Letter: Let the Tibetan people choose their own path to liberation

"Power before Prayer" by John Billington (12 October), calls for Tibetans to ignore the Dalai Lama's policy of non-violence. Although the author was chairman of the Tibet Society of the UK until recently, these are his own views and not those of the society. It is up to the Tibetan people to choose their course of action for the liberation of their countrymen from the brutal oppression of the Chinese administration.

Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, Chairman of the democratically elected Tibetan exile parliament was on a lecture tour of the UK last week sponsored by the Tibet Society. He spoke for the first time of a Satyagraha, a non- violent civil disobedience campaign inside Tibet, which he intends to lead in the near future. "Time is running out for Tibet," he warned, "and this may be the final attempt. We have no future if we are not prepared to make sacrifices for restoring the dignity of the Tibetan people."

The Tibet Society will be promoting the Satyagraha over the months ahead, as we believe that this initiative is bold, courageous and, given sufficient support inside and outside of Tibet, has every chance of success.

Zara Fleming

The Tibet Society of the UK

London W1