In a cluster of brick buildings at the foot of the Himalayas, the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile is fighting an uphill battle for the freedom of Tibet. Despite ministries that look like primary school classrooms in a developing country, the government-in-exile is well connected with Tibet and the outside world by telephone, fax machine and computer.
Through this government-in-exile in Dharamsala, north India, the 72-year-old Dalai Lama (in exile in India since 1959) issues peace initiatives to China and monitors developments in his homeland. China's recent crackdown on riots in Tibet has revived the world media's interest in the Himalayan region, and Dharamsala has received more foreign reporters in the past month than in the past year.
"In the past, only AP has reporters based here while Reuters and AFP have stringers here. Every month we received an average of three to four foreign reporters. But in the past month, we have received nearly 200 foreign reporters," a press officer from the exiled government's Department of Information and International Relations (foreign ministry), said.
Kesang Takla, minister of the Department of Information and International Relations, said in a weekend interview that she did not understand why China was rejecting the Dalai Lama's offer for talks and keeps demonising the Buddhist leader, at the same time spreading rumours that the Dalai Lama incited the unrest.
"China's effort to cover up the truth of the riots has only fuelled the international community's interest in the Tibet issue. Nowadays news about Tibet is on the front page of every paper," she said. Refuting China's accusation that the Dalai Lama wants to separate Tibet from China, Takla said the Dalai Lama's policy has been consistent.
"The Dalai Lama's stand is very clear, that is, he demands only genuine autonomy for Tibet so that Tibetan culture and religion can be preserved. China can take care of Tibet's foreign affairs and defence. His Holiness has denounced the use of violence because we don't want Chinese people to be hurt in our fight for autonomy. But China keeps accusing him," she said.
"China accuses the Dalai Lama of seeking Tibetan independence on his foreign visits, but the fact is, the Dalai Lama talks only about world peace, human compassion and seeking all people's happiness on his foreign trips. He does not even talk much about the Tibet issue," she added.
Takla urged China to face the facts and open talks with the Dalai Lama to resolve to the Tibet problem. When asked for an update on the situation in Tibet, Takla said it is very hard to get information from China. "But we hear that in Tibet and neighbouring Sichuan and Gansu provinces, police are searching every household for participants in the protests. Hospitals suffer from a shortage of medicine and some Tibetans suffer from food or water shortages."
What was more worrying, she said, was that China is setting up re- education camps to make lamas (monks) denounce the Dalai Lama (the high priest of Tibetan Buddhism) and pledge loyalty to Beijing.
The suppression in Tibet is continuing, according to information received by Tibetan exiles in Dharamsala, a hilltown a 12-hour bus ride from New Delhi. "On Saturday in Ganzi, Sichuan Province, Chinese soldiers opened fire on Tibetan protesters and lobbed a hand-grenade among them, killing at least eight and injuring more than 70," a red-robed Tibetan monk in his 20s told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
While the Dalai Lama's government is seeking autonomy through non- violence, the radical Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) is fighting for Tibet's independence, although through non-violence. Since the crackdown began in mid-March, TYC has been holding candle-light vigils in Dharamsala, attracting hundreds of Tibetans, monks and foreigners.
"We will keep on fighting until Tibet wins independence. Even if the Dalai Lama dies, the fight will go on, because this is the cause of Tibetan people and the struggle will go on with or without the Dalai Lama," Lhakpa Tsering, TYC's cultural secretary, said.
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