INTERVIEW WITH THE TIBETAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE LOBSANG SANGAY.
Jyoti Kamal: Mr Lobsang Sangay , you will be the most powerful prime minister that Tibet has ever seen in its entire history in fact. So how does this responsibility sit on your shoulders?
Lobsang Sangay: Well, I don't see it from the perspective of power but as a responsibility that the Tibetan people have entrusted in me and I take it as an honor and a privilege to serve Tibetan people and obviously it's a huge, huge responsibility, and it is of Himalayan proportion, but we will start climbing gradually but still in the end we will reach the mountain top.
Jyoti Kamal: As you were campaigning for this post, because you had campaigned in the Indian American style basically, going around and meeting people, something which other Tibetan leaders before you have not done...so as you were going around the country there were a lot many people who said what they said they want from you is freedom for Tibet, what does that mean, what kind of freedom?
Lobsang Sangay: You are right, actually, I kind of introduced the Indian American campaigning style by going to the people and sharing my ideas...and the overwhelming kind of response from the people was that I should serve his holiness the dalai lama well and work for his return to Lhasa and restore freedom in Tibet freedom means individual basic freedom, collective freedom, but not necessarily freedom of a nation or country, so that's what we are striving for so that Tibetan identity and dignity could be restored.
Jyoti Kamal: As you said what you are striving for is the middle path in fact it is meaningful autonomy. What does that autonomy mean? What is not being given and what is it that you want and do you think you will get it?
Lobsang Sangay: on paper or as per Chinese laws many rights are granted to Tibetans.. Now the stated official policy of Tibet administration is to seek genuine autonomy within china or within the framework of the Chinese constitution which means we are not seeking independence or we are not challenging sovereignty of china or territorial integrity of china, rather genuine autonomy and administrative structure whereby Tibetans interest and basic freedom can be addressed.
Jyoti Kamal: you yourself have moved in terms of your political stance from total independence to the middle path of autonomy. How do you see this journey ...do all Tibetans identify with this stance?
Lobsang Sangay: well you know when you are young obviously ...you join Tibetan youth congress and goal of the youth congress is to restore independence to Tibet, now if you look at all past Kalon Tripas or the head of the administration were also members of the Tibetan youth congress and they all stand for the genuine autonomy within china. So I am also in the similar position now I do seek to fulfill the stated policy of Tibetan government or Tibetan administration, and yes there are disagreements and some Tibetan youth they are quite vocal about it and they seek independence, but then our community is also a democracy and freedom of speech is allowed and difference of views is allowed and I do understand and feel their frustration as younger generation but Tibetan administration is more pragmatic and hence seeks genuine autonomy within china.
Jyoti Kamal: So is this middle path seeking genuine autonomy some kind of a compromise realizing the China is a formidable opponent, is this like thiking the cup is half full instead of half empty...is this some kind of a compromise or a genuine aspiration?
Lobsang Sangay: it is in a way a compromise rather it is a win win proposition - so what we are saying to the Chinese government is if Tibetans are granted genuine autonomy where we could preserve our own identity culture language because at the moment the photograph of his holiness the dalai lama is banned if you are caught with one you could get arrested and put behind bars, similarly there are economic discrimination, cultural assimilation ad we think all this ought to end and as for china what they can gain out of it is they want to be the super power and to be superpower you need moral authority, you need respect from the international community only way you can gain is by resolving the issue of Tibet otherwise Tibet issue the tragic situation in Tibet will forever tarnish the image of china.
Loading...
41:59
Phayul Open Interviews - Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangayby phayultv15,007 views
shame on china, shame on political correctness
mrcuteblackie 5 months ago
China illigaly occupied Tibet since 1959. Before 1959 Tibet is Completely independent Country. I don't Agee Middle Path , majority Tibetan want Full independent Country.... Shame on China.. China is a Word # 1 Liar .......
sunam11 8 months ago
The “win win proposition” Mr. PM speak off is not of the quid pro quo concept I understood. Essentially, he says China will be better off by stop being an abuser. If China entertains the idea, then China admits being an abuser. If not, China still is an abuser. Why parts China win?
bg24955 8 months ago