The Rediff Interview with Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy (Part II)
Rediff.com April 20, 2006

In the second part of the interview, the Dalai Lama’s special emissary for the talks with China Lodi Gyari tells Claude Arpi why he has advised Tibetans to refrain from anti-China demonstrations, and hopes that the revival of Buddhism in China will pave the way for a solution to the issue.

Did you ever have doubts?

I can share a personal experience. Four years back, my father died. For the first year I was like a zombie, it was such a great loss. I realized that that he had so much bitterness towards the Chinese. He was never allowed to go back because he had been part of the Tibetan resistance. He was so upset that he did not even want his ashes to be taken back. He was very tough man:
“As long as His Holiness is not going back, I do not want my ashes to go back.” After his death, I felt very uncharitable towards the Chinese. Then I thought I must speak to His Holiness, because with this bitterness in my heart, I could not continue this effort. But after a couple of weeks, I was fortunately able to overcome this state of mind.

I today continue to work for this process not necessarily because I believe in the Chinese, but because I believe in His Holiness’ sincerity. I believe in his wisdom. It is not because the Chinese have made any concessions. It is rational, it is not just emotional. Many things we thought not possible have happened, so rationally and because His Holiness’ complete commitment to his initiative.

Are the Chinese really sincere? Are they doing it to get rid of the
international pressure or to tell the visiting dignitaries that something is happening?

The Chinese may have got into this process because of international pressure. It is not by compassion or because they realized that they have committed some mistakes. Having said that, it was our job to make this happen and gradually the Chinese leadership is being engaged. It is not only for PR purpose, but to resolve the Tibetan issue.

They have also come to understand that it has to be solved when His Holiness is very much in control. I am aware that there is in China a school of thought that believes that the Tibetan issue is a single person issue: the moment His Holiness is not there or is not in a position to lead his people, they believe that the issue will have a natural death. I always tell the Chinese that it is a very dangerous thought because, if His Holiness is not here to guide the Tibetan people, though for us it will be devastating, it will give rise to bitterness, anger, resentment. It cannot be imagined today.

I told you my reaction when my father passed away, you can imagine what will happen if His Holiness is nomore. The Chinese will not be forgotten for generations. The bitterness, the remorse will take generations to disappear.
I really hope that the Chinese will be wise enough to realize this and will try to find a solution when His Holiness is very much in control. And there will not be a single Tibetan leader who can keep the Tibetans together and make them agree to the kind of solution that His Holiness has proposed. It would be impossible.

Today the Chinese have the opportunity to deal with one single individual.
In the absence of His Holiness, they will have to deal with hundreds of solutions, with hundreds of individuals, none of them able to deliver a solution. This has been my argument with the Chinese: “Come to your senses and find a solution when he is very much there. It will good for us, but it will also help you.”