The Tibet Question

One finds such allegations are baseless. The Dalai Lama has been one of the finest practitioners of the Gandhian methodology of political struggle  in our times.  Chinese communist forces entered north-eastern and eastern Tibet (Kham and Amdo) in 1949 . It was followed by the peaceful uprising of March 10, 1959 which led the Dalai to flee to India. All this has , however, never  shaken his faith in the approach of peace and non-violence to achieve his objectives . He has long abandoned the demand for independence . In 1974  he came forward with his Middle-Way policy ,according to which subjects of diplomacy, defence, communication and finance will be under the jurisdiction of the Central government in Beijing and those of  culture, education, environment and religion the provincial Tibetan government in Lhasa .

 

Under the Dalai’s influence the Tibetan side has presented to Beijing a Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People. This is very much in tune with the conditions for national regional autonomy set forth in the Chinese constitution and the 17-Point Agreement of 1951 and its annexure . Pertinently, there is nothing new in the current Tibetan proposition that all Tibetans be brought under a single autonomous administration.  When signing the 17-Point Agreement, even Premier Zhou Enlai acknowledged it as a reasonable demand. In 1956, when establishing the Preparatory Committee for the "Tibet Autonomous Region", Vice-Premier Chen Yi pointing at a map said, if Lhasa could be made the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, which included the Tibetan areas within the other provinces, it would contribute to the development of Tibet and friendship between the Tibetan and Chinese nationalities.

 

The march of freedom and democracy cannot be stopped in our times. Gone are the days when in the name of state sovereignty any particular group or region can be suppressed for long . The predicament of Tibet is increasingly attracting the attention of the world community. The European Parliament has already adopted a resolution in Strasbourg  calling on China to resume constructive dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives on “real autonomy for Tibet”.  The resolution "urges the Chinese government to consider the Memorandum for Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan people of November 2008 as a basis for substantive discussion…  The Memorandum…. respects the principles underpinning the Chinese Constitution and the territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China.” It calls on the Chinese Government "to release immediately and unconditionally all those detained solely for engaging in peaceful protest and account for all those who have been killed or gone missing".  The resolution also asks Beijing  "to provide foreign media access to Tibet, including the Tibetan areas outside the Tibet Autonomous Region" and "to grant UN human rights experts and recognised international NGOs unimpeded access to Tibet so that they can investigate the situation there".

 

The U.S. State Department  has  said only "a substantive dialogue" with the Dalai Lama's representative could bring a “true and lasting stability in Tibet.. China government has acted against global human rights standards by significantly increasing cultural and religious repression in Tibetan areas.” U.S. Congress has also passed a  resolution recognizing the plight of Tibet's people and their exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama.  This resolution  calls for a sustained multilateral effort to bring about a durable and peaceful solution to the Tibet issue . It calls upon China to “cease its repression of the Tibetan people and to lift immediately the harsh policies imposed on Tibetans,” including patriotic education campaigns, detention and abuses of those freely expressing political views or relaying news about local conditions. It also urges Beijing to lift the limitations on travel and communications.  Besides, American President Barack Obama has  raised the Tibet issue with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao and others during their meeting in Washington and Beijing urging the latter to talk to the Dalai and resolve the issue . Similar has been the sentiments of other Western governments in their talks with the Chinese leaders on the matter.   

 

Beijing would do well to seize the opportunity and make use of the Dalai’s presence on the scene to solve the Tibetan issue.  The Dalai is a man of love and peace . His is the philosophy of co-existence . In a recent  media interaction the Dalai said, “We must build good relations with the Chinese…we should not develop anti-Chinese feelings. We must live together side by side. In Tibet, Han Chinese and Tibetans can live happily… Don’t commit violence, it is not good… Violence is against human nature. ” 

 

The Dalai can also lead the Tibetans best to remain integrated to the mainland.  The kind of faith people have in him can be imagined from the fact that in 1996-97, an opinion poll of the Tibetans in exile was conducted to determine if a referendum was needed on the future course of their struggle . The Tibetans saw no need for referendum and left it to the Dalai to decide the course. Afterwards there was a Special Meeting of Tibetan exiles in November 2008. Heretoo a majority of Tibetans strongly supported the continuation of the Middle–Way policy. One finds this faith of the Tibetans in the Dalai remains intact.  One is not sure if  China can have such an influential leader to solve its Tibetan problem after he leaves the scene .

 

 

Views expressed are personal