And they only riot! Now China government must stop them. Also stop western from reporting wrong things!

“…Dalai Lama…asking to provide basic human rights for Tibetan People that is rights for religious freedom, rights to preserve culture and history, free speech and rights for a peaceful & human freedom.”

I hope we can sit down and discuss in more details about the Dalai Lama’s requests you described above.

Regarding to “religious freedom”, as far as I know, Tibetan Chinese are enjoying religious freedom today. Please do not listen to the propaganda of the Exile group or the Chinese government. Take a research on normal Tibetan Chinese’s lives everyday. You can find plenty of proofs about their religious freedom, e.g., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pI4SB4GXho. If you were referring “religious freedom” as allowing unlimited people “to join the monasteries”, I am sorry even Dalai Lama himself “emphasize quality over quantity”. If you were referring “religious freedom” as sending children to the monasteries, I am sorry even Dalai Lama himself “acknowledge that children don’t really know their own minds at that age” and dismisses the practice. (National Geographic April 2002). So please tell me what kind of “religious freedom” you were talking about. A single word “religious freedom” really does not clearly deliver the message.

Regarding “preserve culture and history”, I also would like to know the specifics. As far as I know, the Chinese government has made a great deal of efforts to do this since it took over Tibet. More than 98% of Tibetan Chinese today speak Tibetan language. The government has restored/rebuilt thousands of monastery temples destroyed by Tibetan people themselves during the 1970s Culture Revolution. The government has recollected and published the longest poem of the world, which was created by the Tibetan people. The government has published several dictionaries of Tibetan language. The list goes on and on. On the other side, what has the Exile group accomplished during the past half century with regards to this topic? From what I have heard, many of their senior officials even do not speak Tibetan language any more! (The funny part is that they only know Chinese or English and have never visited Tibet. And they claim everything from the Chinese government is propaganda. I wonder how they can be so confident that only they know the truth of Tibet?) Of course, if you were referring Tibetan “culture and history” as the feudalism system under Dalai Lama, I am sorry I cannot agree with you to put 95% of the people back as slaves again! So please let me know what kind of “culture and history” you were talking about. I love to talk about details instead of simple empty words like “culture and history”.

As for “free speech”, I know that it is difficult for Chinese people (not specific to Tibetan Chinese) to criticize their government. But without this subject, you are pretty much free to speak out anything in China. I have no doubt that when Chinese people can freely criticize their government, Tibetan Chinese will not be an exception. If you were referring “free speech” as advocating “the total independence of Tibet even at the cost of one’s life” as the Tibetan Youth Congress , I am sorry I cannot agree with you.

And regarding “a peaceful & human freedom”, I think the Chinese government and Chinese people (including Tibetan Chinese) are actively working on this. Please bear in mind that this will not become true tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. It’s worth decades of efforts and struggles. Why does this look like a special cause for Tibetan Chinese?

Let’s talk more details and see how to close our gaps.

For the 2 people who left comments and author of this article I wish you use your imagination and journalism for benefits of all people including Chinese in Mainland China

May you all (Main land Chinese) have peace and harmony

Wow, if Dalai Lama is not named the 2008 World’s Most Influential People, I doubt who will be. It got to be him.

Well, I’m not sure if you are happy if they are going to copy your style, maybe you got copyright or patent. But don’t worry and be happy, you will get something from it. They become so violent, full of hatred, so out of control, so there you go, you got that business. You go there, preach the peach! What a good job! Maybe you are will 2009 most influential again. Maybe you will get the same, another trophy!

Dalai Lama: Oh NO!

Ask: What? you don’t want it?

Dalai Lama: No!

Ask: Why? That’s not what I want! What are you talking about Dalai Lama? You don’t want attention, you don’t want trophy?

Dalai Lama: NO!

Ask: Then what do you want?

Dalai Lama:I just want a tiny space in the temple in Tibet.

Ask: But you have a palace here, why do you need a tiny space in the dirty old temple?

Dalai Lama: Because I want people there to know I am a Lama.

Ask: Yes, you are a Lama, right?

Dalai Lama: Not really, I am a politician!