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Dalai Lama blesses devotees from Tibet

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

The Dalai Lama makes a point as he teaches in Bodh Gaya, India, on 8 January 2010.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

The Dalai Lama expressed his appreciation for the courage of the Tibetans inside Tibet for their unwavering faith and efforts towards fighting for a free Tibet, as he blessed about 1000 devotees from Tibet in a special meeting for them at Bodh Gaya.

“China is changing, and it will continue to do so. Educated Chinese are criticising the one-party system, which does not have transparency and freedom of expression,” he said.

“There will be positive change, there will be more freedom. There is no way backwards for China.”

The Dalai Lama said he met Chinese scholars in the US who were involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. “These scholars told me that if the Chinese people become aware of the Dalai Lama’s quest for autonomy through the ‘middle-way’ policy, Chinese people will support this policy,” he said.

For their own short-term benefit, the Communist party workers mislead the Chinese citizens by making them believe that Tibetans are “separatists”, he said.

“Once China becomes more open, there will be positive change in Tibet.”

He then spoke about the democratic functioning of the exile Tibetan community, and that there is an elected prime minister who takes more political responsibility. “Since the election of the prime minister, I have been getting more time to work for greater causes.”

“The election of the prime minster does not mean I am stepping away or taking less responsibility. We have to go with the times.”

The Dalai Lama also spoke on the importance of education — both traditional and modern. He also urged the Tibetans to keep the morality and non-violence that Tibetans are known for.

Health and environment were also other topics he asked people to pay attention to.

The Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche later briefed the Tibetans about the exile Tibetan community.

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