One day I will win over the Chinese, says Dalai Lama

Monday, July 19, 2010

IANS
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama (L) receives a bouquet of flowers from local journalists during his 75th birthday celebrations at Tsuglagkhang temple in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala, 6 July 2010/Reuters photo

Dharamsala-- Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama has again expressed his firm belief that one day he would win over the Chinese leaders to gain genuine autonomy for the people living in Tibet, but reiterated that he was not seeking separation from China. "You know, I have my mantra, we are not seeking independence, and the Chinese have their own mantra, Tibet is part of China," the Nobel Peace laureate said in an interview, according to a post on the website of the Tibetan government-in-exile on Saturday. 

"I believe the middle path will come true. In the last 60 years, the same one party system has changed, the obvious big change today is Chinese communist has changed to capitalist communist," he said. 

"Thinking is changing, great possibility our middle way approach will come true. But very gradually, very slowly, if I remain alive for the next 10 to 15 years, I can see, if I die tomorrow, I can't see the change," he said. 

The Dalai Lama also said: " Tibet is not an issue of Dalai Lama's institution, it's about the well-being of six million Tibetan people and their rights. So long as these rights do not materialise, then the movement to realise the just cause of Tibet will remain, whether I am alive or not. Important is Buddhism and Tibetan culture, not the institution of Dalai Lama." 

Expressing his great hope over the realisation of his middle-path approach in resolving the issue of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, 75, said "the preservation of Tibet's ancient culture, language and religion is key to achieve the goal". 

The Dalai Lama has been seeking greater autonomy for Tibetans rather than complete independence.

However, the Chinese view him as a hostile element bent on splitting Tibet from China. Beijing frowns upon meetings between the Dalai Lama and foreign leaders.

The Dalai Lama along with many of his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge in India when Chinese troops moved in and took control of Lhasa in 1959. He has ever since been heading the Tibetan government-in-exile from here, which is not recognised by any country in the world.