Immolations expression of freedom: Tibet's exiled PM
SYDNEY — Tibet's exiled political leader Lobsang Sangay on Tuesday
said a spate of self-immolations in China was a strong message being
sent by oppressed and desperate people who want to assert their freedom.
The
Harvard scholar, who was elected prime minister in April 2011, added he
hoped a leadership transition in Beijing this year would bring a "new
perspective" on Tibet.
More than 30 people have set themselves on
fire in Tibetan-inhabited areas of China since the start of March 2011
in protest at what they say is religious and cultural repression by the
Chinese authorities.
"It means the situation is not bearable," Sangay, 43, told the Sydney Morning Herald on a visit to Australia.
"It's not just that it's a desperate act, but also a political act," he said.
"Peaceful protests, peaceful rallies are not allowed. The statements they leave behind consistently say they want freedom.
"The self-immolations are somehow an assertion of freedom -- 'you can restrain my freedom but I can choose to die as I want'."
China
blames spiritual leader the Dalai Lama for inciting the
self-immolations in a bid to split Tibet from the rest of the nation,
and insists Tibetans now have better lives due to Chinese investment.
In
an address to the National Press Club, Sangay said the spark for
self-immolations was 2008 anti-government riots in Lhasa -- unrest that
subsequently spread to other Tibetan-inhabited areas of China.
"Since
then, instead of responding positively or liberally, unfortunately the
Chinese government has clamped down more," he said, adding that the
Tibetan capital was essentially closed to the outside world.
"The
military walk up and down the streets and there has been an intensifying
of the campaign to demonise the Dalai Lama," he said.
"How would you feel if you revered someone and you were asked to denounce him by standing on his picture or badmouthing him?
"These are the reasons why Tibetans are taking these drastic actions."
Most
of the self-immolations have occurred since Sangay was elected, four
months before he took office to assume political duties being
relinquished by the Dalai Lama at the head of the India-based exiled
government.
Asked if this showed that Tibetans feel more
hopelessness as the Dalai Lama restricts his political activism, or
whether it was an effort to push Sangay to take a harder line against
China, he replied: "It's too early to tell."
Sangay added: "We
have repeatedly asked them not to take drastic actions, including
self-immolation, but they continue to do so."
Despite China's
consistently hardline stance on Tibet, the exiled minister said he was
hopeful that change could occur with a new leadership.
"Given the
past 50 years of experience, we haven't had much reason for optimism,
but as a human being I remain hopeful about the new leadership led by Xi
Jinping," he said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen and
five other leaders are due to relinquish their positions on the nine-man
Standing Committee at a congress later this year that will also
announce their replacements.
Vice President Xi and Vice Premier Li
Keqiang are expected to be the only current members of the standing
committee who will stay on -- replacing Hu and Wen respectively.
"Hopefully with new people, there will be a new perspective on Tibet and hopefully we'll have better days ahead," said Sangay.
But Xi has previously appeared to dash the hopes of anyone hoping for a change of course from China's leadership.
In
a speech last year he vowed to fight "separatist activities" in the
region and said Beijing should "smash any attempt to undermine stability
in Tibet".
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