The Dalai Lama said Tibetans felt their heritage had received a “death sentence,” but he said the future looked brighter for his people as China modernizes.
In a CNN interview broadcast on Sunday, the 73-year-old spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists also said his reincarnation would be found in the “free world” rather than in Chinese-occupied Tibet.
Chinese hardliners were guilty of “cultural genocide” in their assault on Tibet’s way of life, he said.
Speaking in English, he said the vast majority of Tibetans were “very unhappy” as they saw their “cultural heritage passing through something like a death sentence.”
Viewed locally, the Dalai Lama said, Tibet’s prospects appear “hopeless,” as China’s rulers seek to flood the region with ethnic Han settlers and dilute its Buddhist culture.
“If we look at [the] Tibetan issue from a wider perspective, I feel much hope because China is changing,” he said, also noting strong public support for Tibet in Europe and North America.
“And then on the other hand, the Tibetan spirit inside Tibet is wonderful,” he said.
The Dalai Lama has frequently said he wants to retire but has kept up a frenetic travel schedule.
The Nobel Peace laureate is touring the US, but does not plan to visit Washington.
He is expected to return to the US in October, when he hopes to meet with US President Barack Obama.
China should see the Dalai Lama as “part of the solution” on Tibet instead of trying to isolate him, Obama’s top Asia adviser Jeff Bader said on May 1.
But Beijing brands the Dalai Lama a separatist and has stepped up pressure on world leaders, including Obama, not to meet with him.
The Buddhist leader fled to India 50 years ago as China crushed an abortive uprising in Tibet.
The Dalai Lama, an advocate of non-violence, says he is only seeking greater rights for Tibetans under Chinese rule.
However, he said the Tibetan homeland included parts of five Chinese provinces beyond the Tibet Autonomous Region.
“All in part they are Tibetan there,” he said. “My definition of Tibet are those people who speak Tibetan, who practice Tibetan culture.”
The Dalai Lama rejected China’s insistence that it would select the boy reincarnation who will become Tibet’s next Buddhist leader.
The next Dalai Lama would have to continue his unfinished work, “so logically in case I die outside [Tibet],” the new leader would have to be found “in outside free world.”
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS