Face to Face talks between His Holiness The Dalai Lama & President Xi Jinping
The current Chinese President, Xi Jinping and the 5th generation of China’s leaders have inherited China’s illegitimate rule over Tibet. 60 years of failed policies and increasing repression have contributed to a situation where, up to now, more than 150 Tibetans have felt compelled to set light to themselves as an act of protest.
There is no doubt that China’s Tibet policies are a failure. Four generations of China’s leaders have attempted to quell unrest in Tibet through successive crackdowns and unsustainable economic subsidies, which – far from bringing about the stability they seek – have served to exacerbate Tibetan grievances and created widespread resistance right across Tibet.
Xi Jinping and the 5th generation of Chinese communist leaders must immediately revise China’s Tibet policy, lift the military crackdown and address the Tibetan people’s legitimate grievances and aspirations for greater freedom.
From 2005 to the present time, there have been numerous international resolutions and recognitions on Tibet from bodies such as the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, the United State Congress, the European Parliament, the Parliaments of Australia, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, France and the World Parliamentarians Convention.
Since the first round of talks between representatives of the Tibetan Government sent by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to China to find a peaceful solution to the Tibetan tragedy based on His Holiness’ “Middle Way Approach”, and until the resignation of His Holiness’ envoys in 2012 due to their frustration over the lack of engagement on the Chinese part to find a solution, it has become clear to the world that China’s procrastination has only one objective: To hold eternal talks with the only objective of ending up assimilating Tibet.
During my visit to Dharamsala a few days before the Tibetan elections, I had the opportunity to speak to many Tibetans of different walks of life and they all agree that the situation is now critical and a solution needs to be found. In my view, the only chance for a solution is face to face talks with no preconditions between the Dalia Lama and Xi Jinping. Who better to host them and act as an arbitrator that President Barack Obama who during his meeting with His Holiness in Washington DC in February 2014, reiterated his support for the Middle Way Approach to resolve the long standing differences between the Communist regime and the Tibetans.
Though no official results have been yet announced, it seems that the newly elected Tibetan government will be headed by Prime Minister Dr.Lobsang Sangay, and as soon as the official announcement is made, he should loose no time and request that the American President organizes these direct talks as soon as possible. President Obama is only in office until November so there is not much time left.
Maybe I am naive but I have no doubt that when Xi Jinping meets the Dalai Lama and has the opportunity to talk candidly with him, he will realize that the Dalai Lama is China’s solution for Tibet and not the problem but in order for these talks to be successful they must be at the highest level. Meetings between representatives of the Tibetan government and low level Chinese officials are a total waist of time as we have seen from these meetings during more than a decade.
This scenario would be a win win situation for the Tibetan government because the following possible outcomes could occur:
*That President Xi Jinping accepts to attend, in which case as I have mentioned before, I have no doubt a solution could be found
*That Xi Jinping refuses to meet with His Holiness , in which case the whole world would see what exactly the Communist party’s true intentions are in Tibet: the assimilation of Tibet into China and the destruction of the Tibetan identity and its unique culture.
*The press coverage of just the official request by the Tibetan government to President Obama to hold these talks (independently if they take place or not!) would put the Tibetan cause back on the front pages of the world press. If the talks are finally held the press coverage would be enormous, something that has not happened with news of the individual tragic self-immolation of desperate Tibetans and a reminder of the deep frustration in the exiled community over the lack of progress in winning any measure of freedom in Tibet. To be in the front pages of the world news is now vital for the very survival of Tibet and its culture.
For President Barack Obama it would also be a win win situation. If he manages to host the talks his legacy would be written in the books of history. Tibet has many friends in the government of the United States and this request by the Tibetan Government should be most welcome.
Dhardon Sharling, 34, a member of the Tibetan parliament, said to the New York Times a few days before the elections: “All we should be talking about is how we will resolve Tibetan’s issues, how we’ll take the Sino-Tibetan dialogue forward.”
I have had the honour of meeting His Holiness of numerous occasions and I have devoted part of my life to the Tibetan cause and that is why I believe I can make this proposal that I am certain will benefit the plight of Tibet. In my view, the newly elected parliament and the members of the opposition now need to make these talks happen.
with His Holiness in Dharamsala on his 70th birthday,
Xi Jinping can either resolve the Tibet issue swiftly and peacefully, or face a growing Tibetan resistance that threatens to undermine the very stability and endurance of the 5th generation of the Chinese Communist Party. Xi Jinping’s challenge is a people and a nation as united and undiminished in their spirit and resistance to China’s rule since the day the People’s Liberation Army invaded Tibet over 60 years ago.
