steaming ahead

A rather momentous event will happen tomorrow, July 1: China will officially open its railway to Tibet. It is a hugely contested issue and stands to benefit the Chinese more than Tibetans in many respects.

Most of the articles coming out of China laud the railway as a progressive step towards modernizing Tibet and building up its economy. However, given China's track record in economic development, and given the number of Tibetans already adversely affected by the railway's construction, this praise is excessive.

In brief, to mention some of the negative results of this massive $4.1 billion endeavour:

*environmental repercussions: expected widespread erosion, damage to plantlife, contamination of major rivers that flow into surrounding Asian countries; increase in garbage and litter; devastation of wildlife areas in order to build train line; by the admission of the Minister of Railways, "a devastating impact on the surrounding ecological environment"; an increase in demand for food and water, and for horses and cows, all of which will harshly impact the surrounding grasslands;

*population transfer: there is already a disproportionate amount of Chinese settlers in Lhasa; the train will only expedite the flux of settlers, further marginalizing Tibetan locals.

*economic: the line was a major investment which, realistically, will not pay off by its own volition. In order to balance the budget, China will need to further exploit Tibet's mineral resources, further remove valuable forests, and export newly identified spring water sources. The PRC also plans to build major tourist resorts in rural areas outside of Lhasa and along the train line. While some Tibetans may gain employment at these resorts, the real money will go to the Chinese government while simultaeneously displacing more Tibetans. The influx of more Chinese settlers into Lhasa will mean an increase in hotels and businesses, most of which are Chinese-owned and run.

*health: a direct connection to Chinese cities where prostitution, drugs, and HIV AIDS are more common means a very likely risk of transmittable diseases increasingly finding their way into Lhasa and surrounding areas.

*military: many view this line as a military strategy. The PRC government has announced plans to build a connection west from Lhasa, toward the Nepalese border.

For excellent reporting on this issue and recent photos , visit:

http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php?id=997

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