Talks possible if China allows Dalai Lama to visit Tibet, says president of Tibetan govt-in-exile

New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): Penpa Tsering, president of the Tibetan government-in-exile on Wednesday, hinted that talks with China are possible if it allows Dalai Lama to visit Tibet on a pilgrimage.

“His holiness wishes to visit China and also his birthplace and the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, whenever that is possible because it is dependent on them we cannot decide for the Chinese government. Therefore we made that appeal and if it works then I believe that there could be a meeting and that meeting could create a roadmap for future resolution of the Sino-Tibet conflict in a mutual agreement about a nonviolent lasting solution for Tibet,” Penpa Tsering told ANI.

“We have to keep our hope alive. Irrespective of what China thinks now or what China thought in the past. It’s very important that we continue our engagements with the Chinese leadership and we will from our side make all efforts to reach out to the Chinese government and make our intentions and position clear. Now it is up to the Chinese government to respond positively or to leave it as it is depending on how they read the situations so in that respect we made our intentions clear,” he further said.

He also informed that at present, there are no official channels of communication.

“From 2002-2010, there have been eight rounds of dialogue and an informal talk. Official channels of communication are not available right now. There are unofficial channels through private office or me,” Penpa Tsering said.

“So, let’s see how that (dialogue) needs to be pursued because the interview that I’m giving you is also a means for them to understand what we feel and how we wish to take it forward. So similarly the Chinese government also will have to make their intentions clear,” he added.

He further said that China will have to decide about dialogue over the issue.

“Are they serious about the Tibet issue or are they not serious about the conflict? Or do they think now that his holiness (Dalai Lama) is 86 they always try to kind of estimate the longevity of his Holiness life and then think that if holiness dies in exile then they can control the Tibetans inside Tibet..”

“…therefore the hardliners inside China might think that this (Death of Dalai Lama) could be a natural death for the cause of the Tibet but unfortunately that is not the case in point… so it is up to the Chinese government to decide the severity of the issue and the need to resolve the China Tibet issue…” he added.

“We all know China is looking to just like they did with Panchen Lama Rinpoche. They will do the same with Dalai Lama. But the reality of the situation is that this is a purely spiritual, religious matter where is China is a government that does not believe in religion or spirituality,” he said further.

The invasion of Tibet by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1959 led 14th Dalai Lama along with 50,000 Tibetan to escape to India and later spread across the globe.

Tibetan Buddhism under Communist China went through a dark phase from demolishing more than 5,000 monasteries to the disrobing of 99.9 per cent monks and nuns.

Today in Tibet, the Chinese authorities are gearing up for increased control over Tibetan Buddhism, where monasteries are forbidden to give traditional monastic education which forms an integral part of Tibetan Buddhism.

Monks and nuns are, instead, subjected to regular “patriotic education” and other political campaigns that are fundamentally against the basic tenets of Tibetan Buddhism.

Political indoctrination has replaced Buddhist education in monastic institutions where monks are drawn to serve the interest of the Beijing government and are forced to follow CCP’s strict guidelines.

CCP’s authorities are empowered with direct supervision over managing and running the monasteries and nunneries, the statement added.

Apart from that, under China’s occupation, Tibet’s environment has been destroyed, the resources have been illegally mined and transported and the rivers have been polluted. Their occupation has led the Tibetans devoid of their basic rights and the human rights situation inside Tibet continues to deteriorate and worsen each passing year under the Chinese Communist Party’s oppressive and repressive hardliner policies. (ANI)