EDITORIAL

People's Movement

Some events do not occur often. There are historical reference point- and at times a watershed moment. Over thirty thousand Tibetans converged in Delhi in between 4th to 8th August 2007 to stage one of the kind demonstrations. It was a political showdown the leadership in Beijing and the larger world could not ignore. It was truly a display of Tibetan people’s undying quest for freedom and ‘agitation’ at the apogee of height.  
Many Tibet observers watched the event with much interest and anticipation. When the movement gathers it political moss, unceasing flow of Tibetans protestors from all walks of life poured in from various part of India to stage a mass political demonstration. I was even being told that more than ten thousand monks gave up their crucial monastic examinations to join the mass protests. This is perhaps a largest gathering of its kinds, and arguably in entire five decades of our exilehood.  

The political sentiments soared high to a dizzying height as China celebrates its 2008 Summer Olympics with glitter, gala and fan fare, a sign of Beijing’s sweeping political and economic clout on the world stage. Quite naturally, the Tibetan across the world responded with deep-seated resentment, anger and disapproval. The new generation of Tibetans equipped with political knowledge unlike their previous generation described the 2008 Summer Olympic as a “rare opportunity” to tap and exploit political gains out of it.  

The TYC and the four NGOs were extremely successful in mobilising the Tibetans to participate and gear up for a political showdown in Indian city of Delhi. This is a telling proof to the world that the Chinese leaders who have been criticising the Tibetan struggle as one being conjured up by what they called “Dalai Clique and the hostile international forces” are proven wrong and misinformed. The Tibetans prove that Tibet issue is very much theirs and not of the Dalai Lama alone.  

Much to the embarrassment of the leadership in Beijing, the Tibetan government in exile issued strict order to its civil servants and government agencies to abstain from any kind of anti-China agitations. It is an extremely smart move by the Tibetan government in sending a message that it is toeing its conciliatory approach in back drop of the on-going dialogue considering that it is poised on a critical balance. Now, Dharamsala wields a political card, there is a reason for Beijing to come to the negotiating table. This time, Beijing cannot ignore the massive showdown of people’s agenda and Tibetans on the verge of loosing their total patience.  
However, on a darker note, we have learnt some painful lessons. The hunger strike and en masse demonstrations ended up abruptly without giving it a dignified end. Naturally, controversies are rife. There have been so many opinions, controversies stirred, cracks and divisions within TYC, entire movement not being orchestrated as one litany. Thousands of protestors left stranded on the streets with no idea and direction in disappointment and lost.  

In many ways, initial rhetoric and slogans overshadow actions on the ground. I am afraid whether this kind of tactical activism threatens the Beijing or to serve our purpose. I some times feel we might be reduced to a bud of jokes, considering the size and shape of our adversary. However, the movement was a great success in rallying people together in sending a political message to China but failed miserably in executing a grand exit which observers like me wished the movement would sign off in end.  
It is too early and premature to discuss whether the movement has achieved its intended objectives. We need a mass leader not of words and rhetoric but of action and substance. On a political stage, orchestrating a grand exit is more important than making a stage appearance. Also in political gamesmanship, posturings are not as important as in achieving our interests and goals.  

In this issue, our cover story covered extensively on the people’s movement from all perspectives. If you allow us to sound bit immodest, our reporter Tharchin Y. Gonpo documented and captured a largest gathering of the Tibetan freedom movement in exile we have ever witnessed. I hope, it would be a pleasant reading.  

I salute and bow to the people’s movement and their undying spirit. Bod Gyalo!  

Chukora Tsering Agloe
The Editor
editor@tibetoday.com