If I Were Dalai Lama.... |
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Copyright © 2008 Soy-n-Joy® If I were Dalai Lama.... I was working for a company headquartered in the U.S. One day our Japanese partners came in to negotiate a one-year test-marketing joint project for Japan. They asked for the moon: In consideration of their contributing to the Japanese project, they wanted a fifty-percent share of our trademark ownership in Japan. Knowing in the back of my mind that our trademark would ultimately be our most valuable asset, I told them their demand would not work, because they were asking for a long-term solution (trademark ownership) to a short-term issue (a one-year test project). They backed down, knowing their request was unfair. But our relationship was strengthened, not weakened, as a result of the fair negotiation. Now the relevant question of today: Are Tibetans not using the right tool (short-term disruption of the Olympic torch relay) to further their real interests (long-term autonomous governance of a prosperous Tibet by Tibetans with self-defined freedom of speech, culture, and religion)? Nobody with a sense of realism expects China to democratize overnight. Before modern times, China had gone through more than 2,000 years of feudal rule; it was barely 1,000 years ago that the country began to pick governing bureaucrats through a system of public examination, and not just by royal blood relation. And it was only since 1979 that Deng Xiaoping really opened up the Chinese economy to the outside world. Now it took America more than 100 years post-independence to give minorities the right to vote, and even later for women. And it will take more than 200 years post-independence, for sure, to elect a minority or women president of the United States. That is why when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are running for president, it is unprecedented history in the making. From the perspective of history, both China and America are moving in the right direction, although at somewhat different pace. Currently China is trying to learn much from Singapore, sending cohorts of officials there to be trained in the theory and implementation of the Singapore model of governance, known for its efficiency, rule of law, multi-racial harmony, and being relatively corruption-free. Pragmatic, systematic changes will come in China, but they take time. I can empathize that Tibetans want to have their interests fully addressed before yesterday. But a reality check will point to patient negotiation as the only realistic tool to further Tibetans' long-term interests. China's bottomline in handling a zone of relative autonomy, whether it be Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, is that it must, first and foremost, respect Chinese sovereignty and not declare independence. Then there must be genuine interest to work together for greater common good. Underneath those principles is a wide horizon to roam, subject to the wildest imagination and creativity for win-win solutions. Taiwan, for example, was given unwritten latitude to express the "One China Concept" according to its own differentiated interpretation. Hong Kong and Macau, on the other hand, upon returning to China from colonial rule, were given a transitional period of 50 years to amalgamate systematically with the mainland. Dalai Lama, the fatherly spiritual leader of the Tibetans, both inside and outside Tibet, understands China's position very well. By maintaining a moderate stand, such as expressing support for the Olympic torch relay and China's hosting the Olympics, he has preserved a channel for dialogue with Beijing by not declaring Tibet independent. In so choosing, Dalai is effectively modeling after Taiwan, to have the option of pursuing peaceful negotiations with Beijing, eventually, for win-win solutions. Now the disruption of the Olympic torch relay is incoherent with that position, violates Tibet's long-term interests, and causes only short-term embarrassment of China's Olympic coming-out party. In effect, it is a lose-lose proposition that benefits nobody. If I were Dalai Lama, I would re-assert my support for the Bejing Olympics that touched the heart of every Chinese on earth, and announce assurance that there should be no more disruption to the Olympic torch relay by overseas Tibetans. I would show support for the Beijing Olympics by negotiating my physical presence there for the opening ceremony in August and the torch relay in Tibet. With Beijing's consent, I would stay supportively during the events and beyond, and take the opportunity to negotiate with Beijing on a long-term, win-win Tibet solution. If I may borrow from the Hong Kong model, can I assure Beijing that Tibet will not declare independence within the next 50 (or perhaps 100) years, in exchange for Beijing's blessings for autonomous governance of Tibet by Tibetans with self-defined freedom of speech, culture, and religion, and during that time to work together for the economic development of a prosperous Tibet without destroying its unique identity and natural beauty? With genuine and conscientious cooperation, creativity, planning and implementation, I am sure we can have modern tourism infrastructure and economic sustainability in Tibet without unnecessary skyscrapers and superhighways, and offer tourists healthy, omega-3-rich yak cheese to take home. A rising tide will lift all boats. Once the Tibet economy becomes self-sustainable, we can work on narrowing the gap between the haves and have-nots, and seek to improve social mobility by focusing on the quantity and quality of education. Tibetans all over the world will be attracted to contribute to Tibet's well-being, wherever they are and in their own unique way. Many may even elect to return to settle down in Tibet and help create its future. Better-educated Tibetans, of all backgrounds, will then be able to make informed choices, together, regarding their common future in Tibet. That, however, is a decision of the new generations, for the new generations, and by the new generations of Tibetans. Lao Tzu, the Chinese Philosopher of more than 2,000 years ago, said that water was the softest, and yet the strongest, matter under heaven. Water will conform to any shape; water in a stream will flow around any obstacle, or failing that, will wear out the obstacle, eventually. Will Dalai Lama have the open-mind and patience to pursue a water strategy? First Posted 4-19-08 If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail us at contactus@soynjoy.net. |