DHARAMSALA, 21 October 1995 - The persistent Tibetan rallying behind the new Panchen Lama recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 14 May this year is viewed by Beijing as a dangerous erosion of its authority in Tibet. In a counter-move which clearly reflects the bankruptcy of China's religious policy in Tibet, Beijing announced this week that it will hold a meeting of Tibetan religious leaders in the Chinese capital and force them to come up with a rival candidate for the prestigious post.

The Chinese move follows a series of meetings held throughout Tibet this summer with some of the highest religious circles who unanimously informed the authorities that only the candidate recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be considered legitimate in the eyes of the Tibetan people. They also said that no amount of administrative diktat on the part of the authorities will make the Tibetan people recognize a Panchen Lama other than one chosen by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Faced with such stubborn resistance to their attempts at making the Tibetans disown the new Panchen Lama, the authorities changed tact by going into each individual lama's house and threatening them with dire consequences if they did not listen to the authorities.

"The present Chinese move follows the traditional colonial policy of divide and rule," said Kalon Sonam Topgyal, the chairman of the Tibetan cabinet. "The Chinese authorities had hoped to use the late Panchen Lama to gain some legitimacy for their rule in Tibet, but instead before his untimely passing away the last Panchen Lama made a blistering attack on the Chinese policies in Tibet and said that if someone were to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of Chinese rule of Tibet, the disadvantages out-weighed the advantages China brought to Tibet."

Kalon Sonam Topgyal said that the present Chinese move also shows that there is no religious freedom in Tibet. "If there were real freedom of religion in Tibet, China should respect the wishes of the Tibetan people by supporting the Panchen Lama recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on whom all Tibetans put their trust and faith."

On May 14, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized a six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation of the last Panchen Lama who passed away in 1989.

This announcement forced the Chinese authorities in Tibet to detain Chadrel Rinpoche, the head of the Beijing-appointed selection committee for the new Panchen Lama and 47 other Tibetans, all of whom were accused by Beijing of colluding with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to enable him to make the announcement before the Chinese authorities. The new Panchen Lama and his family members were also detained.

Authorities also came down hard on Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the traditional religious seat of the Panchen Lamas. In a series of meetings of monks and senior religious leaders of the monastery, the authorities tried to force them to denounce the Dalai Lama's selection of the new Panchen Lama. One monk, rather than denounce the new Panchen Lama and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, committed suicide.

China's attempt to force the Tibetan religious leaders to select a another Panchen Lama will not be recognized by the international Buddhist community, especially by the Buddhists of Tibet's neighbours like Mongolia and the Himalayan region, where the Dalai Lama's prestige and spiritual authority is next to none.

The Chinese move will not also generate any international credibility, especially in view of the fact that the question of selecting a new Panchen Lama is a matter of faith with the Tibetan people. The Chinese leaders are atheists and their wanton attempt to interfere in the selection of Tibet's religious leaders will be exposed for what it is: a flagrant denial of the religious beliefs unique to the Tibetan people.

Tempa Tsering
Secretary
Department of Information & International Relations
Central Tibetan Administration
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamsala 176 215
INDIA

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