93059468
From a talk given by Palden Gyatso, the second-longest serving political prisoner in Tibet:
Despite the torture while in prison, Gyatso said he does not hold any grudges against the Chinese, even those who tortured him. “According to Buddhist philosophy, it behooves me to control my anger. Being angry will not return my 33 years; they are spent. To educate in a nonviolent, constructive manner, that might bring a peaceful end,” he said.
Gyatso said advocates for a free Tibet hope for constructive negotiations with Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao in June when they will ask for Tibet to become an “autonomous region rather than an independent nation.”
Since his 1992 release, Gyatso has toured the world, testifying to the human rights violations in Tibet and promoting nonviolent negotiations to end Chinese occupation. He appealed to the crowd to work constructively on his behalf.
“The future is in your hands. Some of you,” Gyatso said, “may become representatives or even president of the United States. How you use your knowledge is important. You have great freedom and facilities here to accomplish great aims. Use them.”
