Dalai Lama—The universal peace-crusader

Shampa Sen

In a world infested by terrorism and fundamentalism, His Holiness the Dalai Lama adopts peaceful methods for his struggle for liberation of Tibet. But the Chinese call him “splittist” and blame him for using the Tibet issue to divide the country and weaken its power. Dalai Lama describes himself as a simple monk from Tibet. He once said, “I pray for Tibet everyday. But, also, I pray for China. I’m an optimistic. Of course I’ve been optimistic for 37 years now.” The world’s most sought after spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama, Lhama Dhondrub, was born to a peasant family in northeastern Tibet. When he was still a teenager he became the head of the Tibetan government. Political Role

China invaded Tibet in 1949. Dalai Lama was forced to assume full political power a year later. Crisis subsequently deepened and most of Tibet was occupied by Chinese armed forces. The Tibetan army was just a handful compared to the invading forces. The only option left was to negotiate. Dalai Lama initiated peace talks by going to China in 1954. There he met Mao Zedong along with Deng Xiaoping and Chou Enlai. These leaders tried their best to convince him that they would be better off under Chinese rule. In 1956 he visited India and met Nehru. But he failed to garner much support for the Tibetan cause. In 1959 Tibetans rebelled. The Chinese crushed the upsurge. Dalai Lama was forced to go into exile. He formed a democratic government-in-exile. This was dedicated to work for the freedom of Tibet and welfare of Tibetan refugees. With the Indian government’s help he set up schools, handicraft factories, hospitals, orphanages, monasteries and cultural institutions. Today there are 53 Tibetan refugee settlements in India. Dalai Lama’s continuous efforts helped him muster international political support for the Tibetans. Three UN General Assembly resolutions were passed in 1959, 1961 and 1965. They condemned China for violation of fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people. Violent repression of political demonstration in Lhasa led to the August 1991 UN resolution. It criticized Chinese policies in Tibet and called to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedom of the Tibetan people. In recent times countries like US, Germany and France have also spoken against Chinese repression in Tibet. Dalai Lama for the first time visited West in 1973. For the cause of Tibet he has visited many world leaders including the Presidents of United States, France and Germany, Prime Ministers of UK, Australia and New Zealand, members of European royalty including Prince Charles and the King of Norway, and of course religious leaders including Pope John Paul II. He has addressed the United States Congress, European Parliament, innumerable University and inter-faith gatherings. As recognition of his undettered crusade for emancipation and the greater human good, in 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. His Three Main Commitments

Dalai Lama’s first commitment is to promote human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. He refers to these human values as secular ethics. He always talks about the importance of these human values and shares them with everyone he meets. His second commitment is to bring about religious harmony and understanding between the major religions of the world. He believes that all religions in the world have the same potential to create good human beings. His third commitment is for the cause of the Tibetans. Negotiations Between Dalai Lama and Chinese Government

Dalai Lama has always adopted a “middle way” path while negotiating with the Chinese government. He has strived for a political solution to the Tibet-China problem that is acceptable and beneficial to both sides. He has shown willingness to negotiate within the framework for negotiations as stated by Deng Xiaoping in 1979. He has infact increasingly avoided the independence issue hoping that it would create an atmosphere of mutual trust and have a positive influence on the repressive Chinese policies in Tibet. The Chinese however have shown their reluctance after an initial agreement. Often they refuse to meet him or his representatives. They try to delay negotiation. They have tried offering Dalai Lama a proposal to return to his motherland with an honorary post in the Chinese government. Since April 1988 he has been given the right to reside in Lhasa instead of Beijing. But Dalai Lama says that China has shifted its focus from the real issue to his appeasement by giving him personal favours. The survival of the six million Tibetan people and the protection of their distinct culture and civilization remains unnoticed. In September 1993 Dalai Lama published a set of letters to the Chinese authorities stating his frustration on Beijing’s reluctance for serious negotiations. He said that he had failed to bring about any solution to the Tibet issue which has disheartened many Tibetans both inside and outside the country.
The Road Ahead

Dalai Lama’s fight still continues silently. He is optimistic. He believes that if he ceases to adopt peaceful means he will lose out on world support. He has support from Hollywood stars like Richard Gere to head of States. At the age of 72 he still sounds resilient. Over the years Dalai Lama has softened his stance. He is now open to the autonomy of Tibet within the Chinese rule. Only time will tell what the future holds for him and his people, Chinese suzerainty or long-lost freedom. As a US Congressman very aptly sums it up all: “His Holiness has become over the past 30 years a symbol of peace and a leading international spokesperson for the cause of non-violent social change. His spiritual and political leadership of Tibetans has been the principle force for the preservation of the Tibetan culture and way of life.”