22. 'Cry of The Snow Lion'

http://www.cryofthesnowlion.com/Index.html

trailer,

http://www.cryofthesnowlion.com/video/Snow_Lion_Trailer__Flash_.swf

[Better Believe It]

29. REFLECTIONS ON TIBET by WANG LIXIONG

REFLECTIONS ON TIBET
by WANG LIXIONG
Breaking taboos on both sides of the conflict over Tibet, a Chinese writer within the PRC considers some of the bitter paradoxes of its history under Communist rule, and their roots in the confrontation of an alien bureaucracy and fear-stricken religion.

New Left Review 14, March-April 2002

In the current debate on Tibet the two opposing sides see almost everything in black and white—differing only as to which is which. But there is one issue that both Chinese authorities and Tibetan nationalists consistently strive to blur or, better still, avoid altogether. At the height of the Cultural Revolution hundreds of thousands of Tibetans turned upon the temples they had treasured for centuries and tore them to pieces, rejected their religion and became zealous followers of the Great Han occupier, Mao Zedong. To the Chinese Communist Party, the episode is part of a social catastrophe—one that it initiated but has long since disowned and which, it hopes, the rest of the world will soon forget. For the Tibetan participants, the memory of that onslaught is a bitter humiliation, one they would rather not talk about, or which they try to exorcise with the excuse that they only did it ‘under pressure from the Han’. Foreign critics simply refuse to accept that the episode ever took place, unable to imagine that the Tibetans could willingly and consciously have done such a thing. But careful analysis and a deeper reflection on what was involved in that trauma may shed light on some of the cultural questions at stake on the troubled High Plateau.

One country, two systems’
Such was the situation when the Communist Party triumphed over the KMT in China, and founded the People’s Republic in 1949. Mao made no move towards Tibet till the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. Then a 40,000-strong contingent of the PLA crossed into territory under the control of the Kashag, with a show of force that quickly routed the Tibetan army ranged against it in Chamdo. But Mao was in no hurry to bring the revolution to Tibet. The intention of the CCP, on the contrary, was to ‘manage’ the country from afar through something very like the Qing model. Despite its revolutionary commitments, the CCP did not at first attempt any social reforms in Tibet. Sovereignty took precedence. As long as Tibet ‘returned to the arms of the motherland’s big family’, Beijing was quite willing to tolerate the preservation of the ‘feudal serf system’ there. Although the number of Chinese military and civilian personnel stationed in Tibet after 1951 was vastly increased from the Qing era, political and social relationships were still mediated through de facto ‘connectors’. Local affairs continued to be administered by the Tibetan authorities, and a ‘one country, two systems’ mechanism was set in place. The name given to this tactic was the United Front. What it meant in practice was an alliance between the Communists and the Tibetan ruling class, who would cooperate in the consolidation of Chinese sovereignty. The basis for this was the Seventeen-Point Agreement signed by Li Weihan and Ngawang Jigme Ngapo in May 1951, in which the Dalai Lama’s government acknowledged that Tibet was part of China, gave post facto consent to the PLA’s entry and to the eventual integration of the Tibetan Army into its ranks, and accepted the central government’s authority to conduct its external affairs. In return, Beijing promised ‘autonomy’ for Tibet, leaving the social and religious system, the Dalai Lama’s status and the local officials’ positions unchanged, while restoring the Panchen Lama, driven into exile by the thirteenth Dalai.

Tibetan Rebellion and the Dalai’s flight
The situation in Tibet, however, was growing increasingly turbulent, and the contradictions of the ‘one country, two systems’ approach ever more stark. Even the most trivial changes constituted a threat to the Tibetan upper classes and could cause major disturbance within such a highly traditional society. Wage payments to Tibetans working on road-construction schemes were seen as an assault on the centuries-old ulag service system. Free schools impinged on the monastic monopoly of education. Training of cadres with serf backgrounds upset the existing social hierarchy. In 1957, a serf in Shannan was beaten up by his lord for failing to perform his ulag service—an unconditional duty, whose dereliction customarily received brutal punishment. In this instance, the victim was a CCP activist who had been assigned a cadre position at grass-roots level. The case became a touchstone for Party policy in Tibet. United Front tactics demanded non-interference, but this would both dishearten peasant activists and encourage elite attempts to prevent the masses cooperating with the CCP. On the other hand, to discipline the assailant would cause trouble with the authorities’ feudal partners. Nevertheless, the CCP gave the instruction to relieve all Tibetan cadres of their ulag duties. <16>

A fear above all others
One of the unique characteristics of traditional Tibetan society was that, despite a considerable degree of social and economic polarization, there was hardly any history of actual class confrontation. Conflict was generally between upper-class factions, or between Tibetans and other ethnic groups. What explains such an unusual degree of deference and obedience? The answer surely lies in the deeply rooted religious traditions of Tibet. Even if aware of their suppressed and exploited status, the poor would resign themselves to their fate, seeing it as retribution for their previous lives. According to Buddhist doctrine, their hope of freedom from suffering lay entirely in the hereafter: only by resigning themselves to their present condition and enduring its misery might they hope to win the favours of the deities, and the chance of being born into a better afterlife. Any resistance was disobedience to the divine will and would be met with suitable punishment. This staunch belief moulded the Tibetans’ attitude of passive submission. The benefits of reform in this world could never match the happiness of the afterlife; if they committed the crime of ‘defying their superiors’ or ‘enriching themselves with dubious wealth’, the dreadful punishment that awaited them would far outweigh any earthly gains. This was why so many felt uncertain about class struggle, and why they not only joined their masters in the Rebellion but also followed them into exile and continued to serve them there. It was thus impossible for the CCP to win over the peasantry without tackling the problem of religion.


Please read the entire article at:
http://www.newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2380

This is must reading if you really want to understand the history of Tibet and China.

[Kajsa]

32. Sure thing---

http://www.newleftreview.org/?page=submissionguidelines

New Left Review welcomes the submission of articles, comments and book reviews on all the major issues facing us today. Authors should bear in mind that NLR is a journal of ideas, not an academic publication: lively, intelligent and thoughtful writing is highly valued—prose models would be Benjamin, Bloch or Marx rather than the average conference paper—and articles should be submitted with an educated and discerning general readership in mind.

Please tell which which "Benjamin(and),Bloch" they are referring to.

[Better Believe It]

36. Having Trouble Understanding The Article?

I'll try to help you if you'd like.

[Kajsa]

37. Answer my question,please.

to answer yours,

Nope, just checking out the source.

Now, answer a direct question, please.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

34. I can't believe you.

[Kaleko]

38. A handful of posters on DU

keep repeating Chinese government disinformation like human parrots every chance they get.

How long will DU provide them with a forum? I wonder about that.

[Kajsa]

41. Hi Kaleko!

That's what I'm wondering, also.


:shrug:

[Kaleko]

45. Kajsa dear! Always good to see your posts.

You've been here much longer than I have. I trust you know if and when it's time to alert some mods.

:hi:

[Kajsa]

46. I will definitely alert when a rule(s) are broken.

So far, that line has not been crossed yet.

But I'm keeping my eyes open.

Thank you for the kind words. :pals:
I love your posts, also.

Good to see you, too.

:hi:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

42. It's really weird and it seems like they surfaced from thin air. Weird and creepy.

[Kaleko]

44. It's part of a worldwide campaign to whitewash the Chinese government

of its crimes against humanity (including its very own people). Apparently, they hope to influence public opinion during the run-up to the Olympics by infiltrating websites such as this one, HuffPo, and many others.

Arguing with their mouth-pieces is utterly useless. Some of them are paid shills, btw. But debunking them can be fun }(

... until that too gets really old.

[Better Believe It]

50. So You Suspect "commie" Infiltration Of "Huffpo"????!!!!!

Kaleko wrote: "
Chinese government hope to influence public opinion during the run-up to the Olympics by infiltrating websites such as this one, HuffPo, and many others"

Hot damn .... hope you alert all your friends to this massive infiltration of the U S of A by those sneaky, godless, communist spies and agents!

Do you think there ought to be a congressional investigation of this gigantic Chinese communist conspiracy that you have discovered?

Well, I think everyone is entitled to every nutty idea they may have including those who suffer from paranoia and zenophobia.

Meanwhile, perhaps you should get on your knees and worship the God King Of Tibet or whatever religious cult you may believe in.

Now I respect peoples religious or lack of religious views, but, do you really believe the Dalai Lama is a God King?

Well, enough of this foolishness. If someone writes a serious post I'll respond. The dumb, silly and paranoid nonsense I'll just ignore.

[Better Believe It]

43. And What About The NED Disruption & Misinformation Campaign?

The NED(National Endowment for Democracy) is in all probability funding some of these so-called Tibet "freedom" outfits. The NED has taken over where the CIA left off in Tibet. Now don't deny the fact that the CIA bankrolled the God King of Tibet and his religious cult for many years. I have to wonder what the CIA is up to in Tibet now. Don't you?

Today the NED openly funds many so-called Tibet freedom outfits and you can be sure they are behind some of the protests and the violent riots targeting ethnic Chinese in Tibet.

The National Endowment for Democracy brags on their website that:

"Endorsements of NED have been offered by the leadership of such stalwart conservative organizations as the Heritage Foundation and Empower America, and favorable editorials have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Times and National Review."

Gee .... I wonder why these ultra-right organizations love what the NED is doing to fund their right-wing Tibet front groups?

Care to guess?

[Tab]

40. Well, first, I think lighting something on top of Everest would be a bitch

between the oxygen and the wind.

I've been there, but on the Nepali side. Haven't been to Tibet, although I'm aware of the controversy.

It's interesting - you go into Nepal into someone's hut - no furniture, dirt floors, but there is (was, actually, since it's been a while since I've been there) a picture of the King draped in a cloth. I could go in and there might not be anything else, but there was always a revered picture of the King.