China’s Battle For Tibet’s Soul: The Fight To Control The Dalai Lama’s Succession – OpEd
All eyes will be on the Dalai Lama when he turns 90 on Sunday, 6 July, as he is likely to name his successor. Tibetans, Tibetan Buddhists, and supporters around the world are preparing to celebrate the life and legacy of the exiled spiritual leader. But Tibetans inside Tibet face severe risks for doing the same.
Past incidents have shown that individuals marking the Dalai Lama’s birthday in Tibet may be subjected to arbitrary arrest, lengthy prison sentences, torture, and may even risk being shot and killed. Their celebration occurs in a climate of fear.
The situation this year is going to be no different. Already, there is tension in the air as the Dalai Lama has said that the Tibetan Buddhist community he leads has the “sole authority” to recognise his future incarnation, asserting control over a succession process contested by China. This has not gone down well with the Chinese establishment, which considers the Dalai Lama a separatist.
In response to the announcement by the Dalai Lama, China has said that the Dalai Lama’s successor “must be approved by the central government”. This is an indicator of the things to come.
China is actively trying to exert control over the selection of the next Dalai Lama, a process that Tibetans consider a spiritual matter. The current Dalai Lama has stated that any successor chosen by China will not be recognised by the Tibetan people.
The tussle between China and the Dalai Lama has a long and chequered history. The Dalai Lama fled China in 1959 after the Chinese army invaded Tibet to bring the region under the control of the Communist Party.
He has lived in India ever since, helping to establish a democracy in exile. The Chinese government sees the octogenarian leader as a separatist who seeks independence for Tibet, where more than six million Tibetans live.
In his absence, Beijing has tried to bring elements of the Tibetan religious institution under state control, and erase Tibetan culture to absorb the people into one nation united around the Communist Party. To achieve this goal, the Chinese authorities go to any extent.
A recent International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) report, ‘Celebrating in Fear: China’s Crackdown on Dalai Lama Birthday Tributes in Tibet’, highlights the threats faced by Tibetans in Tibet and urges the international community — including United Nations bodies, national governments, parliaments, and civil society organisations—to call on China to cease its repressive actions.
The Chinese government frequently restricts or prohibits public celebrations of the Dalai Lama’s birthday in Tibetan areas, viewing it as a display of support for Tibetan separatism.
Tibetan communities, both inside and outside Tibet, face increased surveillance and intimidation from Chinese authorities during these periods, with reports of increased security presence, restrictions on movement, and interrogations.
The Chinese government’s actions are seen as a broader attempt to suppress Tibetan culture, religion, and autonomy, with celebrations of the Dalai Lama’s birthday being one example of the restrictions placed on these aspects of Tibetan life.
The Chinese government is pushing for the “sinicisation of religion,” meaning the integration of Tibetan Buddhism with Chinese culture and ideology, which includes controlling religious practices and leadership.
While Chinese suppression of Tibetans is a continuous occurrence, the crackdown intensifies around significant dates like the Dalai Lama’s birthday, as well as during anniversaries of the 1959 uprising and other key events.
