A man tried to set himself on fire.  It took 5,000 police to guard protesters from one another.  Other than that, it was a normal day for the Olympic torch.  Today's Wall Street Journal reports that the torch has finally made its way through Seoul, South Korea, and will travel to North Korea next.  Why has there been so much angst and violence associated with this year's torch run?

 

In a related story, today's Journal tells us that the Chinese government has made a surprise effort to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama.  The Tibetans haven't yet responded.  Who is the Dalai Lama?  Where and what is Tibet?  Why is China so mad at them?  Why are so many nations mad at China?  And why does this controversy matter to you today?

 

England's Gordon Brown and Germany's Angela Markel have already decided to skip the Olympic Games opening ceremonies in Beijing.  France's Nicolas Sarkozy is considering doing the same.  Recent oppressive actions taken against Tibetan protesters have left China in a moral lurch, especially in the view of Europeans.  Meanwhile, most Americans don't understand what the fuss is all about.  We see pictures of the bespectacled, serene Dalai Lama but don't know much more than Richard Gere is a devotee.  As the Games approach and the political games continue, it may be time for us to catch up with the rest of the world on this volatile subject.

 

In case you need some help with Asian geography, Tibet is (roughly speaking) located between India and China.  The region stands at the highest altitude on the globe, with an average elevation of 16,000 feet.  It incorporates the Himalayas and is sometimes called the "roof of the world."  (Mt. Everest stands near the southern border of Tibet, just inside the country of Nepal.)

 

In 1951, the People's Republic of China took control of the region.  A rebellion against China in 1959 led to the exile of the Dalai Lama and many of his followers.  The Dalai Lama demands cultural and religious autonomy for his people in exchange for a normalized relationship with China.  Earlier this year, protests by Buddhist monks began on March 10 (the 49th anniversary of the 1959 uprising).  The Chinese government's severe crackdown on these monks led to global protests.  The Olympic Torch has been protested or refused by many nations, and the controversy continues.

 

Who is the Dalai Lama?  What is a Dalai Lama?  Let's continue tomorrow.

 

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