Dalai Lama not to retire, says Tibet work will continue

DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday said he was not retiring and would work for the Tibetan cause till his death.

Addressing a press conference, the Dalai Lama scotched all rumours of his possible retirement, saying: "There is no point or question of retirement. It is my moral responsibility till my death to work for the Tibetan cause."

"My body and flesh is all Tibetan. I remain committed to the Tibetan cause."

A special six-day meeting of the Tibetan leaders on Saturday had declared they would not hold any further talks with Beijing on the Tibet issue till China "responds positively" to their demands.

In their strongest message to Beijing in two decades, the Tibetan leadership in exile has decided to break off negotiations with China. It also virtually put on notice the Dalai Lama's "middle path" policy of seeking autonomy within China. On Saturday, the exiled leaders said the Dalai Lama's approach could not continue indefinitely and independence would be their only option in the near future.

"If the middle path fails in the short term, we will be forced to opt for complete independence or self-determination as per the UN charter," Dolma Gyari, deputy speaker of the Kashag, or parliament-in-exile, said at the end of the six-day conclave here.
Although there was some tension in the air before the recommendations were collated ��� the younger generation led by the Tibetan Youth Congress pushed for "complete independence" as the goal ��� the meeting of exiled Tibetan leaders ended with delegates unanimously agreeing on the draft that gives "some more time" to the middle path.

"It's a turning point in our struggle," said poet-activist Tenzin Tsundue, who was at the forefront of demand for independence. "A call for self-determination would effectively demand full independence," said the activist, adding that the ball is now in the Chinese court.

While the tone and text of the conclave's resolution are a major departure from the Dalai Lama's Strasbourg Proposal of 1987 in which he sought "genuine autonomy" under Chinese rule, the parliament speaker, Karma Choepel, said the future policy in the Tibetan campaign for greater autonomy will be determined by the Dalai Lama and will always be non-violent.