Re: Canada’s interest in Tibet’s fate, Opinion Feb. 3

Canada’s interest in Tibet’s fate, Opinion Feb. 3

I was surprised to see an article on Tibet in your paper. Despite the fact that scores of Tibetans have burned themselves in public to protest what amounts to cultural genocide of their people by the Chinese, it is rare to find any coverage in major media.

Yet, recently a hunger strike by a First Nation chief generated front-page headlines for weeks. But Tibet, a country occupied by China since 1951, where Tibetans’ religion and culture is being forcefully assimilated, is barely on the radar. Why is that?

It wouldn’t be because our media and government are in the same bed with their corporate buddies, would it? You know the guys who make zillions by bringing you the made-in-China toaster ovens, $5 t-shirts and of course the iPad, iPod and iPhone.

They certainly don’t want to disturb the status quo. And the rest of us? Well, we all love to buy stuff cheap and we all just have to have our toys, don’t we?

Human rights and such? We’ll let someone else worry about that.

Michael Poliacik, Toronto