TIBET
AND CHINA
MARCH 23rd 2008
The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet currently in exile in India,
is no fool. He knows that independence for Tibet has not been thought
through by Tibetans as a whole however much they resent the annexation
and rule of their country by China. The Chinese leadership for their
part are trapped in their historical perspective wherein control of
their own, let alone Tibetan territory, has proved impossible without
an uncompromising imposition of political authority.
Because the Chinese policy has been not to recognise the authority of
the Dalai Lama and because Tibetan Bhuddists themselves are a divided
and anrgumentative lot, the situation is far from clear and the way
forward in the interests for the country and its people far from
obvious. See for example:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/15/1037080913832.html
and http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=8,1581,0,0,1,0
However, I think it is a mistake for the Chinese authorities to believe
or maintain that the Dalai Lama is in any way responsible for the
current civil unrest in Tibet or that he wishes the Olympic Games to be
disrupted. It is unfortunate that the Chinese leadership cannot meet
and talk with the Dalai Lama with the aim of devising a more equitable
and humane way of administering the country and giving it more
autonomy. Nevertheless, those who think that Tibet is populated by
non-violent contemplative, peace-loving monks and a population who
could run a cohesive and secure civil society secure from exploitation
from within or from external mafiosi capable of exploiting a failed
state can dream on. Tibet might well find that being part of China is a
good deal less terrible that the fate that might befall the country if
China were to let it go.
China as usual in such affairs tells the world to mind its own
business, well aware that the pretended western understanding of Asia
and its peoples, particularly by journalists and politicians, is
largely illusory. But East and West do meet in a the era of
globalisation and in learning from each other the new world will be
formed, providing we can listen instead of endlessly finding fault and
extolling the exclusive merits of the lessons we in the West and they
in the East have learned.
APRIL 1st 2008
China is still accusing the Dalai Lama of being behind the riots in
Tibet and of backing groups planning suicide bombings. This makes no
sense. I understand it will e extremely difficult for China to
establish relations and a dialogue with the Dalai Lama in exile but
nevertheless this is what they should do in the interests of both China
and Tibet and the success of the Olympic Games.
.