Chinese newspaper refutes Dalai Lama´s claim

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-03-2008 09:25

A Beijing-based newspaper, Global Times, has published an editorial rebutting the Dalai Lama's claim that he has given up on "Tibet independence".

The article questions the Dalai Lama's credibility of giving up on "Tibet independence", and his statement of making no attempt to separate Tibet from China or stir up resentment between Tibetans and Han Chinese.

Violence scars Lhasa.

Since 1960, the Dalai Lama has delivered an annual speech on March 10th to commemorate an armed rebellion in 1959 to split Tibet from China. The article reviewed these speeches to show his real intention.

In his early speeches before 1978, the Dalai lama insisted that Tibet was an independent nation, both historically and culturally, and vowed to keep to the stance. But he had to avoid using the word "independence" since 1978 because of international pressure. So he shifted from open declaration of independence to a de facto independence by initiating the so-called middle-of-the-road policy in 1987 and 1988.

However, after witnessing the failure of pushing forward explicit "pro-independence" activities, the Dalai clique changed its tactics again after 1994, saying it hoped for a dialogue with the Chinese central government, and pushed for the creation of a "Greater Tibet Region" and to achieve a "real autonomy".

The article unveiled the Dalai clique to adjust its tactics to seek independence in line with international climate, while maintaining its secessionist beliefs and continuing with its sabotage activities.

The article also revealed the Dalai Lama's attempt for independence under the cloak of "non-violence" and "negotiation".

While claiming to request "negotiation" with the Chinese central government, the Dalai clique has sped up its infiltration into Chinese territories, spreading misleading information and making up stories among the people to stir up resentment and anti-government feelings. These activities finally resulted in the Lhasa riots on March 14th.

The article also criticized the Dalai clique's rhetoric of "preserving the unique Tibetan heritage" as a deceptive strategy to dupe a global audience, and pointed out the actual goal of the clique is the lost privilege of its noble position in the past, a position that enjoyed privileges over the majority of Tibetans.

The article says the Dalai Lama should be judged not by how he has romanticized and camouflaged his real intentions, but by what he has actually tried to accomplish.

Editor:Zhang Ning