Tibetan Protests

Riots and violence have continued in Tibet over the weekend as the Chinese have moved in military units to "crush" the apparently unorganized independence protest. The situation is making for a PR nightmare for Beijing in its Olympic year.

We can see the violence flaring in the China chart (Oct 1 1949 3.15 pm Beijing) as tr Mars conjoins natal Uranus in the 6th house of conflict. From a wider view, we can see that this is not a passing problem. The chart is running Saturn-Venus. While Venus is well placed natally in Libra in the 10th house, it comes under close square from the debilitated natal Mars, which is in turn conjunct Pluto. This promises some degree of conflict during the duration of its subperiod. Lagnesh Saturn is placed in Leo in the 8th house. We can understand that these problems are cropping up now by looking at the situation of lagnesh and dasha lord Saturn in transit: it is currently in the middle of the equal 8th house in Leo and therefore in a state of affliction. The malefic 8th house is associated with obstacles in general, and more specifically with embarrassments and scandals. That certainly sums up all the bad press the repressive Chinese government has been getting lately as its darker side has been on display for the whole world to see.

I don't think the core of the current flare up of the Tibet problem will let up as long as tr Saturn remains in proximity to 10-12 degrees of Leo which form the deepest and more afflicted part of the 8th house. This conflict and armed occupation will last until the summer, and unfortunately for the image-conscious Chinese, into the Olympics which run from Aug 8-24. What is perhaps more troubling for China is that tr Mars and Rahu will conjoin at 25 Cancer near China's Mars-Pluto conjunction. This happens in mid-June and points to another unwelcome event, either another significant outbreak of violence or perhaps some formal international fallout (boycott?) from China's actions in Tibet. In light of its currently afflicted chart, it seems that the Olympics will be mired in controversy.

More immediately, I am curious about the effects of tr Mercury and Venus in opposition to China's natal Saturn on or near March 24. This looks like a worsening of the conflict, albeit perhaps more in terms of China's image overseas. The conflict and its diplomatic fallout is likely to intensify in the next couple of weeks as Mars continues its transit through Gemini since its square aspect will activate China's Virgo planets, which lie in the 9th house.