The Dalai Lama's response

In June 1951, entrusted by the central government, the representative Zhang Jingwu sent Chairman Mao's letter to the Dalai Lama.

In October, the Dalai Lama wired to Beijing to express his support to the "17-Article Agreement."

Picture shows the cable sent by the 14th Dalai Lama to Chairman Mao Zedong, in which Dalai expressed his support to the Agreement on the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet.[File Photo/Xinhua]

The Dalai Lama wrote to Chairman Mao Zedong on Oct.2, 1951: "The local government of Tibet as well as the Tibetan monks and laymen unanimously support this agreement, and under the leadership of Chairman Mao and the Central People's Government, will actively assist the People's Liberation Army troops in marching into Tibet, in order to consolidate national defense, drive imperialist forces out of Tibet and safeguard the territorial and sovereignty integrity of the motherland."

However, in 1959 it was the same Dalai Lama who tore up the Agreement and fled abroad. On his way to India on March 26 1959, the Dalai Lama repudiated the "17-point Agreement" as having been "thrust upon Tibetan Government and people by the threat of arms".

Canadian scholar A. Tom Grunfeld wrote in his book titled "The Making of Modern Tibet":"If this accusation is true, why didn't the Dalai Lama mention it in his letter? And, if this Agreement was imposed on Tibetans, why did the Dalai Lama and almost all the Tibetan nobles return to Lhasa and work with the Han people together?"

Sthe Dalai Lama broke his promise, disappointed the central government for its trust on him and betrayed his motherland. Then what is the credibility of him as a "Buddhist savior"?