Today, July 6th, is the birthday of HH Dalai Lama and is also being celebrated in blogosphere as World Tibet Day. So I thought I should also post something on Tibet.
Tibet's fight for independence from China has certainly got a lot of supporters from all over the world. These include many well-known and vocal figures like Richard Gere. Tibet's leader HH Dalai Lama is also well-respected and admired. But still why is it that Tibet's cause is not gaining strength.
For one, there is still not a clear cut aim of the struggle amongst the Tibetans. For though there is a great desire for tibetans living outside Tibet to free their nation, but many in the top leadership are religious people. They deal with things in a higher level and for them the politics involved in securing independence seems to be a bit too intricate. Dalai Lama himself has accepted China's authority over Tibet and is now only demanding autonomy.
For a freedom struggle to be successful, it has to be driven by the oppressed themselves. Outsiders, including Indians, can only provide moral support but cant win the freedom for the tibetans. One does support freedom for any people who have a genuine urge to be free and develop seperately even if they are parts of India. But the people should fight and deserve this independence. Else it would only lead to splitism.
The Tibetans should seperate their religious and political leadership as the religious leadership will carry out the politics in a different way. The tibetans should nurture a younger secular leadership. It might be difficult because the Tibetans are a deeply religious people but as Gandhi has shown you can lead a poltical fight at a higher level without compromising on your ideal. But politics demands certain compromises which might look small for the ordinary man but not for a deeply religious one.
One can only wish the Tibetans good luck and HH Dalai Lama a Happy Birthday.
7 comments:
Freedom to Tibet - I vote YES.
But why Dalai Lama is asking for 'greater autonomy' then a free Tibet now ? after all these years of fighting...
India is getting friends with China because of economy. You forgot to mention that.
Ooops! *sheepish grin*
Had to correct a few typos!
:)
I second Prash above!
Freedom 2 Tibet - an emphatic, loud and overwhelming YES!
And do visit:
http://www.friendsoftibet.org
Peace.
Separating religion from politics in Tibet is easier said than done. Maybe you should read Isabel Hilton's 'The search for the Panchen Lama'. Most Tibetans seem to think it's the definitive account of modern tibetan political history.
I add my AYE for freedom.
Interesting post. I'm going to go google Tibet now.
Very well written. Your are bang on target about compromise- look at poor Manmohan singh as the Indian PM. For a non-violent type of struggle though, the leadership has to be spiritual oriented as you have yourself pointed out.
Wonder when China will itself become independent. Consider the plight of poor bloggers there or how google had to compromise.
@Prash
I think Dalai Lama never made an explicit demand for independence. The Tibetans were nominally under a few of the old Chinese kings but the chinese never really controlled Tibet because of the difficulty of access.
And India getting friends with China is necessary because of the geopolitics involved. India cant ignore its own interest and cant have an unfriendly neighbour. But ofcourse, it will keep supporting the Tibetan autonomy.
@Velu
Thanks for the visit and the comment.
@nevermind
Thanks for the book recco. Dont think that by seperating it, it's significance will be diminished. But yeah it will be difficult.
@L>T
thankz
@Hiren
Lets hope china changes too, for after all if indian economy can be freed up then there is a chance that chinese politics will be too.
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