At 89, the Dalai Lama presents A Voice for the Voiceless, a book outlining his vision for Tibet’s future, advocating for autonomy under Chinese rule. Living in exile since 1959, he warns that suppressing Tibetans’ self-governance is unsustainable and calls for renewed dialogue with Beijing.
At 89, the Dalai Lama presents a "framework for Tibet’s future" in his new book, offering a path toward autonomy under Chinese rule for his successors. He warns that denying Tibetans self-governance indefinitely is unsustainable, urging dialogue with Beijing. Tibetan exiles fear that China may attempt to appoint a state-approved successor after his passing.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, who has lived in exile in India since 1959, asserts that "the Tibetan people's right to govern their homeland cannot be denied forever, nor can their aspiration for freedom be suppressed indefinitely." He warns that "history teaches a clear lesson: a society cannot be stable if its people remain discontent."
Since taking full control of Tibet in 1950, China has considered the region an integral part of its territory. However, many Tibetans in exile fear Beijing will seek to install a handpicked successor after the Dalai Lama’s passing, bypassing the traditional Buddhist process of selecting his reincarnation.
"My hope is that this book offers a framework for Tibet’s future after my death, a reflection on possible paths forward," he writes. The Dalai Lama, the 14th reincarnation of his spiritual lineage, describes his decades-long discussions with successive Chinese leaders.
Titled A Voice for the Voiceless, the book recounts his negotiations with Mao Zedong at the height of his power, as well as his more recent attempts to reach out to President Xi Jinping. "From the 19-year-old negotiating with Mao to my present efforts at communication, I share in this book the sincerity of our cause," he explains.
Talks between Beijing and Tibetan leaders have been stalled since 2010. The Tibetan government-in-exile, led by Penpa Tsering and dismissed by China as a "puppet administration," does not seek full independence but rather a "middle way” — a lasting form of autonomy.
"For a lasting peace, both sides must be able to speak and negotiate freely," the Dalai Lama insists. "One thing is certain: no totalitarian regime, whether led by an individual or a party, can last forever."
With AFP
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