Tibetans 'don't want Dalai Lama back'

[Q]

Obviously the statement was told by the Chinese to the India journalists... but if you think about it, don't you think as a Tibetan, you would prefer to go back to your own country?

I know what happened in the late 50's when they had to leave Tibet.. that was already in the past and tibetans now hold a stronger stance in Tibet compared previously. Take for example the Chinese government has given monasteries etc much funds so that they can repair to monasteries.. they also gave the Tibetans freedom of religious practice, which means all Dorje Shugden lamas will not find themselves discriminated by the public. Of course we can all say that this is political play, but at least make the most out of it.

The fact that HHDL is still touching some sensitive issues in regards to Tibet while sheltered under India, I think that is not politically correct. After all, the Indian government has been kind to the Tibetans by giving them to be refugees in India. When such actions like this happen, it certainly puts India in a tough position as conflict may arise between India and China.

I suppose more and more Tibetan will make their way back to Tibet with or without HHDL. It is after all better to be a citizen of Tibet under the Chinese authorities than it is to be a refugee in India... it is not that India is not good, India has been very kind to the Tibetans, so perhaps it's time not to overstay. Also, with the refuge status, it is a very tough life for the Tibetans especially if they want to leave or return to the country.

________________________________________________________________________________

Tibetans don't want their exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to return to his homeland, a senior Chinese official has told visiting Nepalese and Indian journalists.

“They respect him culturally and in their religion, but they don’t agree with his political ideology," said Cui Yuying, a deputy director of the State Council Information Office, according to a report in the Kathmandu Post.

Tibetans respected the 77-year-old, who has spent most of his life in exile, because of his title, she said on Thursday, adding that that title "was conferred by the central government" in Beijing.

The 14th Dalai Lama was recognised as his predecessor's reincarnation in 1950, a year after the founding of the People's Republic, which considers Tibet a part of historical China. He has not returned to the country since his flight after a failed uprising in 1959.

Now in retirement, he continues to campaign for "meaningful autonomy" for the 6.4 million Tibetans living in China. The Chinese government has accused his "clique" of inciting self-immolations and acts of violence on the mainland.

"The Dalai Lama has been living in India as a guest," the Press Trust of India quoted Cui as saying. "The Indian government has said that it will not allow the Dalai Lama to indulge in any political activity. China has full confidence in it."

Cui, an ethnic Tibetan, has previously served as the director of the Communist Party's publicity department in the Tibet autonomous region, which covers a large part of historical Tibet.

Tibetans in exile were welcome to return to Chinese-controlled region "on an individual basis", she reportedly said. "Tibetans are returning to Tibet from India," she said.

According to the United Nationals High Commissioner for Refugees' Office in Nepal, some 800 Tibetans continue to sneak from China through Nepal to India every year.

There, they join some 94,000 refugees already living in Tibetan communities, according to a 2010 estimate by the government-in-exile in Dharamsala.

Despite criticism from China, India has given the Tibetan community widespread autonomy and is currently transitioning Tibetan schools to be put under the authority of the government-in-exile.   

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is expected to address the issue during his visit to India on Sunday, in what is his first overseas trip since assuming office in March.

[Ensapa]

The Tibetans in Tibet now need material sustenance more than ever, and so are the Tibetans outside of Tibet (because, well, we can see how many Tibetans trying to leave Dharamsala every year for greener pastures in other countries) so in a way, most of the Tibetans no longer put spirituality as their priority. As this goes by the Dalai Lama's importance will reduce over time in the hearts of the Tibetans because the CTA has been using the Dalai Lama and Buddhism to justify whatever actions they do even when they are obviously negative.

[hope rainbow]

Well indeed, isn't being tibetan chinese preferable to being a tibetan refugee?
Especially if one can't have the religious freedom to worship when under the rule of the TCA?

Also what woul happen to the tibetan refugees after the Dalai Lama passes away?
Will India provide them with another status than refugees?

Let's not forget that amongst the reasons why India do give refuge to Tibetan refugees there also is a POLITICAL one: the Dalai Lama can easily create havock in Tibet itself, but after his passing, there will be no more figure with that power with this authority over millions of people. And thus with the Dalai Lama's passing this political card that India has will be no more and the tibetan refugees may even become an embarassment to India.
I am being wrong? Well I may well be, or I may well not be...
I actually think that the future of Tibet goes together with looking East towards China, not to the West towards India or the tibetan community in exile.
The fact is: this may very well be the only way for Tibet to retain its culture!

[WisdomBeing]

It has been over 50 years since the Dalai Lama left Tibet and in a perfect example of impermanence, there are now several new generations of Tibetans in Tibet. The Tibetans born when the Dalai Lama left are now in their 50s and their whole lives were spent in a Tibet without the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama may have a legendary or even mythical status to most Tibetans but to the new generations, I do not think that many of them can relate to the Dalai Lama any more. Perhaps it is propaganda in Tibet by the Chinese authorities but at least one sector will probably be okay if the Dalai Lama does not return to Tibet - and those would be the Dorje Shugden practitioners who have been able to practice freely in Tibet unlike their counterparts in exile.

[Ensapa]

Well indeed, isn't being tibetan chinese preferable to being a tibetan refugee?
Especially if one can't have the religious freedom to worship when under the rule of the TCA?

Also what woul happen to the tibetan refugees after the Dalai Lama passes away?
Will India provide them with another status than refugees?

Let's not forget that amongst the reasons why India do give refuge to Tibetan refugees there also is a POLITICAL one: the Dalai Lama can easily create havock in Tibet itself, but after his passing, there will be no more figure with that power with this authority over millions of people. And thus with the Dalai Lama's passing this political card that India has will be no more and the tibetan refugees may even become an embarassment to India.
I am being wrong? Well I may well be, or I may well not be...
I actually think that the future of Tibet goes together with looking East towards China, not to the West towards India or the tibetan community in exile.
The fact is: this may very well be the only way for Tibet to retain its culture!

I really wonder what would happen to the tibetan community and especially to the CTA when the Dalai Lama  passes on because the Dalai Lama has worked very hard all along to appease the indian government so that they would be happy with him and the Tibetans living there and would not evict them. But neither the Katri or the CTA has been doing much on their side to show their appreciation towards the Indian government and LS even demanded India to help Tibet get their independence. So much for showing appreciation!

[vajrastorm]

Although there may still be pockets of Dalai Lama loyalists in Tibet, as time goes on the memory of what HH the Dalai Lama had meant to the Tibetans, before the Chinese invasion, may be fast fading away.

This is especially so when there is religious freedom now in China. Tibetans are allowed to practice Buddhism so long as they do not thrust  their support and 'worship of the God-king' in the face of the Chinese. In China, Tibetans can  freely practice Dorje Shugden without fear of reprisal. There is no ban on Shugden practice in China and there are great Lamas spreading the Dharma of Je Tsongkhapa , who are Shugden practitioners. With such religious freedom, it is doubtful that the Tibetans  want to have Dalai Lama back in China, bringing and enforcing the ban on Shugden practice in China.   

I believe that HH Dalai Lama, as an emanation of  the most compassionate Chenrezig, has 'engineered' the whole thing so as to cause Shugden practice to grow in China and, with it, the spread of Je Tsongkhapa's precious teachings.

[Ensapa]

Although there may still be pockets of Dalai Lama loyalists in Tibet, as time goes on the memory of what HH the Dalai Lama had meant to the Tibetans, before the Chinese invasion, may be fast fading away.

This is especially so when there is religious freedom now in China. Tibetans are allowed to practice Buddhism so long as they do not thrust  their support and 'worship of the God-king' in the face of the Chinese. In China, Tibetans can  freely practice Dorje Shugden without fear of reprisal. There is no ban on Shugden practice in China and there are great Lamas spreading the Dharma of Je Tsongkhapa , who are Shugden practitioners. With such religious freedom, it is doubtful that the Tibetans  want to have Dalai Lama back in China, bringing and enforcing the ban on Shugden practice in China.   

I believe that HH Dalai Lama, as an emanation of  the most compassionate Chenrezig, has 'engineered' the whole thing so as to cause Shugden practice to grow in China and, with it, the spread of Je Tsongkhapa's precious teachings.

Even if there are still Dalai Lama loyalists in Tibet, the numbers will soon dwindle. The reason for their existence is mainly due to CTA agents in Tibet spreading propaganda about how glorious the days were when the Dalai Lama was still ruling Tibet and how much "freedom" that they have back then because by now most of the people who was still alive when the Dalai Lama was still in Tibet would have passed on or have adapted to the Tibet that China has took over and I doubt that any of them would see the significance of praying to the Dalai Lama anymore. Just my theory, tho.

[harrynephew]

HHDL  loyalist there will always be because this tradition and thinking has been in their system for many generations. We cannot wipe out something which has been in the system and tradition for many many years. There is no point really. The uneducated sees HHDL as a living Buddha/god which serves them in times when they cannot find an answer through their limited logic.

The followers of HHDL who are not Tibetan admires the Dalai Lama as a spiritual person who is able to lead them to a goal beyond this life itself. Interestingly, this particular group is more interested in the spiritual side of the Dalai Lama and gives little support towards the liberation n independence of his own nation as they are most likely interested in the spiritual side of things only.

As HHDL said before in an interview, whether or not the Dalai Lama institution continues, it doesn't bother His Holiness, what HH is more concerned is the continuation n propagation of Dharma for the benefit of many.

[Ensapa]

HHDL  loyalist there will always be because this tradition and thinking has been in their system for many generations. We cannot wipe out something which has been in the system and tradition for many many years. There is no point really. The uneducated sees HHDL as a living Buddha/god which serves them in times when they cannot find an answer through their limited logic.

The followers of HHDL who are not Tibetan admires the Dalai Lama as a spiritual person who is able to lead them to a goal beyond this life itself. Interestingly, this particular group is more interested in the spiritual side of the Dalai Lama and gives little support towards the liberation n independence of his own nation as they are most likely interested in the spiritual side of things only.

As HHDL said before in an interview, whether or not the Dalai Lama institution continues, it doesn't bother His Holiness, what HH is more concerned is the continuation n propagation of Dharma for the benefit of many.

Unfortunately, amongst the western students, there are also those who are caught up by the mysticism of Tibet and are unable to think further than what the Dalai Lama and the CTA tells them and in their mind, whatever that the Dalai Lama and CTA tells them is the absolute truth and they need not investigate more. So at the end of the day what happens is that we get a group of fanatical western followers that are basically the CTA's and the Dalai Lama's army and with them around, they will help perpetuate the Dorje Shugden ban unless the Dalai Lama speaks up against the ban.

[dsiluvu]

Well indeed, isn't being tibetan chinese preferable to being a tibetan refugee?
Especially if one can't have the religious freedom to worship when under the rule of the TCA?

Also what woul happen to the tibetan refugees after the Dalai Lama passes away?
Will India provide them with another status than refugees?

Let's not forget that amongst the reasons why India do give refuge to Tibetan refugees there also is a POLITICAL one: the Dalai Lama can easily create havock in Tibet itself, but after his passing, there will be no more figure with that power with this authority over millions of people. And thus with the Dalai Lama's passing this political card that India has will be no more and the tibetan refugees may even become an embarassment to India.
I am being wrong? Well I may well be, or I may well not be...
I actually think that the future of Tibet goes together with looking East towards China, not to the West towards India or the tibetan community in exile.
The fact is: this may very well be the only way for Tibet to retain its culture!

Lol... I really like your first line "tibetan chinese preferable to being a tibetan refugee" I guess personally I'd pick Tibetan Chinese with the FREEDOM to travel anywhere in the world, be respected, and well, be able to do whatever practices I choose to believe in as long as it does not break any laws.

Heck sounds more reasonable than being "witched hunted" and fearful who might come and kill you just because your religious faith is different, being discriminated, having to hide your faith and practices, not being able to live in peace and always shun upon. Any sane person would pick the one with more "FREEDOM" of course and Yes I do agree in a logical sense... there is better chance to preserve the Tibetan culture and Dharma practices in China than in Tibet.

After His Holiness, sorry to say, passes away, no one else is strong and influential enough to speak up and protect the Tibetan refugees... their privileges would be weakened, they are on their own. Look even though they've elected a PM Lobsang Sangay, what has he done, what's the result, any drastic improvements? 99 years ain't forever baby 

[Ensapa]

It has been over 50 years since the Dalai Lama left Tibet and in a perfect example of impermanence, there are now several new generations of Tibetans in Tibet. The Tibetans born when the Dalai Lama left are now in their 50s and their whole lives were spent in a Tibet without the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama may have a legendary or even mythical status to most Tibetans but to the new generations, I do not think that many of them can relate to the Dalai Lama any more. Perhaps it is propaganda in Tibet by the Chinese authorities but at least one sector will probably be okay if the Dalai Lama does not return to Tibet - and those would be the Dorje Shugden practitioners who have been able to practice freely in Tibet unlike their counterparts in exile.

Even in Dharamsala itself, the Dalai Lama is slowly getting more and more irrelevant. less and less people are getting interested in spirituality or are still interested in spirituality there, and many of them choose to migrate to a richer country where it is easier for them to make ends meet. I mean, if they really believed in the Dalai Lama they would have wanted to be close to him by staying in Dharamsala instead of running away to a richer country. The fact is, aside from the CTA and the villages, the Dalai Lama's influence is actually waning amongst the Tibetans and this is a fact.

[dondrup]

Since the time Tibetans had lost their country to the Chinese, many Tibetans had to live in exile in foreign countries.  Some Tibetans remained in Tibet which has become part of china.  Both the Tibetans remaining in China and in exile had their share of sufferings under different living conditions.  But frankly speaking, I believe the Tibetans at the grass-root level are more concerned with having their basic necessities taken care of such as food, shelter, livelihood, security, freedom of religion (to practise Dorje Shugden) and so on.  Most would not be bothered about the political systems. 

The CTA had been trying till today.  But what have they accomplished?  How long more do these Tibetans in exile have to wait to see Independence of Tibet?  The reality is they will not see the Independence of Tibet!  Just as the reality of getting back Tibet is unlikely, the return of HH Dalai Lama is even more unlikely. On the other hand, the Chinese government had at least improved the quality of life in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Would HH Dalai Lama's return to Tibet make any difference in the quality of life of the Tibetans in China? 

[Ensapa]

Since the time Tibetans had lost their country to the Chinese, many Tibetans had to live in exile in foreign countries.  Some Tibetans remained in Tibet which has become part of china.  Both the Tibetans remaining in China and in exile had their share of sufferings under different living conditions.  But frankly speaking, I believe the Tibetans at the grass-root level are more concerned with having their basic necessities taken care of such as food, shelter, livelihood, security, freedom of religion (to practise Dorje Shugden) and so on.  Most would not be bothered about the political systems. 

The CTA had been trying till today.  But what have they accomplished?  How long more do these Tibetans in exile have to wait to see Independence of Tibet?  The reality is they will not see the Independence of Tibet!  Just as the reality of getting back Tibet is unlikely, the return of HH Dalai Lama is even more unlikely. On the other hand, the Chinese government had at least improved the quality of life in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Would HH Dalai Lama's return to Tibet make any difference in the quality of life of the Tibetans in China?

The CTA has failed to solve the poverty problem in Dharamsala so far and there has no progress on that. There are still lots of Tibetan beggars in Dharamsala, from what I have heard so far, and more and more people living in Dharamsala wanting to migrate off to the rest of the world (especially to the US) because they cannot bear the living conditions in Dharamsala anymore and quickly take up the citizenship of the country that they migrate to. It's obvious that most of them are not happy with the CTA or Dharamsala in some way, and they cannot take it anymore. But of course, CTA is too busy to notice with all the bans and thinking of new, easy and effortless ways to get Tibet back.

[Rinchen]

It is true that most Tibetans would not care if the Dalai Lama returns to Tibet or not. Reason being that there would not be any much difference to their lives if Dalai Lama has returned except for the lesser freedom in what they do practice.

To me, I would definitely choose to stay in Tibet and be a citizen of something instead of being a refugee. Just think of how people would look at you and treat you when they know that you are a refugee. Just upon hearing the term "refugee" we would usually think that it is a class lower then others. Even when you migrate to a country, the citizens residing at the country would look at you as a second class citizen and not one of them and it would be the same for your children.

For now, more people are regarding the Dalai Lama as a religious figure instead of a political figure. So even if the Tibetans want Dalai Lama to return to Tibet, I believe is that they would like to pay respects and get teachings from him like how they would want to by other high lamas.

[Ensapa]

It is true that most Tibetans would not care if the Dalai Lama returns to Tibet or not. Reason being that there would not be any much difference to their lives if Dalai Lama has returned except for the lesser freedom in what they do practice.

To me, I would definitely choose to stay in Tibet and be a citizen of something instead of being a refugee. Just think of how people would look at you and treat you when they know that you are a refugee. Just upon hearing the term "refugee" we would usually think that it is a class lower then others. Even when you migrate to a country, the citizens residing at the country would look at you as a second class citizen and not one of them and it would be the same for your children.

For now, more people are regarding the Dalai Lama as a religious figure instead of a political figure. So even if the Tibetans want Dalai Lama to return to Tibet, I believe is that they would like to pay respects and get teachings from him like how they would want to by other high lamas.

The Dalai Lama is both a religious and a political figure at the same time. There is no two ways about that, but one thing that sets the Dalai lama apart is that even though he has surrendered his secular role, he is still expected to lead the Tibetans no matter what. And this is evident by the power the Dalai Lama holds over the CTA even after his secular retirement because it was made into a prophecy thing and the Dalai Lama was unanimously cast into this role but instead of learning from him, the CTA just depends on him for everything and learn nothing.