Dalai Lama’s envoys presented a `memorandum on genuine autonomy’ to China two months ago. According to Senior Kalon Prof. Samdong Rimpoche, China has been sharing its views on the ‘memorandum’ with representatives from the US and Europe, but has desisted from directly communicating with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).  ‘No response has come from Beijing till date’, he told an interfaith meeting in New Delhi (Jan 17).

Senior Kalon has asked the Dalai Lama’s special envoy Lodi Gyari to contact Chinese authorities so that future talks could be held on the Tibet issue.

Kuai Zhe, a noted Chinese scholar, has expressed disappointment with the Chinese policy vis-à-vis Tibet. In his assessment, China’s Tibet policy had failed.  He argues that Beijing should revisit the Tibet policy and hold talks with Dalai Lama ‘since the Tibetan leader living in exile in India wields significant influence among Tibetans in Tibet and in China’

On his part, the Dalai Lama told the Sarnath gathering that his faith in the Chinese people remained undiminished but not his hope in the Chinese authorities. He went on to say that current `authoritarian’ government in China was slowly ‘losing’ ground. ‘Censorship is preventing common people in China from becoming aware of the reality’, he said.

Much water has flown into the Brahmaputra (the river takes its birth in Tibet and flows though India’s north east) since Dalai Lama’s arrival in India (in the fifties). China fought a war with India over its border dispute (1962). In the past two decades, both countries are engaged in spirited negotiations but have failed to make any tangible progress.
 
Chinese government considers activities by the so called `Dalai Clique’ as the biggest threat to Tibet and therefore to China’s stability and development.  While China’s antagonism towards the Dalai Lama is understandable, a breakthrough to the Tibetan imbroglio will not come unless Beijing revisits its policy framework.
 
The Tibet policy should not remain a hostage to historical animosities. The Dalai Lama is the acknowledged voice of moderation. And a lifelong champion of non-violence.  He has been straining every nerve to keep under check younger elements, who are increasingly becoming impatient.

Already one can discern a sense of disillusionment in him. In his Madhavrao Scindia lecture in New Delhi on January 18 (2009), he candidly stated that terrorism could not be tackled by applying the principle of ahimsa. ‘It is difficult to deal with terrorism through non-violence. They (terrorists) are very brilliant and educated…but a strong ill feeling is bred in them. Their minds are closed’, he observed adding that the only way to tackle terrorism is through prevention

And if India is the land of Buddha for the Tibetans, Tibet is the home to the Holy Manasorvar, which Indians and Nepalis dream of visiting once in their life time.