Actor Gere urges EU pressure on China over Tibet

Former Member

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050601/325/fk836.html

I hope he persuades them. Sadly, I don't think the EU will do much.

Former Member

I'd be very surprised if the EU did a thing about this. They'll be to worried about the potential profits on the weapens sales.

Former Member

BlackArab wrote:

I'd be very surprised if the EU did a thing about this. They'll be to worried about the potential profits on the weapens sales.

The EU claims to care about human rights – their frequent criticism of Israel and generous assistance to Palestinians is supposedly a reflection of this. Given their attitude towards China and Tibet they seem awfully inconsistent.

Why is nobody criticising the EU? The EU it seems is willing to overlook China’s occupation of Tibet and ignore China’s gross human rights abuses because well the EU feels it can gain by cosying up to China’s totalitarian regime.

Although I can’t help but think that if it was the US which wanted to lift the arms embargo the EU would be strongly opposed.

Former Member

Its the Great Game continued. The bottom line is money and the Tibetans don't have any to offer, China does.

Its not just Tibet though, look at the whimper of protest over Uzbekistan recently.

Former Member

China isn't the jewish state.

Former Member

look politics isnt that simple. and ALL forms of governments have double standards. you will NEVER, i repeat NEVER, find a political body that doesnt.

Former Member

Man Of Kent wrote:

China isn't the jewish state.

So are you suggesting that:

a) The EU does not protest about China's illegal occupation and abuses because the Chinese are not Jewish and the EU has nothing against them

b) the USA does not protest about Israel's illegal occupation and abuses because they're Jewish (unlike the Chinese)

c) All of the above

Former Member

The debate over China and Tibet is quite complicated and doesn't help how oil companies are becoming involved either.

China says Tibet is a part of their country and that the peaceful Dalai Lama is a terrorist and 'splittist'... Dalai Lama and Tibet in general just wants autonomy for the country.

I don't think people in the West will listen... What is going on is terrible but we apparently depend heavily on China economically (although maybe China depends on us just as much), so the fat cats here will do nothing.

Former Member

what can ya do...it's just politics...i mean northern ireland hasn't much to offer but i can garauntee in the next 6 hours a helicopter will fly over my house, and there's army bases planted on beatiful scenery outside my window....there's nothin you can do...

Former Member

turlough wrote:

what can ya do...it's just politics...i mean northern ireland hasn't much to offer but i can garauntee in the next 6 hours a helicopter will fly over my house, and there's army bases planted on beatiful scenery outside my window....there's nothin you can do...

Politics? Or money?

Former Member

Aladdin wrote:

a) The EU does not protest about China's illegal occupation and abuses because the Chinese are not Jewish and the EU has nothing against them

b) the USA does not protest about Israel's illegal occupation and abuses because they're Jewish (unlike the Chinese)

c) All of the above

a) Not completely, but its no coincidence that Europe loudly condemns Israel as often as it does. Considering European history... (and I'm not just talking 20th Century)...

b) Again part of the story, guilt plays a huge part in USA reactions with Israel. Guilt laid thick by immigrants who escaped persecution.

Former Member

-[MoonRat]- wrote:

I don't think people in the West will listen...

Well it seems like people in the US are listening to an extent at least.

"Former President Bill Clinton first appointed a special coordinator to ensure Tibet was brought up in all U.S. contacts with Beijing, a move Gere said the EU should emulate"

It's the EU that isn't listening.

Former Member

Disillusioned wrote:

Well it seems like people in the US are listening to an extent at least.

"Former President Bill Clinton first appointed a special coordinator to ensure Tibet was brought up in all U.S. contacts with Beijing, a move Gere said the EU should emulate"

It's the EU that isn't listening.

Sure they could bring things up in conversation and discuss it, but the Chinese still believe Tibet is a part of their country. Plus China would put forward the arguement that it's protecting Tibet from the evils of the Western world. It's a really difficult situation (I'm currently reading a book on it.. PetroChina make me so angry too).

In a few months, I think the EU is going to lift the embargo for the trade of arms, much to the dismay of human rights groups. So... the EU does care about China and Tibet after all... Look at all the guns they can sell! :thumb:

Teh_Gerbil

And how aobut pressuring the US over hte now illegal occupation of Iraq?

Or Israel?

Or fixing Africa?

The fact is, none of the people who COULD do anything give a shit.

Former Member

Teh_Gerbil wrote:

And how aobut pressuring the US over hte now illegal occupation of Iraq?

Umm well some EU member states did that or at least made their feelings regarding the war very clear.

Teh_Gerbil wrote:

Or Israel?

What about Israel? The US with the UN, EU and Russia has developed the Roadmap for Peace

And are you saying the US doesn't put pressure on Israel?
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3068539,00.html
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/04/11/bush.mideast/

Teh_Gerbil wrote:

Or fixing Africa?

Not sure whether much will come of it but Blair seems to be making steps towards helping Africa.

Teh_Gerbil

Yeah, they said they didn't want the war to go ahead. But took no action against it.

Israel? They should FORCE them out of Palestine. They Forced Saddam out of Kuwait, The USSR our of Afghanistan (Then invaded it themselves), North Korea out the South... Why let Israel get away with it?

Africa? Blair is making moves. But he's hardly taking action such as restoring peace, or sending out enough aid to help. Africa is a BIG problem. It requires a BIG solution. And no one cares, they don't have oil. Unlike the Middle East.

Former Member

Africa has plenty of oil.

Former Member

Teh_Gerbil wrote:

And how aobut pressuring the US over hte now illegal occupation of Iraq?

Or Israel?

Or fixing Africa?

The fact is, none of the people who COULD do anything give a shit.

Are they anymore important than Tibet?

Former Member

Tibet's dead. The genocide is almost complete. The native culture almost entirely wiped out. The Chinese too strong to challenge, even if the white man's burden isn't entirely dead itself now.

Former Member

Disillusioned wrote:

And are you saying the US doesn't put pressure on Israel?
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3068539,00.html
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/04/11/bush.mideast/

You're having a laugh, right?

Former Member

morrismarina wrote:

Tibet's dead. The genocide is almost complete. The native culture almost entirely wiped out. The Chinese too strong to challenge, even if the white man's burden isn't entirely dead itself now.

Genocide?

Why isn't Tibet worthy of help? And it still does have its own culture, its own form of buddhism and its own currency. There are 2.62 million (compared to the 2.92 million in Wales which puts things in to perspective) people living there and they're suddenly not worthy of help?