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Dalai Lama's office corrects misquotes by some media reports

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

The Dalai Lama at the Tibetan Children’s Village School celebration marking its 48th anniversary in Dharamshala, on Saturday, 25 October 2008. He asked Tibetans to decide on the future of their struggle in the absence of positive response from the Chinese government to his overtures for autonomy for Tibet.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

(Updated with more input 29 October 2008)

The office of the Dalai Lama today issued a statement clarifying his remarks concerning the Tibetan issue which were made over the weekend.

The web was flooded with various misreports stating that the Dalai Lama has said he will no longer try to bring greater autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule, and quoted him as saying, “As far as I’m concerned I have given up …”

Since the two envoys of the Dalai Lama are due to leave for Beijing for the eighth round of talks with Chinese leaders by the end of the month, the misreports may send the wrong signal, and may even lead to scrapping of any further meetings in the future.

Headlines such as: “Dalai Lama ‘gives up’,” “Dalai Lama to give up struggle for Tibet,” ”’No hope’ for Tibet, says Dalai Lama,” “Dalai Lama hints at retirement,” etc. were flashed in the media, misrepresenting the Dalai Lama’s stand and the Tibetan issue.

The rumours will mislead the general Tibetan public and their supporters, and particularly the brain-storming special meeting in November for the future course of action of the Tibetan struggle could become chaotic.

A clarification statement issued by the office of the Dalai Lama today said, “The Dalai Lama said that Tibetans have long been pursuing a path to find a solution to the issue of Tibet that would be mutually acceptable to Tibetans and Chinese.”

“Unfortunately, the Chinese leadership has so far not responded positively to our overtures and does not seem interested in addressing the issue in a realistic way.”

Quoting the Dalai Lama, the clarification said that it would be difficult for him to continue to shoulder such a heavy responsibility when the present Chinese leadership does not seem to appreciate simple truth, reason and common sense.

“In the absence of any positive reciprocal response from the Chinese leadership, His Holiness feels that if he cannot help find a solution, he would rather not hinder it in any way.”

He said he has faith and trust in the Chinese people, but his faith and trust in the Chinese government is diminishing.

He will only hold talks with China on the future of Tibet if Beijing “honestly” wishes to engage in dialogue.

“If the Chinese leadership honestly engages in talks, then I may be in a position to take up this responsibility again. I will, then, sincerely engage with them,” he said.

The Dalai Lama has called a special meeting of Tibetan exiles to discuss the future of their struggle, with the aim of identifying realistic options.

The meeting will be held from 17 to 22 November in Dharamshala, attended by a wide range of Tibetan government officials and leaders from non-governmental organisations. Individual activists, scholars and Tibet supporters will also join in the discussions.

Beginning in March this year, a series of protests and demonstrations by Tibetans against the Chinese government erupted in Lhasa and in many other traditional Tibetan areas. “These were clearly a spontaneous expression of the Tibetan people’s deep-seated resentment and dissatisfaction over more than five decades of repressive Chinese communist rule,” the statement said.

China has accused the Dalai Lama of masterminding the protests and fomenting violent unrest in Tibet, which he denies. He called for a thorough investigation into these charges, and even offered access to his files and records.

The statement of the Dalai Lama’s office went on to say that the the Dalai Lama’s “middle-way” policy has received widespread appreciation from the international community, including some governments, and more importantly from many Chinese intellectuals.

The Dalai Lama has suggested that after the discussions in November, the Tibetan people themselves will decide about their collective future.

Copyright © 2008 Tibet Sun

Published in Tibet Sun