New Delhi, May 6 (ANI): The Tibetan community should be prepared for the worst and will experience a vacuum of authority, both physical and spiritual, after their leader, The Dalai Lama, passes away, a U.S.-based Chinese dissident has warned.
In an exclusive interview given to ANI in New Delhi after attending a three-day informal conference in Dharamsala on "Strengthening our Alliance to advance the (Tibetan) people's dream.", U.S.-based Chinese dissident Yang Jiamil said, "It is proper to look at a post-Dalai Lama scenario. China has a plan to choose its version of the Dalai Lama reincarnation, although, it has no right whatsoever to do so. That will cause all round confusion and anxiety among the Tibetan people."
"The Tibetan people, community should be prepared for the worst. The Dalai Lama is such an imposing and impressive figure that when he is no longer there, there will be some vacuum of authority in the Tibetan community. However, having said this, I will also say that thanks to his (Dalai Lama's) vision, the Tibetans have created their own form of democracy, which they will convert into an authority. When the Dalai Lama leaves, this authority will fill that vacuum," he added.
Jiamil told ANI that there may be another reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, but he would not be able to emulate or replace the present one (14th) in terms of both spiritual and political caliber.
"Chaos will prevail for some time," the Chinese dissident cautioned.
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Turning his attention to the outcome of the Dharamsala conference, Jiamil said that it was the 11 in a series of inter-faith conferences being held since the year 2000.
"We chose India as the venue of the conference as it is a major democracy that has strategic significance and impact vis-a-vis China and for the future of China. Our objective has been to bring people from all faiths - be they Uyghur's, Christians, Falun Gong or human rights supporters to engage in a real dialogue, to promote friendship, brotherhood and form an alliance to convince China (to reconsider its approach)," he said.
Jiamil further said that the second objective behind organizing the conference in Dharamsala was to honor the Dalai Lama and Mahatma Gandhi, both of whom were and are inspiring apostles of peace and non-violence.
He said that the conference was rich in terms of the agenda of issues that it took up for deliberation, and a key aspect of this was the "Democratisation of China".
Jiamil told ANI that a candid understanding has been arrived at on the action plan for the next year.
He also said that most of the 69 delegates at the conference had the privilege of interacting with the Dalai Lama for approximately two hours and with the Prime Minister of the Tibetan government in exile Lobsang Sangay for an hour.
"We came away from these meetings with a spirit of tremendous encouragement. We don't see any change taking place in China. We are sending a strong signal to China that they have to reconsider their policies vis-a-vis Tibet. The Dalai Lama said, 'We are one in humanity. We must love each other; tolerate each other's differences and adopt the middle-way approach, and practice non-violence'," Jiamil said.
He was also of the view that New Delhi had reacted to Beijing's pressure with regard to cancelling the e-visa of Dolkun Isa, the Germany-based head of the World Uyghur Congress, and that was only because China had got Interpol to issue a Red Alert on Isa.
"I want to urge observers and experts not to overlook the Indian government's move to allow this conference to take place. This is significant, a first from India. The Indian government was struggling to find a balance to respond to China and at the same time, keen to project the universal truth of sharing democratic values. The denial of a visa to Isa is regret, but we do feel that we have had a very successful conference, and we expect the next one be held somewhere in Europe, "he said.
"Our conference has made a contribution to India. It has spurred a debate on the need for democratization in China. Indian society needs to reach a consensus, an understanding that this democratization of China is in India's national interest," Jiamil concluded.