News and Views on Tibet

I’m not anti-China, but half-Buddhist, half-Marxist: Dalai Lama

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By Tsering Kyinzom

New Delhi, April 8 – Reiterating his stand on “autonomy” over the Tibetan issue, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, “I am seeking a genuine self-rule for the Tibetans in Tibet which is in our own interest. We have to live side by side with China. This is the reality.”

“Our main concern at the moment is the preservation of Tibetan identity, culture, religion and environment, ” he said at a press conference organised by Foreign Correspondents Club.

He said he has been trying to reconcile with the Chinese leadership through dialogue for the last ten years. A visit by his delegation to Tibet and China last September will hopefully be followed by another round of talks soon. The date has not been finalised though. The tragedy which happened in Tibet in 1959 was “not a result of civil war or a natural disaster but due to a new guest with guns.” He said when Tibetans get a certain degree of freedom, he said he would hand over his authority to the local Tibetan government and the institution of The Dalai Lama may cease to exist if so desired by the people of Tibet. In that case, he will be the last Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama plays a significant role in the Tibetan freedom struggle. He said, “The Tibetan people trust me and rely on me. It is my moral responsibility to fulfil their expectations.” Rejecting China’s accusation against him of feudalism, he added the 1963 draft constitution of the Dharamsala-based Tibetan government-in-exile states his powers can be abolished by a two-third majority of a democratically-elected government. He said, “I am not anti-China. I am a half-Buddhist, half-Marxist. I am a socialist.” When questioned about his view over the Iraqi war, he said, “Non-violence may take a long time but it is the right approach. Suppression is the cause of another problem. It is too early to comment on the result of the war.”

The Dalai Lama said it is always better and safer to keep your own religious faith since every religion has the same message.

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