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SOUTH AMERICAN Newsline OCTOBER 277, 2023 | The Indian Eye 35

these institutions. Only some mas-
ters are invited from time to time to
preach. So, religiously and culturally,
there is a lot of interest. There is a lot
less political awareness about what is
going on inside Tibet. Many coun-
tries like the US have now under-
stood and learned the hard way to do
business with China. Now, they are
taking a firmer stand just like India
is also taking a stronger stand. This
is very important as China only un-
derstands strength and not weakness.
Now, Latin America has not been
very favorable to the US because of
their history and they are seeking in-
vestment from China. But, I think,
they fail to understand the real intent
of the Chinese government. It is not
just investment they will pour in; they
will send in a lot more people. Now,
most of the countries are undergoing
studies about how much the Chinese
government is infiltrating into the
political fabric or the social fabric
of different nations. And in Latin
America also they are quite deep. So,
wherever we go we face a lot of pres-
sure from the Chinese embassy not
to meet with us. That depends on the Penpa Tsering (fourth from right) meeting leaders at Sao Paulo state legislative assembly (Alesp)
political leaders in these countries.
Many of the countries I have visited I lem. If it continues for another 15-20 are obviously more cautious because lai Lama. There is apprehension that
met with foreign ministry officials but years, the whole new generation of it can trigger anything. How India re- when he is gone, the Chinese will try to
here it is a little bit difficult. This is Tibetans may not be able to speak sponds to all this depends on how Chi- appoint their own Dalai Lama. What
my first visit to explore what can be their language, forget about Tibetan na deals with India. When it comes kind of debate or discussion is going on
done here now and, in the future, if religion, etc. to the US, the Chinese say they are within the CTA or the Tibetan commu-
it is any good to spend our time and The objective of the Chinese not treated as equal. But does China nity to prepare for the situation?
energy in the region. government with regard to Tibetans, treat every other country as equal, The Chinese government is more
As the Sikyong, you have travelled Mongols, Uyghurs or any others is to including India. They never did. interested in the 15th Dalai Lama
to many countries and met foreign lead- change them into Chinese. All the When a country becomes powerful than in the living 14th Dalai Lama.
ers. What kind of interest you see in the rules and regulations that are being it is confident of talking difficult ques- They do not care about the 14th Da-
Tibetan Issue as the West now seems to amended are pointing towards this. tions. Do you see any willingness on lai Lama. They have been preparing
be more focused on the Uyghurs than Now China has become a hot topic part of China to talk about such ques- for the past 20 years for the demise
Tibetans? around the world. People are under- tions through backchannels or directly? of His Holiness and finding his re-
Any situation whether it is to standing China or just beginning to Right now, under President Xi incarnation. That is why they even
do with East Turkestan (Uyghurs) understand China. The US under- Jinping, it has become even more passed an order in 2007 to control all
or Mongolia or Tibet does not re- stands China very well. Europe is just difficult. You can see all the develop- Living Buddhas. Within the diaspo-
main the same all the time. I keep waking up. Eastern countries like ments in Hong Kong with the securi- ra community, there is not much of
telling my Uyghur friends also that Japan say they started diversification ty law and in Eastern Turkestan with a debate as they consider it ominous
not everything will remain the same. since 2018. Europe only started af- concentration camps and in Tibet to discuss such things. Now people
It is not a competition between Ti- ter the Ukraine war. So, all this dy- with colonial-style boarding schools. talk about it as they are more realis-
betans and Uyghurs or Mongols or namism is adding to understanding It is not pointing to more freedom or tic but generally you don’t talk about
Hong Kongers or Taiwan as long as China more, and we are one source liberalism or a willingness or political a lama’s death as it is considered in-
the perpetrators of the crime is the of information on China. conviction to resolve the Sino-Tibet auspicious. Within the community
same. But that does not mean to say India and China are members of issue. We do have some backchan- there is only one document about
that the situation in Tibet has im- many multilateral organizations like nels and they are showing some in- His Holiness: that is the Septem-
proved at all. I keep saying that we Brics, SCO but they never directly talk terests but their interest is not based ber 2011 document, which says that
are dying a slow death. China is like about Tibet… on equal terms. They are mostly dic- when he reaches the age of 90, he will
a python strangling us slowly, killing When it comes to Tibet, His Ho- tating their terms whether it is the take some decisions on his reincarna-
us. What I mean by this is the cultural liness used to be asked about it and US government or any other govern- tion. So far, His Holiness has talked
genocide that is happening with the he would say India was over cautious. ment. With the Tibetans also they do about his reincarnation can even be
Tibetan language where they have Now I would say we can remove the same thing. Right now, the way a woman or can be a young person
established colonial-style boarding “over” but they are still cautious be- the Chinese government is dealing named even before his demise. So,
schools. Of course, we are not against cause you have this proximity of bor- with their domestic issues, it does all these possibilities are still open.
education or bilingual education but der which the US doesn’t have. Japan not look very promising that they are His Holiness has not decided that he
when the whole education is aimed has the maritime border with China. ready to resolve the vexed issues. will be reborn or he will be reincar-
at destroying the identity of the local The countries which have a land bor- One difficult topic and question nated. Some of our friends in India
population then it is a serious prob- der or maritime border with China is the future of the institution of Da- believe it is a very wise decision as

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