The Dalai Lama threatened yesterday to step down as leader of Tibet's government-in-exile if violence committed by Tibetans in his homeland spirals out of control.
He sharply rejected accusations by China that he orchestrated last week's demonstrations in Tibet -- and the violence that ensued.
"I say to China and the Tibetans -- don't commit violence," he told reporters in the northern Indian hill town of Dharmsala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
While the situation inside Tibet remains unclear, much of the recent violence appears to have been committed by Tibetans. Worries have grown that Chinese troops trying to reassert control over Lhasa were exacting retribution.
"Whether we like it or not, we have to live together side by side," said the Dalai Lama."We must oppose Chinese policy but not the Chinese. Not on a racist basis."
Though clearly fearful of China's crackdown -- he compared the plight of Tibetans to that of "a young deer in a tiger's hands" -- he also said he was troubled by Tibetan attacks on ethnic Han Chinese.
He said that "if things become out of control," his "only option is to completely resign."
But the Dalai Lama refused to call on the Tibetans inside Tibet to end peaceful protests.
He also denied Chinese accusations he was behind the uprising, suggesting that the Chinese themselves may have had a hand in it to discredit him.
"It's possible some Chinese agents are involved there," he said. "Sometimes totalitarian regimes are very clever, so it is important to investigate."
He said if China had proof they should present it to the world and open up the region to international organizations, adding that Chinese officials were welcome to come to Dharmsala and search his records.
"They can examine my pulse, my urine, my stool, everything," he said.
Tenzin Taklha, a top aide, later said that the Dalai Lama meant he would step down as the political leader -- not as the supreme religious leader of Tibetan Buddhists.
A Taiwanese YouTuber suspected of creating and selling deepfake porn videos featuring more than 100 politicians and influencers was on Monday released on bail after being arrested the previous day. Chu Yu-chen (朱玉宸), 26, who uses the name Xiaoyu (小玉) on YouTube, was arrested on Sunday in New Taipei City, along with two suspected accomplices, a 24-year-old YouTuber surnamed Yeh (耶), known as Shaiw Shaiw (笑笑), and a 22-year-old man Chuang (莊). The three suspects were on Monday escorted to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for further questioning on suspicion of distributing obscene videos and publicly insulting others, in contravention of
FAMILY: While the CECC agrees ‘in principle’ to allowing entry to foreign spouses and children of foreigners in Taiwan with a residence permit, the issue is still being reviewed A nationwide level 2 COVID-19 alert is to be extended for two weeks until Nov. 1, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, adding that agencies are still discussing whether to allow foreign spouses and children of foreigners in Taiwan with a residence permit to enter the nation. “In principle we agree to relaxing the entry regulations for the group, but relevant agencies are still reviewing and discussing the matter,” said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center. The center on Sept. 13 eased border restrictions for foreign dependents of Taiwanese nationals. They can apply
ANTI-COERCION: EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager said the EU wishes to bolster relations with Taiwan within the framework of its ‘one China’ policy The EU is to further its engagement with Taiwan to defend democracy, freedom and an open market, while bolstering cooperation in semiconductor supply chains, EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager said on Tuesday. In her remarks at a European Parliament plenary session focused on Taiwan-EU relations, Vestager referred to China’s increasing military presence in the Taiwan Strait, including flying missions off the southwest coast of Taiwan. “This display of force may have a direct impact on European security and prosperity,” she said, adding that the EU encourages all parties to avoid any unilateral actions that might increase tensions across the Strait. “We Europeans
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-shu (黃國書) yesterday said he would leave the party and would not seek re-election, as he confirmed a report that he worked as an informant for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) authoritarian regime when he was a student. The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported on Saturday that Huang, 57, worked as an informant for the KMT when he was in college. Huang yesterday on Facebook said he accepts political responsibility for working with the authoritarian government to spy on his fellow students when he was in university and apologized to those affected
RSS