Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 1: At a high-level UN side event held during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council on June 27, prominent Tibetan educational sociologist and activist Dr. Gyal Lo delivered an impassioned plea for international solidarity and intervention to counter China’s ongoing religious persecution and assimilation policies in Tibet.
Speaking during the 59th session of the UNHRC, Dr. Gyal Lo emphasized that for generations of Tibetans, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not only a spiritual leader but the living symbol of the Tibetan nation. He described Beijing’s efforts to control the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation as a deeply political move aimed at consolidating China’s colonial rule in Tibet.
He condemned China’s attempt to control the future reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, stating unequivocally that “an atheist government that has spent seven decades destroying monasteries, imprisoning monks and nuns, and criminalizing our faith has neither the right nor the legitimacy to interfere in a sacred religious tradition they do not believe in.” He cited the 1995 abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognized by the Dalai Lama, as a clear example of Beijing’s efforts to co-opt Tibetan religious authority by installing a government-selected “puppet.
He also drew attention to the systematic separation of over a million Tibetan children from their families through colonial-style boarding schools. “These so-called schools are not about education—they are about indoctrination,” he warned, noting that this policy aims to erase Tibetan language, culture, and loyalty to the Dalai Lama.
To counter these efforts, Dr. Gyal Lo called on states and international institutions to take concrete action. He called for the issuance and repetition of clear statements affirming that only the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people have the authority to determine his succession, while firmly rejecting China’s attempts to interfere in this sacred religious process. He also advocated for targeted sanctions against Chinese officials involved in manipulating the reincarnation process, and pressed for the immediate dismantling of the coercive colonial boarding school system—an appeal aligned with recommendations from multiple UN bodies, including the Special Procedures, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
Concluding his remarks, Dr. Gyal Lo voiced a message of resilience and determination: “The institution of the Dalai Lama, which is nearly 630 years old, has outlasted dynasties and empires. I believe it will outlive the Chinese Communist Party as well.”
“The faith of the Tibetan people is strong. Our spirit is unbroken. The future belongs to us—a people who believe in democracy and the fundamental rights and freedoms of all.”
The event, hosted by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, featured Tibetan advocates and included a statement from the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. International experts present highlighted the urgency of the situation and the need for action.
