Former Tibetan political prisoner and campaigner speaks out for ordinary Tibetans outside Dharamsala's Special Meeting

There has been only one topic of conversation for weeks amongst Tibetans in the cafes, schools and homes of the northern Indian hill town ofDharamsala: this week’s Special Meeting of Tibetan leaders taking place there.

 

But discussions inside the Special Meeting do not necessarily reflect the range of varying opinions being expressed by Tibetans unable to attend this week’s meeting.

 

Tsering Dorje, who worked in Tibet as a teacher before fleeing into exile three years ago, has written an article in which he discusses the opinions of ordinary Tibetans living in Dharamsala but who are not participating in this week’s meeting. Tsering is a long-standing environmental and conservation campaigner who was arrested in 1999 after working as a translator for foreigners investigating the impact of a proposed World Bank project in Tibet.

 

According to Dorje, the Tibetan community in Dharamsala has been galvanised to an extraordinary extent by the Dalai Lama’s call for an urgent meeting. Referring to the “hot topic” of whether Tibetans should choose greater autonomy or outright independence as their ultimate goal, Dorje describes debates that have recently taken place in Dharamsala as “on a scale we have never seen before”:

 

“People talk about what proposition [they] should stand for, what we could do for our future. Lectures and talks appeared one by one, big and small, with thousands of Tibetans crowding in big halls for lectures by famous politicians, experts and political activists.”

 

The intensity of debate taking place in Dharamsala and throughout the Tibetan world is reflected in animated discussions on Tibetan websites, whilst Dorje says that the subject has “dominated” Tibetan newspapers and radio broadcasts.

 

But while the international media’s reporting of this week’s meeting in Dharamsala has concentrated on the opinions of those inside the meeting, the views of ordinary Tibetans have been largely neglected. Dorje asserts that, whatever comes out of this week’s meeting, “it is apparent that the majority of Tibetans in exile want to return home, enjoy a free and happy life as soon as possible even though the common Tibetans hardly understand complex political changes and situation of world which are related to their decision. It’s also clear that Tibetans inside Tibet have been longing for the same thing to come true.”

 

Dorje moves on from complex questions over whether Tibetans should strive for full independence or autonomy to ponder a simpler question which is nevertheless felt strongly by all Tibetans: “Why it’s so hard to achieve our dream of returning to our homeland with our spiritual leader?”

 

His answer, equally simple, goes to the heart of Tibet’s isolation: “Only [a] small number of people and governments speak for us.”

 

The plight of the Tibetan people’s international isolation is compounded by being profoundly misunderstood by their Chinese rulers:

 

 “As a Tibetan who is believer of life recycle and karmic retribution, my values on development and life are different from communism. I had experienced this through Communist Chinese education system. They want only material life, they are atheists.

 

As Dorje points out, as long as the Chinese authorities attempt to impose their own materialistic values on a Tibetan people whose own values and identity are so markedly different, China’s supposed protection of Tibetan rights and culture will remain theoretical at best: “The rights we have for inheriting our culture and way of life are written only on paper.”

 

Tsering Dorje’s article, which was written in English, appears in full below.

 

To arrange an interview with Tsering Dorje, please contact Matt Whitticase:

t: +44 (0)20 7324 4605 (o) / +44(0)7515 788456 (m)

e: matt@freetibet.org

 

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Since His Holiness the Dalai Lama called for an urgent meeting to identify the personal opinions of Tibetans both in exile and in Tibet, the Tibetan community in Dharamsala is talking about only one topic centered on discussions on a scale we have never been seen before. People talk about what proposition I should stand for, what we could do for our future. Lectures and talks appeared one by one, big and small, with thousands of Tibetans crowding in big halls for lectures by famous politicians, experts and political activists. Small groups of Tibetans are talking and concentrating on this single hot topic in bars, schools, street corners and at home. The hot topic dominated the websites, news papers and radio broadcasts.

 

Some Tibetans think the special meeting is a signal to awaken Tibetans to take their own responsibility for their future. Others think it is a warning to the Chinese government. However the ultimate decision would be taken by the special emergency meeting. For many Tibetans in Dharamsala the decision depends only on the representatives at the special meeting.

 

It’s hard to say whether the representatives convey the opinions of the common Tibetans. There might be an overlap of the opinions between the representatives and the common Tibetans. Nevertheless it is apparent that the majority of Tibetans in exile want to return home, enjoy a free and happy life as soon as possible even though the common Tibetans hardly understand complex political changes and situation of world which are related to their decision. It’s also clear that Tibetans inside Tibet have been longing for the same thing to come true. Especially they want to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the symbol of happiness and savior for this and other lives, in this life. It’s proved true and explicit by their protest this year.

 

Why it’s so hard to achieve our dream of returning to our homeland with our spiritual leader? We have appealed to the world community to help us achieve our dream, but the world community is changeable and unreliable to give sufficient support for us. Then we expected freedom from Communist Chinese government and negotiated with them for more than a decade. But the hope the Chinese government might give e us has yet to materialise.

 

Sometimes I feel that we Tibetans are destined to live in sorrow and die dreaming of freedom. Only small number of people and governments speak for us.  The matter most important for me and others is our culture and ecological environment which is more worthy and precious for millions of people in the world. As a Tibetan who is believer of life recycle and karmic retribution, my values on development and life are different from communism. I had experienced this through Communist Chinese education system. They want only material life, they are atheists. But we are guided and lead by communist party. The rights we have for inheriting our culture and way of life are written only on paper.

 

I can judge from the press conference on the talks held by China on 10 November that the Communist Chinese government already shut the door to negotiate with us. They only discuss how we can live as Tibetans inside Tibet under communist dictators. There is no room for us to live as we want to.

 

However I will never give up to struggle for freedom by firmly following the nonviolent guide by the Dalai Lama. We should exert more pressure on Communist Chinese government. There must be many paths and maneuvers for us if we Tibetans unite as one power. There is only one way we see a day China accept our appeal for peace talks. We will stand against Communist China through nonviolent means until they see the power of our struggle and agree to talk with us sincerely.

 

By Tsering Dorje

 

For further information: Matt Whitticase: +44 (0)20 7324 4605 / +44 (0)7515 788456
Or e-mail matt@freetibet.org