By Pawan Sharma
Dharamsala, May 29 – There is a considerable anxiety among the Tibetan community over the way Tibetan Government in-exile is dealing with China to resolve the tricky issue of Tibet. What has come as a ‘‘major set back’’ to flickering hopes of the exiled community is the visibly tough stand China has adopted on this over four-decade-old issue through the White Paper on Tibet issued on May 23.
From street-corner discussions to the heated debates among the exiled community, there seems to be a general feeling that the Tibetan Government in exile is playing into the hands of China.
Anxiety has gripped the community over the future of Tibet with China flatly rejecting to apply the “one country, two system” formula to Tibet as it does with Hong Kong.
The one country two system formula (genuine autonomy) on the lines of the Hong Kong that the Dalai Lama had floated long back to resolve the Tibet impasse had given a ray of hope to the community. The tough talking China has done now has virtually left not only the Tibetan community but also the Government in-exile confused and shell-shocked.
Apparently stunned by the Chinese stand that “the destiny and future of Tibet can no longer be decided by the Dalai Lama and his clique,” the Tibetan Government in-exile has been maintaining a deafening silence on China’s White Paper on Tibet. “ We have been studying the document and are not in a hurry to respond to the White Paper,” said Sonam Dagpo, Additional Secretary of the exiled government’s Department of Information and International Relations. Dagpo, who was one of the officials accompanying the Dalai Lama’s envoys to Beijing in September 2003 and May 2004 said that different officials were studying the various aspects of this document.
The terminology used by China asking the Dalai Lama to “relinquish his stand for Tibet Independence” and do something beneficial for the “progress of China and the region of Tibet in his remaining years” is being seen here as a terse warning of China to the Dalai Lama not to question China’s rule over Tibet and a move to counter the Tibetan spiritual leader’s lobbying for international support to pressurize Beijing to hold dialogue.
The fresh haze surrounding the Tibet issue has left the exiled community confused, especially in the absence of any word from their government in-exile. “The Chinese stand has caused a scare among us. People are very disturbed as China has flatly rejected Dalai Lama’s proposal for genuine autonomy on the lines of Hong Kong. This is an extra step China has taken to hammer a last nail in our coffin,” is what the common refrain of the Tibetans at Mcleodganj busy discussing the pros and cons of White Paper.
The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) is also visibly upset with their government in-exile. “Our government must clarify its position on the White Paper. We must adopt a pro-active approach,” demanded Tenzin Samphel vice president of the TYC.
According to Tibet watchers, the oft-repeated stand of China asking the Dalai Lama to drop bid for independence is an attempt to deflect the attention of the world community and buy time. Critics are of the view that even the Tibetans have been indulging in wishful thinking.
“ The fact is why should China hold negotiations with the Dalai Lama. There has been no concrete support to the Tibet cause from any government. China has a total control over Tibet. No government has the courage to force China to resolve the Tibet issue despite the fact that the Dalai Lama had repeatedly said that he was seeking genuine autonomy and not independence. The Government in-exile is playing into the hands of China by pursuing a wrong policy,” observed a veteran Tibet watcher.
According to analysts, the cautious approach being adopted by the Tibetan Government in-exile is in view of the impending visit of the Dalai Lama’s envoys to Beijing to hold third round of parleys. However, after the second visit of the envoys in May last year to China, there has been no response so far from Beijing to the request of the envoys for a third visit to carry forward the dialogue.
While the Government in-exile is left with little options, it is hoping against hope for China showing sincerity in coming to the negotiation table. Tibetan community in exile is restive with China declining to accept even the middle path approach of the Dalai Lama.
