Sri Lanka Should Resist Beijing's Overtures

[DharmaSpace]

In January, Sri Lanka’s voters kicked out President Mahinda Rajapaksa for being corrupt, repressive, and too close to China. The country’s new government, led by President Maithripala Sirisena, promptly drew attention and not a little admiration for halting a Chinese-led development project, citing environmental and other problems. 

The project’s fate remains unclear. What is obvious is that Beijing will fight to retain its commercial and strategic interests in Sri Lanka. President Sirisena was showered with promises of aid during a visit to China in late March.   

Beijing may also be close to scoring a victory on another matter to which it attaches great importance. An unnamed Sri Lankan official suggested that Colombo might refuse to grant a visa to the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader. That’s highly significant, given that Sri Lanka is 70% Buddhist and home to a number of important Buddhist sites. “The Dalai Lama is very important,” the official said, “but the close relationship with China is more important and we have not changed our stance on ‘One China’ policy.”   

Sri Lanka has a lot of things on its agenda, including long overdue national reconciliation following its bloody civil war, accounting for political prisoners, and establishing the rule of law. Deferring to Beijing’s demands over the Dalai Lama might seem a small price to pay to retain good relations with Beijing and at least some of its largesse.

It would be best for Sri Lanka’s new leaders, President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe, to take a principled line on Tibet right from the start. Even a small country should be in charge of its own affairs, such as who may visit, and with whom its leaders will meet. Beijing cares desperately about how the world treats the Dalai Lama and Tibet. Receiving him is an important moral position, but also one that carries significant political capital. It will only become harder to turn this policy around once IF the wrong decision is taken.

Colombo should also correct its language on Tibet policy. The statement given by the unnamed official contained an important error. The concept of ‘one China’ refers to the U.S. decision to agree that Taiwan -- not Tibet -- is part of China and eventually abandon recognition for Chiang Kai-shek’s government in Taipei, to which the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) retreated in 1949.

Lodi Gyari, a former envoy of the Dalai Lama, explained why “one China” is a misnomer when it comes to Tibet in remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations in 2012:

No Tibetan government has ever claimed to be the government of China, so the application of the ‘one China’ policy to Tibet or for that matter, the PRC government’s ‘one China’ principle that stresses the inalienability of both Taiwan and mainland China as parts of a single ‘China’ — simply does not arise.

….

Yet, the PRC government vigorously pursues efforts to extend the applicability of ‘one China’ to Tibet and, in recent years, it has misled a number of governments into believing not only that the ‘one-China’ policy applies to Tibet, but that it restricts the extent to which their government officials can interact with Tibetan leaders in exile, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We believe that the intended effect of China’s initiative is to limit outside governments from playing a constructive role in promoting a mutually acceptable negotiated solution for Tibet. Indeed, by accepting the applicability of ‘one China’ to Tibet, governments are subtly aligning themselves with the Chinese position that the Dalai Lama is trying to ‘split’ China.

Gyari argued that foreign governments have “the duty out of self- interest and in the interest of global peace to promote a peaceful solution to the issue by engaging with both sides in the conflict.” Gyari’s full remarks appear here. 

There is no historic basis for applying the “One China” policy to Tibet, and no legitimate purpose to denying the Dalai Lama a visa or refusing to engage with representatives of the democratically elected exile government. Speaking accurately about Tibet is necessary if there is to be a solution to problem that Beijing created by invading it in the 1950s. However, the price to Sri Lanka of adopting Beijing’s position on Tibet would be much higher.

One does not need to be a rocket scientist that the rate of CTA making friends and retaining them is much much lower or zero compared to what they losing, it is an alarming statistic. CTA if they hope to represent the Tibetan people and want to make progress with the Chinese government cannot afford anymore to lose friends or supporting countries.

For them whats important now is to have more people and not less people/countries supporting them. And the issue of Dorje Shugden is giving them more bad publicity instead of good ones. The current Chinese administration seems to be running circles around the CTA and outmaneuvering them. If only if CTA would consider lifting the ban, they can win back certain countries I am sure.

[fruven]

China is definitely getting more supports from other countries than CTA. China has provided human labors all these years to the companies from the many countries that wants reduce to their cost and expanding their market overseas. Many countries have benefited from the cheaper cost of goods from trading with China.

One can claim not supporting China but is still buying goods from China. You are supporting China economy and livelihood of the people there when you products and goods made by them.

[DharmaSpace]

aiwan will still send a team to quake-hit Nepal to assess the need for medical help, though the Himalayan nation has declined its offer of assistance in search and rescue efforts.

    PHOTOS

Destroyed buildings in Nepal, after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the area, killing more than 3,200 people. (Photo: So Nai Tsai Jen)

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    Caption

TAIPEI: Nepal has turned down Taiwan’s offer to help in search and rescue efforts following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, Taiwanese Vice Foreign Minister Andrew Kao confirmed on Monday (Apr 27).

Mr Kao said Taiwan will still send an advanced team to Nepal to assess the need for medical assistance, which the island will provide if needed.

Several government and charity groups in Taiwan have already joined forces to organise rescue missions to Nepal. Public fundraising campaigns are also underway for the Himalayan nation.

So far, the island has pledged about US$300,000 in aid.

Following an official message of condolence by President Ma Ying-jeou, a 20-member rescue team with tracking dogs is ready to fly to Kathmandu.

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation has tapped on its global network to set up a relief centre in Nepal to distribute supplies and join in the rescue effort, while Taiwan’s Red Cross has started a fundraising drive to collect US$1 million for Nepal’s post-disaster reconstruction.

According to the foreign ministry, 167 Taiwanese are currently in Nepal. Among them, 26 are still missing. However, there were no immediate reports of Taiwanese casualties. Officials said they would do their best to locate those still missing. 

Following Saturday's earthquake that killed more than 3,200 people, thousands of residents remain huddled in tents and sought scarce food and medical supplies, as overwhelmed authorities struggle to care for the wounded and homeless.

With so many people sleeping in the open with no power or water and downpours forecast, fears of major food and water shortages are mounting.

- Reuters/CNA/xq/al

Now we know who is really in the driving seat behind Nepal and influencing their policies, traditionally it was India, but China is firmly in the driving seat with this news. CTA can kiss another country goodbye, even one of the poorest nations of earth do not support their causes. What a bad case of mismanagement by CTA in carrying on the Dorje Shudgen ban and splitting their own people.

[DharmaSpace]

This is the link to the Nepalese not wanting Taiwan's help.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/nepal-turns-down-taiwan-s/1809428.html

[yontenjamyang]

It is indeed sad times that this disasters happened and I pray for all the victims.

It is these type of tough times that I think humanity should all close rank but it is also undeniable that even in these times politics and policy do play an important part. China is well position to do that for countries in Africa and also in Sri Lanka and now Nepal. If we have problems in our house and our neighbors and even strangers help us we will appreciate and remember.

What is the use of claiming one country and government to be spiritual but when it comes to times of need the country/government can't afford or do not have the will to help and is always blaming others. We can take for example Singapore who stated its nationhood with almost nothing and yet it became a developed nation and thus are in a position to help its own citizen and other countries.

I am not saying spirituality is not right, it is very important but to practice compassion and altruism, without resources what can one do?