I admire your stamina and visions regarding a world-wide Satyagraha for the freedom of Tibet and democracy in China but I think the movement will suffer greatly and loose credibility and power if exile Tibetans do not take the lead. The best would be if Tibetans inside Tibet could start the movement. As you rightly point out, this is not realistic given the severity of political repression there. If exile Tibetans in this situation do not themselves demonstrate in practice that Satyagraha is the right strategy for the peaceful fight for freedom, it will seriously weaken any other international action along these lines. Satyagraha, I feel, is only a valid option for non-Tibetan supporters if they can demonstrate clearly that this is a strategy approved in action by Tibetans themselves. Otherwise we send a wrong signal to the world and risk being accused for imposing our own ideas on the people we try to support.

(Published by FREEDOM FOR TIBET/DEMOCRACY IN CHINA ! - Number 59 - June 17th, 1997)