US wants UN to take up Dalai Lama succession: Envoy

A US ambassador wants global support for Tibetan's freedom to choose successor

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The US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom has called for the United Nations to get involved with the contentious issue of the Dalai Lama’s successor.

Traditionally picked by the outgoing Dalai Lama, the successor is believed to be a reincarnation of the Dalai Lama himself. However, the choice has no longer been left to the Dalai Lama, as China has asserted that any potential successor must first be approved by Beijing.

Speaking to AFP, Sam Brownback said that the UN should take up the matter as part of a global campaign to prevent China from overruling the religious freedom of the Tibetan people. He said that he told the Dalai Lama in an interaction in Dharamsala last week that he would help build global support for the idea that the choice “belongs to the Tibetan Buddhists and not the Chinese government.”

“I would hope that the UN would take the issue up," he added.

Recently, in October, China had stated that Beijing's approval would be necessary for any choice of successor. At the time, Brownback criticised China's stance, saying that the choice should rest with the Tibetan Buddhist system.

Just days earlier, on October 25, the Dalai Lama has instead called for the reincarnation system to be done away with, saying that no such system existed in India. He told THE WEEK the same in July, spelling out why he felt reincarnation was not important.

As the debate over the Dalai Lama's reincarnation moves from the Tibetan people to China to the Dalai Lama, Brownback's suggestion on Friday adds another dimension to the issue—the UN.

Brownback acknowledged that China, with its veto power on the Security Council, would work strenuously to block any action, but he hoped countries could at least raise their voices at the United Nations, saying that there needs to be a robust global discussion about the matter ahead of time.

The Dalai Lama has reduced the intensity of his travels, as a chest infection slowed him down. Notwithstanding this, he is not known to have serious health issues. According to Brownback, the Dalai Lama told him, “Look, I'm going to live another 15, 20 years; I'm going to outlast the Chinese government.”

But Beijing has indicated it is waiting out the Dalai Lama, believing his campaign for greater Tibetan autonomy will end with him.

Brownback also visited Nepal, historically the gateway for Tibetans fleeing to India but which has increasingly clamped down under pressure from its giant northern neighbour.

Brownback said he raised fears for Tibetans with Nepal's foreign minister, Pradeep Gyawali.

But, he acknowledged Nepal's difficult situation and said: "I would hate to be very harsh on the Nepalese because they've been so good over so many years to help the Tibetans."

Brownback said that the burden was ultimately with China to allow freedom of movement—and not to interfere in Tibetan Buddhism.

"A government doesn't own a religion," he said. "A religion runs itself." "We hope we'll get a number of other communities around the world to express similar positions and concerns."

With inputs from PTI

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