Tibetan monks study in Karnataka, India. |
A group of exiled Tibetan leaders are partway through a week-long meeting in northern India that may chart a new course in Tibet’s struggle against decades of Chinese rule.
Years of failed attempts at conciliatory relations with China and recent statements by the Dalai Lama have left some Tibetans in search of a new, more aggressive strategy — including a possible declaration of independence that many youth support.
But this week’s meeting has highlighted a generational gap between Tibetans. The older generation prefers a more moderate approach.
A blogger at “Tibet.org” examines calls for new thinking on Tibet in the context of China’s changed motivations since the struggle began. The blogger argues that leaders must focus on Tibet’s economic assets rather than religious freedom or human rights.
Another blogger reposts analysis by a Tibetan Chinese person who expresses sadness at Tibetan riots and trumpets Chinese communism and its economic rewards.
Blogger “Mathieu Vernerey” writes extensively about differences and similarities between the “middle way” approach and those who call for Tibet’s complete independence, suggesting that both approaches can be reviewed and adapted.
The “Potala Times” Web site posts a letter from a Tibetan who believes the meeting in India will not see a full agreement, but who hopes Tibetans can retain their culture with or without autonomy and on a local level.
Watch events of the meeting in India here.
As the meeting commenced, China tighted controls on Tibet and a Chinese official stated that Tibetan separatism is “doomed.”
China has even taken the battle online, where the country has used Google ads to spread its own version of the conflict.
Tibet was essentially an independent country prior to invasion and occupation by China’s People’s Liberation Army in the 1950s.
Photo courtesy of Flickr user bluemoondream under a Creative Commons license.
11/27/2008 :: 03:13:39 AM
Jerry Wills II Says:
Whatever will be done in the days to come, the Dalai Lama has already shown his people, by his example, that he and his country need not remain fixed–in a definite location–in time or place, necessarily, to be able to continue on with their sublime studies and their ancient teachings in those places where they find themselves. Temporal matters ever flow into the eventualities of other processes…and the Dalai Lama has flowed around the world for many years now. He has, continually, reached many who have sought to hear him and nothing–within him–has ever, truly, given any power to the creating of any necessity for igniting more meaningless forms of aggression against which he has fought all his Life. To change this now or to ignite a more profane flame would be to render everything he has said: Meaningless…and would render Insubstantial what other lamas have spent their entire lives learning. To lessen the intense nature of their devotions to their studies now will render all their past a true tragedy and one that could have been avoided by accepting the Supreme Example of the Dalai Lama himself. He has already shown his people the Way (which need not be Named by temporal Names), if only they could fully perceive the true Nature of this Way, daily and nightly, by the Innner Eye of their Collective Subconcious Mind. The true temples and libraries of the Tibetans are to be found within themselves and wherever those, who have endured to the end, may find themselves. Issues of Location, compared with the infinite treasures to be found within, must remain secondary issues if those secondary (temporal) issues cannot, immediately be resolved.