Since I'm in love with both communities, I'm deeply affected by
the events occurring between chinese government and Tibet. With no
judgement, but just in a peace concern, I want to relay here this
Appeal from the Dalai Lama to Chinese people. Because as we all
know, most of time, governments are not the mirror of a county
population. Just as I don't confuse American people with Georges W.
Bush, I won't neither confuse chinese people with their government.
I know chinese young people are curious and open-minded for most of
them. Chinese old people want peace and comfort for their children.
So please understand that I'm not 'for' Tibetan people and
'against' chinese people.
I just want both communities to live in peace and in the respect
of their own way of life and values.
Below the 'Appeal' - thanks to you all to relay and communicate
this prayer.
Today, I extend heartfelt greetings to my Chinese brothers and
sisters around the world, particularly to those in the
People’s Republic of China. In the light of the recent
developments in Tibet, I would like to share with you my thoughts
concerning relations between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples, and
make a personal appeal to all of you.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of life in the recent tragic
events in Tibet. I am aware that some Chinese have also died. I
feel for the victims and their families and pray for them. The
recent unrest has clearly demonstrated the gravity of the situation
in Tibet and the urgent need to seek a peaceful and mutually
beneficial solution through dialogue. Even at this juncture I have
expressed my willingness to the Chinese authorities to work
together to bring about peace and stability.
Chinese brothers and sisters, I assure you I have no desire to
seek Tibet’s separation. Nor do I have any wish to drive a
wedge between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples. On the contrary my
commitment has always been to find a genuine solution to the
problem of Tibet that ensures the long-term interests of both
Chinese and Tibetans. My primary concern, as I have repeated time
and again, is to ensure the survival of the Tibetan people’s
distinctive culture, language and identity. As a simple monk who
strives to live his daily life according to Buddhist precepts, I
assure you of the sincerity of my personal motivation.
I have appealed to the leadership of the PRC to clearly
understand my position and work to resolve these problems by
“seeking truth from facts.” I urge the Chinese
leadership to exercise wisdom and to initiate a meaningful dialogue
with the Tibetan people. I also appeal to them to make sincere
efforts to contribute to the stability and harmony of the PRC and
avoid creating rifts between the nationalities. The state
media’s portrayal of the recent events in Tibet, using deceit
and distorted images, could sow the seeds of racial tension with
unpredictable long-term consequences. This is of grave concern to
me. Similarly, despite my repeated support for the Beijing
Olympics, the Chinese authorities, with the intention of creating a
rift between the Chinese people and myself, the Chinese authorities
assert that I am trying to sabotage the games. I am encouraged,
however, that several Chinese intellectuals and scholars have also
expressed their strong concern about the Chinese leadership’s
actions and the potential for adverse long-term consequences,
particularly on relations among different nationalities.
Since ancient times, Tibetan and Chinese peoples have lived as
neighbors. In the two thousand year old recorded history of our
peoples, we have at times developed friendly relations, even
entering into matrimonial alliances, while at others we fought each
other. However, since Buddhism flourished in China first before it
arrived in Tibet from India, we Tibetans have historically accorded
the Chinese people the respect and affection due to elder Dharma
brothers and sisters. This is something well known to members of
the Chinese community living outside China, some of whom have
attended my Buddhist lectures, as well as pilgrims from mainland
China, whom I have had the privilege to meet. I take heart from
these meetings and feel they may contribute to a better
understanding between our two peoples.
The twentieth century witnessed enormous changes in many parts
of the world and Tibet too was caught up in this turbulence. Soon
after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949,
the People’s Liberation Army entered Tibet finally resulting
in the 17-point Agreement concluded between China and Tibet in May
1951. When I was in Beijing in 1954/55, attending the National
People’s Congress, I had the opportunity to meet and develop
a personal friendship with many senior leaders, including Chairman
Mao himself. In fact, Chairman Mao gave me advice on numerous
issues, as well as personal assurances with regard to the future of
Tibet. Encouraged by these assurances, and inspired by the
dedication of many of China’s revolutionary leaders of the
time, I returned to Tibet full of confidence and optimism. Some
Tibetan members of the Chinese Communist Party also had such a
hope. After my return to Lhasa, I made every possible effort to
seek genuine regional autonomy for Tibet within the family of the
People’s Republic of China (PRC). I believed that this would
best serve the long-term interests of both the Tibetan and Chinese
peoples.
Unfortunately, tensions, which began to escalate in Tibet from
around 1956, eventually led to the peaceful uprising of March 10,
1959, in Lhasa and my eventual escape into exile. Although many
positive developments have taken place in Tibet under the
PRC’s rule, these developments, as the previous Panchen Lama
pointed out in January 1989, were overshadowed by immense suffering
and extensive destruction. Tibetans were compelled to live in a
state of constant fear, while the Chinese government remained
suspicious of them. However, instead of cultivating enmity towards
the Chinese leaders responsible for the ruthless suppression of the
Tibetan people, I prayed for them to become friends, which I
expressed in the following lines in a prayer I composed in 1960, a
year after I arrived in India: “May they attain the wisdom
eye discerning right and wrong, And may they abide in the glory of
friendship and love.” Many Tibetans, school children among
them, recite these lines in their daily prayers.
In 1974, following serious discussions with my Kashag
(cabinet), as well as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the
then Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies, we decided to
find a Middle Way that would seek not to separate Tibet from China,
but would facilitate the peaceful development of Tibet. Although we
had no contact at the time with the PRC – which was in the
midst of the Cultural Revolution – we had already recognized
that, sooner or later, we would have to resolve the question of
Tibet through negotiations. We also acknowledged that, at least
with regard to modernization and economic development, it would
greatly benefit Tibet if it remained within the PRC. Although Tibet
has a rich and ancient cultural heritage, it is materially
undeveloped.
Situated on the roof of the world, Tibet is the source of many
of Asia’s major rivers; therefore, protection of the
environment on the Tibetan plateau is of supreme importance. Since
our utmost concern is to safeguard Tibetan Buddhist culture –
rooted as it is in the values of universal compassion – as
well as the Tibetan language and the unique Tibetan identity, we
have worked whole-heartedly towards achieving meaningful self-rule
for all Tibetans. The PRC’s constitution provides the right
for nationalities such as the Tibetans to do this.
In 1979, the then Chinese paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping
assured my personal emissary that “except for the
independence of Tibet, all other questions can be
negotiated.” Since we had already formulated our approach to
seeking a solution to the Tibetan issue within the constitution of
the PRC, we found ourselves well placed to respond to this new
opportunity. My representatives met many times with officials of
the PRC. Since renewing our contacts in 2002, we have had six
rounds of talks. However, on the fundamental issue, there has been
no concrete result at all. Nevertheless, as I have declared many
times, I remain firmly committed to the Middle Way approach and
reiterate here my willingness to continue to pursue the process of
dialogue.
This year, the Chinese people are proudly and eagerly awaiting
the opening of the Olympic Games. I have, from the start, supported
Beijing’s being awarded the opportunity to host the Games. My
position remains unchanged. China has the world’s largest
population, a long history and an extremely rich civilization.
Today, due to her impressive economic progress, she is emerging as
a great power. This is certainly to be welcomed. But China also
needs to earn the respect and esteem of the global community
through the establishment of an open and harmonious society based
on the principles of transparency, freedom, and the rule of law.
For example, to this day victims of the Tiananmen Square tragedy
that adversely affected the lives of so many Chinese citizens have
received neither just redress nor any official response. Similarly,
when thousands of ordinary Chinese in rural areas suffer injustice
at the hands of exploitative and corrupt local officials, their
legitimate complaints are either ignored or met with aggression. I
express these concerns both as a fellow human being and as someone
who is prepared to consider himself a member of the large family
that is the People’s Republic of China. In this respect, I
appreciate and support President Hu Jintao’s policy of
creating a “harmonious society”, but this can only
arise on the basis of mutual trust and an atmosphere of freedom,
including freedom of speech and the rule of law. I strongly believe
that if these values are embraced, many important problems relating
to minority nationalities can be resolved, such as the issue of
Tibet, as well as Eastern Turkistan, and Inner Mongolia, where the
native people now constitute only 20% of a total population of 24
million.
I had hoped President Hu Jintao’s recent statement that
the stability and safety of Tibet concerns the stability and safety
of the country might herald the dawning of a new era for the
resolution of the problem of Tibet. It is unfortunate that despite
my sincere efforts not to separate Tibet from China, the leaders of
the PRC continue to accuse me of being a “separatist”.
Similarly, when Tibetans in Lhasa and many other areas
spontaneously protested to express their deep-rooted resentment,
the Chinese authorities immediately accused me of having
orchestrated their demonstrations. I have called for a thorough
investigation by a respected body to look into this
allegation.
Chinese brothers and sisters – wherever you may be
– with deep concern I appeal to you to help dispel the
misunderstandings between our two communities. Moreover, I appeal
to you to help us find a peaceful, lasting solution to the problem
of Tibet through dialogue in the spirit of understanding and
accommodation.
With my prayers,
The Dalai Lama
March 28, 2008
Contact:
Chhime Rigzing Chhoekyapa,
Secretary
Cell: +91 (0)9816021879
Tenzin Taklha, Joint
Secretary
Cell: +91 (0)9816021813
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