There are many religions who promote non violence, however there is a thing called passive aggressiveness, which they use in abundance.

In this day and age, everyone knows that there can be psychological abuse subtler but as damaging as any type of violence.

That is what many religions use instead of physical force, it has been used for centuries to subjugate people and rule over them. Instead of beating people with sticks, they use things like guilt, shame and whacky belief systems to control the masses.

I am sick of hearing about so called peaceful groups, who are as hell bent on winning some war or another as any other faction, they just use different techniques that do not incriminate them.

I dont really know much about whats going on betwen Tibet and China, but I am not going to jump to the conclusion that Tibettan Monks are an innocent party, just because they speak of non violence.

Clare, Cambs, UK

J Roberts, Manchester, UK - you clearly have NO idea what you are talking of. The Taliban oppressed their people. The Tibetan government did not. That's possible the most rediculous thing I've read on here. You are basically saying all religions are evil and oppresive.

Jonathan Dolby, Lincoln, UK

"Tibet has been under the Chinese control for hundreds of years" - Jonathan Brown, Rochester, New York.

No it hasn't. Learn your facts before making a comment. Tibet ruled itself - was an independent nation - before the Chinese invaded.

Jonathan Dolby, Lincoln, UK

re Mike Nguyen, USA,

"Gradual change is better than this "country building" or "shock democracy, capitalism, freedoms" any day."

I guess by your half-brained logic it wasn't a shock in 1950 when Tibet was subugated.

Phil , Liverpool, UK

The picture showed that those policeman are not even Chinese! They are not in Chinese military uniform. When you have chance, go to Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and take a look. Press can be misleading.

Ann, London,

ok , so the world is afraid of china and its immense economic and military might. so we will continue to buy their goods, refrain from criticising them for their widespread human rights abuses and congratulate them for putting on a great show at the olympics using slave labor now its tibet next its taiwan and then it will be incursions into japan ,india myanmar and other neighbours before direct confrontations with the west.as well. let us all just curl up and die and let china have its way with the world.

andrew, PITTSBURGH, PA USA

Tibet is a part of China since the Mongol Empire conquered both, so China does not have any historic "right" on Tibet, and if so then the Mongols have a right on China. And for DCH "Kosovo was also part of Serbia for around 600 years, but the UN sanctioned its independence and so why is it different for Tibet?" Both were a part of the Ottoman Empire, do you want them to retake Serbia too.
Ask the American natives or Maori´s if the want the white invaders to leave - gues what the outcome would be.

Timur, London,

I am not a fan of the Chinese government, the Chinese people are just as much victims of them as are the Tibetans, but to trade a form of Autocratic Communism for a form of religious despotism.....what's the difference? All these people who think it's cool to shout 'Free Tibet' and go on Free Tibet marches make me laugh with derision, do these morons realize what sort of government Tibet would have if the Chinese left? They had a religious Autocracy in Afghanistan too. Rather than jumping on the current coolest bandwagon, why not think, investigate the facts and make your own INFORMED decision, instead of supporting a movement that seeks to trade one form of oppression for another.

J Roberts, Manchester, UK

We should all boycot the olympics until Tibet is allowed to participate

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

Too bad for the Tibetans that they can't find some way to involve Israel in this - that would guarantee some UN action, boycotts, threats of war crimes, etc. Instead, we see silence from the left-wing, anti-US, and anti-Israel groups who should be supporting the Tibetans aginast Chinese occupation. Good luck with the "Free Tibet" bumper stickers - I'm sure the Chinese are cowering in fear.

Steven, Montreal, Canada

Hello people the reason there is no pictures from TIBET because the CHINESE government does not allow independent/free media in CHINA, let alone in TIBET to show the world how disgruntle even the peaceful MONKS are. Buddhism is a religion of peace and tranquility and the MONKS do not protest for the hell of it.

TIBETAN do not speak any CHINESE dialects or consider them CHINESE so why do you suggest everything is great in TIBET today compared to 50 years ago - somewhat ECONOMICALLY but not socially or politically.

Tibetan want self-determination, not foreign rule, why is that hard to believe. FREEDOM is the basic of all society, even the CHINESE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT, because people fought to create the system they did. Then greedy politicians ruin the system for their own gains. How many MAO supporters would have imaged today's China?

No freedom, No Olympics, because it came from DEMOCRATIC GREECE, not communist CHINA. Down with the BEIJING OLYMPICS.

Naleen, Northern California,

To Tenzn Choedon:

The monks are the group of people whose lost their power since monasteries used to be the governments who owned the lands and wealth before the land reform. That's why they will stand out first.

George Brown, Atlanta, US

The picture shown suddenly speak the truth. The police are India and the demonstrators are not monks. There is no freedom if people don't stop creating problem for others and themselves.

Peter, Miri, Sarawak,

I remember when the Chinese first invaded Tibet, the world stood by and did nothing, in the light of today's World politics, all becomes clear, No Oil, No 'Help' from the US or Britain !

Clive Burghard, LANCING, ENGLAND

Tibetans if want to return to their homeland how can any State stop them. There can be no good law prohibiting a peaceful person from returning home.
China should respect the demand of Tibetans and give them complete autonomy according to their tradition. China has no right to forcefully extinct Tibetan culture and integrate with China. Is this not imperialism? Merely because China has ruled Tibet some time in history, their right to rule is not perpetuated for ever.
World is now changing human spirit and brotherhood can rule the world in future integrating the whole world as a family.
Peaceful demonstration and protest should always be respected and persons concerned should be talked on negotiating table with conscientious sympathy, justness, fairness and reasonableness. Some solution satisfactory to both sides should be arrived at in stages, if not possible at once. This attitude will pave the way for the world to be a better place for the mankind.
Let peace prevail over violence

Senior Advocate Upendranath Awasthi, Bilaspur, India/cg

Kosovo was also part of Serbia for around 600 years, but the UN sanctioned its independence and so why is it different for Tibet?? Double standards.

DCH, Nottingham, uk

Every country has minorities, should.... every country be divided up along race and religion? Iraq would become 3+ countries then... India would become.... a few... Russia even more... China has communism with Chinese characteristics which basically is another word for capitalism. They have implemented local direct elections of officials and continue to gradually experiment. They learned the lessons of the Former Soviet Unions' wholehearted embrace of democracy, freedoms, capitalism after its breakup; if you call that the GREAT BENEFITS of democracy, freedom, and capitalism that so many people spout and export; then its something a society shouldn't have to go through. Gradual change is better than this "country building" or "shock democracy, capitalism, freedoms" any day. When a country is put into a great depression like the Former Soviet Union was in and people didn't have enough to eat where was their democracy, freedom, capitalism? When the uranium fell into the hands of common people; who'd try to sell it. The Buddha taught the impermanence of all things; even Buddhism in India itself fell due to the influx of the Muslims. Tibet's culture hasn't died, its everywhere in the world, you just don't see it because you are looking in the wrong place.

Mike Nguyen, USA,

United nations should come forward to solve this problem. China must quit Tibet. A referendum can be held under UNO.

samiran Bhattacharjee, NY, USA

Autonomous or Independent is not the biggest issue. The problem for Tibet and Tibetan is that their culture and religion are not well respected by Chinese. It would be a huge loss for humanity if it doesn't exist one day. My support always goes to the Tibetan.

Richard, San Francisco, USA

As an Indian, I am disgusted in India's actions. The Indian Government should at least support their protests!

Phil, Kerala, India

China says Tibet is part of its territory. On what does China based those claims? How are Tibetans considered to be Chinese? Will Tibetans start to protest more forcefully and not follow the nonviolent stand of the Dalai Lama? If China is allowed to continue its subjugation of Tibet the rest of the world should be held responsible of the sad conditions of all Tibetans, both in Tibet and those who have been forced to be refugees throughout the world.
The government of China is an authocratic regime that will not hesitate to massacre those who protest against its rule. Let's not allow our apathy to become the cause of the extinction of such a great civilization.

Gustavo Rojas, New York, NY

This is all about money. China is the 'thing making' capital of the world, and India is rising economically and isn't about to step on its toes...both of them being aided and abetted by the United States. If the Tibetans had oil of course it would be a different matter. But they are but humble buddhists with no political or economic clout. We just removed China from the top 10 of human rights abusers...anything to do with economics/the 'face' of the Olympics? When does our hypocrisy end? The Chinese at least have never made claims to being fair, honest or benevolent.

Debbie, Evanston, USA, IL

Maybe freeing Tibet is the wrong way to attack this. If you FREE CHINA, giving them democracy and freedoms (such as freedom of religion), then the Tibetans will become free as well.

It seems that China has a large desire (that is growing) to be free, but when will it happen? Communism and their desire to respect their traditions get in the way of progress forward for the the future. Communism is preventing the whole country of growing toward greatness, and progressing towards future. Democracy, freedom, and capitalism would free them to be a much more amazing country. Yet their systems smothers creativity, advancement, freedom of choice, and progress.

The question we should be asking is:

WHEN WILL CHINA BE FREE???

Michael Wilson, Fairbanks, Alaska

ok, first of all, Tibet has been under the Chinese control for hundreds of years, and they have always been Autonomous Region. They should be thankful that China is still giving them the right to be an Autonomous Region because the governemtn has every right to make it 1 of the provinces and treated the same. They may not have much additional rights compared to minorities in Western countries, but they do get special treatments from the Chinese Officials and that is something we cannot deny.

Why should China give up Tibet? People say it is because the Chinese robbed the land of the Tibetans... Lets ASSUME that statement is true, isn't that what the Europeans did hundreds of years back when they arrived in North America? And now, the Canadians and Americans are on top of the world...Is anyone telling the white peopel to get out of North america and go back to Europe?? I dont think so. And its odd how many Protestors that want to free Tibet are white North Americans...ironic uh?

Jonathan Brown, Rochester, New York

If you've never been to China, and you know that you don't know anything about China, then don't embarrass yourself by making radical subjective statements and mislead people who prefer the truth or fact or whatever that is real.

Liwei Gong, Northampton, UK

There is no need to embarass China. It can do that fine on it's own. There is no freedom of speech in China, there are no human rights in China and there is no democracy in China.
There is no freedom without the freedom to think and say what you want.
I hope the monks don't face the same fate as the monks in Myanmar.

Cara, Hamburg, Germany

Dear Lisong,
The ALT text for the photo says "Police arrest a Tibetan exile during a protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi." I'm guessing The Times didn't have a photo for the demonstration in Tibet so used a substitute one.

Buu, Tokyo, Japan

Lets go and speak out for freedom!

Let us all join and help free and give back the lands to the native people who have been subjugated, oppressed and had their lands stolen from them in the Middle East, Australia, the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and any other place we can think of.

John Smitch, Washington, DC,

The Indian Govt. has let down all its citizens and people of Tibet and the rest of the world by acknowledging that Tibet is part of China. Its a shame that I am represented by such a govt.

Yogesh Jain, San Jose, USA/CA

I for one will be boycotting this years Olympics and everything to do with it. This will make not one oun ce of difference to the Games but its about time people took a stand because it seems Governments won't. Gordon Brown won't even meet the Dalai Lama in fear of upsetting the Chinese. Its a disgrace and has been for a long long time.
Free Tibet

Kevin, Durham, UK

To Lisong, since you may imagine that photos and video of protests in locked-down Tibet are near impossible to take or to smuggle out, the Times used a photo taken in India, where Tibetans marked the 1959 Tibetan Women's Uprising today. If you put your cursor over the photo, you will see the caption.

Frances, Nelson, BC, Canada

You know you cant trust the media to put it together honestly and accurately. At least they are covering the tibetans plight. The Chinese gov't needs to be confronted and we can do this by not participating in the Olympics. I will not watch them nor will I purchase goods from China (if at all possible) I may have to go naked in the streets...

Mary Boudreau, Santa Fe,

your guys are good story makers. looking at the picture, it was taken in India. please don't always follow your heart, sometimes, you should use your brain instead

john Wang, Chicago, USA/ IL

I am not getting it. What is fighting for peace? It is peace in Tibet right before this. Have anyone compared the living standard of Tibet people 50 yr ago and now? Are there any slave there now? People are starved to deatch? It is a plot against China by certain nations and certain interest groups who lost power. Freedom? There is no absolute freedom. Look at Africa, Mongolia, poor people in Gaza. It is always a balance of different elements in life. What would an independent Tibet be like? Another Afghanistan at most. Why can't people with different ethinic background live in peace together? A problem worldwide nowadays, not just in China. As people who live in a peaceful environment, we should encourage peace but not break it.

Huayi, Boston, US/MA

You're right Lisong, those soldiers do not have any Chinese Features. I wonder where those pics were taken. I don't doubt that this kind of stuff happens in China, but it just seems to me like China's been getting hammered by Big Media lately. I wonder if it has anything to do with them dropping the US dollar.

Cesar, Dallas,

The condition inside the Tibet is so worse that even the monk who follow buddhish teaching of non voilence has to raise their voice.
This is now a high time to fight against the chinese....
Everyone on earth should support the Tibetan atleast on humanitarain ground. I hope the march to Tibet by Tibetan Youth Congress will be huge success and hope the Chinese attitude towards basic human right for Tibetan in Tibet will change.

Tenzn Choedon, Pune, India

When will the Chinese People Stand up for themselves instead of laying down like beaten animals?

Lake Cable, chicago, il

How funny is this! The police officers in the picture are obviously not Chinese which means the picture was not taken in China at all. Make me wonder whether the news is trustworthy. If the whole idea is to make Chinese government embarrassed, at least try to find some picture that looks real.

Lisong, Seattle, WA

I wonder how many people will read this, then head to Walmart. Way way to many I am afraid.

Gail Hooks, Willis, U.S.A. Va.

Why does a nation that does this to its people get rewarded by the UN for peace and humanitarian awards? Why would they hold the Olympics in such a disgraceful place?

My heart and will goes out to the Tibetan monks fighting for freedom and peace.

Ian, Orlando,

Good luck to the Tibetans, and to the people of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. Lets hope these people will one day be able to speak as they wish and dictate their own futures.

Matthew, Bangkok, Thailand