For six days, 600 Tibetan exiles will try to chart the course of theirpeoples' future. Frustrated by decades of fruitless talks with theChinese, who invaded Tibet in 1950, members of the community'sgovernment-in-exile and other prominent Tibetans will debate theiroptions.
Officials in Beijing, which insist Tibet is anintegral part of China, say those at the meeting will not represent thesentiment of the majority of Tibetans. The Chinese government accusesthe Dalai Lama of cloaking aspirations for independence inside hismoderate call for meaningful autonomy.
The speaker of theTibetan parliament-in-exile, Karma Chophel, tells VOA News hiscompatriots will look at fresh approaches towards China, but armedstruggle is not an option.
"We are not talking aboutviolence," he said. "We are talking about a settlement of the Tibetanissue. And for that, so far, His Holiness [the Dalai Lama] has beentrying to reach a settlement through what is called the 'middle way'approach. But that has not produced any result. So now he has calledupon the Tibetan public to discuss what further ways can be found."
Someyounger Tibetans want an outright push for independence. Some of thedisenchanted question the effectiveness of the long-standing pacifistapproach. Such voices have escalated following rioting in Tibet inMarch. And the Dalai Lama, in recent months, has expressed a sense offailure.
Speaker Chophel says the revered spiritual leaderwill not try to sway his followers during the conference. "For thepurpose of not influencing public opinion, he is avoiding the meeting,"he said.
The latest round of negotiations this month in Beijingbetween the Chinese and Tibetan representatives failed yet again tomake any progress. China considers the meeting in Dharamsala, home ofthe Tibetan government-in-exile for five decades, a meaninglessexercise that will get the Tibetans nowhere. It is also remindingneighbor India to abide by its long-standing pledge not to allow on itssoil activities Beijing says are aimed at splitting Chinese territory.
Ina statement Friday the Dalai Lama said the special meeting has nospecific agenda or pre-determined outcome. But he is calling forTibetans to set aside their partisan differences to determine what hecalled "the best possible future course to advance the Tibetan cause."