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• Dalai Lama , "middle way" in Tibet

Supporting Evidence

• “Tibetans criticise Dalai Lama's 'middle way' “, by Thomas Bell in Kathmandu, Last Updated: 2:38am GMT 18/03/2008 "Tibetans criticised the Dalai Lama yesterday, saying that his conciliatory approach to China and his refusal to call for a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games did not reflect the views of most of them.

The pacifist spiritual leader pursues a "middle way" policy of calling for Tibetan autonomy within China. His younger followers demand independence.

On Sunday, the Dalai Lama denounced a Chinese "rule of terror" but insisted that China deserves to host the Olympics.

"China does not deserve to host the Olympics. It's evident that they do not deserve the Olympics," said Tsewang Rigzin, the leader of the Tibetan Youth Congress, at Dharamshala yesterday.

The town, in the Indian Himalayas, is home to the Dalai Lama's government in exile. Many of the younger exiles were born after their parents fled Tibet about 50 years ago and have never seen their homeland.

• “Some Tibetan Exiles Reject ‘Middle Way”, By SOMINI SENGUPTA, The New York Times,March 21, 2008 “DHARAMSALA, India — “Long live the Dalai Lama!” is the most common cry on the streets here.A new generation of exiles is growing edgy in Dharamsala.

Even so, the 72-year-old monk’s refusal to call for independence from China more forcefully as it has cracked down on the protests in Tibet has sharpened disagreement with younger and more aggressive Tibetan exiles.

Tenzin Wangdue, who has spent the last 11 days shouting slogans, including some that the Dalai Lama would shun, is typical of the new generation. While not rejecting the Dalai Lama’s authority, he believes Tibetans have to push harder if they are going to get anywhere. “They’re not going to give total independence,” he said of China. (…)“But I think there’s hope they’re going to accept genuine autonomy if we say we want total autonomy.” This week, he was shouting “Free Tibet!” up and down the hills. During the protests, several Chinese flags were burned. “I’m a supporter of the Dalai Lama,” he confessed. “But when I saw these demonstrations, the blood was boiling in me.”

The most explicit face-off here came this week when the Dalai Lama summoned the groups organizing the march to Lhasa. He told them they would risk not only alienating their Indian hosts (the government does not like refugees agitating against China on Indian soil), but also invite fatal fire from Chinese troops on the border.He told reporters after the meeting that while he welcomed dissent, he felt compelled to ask the groups to be “practical.” They are after all the foot soldiers of his movement, and his appeal to them was a sign of how they present both opportunity and a headache for his movement.

I have no authority, no power to say ‘Shut up!’ ” he said. “I’m always telling them: ‘You are fighting for our rights. But today we are almost a nation dying. This moment important is survival. Practical solution is necessary.’ ” Tashi Phuntshok, 40, a resident of a dormitory for new refugees here, said he understood that the Dalai Lama’s political strategy was intended to spare more Tibetan lives. If he called for independence, Mr. Phuntshok said, there would be outright war. “His Holiness, he is kind-hearted,” Mr. Phuntshok explained.

“For us,” he said, “it should be full independence.” Onpo Lobsang, rushing up the road on his way to pick up a banner for a demonstration, said he backed the march to Lhasa despite the Dalai Lama’s reservations. “Our goal is the same, we need both sides,” said Mr. Lobsang, 29, who came here with his parents at age 9. “He’s the supreme leader, but we don’t need to listen to everything he says. He is a Buddhist monk. We are common men.”

• “Some Tibetan Exiles Reject ‘Middle Way”, By SOMINI SENGUPTA, The New York Times,March 21, 2008 “DHARAMSALA, India — “Long live the Dalai Lama!” is the most common cry on the streets A new generation of exiles is growing edgy in Dharamsala.

Even so, the 72-year-old monk’s refusal to call for independence from China more forcefully as it has cracked down on the protests in Tibet has sharpened disagreement with younger and more aggressive Tibetan exiles.

The most explicit face-off here came this week when the Dalai Lama summoned the groups organizing the march to Lhasa. He told them they would risk not only alienating their Indian hosts (the government does not like refugees agitating against China on Indian soil), but also invite fatal fire from Chinese troops on the border.

He told reporters after the meeting that while he welcomed dissent, he felt compelled to ask the groups to be “practical.” They are after all the foot soldiers of his movement, and his appeal to them was a sign of how they present both opportunity and a headache for his movement.

I have no authority, no power to say ‘Shut up!’ ” he said. “I’m always telling them: ‘You are fighting for our rights. But today we are almost a nation dying. This moment important is survival. Practical solution is necessary.’ ” Tashi Phuntshok, 40, a resident of a dormitory for new refugees here, said he understood that the Dalai Lama’s political strategy was intended to spare more Tibetan lives. If he called for independence, Mr. Phuntshok said, there would be outright war. “His Holiness, he is kind-hearted,” Mr. Phuntshok explained. “For us,” he said, “it should be full independence.”

Onpo Lobsang, rushing up the road on his way to pick up a banner for a demonstration, said he backed the march to Lhasa despite the Dalai Lama’s reservations. “Our goal is the same, we need both sides,” said Mr. Lobsang, 29, who came here with his parents at age 9. “He’s the supreme leader, but we don’t need to listen to everything he says. He is a Buddhist monk. We are common men.”