Tibet’s problem is also India’s problem, says His Holiness the Dalai Lama as PM

[DharmaSpace]

DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama today said Tibet’s problem is India’s problem and underlined that the issue of Tibet needs to be solved through dialogue. Comments from His Holiness the Dalai Lama came in response to questions on Chinese President Xi JInping’s ongoing three-day visit to India.

“I have faith in the new leadership. He (Xi) is open-minded and his way of working is quite realistic,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said while addressing a gathering to mark the 108th Foundation Day of Indian Merchants’ Chamber and its ladies’ wing in Mumbai.

“Previously, I told Hu Jintao that he could learn some good things from India. I shall say the same thing again. Xi Jinping’s thinking is more realistic and he is more open minded so he can learn more from India. He should gather experience from what he notices in India. Both India and China are heavily populated. But India is a democratic nation where people sharing different languages and scripts live with stability and harmony since 1947,” he said.

“Sino-Indian relations (build) on the basis of mutual trust are very important. Not only the whole of Asia, but the entire world can benefit from their (good) relations. Harmony can be brought by trust and not fear,” His Holiness said.

On the contentious border issue, he said it should be resolved through understanding and not by use of force.
“Tibet’s problem is also India’s problem. Before 1950, there was not a single soldier on the northern border and it was peaceful. Sooner or later, you have to solve the problem but not by force,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama had proposed Middle Way Approach to seek a genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people rather than independence.

“India is a vast country with a huge population. Different parts of the country speak different languages, yet there is a sense of one-ness among Indians. Democracy is practised strongly in the country and there is a free media. The Chinese President should learn these values from Indians,” he said.

About 20 students held rallies outside the Hyderabad House in Delhi demanding “We want justice for Tibet” and waved Tibetan flags before police arrested them, media reports say.

That means the Dorje Shugden issue is also part of India's problems? I doubt the the Indian government would agree to that, and neither is the Tibetan Freedom part of India's problem. I wouldn't be so optimistic since the Dorje Shugden issue the Tibetan people cannot resolve it amongst themselves without violence. To say they want to resolve the Tibetan freedom issue is rather childish and immature thinking I think.

The fact that Tibetan protestors are arrested shows that India is more concerned about their country than the Tibetans and they are not un-compassionate as they have to take care of their own people and business first.   

[vajrastorm]

It is hard to see India agreeing with HH Dalai Lama that Tibet's freedom is also India's problem. Already a small group of Tibetans students, protesting "justice" for Tibet, have been rounded up by Indian police. While the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, is on a state visit to India, appealing to his open-mindedness and realistic thinking, will also only fall on deaf ears. Both China and India will not listen, for sure.

Ironically, how does the ban and discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners play out in this appeal by Dalai Lama to China, in the name of democracy?