On this very special occasion of the 73rd birthday celebration of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Kashag of the Central Tibetan
Administration – on behalf of the Tibetans in and outside Tibet, as
well as all of his followers across the world – makes its obeisance to
His Holiness and prays that he may live for hundreds of aeons as the
true protector and saviour of humanity, plagued with the “Five
Degenerations, or Impurities” of this Samsaric world.
While remembering the great services that His Holiness has been
making to the people living in this age of “Five Degenerations”, the
Kashag would like to implore him to continue to shower his compassion
and loving kindness on all humanity, and particularly on the people of
his adopted Land of Snows, until they are all led to the path of
enlightenment.
In our previous statement on this very occasion, the Kashag
emphasised the need for enhancing the Tibetan people’s collective merit
and strengthening the power of non-violent principle. The Kashag also
emphasised that we cannot afford to lose heart, or be lethargic, in our
struggle towards the resolution of the issue of Tibet – even if this
struggle were to drag on for hundreds of years. The Kashag, in
particular, suggested 11-point constructive programmes or actions to be
undertaken by the Tibetans in general, and the exiled Tibetans in
particular. While reiterating all these points, the Kashag would like
to emphatically urge all Tibetans to not only heed these important
requests, but also put them into real practice.
Since 10 March this year, in all the three traditional
provinces of Tibet, Tibetans have been courageously protesting against
the ultra-leftist policies of the People’s Republic of China at great
personal risks. These have not only reflected the inner strength and
unity of the Tibetan people, but have also demonstrated before the
international community the fact that the Tibetan struggle will
continue generation after generation. It is indeed a source of great
encouragement for us Tibetans that all the justice-and peace-loving
governments and peoples across the globe have been showing their
support to, and solidarity with, the Tibetan people. Today, while once
again expressing our sincere appreciation to all the Tibetan people in
Tibet for making great sacrifices for the common cause of Tibet, the
Kashag would like to inform them that their sacrifices will never go in
vain. It will, certainly, achieve a great result that will be of
universal benefit.
The recent peaceful protests that rocked the plateau of Tibet
were brutally crushed by the Chinese government, leading to many
thousands of Tibetan people being arbitrarily arrested, incarcerated,
beaten, injured and killed. This is not only a cause of great
disappointment for us Tibetans, but has also brought to the fore the
ugly face of Chinas Tibet policy. We are, moreover, greatly concerned
about what fate will befall on the Tibetan people in the future.
Therefore, the Kashag would like to appeal to all the governments and
peoples of the world that they should – while supporting the Tibetans
inside Tibet as before – continue to urge, or impress upon, the leaders
of the People’s Republic of China to exercise utmost restraint.
In a crisis situation like this, it is important for all the
exiled Tibetans to initiate solidarity actions that are both proper and
law-abiding. As such, on the request of the Kashag, the Tibetan
Solidarity Committee has been set up under the leadership of the
highest Tibetan legislative body – the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
Under its guidance, most of the campaigns or activities undertaken by
the Tibetan diasporic community were not only effective, but were also
carried out in a manner that reveals the unity of the Tibetan people.
Therefore, the Kashag would like to express its appreciation to all
those who are involved in these activities. Similarly, as we have
reiterated to the Solidarity Committee, these mass movements or
activities, aimed at the realisation of the cause of Tibet, must be
continued for a long time to come. And for this, peaceful
demonstrations and sloganeering alone will not suffice; it is important
for us to come out with numerous constructive programmes or actions.
The Kashag believes that the time has come for us to give a serious
thought over it. The Kashag would like to, however, emphasise that
whatever actions the Tibetans in and outside Tibet may initiate, the
nature and form of these actions must not go against the principle of
non-violence as well as the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This
is to reiterate that if anybody – be it an organisation or an
individual person – undertakes any activities that go against the
advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Kashag will express its
all-out opposition to it. For, we recognise that these activities will
not, in any way, help resolve the issue of Tibet.
Even during the most critical times in the wake of the recent
protests in Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was kind enough to send
a personal communication to Hu Jintao, the president of the People’s
Republic of China. To save Tibet from the crisis situation it is
facing, he also dispatched his envoys to Shenzhen (4 May 2008) for an
informal discussion with the concerned officials of the People’s
Republic of China. As agreed during this informal meeting, the seventh
round of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue was held in Beijing for two days
from 1 to 2 July 2008. Unfortunately, the seventh round of talks – as
we have suspected from the very beginning – did not at all go in
accordance with our hopes and expectations. Moreover, the Chinese
government has indulged in a selfish act of spewing one-sided
propaganda on Tibet. Greatly disturbed by these negative developments,
we are doubtful, more than ever before, whether the leaders of the
People’s Republic of China have the determination and sincerity to work
towards achieving a reconciliation on the issue of Tibet.
It is universally known that His Holiness the Dalai Lama –
being an undisputed champion of global peace – would not agree to, or
support, violence in any form. It is also a universal knowledge that he
has always pursued a mutually beneficial Middle-Way policy of seeking a
solution to the Tibet issue within the constitutional framework of the
People’s Republic of China and that he has consistently supported
China’s hosting of the Olympic Games. Therefore, to demand that His
Holiness should not support – or rather stop initiating – activities
aimed at separating Tibet from China, creating violence, and sabotaging
the Olympic Games is not a statement that a person with sound state of
mind makes. Even a child would know this fact. Therefore, we do not
find it necessary to respond, or offer our explanations, to these
statements. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way policy is a
transparent policy that is still being pursued without undergoing a
slightest changes. Under this right policy, we will unswervingly pursue
these three commitments of not seeking separation, not engaging in
violence, and availing of the opportunities at hand to find a solution
to the issue of Tibet through dialogue.
As far as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan diasporic
community are concerned, we have made every possible effort towards the
continuation of the dialogue process and the creation of conducive
environment for it. We have also made greatest efforts – even during
the most difficult period of the recent unrest in Tibet – to restore
stability, and to alleviate the sufferings of the Tibetans living,
there. If the Chinese side is sincere about the current process of
engagement, then it must lend us a helping hand in creating a conducive
environment for dialogue between the two sides. Therefore, the Kashag
would like to urge the leaders of the People’s Republic of China to do
the following, so that stability and harmony could be restored in
Tibet:
arresting and incarcerating Tibetan people for peacefully expressing their views; “education” among the Tibetan clergy and making undue, or unnecessary, interference in religious affairs should be stopped immediately. For, these are the root cause of instability in the monasteries and nunneries; and the name of progress and development – which harm the land and environment of Tibet. Excessive exploitation of natural resources, changing forcefully the traditional lifestyles of the Tibetan peasants and nomads, as well as the policy of flooding Tibet with non-Tibetan migrants, etc., should also be stopped immediately. During the latest, seventh round of talks, both sides agreed to However, as we have already emphasised many times before, the In May this year, Sichuan province of the People’s Republic of Finally, we pray for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai The Kashag N.B. This is an English translation of the original statement in |