Kalon Tripa: MWA seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet
Thursday, 28 September 2006, 3:00 p.m.
Kalon Tripa addressing the human rights workshop |
Dharamshala: For the past 27 years His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) did not demand for the restoration of Tibet’s independence, rather His Holiness the Dalai Lama implemented the Middle-Way Approach (MWA), which demands genuine autonomy for Tibet, as enshrined in the Chinese constitution, Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche said in his address at the human rights workshop here this morning.
“There is not only difference in principles and perspectives but also there is difference in methodology”.
Kalon Tripa said the communication between Dharamshala and Beijing have been by fits and starts from 1979 to1993. Then in 1993 the contact ceased. The Tibetan cause became less popular at an international level as China emerged as an economic power. The international communities work on the principle that “human rights, democratic values and Tibet issue are very important for us. But, on this account we cannot give up the Chinese market because that is our lifetime opportunity for the people of the country”.
participants listening to Kalon Tripa’s talk on Sino-Tibetan dialogue process |
Despite the severance of tie, the CTA made continuous efforts to resume the contact and to build confidence that the MWA is a not adopted to fulfill our political need but is aimed at safeguarding the interest of both parties.
“Since the revival of direct contact in 2002, till now, five rounds of talks had been held. The CTA stood firm in expressing and carrying the Middle-Way policy and is making every effort to develop these contacts. On the other hand though the People’s Republic of China has not changed its policies, yet there is a major change in its expression since this May.
“The ball is in their court now”, Kalon Tripa said.
After one and half hour talk, Kalon Tripa answered some questions from the participants.
There are over 55 participants belonging to the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Regional Tibetan Women’s Association and other non-governmental organisations from India, Nepal and Bhutan in this workshop.