Tibet
By Larry Habegger | Permalink |
No Comments | June 29th, 2004 | Trackback
A famous Chinese open-water swimmer has raised the ire of Tibetans throughout China with his plans to swim across Namtso lake, the highest saltwater lake in the world at 15,475 feet, but a body of water held sacred by Tibetans. Young, urban Tibetans from around the country have signed a letter to Chinese authorities asking them to stop the swim, but they are taking the political savvy approach of expressing their grievances in a way that respects the sensitivities of China’s political establishment. They are hoping to obtain respect for Tibetan culture in China without challenging state authorities.
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Tibet
By Larry Habegger | Permalink |
No Comments | June 15th, 2004 | Trackback
The Tibet Information Network (TIN) reported June 14 that road travel in Tibet has become dramatically more dangerous in recent years because of several factors including unsealed roads, inexperienced drivers and the conditions under which the drivers must work. Many tour companies put heavy pressure on drivers to return on time so the vehicles can be ready for the next tour, then allow the drivers little time between jobs to recuperate. Often the vehicles are not suited for Tibet’s rough roads and the quest for profit puts tourists at risk. TIN cited as an example an accident that occurred last year. A tour that was supposed to be in two jeeps but used a minibus instead, increasing profits, carried seven tourists, a Tibetan driver and guide. The van plummeted into a ravine when the driver fell asleep, killing five of the tourists. A seriously injured German woman was sent back to Lhasa where medical facilities and treatment are inadequate, and she almost died because of the treatment. The driver was later sentenced to death for falling asleep at the wheel, but the company bore no responsibility. The way local tour companies operate makes more such accidents likely.
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