Dalai Lama's moral authority the leaders in Beijing can only dream of

[Ray]

The Dalai Lama has a moral authority the leaders in Beijing can only dream of
Lobsang Sangay

The Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, on Tuesday 2 December: 'His vision of democracy has been a transformative experience for Tibetans.'

wenty-five years ago this week in Oslo, a man who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk was awarded the Nobel peace prize. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and the inspiration of my life's work, remains a towering figure on the world stage. His message of peace, and emphasis on values of compassion and tolerance, have never mattered more in a world in which moral leadership is in scarce supply.

This week, the Dalai Lama marks the anniversary of the peace prize, a turning point in global acknowledgement of the Tibetan people's peaceful struggle for freedom, at the 14th world summit of Nobel peace laureates in Rome. In a remarkable turn of events, Nobel laureates refused to attend the original summit, scheduled for September in South Africa, when the Dalai Lama was denied a visa owing to Chinese pressure on President Zuma's government.

Their actions were a deep demonstration of solidarity, and sent a clear message to the Chinese leadership. Ultimately, in a world in which China has increasing diplomatic heft, too much accommodation of an authoritarian power that seeks to impose its own political and commercial agenda ultimately undermines democratic values and interests.

As the leader of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in the Tibetans' second home, in Dharamsala in India, I wish to see positive relationships between China and the rest of the world. But not on terms dictated by a leadership that seeks to undermine and overturn democratic values. Instead of willingly cooperating in the submission of these values – notably freedom of speech – the democracies should take the position of actively seeking to defend them, and influence China's rise for the better.

It has been profoundly moving for me and fellow Tibetans in exile to watch the "umbrella revolution" in Hong Kong. To witness these courageous young students, 25 years on from Tiananmen Square, determined to hold their ground peacefully and with such internal discipline despite the historic resonances, is an indication that democracy is touching the shores of China.

Tibetans in Tibet have endured many decades of occupation, repression and loss, as the Chinese party-state has adopted a harsh and systematic approach to silencing Tibetans and suppressing dissent, with leaders calling for support of the Dalai Lama to be "crushed".

Internationally, the Beijing leadership has launched a virulent propaganda offensive against this revered exiled monk, and sought to disrupt and politicise international forums, such as the UN, which have challenged China's human rights record in Tibet. And yet this concerted effort has had little effect: the Dalai Lama's influence inside Tibet remains undimmed, with Tibetans risking their lives to express their loyalty to him. Globally, he retains a moral authority the leaders in Beijing can only dream of.

In a world riven by conflict and violence, the peaceful nature of the Tibetan struggle, because of the Dalai Lama's influence, is an inspiration to a new generation inside Tibet that leads the struggle to protect their national identity, dignity and culture. Schoolchildren link hands and march to government education offices to protest when textbooks use Chinese and not the Tibetan language. Young monks study the precepts of their religion in monasteries run by Chinese cadres, even though they know that if they fail to denounce the Dalai Lama they could be dragged away in the middle of the night to face torture and imprisonment.

Tibetans living in exile seek to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Tibet. We have put forward the Middle Way Approach for Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People to resolve the Tibet issue. It is a policy conceived by the Dalai Lama in 1974 in an effort to engage the Chinese government in dialogue and find a peaceful way to protect the unique Tibetan culture and identity. This policy has been democratically adopted through a series of discussions held over many decades by the Central Tibetan Administration and the Tibetan people. It is a win-win proposition that straddles the middle path between the status quo and independence – one that categorically rejects the present repressive policies of the Chinese government towards the Tibetan people while not seeking separation from the People's Republic of China.

A fundamental change from 1989 is that His Holiness the Dalai Lama retired "happily, willingly and with pride" from his role as the political head of the Tibetan people in 2011. In the past few decades, he has gradually nudged the Tibetan exile polity towards democracy, sometimes in the face of resistance from Tibetans themselves.

His Holiness's vision of democracy has been a transformative experience for Tibetans, and is an inspiration for those in Tibet who live under repression on a daily basis. My election as Sikyong, or the political leader of the Tibetan people, in 2011 by the Tibetan diaspora in more than 40 countries around the world is the first since the Dalai Lama's retirement from political leadership.

In Rome this week, we are proud that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will stand shoulder to shoulder with other Nobel peace laureates including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi, Mairead Maguire, Lech Walesa and Betty Williams, who also seek to stand up to oppression and insist upon resolving conflict through peaceful dialogue. Many of us will also reflect on the poignant absence from the summit of the Chinese Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, serving 11 years in prison as a result of his long, nonviolent work for human rights in China.

The Nobel committee draws attention to the close connection between human rights and peace as a prerequisite for the "fraternity between nations" that Alfred Nobel hoped the prize would help to achieve.

As we mark both International Human Rights Day and the 25th anniversary of the award of the Nobel peace prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the threats to this vision are many, and the stakes are high. Moral leadership is in short supply. Let us celebrate that which we have.
The Dalai Lama has a moral authority the leaders in Beijing can only dream of| Lobsang Sangay | Comment is free | The Guardian

China does not have the moral authority in Tibet since they are more keen to absorb Tibet through other means than that are appealing, like money, authoritative means, coercion, Sinicisation and destroying the root and fabric of Tibetan culture, language, customs, traditions and so on.

Naturally, there is hostility towards China internally and from refugees from Tibet.

Historically, the Han Chinese have been able to destroy the roots, culture, language, customs, tradition, intermarriages and so on. of all Non Han people whom they called 'barbarians' and captured their territories and forced them to become 'Han'.

But will the succeed in Tibet or Xinjiang?

In the earlier times there was no globalisation and interdependence of the international communities and the powerful were more concerned to spread their wings through imperialism and colonisation and none cared. But these are modern times and all are aware. There is greater dependence and interaction. Therefore, one cannot ride roughshod over those who are not ready to be assimilated. And the world is now more sensitive to morals than before.

In such a scenario, China attempting various means, mostly underhand and slime loaded, may not succeed wholesomely since morality is not on their side.

Even in Hong Kong which is now a part of Communist China, the world glare has crippled the Communist Chinese attempts to break up the dissent and have not been able to apply ruthless and brute force as in Tienanmen Square and has shied away from such action which could have broken the dissent in the true Chinese Communist style.

If China has failed in HK, what are the chances that they can succeed in Tibet or Xinjiang?

And anyway, China does not have the moral authority like the Dalai Lama to be able to convince the Tibetans to become Han for 'harmony and stability'.

 

[no smoking]

Re: Dalai Lama's moral authority the leaders in Beijing can only dream

The strange thing is after 56 years of holding "moral authority", fewer and fewer Tibetans is willing to fight for his agenda.

 

[SANITY]

Milan honors Dalai Lama as citizen over China's objections

MILAN: The Milan city council bestowed honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama on Thursday over the objections of Chinese Embassy, which said the gesture would have a negative impact on bilateral relations and regional cooperation.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate accepted the honor inside a theater at the University of Milan-Bicocca campus before an audience of mostly students.

"I want to know what my right is, and what is my duty," the Dalai Lama said, getting a laugh when he quipped that he preferred rights to duties.

On the eve of his arrival, the Chinese embassy in Rome issued a statement saying that honoring the Dalai Lama "has seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people'' and expressing its "strong protest and firm opposition."

Outside the theater, several dozen Chinese residents voiced their displeasure with the award, saying it was a slap at their contributions to the Italian economy. They waved Italian and Chinese flags, and stood behind banners proclaiming Chinese sovereignty over Tibet.

Tensions arose when a handful of Tibetan protesters approached the Chinese contingent, but police separated the two groups without incident, the news agency ANSA reported.

China accuses the Dalai Lama of leading a campaign to split Tibet from the rest of China. The exiled spiritual leader says he simply wants Tibet to have a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule.

Italy has been the favorite country in Europe for Chinese firms looking for acquisitions. Chinese firms bought 14 Italian companies last year for a combined total of $10.6 billion, according to KPMG, led by the $7.7 billion acquisition of tire maker Pirelli.

China has also invested billions in Italian electrical grid operators, carmakers, telecom firms and luxury brands in recent years.

In Milan alone, the number of Chinese residents has doubled over the past decade to nearly 29,000, doubling also the number of businesses, according to Francesco Wu, who leads an organization of Chinese entrepreneurs in Milan and joined Thursday's protest.

The Dalai Lama also met privately with the archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Angelo Scola, as well as with Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala on the first day of a three-day visit that includes a series of spiritual talks.
He also is to receive honorary citizenship of the Milan suburb of Rho, home to the fairgrounds where several of his talks will take place.
In Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told reporters that China opposes any official meeting with the Dalai Lama and asked that countries respect "China's grave concerns."


The Dalai Lama said in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica that the climate in Tibet "remains extremely grim and repressive, characterized by constant controls of Tibetans, who are denied many basic human rights."


"Whether they admit it or not, Tibet remains a thorn for China, which wants to play an important role in the world," he was quoted as saying.