By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, April 11: The President of the Central Tibetan Administration, known also as the Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering is set to visit Washington DC later this month, at the invitation of long-time Tibet supporter Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “We have received an official invitation from the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who has been a strong supporter and advocate for Tibet. We will also be meeting with the State Department’s special coordinator for Tibetan issues Uzra Zeya and with many other government and non-governmental officials,” Tsering told Radio Free Asia in an interview last week.
The Washington visit, scheduled from April 25 to 29, includes a meeting with the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Uzra Zeya along with other US department government officials. “Since the pandemic has slowed down and countries are opening up, except for the situation in China, things are looking better for most of us. So I will be visiting there officially,” the Sikyong (President) said, adding that he would be marking the 33rd birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima in the US as per the request of Zeekyab Rinpoche, the abbot of Tashi Lhunpo monastery, to spread more awareness of the Panchen Lama’s disappearance. This will be followed by visits to Canada and Germany, he further added.
During the same interview, the Sikyong further remarked that a report by CTA detailing human rights abuses in Tibet is not yet ready for “a number of reasons” to be submitted to the Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, departments under CTA and the Permanent Strategy Committee established by the Sikyong are working together to push for a resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue. The Kashag (Cabinet) last year in August dissolved the ‘Task Force on Sino-Tibet Dialogue’ and set the Strategic Planning Committee in its place.
“Over the last decades, and especially under the leadership and authoritarian policies of Chinese president Xi Jinping, we have seen Tibetans face more and more religious and cultural repression aimed at wiping out the Tibetan identity,” Tsering said in the interview. Despite nine rounds of talks between the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of Beijing since 2002, China has rejected the Middle Way Approach, the official stance of the exile Tibetan government that seeks genuine autonomy under the framework of the Chinese constitution.
President Tsering is currently on a week-long official visit to Tibetan communities in Delhi, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
One Response
One of the most important aspect for the Tibetan struggle is the person of HH The Dalai Lama. We have to make sure that any attempts by the vile CCP regime to interfere in the reincarnation of HH is thwarted by all means. Since the Tibetan leader is visiting the US at the invitation of the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, it’s time to tell the US leadership that Tibetans will never ever accept the CCP’s sinister attempt to hijack the reincarnation!!!
The selection of the Dalai Lama is solely the prerogative of the Tibetan High Lamas and no one else. Lay people, especially Chinese communists, who are lesser beings have no say nor any right in the choice of the Dalai Lamas. This is a time tested tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and no earthly being has any business in the choice of a holy being such as the Dalai Lama.
HH The Dalai Lama himself has said, “if the CCP is capable of recognising reincarnations, they should first do so with Mao’s reincarnation and then Deng”! This is a biting sarcasm to ridicule the CCP’s drivel about the future reincarnation of the present Dalai Lama. HH also said, “in order to recognise reincarnation, one must believe in the notion of life after death”. The CCP believes only in the destruction of the holy Dharma! The infidel CCP destroyed every monastery in Tibet to show their hatred of the holy Dharma and its philosophy. It is a rabid anti-Buddhist heathen outfit who has consistently campaigned with ruthless ferocity to stamp out Tibetan Buddhism by razing monasteries to the ground, demolishing holy statues of the Buddhas, desecrating religious sites and murdering the monks and nuns. Such a virulent anti-Buddhist and anti-Dalai Lama outfit making ridiculous claims is extremely offensive and is sacrilegious in the eyes of the Tibetan people.
It is hoped that this visit is not just used for photo opportunities but must drive home to the American leadership the very strong sentiment of the Tibetan people against the criminal CCP’s attempt to interfere in the reincarnation of the present Dalai Lama.
The evil CCP has termed HH The Dalai Lama as a “slave owner” in order to facilitate their illegal occupation of Tibet in the 1950s! Now after six decades, the very people who demonised the Dalai Lama wants to facilitate His reincarnation in order to use him as a pawn to give their illegal occupation of Tibet a veneer of legitimacy!!!
The whole reason for a reincarnation to return to the earth is to serve the Buddha Dharma and help sentient beings. Attempting to use a holy person’s influence for political purposes goes totally against the very concept of reincarnation. It’s like turning sandalwood into charcoal! It’s therefore completely unacceptable and that the US Government is apprised of the sentiments of Tibetan Buddhists and help Tibet to retain the sanctity of the very sacrosanct nature of the HH The Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. The person of Dalai Lama doesn’t need any recognition by any nation, Government or organisation. ONLY THE BONAFIDE HOLY LAMA’S OF TIBET CAN RECOGNISE THE REINCARNATION OF THE DALAI LAMA ON THEIR FREE WILL AND NOBODY ELSE!