DHARAMSHALA, 10 Mar: The Kashag (Cabinet) of the Tibetan government-in-exile has reiterated its commitment to the middle-way approach of the Dalai Lama to resolve the China-Tibet conflict through non-violence and dialogue.
“A deliberate and dangerous strategy to eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people as a unique human race under the pretext of ‘strengthening the consciousness of Chinese national unity’ is clearly evident under the current Chinese leadership,” the Kashag said in a statement released on Monday, the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day.
The current Chinese leadership is implementing a policy of extensive Sinicisation, resulting in the gradual annihilation of Tibetans’ identity and deprivation of their fundamental human rights, the statement added.
It, however, added, “As envisioned by His Holiness, Tibetan people remain committed to the path of non-violence and dialogue in finding a lasting and mutually beneficial solution to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict through middle way approach. It also reaffirms our confidence that the Tibetan people – the rightful custodians of the Tibetan plateau since its formation – embody unique religious and cultural traditions that cannot be erased, an indomitable spirit that cannot be broken, and an unparalleled leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that cannot be replaced.”
Asserting that the unparalleled leadership of the Dalai Lama, who turns 90 later this year, cannot be replaced, the statement said that the year would be celebrated as the ‘Year of Compassion’, with focus on learning, practising and promoting his four commitments.
Besides the mission of promoting human values, global religious harmony and preservation of the Tibetan religion and culture, the Dalai Lama has stressed on the revival of ancient Indian wisdom as the fourth mission and these commitments transcend the national boundaries and ethnic interests to create a compassionate society and peaceful world, the statement stressed.
The Kashag further said that, “nurtured by the far-sighted vision and unwavering compassion of the Dalai Lama, we have not harboured hatred or animosity toward the Chinese communist government that has occupied our homeland and caused the untimely death of more than 1.2 million Tibetans and destruction of over six thousand monasteries.”
Dwelling on the Dalai Lama’s fourth mission, the statement said that he believes that Tibetans, who have safeguarded and practised this knowledge for generations, can contribute to this revival as an act of gratitude towards India.
Tibetan language has preserved extensive collections of ancient Indian knowledge, both in quantity and quality that is unmatched in any other language, and about 5,000 Indian classical texts including on grammar, Tibetan medicine, arts, Buddhist logic, and Buddhist philosophy, according to the statement.
It said that five minor sciences – poetry, performing arts, lexicography, composition, and mathematics and astrology – have been translated into Tibetan due to dedicated efforts by Indian and Tibetan scholars and translators over centuries.
The Dalai Lama has initiated 38 dialogues with modern scientists on these categories, which has significantly influenced scientific discussions on psychology, human values, neuroscience, and other fields, and greatly influenced scientific discussions and enhanced the revival of the ancient Indian wisdom.
Further, the Dalai Lama’s efforts have impacted analytical thinking based on logic, and his SEE (Social, Emotional and Ethical) learning was introduced and implemented in more than 170 countries, including 1,00,000 schools across India, the statement added.
Talking about the uprising, the statement said that on this date 66 years ago, Tibetans from all three provinces unitedly rose up against the “illegal occupation of Tibet and China’s brutal inhumane policies and practices in Tibet.”
“Under the violent suppression of Chinese forces, over a million Tibetans lost their precious lives and compelled the legitimate Tibetan government led by His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama, followed by approximately 80,000 Tibetans into exile. This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet,” it said. (PTI)
