New Delhi - After the close of a week-long Tibetan exile
meeting to chart their future political course, the spiritual leader
the Dalai Lama warned Sunday the movement could fail if leaders were
not prudent over the next 20 years.
The Dalai Lama called the special conference in the northern
Indian town of Dharamsala because he felt his 'middle-way' policy for
greater autonomy was leading nowhere, due to the 'non-cooperation' of
the Chinese leadership.
'My faith is getting thinner in the Chinese government,' he said
again, in his Sunday address, according to aides. 'But my trust in
Chinese public is strong.'
He also said most exiles at the meeting supported the middle
way approach, which he endorsed, and various options were discussed
at the meeting. He dismissed calls for independence impractical for
now, his aides said.
'The next 20 years if we are not careful, if we are not prudent in
our plans there is great danger. It could lead to the danger of
failure,' he said.
At a press briefing Sunday, the Dalai Lama said he would not be
retiring, and would work for the Tibetan cause till his death, IANS
news agency reported.
'There is no point or question of retirement. It is my moral
responsibility until my death to work for the Tibetan cause,' he was
quoted as saying.
In a report posted on its website Saturday, the Tibetan
government-in-exile said the special meeting had unanimously
reaffirmed Tibetan people's faith and allegiance to the Dalai Lama.
The meeting had also decided 'to continue to follow the middle way
approach to engage China in finding a resolution to the Tibetan
issue,' the report said.
But it said delegates called on the government-in-exile 'to
terminate the ongoing talks with the Chinese leadership if the
Chinese government does not agree to the demands and reciprocate
positively to the overtures of the Tibetan people.'
'If China does not respond, we will have no option but to go for
complete independence and self-determination,' Dolma Gyari, the
deputy speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, was quoted as
saying by IANS.
The meeting also produced consensus to remain a non-violent
movement.
Karma Choephel, speaker of the parliament-in-exile, said the
meeting was necessary because the Chinese government had challenged
the right of the Dalai Lama to represent the 6 million Tibetan
people, both in Tibet and in exile.
The meeting reaffirmed the faith of the exiles in the Dalai Lama,
he said, adding that envoys urged the Chinese leadership to hold a
referendum inside Tibet to see whom they consider to represent them.
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