Is Independence for Tibet a realistic option?
Of course. A revolution is happening inside Tibet: people have been turned away from the Chinese government’s policies, and even Tibetan cadres within the Communist Party are fed up. My point is this: even if Tibet’s independence cannot be realised in the near future, what must be established in the eyes of the world is that the Tibetan plateau is an actively ‘contested’ area, and that the issue of Tibetan independence is far from closed. It’s not going to be easy. China is a superpower, and we’re very small — and ineffective. But I think it’s possible. I’m not a nationalist by nature; I’m an internationalist. But the Chinese are not going to give us anything — not independence, not anything else. Our only hope is that if Tibetans stick to this goal, we can take our case to the world and mobilise forces. Can you chart out a roadmap? We have to explore the possibility of non-violent activism the world over and redefine the question in a way that’s acceptable and even attractive to peo
