The Dalai Lama has announced his intention to relinquish his political responsibilities as head of Tibet’s government-in-exile.
He made the announcement during a speech to mark the 52nd anniversary of the failed 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule — an event which forced him to flee into exile in neighbouring India, where he has lived ever since.
The Dalai Lama has been the most prominent figure in the fight for “meaningful” Tibetan autonomy since it was occupied by Chinese troops in 1950. Beijing has long claimed Tibet, situated to the north of the Himalayas, as part of China.
At present, the 14th Dalai Lama has a political and religious function. He will stand down as the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in India, while retaining his lifelong religious role as the head of the Gelup School of Tibetan Buddhism. He will also continue as Tibet’s spiritual leader.
During the next session of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile on March 14, the Dalai Lama will formally propose an amendment to its constitution — known as the Charter for Tibetans in Exile — allowing him to devolve political authority to an elected leader known as the Kalon Tripa, or prime minister.
He told CNN in October that he would like to retire at some point. “I’m also a human being. … Retirement is also my right,” he said while on a speaking tour of North America.
According to the head of a Tibetan pro-democracy group, news of the Dalai Lama’s “retirement” plan comes as no surprise. “It’s all part of a process that has been going on for over 10 years,” said Stephanie Brigdon, Director of London-based Free Tibet.
“The Dalai Lama has been trying to delegate more and more political authority to the Tibetan government-in-exile. Part of that is to manage the process of what happens when he leaves the stage, because the Chinese government for a very long time has been attempting to control the reincarnations of Tibetan Lamas inside Tibet.”
Paul Armstrong, CNN
