Declare Tibet an Independent Country
(Tibetan Review | March 2004)
This year, on 10th march, the 45th anniversary of the Tibetan National
Uprising Day, Delhi will see the biggest ever gathering of Tibetans and
Tibet supporters in a free Tibet protest rally. We hear that the Tibetans
are planning to flock to Delhi in buses, trucks and trains. Many are
coming from foreign countries too. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will
address the gathering in New Delhi, and will declare Tibet as an
independent country. For this the Tibetan Government in Exile and the
Tibetan NGOs have been working together all this time.
NO, this is not happening this Sum-Chue Dudren. I wish this happened. New
Delhi has perhaps ever seen such a gathering where more than five thousand
Tibetans have come together. The biggest ever gathering for Tibet in Delhi
had been the 1998 hunger strike unto to death where Pawo Thupten Ngodup
self immolated. Organized by the Tibetan Youth Congress, it brought such
an emotional bonding amongst the Tibetans that volunteers and donations
were literally pouring.
Our struggle needs such an impetus that could create what we do not have –
a freedom movement. It doesn't happen with the 'project and programme'
mentality we have been working with. It has to be strategised, should fall
into a grand strategy to see a free Tibet in the end. Last year, on the
10th March, Tibetans and Tibet supporters were in divided minds –
The Kashag had urged to "refrain from expressing any anti-China sentiments in
body and speech." Dharamsala was evidently under influence. We saw a snake
of 10th march ritual protest rally, silently moving down the hill station.
No anger, no protest, just limpid body of humanity in a single file.
The 'appeal' was supposed to be till the deadline i.e. June 2003, within
which "we make positive gestures in order to create a conducive atmosphere
for dialogue with the Chinese leadership." But no! They were not
impressed. Our deadline died eventless, so did our little blind faith that
they may listen to our god-leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. China
recently slammed against us again the same three unacceptable
pre-conditions for a possibility of any dialogue. Our third delegation has
been readied since last August, so said the Tibetan Government in Exile
(TGIE) waiting for China to accept our proposal to visit China.
Dialogue, like a clap, must happen with the willingness from both the
sides. The Middle Way approach, though philosophically a wonder, isn't
practical with China. His Holiness accepted this way back in 1994 Sum-Chue
Dudren speech. We have been pushing on like this until now in 2004,
because in our opinion poll of 1997 referendum, we returned our
responsibility of choosing the goal of our struggle back to His holiness
when he asked us to look for an alternative. The 12th assembly passed a
resolution and the Kashag adopted the policy. Though the policy of
dialoguing in resolving the issue has a longer history since 1979.
The 24 years old attempt and hopelessly hoping for leniency from China has
made us sit and wait. And the wait has been long and eventless; our people
have lost the sense of urgency and immediacy in the struggle. Common
people wait for the exile government; the government for the delegation
and the delegation in turn waits for the Chinese. The key is in Beijing
not in Dharamsala. And meanwhile our hosts are showing signs of change in
mind. The recent lathi-charge by the Dharamsala police on the 80 Tibetans
marching to Delhi shocked people world over. The support we have banked on
India was found wanting. The order to block the march came from 'the
centre' was an obligation even to the Dharamsala policemen who are friends
with the resident Tibetans. Nepal has been hosting the Tibetans most
unwillingly. The Himalayan Kingdom doesn't allow any free Tibet
activities. Even the display of HH the Dalai Lama's photos at public
gatherings is seen as an offence. So does Bhutan. Is this an antic by the
Indian government of the day's infamous China appeasement policy? Will
India too melt down following suit as Nepal and Bhutan?
On the other hand if we could lead a public movement after declaring Tibet
an independent country, we will begin with a policy of non-cooperation
with China. The re-establishment of Independence as the goal of our
struggle will once again rejuvenate our people. The complicity in which
all Tibetans both inside and outside, supported by the Tibet lovers will
create the freedom movement. This will train us in the much needed
community sense and participation in nation building. The culture of
democracy will have acquired in the process. In the long run such a
community will remain strong from inside and independent.
Our struggle has been weakened by our own sense of competition and divides
within the community. That maturity of understanding where each individual
or a group works in synchronicity in a larger public movement, working in
co-ordination with is still to be achieved in our community. Because of
this, our strength that we are spread in all parts of the world has become
our weakness.
Today we find the exile community divided between the conformists who
agree with the TGIE's stand and the non-conformists, who even today say
Independence should be the final goal of the struggle. The non-conformists
are looked at as a rival to the government's stand. What is missing in the
discourse is the understanding that no matter what political stand one
chooses, one does it sincerely for the good of Tibet, and that one has all
the freedom and rights to do it.
Though the Losar is over, like the westerners if we make a personal
resolution on the 45th Sum-Chue Dudren, what would be yours? As we
remember the sacrifice of more than a million Tibetans for a dream called
Free Tibet, we re-commit ourselves for the cause. An old man, who fought
the Chinese for many years both in Tibet and from Mustang guerilla base,
still living at 85, said to me, "The freedom struggle we started must end
with you the youngsters taking His Holiness back to Tibet in
dignity."Pointing to his fellow freedom fighters living in the Jampaling
Tibetan Refugee camp in Nepal he said: "If this doesn't happen, tomorrow
when we are dying, we won't be able to take out last breath."
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