Parallel Universe

I have been to Dharmshala several times for holidays and I have been blessed by the Dalia Lama in person. What an amazing innocent laughter he has. I still remember him telling me that I have very pretty and sad eyes! And that I shall get my happiness eventually, that I deserve!
Anyways, thats still to be realised but in the last few weeks the worldwide protests over Tibet have got me thinking, thinking about the many millions of people in Tibet who may never realise their dreams.

Seems unlikely in my lifetime atleast!

Anyways, China has always fascinated me. This is one country that I have yet not managed too travel though! Hopefully one day I shall cross the great wall......

In my last two years in Singapore, I have been confronted with various news reports in newspapers, tv, internet - about two China's - the official one that is mostly a sucess story, and the less pretty one that 'they' just do not want us to see.

The world is inundated with glowing facts and figures which show China's sizziling double-digit growth, that the country has come of age as a confident big nation and that this governments 'people first' has lifted 400 million out of poverty in the past 25 years etc etc

Infact, so enamoured I am with China that I have written in the past in my blog on its soft power.

But now........all under heaven is peaceful and happy - not!

For all its achievements, out on the pavements and dirt tracks, China has a parallel universe. This is where cagey clouds of tension hang. With months to go before the red carpet is rolled out for the Olympics, rights and social groups are reporting more interception and detention of the ordinary folks. As Beijing goes on a over drive to seperate appreances and reality, the ordinary common poor man will remain invisible and silenced.

Today China's counter-offensive moves against recent disturbances for 'free tibet' appear robust and excruciatingly detailed. While China has realised that importance of countering what it sees as adverse publicity, its efforts are unlikely to produce the desired results, given the country's overall non-transparent track record. They even fudged the actual records of SARs outbreak deaths in 2003!!

Detractors are unlikely to change their minds over Tibet despite the media campaign.

Like the boy who cried wolf, the problem that the Chinese government faces is that even when the truth is finally told, it may not be recognised as such!

Huge credibility problems..........