Foreign delegation from Slovakia and Estonia talks Middle Way Policy on Tibetan Uprising day

By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA, 10 March: A delegation from Slovakia and Estonia expressed different perspectives on the middle way policy and its feasibility at a press conference held after the official anniversary function commemorating the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day at the Dalai Lama temple.

Estonian MP Juku-Kalle Raid, the head of the delegation from Estonia, in his address reflected on China’s escalating brutality in occupied Tibet, particularly its colonial crimes against Tibetan children, and proposed that freedom for Tibet would be a more viable approach than the middle way policy.

He said, “No one just helps no one if you don’t know what you want. And I started to think, maybe this middle way policy isn’t right. Maybe you should wait for history to open the window and grasp freedom and not the Middle way under the Chinese regime.”

When asked to elaborate on his statements and a system in place that could support such a change later during the press conference, the MP pointed to the growing alliance between authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, noting the hardline policy under such existing regimes.

He emphasized that his comments would need to be officially presented in the Estonian parliament and covered by the media subsequently. He then expressed hope that politicians would come together and have the courage to take action, stating, “I really hope that politicians who are in politics then will work together and take courage to join that.”

The Estonian MP, reflecting on the Tibetan Independence movement in exile, stated, “I know that many Tibetans do not agree that the Middle way policy is the best thing to do, but this is a point for you (Tibetans) to decide on what you want and speak it loudly so that other parts of the world can clearly understand your purpose. It always begins from you (Tibetans).”

Conversely, the former President of Slovakia, Andrej Kiska, expressed absolute support for the middle way policy. Recounting the Prague Spring of 1968, he stated, “When we started to fight for freedom in 1968 against the regime, the Russian troops came and started to occupy our country, and even one young person set himself on fire, but it didn’t help.”

“If the regime is strong and if there is a dictator, fighting with the mind, with peace against weapons is very tough, but I absolutely do agree with His Holiness,” he added.

Kiska also spoke about the uncertainty surrounding how long it might take for Tibetans to return to their homeland, stating that all occupations historically have come to an end, and assured that the same would happen for Tibet.

Sharing his personal experience, he said, “I was 27 years old when socialism collapsed. I was young and I wanted to have freedom, and we couldn’t speak what we wanted to say, we couldn’t sing what we wanted to sing, we had to learn Russian language, we didn’t see any light in a tunnel for years. They used force to stop our freedom, but then it happened, and I am sure it will happen the same for the Tibetan people.”

While the delegates’ perspectives on the middle way policy and its feasibility differed, they concurred that it is ultimately up to the Tibetans to determine the direction of their freedom movement.

“We are foreigners, so we can just tell you (Tibetans) what happened in our country. Of course, it’s your decision, your will. You are free people, you even have democratic elections now, and you still have His Holiness with whom you can still discuss this issue and get his opinion,” Kiska said.

Following the official anniversary function, four Tibetan NGOs – Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, National Democratic Party of Tibet, and Students for a Free Tibet-India – jointly led a peace march from the main temple in McLeod Ganj to Kacheri in lower Dharamsala to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day.

Carrying Tibetan national flags, pictures of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and placards with slogans such as ‘Free Tibet’, ‘China out of Tibet’, and ‘Tibet belongs to Tibetans’, hundreds of Tibetans from all walks of life and supporters took part in the march.

For the uninitiated, protests and marches are also being held across the world today as Tibetans and supporters of the Tibetan cause commemorate the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day with great fervor.

On 10 March, 1959, sensing a Chinese plot to abduct His Holiness the Dalai Lama, more than 300,000 Tibetans surrounded his summer palace, Norbulingka, to protect his life and to protest against the Chinese occupation.

Seven days later, His Holiness the Dalai Lama left Lhasa and fled to India, followed by 80,000 Tibetans into exile.