New Delhi, June 16 – The Core Group for Tibetan cause, the apex coordinating body of Tibet support Organizations in India, considers the second visit of Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to China as a welcome development in as much as it gave them an opportunity to know the minds of the new Chinese leadership from close quarters.
It is satisfying that this time they were met with at a raised level of Chinese hierarchy but these courtesies are not enough and are no substitute for a substantive dialogue at appropriate high level to resolve the Tibetan problem. No further time should be lost in initiating meaningful negotiations between the representative of the Chinese Government and the Tibetan Government in Exile without pre-conditions.
Meanwhile the Chinese authorities must ensure that Tibetan language, culture, religion and the identity are fully preserved, protected and promoted in all Tibetan areas and other human rights conditions improved.
It is strange that the new Chinese authorities continue to display duplicity of approach towards the Tibetans. While on one hand they are inviting the Tibetan representatives to visit China and on the other hand they are adopting a harsher attitude towards those who attempt to flee Tibet into freedom to Nepal. So much so that officers of Chinese embassy in Katmandu insists on visiting Nepalese jails for deportations of Tibetan exiles held there. These contradictory approaches cannot run together for any meaningful interactions between the two sides.
The core group would assert that any interaction and final negotiation must aim at ensuring the return of the Tibetan exiles to their homeland in conditions of honor and safety and the creation of an environment which guarantees total peace and security in Tibet and its neighborhood.
Dr, N K Tirkha
`Convenor
Core groups for Tibetan cause. New Delhi,
issued by
India Tibet Coordination Office, New Delhi
