Flexibility only way for Dalai to deal with Beijing

• Source: Global Times
• [22:04 February 09 2010]
• Comments

GT: Given that the Dalai Lama and his followers know clearly that the central government would never accept the requests for "Greater Tibet" and "high degree of autonomy," why do they keep raising them in talks with the central government?

Liu: I would like to quote Mo Li, who is a democratic activist living in the US and has close relations with the "Tibet government-in-exile."

The Dalai Lama's followers are not only from the Ü-Tsang area (most areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the west of Lhasa), but also from Amdo area (parts of the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan) and Kham area (parts of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Qinghai provinces and Tibet Autonomous Region).

To protect his followers' interests, the Dalai Lama has to form a "Greater Tibet," which consists of all these areas. Or else he might lose some of his supporters.

In addition, the Dalai Lama needs to line up behind him as many overseas Tibetans as possible to expand his international influence and power.

In his opinion, this helps him to hold a bargaining chip in negotiations with the central government.

However, such requests can only have the opposite effect and result in a deadlock.

GT: Are there any divergences or contradictions within the Dalai clique?

Xie: There are some contradictions on what kind of measures should be taken to realize Tibetan independence. Some, usually the younger generations, advocate a resort to violence, while the Dalai Lama and others of the older generation believe in nonviolent means.

No matter what measures the two parties prefer, they are both seeking Tibetan independence.

Liu: Indeed, they are. Some of the Dalai Lama's followers, especially those who used to visit China, are aware of current developments in China, including Tibet. They have accepted the reality of their relations with the central government.

Yet they believe their only choice is to abandon the stand to slip the country. It's hard to estimate how many and how influential they are.

There are also some holding uncompromising or even radical positions, such as the members of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). And, there are some sticking to the middle road.

GT: How about the Dalai Lama himself? Some doubt that Dalai Lama's influence and the power in his clique is declining. Do you think so?

Liu: I personally believe that the Dalai Lama himself wants to resolve the issue with the central government during his lifetime.

Before his defection in 1959, he used to go to Beijing and meet some senior central government officials, and he was really excited about development of the motherland. During the following years abroad, he has been kept informed about the development of Tibet.

I think he wants to come back to have a look, but cannot discard his haughty air.

Besides, he has to consider the hard line of some of his followers. Although the Dalai Lama did not publicly express any willingness to change his current stand, he is wavering.

This was seen at the "special meeting" of Tibetan exiles' representatives in November 2008. One of the five results of discussions at the meeting was putting an end to talks with the central government.

When the Dalai Lama met representatives at the meeting, he forthrightly pointed out that such a resolution would have serious and unpredictable consequences.

According to the so-called Charter of the Tibetans-in-exile, Dalai Lama is the supreme political and spiritual leader of the Tibetan community. As long as this "Charter" is not amended, the Dalai Lama's dominant position will not be shaken.