Dalai Lama on CPC

A short article on the Dalai Lama and China’s policy on Tibet.  While the Dalai Lama continues to receive much support abroad, the Chinese government continues to paint him as a ‘separatist’ and a ‘terrorist’.  And while this smear campaign has worked well within Han communities in China, Tibetans’ attachment to their spiritual leader has not waned (despite his 50-year absence). 

Many believe that the Dalai Lama’s optimism is misplaced.  They note that even if the Party wished to temper its Tibet Policy, they are constricted by their own propaganda.  After branding him as a terrorist, the Party can ill-afford to reverse its stance on Tibet.  If Yu Zhengsheng’s remarks are any indication, we can expect more of the same from the Party on Tibet.  Still, many hope that, just as Chinese society has slowly become more and more open, so too will the Chinese government relax its control over Tibetan culture and religion.    

Dalai Lama: China’s Tibet Policy “more realistic”

Last updated: September 14, 2013, GMT 2:31 AM

The Dalai Lama said that Chinese leadership is now taking a more realistic approach to its Tibet Policy

The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s Spiritual Leader-in exile, says that he believes after the failure of its hard-line policy over the past few decades, the Chinese government is being “more realistic”.

Beijing has long accused the Dalai Lama of supporting separatist activity, but on September 13^th, at the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, he released a statement saying that he only seeks “meaningful autonomy” for Tibetans within Chinese borders, and accepts Chinese rule.

The now 78 year-old Dalai Lama stated “China’s hard-line policies towards Tibet have completely failed”, and “Chinese leadership is now taking a more realistic approach to its Tibet Policy”.

Agence France-Presse quoted the Dalai Lama as saying: “This is cause for much hope”, “I am very optimistic”.

Lithuanian president Grybauskaite met with the Dalai Lama earlier.  Grybauskaite said she was extremely honored to meet with the Dalai Lama, and hoped that he could meet with the people of Lithuania during his visit.

Ever since China has exercised control over Tibet, the area has experienced continuous protest.  Since the beginning of 2009, there have already been 119 Tibetans who have self-immolated in the Tibetan area.  Protesters demand that the Dalai Lama be allowed to return to Tibet and that Tibetans are given their freedom.

Although the Dalai Lama believes that China’s Tibet Policy is becoming more realistic, the head of Religious and Ethnic Affairs Politburo member Yu Zhengsheng, in Gansu’s southern Tibetan region, stressed that the government will “strengthen the fight against the Dalai Lama’s clique”.

Yu Zhengsheng accused the Dalai Lama of supporting separatist activity, and said that the Dalai Lama’s proposal for a ‘Middle Road’ and ‘Autonomy for the Tibetan Region’ is in complete opposition to China’s constitution and the Chinese Ethnic Autonomous Area institutions.

The spokesperson for the Tibetan government-in exile replied by saying that China’s policy of oppression in Tibet does not at all fit anything that Yu Zhengsheng said.

The spokesperson said that if the Chinese government wants to create a long-term stability in Tibet, China’s leaders must change their Tibet Policy and meet the wishes of the Tibetan people.

Translator/Editor: Xiao Er

Translated from Chinese to English by: Paul Orner

Chinese source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/09/130914_china_tibet_dailailama.shtml