The New Indian Express
September 4, 2015
BENGALURU:Tibet wants genuine autonomy within China so that Tibetan people can preserve their culture, language and administration, said Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, prime minister of the Central Tibetan Administration on Thursday.
Responding to a question after taking part in a discussion on ‘Tibet and the Changing Geopolitics of Asia’, Sangay said, “If democracy is part of the package, we will take it willingly.”
Sangay dwelt at length on the repression of Tibetans within Tibet. On the restrictions imposed on people within their own country, he said it could be equated to North Korea or South Africa during the apartheid regime. “The identity card of Tibetans is fitted with a second-generation chip, which helps in tracking movements of any individual,” he said.
Huge restrictions are imposed on travel even within different cities. Anyone who dared to protest could be arrested and kept in prolonged imprisonment and the family would be blacklisted, Sangay added.
“It is this gravity of resentment that has led to 142 people committing self-immolation within three years,” he said. Emphasising that he does not encourage self-immolation, he said it was important to live and fight.
Since 1963, 99 per cent of monks and nuns have been disrobed and 98 per cent of monasteries destroyed, he said.
Thanking India and Karnataka for backing the Tibetans, he said four out of the five biggest Tibetan monasteries are now based in Karnataka.
