China and her leaders has been demonised for at least 50 yrs by the Western press. You don't noticed it because it was done so subtly. During the heydays of the Cold War, China's leaders were all considered as sadistic killers. They killed hundreds of millions of her own citizens. The western press were saying all this because the USA was contemplating using nuclear bombs on Chinese cities. Its morally justiable to use it if you tell your people they were evil people. WMD was the pretext for the USA to invade Iraq. There were none. Western propaganda has brainwashed so many fair minded Europeans and Americans for so long that even though Chinese people were killed in the violence, Western people don't see it at all. In their minds, they are only thinking of China depriving the Tibetans of their country.

trendy, melaka,

I am surprised by your audacity Jim. How can you decrie Britain for 'killing all the indians' on the falklands, a particularly small and largely uninhabited island, whnen you r own counrty, the USA, slaughtered thousands of Indians. Buffalo Bill was so named as he was paid to kill as many buffaloes as possible as this was the staple diet of Indians. This was a particularly cruel way in which the govenment almost completely eradicated the indigenous population of vast swathes of land. Look to yourself before you cast stones at others.

Rob, Singapore,

Jim Milovic, sorry to go off the tangent here, but there were never any indiginous indians of the Falklands . Sorry.

Philip, Oxford, England

"The Falklander's consider themselves British and none are native to the area;"

Yes, but only after the British had killed and drove away the native Indians.

"Disclaimer: I am genuinely a white British Anglo Saxon, for any doubters."
You are so proud of your heritage, huh?

Jim Milovic, Minneapolis, MN USA

Whilst James' point on Chinese rule in Tibet is valid the Falklands issue is a vastly different argument. The Falklander's consider themselves British and none are native to the area; the Argentinian invasion was unprompted and was cynical attempt to maintain popular support during that period - The Tibet issue is a bunch of mindless idiots running riot, terrorising oridinary people under the veil of a political banner. The PRC needs to crackdown on this issue with full force and to the full extent of the law, which naturally will involve casualties along the way (a couple of hundered people, vs 3m ((1 billion))

Tibetan, Han, Hui, Zhuang or whoever, people should not have to tolerate violence and disobedience in their streets. Let the truth bear out about this matter and let the PRC get on with it's job of restoring law & order in the affected areas

Disclaimer: I am genuinely a white British Anglo Saxon, for any doubters.

Bob, Sheffield, UK

As an Australian Chinese university student, I have spent much of my life trying to come to terms with the 'Western' media, ways of life AND the Chinese culture.
Since the popular Western opinion drastically swings against China's favour, I believe it is important, for the sake of DEMOCRACY to give the poorly represented a fair go.
Some might feel that Tibet is beseiged by China, but can no one see that China is in turn enveloped by the West? As a developing country, China's improvements will eventually benefit all of its citizens. The degree of protesting now is not appropriate for any situation. Wait for a developed China to show what it can do for Tibet. If the West at this critical time provides nothing but alienation and encouragement of extremist separatist movements, there will be nothing to gain and everything to lose .
So I deplore you to sieve through the media articles, both for and against, reliable or not, in order to make an educated opinion on the issue.

Xin, Sydney,

I have never been to Tibet itself but I have visited places in China which have minority Tibetian settlements , namely, Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan and Zongdian (Shangri-la) in Yunnan. Here centuries of Tibetian migration have entrenched Tibetian culture within China's interior. At the time I visited, pictures of the Dalai lama (exiled) were prominently displayed in the numerous temples and shrines. Overall the area was serene, peaceful and fairly prosperous , (from tourism to the breathtaking natural scenery) and left a deep impression on me. The conflicts I saw were more to do with increased tourism on a rural community. The news that Chinese Troops are stationed on alert in these areas greatly saddens me. The "Tibet" issue in China is highly complex and just calling for Freedom for Tibet without real understanding or solutions will not improve life for either the Tibetians in Tibet or in China itself. We should take care to avoid knee jerk reactions to this issue

A Mason, London, UK

"Well James (supposedly form edinburgh. Looks more like China to me), we have given all our colonies referendums to vote on whether they want independance or not. Many countries wanted to retain this including recently Australia. Why does China not do this with Tibet?"

I am think James is a Chinese living in UK, just as I am a Chinese who have lived in US for 20 years.

It's so funny that you mentioned British "given all our colonies referendums to vote on whether they want independance or not" and offered up "Australia" as an example.
Excuse me, how many aboriginals live there now? how many got killed before you allowed this referendum? Can you give me another example that the British "voluntarily" gave up in her heydays? (Hint: Giving up Hong Kong doesn't count.) What about the Falkland War with Argentina?

Another example of Western hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

Terry Lang, Chicago, IL, USA

Well James (supposedly form edinburgh. Looks more like China to me), we have given all our colonies referendums to vote on whether they want independance or not. Many countries wanted to retain this including recently Australia. Why does China not do this with Tibet? And for Meng to say the violence is against Tibetan Buddhism, so is denoucing the Dalai Lama, which is what they are forced to do by the Chinese Government. You cannot have it all one way.

Rob, London,

There is obviously a strong bias against China by Western politicians and media, despite their own countries' hypocrisies and Western reports about the violence stated as facts. Tibetans may express their unhappiness but to instigate violent riots and attack and kill innocent civilians based on their ethnicity and in some cases religion make them no better than the KKK. Violence would only worsen their cause. Many Western reporters and politicians turned a blind eye towards the attacks and killings of Han Chinese civilians and legitimized the riots. Despite the extremist attacks, as a Chinese, I am glad to hear of no revenge killings by Chinese civilians towards Tibetans. But the perpetrators should be sought.

On a side note, just yesterday the Calgary Herald newspaper showed a picture of Nepal police beating a monk but it was captioned as Chinese Tibetan violence. The credibility of Western reports just tanked.

jeff, calgary, canada

Good .we do not another lhasa. support the troops. also, congratulations to western media for finally finding something that will get peoples minds of iraqnam and afghanistan. at least till september

David, Weymouth, Dorset

Why China does not open Tibet to west reporters:

All the west journalists were not forced out on day one. They were forced out on the second and the third day. At which time the west press is already biased.

The Chinese government wants to get the situation under control as quickly as possible without much brutality. It is obvious for them that the west coverage will not help them controlling the situation because everything is being branded and assumed as freedom fighter, in such a mood everything can go out of control very quickly. The presence of the west press would only encourage the rioters to make the situation worse.

Once the situation is under control, they will open up and let you see.

Jack, Coral Springs, FL

The western people have this feeling of romanticism towards Tibet, because of its unique culture, but the truth is Tibet has always and will always be a part of China. Britain should free the Falklands and other colonies before the British have any right to interfere China's own business.

James, Edinburgh, UK

The Tibet people have not been able be free, the chinese have monks can they practive their religion freely? The Tibets can not practice freely. I wish all beings freedom equality: free Tibet Peacefully. Please if your intrested in the history of the saving Tibet peacefully;look up support.savetibet.org/act/taf.php

Elaine Kirkpatrick, Albion, u.s. ca.

I just think it's very wrong and irrational of the Tibetans to protest this way. On the other hand, the Chinese have been helping them build up an economy and develop education. I just think it's wrong to bite the hand that feeds them.

kimmy, LA,

Although I have greater access to the BBC today - I am very disappointed. As a chinese, who stayed in Britain for years, who trusted western media as telling people the "truth", I'm very disappointed in the media this time!!! Western media is not just "biased". The news I have read on the BBC website is very economical with the truth!

Pictures purportedly showing violence in Lhasa and Tibettan districts are really shot in Nepal and India, falsely labled as China. Your media reports Arson, Killing & Violence as 'Legitimate Protest' .
Although we obviously have a problem With Tibet, Chinese PEOPLE view the western sympathy of tibettan's who commited violence last week as ridiculous. Everywhere else such actions would be considered terrorism, but when it happens in China, they are called hero's and freedom fighters.

maggie, chengdu, china

The war on terror has a long way to go.

Jay Lee, Wilmington,

so china is telling the world get lost. we will not have any dialogue with his holiness. well its time to tell china to get lost. we will all be fine without those cheap tainted and poisonous products they are dumping on us in the name of free trade. wal mart take note

doug, wexford, PA USA

So it looks like China does not want to discuss about the more than 1000 people arrested and my relatives in Tibet, but with the 'iron Curtain' pulled down, there is only uncertainty and fear in every Tibetans mind.

I am amazed when I watched the CCTV report. Hoping to see and understand the situation there. The reports does not mention anything about people being shot at and it also does not show any clips with the Armies and their trucks and tanks in the street. Everything was so effectively hidden. The video clips show the streets completely empty of any sign of military presence. Its weird how they do that.

We now have witness saying Chinese military had disguised as monks and Tibetans to stir violence and ethnic hatred. Its just so scary. So scary to even think Chinese government can go to that level.

I pray for all the Tibetans who are now arrested and who will be completely denied of any legal recourse.

tsering, NYC, US

Dear Cathy,
If there is concern that reporting on Tibet is inaccurate, then the solution is obvious: The Chinese government should open Tibet to journalists and allow them unhindered access to every town and citizen there. You and I both know that won't happen, and we both know why. If you are really concerned about human rights, you will stop supporting your government in its destruction of Tibet.

Dave, Gibsonia, PA

"Religion according to law???" Very funny. Men are mortals and boddhisatvas are immortals. Since when did the communist party leaders become god???

“Participating in the riot essentially violated the doctrines of Tibetan Buddhism??" These guys must be using some substance and hallucinating. This was an effort to prevent Tibetan cultural genocide which is so intricately related to Buddhism. So it's an effort to save buddhism also. I simply don't know what the hell they are saying and each day, they come out with more and more obnoxious statements.

pasang, toronto, canada

Although I have greater access to the BBC today - I am very disappointed. As a chinese, who stayed in Britain for years, who trusted western media as telling people the "truth", I'm very disappointed in the media this time!!! Western media is not just "biased". The news I have read on the BBC website is very economical with the truth!

Pictures purportedly showing violence in Lhasa and Tibettan districts are really shot in Nepal and India, falsely labled as China. The BBC reports Arson, Killing & Violence as 'Legitimate Protest' - when they are crimes against innocent people!

Although we obviously have a problem With Tibet, Chinese PEOPLE view the western sympathy of tibettan's who commited violence last week as ridiculous. Everywhere else such actions would be considered terrorism, but when it happens in China, they are called hero's and freedom fighters.

Every time, when we Chinese try to tell your people the truth, we only hear the reply "BRAINWASHED!!!"

maggie, chengdu, china

Its always easier to throw stones at someone else.

How can the Chinese Government justify the invasion and subjugation of Tibet, and then blame extremists’ for causing violence within said country in the name of peace?

Our own government has committed similar unjustifiable acts of imperialism against our perceived enemies many times with the last most notable occasion being the Iraq War.

The Chinese actions may be barbaric and indefensible but are they unique. I think not!

Alex Wassall, London,

As an oversea Chinese and also a minority Chinese, I am extremely concerned about the media report on Tibet and China. To Chinese of every ethnic background, the most precious things are PEACE, STABILITY and EDUCATION, the basis of all human rights. Hasn't the world seen enough killings among ethnic groups in 3rd world countries around the world? China is a 3rd world country. Journalists should report facts truthfully, not pick up sides. Disrespectful comments on China only unite Chinese who know how much they have gone through in the past 200 years and how much they deserve to have the "American Dreams" in China instead of coming to the western world to fullfill. Without standing in the shoes of Chinese and without looking at the past, present and future of Chinese people, the free world cannot never understand the really meaning of "China" and "Chinese" and the essence of the human rights that China and Chinese are working hard to achieve day by day, step by step.

cathy, NYC, USA

Truth from the Canadian tourists, the view from their sights:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/20/content_7823452.htm

Joe, Boston, MA