Posted: Mar 16, 2008 05:47 pm EDT
Boris Smolin and Matvey Shparo have reached the North Pole, Hannah has commenced her lonely quest on the ice, and ExWeb ran the final interviews with Inaki Ochoa. Yet all eyes were on Himalaya, where climbing plans were shot one after the other as Lhasa was set ablaze.

1 million Tibetans already exterminated, and another million living in exile; with 80 or more possibly killed last week, and hundreds of tanks in Lhasa - today China declared a People's War on Dalai Lama. What exactly does that mean? Truth is we don't know.

Ban on climbing and freedom of speech

According to a report released by the US State Department last week; youngsters in Lhasa have previously been jailed and tortured only for scribbling "free Tibet" slogans on a wall.

Today Sunday, a live video showed scores of Chinese police searching door to door in Lhasa. Heaps of monks are reportedly already imprisoned, and nobody knows what is happening to them.

Not only are journalists banned from the city; according to an US TV report foreign media in mainland China such as CNN was forbidden to even mention Tibet last week. (Accredited journalist's reports are always screened by Chinese officials.)

ExWeb received requests to remove from its website the official CTMA note, and local expedition leaders reported they were threatened with lifetime climbing bans if they gave out reports.

Nangpa La rerun?

ExplorersWeb's community of climbers remembers well how the 2006 Nangpa La shootings were handled: Chinese officials simply denied them. Likewise now, China claims only a handful dead in Lhasa, mostly "shopkeepers."

On Nangpa La, only when pictures arrived showing a nun lying dead in the snow did China acknowledge the killings - blaming the victims and claiming self defense on the Chinese soldiers' part. Similarly in a statement today, China said about Lhasa: "The protesters were barbarous and violent, they ganged up on young police officers and beat innocent people."

On Nangpa La, videos finally arrived showing Chinese soldiers kneeling and taking potshots into a crowd of youngsters and kids, shooting them in their backs. After that, China clammed up.

Climbers officially lied to

Mountaineers want to know what will happen to their climbing permits. Truth is we don't know that either. Last year, both China and Nepal officially denied rumors that Everest would be closed during the Olympic summit torch event. Monday we found that we had been officially lied to.

Wednesday, it was reported that also the south side of Everest will be shut down during the torch. Cho Oyu is closed as well, and late last week climbers reported that also Shisha Pangma is at risk. No further official statements are issued; rumors are all we have.

Whom to believe

Believing even a word of what China says at the moment would seem above naive. The officials closed Everest abruptly, with no regard for climbers' dreams, hard earned money and the businesses supporting them. This even after climbers complied with all their rules of early applications and political screenings.

Likewise Tibet's people, or what's left of them, after initially peaceful demonstrations are now facing the rage of the world's largest standing army. China has declared war on a country it already occupies; its spiritual leader and exiles - and refuses international media to monitor its actions.

Here goes a timeline on last week's main events:

Monday, March 10

- A notice by CTMA stating the mountain will be closed during the torch realy is sent to Everest climbers. Chinese officials claim crowding and safety concerns as reason for the ban.

- Reports that Chinese officials also attempt to convince Nepal to close the icefall on the south side during the torch are denied.

- A peaceful march starts in Lhasa with about 300 monks from various monasteries involved.

- In Kathmandu, Chinese embassy officials actively intervene with the handling of Tibetan demonstrators outside the Chinese embassy. The officials reportedly direct and position the Nepalese police and spit on an American who takes photos.

Tuesday, March 11

- Chinese officials tell AFP that the ban on Everest North side climbing is a "misunderstanding." ExWeb recieves requests to remove the official notice from its website. Some expedition leaders report that they are threatened by lifetime climbing bans if they give reports to media.

Wednesday, March 12

- Nepalese Tourism Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung announces that also the south side of Everest will be closed for climbing during the torch relay. Gurung says the move has been taken in response to a request from China, "this is to prevent some people who could infiltrate and cause trouble during the time when they take the torch to the top."

- ExWeb reports that on March 7, China's state-owned Export-Import bank assured Nepal soft loans of 121 Million Euro.

- The Ganden monastery in Lhasa is surrounded by armed paramilitary police. Layers of soldiers and up to 2000 police are stationed around the Sera and Drepung monasteries. Monks are trapped with dwindling food supplies.

Thursday, March 13

- Media blackout in Lhasa. No pictures come out from the Tibetan capital, an no foreign journalists are allowed. Reporters trying to phone monasteries receive replies such as, "the monks are all in their rooms."

- An ExWeb contributor traveling through Tibet to Lhasa shortly before the "black Monday" reports a curfew, and lots of checkpoints on the way in to the city.

- Tibetan and foreign demonstrators in India, resisting arrest by sitting or laying down, are hauled away into police buses. Demonstrators announce hunger strikes in symphaty with hunger strikes in Tibetan monasteries.

Friday, March 14

- About 80 dead, four monks torching themselves, a monastery badly damaged, and Chinese buildings set ablaze are repoted from Lhasa. Due to international reporters being banned from the city, the reports are unconfirmed. "There could be several hundred tanks and they were shooting into the crowds,” a private witness told RFA’s Tibetan service.

- ExWeb's reporter and local tourists report a war-zone with tanks/armoured vehicles driving round in the streets, shops on fire, total curfew, and far worse violence than news reports are stating.

- Voices are raised for a boycott of Beijing Olympics.

Sunday, March 16

- China claims only 10 dead, "most shopkeepers," it blames Dalai Lama and Tibetans for the killings and declares a "people's war" on protesters inside and outside of Tibet.

- There are no further reports about the current status of climbing permits on Everest or elsewhere in Himalaya.

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