The Secret Tibet (The Forbidden world)

In selecting those able to attend the special meeting, current and former members of the Tibetan Parliament in Action (TPiE) and other high ranking officials were given appropriate priority.  However, a large portion was delegated to lower ranking non-elected government employees, with only about 20% allotted to non-government Tibetans.  Sadly, as well over 95% of the Tibetan people are unable to vote, the mandate of the parliament is at best unclear, and perhaps the greatest number of objective or new ideas will not be heard. 

Therefore, it is critical to ensure that adequate opportunities exist for the voice of the Tibetan people, and for useful ideas and advice from concerned non-Tibetans, to be heard.  His Holiness the Dalai Lama has called for all "people to take the responsibility, (to) take a keen interest in the matter and…come up with the ways and means, as well as the practical actions, for the realization of our cherished goal."

We call for a greater number of non-governmental representatives from critical organizations such as the Tibetan Youth Congress and the Woman's Association to be allowed to attend or at least observe the Special Meeting.  Ideas should be gathered directly from those within Tibet.  Testimony must be taken from concerned non-Tibetans with expertise in non-violent resistance.  As the His Holiness the Dalai Lama noted, "this matter cannot be decided all at once by the convening of such an extensive meeting."  Additional steps must be laid out to continue an open dialogue and to add new information to the decision-making process.  Media representation is limited and should be opened up to increase the transparency not just of the outcome, but of the decision-making process itself.

…And the Future of Tibetan Democracy

This is part of a fundamental issue:  His Holiness the Dalai Lama has called for greater Tibetan democracy and indicated that the next His Holiness the Dalai Lama might be chosen instead of reincarnated or that the Tibetan people might choose to not have another Dalai Lama.  This uncertainty leads to confusion…

For over half a century, the Tibetan people have relied almost exclusively on the benevolence and guidance of H.H the Dalai Lama, who has risen to the challenge and brought the Tibetan people into the 21st Century.  But His Holiness the Dalai Lama is getting older; that time, and that grace, is limited.  Despite the desire for greater democracy, the reality is that the Tibetan Constitution vests sole discretionary power in the political office of the His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  This must be looked at carefully and a decision reached as to how to separate the political and religious duties of His Holiness, as he has promised would happen if Tibet became free, and would likely be necessary to bring meaningful democracy to the Tibetan people.

His Holiness cannot carry the burden and responsibility of the Tibetan issue by himself or forever;  the mantle must be passed in good order to the next generation to carry forward.  If the traditional method is followed of waiting for the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be identified and educated, another twenty years or more will pass, and in that time the Chinese will have completed its cultural genocide of the Tibetan people and rape of the fatherland.  Time is running out.  The larger issue at hand to grasp is for the members of the Special Meeting to engage in open dialogue as to how to create a more meaningful democracy and prepare for the transition to the next generation.