Independence on the agenda for Tibet talks
Updated
Hundreds of exiled Tibetan leaders from around the world have been holding crisis talks in the Indian city of Dharamsala to discuss the future of Tibet and relations with China. The five-day public meeting is the first of its kind since Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama went into exile nearly 50 years ago. The Dharamsala talks were called by the Dalai Lama, after he announced his efforts to secure greater autonomy from Beijing have failed. The meeting in India has already seen calls for a shift in policy towards calls for full independence for six-million ethnic Tibetans.
Presenter: Lily Yan
Speakers: Tenzin Atisha, representative of the Dalai Lama in Australia, Dharamsala; Professor Hu Yan, head of the Ethnic and Religion Theory Study Center at the Central Chinese Communist Party School
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LILY YAN: Tenzin Atisha is the representative of the Dalai Lama in Australia. He is now in Dharamshala attending the meeting.
TENZIN ATISHA: This is the first kind of meeting of exiled Tibetans so it is highly important and significant.
LILY YAN: The Dalai Lama announced before the meeting he would not attend it. The 73-year-old leader recently recovered from surgery. But his supporters have denied suggestions the timing of the talks, and his visible absence, may be a deliberate move to enable talks on choosing a successor. Tenzin Atisha says the Dalai Lama is staying away to help the exiles hold free discussions on their ideas about Tibet's future.
TENZIN ATISHA: He's the one that's given us a complete democratic system ballot that elected the prime minister. So, now it is up to the people, what is their opinion and what they want to envision. That's why the Dalai Lama is not attending the meeting.
LILY YAN: The opening day of the talks was accompanied by public demonstrations calling for full independence for Tibet from China. Many younger exiles are frustrated with the Dalai Lama's so-called "mid-way" approach and may seek more extreme options. Mr Atisha said this theme dominated the first day of talks.
TENZIN ATISHA: But still it is too early to say. So there general feeling seems to be yes, there is strong support for the complete independence of Tibet. And then, you know, to have nothing to do with the present leadership in China because, since we are not achieving anything.
LILY YAN: The Chinese government has responded to this meeting, calling it yet another separatist activity, and insisting that the delegates in Dharamshala do not represent the vast majority of Tibetan people. Professor Hu Yan heads the Ethnic and Religion Theory Study Center at the Central Chinese Communist Party School, which trains high-ranking Chinese officials.
HU YAN: Are there any Tibetans from China going to this meeting? If not, then I am afraid this meeting is not a true representation of all Tibetans. There are more than 100,000 Tibetans overseas, but there are close to 6 million in China. And after all, it's been almost half century since the Dalai Lama left Tibet, and these two groups of Tibetans are not the same anymore.
LILY YAN: Australian Tibetan exile Tenzin Atisha is attending the meeting in India. He says the separation of the exiles from Tibetans back in China is physical, and says there are broadly shared sympathies and a sense of unity between the two groups.
TENZIN ATISHA: There are much Tibetans all over Tibet, including the areas under the Chinese provinces. They have been united in freedom. They have been inviting this to come to Tibet. They want independence. So that's why, you know, we can safely say that we know the opinion of Tibetans inside Tibet.
LILY YAN: And, while acknowledging that there have been calls for independence made at this week's talks, Mr Atisha dismissed the suggestion that Tibetans might resort to violence to achieve that goal.
TENZIN ATISHA: I think that it will never be an option. That's why his holiness, he's totally against the violence. But the approach to total independence might be a little bit different. But, ah, as far as violence comes in, ah, I can't think anyone will have a violent approach to solve the issue of Tibet.
LILY YAN: Ahead of the meeting, the Dalai Lama's envoys to negotiations with Beijing said the most recent round of talks had been a total failure. Professor Hu Yan at the Communist Party School says the result should surprise no one.
HU YAN: There is no way the government will agree even just to talk about achieving the meaningful and genuine autonomy in Tibet. Because if they do agree, that would mean they admit the current Tibet's autonomy is 'meaningless and fake'. That's why the Dalai Lama's mid-way approach will never get anywhere.
