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"Tibet issue won't end"

"Tibet issue won't end"

Author: Preeti Sharma
Publication: News Insight
Date:
URL: http://www.newsinsight.net/archivefeatures/nat2.asp?recno=109&ctg=

Tempa Tsering, the Dalai Lama's representative in New Delhi, is restrained in his praise of the recent Tibetan protests against China's authoritarian rule. But he accepts that they have given a new voice to Tibet. He talks about his people and reveals their suffering under ruthless Chinese rule. Tsering is confident that the non-violent ways of the Dalai Lama will eventually win over the protestors and expects China to choose democracy one day, giving the Tibetans all they seek. Excerpts from the interview:

Q.: How do you see the recent anti-China protests in Tibet?
A.: I have great admiration for the protestors. In the harsh and violent conditions (obtaining) in China, it is not easy to rise up. But I also feel saddened that the protests are caused by the Chinese government's policies of repression, which have deprived the Tibetans of their basic rights.

Q.: How long can the Tibetans sustain their protests without being spurred by the Beijing Olympics?
A.: It is difficult to say. China is brutal and does not care about international norms. But while Tibetans have been physically (suppressed), mentally they have carried on their freedom struggle for the last fifty years.

Q.: Who are the people behind the protests?
A.: The Chinese say they are a handful of people. They are not a handful. They are from across sections of society. They are not only from Lhasa but from…places like Sichuan, Shenzhen, Yunnan and Beijing.

Q.: What is their inspiration?
A.: Tibetans have been denied their rights for decades. They have been treated like second- or third-class citizens in their own country. So people realised that unless they rise up, Tibet will be lost forever. Tibetan people, culture and heritage would not be there. This inspired them.

Q.: How much is "Hananization" responsible for the Tibetan unrest?
A.: The Chinese have tried different methods to (destroy) Tibetans. (Hananization) is a planned and desperate move to bring the Chinese into Tibet... to destroy Tibetan traditions and culture. The Chinese people are given incentives by their government to migrate to Tibet.

Tibet is located at a high altitude. It is cold and barren and does not suit the Chinese. But if they are still coming, they have a different intention. It is demographic aggression. And while a Tibetan is not free to move anywhere in Tibet, a Chinese gets incentives to migrate to Tibet.

Q.: How do you see the Dalai Lama's stand on the protests?
A.: The Dalai Lama…admires the protestors. But his way is of non-violence. He understands that there is anxiety, despair, frustration…but he says nothing justifies violence. He has said that if people won't leave violent means, he will retire.

But the Dalai Lama cannot assure that the protests will be over. He can only appeal to the people. We give everyone the right to express themselves.

The Dalai Lama recently said that Chinese soldiers disguised as monks participated in the violence. What was the information?

The information is what he has heard. We are not sure about it. In Tibet's closed society, where even foreign journalists were thrown out, it is difficult to know the truth. But we know to what extent the Chinese can go to discourage protests.

Q.: What is the solution for Tibet?
A.: Form an international body of Chinese and Tibetans to freely investigate conditions in Tibet. They should be allowed to go anywhere, meet anyone, and to see the repercussions on people there. They can come to India and see how we live here. Then they can file their report. What can be fairer? But China is not willing for this. They act as if they have something to hide. That is why they are kicking out foreign journalists and tourists.

Q.: What can China do in future? As long as the Tibetans are not pacified, the Tibet issue will not end. The Chinese feel that once the Dalai Lama dies, there will be no leader for the Tibetans, and they will be able to take appropriate measures. But in that scenario, the Tibetan protests can be more violent, and the situation could go out of control.

Our hope is that China realizes that the only solution is to talk and discuss. The Chinese government has to treat Tibetans equal to the Chinese. We want genuine autonomy for where Tibetans are living and not independence. We want to remain part of China. We have always said that Tibet is an inseparable part of China.

Why the Chinese don't agree with this is difficult to say. The Dalai Lama says that the past is history, whatever has happened has happened, and "I cannot change the past." But we can definitely change the future if China is concerned for the people of Tibet.

People like Nancy Pelosi are saying that the Beijing Olympics should be boycotted for the Tibetan cause.

Being pro-Tibet is being pro-justice and pro-peace. We have always taken the non-violent path. We are happy that (foreign) nations support the cause.

The Dalai Lama recently said that his next incarnation could be a woman and a very inspiring one so that she can lead the Tibetans. How do you perceive that?

This is a spiritual issue. The Dalai Lama is free to be born anywhere. The incarnation could be male or female. The purpose behind the incarnation is to finish the unfinished work of the predecessor.

The Dalai Lama is very clear that if within his lifetime, he is not able to resolve the Tibet issue, his next incarnation will not be born in a closed society like China's but in an open society. This is a very categorical statement.

Q.: How do you see the anti-China protests in Delhi?
A.: I don't approve of violent protests. Embassies are compounds of other countries. We should respect the law of the land we live in. We should not embarrass India. Whatever the emotions of the protestors, violence is unacceptable.

Q.: After the Beijing Olympics, would China be stricter with Tibetans? What are your future plans?
A.: You cannot predict anything about a country like China. We are thinking about the future and are keeping several options open.

Q.: Do you see any sort of agreement between your government and China?
A.: The Chinese always say that the door is open if we stop demanding independence. But we are very clear that we are not demanding anything.

China says that Tibet is developing and becoming prosperous. China may have spent a lot of money, but why are the people so opposed to it? Why are they so unsatisfied and distressed?

Q.: Will Tibet be resolved only if China becomes democratic?
A.: Democracy in China would be a solution. There have been uprisings of Chinese people in China about which the world does not know. China faces deep internal problems.

Today, the Chinese are more prosperous and open to the outside world. I hope they will also want freedom.


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