Sometimes guns are the answer

In Tibet, autonomy is still only a distant dream, as the Chinese Government consistently maintains that no ‘Tibetan issue’ even exists. ¹ In its intransigence, China is bucking what might be a global trend: in recent years, other countries have proved more willing to adopt autonomy schemes for their national minorities. The contrast raises the question of why autonomy has become a realistic goal elsewhere, but not in Tibet. At least part of the answer, this chapter will suggest, is that resistance movements elsewhere have adopted a different strategy: they have taken up arms. Though such resistance seldom achieves clear military victory, national governments are often prepared to concede autonomy to buy peace because the many years of conflict have brought the two sides to a mutually hurting stalemate, a situation that is often conducive to peace settlements.