Annelie Rozeboom

During her 10 years in China, as a foreign correspondant for a Dutch paper, Annelie Rozeboom had a chance to meet and interview Tibetans (some living in Tibet, some living out), Chinese and Westerners about Tibet. In this book she has collected their views and experiences of the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and of the 60 or so years following. Along with the interviews that Rozeboom relates to us, she tells us a little of the history, beliefs, and traditions of the Tibetans before the invasion, and how the Tibetan way of life has changed since.

Rozeboom subtitles this book 'Stories from all sides of the Tibetan debate', as if to give all stories equal consideration, but Rozeboom shows bias for Tibetans-in-exile and an independant Tibet. Most of the interviews are with Tibetans and while some of them have prospered in Tibet since the Chinese took over, she is quick to point out that Tibetans still living in Tibet are afraid of reprisals for speaking out against China and for an independant Tibet. She warns that it is better to speak to Tibetans-in-exile who are not being censored. There are also several articles quoted in the book, but all the Chinese sources show China as Tibet's benefactress and Rozeboom seems to be countering these using articles from Tibetan sources with opposing views. And while there is mention of Chinese supporters of Tibet independance, there are no interviews with these Chinese.

Another difficulty I found was with the vague dating of various events, interviews and articles referred to. It became hard to decipher when events occurred in relation to each other, or what period of time an interviewee was referring to.

Still, the stories passed on to us are intriguing. Often, what I hear about Tibet is only about how China has oppressed the Tibetans. This is the first I've read about Tibetans prospering in Tibet, and about their successes in helping other Tibetans and in trying to keep their culture from disappearing completely. Rozeboom's book shows us how complex the problems are between China and Tibet, complicated by very different, though not necessarily opposing, world views. The interviews, and the book itself, are brief and tantalizing, and left me with a wish to find out more about Tibet and its people.… (altro)