Autonomy in Tibet and Szeklerland
MEP Csaba Sógor held a presentation entitled „Autonomy in Tibet and Szeklerland” on November 13th, 2010 in the House of Culture in Covasna at the invitation of the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Cultural Association and the Fábián Ernő Adult Education Center.
As it is known, MEP Csaba Sógor made a visit to India between 1 and 4th of September to honor the invitation of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama to the ceremonies celebrating fifty years from the formation of the Tibetan Government-in-exile. Csaba Sógor held a presentation that included photos and spoke about his experiences in the Tibetan refugee camp in India and the Tibetan people’s strive for autonomy in the city that lies not far from the birthplace of the father of tibetology, Sándor Kőrösi Csoma.
Csaba Sógor explained that the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees are consciously preparing for the autonomy; they are ready to return to Tibet even the next day if they would be given their right of self government. They have their own government and institutions that can provide for the good functioning of the autonomy at any given moment. But the Tibetans’ aspiration for autonomy is not linked solely to the Dalai Lama; they have an alternative plan as well that involves Karmapa the XVIIth. He is the only reincarnation who is recognized by both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, thus he may be the foundation of a new relationship between the Chinese and the Tibetans.
The Tibetan autonomy can also benefit from the fact that China already has two cities that enjoy an autonomy status: Hong Kong and Macau. As Areas of Special Administration, both cities are independent from China; they only need to coordinate on matters of national safety and foreign affairs. Csaba Sógor also said that it is in the interest of China with its aspiration to be a global power, to provide fundamental human rights.
- It is not unimaginable that Tibet will follow the two cities on the path of autonomy if China realizes that the Tibetan people do not desire independence, but rather a consistent form of political autonomy without the endangerment of the country’s territorial integrity – explained Sógor.
In the case of Szeklerland’s autonomy, politicians make efforts to fully explain: the autonomy is not a threat to the integrity of the state; but it is a mere tool that provides peaceful coexistence. – We need to neutralise the Romanian’s fear through dialogue. We need to explain that it is also profitable to have an autonomous region within a country – said the MEP who believes that the decentralization of different institutions would be a great step towards Szeklerland’s self government because in this way, some form of self government could be exercised at some levels.
„It is not enough to wage political wars in order to obtain the autonomy, we also must use all the lawful opportunities that serve the preservation of our Hungarian identity” – declared Csaba Sógor.
Csaba Sógor explained that the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees are consciously preparing for the autonomy; they are ready to return to Tibet even the next day if they would be given their right of self government. They have their own government and institutions that can provide for the good functioning of the autonomy at any given moment. But the Tibetans’ aspiration for autonomy is not linked solely to the Dalai Lama; they have an alternative plan as well that involves Karmapa the XVIIth. He is the only reincarnation who is recognized by both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, thus he may be the foundation of a new relationship between the Chinese and the Tibetans.
The Tibetan autonomy can also benefit from the fact that China already has two cities that enjoy an autonomy status: Hong Kong and Macau. As Areas of Special Administration, both cities are independent from China; they only need to coordinate on matters of national safety and foreign affairs. Csaba Sógor also said that it is in the interest of China with its aspiration to be a global power, to provide fundamental human rights.
- It is not unimaginable that Tibet will follow the two cities on the path of autonomy if China realizes that the Tibetan people do not desire independence, but rather a consistent form of political autonomy without the endangerment of the country’s territorial integrity – explained Sógor.
In the case of Szeklerland’s autonomy, politicians make efforts to fully explain: the autonomy is not a threat to the integrity of the state; but it is a mere tool that provides peaceful coexistence. – We need to neutralise the Romanian’s fear through dialogue. We need to explain that it is also profitable to have an autonomous region within a country – said the MEP who believes that the decentralization of different institutions would be a great step towards Szeklerland’s self government because in this way, some form of self government could be exercised at some levels.
„It is not enough to wage political wars in order to obtain the autonomy, we also must use all the lawful opportunities that serve the preservation of our Hungarian identity” – declared Csaba Sógor.
