Tsering Woeser

Since 2008 over 140 Tibetans have set themselves on fire as independent acts of non-violent protest against the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the Chinese government's attempt to eradicate Tibetan culture and language. They are an unprecedented expression of the despair felt by individual Tibetans at the apartheid-like conditions under which they live: race-based denial of free movement, constant surveillance, harsh repression. For someone who does not live under such a system, it is hard to image the conditions that could drive a person to commit such a horrific act.

While few of the self-immolators give international attention as a reason for their action, the lack of official foreign support for a free Tibet is disheartening. In the words of Ai Weiwei, who designed the cover of this book: Tibet is the most serious test for today's China and for the international community's standards of human rights and justice. There is no dodging this test, and there is no getting around it. And thus far, everyone should be disgraced and ashamed at the results.

This short book looks at the motivations behind these protests and the recent events that have given rise to them. It is a political and journalistic work rather than a piece of literature; however, it is powerfully expressed with excellent documentation.… (mehr)