Dalai Lama sets useful example for Taiwanese

Taipei Times
By Bob Kuo Friday, Sep 28, 2007, Page 8
In an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, the reporter asked President Chen Shui-bian whether he envied the Dalai Lama for being able to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"This is not a question of envy," Chen replied, "but rather a question that if the Dalai Lama can, why can't Chen Shui-bian? If the Tibetan government in exile can, why can't the Taiwanese government?"
After the emotions aroused by the Sept. 15 Peace Rally in support of Taiwan's UN membership bid and at a time when Taiwan is facing diplomatic difficulties and strong opposition from the US, which believes that the UN referendum is part of the Democratic Progressive Party's election campaign, we should give serious consideration to what Taiwan's independence movement can learn from its Tibetan counterpart.
Tibet is economically weaker than Taiwan and it is politically much worse off than Taiwan owing to its proximity to China. Nevertheless, Tibet has far stronger support in the international community than Taiwan. While the Dalai Lama was received by US President George W. Bush at the White House, Chen was restricted to a transit stopover in remote Alaska.
What can Taiwan learn from Tibet?
First, the whole Western world has been deeply touched by the Dalai Lama and Tibet, and this has nothing to do with money or clever strategic considerations. Rather, it comes from basic human rights values that in effect are based on Buddhist compassion, and it is the Dalai Lama's interactions with scientists, his publications as well as the lecturing and missionary activities by high Tibetan monks that have affected the Western world so profoundly.
Second, the Dalai Lama's method of relying on social movements is acceptable to the West. For example, there is no tradition of Buddhist nuns in Tibet, which is a situation that the Dalai Lama hopes to change. He therefore organized the first international Congress on the role of Buddhist Women in the Sangha in Hamburg, Germany, in July.
In response to strong opposition from certain Tibetans at the conference, the Dalai Lama did not attempt to use authoritarian power to oppress these dissenters, but rather, he attempted to consolidate consensus through debate. This way of building vision using a top-down approach and encouraging active bottom-up participation are the core values of Western transformation management theory.
In contrast, Taiwan only shouts slogans about Taiwanese independence during election campaigns. The mercurial government policies keep changing and the great political agendas proposed by election candidates are no more than a superficial means in their political struggle and their quest for power. No wonder the US has expressed misgivings about the referendum.
Finally, Tibet's insistence on safeguarding its autonomy echoes the US belief that only by dogged determination to pursue happiness can that goal be achieved. If Taiwan does nothing to back up its professed goals by taking real action, it will never gain the US' understanding.
If Taiwan wants to achieve independence, its leaders must consider proposing a set of values that are universally accepted.
The independence movement should strive to build vision through a top-down approach and encourage active bottom-up participation to build a consensus among Taiwanese and win affirmation from the international community.
Only through determination can we establish an independent, democratic and free country.
Bob Kuo is a professor of Information Systems at National Sun Yat-sen University.
Translated by Lin Ya-ti