Speaking in Geneva, Tibet’s spiritual leader stresses the failures of China’s minority policies, cause of misunderstandings and street protests. He insists that economic development is not enough; honesty and moral authority are needed too. He wants to give dialogue another chance.

Dharamsala (AsiaNews) – China's policies towards its ethnic minorities “failed to . . . bring trust” over the last six decades and must change, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said at a press conference in Geneva. Beijing, he believes, must adopt a more holistic approach in its bid to win trust, rather than just trying to buy the support of minorities.

“Only money will not bring [about the] good image of China and trust. Trust is based on transparency and honesty,” he said.

Beijing has often been accused of repressive policies towards its ethnic minorities (Tibetans and Uyghurs, for example), going so far as trying to eliminate their traditions and language.

China has always countered that it brought more opportunities and greater economic development to these regions.

For their parts, ethnic minorities have rejected such arguments, saying that economic development was meant to favour millions of Han settlers in Tibet and Xinjiang, to the extent that the indigenous population is being reduced to minority status in their own land.

Instead for the Dalai Lama “moral authority is very essential” even if China were to become an economic superpower.

The Tibetan leader is not out to get a quick condemnation of Chinese repression, but he does insist that “General harmony is very essential,” adding that that it “is our mutual responsibility to find a solution, without separation”.

For Beijing Dalai Lama remains a dangerous terrorist who wants Tibet’s secession from China. Tibet’s spiritual leader has instead always insisted that his demands are limited to greater autonomy for his homeland.

Right now the Chinese in Tibet are engaged in a systematic crackdown following protests in March 2008.

In the spring of that year, when many foreign leaders threatened to boycott the Beijing Olympics, Chinese authorities relented, accepting to open talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama, only to renege once the Olympic Games over.

Since talks with China’s leaders are near to impossible, the Dalai Lama is intensifying contact with Chinese intellectuals whose response has been “very positive”, the Dalai Lama said.

“Basically, things are changing” in China. “I have faith that Chinese intellectuals” and “Chinese people [will] see things more holistically, more realistically . . . . I am very optimistic,” he said.

Meanwhile anti-Chinese resentment continues. Last month dissatisfaction boiled over among Xinjiang’s Uyghurs, spilling into the streets, generating urban unrest that led to more than 190 dead and thousands of injured.

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