Dismantling unique culture

With reference to Elsie Tu's letter (South China Morning Post, July 27), I am staggered by her lack of understanding regarding the situation in Tibet.

When she writes of China liberating the Tibetan people she is merely toying with words to plaster the facts.

It may be true that Tibet was a backward and medieval land with a harsh regime, but this hardly entitles an alien power to take control and systematically set about dismantling a unique and ancient culture. What if the US had decided to liberate the Chinese from their authoritarian dictatorship after the Tiananmen Square massacre? It would indeed be interesting to hear what the majority of Tibetans feel, as Elsie Tu agrees, while conveniently forgetting that they are denied the most basic of human rights - free speech.

Her ignorance and naivety are further demonstrated by her mentioning that Tibet was included as a Chinese province in her geography class in 1948, to justify China's occupation. Ever heard of propaganda, Ms Tu? She goes on: 'Whether or not the Tibetans liked it I do not know.' She might just as well have added: I do not care.

STEPHEN GRIFFITHS Kowloon