Tibetans Urged Not to Mar Hu Jintao’s America Visit
Monday, 5 September 2005, 14:45
Dharamshala: Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche has requested the Tibetans and the Tibet Support Groups in the United States not to stage protests when China President Hu Jintao visits that country later this month, citing that the efforts to resolve the issue of Tibet has reached a crucial “make or break” stage.
Kalon Tripa speaks on democracy |
Kalon Tripa was speaking at a public talk on democracy organised by the Dharamshala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy on the 45th anniversary of the Tibetan Democracy Day Friday last.
Kalon Tripa said that his administration’s appeal to refrain from all forms of aggressive demonstrations was being misinterpreted (and exaggerated) as a virtual moratorium on all activismâ€â€ÂÂsaying “Now, there’s nothing we can do.”
“Nothing can be further from the truth.
“Every Tibetan, even an infant born yesterday, has obligations towards Tibet and its people to fulfil.
In a lighter mood, Kalon Tripa replies questions |
“However, protest demonstrations are not the one and the only way to perform one’s bounden-duties.
“There are a whole lot of other ways, like for instance, lobbying the government of your adopted country, disseminating information about Tibet in your place, writing to the Chinese leaders, advocating the Tibetan issue in media, et al.”
Kalon Tripa said that the ultimate objective of our activism is to achieve a change in the prevailing grim state of Tibet.
“The status quo in Tibet is only a corollary of Chinese policies, which in turn hinges a great deal upon the attitude of the Chinese leadership.
“Over aggressive agitations like burning the national flag of China will achieve no more than further hardening and alienating the attitude of the Chinese leaders.
An elderly Tibetan ruminates as Kalon Tripa speaks on the current state of affairs. |
“At a time when the efforts to resolve the issue of Tibet is at a crucial “make-or-break” stage, we should for now, in the larger interest of Tibet and the Tibetans, avoid all activities that are emblematic of violence.”
After nearly a three-hour long talk on the prevailing state of democracy in exile, Kalon Tripa also took questions for another hour, during which he was asked about a recent media report, which quoted him as saying that the next round of dialogue with the Chinese representatives will be focussed on the “national defence and security of Tibetans”.
Kalon Tripa said that the concerned reporter of the south Indian newspaper completely misunderstood him.
We are still very much in the process of creating a conducive environment to realise actual negotiation, Kalon Tripa said.
Some media have portrayed the recent campaign to raise awareness about the Middle-Way Approach as a move to curry support for it, another from the audience quizzed Kalon Tripa.
Kalon Tripa replied that “there is no need to renew support. Majority of the Tibetans already support His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way Approach.”
“However, we do want people to understand the full implications of their support for the Middle-Way Approach, for a support based on comprehensive knowledge is far more powerful and robust.”