Nearly 600 exiled Tibetan leaders concluded a
week-long meeting Friday to decide whether they should change their stance on
seeking autonomy within China. The historic conference was called by a
frustrated Dalai Lama who says his Middle Way stance in talks with Beijing has
failed. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from Dharamsala, India.
In an auditorium at a Tibetan school nestled among
pine trees in an Indian village, prominent exiles of the Tibetan community are
debating their future.
The unprecedented six-day
conference was called by the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan spiritual leader asked
members of the self-proclaimed government in exile and other community leaders
to speak frankly about whether Tibetans should take a different path than his
Middle Way approach towards China. The Buddhist figure has said his strategy of
repeatedly negotiating with Beijing to ask for meaningful autonomy, rather than
independence, has failed.
The conference is drafting a
declaration based on input from elders, as well as younger voices. Many youth
have expressed impatience with the cautious approach towards the Chinese, who
invaded Tibet in 1950.
A member of the Parliament-in-exile, Youdon Aukatsang,
during a break in the discussions, sought to play down media expectations that
the meeting is going to mean a sudden and dramatic shift in policy.
"Its a very, very significant meeting, although it is only a
deliberative meeting. Its not like they're going to decide on the future of
Tibet. The policy change, if it ever happens, its going to be at the level of
the Parliament. If there's a lot of pressure from here it'll definitely have an
impact on the policies that the [exile] government is going to take," she
said.
China has made it clear that
it considers whatever results here irrelevant. Talks last month between Tibetan
and Chinese government representatives produced no progress. Chinese officials
and newspaper editorials in China equate the autonomy request with pursuit of
independence. China contends Tibet is an integral part of the country.
The Tibetans here, where the government-in-exile is
headquartered, said they are in daily contact with their compatriots back home
to make sure their voices are part of the discussions at the historic meeting in
India.
A recent survey,
clandestinely conducted inside Tibet, found nearly half of the 18,000 Tibetans
who responded would follow whatever path the Dalai Lama advocates. Another 5,000
expressed a desire to pursue independence.
A 32-year-old Tibetan barley farmer, who has made an illegal
pilgrimage from Tibet to Dharamsala, expresses the torn feelings of many.
The farmer, who did not want his name used as he plans to
return home, said he supported the Middle Way because it was advocated by the
Dalai Lama. But his personal preference is for independence because it would
free Tibetans of Chinese control.
Some younger Tibetans in
exile expressed caution about making a hasty decision.
Tsering Kyi, a 25-year-old writer was Miss
Tibet 2003. She said many Tibetans are still confused and would have liked more
time to discuss the issue between the Dalai Lama's pronouncements about it and
the special conference.
But the young woman, who
trekked out of Tibet as a 16-year-old without her parents, also said regardless
of whether autonomy or independence is pursued violence cannot be used to oppose
Chinese rule.