The Dalai Lama says China’s repressive policies behind Tibet self-immolations
DHARAMSHALA, November 3: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said China’s repressive policies and the unbearable situation in Tibet are forcing Tibetans to set themselves of fire in Tibet.
The Tibetan leader was speaking to reporters in the Indian capital New Delhi earlier today enroute a ten-day Japan visit.
"The unbearable situation in Tibet is the cause for these unfortunate events. I am very sad about the turn of events. These are symptoms of fear, hard line suppressive policy practiced by China in Tibet. The time has come for China to think more realistically," reporters quoted him as saying.
The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 62 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.
The 77-year-old Tibetan leader also dismissed Chinese government’s accusations that he was instigating the self-immolations and invited a delegation to come to his exile hometown of Dharamshala and examine his conversations with the visitors.
"I am a free spokesman for the Tibet issue. I take orders from fellow Tibetans and do not direct them to any action," he said.
Indian government no longer over cautious on Tibet
On Friday, speaking to the Hindustan Times, a major Indian daily, the Dalai Lama said India was no longer "over-cautious" in dealing with China over Tibet and expressed satisfaction that the Manmohan Singh government was "more firm' as compared to its past engagements with China.
"Earlier, I used to say that the Indian government was over-cautious with China over Tibet. But now, I have changed my opinion and I see that India is standing more firm in dealing with it,” the Dalai Lama told HT. “I saw this shift when I was allowed by the Indian government to go to Tawang in November 2009 despite reservations from Beijing."
Responding to a question on the once-a-decade leadership change in China this month, the Nobel Laureate remarked that the past decade under Hu Jintao’s leadership has been “very difficult” for Tibet and said he preferred to "wait and watch" before taking a call on the change of Chinese attitude towards Tibet.
"It is difficult to say whether China will adopt a moderate line on Tibet under the leadership of Xi Jinping as even Hu Jintao when he took over from Jiang Zemin a decade ago talked about harmonious China,” the Dalai Lama said. “At that time, I welcomed Hu's statement but the past 10 years have been very difficult for Tibet. Let Xi take over China and maybe I can give a call after watching his policies on Tibet unfold over the coming months," Dalai Lama said.
In the year when India and China are observing 50 years of the 1962 Sino- India war, the Tibetan leader noted that trust between India and China will only develop once situation in Tibet returns to "absolutely normal."
"The boundary dispute (between India and China) cannot be solved if there is fear and suspicion between the two countries."
