Dalai Lama 70th Sees Withdrawal from politics

Tibet’s exile leader the Dalai Lama has celebrated his 70th birthday while still in exile in India by relinquishing politics to elected representatives.

In a speech to thousands of Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala the spiritual and worldly leader of Tibet consigned politicians of the parliament-in-exile to continue the struggle for autonomy.

The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, presented a book about the Indian Independence Hero Mahatma Gandhi. A spokesperson referred to Gandhi’s concept of non-violent resistance, which is also the Dalai Lama’s paradigm.

China’s communist “people liberation army” marched into Tibet in 1950/51. At the abatement of the Tibetan national uprising by the Chinese ten thousands were killed in 1959.

Since then the Dalai Lama has been living in exile. He accuses the Chinese government in Peking of severe offences against Tibetan peoples’ human rights; among these are forced abortions and sterilisations and cultural genocide through massive population transfers. He is also against a totally independent Tibet, what is the Nationalists demand.

In his birthday speech the Dalai Lama called for “inner peace and compassion”.

“My people set hope and trust in me, but as there exist an elected political leadership, I increasingly try to withdraw from politics”, he said.

He added that it would be better for the Tibetan people, if he relinquished active politics to elected representatives.

The Dalai Lama asked for “more patience and more determination” of the Tibetans at the negotiations with Peking and was confident that a conciliation might be reached while he is alive.

Contact between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government has taken place in Bern between assignees of the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese Embassy.

Tibetan exile government spokesperson, Thubten Samphel, said this is a sign that Peking wanted to achieve “serious advancements”.

The Dalai Lama has said on various occasions that after his death he would not reincarnate in occupied Tibet or under Chinese authority.

According to the teachings of the Tibetan Lamaism the Dalai Lama (“Ocean of Wisdom”) as reincarnation of the Boddhisattwa Awalokiteshwara has influence on place and family, in which he is again reborn.

The Dalai Lama was born the son of poor farmers on July 6 1935 in the province of Amdo. At the age of four years he was recognized to be the reincarnation of the 13.th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, who died in 1933.

Members of the “Free Tibet” campaign have called upon British Prime Minister Tony Blair to enforce improvements for the people while The UK holds the chair of the European Council.

This would be the “best birthday present that Blair could give to the Dalai Lama”, said a spokesperson. China’s party leader Hu Jintao last week took part at the G8-Summit in Scotland.

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