He Tibetknown by its citizens as “the heavenly home surrounded by snow-capped mountain ranges”, “the third pole” or “the roof of the world”, was occupied by China in 1950 and since then it has been an autonomous region within the People’s Republic of China.
The organizations of human rights have denounced for years the repression and forced assimilation Beijing exerts on the Tibetans. Currently, about 150,000 of them live in the exilemainly in the Indiaand the Tibetan diaspora extends to more than 25 countries. Penpa Tsering He is the Sikyong or elected president of the Tibetan parliament in exile, in charge of managing the relationship between the emigrated community and the Central Tibetan Administration.
Tsering speaks to EL PERIÓDICO during a recent stay in Barcelona to give a talk to the Tibetan community and a conference at the Faculty of International Relations of the Ramon Llull-Blanquerna University.
What is the current situation of Tibetans under the Chinese Government?
We are suffering a slow death. It is not something drastic, but over the years, Chinese policies have aimed to exterminate Tibetan identity: their language, religion, culture, way of life, protection of their environment and so on. I wouldn’t say it’s a genocide in the full sense of the word, but it’s definitely a cultural genocide that’s happening in Tibet.
And why does China want total control of Tibet?
When they began to invade Tibet in 1950, the story was a little different. But, of course, the vastness of Tibet, which was an unexplored land with many resources, could have been a reason. Another reason could be the geographical position of Tibet, close to other countries. Furthermore, there is China’s ambition to be the Middle Kingdom and colonize other areas. Today, Tibet’s minerals and natural resources are important. If China goes to Latin America and Africa for resources, why not occupy Tibet?
“We are suffering a slow death (…) Chinese policies aim to exterminate Tibetan identity”
What are the challenges faced by Tibetans both in exile and in Chinese territory?
China is very powerful, it is a huge nation of 1.4 billion people and with an autocratic regime, so opposing them is a big challenge. But we are not afraid of them. Other countries fear him more than we do, even though we are the ones who suffer directly under his regime. The challenge is whether there is any way to reverse what the Chinese government is doing to Tibet, the Uyghurs, the Mongols, the Manchus or the Hong Kongers. In the end, we are all human beings. A few cannot decide for billions.
Portraits of the president of the Parliament of Tibet in exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering at the Faculty of Communication and International Relations Blanquerna-URL / ZOWY FEET | EPC
His proposal to solve the conflict is to take ‘the middle path’. What does that mean?
It is a Buddhist concept that seeks to find the resolution of a conflict taking into account polarities. In this case, the middle ground between an independent Tibet and an occupied and oppressed Tibet is an autonomous region within China.
This approach was communicated to the Chinese Government during the nine rounds of dialogue from 2002 to 2010, but they always find excuses, saying that our proposal is semi-independence or independence in disguise. To clarify it, it would be necessary to negotiate.
And is there any intention to negotiate?
No. Right now, if you look at the policies that the Chinese Government is implementing, they are oriented towards a monocultural society, one that speaks only the Mandarin language and is of the Han ethnic group. That is their game plan.
“China’s plan is to be a monocultural society, speaking only the Mandarin language and being of the Han ethnic group”
One of the most important figures of the Tibetan cause is the Dalai Lama. His succession is a great concern for Buddhists and now also for China, why?
China is interested in influencing the next lama because it knows that if it controls the Dalai Lama it will be able to control the Tibetan people. Without a doubt, the first community that would be affected by the reincarnation of His Holiness would be the Tibetan community. His Holiness has consistently said since 1969 that whether there should be a 15th Dalai Lama or not will be decided by the Tibetan people.
So we are trying to get statements or resolutions made from each Tibetan community and Buddhist centers around the world requesting His Holiness to continue the institution of the Dalai Lama and for him to be reincarnated, these two things.
What role should the international community have in the Tibet conflict?
On the Tibetan cause we have to create more awareness, more understanding of what is happening there so that we can get more international support and pressure China to come and negotiate with the Tibetans and find some solution.
But internationally, I think it’s very important to understand China’s motivations. The only non-violent way to confront China is to give it less business. If China didn’t have all these foreign exchange reserves, then it would have to listen. And if the West does not stand up for its values, then China will never respect them.
Portraits of the president of the Parliament of Tibet in exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering at the Faculty of Communication and International Relations Blanquerna-URL / ZOWY FEET | EPC
Why do you think the West does not defend its values?
Some governments are still asleep, if they simply let China do what it wants it will harm their people and their countries. Ultimately it is a fight between democracies and autocracies. Whether we like it or not, how the new world order will take shape depends largely on how China, Russia and all of these axes work together and how the democracies work together.
China wants to export its governance system to the world. So this is not just for Tibet or for the people who are suffering under the Chinese communist regime. I think this has larger implications globally if we are not attentive to China’s motivations.
“The only non-violent way to confront China is to give it less business. If I didn’t have all these foreign exchange reserves, then I would have to listen”
Looking to the future, is there any hope for the Tibetan cause?
We are Buddhists. We believe in impermanence, change is the only constant. China will have to change. There is no other option. Xi Jinping keeps talking about the rise and fall of empires and what he is doing in China right now is accelerating the fall of the Communist Party.
