As a Nepali my observation on international media’s coverage of Tibet issue and Nepal is bound to be biased. I am not a journalist, so I don’t even have the veil-no matter how flimsy, of confessed unbiased reporting.
The photo blog, was shot entirely from an outsider’s perspective and did not offer anything from the Nepali side or the Tibetan side. Yes, Novick is sympathetic to the Tibetan cause but that is all, just the cause. That is not enough to understand this situation.
Why do Tibetans want freedom, what is happening now in Tibet and what is the effect of international community’s support of this "cause" has to be discussed too. Just focusing on the oft repeated "Tibetans want freedom and the Chinese and Nepalis don’t want that" is not going help.
I understand the scope of the post may not be such as to allow these deep issues to be discussed or analysed, then I offer a solution. Instead of clogging up already heated discussion on Tibet with one sided posts that offer little insight, it would have been better if Novick just shared the pictures of Nepali police acting badly.The readers will draw their own conclusion.
What is now happening in Tibet is sad and very concerning. International community and the media should be more proactive on this. I support, whole heartedly, Tibetan demands for freedom, rights, respect and their cultural heritage that is now being hurt deliberately. But fly-by posts on international publications of repute and following-like the HuffPo, do more harm than good.
Rebecca Novick’s posts presents a picture of Nepal that could easily put the country as a Chinese protectorate run by a Beijing’s puppet. And that is so wrong. She comments on the badly behaving police,
"The police are armed with lathis, six-foot-long bamboo sticks. A local reporter tells me that their riot gear is a gift from the Chinese Embassy…"
I am ashamed by the acts of Nepali police, Tibetan people and their supporters have rights to voice their opinion freely as Nepal is a democratic state. But accusing the police of being influenced by the Chinese Embassy? that is going too far even by already stretched Nepali standards.
Yes, Nepal is a close ally of China. So? is it wrong to be close with your neighbors? China regularly helps Nepal with equipments and technology, not because Nepal is run by China. It is because Nepal is poor and needs that support.
It is amazing that Western intellectuality and the media so easily expect a poor nation with limited resources to measure up to the high standards to behavior when the same standard is seldom applied to those with influence. Nepal is regularly squeezed in the international media on Tibet, is the same done to China- in scale comparable to actual guilt?
No way. China is far too important and influential to be seriously messed around with. But Nepal, ya lets screw them. Sad reality of our world!
Also shared at Bhumika’s American Adventure.
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