Panelists Probe Tibet

Tibetans urged Han Chinese, members of the largest ethnic group in China, to recognize them culturally and politically at an event last night that aimed to foster discussion between the two groups in light of continuing violence in Tibet.

More than 150 people attended the event—entitled “Working Towards a Better Future: A Cross-Cultural Dialogue between Tibetans and Han Chinese”—which featured two Tibetan and two Chinese panelists.

Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund President Arthur N. Holcombe said that a resolution would only result from dialogue between the two groups.

“It is important for all of us that solutions to the problem are not an either-or-situation,” he said. “The solution must come from joint collaboration with the Han and Tibetan peoples.”

An upsurge of violence between protestors and Chinese government troops flared up in March of this year surrounding the status of Tibet’s self-declared government-in-exile.

“Ultimately we are here today to listen to different perspectives on this situation,” Holcombe added.

Panel member Tenzin Dickyi ’08, a Tibetan born in India, recounted her two-and-a-half-month stay in Tibet three years ago to illustrate the fear that inhibits Chinese civilians and Tibetans from speaking freely.

“The greatest feeling I came away with was the fundamental distrust and disconnect between the Tibetans and the Chinese government and Chinese people,” said Dickyi, who taught at a rural Tibetan school. “Before I went to Lhasa, everyone warned me against talking freely.”

Both Han Chinese panelists Lan Xue, a professor at China’s Tsinghua University and a visiting professor at the Kennedy School, and Yue Tan D. Tang, a Ph.D candidate in Harvard’s economics department, focused on how best to resolve the current conflict through economic and social development and cultural rejuvenation.

“My approach is looking at this as a problem of development,” Xue said. “This is not only a Tibetan problem, but a problem faced in many developing countries.”

Senior fellow in East Asian Legal Studies at the Law School Lobsang Sangay—who showed photographs of violence in Tibet—praised the discussion for achieving what he said the Chinese government has done poorly.

“Finally, after the tragedy, one good thing has happened,” he said, referring to last night’s panel. “The Han Chinese have taken responsibility—shared responsibility.”

Zhongrui Yin ’11, organizer of the event, said that last night’s dialogue was a positive step in achieving harmony between the groups.

“I was very delighted that we were able to have a very respectful, yet very frank, dialogue,” he said. “I wish the speakers could have talked to each other more, but the overall attitude was very positive.

The event was hosted by the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations, Harvard College Group for the Study of the Tibet Issue, and the Asia Centers Undergraduate Council in the Center for Government and International Studies.

—Staff writer Shan Wang can be reached at wang38@fas.harvard.edu.