Times of India, 29 May 2016
SHIMLA: Immediately after taking oath of office for the second term, Sikyong (Prime Minister) of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Dr Lobsang Sangay proposed a strategy of five-fifty, calling for a renewal of efforts in the Tibetan people’s struggle for genuine autonomy in the next five years and strengthening the Tibetan movement over the next 50 years.
In his speech, Sangay, on Friday, said Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has repeatedly advised them to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. That is why, he said, he proposed the strategy of five-fifty. In the next five years, he said maximum efforts would be made in achieving genuine autonomy for Tibetans, based on the “Middle Way” approach. “But if we remain in exile and have to continue our struggle for many years, we need to strategise in order to strengthen and sustain our cause for the next 50 years. We have to protect and preserve our unique identity and tradition. We need to build on self-reliance, in both education and economy,” he said.
Sangay said the 15th cabinet would create awareness on the middle way approach on the international forum and in India.
“Five-Fifty is a strategy for success because we can either achieve genuine autonomy in the next five years or China will gradually change for the better in the next 50 years,” he said, explaining that if Tibetans are able to survive, strengthen and sustain the Tibetan administration in the next 50 years, it will be able to restore basic freedom of Tibetan people owing to the change that will definitely take place in China.
He said the middle way policy, as envisioned by the Dalai Lama and adopted unanimously as a policy by the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile will continue to be the official policy.
“We are committed to make efforts towards holding talks between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government and resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s lifetime,” he said.
Print
Email