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Journalism of Courage
The attention of the world turned to Dharamsala last week when nearly 600 Tibetan delegates, as representatives of the six million Tibetans in Tibet and in exile, converged in this hill town to discuss the future of our struggle. This meeting was called by the Dalai Lama, and organised by the Tibetan Parliament. The Tibetan people were told to take greater leadership in light of the failure of the dialogue with China and the ongoing crisis inside Tibet. Excitement and speculation began brewing in many corners of the world 8212; will the Tibetan people, frustrated by China8217;s intransigence, decide to pursue independence?
In an anticlimactic but somewhat predictable outcome, the delegates at the meeting spoke in favour of continuing the Dalai Lama8217;s conciliatory Middle Way approach which seeks autonomy for Tibet within the framework of the People8217;s Republic of China. The option of changing the goal of the Tibet movement to complete independence was included in the final meeting statement as a possible alternative if there is no progress in the near future.
To anyone who knows the recent history of Tibetan exile society and the often painful divisions that have occurred around the question of independence versus autonomy, this meeting was a very positive sign. The ultimate success of our movement depends on the creation of a vibrant democratic society that brings out the best in every individual 8212; and that is exactly what we witnessed in Dharamsala last week.
Many who attended this meeting argued that Independence is the most strategic goal for our movement. We believe that the Middle Way approach is too heavily dependent on the cooperation of the Chinese government to succeed. We don8217;t believe the current government in China is capable of giving Tibetans any measure of freedom because its sole interest is to maintain power and Tibetans have proven time and time again that they challenge the authority of Beijing even at the worst of times. While our analysis reflects a very obvious political difference with the Dalai Lama8217;s chosen path, we felt that our voices were heard and our opinions respected. We were witnessing the emergence of a democratic Tibetan society, and though it is not perfect yet, it is certainly light years ahead of China8217;s one party dictatorship.
Ultimately, two opinions gained unanimous support within the meeting8217;s subgroups: that the Tibetan government should adopt a more aggressive, less conciliatory approach toward the Chinese government and that our movement should remain nonviolent.
We have a vision of a Tibetan independence movement that is vibrant and powerful, both in and outside Tibet: a movement that unifies the Tibetan public and inspires the world while undermining Chinese power. This movement will grab the attention of the Chinese people whether they agree with us or not, simply by way of being visible and honest. We will do our best to make allies and friends within Chinese society but at the very least, the ones who don8217;t agree with us understand that stakes are high and a resolution is necessary.
As Tibetan youth, we have sincerely responded to the Dalai Lama8217;s calls for new ideas to help end the suffering of our brothers and sisters across the Himalayas. We are ready to take responsibility for our political destiny and commit ourselves to a political solution, no matter how many years or decades it may take.
We believe that this meeting lays the foundation for realising this vision. And though we have not yet reached the point of fundamental change in the position or approach of the Tibetan government, this was a major step in the right direction 8212; one that signals the beginning of a new era in our struggle.
Lhadon Tethong, a leading Tibetan activist was arrested in Beijing in August for openly blogging about Tibetan freedom. Tenzin Choeying is a Tibetan exile born and raised in Dharamsala.
