The fourteenth Dalai Lama has come to the end of a long haul, insisting on a middle way policy that advocated for some measure of autonomy without demanding full independence. It hasn't worked, though. After seven rounds of talks between the Tibetan kashag (government-in-exile) and Chinese officials, nothing has budged. Tibet remains occupied and oppressed.
Some meetings are set to happen among 300 Tibetan delegates before the next round of talks with China. Having read this article, it seems possible that Tibet soon begin demanding independence, still insisting on a nonviolent approach, in deference to the wider exiled community's wishes. The Dalai Lama has in essence given up on the middle way policy, which has gotten his people exactly nowhere. Says Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, "We are not saying that the (middle path) policy is bad, but it's one where China's decision is a major factor and that's why it hasn't been successful."
The Dalai Lama says he still believes in the Chinese people, but he has lost hope that the Chinese government will make concessions of any kind. Most recently, China has refused dialogue with the kashag on the pretense that the they have not fulfilled China's conditions, but this is not true. China has quite a history of such pretenses: It has maintained for years, for example, that the Dalai Lama demands complete independence, which thus far he has absolutely not. Now, China just may have pushed him to do so.
Some of the world's great powers are behind the Tibetan cause. Last Wednesday, the UK publicly stated that the Dalai Lama and his government have in fact met the demands set for true dialogue to happen with China. And then on Thursday, the US asked China to review its stance on Tibet "... to examine policies that have created tensions due to their effect on Tibetan culture, religion and livelihoods," (Gordon Duguid) and to allow journalists greater access to Tibet so that the world may be better informed of what is really happening there.
I don't follow a lot of politics, but I know that the occupation of Tibet is not unique, that this kind of thing happens everywhere all the time. But this seems a propitious time for a real change to take place for the Tibetan people, which is not often the case. I cannot help but note that Tibetans have been striving in a spiritual way, building their stores of merit by generating good karma, over fourteen centuries and through some very deep struggles. I believe it has not been in vain.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
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