Occupied With Security

First, for obvious reasons, there will be no pictures with this post.

Second, when you travel to different parts of the world, different security regimes impose on one's life in various ways.  One gets used to the system at home, not knowing that in other parts of the world, people face vastly different conditions.

Third, this post isn't just about security matters.

China (Guangzhou)

I might have mentioned before the greater presence of police.  Most look like traffic cops and or security guards, but you see more than would be common in Canada, at least.

Tibet

Starting in the 1950s, China began a crackdown in Tibet.  This has all been documented elsewhere.

Incidentally, directly across the street from the Potala Palace is a "new" square.  A monument sits at the back called the "Monument to Tibet's Peaceful Liberation".  If you need to puzzle over that for more than a second or two....  We walked past it a few days ago.  Playing over very loud speakers, at near pain threshold levels, was something that sounded like Chinese opera, accompanied by a water fountain display.  I can only imagine what Tibetans think about this.

The Dalai Lama, of course lives in exile in India.  His picture is forbidden in Tibet, the Tibetan flag is forbidden, and Tibetans are not allowed to leave the country.

Currently, here in Lhasa, there really are police everywhere.  Not a militarized presence, mostly, but there are scanners for bags at various strategic locations.  More of an annoyance, really.  Yesterday, for example, we would have gone through at least a dozen.  I wasn't counting, but lots.  They don't slow you down, but....

There are police "stations" everywhere.  Sometimes quite visible, sometimes not.

Occasionally, you see military type police equipment parked here and there.

When you check in to your hotel, your passport information is entered into some computer system.  I understand this is common in many countries.  Obviously someone is very interested in knowing where you are most of the time.

We went on a 3-day road trip before we left Tibet.  There were numerous police checkpoints a!long the way.

At some, our passports had to be shown, along with our permit to be in Tibet. (Note that foreigners can't enter Tibet without a travel permit and can't leave the Lhasa area without a guide, and usually a driver.  Tibetans all have identity cards and they need to be shown at checkpoints too.

In a feeble attempt at controlling vehicle speed, there is a mandated minimum time imposed on distances between cities.  For example, the route back to Lhasa from Shigatse was about 300 km.  Our driver would have been fined if he was under that time.  Based on our observations, it was having little effect on speeds, or, more importantly, driving behaviour.  People seem to drive the easy they want and then just stop and rest somewhere until the time is made up.

Interestingly, we saw NO police patrol vehicles on any of our drives, either to monitor speed or driving habits.

In Barkhor Square, where there have protests and some self-immolations, there are soldiers wandering around, police on the roofs of buildings, police in the square where people are praying.

All in all, it was a slightly less than comfortable feeling.

Also, many Internet sites are blocked.  Most things Google (maps, blogger), as is Facebook.  Couldn't access the CBC or some newspapers.  This was common elsewhere in China.

Contrast that with Nepal.  A very different place.

It seems like an occupying force being imposed on the Tibetan people

I was reminded of a moment 3 years ago, here in Kathamndu.  I had just bought a Nepalese flag and a Tibetan flag.  The young man said to me, almost in an undertone: "free Tibet".

Exactly.