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Ad-Hoc
"The End of Karma: The
Cabinet of Dalai Lama"
SouthMUNC IV
GEOGRAPHY
Tibet is a historic and autonomous region of China that is often called “the roof of the world.” It
occupies a vast area of plateaus and mountains in Central Asia, including Mount Everest. It is
located in the mountainous southwest region of the People’s Republic of China. It is bordered by
the Chinese provinces of Qinghai to the northeast, Sichuan to the east, and Yunnan to the
southeast; by Myanmar (Burma), India, Bhutan,
and Nepal to the south; by the disputed Kashmir
region to the west; and by the Uygur
Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the
northwest. The country is home to 2.9 million
people, and its economy is based on agriculture.
Before the 1950s Tibet was largely isolated
from the rest of the world. It constituted an
unique cultural and religious community,
marked by the Tibetan language and Tibetan
Buddhism. Little effort was made to facilitate communication with outsiders, and economic
development was minimal.
Tibet’s incorporation into the People’s Republic of China began in 1950 and has remained a
highly charged and controversial issue, both within Tibet and worldwide. Many Tibetans
(especially those outside China) consider China’s action to be an invasion of a sovereign
country, and the continued
Chinese presence in Tibet is
deemed an occupation by a
foreign power. The Chinese,
on the other hand, believe
that Tibet has been a
rightful part of China for
centuries and that they
liberated Tibet from a
repressive regime in which
much of the population
lived in serfdom. There is
truth in both assertions,
although public opinion
outside China (especially in
the West) has tended to take
the side of Tibet as an independent (or at least highly autonomous) entity.The map above shows
Tibet as the Chinese government views it - as an autonomous region within China. There is no
question, though, that the 14th Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual and temporal leader, has
become one of the world’s most recognizable and highly regarded individuals.
HISTORY
Tibetan history, as it has been recorded, is particularly focused on the history of
Buddhism in Tibet and written history appears around the 7th century. This is partly due to the
pivotal role this religion has played in the development of Tibetan and Mongolian cultures and
partly because almost all native historians of the country were Buddhist monks who arrived in
Tibet at the time. Although the history of the Tibetan state started in 127 B.C., with the
establishment of the Yarlung Dynasty, the country was first unified in the 7th-9th Centuries
A.D., under King Songtsen Gampo and his successors.
Mongol Influence
As Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire expanded towards Europe in the West and China in the East
in the 13th Century, Tibetan leaders of the powerful Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism
concluded an agreement with the Mongol rulers in order to avoid the conquest of Tibet. The
Tibetan Lama promised political loyalty and religious blessings and teachings in exchange for
patronage and protection. The religious relationship became so important that when, decades
later, Kublai Khan conquered China and established the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), he invited
the Sakya Lama to become the Imperial Preceptor and supreme pontiff of his empire.
The relationship that developed and continued to exist into the 20th Century between the
Mongols and Tibetans was a reflect of the close racial, cultural, and especially religious affinity
between the two Central Asian peoples. The Mongol Empire was a world empire and, whatever
the relationship between its rulers and the Tibetans, the Mongols never integrated the
administration of Tibet and China or appended Tibet to China in any manner.
In 1598, Mongol Altan Khan established the first Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is the main
spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism. During Mongol rule, Tibet had almost full autonomy in
their rule. Not until the 18th Century did Tibet again come under a larger degree of foreign
influence.
Relations with Manchu, Gurkha and British Neighbors
Tibet developed no ties with the Chinese Ming Dynasty (1386-1644). On the other hand, the
Dalai Lama, who established his sovereign rule over Tibet with the help of a Mongol patron in
1642, did develop close religious ties with the Manchu emperors, who conquered China and
established the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Dalai Lama agreed to become the spiritual guide
of the Manchu emperor, and accepted patronage and protection in exchange. This "priest-patron"
relationship (known in Tibetan as Choe-Yeon), which the Dalai Lama also maintained with some
Mongol princes and Tibetan nobles, was the only formal tie that existed between the Tibetans
and Manchus during the Qing Dynasty. It did not, in itself, affect Tibet's independence.
On the political level, some powerful Manchu emperors succeeded in exerting a degree of
influence over Tibet. Thus, between 1720 and 1792, Emperors Kangxi, Yong Zhen, and
Qianlong sent imperial troops to Tibet four times to protect the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan
people from foreign invasions by Mongols, and Gorkhas or from internal unrest. These
expeditions provided the emperor with the means for establishing influence in Tibet. He sent
representatives to the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, some of whom successfully exercised their
influence, in his name, over the Tibetan government, particularly with respect to the conduct of
foreign relations. At the height of Manchu power, which lasted a few decades, the situation was
not unlike that which can exist between a superpower and a satellite or protectorate, and
therefore one which, though politically significant, does not extinguish the independent existence
of the weaker state. Tibet was never incorporated into the Manchu Empire, much less China, and
it continued to conduct its relations with neighboring states largely on its own.
Manchu influence did not last very long. It was entirely ineffective by the time the British briefly
invaded Lhasa and concluded a bilateral treaty with Tibet, the Lhasa Convention, in 1904.
Despite this loss of influence, the imperial government in Peking continued to claim some
authority over Tibet, particularly with respect to its international relations, an authority which the
British imperial government termed "suzerainty" in its dealings with Peking and St. Petersburg,
Russia. Chinese imperial armies tried to reassert actual influence in 1910 by invading the country
and occupying Lhasa. Following the 1911 revolution in China and the overthrow of the Manchu
Empire, the troops surrendered to the Tibetan army and were repatriated under a sino-Tibetan
peace accord. The Dalai Lama reasserted Tibet's full independence internally, by issuing a
proclamation, and externally, in communications to foreign rulers and in a treaty with Mongolia.
Tibet in the 20th Century
Tibet's status following the expulsion of Manchu troops is not subject to serious dispute.
Whatever ties existed between the Dalai Lama and the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty
were extinguished with the fall of that empire and dynasty. From 1911 to 1950, Tibet
successfully avoided undue foreign influence and behaved, in every respect, as a fully
independent state.
Tibet maintained diplomatic relations with Nepal, Bhutan, Britain, and later with independent
India. Relations with China remain strained. The Chinese waged a border war with Tibet while
formally urging Tibet to "join" the Chinese Republic, claiming all along to the world that Tibet
already was one of China's "five races."
In an effort to reduce Sino-Tibetan tensions, the British convened a tripartite conference in Simla
in 1913 where the representative of the three states met on equal terms. As the British delegation
reminded his Chinese counterpart, Tibet entered the conference as "independent nation
recognizing no allegiance to China." The conference was unsuccessful in that it did not resolve
the difference between Tibet and China. It was, nevertheless, significant in that Anglo-Tibetans
friendship was reaffirmed with the conclusion of bilateral trade and border agreements. In a Joint
Declaration, Great Britain and Tibet bound themselves not to recognize Chinese suzerainty or
other special rights in Tibet unless China signed the draft Simla Convention which would have
guaranteed Tibet's greater borders, its territorial integrity and fully autonomy. China never
signed the Convention, however, leaving the terms of the Joint Declaration in full force.
Tibet conducted its international relations primarily by dealing with the British, Chinese,
Nepalese, and Bhutanese diplomatic missions in Lhasa, but also through government delegations
travelling abroad. When India became independent, the British mission in Lhasa was replaced by
an Indian one. During World War II Tibet remained neutral, despite combined pressure from the
United States, Great Britain, and China to allow passage of raw materials through Tibet.
Tibet never maintained extensive international relations, but those countries with whom it did
maintain relations treated Tibet as they would with any sovereign state. Its international status
was in fact no different from, say, that of Nepal. Thus, when Nepal applied for United Nations'
membership in 1949, it cited its treaty and diplomatic relations with Tibet to demonstrate its full
international personality.
In 1908, the then Dalai Lama fled to India when china sent in its army to control his government.
In April of 1912, Chinese garrison surrenders to Tibetan authorities after the Chinese Republic
was declared. When the 13th Dalai Lama returned from India that year, Chinese troops left Tibet.
Tibet reasserts independence in 1913 after decades of rebuffing attempts by Britain and China to
establish control.
Prior to 1950, Tibet had largely functioned as a de facto independent entity, governing itself
despite Beijing’s centuries-old claim to sovereignty over the region. In 1950, however, tables
turned as thousands of Chinese troops invaded Tibet in an effort by The People’s Republic of
China to reassert its claim on the region. During this time, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gaytso,
officially became head of state at the age of fifteen.
The turning point of Tibet's history came in 1949, when the People's Liberation Army of the
PRC first crossed into Tibet. After defeating the small Tibetan army and occupying half the
country, the Chinese government imposed the so-called "17-Point Agreement for the Peaceful
Liberation of Tibet" on the Tibetan government in May 1951. The Chinese government focuses
to this document to provide evidence that Tibet is part of China, advocates of Tibetan
independence claim that Tibet was forced into signing this document and giving up its
sovereignty. Because it was signed under duress, the agreement lacked validity under
international law. The presence of 40,000 troops in Tibet, the threat of an immediate occupation
of Lhasa, and the prospect of the total obliteration of the Tibetan state left Tibetans little choice.
As the resistance to the Chinese occupation escalated, particularly in Eastern Tibet, the Chinese
repression, which included the destruction of religious buildings and the imprisonment of monks
and other community leaders, increased dramatically. By 1959, popular uprising culminated in
massive demonstrations in Lhasa. By the time China crushed the uprising, 87,000 Tibetans were
dead in the Lhasa region alone, and the Dalai Lama had fled to India, where he now heads the
Tibetan Government-in-exile, headquartered in Dharamsala, India. In 1963, the Dalai Lama
promulgated a constitution for a democratic Tibet. It has been successfully implemented, to the
extent possible, by the Government-in-exile.
Meanwhile, in Tibet religious persecution, consistent violations of human rights, and the
wholesale destruction of religious and historic buildings by the occupying authorities have not
succeeded in destroying the spirit of the Tibetan people to resist the destruction of the national
identity. 1.2 million Tibetans have lost their lives, (over one-sixth of the population) as a result
of the Chinese occupation. But the new generation of Tibetans seems just as determined to regain
the country's independence as the older generation was.
In 1982, a high level Tibetan delegation arrived in Beijing to uphold talks with China. In 1988,
the Dalai Lama offered the 'Strasbourg Proposal' calling for autonomy over domestic affairs; no
progress was made. According to the office of the Dalai Lama the essence of the Middle Way
Approach seeks coexistence based on equality and mutual co-operation. It is a:
"non-partisan and moderate position that safeguards the vital interests of all concerned partiesfor Tibetans: the protection and preservation of their culture, religion and national identity; for
the Chinese: the security and territorial integrity of the motherland; and for neighbours and other
third parties: peaceful borders and international relations."
The seeds of the Middle Way Approach were sewn in the early 1970s in a series of internal
government and external consultations. The Dalai Lama was encouraged in 1979 when Deng
Xiaoping told his brother Gyalo Thondup that "except independence, all other issues can be
resolved through negotiations". The Dalai Lama agreed to pursue negotiations for a mutually
beneficial and peaceful resolution rather than fighting to restore independence. He sent three fact
finding missions into Tibet and wrote Deng Xiaoping a long personal letter before his
representatives traveled to Beijing in 1982 to open negotiations. However, they reported that
their Chinese counterparts were not interested in discussing the situation in Tibet, only the
personal status and future of the 14th Dalai Lama. Nevertheless, during the 1980s, the Dalai
Lama would send 6 delegations to China. In 1987, before the U.S. Congressional Human Rights
Caucus the Dalai Lama unveiled the Five Point Peace Plan as a "first step towards a lasting
solution".
The 11th Panchen Lama controversy is a dispute about the current legitimate holder of the
Panchen Lama title, a political and religious leadership position in Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism.
After the death of the 10th Panchen Lama, a dispute between the Chinese leadership and the
exiled 14th Dalai Lama resulted in two competing candidates. The search committee process
involving monks in Tibet under strict supervision of the Chinese communist regime was
disrupted when the Dalai Lama, according to the Tibetan tradition, unilaterally announced his
selection of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. However, days later, the six-year-old Gendun Choekyi
Nyima, recognised as the 11th Panchen Lama, became the world's youngest political prisoner
when he was taken by Chinese authorities. The leadership in China spirited Nyima away to
prevent his being taken to India by the Dalai Lama's supporters and reverted to the Qing
Dynasty's Golden Urn process to select Gyaincain Norbu, who currently fulfills the duties of the
Panchen Lama in China.
Despite the efforts made by the Office of the Dalai Lama and the PRC to quell any civic unrest
within Tibet, the imprisonment of the Tibetan appointed Panchen Lama fanned the flames of
hate throughout the population. However, the ultimate crackdown on the Tibetan resistance did
not happen until March 2008 where what originally began as an annual observance of Tibetan
Uprising Day turned into street protests by large numbers of monks from various monasteries for
several days. Crowd control and arrests escalated the tensions eventually setting off a riot by
thousands of Tibetans in the Ramoche section of Lhasa on March 14, 2008. When the police fled
the scene, rioters looted and burned more than 1200 Chinese shops, offices, and residences and
set fire to nearly 100 vehicles. In the end, an estimated 22 were dead and 325 injured. The Dalai
Lama called on demonstrators to refrain from any violence, and gave interviews clarifying that
his goals were not currently to seek independence from China following the rebellions.
The uprisings in 2008 not only rekindle Tibet’s need for religious and political autonomy, but
also set the stage for a new form of demonstration against the Chinese Government,
Self-Immolation. On 16 March 2011 a young monk from Kirti Monastery named Phuntsog set
himself on fire in Ngaba. Since then, there have been over 135 self immolation protests.
Self-immolation protests peaked in 2012 when more than 80 took place. There have been far
fewer since 2013 but they are still a feature of Tibetan resistance. These acts, along with other
significant protests over the last few years, demonstrate Tibetans' fundamental rejection of
Chinese rule. The Dalai Lama has said he does not encourage the protests, but he has praised the
courage of those who engage in self-immolation and blamed the self-immolations on "cultural
genocide" by the Chinese.
The Chinese government has responded to the protests with a surge in activity by security forces,
a propaganda campaign against the protesters and punishments for protester’s families and
communities. Self-immolators who survived their protests have been detained and the
whereabouts and condition of many of them is still unknown.
China has described the protests as “violent behaviour whose aim is to create an atmosphere of
terror” and accused the Dalai Lama of instigating the protests. The Dalai Lama has not called for
an end to the protests but has expressed his "sadness" over them and urged the Chinese
authorities to "investigate what is the cause of this symptom, of these events".
In April of 2011, The Dalai Lama announced his retirement from politics and as the head of the
Central Tibetan Administration. In his place, exiled Tibetans elected Lobsang Sangay to lead the
government in exile. In November of 2011, the Dalai Lama formally handed over his political
responsibilities to the former Harvard graduate.
KEY ISSUES
The main issue is the territorial dispute between China and Tibet. China believes that
Tibet is a part of China, while Tibet argues that it is historically an independent country.
However, this dispute can not just be looked at territorially - demography, economic
development, human rights, and cultural differences also come into play. China historically
believes that Tibet is part of China, while Tibet focuses on the differences between the two
countries. Outside parties, such as foreign governments and NGO’s, influence the event that are
going on and will be simulated in this committee.
As of now, the Tibetan government is in exile in India, and they claim that Tibetan
culture, traditions, and language are decreasing due to China’s influence. Conditions are very
poor in the region as well, with the People’s Republic of China doing little to help. In 2005, only
11.5% of the population achieved secondary education, and the literacy rate is at a staggering
low of 55% (in china it is 90% for comparison). Under the Chinese, the Tibetan flag and national
anthem are also banned.. Possession of a picture of the Dalai Lama can lead to imprisonment,
and freedom of speech is banned.
The People Republic of China argues that Tibet has benefited considerably under their
rule, such as in tourism, modernization, and manufacturing. They also heavily censor
information going in and out of Tibet, and rarely allow foreign journalists into the “autonomous
region”.To them, it seems as if they are doing the right thing in Tibet and helping Tibetan people.
KEY INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS
The United States of America:
In the past, the US has provided funding to Tibet to try to overthrow the Communist
Chinese government. In both the Truman and Nixon administrations sit is said that Tibetan
separatists and guerilla fighters were supported to the US. But as of now, the US takes a different
look on Tibet. Though they admit that the US has strong support for preserving Tibetan culture
and decreasing Human Rights violations, the US acknowledges that Tibet is part of China and is
not an independent country. The US cares more about building a cooperative partnership
between themselves and China.
Republic of India:
Tibet makes up the disputed border between China and India. In addition, the Dalai Lama
and 120,000 Tibetan exiles live on Indian soil. This creates some conflict and is a source of
resentment from Beijing.
Japan:
Japan supports democracy and the non-violent struggle of Tibet. Tibetan independence
has multi-party support in Japan, and Japan has assured its support to aid in the issue.
UK and Northern Ireland:
In the 18th century, the British East India Company visited Tibet to see if trade is
possible. In 1904, the Dalai Lama was forced to flee from a British Military expedition, forcing
Tibet to sign a trading agreement with Britain. In 1907, Britain acknowledged Chinese
suzerainty over Tibet. In 2008, the British Government finally recognized China’s direct rule
over Tibet for the first time.
French Republic:
In December of 2009, the French president met with the Dalai Lama. But then in April
2009, China and France restored high-level contacts. Pretty much China is too big and important
of a country for western powers to mess with, especially over a topic such as Tibet.
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal:
Nepal has been host to many Tibetan refugees. This has earned the country international
respect. However, China has invested money into Nepal to build much needed infrastructure,
forcing Nepal to crack down on Tibetan refugees.
DELEGATE INFORMATION:
This Ad-Hoc meeting of Dalai Lama’s Cabinet is meeting in Dharamsala, India. While
some of the figures of this committee are a part of the Central Tibetan Administration, we are not
acting as that body due to the outside figures involved. For the duration of this committee, this
Cabinet has been given unique and exclusive powers by the CTA to deal with crises we will face.
Furthermore, while the Dalai Lama gave up political control of the country in 2011, the Sikyong
will be represented by one the members of your dais, thus giving this committee the legitimacy it
needs to make decisions about the future of Tibet.
CHARACTERS IN COMMITTEE:
Note that the number next to a character name represents which delegate will be representing
which character. For example, if your assignment is Delegate 2, you will be representing Boris
Johnson in committee.
1.) Padma Choling - Tibet Deputy Party Chief for The People’s Republic of China
2.) Boris Johnson - British Foreign Secretary
3.) Penpa Tsering - Speaker of the Central Tibetan Administration in Washington D.C.
4.) Chen Quanguo - Party Secretary of Tibet Autonomous Region
5.) Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok - Tibetan Minister for Religion & Culture
6.) Sonam Topgyal Khorla Tsang - Tibetan Minister for Home Affairs
7.) Karma Yeshi - Tibetan Minister for Finance
8.) Ngodup Tsering - Tibetan Minister for Education
9.) Phagpa Tsering Labrang - Tibetan Minister for Security
10.) Dhardon Sharling - Tibetan Minister for Information & International Relations
11.) Choekyong Wangchuk - Tibetan Minister for Health
12.) Prakash Sharan Mahat - Nepalese Foreign Affairs Minister
13.) Jean-Marc Ayrault - French Foreign Affairs Minister
14.) Sushma Swaraj - Indian Minister of External Affairs
15.) Rajni Vyas - Mayor of Dharamsala, India
16.) Sergey Lavrov - Russian Foreign Affairs Minister
17.) Kenneth Roth - Executive Director, Human Rights Watch
18.) Salil Shetty - Secretary-General of Amnesty International