Opinions

In the wake of Jiang Zemin's abortive talks, the momentum to reconsider China's Tibet policies increased. In the summer of 1998, one of China's most trusted and highest-ranking Tibetan Buddhist leaders quietly defected to the US.

In September 2002, an official envoy of the Dalai Lama arrived in Beijing to take part in what has become the most serious round of Sino-Tibetan talks since the early 1980s.

Tibetans seem to have had a remarkable facility, not just intellectual or creative, but even organizational, when it came to dealing with issues of language.

Soon after the Chinese occupation army entered Lhasa, the "reform" of the Tibetan language become a priority program of the new administration.

Wars are said to be great accelerators of change, and World War II ( magchen nyipa or trukchen nyipa ) certainly speeded up Tibet's hitherto unhurried modernization. The economic impact alone was substantial.

During the 20s and 30s, many other new products came to Tibet . The popular kye-par, or honorifically sung-par (gramophone, lit. voice-print) with its 78rpm bhentse (record, perhaps from the Chinese panzi for plate) made of poekar (shellac or plastic) enlivened Lhasa's evening parties.

There has always been a sneaking admiration for China and Communist ideology in a section of Tibetan exile society, especially within the leadership.

But for the old Tibetan quarters, almost all modern buildings, shops and cars here are owned or occupied by the newly settled Chinese - Vijay Kranti

Global Vigil for the Panchen Lama of Tibet was concluded peacefully and observed by many local Tibetan, Nepalese, foreigner and press person here in Boudha stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.

An average Tibetan of today has some understanding of the system of aristocracy, lamas and clan leaders in independent Tibet.