Dalai Lama to Open Six-Day Debate on Tibet's Future

From Jislaine Medina: Starting this Monday, exiled Tibetans from around the world will gather in the hill town of Dharmsala, India for a six-day meeting to debate Tibet's future. Among those in attendance will be the Dalai Lama, who has been in exile himself for forty-nine years. The reason for calling this meeting of the minds is that many feel the struggle for Tibet has been ineffective. According to Samdhong Rinpoche, prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, "We have failed to bring any positive change inside Tibet. The majority of Tibetans are increasingly frustrated and want more forceful change."

The ways to bring about this change follow two approaches. On the one hand, the Dalai Lama preaches the "Middle Way," a Buddhist perspective that rejects demands for total independence and supports Tibet having limited autonomy. On the other hand, groups such as the Tibetan Youth Congress have risen up, demanding tougher policies towards Beijing and active strides towards independence from China.

In what may be interpreted as a changing of the tides, the Dalai Lama said in a speech last month that, after decades of staying on the Middle Way, "there hasn't been any positive response. As far as I'm concerned I have given up." One could not blame him at this point. Negotiations with China for several years have ended in stalemates; Beijing derides the Dalai Lama as a "'splittist,' saying he really wants a Tibetan nation." If negotiations are out of the question, what more can Tibet do? What about using force to take back Tibet? The Tibetans number roughly 6 million versus China's 1.3 billion citizens and the world's largest army, effectively taking force out of the question.

What are Tibet's options at this point? All eyes are on the Dalai Lama for answers. Although he has expressed a severely understated frustration from years of exile and talks that have resulted in little change, millions of people--both within and without Tibet--still look to him for the next step. Until Monday, however, this 73-year-old spiritual leader and global icon will remain silent for fear of any statements being misinterpreted as support for any particular policy.

As disheartening as it is to hear the Dalai Lama say the words "I have given up," I think opening the floor to anyone and anything is the first step towards change. These are decisions that will affect not only Tibetans within and without but also the entire world. How will Tibet's decision-makers handle this seemingly hopeless struggle? Everyone has something to learn from this conference and what comes of it.