China Fumes after Dalai Lama says his reincarnation will be born outside China
by Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA 13, March: China has reacted furiously by declaring the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who is in “political exile’, a “separatist” with “no right to represent the Tibetan people” following the release of the Dalai Lama’s new book, ‘Voice for the Voiceless’ on Tuesday,, which clearly indicated the next Dalai Lama will be born outside of China.
The Chinese foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mao Ning reacted with a strong retaliation, asserting China’s forced legitimacy over the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama and the institution itself on the same day the book was launched, Reuters reported.
Ning said the Dalai Lama’s lineage as a religious standing and the title has been affirmed by the Chinese government for several hundred years, and claimed the Dalai Lama himself was found and confirmed in line with a set of rituals and conventions which are approved by “the then central government”.
She accused the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate of “engaging in separatist activities under the guise of religion” adding the Dalai Lama has absolutely no right to represent Tibetan in Tibet.
The private office of the Dalai Lama declined to comment over the remarks of the Chinese foreign Ministry spokesperson, declaring it a repetition of Chinese claims that lack merit.
In a sequence of preconditioned negotiations with the Dalai Lama, Beijing in February proposed its desire for the Dalai Lama to “return to the right path”, stating that discussions about his future could only proceed if he recognised Tibet and Taiwan as inalienable part of China and accepted the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government.
While the Central Tibetan Administration(CTA), also known as the Tibetan government in exile has rejected this proposal on the ground of distortion of history, Dolma Tsering Teykhang, the Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan parliament in exile completely ruled it out, declaring its not feasible for the Dalai Lama to lie.
The CTA demands genuine autonomy in line with the Chinese constitution, advocating the middle way policy. This approach avoids calling for a separate statehood for the Tibetan people while still upholding the historical independence of Tibet as a nation before its occupation.
With ChIna repeatedly accusing the Dalai Lama of duplicity, the Tibetan issue still remains unresolved. China claims Tibet as its integral part since antiquity while the Tibetans claim China has never ruled Tibet before its complete occupation in 1959.
