50 Years After Revolt, Clampdown on Tibetans

Next week is the one year anniversary of a Tibetan revolt against Chinese police. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the unsuccessful uprising that resulted in the Dalai Lama's exile from Tibet. The Chinese government, fearing that the significance of these next few weeks might lead to more violence, has deployed thousand of riot police.
The government does not want any outsiders to observe the hoard of police, however, because it undermines China's strict proclamations that no ethnic tensions exist between Tibet and China.
Contrary to China's assertions, conflicts between the two ethnic groups are one of the main threats to the region. I knew someone from Hamilton that went abroad to India last year and was arrested for participating in a Tibetan Freedom March. The issue of Tibetan Independence is one that has been building up for over fifty years and one that deeply affects everyone who comes within proximity. Sooner or later it will reach its boiling point and some sort of change will need to made, unless the Chinese government wants to deploy a permanent force of thousands of riot police to intimidate and oppress their Tibetan minority.