Remember Tibet?
- Posted by: SamSchwartz
- on March 22, 2008 at 4:55 pm
The efforts of Tibet’s government-in-exile—led by Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche and Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama—will be remembered as a persistent thorn in the side of Communist China. When the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959, after eight years of harsh Chinese occupation and a failed uprising, there wasn’t much to distinguish his people from the countless other ethnic groups whose national aspirations have been steamrolled into oblivion. But today, the Free Tibet movement is a visible cause célèbre—and has been for a decade. Having won a Nobel Peace Prize and a Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian honor in the United States—the Dalai Lama is one of the West’s most beloved (and bestselling) spiritual advisers.
This is little comfort to the 6 million Tibetan Buddhists still living under the repressive regime of the People’s Republic of China. Since taking control of Tibet in 1951, the PRC has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetan Buddhists (in a conservative estimate), destroyed thousands of temples and monasteries, and continued to punish open support of the Dalai Lama with imprisonment and torture. Each year, thousands more Tibetans join their fellow exiles in Dharamsala, a town in the hills of northern India where the Tibetan government-in-exile provides education, social services, and a home for its more than 20,000 refugees.
After decades of working alongside the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche, a 69-year-old scholar and monk, was elected prime minister of the Kashag (the Tibetan parliament) in 2001. He has helped parlay the international community’s sympathy into active negotiations with China for a partially autonomous Tibet. Faced with the possibility that the PRC is only humoring Tibetan demands while waiting for the Dalai Lama to die, Rinpoche has also laid the groundwork for a permanent government in exile, where future Dalai Lamas would be ceremonial monarchs and political power would reside with elected officials. In our conversation a few months before the Beijing Olympics, Rinpoche discussed how he keeps the idea of Tibetan independence alive in a China-friendly world: compromise, nonviolence, and above all, patience.
GOOD: How would you describe the current relationship between Tibet and China?
SAMDHONG RINPOCHE: It’s neither a good relationship nor a bad relationship. Since 2002 there have been six rounds of dialog between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his PRC counterparts. But there has not been much breakthrough on the substantial issues. On the contrary, repressive measures inside Tibet have very much increased since 2006. There is great angst, great tension inside Tibet. The PRC has been cutting down on the freedom of speech and the freedom of movement. All religions must be in complement with the Communist Party line. The campaign against His Holiness [the Dalai Lama] has increased as well. They say that he is trying to break the motherland, that he’s a separatist and split-ist. People are not happy inside of Tibet.
What is the status of the talks between you and the PRC?
The seventh was supposed to happen in December and January, but it hasn’t happened yet. We await their call.
What do you and the PRC disagree on?
First is the perception of history. The PRC asks us to accept that Tibet has historically been a part of China, since before 1951. That is not true. History is history; what happened, happened. The other major disagreement is autonomy for all the 6 million Tibetans. The so-called Tibet autonomous region contains less than one-third of the Tibetan population, and it divides them into 11 districts. We ask for unification of the entire Tibetan people within one autonomous agency. That is not agreeable [for the PRC]. If these two disagreements could be resolved, the others could reach a compromise.
Do you feel frustrated?
No. This is a national issue. For an individual’s life, 50 years is a long time. But for a life of nation, 50 years is not. So we are not frustrated. We continue to make our effort.
Have you considered the possibility that you may not live to see an autonomous Tibet?
It is not important. If it is not achieved in our life, the next generation will carry on the struggle. Maybe for a hundred years, two hundred years, whatever it may take. The people will achieve autonomy sooner or later, because China is changing very rapidly and China cannot remain as it is today.
| Quote: |
| “China is not modern. Modernization means democratization. It means respect for human rights and an open society with individual rights. None of these are available in China. |
Is the modernization of China helping your cause?
China is not modern. Modernization means democratization. It means respect for human rights and an open society with individual rights. None of these are available in China. They have only the market, the consumeristic economic system. Apart from that, it is all in the Middle Ages.
What about those economic changes—how will they help the Tibetans?
Uneven economic growth means many people become very rich and lots of people become poor. The gap between the haves and the have-nots has increased very rapidly. With economic growth like this, democratization will follow naturally. Slowly they have to open up. As the people become more exposed to the free world, the democracy movement inside China will grow.
What is the significance of the Beijing Olympics for China and Tibet?
We wish that these games be successfully conducted. At the same time, we wish that a large number of free countries will participate in these games, and that that will have some kind of positive effect on the Chinese government for more transparency and more individual freedom. If these games could bring these changes, then I think they are a boon. Apart from that, there are many pro-Tibet groups and individuals who think this is an opportunity to pressure China. We do not agree with that. We are looking more to the post-Olympic era.
But might there be ways to make your cause visible during the Olympics?
The Olympic Games are a playful occasion. To disturb them is not a good gesture. All the international parties are willingly gathered there. If they have any resentment about the Chinese human-rights situation, or China having no rule of law, then these free countries should not participate. It is their choice. I was very much surprised to hear recently that the Olympic committees of some European nations have instructed their players not to wear any slogans on their shirts during the games.
Some of the athletes wore shirts that said “Free Tibet.”
Yes. I understand they were told that “Free Tibet” should not be there. That is okay. But to prohibit any kind of slogan, any kind of quotation? I don’t know why the Western nations are so eager to appease China. It is very strange.
What do you think their reasoning is?
The multinational companies find it easier to do business in China than in any free country. If you look at the workers of India and China, there is not much difference. But people are not willing to invest in India because it has rule of law, it has free trade, it has a free judiciary; there are a lot of labor unions. In China there is no rule of law, no free trade, no judiciary. If these companies bribe one party member and one military commander, they can work their laborers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That is why all the production in China is so cheap compared to every other country. It is the exploitation of labor and natural raw materials. So capital investors are very happy with the China situation, and they try to protect it.
The Dalai Lama has suggested that if he is reincarnated at all, he will not be born inside China.
Yes. His Holiness very much hopes that during his lifetime the Tibet issue may be resolved. Then he would be able to go back to Tibet as a religious leader and his next reincarnation could be chosen in accordance with traditional religious practices. But in case he should die in exile … the Dalai Lama has made clear that if he dies outside of Tibet then he will not be reborn in an occupied area. He will be reborn in a free country, outside of Tibet. It is the responsibility of the Tibetans in exile to find the next reincarnation. China will interfere with this but we are not afraid. We will make a foolproof plan to find the next Dalai Lama. We are, at this moment, seriously deliberating on this issue.
As you negotiate with the PRC, do the pragmatic necessities of diplomacy ever come into conflict with your religious views?
No, because we do not adopt any so-called strategy. We are having dialogue with the PRC without any diplomacy. We say what we think in very straightforward language. There’s no compromise.
Looking back on Tibet’s history, it seems younger generations might believe that political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. How do you convince them not to use force?
There is a kind of seed of nonviolence in the blood of the Tibetan people. In our education system, nonviolence is interwoven with all other subjects. Therefore we think the younger generation will not resort to violence in the foreseeable future. In the 21st century there is no place for violence. Only nonviolence is the solution to any problem, even if you look at it pragmatically, without any spirituality. If violence is chosen as the method, then no problem is ever solved, because there is no end. We need dialogue, or the entire world will be destroyed.
DISCUSSION: 7 Comments
So the people are in the streets everywhere. London – stiff upper lip protests and Brown decided not to touch the torch. France – pull off a riot and put out that flame like only the French could. San Francisco – hanging off the bridge to stop the hanging. Maybe we should create a special Oh-Limp-Pics for those not-so-free societies to be paraded every four years. It will give us all a chance to show how we feel about injustice around the world. It is obvious that the media will only report on it if there is a sound-bite and a photo opportunity. Maybe something for tyrant to carry the torch of torture every four years. Mm, I think I have an idea…
http://blog.ifrance.com/lafeu
Dalaï Lama., whose teacher is a Farcist is well known.
But the western still defend him for his fake religion.
In that case, the Corsica should be independent from France.
if the that Sarkozy insist to support this terrorist.
And the Scotland, Ireland should be independent from England.
That’s our point of View.
This is what Dalai Lama called peaceful, non-voilence demonstration? Can you imagine a peaceful non-voilence in Tibet after viewing Dalai Lama’s supporter’s behavior, and how he is treating a disabled athelete girl who is sitting on armchair? An animal is always an animal, just like Dalai Lama and his supporters. A lepoard never changes their spots!!
No doubt that Dalai Lama and their supporters are terrorist. Now they were killing and attacking Han people, someday, they will attack their owner, the westerns!
They claimed that they are nonvoilence. But they burnt their own city, they killed Han people. They are roiters, they are agitated by those political terrorists, their leader is Dalai Lama!
Lasa, Tibet is always a saint city for All of our chinese people, but they burnt the city overnight! Thousands of Chinese Han Poeple are helping to build the railways and help to develop economy and improve the living for Tibet people, thousands of Chinese people died on the site of building railways because of extreme climate and typographs, thousands of people including my own relatives to help them, But they burnt the city overnight!
Without Chinese people, without all of chinese people, Tibet will be forever as poor as those in Nipel. Their people will always be Slave, you all know what slave means under the religion controller like Dalai Lama, just like the Negro Slave in old America.
Do you know history, ignorant people!
Yes, 1.3 billion of Chinese people, most of them are still in poverty, but we are trying to help to Tibet, just because they are minors, we are trying to help them, but those roiters burnt it overnight!
Tears! only angry and tears left!
But the westers are supporting a roiter Dalai Lama.
Please read the history of Tibet to see what Tibet look like under the rule of Dalai Lama, under their “famer-slave” political system!
Dalai, a liar!
He use the western people’s sense of justice to challenge the unity of China. What he really want is to become the king, the ruler, the dictator of Tibet.
It is commonly taught that Beijing, as the mother to the uncivilized Tibetans, provided modern society to Tibet. Everything factories to roads. While this is true, Tibetans had a flourishing and advanced culture before the helping hand of the Han. Talk about Han chauvinism…
Anyway, I agree with you that China has done a lot of positive things for Tibet, but it is unfair to not recognize the dissatisfaction they feel. It is not coming out of nowhere.
The Tibetans do not want independence. They want to be part of China, but all they ask for is a little freedom in practicing their religious beliefs. How would you feel if you could be jailed for practicing your beliefs that don’t affect anyone else?
Yes, many Westerners are supporting the Dalai right now, but most are uninformed and doing it because it is the popular thing to do. Many people accept what they hear right away without confirming the truth. How many of us know what the real situation is?
Let those with true knowledge about the situation solve the problem. Do not let emotion and nationalism cloud the truth.
I hope that the hate doesn’t get out of control on either side.
THE QUESTION OF AUTONOMY FOR TIBET
by Tsoltim N. Shakabpa
Some Tibetans are asking for autonomy for Tibet from Communist China while many Tibetans, especially the young who are the future of Tibet, are struggling for total independence. Why would some Tibetans ask for considerably less freedom than those of us in exile currently enjoy? Why would some Tibetans seek an agreement that denies us the right to manage our own foreign and military affairs, travel freely anywhere in the world and freely voice our opinion of political leaders? Under the sovereignty of an autocratic communist regime we certainly wouldn’t have those rights. What use is autonomy under Communist China if it means denying the intrinsic values we cherish?
By asking the communists for an official agreement to have autonomous status for Tibet, we will be surrendering to marxists and atheists many of the rights we are now entitled to and locking ourselves into a constricted and precarious situation from which we cannot withdraw.
If we enter into an official agreement on autonomy under the sovereignty of a tyrannical communist regime some of the restrictions, including firm restrictions on all foreign and military affairs, we will face are:
1. Practice of Tibetan religion, culture and traditions within “autonomous”
Tibet will be under strict Chinese scrutiny.
2. Promotion of Tibetan culture, religion and traditions abroad will either
be prohibited or restricted as it concerns foreign affairs.
3. Restrictions on all foreign travel.
4. If ever the Dalai Lama is allowed to travel abroad, he will be
accompanied by Chinese agents, who will dictate what he may say or
do.
5. Tibetans will have to carry Chinese passports when traveling abroad.
6. Tibet can never be represented in any international body or agency as it
concerns foreign affairs.
7. Foreign investments in Tibet will be controlled by China as it concerns
foreign affairs.
8. China will have the authority to impound or export from Tibet any
valuable Tibetan resources as they can claim it affects Tibet’s foreign
welfare and affairs.
9. China will have full control over the flow of the Drichu and Machu
Rivers in Tibet as China will claim they affect the Yangtse and Huang
Ho Rivers in China since the Drichu becomes the Yangtse in China
and the Machu becomes the Huang Ho in China. Any such activity will
gravely affect the Tibetan ecological and environmental system.
10. Tibetans, within Tibet, will never be permitted to record for history all
the misdeeds that China inflicted upon Tibet.
11. Tibetans will never be permitted to claim restitution from China for all
the misdeeds (killings and torture) inflicted upon them.
12. China will never agree to having the whole of ethnic Tibet under one
Tibetan administration. Thus autonomous Tibet will simply be a
miniscule semblance of what independent Tibet was.
13. The Chinese will always deceptively impose their own puppets on a
Tibetan administration under an agreement for autonomy.
14. Tibetans will never be allowed to raise their national flag.
15. China would be free to continue flooding autonomous Tibet with Han
Chinese as they would be the sovereign rulers.
The above are just a few of the restrictions Tibetans will face if an agreement on autonomy is signed. And, furthermore, who is to say that the Communist Chinese will not tighten the noose around the necks of the Tibetans as they did after the first signing of an agreement on autonomy in 1951, which they themselves dictated?
Even if Tibet ever realizes autonomy under the sovereignty of Communist China, Tibetans will never truly trust the situation. Tibetans will set one foot outside Tibet and the other foot in Tibet. And unlike Hong Kong, which is mostly made up of Chinese, Tibetans will never completely assimilate with the Han race because of the Han’s superiority complex nor accept a communist regime as their ideologies differ completely.
The Tibetan Government-in Exile’s chief envoy in his negotiations with China proclaims “we must not look at the past” in order to avoid upsetting the Chinese with the touchy subject of our history of independence. But the very intrinsic values of Buddhism teach us that our future depends upon our past. The past is what makes us Tibetans and the past is what will make the future. Even the Dalai Lama’s own elder brother, the honorable Taktser Rimpoche, despite his age and physical disability, is valiantly fighting for independence, not for autonomy. My own late father, the historian, statesman and former Finance Minister of independent Tibet, Tsepon Wangchuk Deden Shakabpa, steadfastly stood for an independent Tibet all his life.
With autonomy under the sovereignty of Communist China, Tibetans will go the way of American Indians with even far less freedom. For real freedom, the only option is to continue the struggle to regain Tibet’s independence or have an agreement for genuine autonomy with a truly democratic state. The fall of empires through the ages, as well as the fall of the Spanish
and British Empires, the Nazi Rule and the Soviet Union is proof that impermanence is the constant in nature. Dictatorships in Burma, Kenya and Zimbabwe may yet fall. Therefore, the Chinese tyranny and power over Tibet and its other colonies will too one day soon come to an end. Just like India, the Philippines, many African nations and eastern European countries, one day Tibet too will be free and independent if Tibetans continue their struggle for freedom no matter how long it takes.
Why would the Tibetan Government-in-Exile sign “another” agreement on autonomy with Communist China when under communism China has already flagrantly reneged on the 17 Point Agreement of 1951, which they themselves dictated? An agreement is like a “paper tiger” to communists. They feel they can easily tear it up when and if it doesn’t suit them and use it in a predatory manner when it does.
Further, communists believe that religion is poison, as Mao himself told the Dalai Lama, while Buddhism is a sacred religion to Tibetans. Also, since communists believe that religion is poison, they logically believe that the religious head of an institution is “lethal” poison, which the Tibetans can never accept because to Tibetans the Dalai Lama is not only the supreme head of their religious institution but also the reincarnation and emanation of the God of Compassion.
Moreover, communism is fraught with dictatorship and totalitarianism while Tibetans fervently believe in democracy.
I firmly oppose any gesture or effort to enter into an agreement with communists for autonomy for Tibet, in this case with Communist China.
Communism is faltering and failing worldwide. Millions of Chinese who have fled their own country are clamoring for democracy in China. Chinese intellectuals and students within China are demanding democracy. The silent majority in China is wishing for democracy. There is a growing split between the hardliners and pragmatic progressives within the Communist Party in China. The country is no longer ruled by one man. She is ruled by consensus within the Communist party and every day the liberals within the party are gaining strength. Finally, China will have to embrace democracy if she is to be accepted within the ranks of nations that uphold human rights and if she is to compete fairly with its equally populous neighbor, India, which is rapidly progressing economically within a free and democratic environment.
Having said the above and as a Tibetan who longs to return to a free Tibet, it is my secondary hope and prayer that our hardline position to gain complete independence for Tibet will strengthen His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s hand to achieve “genuine” autonomy for Tibet under a single, democratically-elected Tibetan administration over the whole of ethnic Tibet within the framework of a truly democratic China. Treaded carefully and calculatingly, this may well be a stepping stone to total independence.
We must ignite the flames of freedom and follow the star of Tibet to seek the fountain of bliss.
Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama!
WHAT HATH COMMUNIST CHINA WROUGHT?
The Potala, the seat of the mighty Dalai Lamas,
Is just a tourist attraction now
The Jokhang, the holiest place in Tibet,
Is a mere travesty now
The three great monasteries
Have just symbolic monks now
The sacred ancient relics
Are sold in international antique markets now
In their own country
Tibetans are second class citizens now
The voices of freedom
Are smothered now
The once happy people of Tibet
Are in tears now
The quaint old streets of Lhasa
Are filled with bars and Chinese prostitutes now
The elegant wild animals
Are going extinct now
The majestic snow-capped mountains
Are melting now
The crystal blue lakes
Are filled with atomic waste now
The pristine environment
Is completely polluted now
Lhasa, God’s earth,
Is the devil’s paradise now
What hath Communist China brought?
Only pain and destruction
What hath Marxist China wrought?
Only strain and abduction
What hath atheist China sought?
Only reign and seduction
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TAG LINE: A passionate political activist for a free Tibet, Tsoltim N. Shakabpa is a retired senior Tibetan-American international investment banker turned a recognized poet with 5 acclaimed books of poems to his name.
China was under a dictartorship and still is. It is a world known fact. Mao killed millions of Chinese through overforced labour, starvation, terrorism and torture and this is still happening. The Dalai Lama on the otherhand is the world example of non violence (compassion, tolerance, patience) that is why the whole modern World listens to what he has to say. He is highly respected all over the world for this reason – pity that money gets in the way of freedom. Peace to you.