Historic Tibetan meeting may push for independence

Updated November 14, 2008 20:51:55

Hundreds of leading Tibetans in exile will gather in India next week, for historic talks that could radically alter the course of their decades-long struggle against Chinese rule in Tibet. The meeting was called by Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to will look at new ways in dealing with Beijing. Many of the more radical exiles believe the "middle way" of the Dalai Lama, and his attempts to secure "meaningful autonomy" have failed, and calls for independence may be back on the agenda.

Presenter: Adam Connors
Speakers: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama; Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress


ADAM CONNORS: There was a sense of shock early this month as Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, publicly conceded defeat in his moderate stance with the Chinese for Tibetan autonomy.

DALAI LAMA: Things are not improving inside Tibet. Our approach (can) never affect (the) inside situation. China's suppression is increasing. They remain very stubborn. Now, morally I cannot remain like this. Things are not going well. I cannot pretend that something is OK. No. I have to accept failure.

ADAM CONNORS: Acknowledging the failure of his policies, the Dalai Lama said there was no alternative but to initiate a policy review. So next week, more than 500 leading exiles will meet in the northern Indian hill town of Dharmsala, including the more radical pro-independence groups abhorred by China. One of the largest, oldest and most influential is the Tibetan Youth Congress and its president Tsewang Rigzin. He says his organisation is looking forward to having its voice heard.

TSEWANG RIGZIN: We need to look at things that his Holiness has implemented, his policy called Middle Way, and it's been in place for the last almost 30 years. And over the 30 years, over the course of 30 years, there's has been some interaction especially the last several years there has been dialogue with the Chinese officials. But the bottom line is we know that there has - nothing has come out of all this dialogue so his Holiness recently said in one of his speeches that, you know, he has done everything he could in his power and he has not received any positive response from the Chinese side and now he is warning the Tibetan people to discuss the future course of our struggle and that's why we're having this special meeting. Actually the first-ever special meeting of the Tibetan people next week.

ADAM CONNORS: Do you believe the Tibetan Youth Congress as well as other Tibetan exile groups, all voices will be represented, heard, entertained at the conclave?

TSEWANG RIGZIN: We certainly hope so, yes. This is a meeting of the Tibetan people and we are part of the Tibetan people and we're very hopeful that that's what it will be and I think, you know, that's the wish of his Holiness, also, that he wanted to hear what the Tibetan people had to say and I'm sure that, you know, we'll have an environment where we can talk and put everything on the table what the future course of our struggle should be.

ADAM CONNORS: What will some of those options be?

TSEWANG RIGZIN: We have talked about this Middle Way policy for the last many years and obviously we all know that it hasn't worked, it hasn't borne any result, and we need to look at other options, you know, for us as an organisation. We look at independence as a solution. We have nothing to lose right now. We have lost everything and so, you know, we need to go back to our original goal of independence, that's the reason why we came into exile with the goal and the responsibility to go back to an independent Tibet so we need to revert back to that end and then we have to have strategies, we have to have plans in order to achieve that goal.

ADAM CONNORS: There was some discussion, I suppose, along the middle way of autonomy and then there is a discussion of independence. Some analysts say that a shift of policy towards independence would lose a lot of international support which the Tibetan cause does have. How do you feel about that? How do you view that?

TSEWANG RIGZIN: Well, I mean, I tend to disagree with that perception. We have had international support for independence. We have had several resolutions or several debates at the United Nations which hasn't been implemented. Back in 1959, in the '60s, we even have our own Tibetan officials going on Tibetan passport to different countries and because of the Middle Way policy for the last many years we really haven't had a clear indication of what the international support would be.

ADAM CONNORS: What form of vision statement or even action could possibly come out of the November meeting between the 17th and the 22nd?

TSEWANG RIGZIN: Well, I mean, even if I were to say something, you know, it would just be pure speculation and I don't like to do that but the bottom line is we are very hopeful that all of the disciplines, all of the delegates, will come with an open mind and come with, you know, willing to discuss and willing to put all options on the table and sincerely discuss what's good for the country and its people.