June 22, 2012, Friday
China unrealistic on Tibet, talks futile: Dalai Lama

London: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Wednesday resuming talks with China on his homeland's future was futile unless it adopted a "realistic" stance.

In comments likely to enrage a Chinese leadership already angry over his trip to Britain, the Dalai Lama also said a shift towards democracy and better human rights in China was inevitable and the Chinese people "really want change".
The 76-year-old monk was speaking in Britain, which he is touring to spread a message of non-violence and compassion, touching upon issues including European economic woes, which he said were partly caused by "greed and ignorance".

"The issue is (the people's) basic right. In future, unless they start a realistic approach for the Tibetan problem inside Tibet, there's not much to discuss," the Dalai Lama told Reuters in an interview at Britain's houses of parliament.

Beijing has snubbed British officials, warned of "serious consequences" and, according to an unsourced report in the British media that China did not confirm, threatened to relocate its Olympic team from the northern British city of Leeds in protest at the Dalai Lama's meetings with British officials.

China considers him a separatist for his long struggle for Tibetan autonomy, and tensions over the issue are at their highest in years after a spate of protests and self-immolations by Tibetan activists, which have prompted a Chinese security crackdown.

China has ruled Tibet since 1950, when Communist troops marched in and announced its "peaceful liberation". Beijing insists Chinese rule has brought development and prosperity and denies trampling Tibetan rights.

The Dalai Lama, who has accused China of "cultural genocide", fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising, and unrest has continued sporadically ever since.
Earlier this month, two of the Dalai Lama's envoys to talks with China resigned over what they said was the deteriorating situation inside Tibet and Beijing's lack of a positive response to Tibetan proposals for genuine autonomy.

"SEEK TRUTH FROM FACTS"

The Dalai Lama insists he is not seeking full independence, but says there is little he can do to convince Beijing, which he said was actually only interested in imposing its will.

"We both have mantras to recite. My mantra is 'We are not seeking independence'. The Chinese mantra is 'Tibet is always part of China'. I think the real effect of both mantras is limited," the Nobel Peace Prize winner said.

"This is not a question of convincing. I think they feel it is easier just to suppress."
The Dalai Lama hoped, however, that China may take a different approach under a new president, virtually certain to be Xi Jinping, or will be forced to do so by an increased clamour for change among its 1.35 billion people.

"I hope Mr Xi Jinping, a new leader, new blood, looks in a more open, realistic way," the Dalai Lama said, adding that Xi should usher in political reform in the same way that former leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1970s and 1980s brought in the market reforms that have made China an economic powerhouse.

"Deng Xiaoping said: 'Seek truth from facts'. Then he followed the capitalist road for economic reasons. Now the political system - I think the time has now come to seek truth from facts," the Dalai Lama said.

In any case, a shift towards democracy and better human rights in China is inevitable, he said.

Chinese authorities have moved to stifle growing dissent, fuelled partly by greater confidence among the country's burgeoning middle class and also online social networks.

"China has to go along with world trends. That's democracy, liberty, individual freedom. China sooner or later has to go that way. It cannot go backward," the Dalai Lama said.

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Tibet News
Information on Human Right and Freedom Repression in Tibet

PRESS RELEASE
Kalon Tripa Accepts Resignations of Special Envoy Lodi G. Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen.
The Tibetan Leadership Reiterates its Commitment to the Middle-Way Policy

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari, Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen at Kashag Secretariat in Dharamsala on 31 May 2012/Photo by Namgyal Tsewang/Tibetonline TV

Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Head of the Central Tibetan Administration, regretfully accepted the resignations of Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Lodi G. Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen. The resignations became effective June 1, 2012.

Special Envoy Lodi Gyari, assisted by Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen, led the Tibetan team in nine rounds of talks with representatives of the Chinese government starting in 2002. The last meeting with the Chinese side took place more than two years ago in January 2010. Despite Mr. Gyari’s desire to step down in April 2011, the two envoys were asked to continue their efforts to reach out to their Chinese counterparts by Kalon Tripa-elect Dr. Lobsang Sangay. The envoys met and briefed the Kalon Tripa on twelve separate occasions since May 2011.

At the Task Force meeting on May 30-31, 2012 in Dharamsala, the envoys expressed their utter frustration over the lack of positive response from the Chinese side and submitted their resignations to the Kalon Tripa. “Given the deteriorating situation inside Tibet since 2008 leading to the increasing cases of self-immolations by Tibetans, we are compelled to submit our resignations. Furthermore, the United Front did not respond positively to the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People presented in 2008 and its Note in 2010. One of the key Chinese interlocutors in the dialogue process even advocated abrogation of minority status as stipulated in the Chinese constitution thereby seeming to remove the basis of autonomy. At this particular time, it is difficult to have substantive dialogue,” stated the two envoys in their resignation letter.

“I have known both Special Envoy Lodi G. Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen for many years. They have worked extremely hard in challenging circumstances and made earnest efforts to move the dialogue process forward and resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully. Their contributions during their decade-long leadership of the Tibetan negotiating team have been invaluable. The Kashag will continue to rely on them for their wise counsel. They will remain as senior members of the Task Force team,” said Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay.

The Kashag urges Beijing to accept the Middle-Way Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibetans within the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and within the framework of the Chinese constitution. This is a win-win proposition, which contributes to PRC’s unity, stability, harmony and its peaceful rise in the world.

The Tibetan Task Force on Negotiations will be expanded and will meet again in December 2012 to discuss the Chinese leadership transition with the hope of continuing to dialogue with the new Chinese leaders to resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully.

The Tibetan leadership remains firmly committed to non-violence and the Middle-Way Approach, and strongly believes that the only way to resolve the issue of Tibet is through dialogue. The Tibetan leadership considers substance to be primary and process as secondary, and is ready to engage in meaningful dialogue anywhere and at anytime.

The Kashag
June 3, 2012
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