“The Story of Tibet” by Thomas Laird

How to decide on a single section of the book to share with you all here? Wow! It changed every few pages, but in the end, I chose the end—the epilogue written by the Dalai Lama himself in a letter to the author, Thomas “Tom” Laird. Please consider reading this impressive work soon.

Seal of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso

Dear Tom,

For nine years you have worked hard to put the many hours of conversation we had into a book which will allow people to better understand the history of Tibet. It is important to understand the past as we are trying to find solutions for the future. Our own perception of our history as Tibetans of couse shapes our identity and our needs today. Others may have a different perception, and they will therefore approach problems from the point of view of their understanding. So there are different interpretations of the same things, and those interpretations are quite important, because they may help us understand why Tibetans and Chinese see things differently. As the same time we must focus on the present and the future. We may disagree on the past, but we should work constructively to improve the present and to reach an agreement on the way to move forward, together, in the future in the interest of the Tibetans and the Chinese.

As you know we are today engaged in serious dialogue with the Chinese government. So it is important to pause and consider what this means as the final pages of this book are being prepared.

For many years we have been calling on the Chinese government to enter into a dialogue with us and to work with us to jointly resolve the differences between us, and many concerned individuals, institutions and governments have supported our efforts. I have always believed that a solution to the question of Tibet that can bring an end to the suffering of our people can be achieved only through dialogue and the development of genuine understanding between Tibetans and Chinese. Neither side can achieve anything by imposing its will on the other. Rather, each side must understand the situation and genuine needs of the other and act accordingly. We are all the same human beings with the same needs and fears. So let us understand each other on a human-to-human level. We must not let politics or even history stand in the way of true human understand and the satisfaction of human needs.

So from this point of view, if we live together as brothers and sisters, as a family, it is better for the Tibetans and also for the Chinese themselves. But family members cannot bully each other; otherwise, those who feel hurt will want to leave the family: so here this is why understanding each other and each other’s needs is so important. Only this kind of human understanding can form the basis for a genuine coming together that will benefit all of us….

For such a trust to exist, we must all do our utmost to create the right atmosphere. You cannot convince the other of your good intentions if at the same time you take actions that could hurt them. Now this is very difficult, unless both sides equally make an effort. It is difficult to convince Tibetans and their supporters to show restraint in opposing Chinese policies in Tibet so long as the human rights of Tibetans are being violated inside Tibet. The opposite is also true. So the Chinese government must see to it that all abuses and policies by their officials at both national and local levels that cause harm to Tibetans, at both national and local levels, are stopped and Tibetans and their supporters must stop actions that cause embarrassment and harm to the Chinese government and the Chinese people….

Recognition and respect for each other’s needs does not drive people apart, but allows them to become closer. We must accentuate our common interests, our common dependence on the environment we live in, and our common future. But human beings can only be persuaded to do this once their distinctiveness is recognized and respected by the other. This is not unique to Tibetans: it is true everywhere in the world where peoples and minorities struggle for recognition of their distinct identities and cultures before they voluntarily and happily unite with others to reap the benefits of living in a larger family, within one state.

Tibetans have much in common with their Chinese brothers and sisters, as of course we do with our Mongol and Uighur neighbors. So whereas we are firm on our objective to achieve genuine autonomy, I encourage Tibetans to acknowledge also our commonalities.

I am well aware that the process of dialogue and negations that we have embarked upon with the Chinese government will take time. On our part we will work hard to make it succeed. We hope the Chinese government will equally demonstrate its commitment and faith in this process by making visible changes in its policies toward Tibetans. Tibetans must have patience and work together with our many supporters in different parts of the world to ensure that this process succeeds. Let us try our utmost, and future generations will have no reason to say we did not make full use of the opportunity that now exists, and which we helped to create, in order to heal the wounds of the past and move toward a better future.

I hope that we succeed in turning a new leaf in the story of Tibet. We may not be able to change the past, so I would gladly leave history to the historians to analyze and interpret in shades of gray—for it is never as black and white as we often portray it. But it is our responsibility, and my responsibility as Dalai Lama and as a Buddhist monk, to do our utmost to shape the future for the good of all sentient beings, not least for the well-being of Tibetans for whom I bear a special responsibility.