The International Campaign for Tibet welcomes the op-ed published today in EUobserver, signed by 34 Members of the European Parliament from 15 EU countries, urging China not to interfere in the selection of the next Dalai Lama.
In what is a matter of relief to millions of Tibetan Buddhist devotees and supporters, the 14th Dalai Lama on 2 July made public a statement affirming the continuation of the institution of Dalai Lama.
At a high-level side event during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 27 June, international experts issued urgent warnings about the growing threat to religious freedom and the cultural identity of Tibetans due to the Chinese government’s interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama.
On the occasion of the 40th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, held on 13 June in Brussels, the European Union has reaffirmed that the selection of religious leaders should happen without government interference and in accordance with religious norms – including for the succession of the Dalai Lama.
The 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet (WPCT) concluded on 4 June in Japan’s capital Tokyo, capping two days dedicated to advancing global solidarity for Tibet, countering Chinese influence, and advancing coordinated legislative efforts.
This reports highlights the threats faced by Tibetans in Tibet who celebrate the birthday of their Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and urges the international community — including United Nations bodies, national governments, parliaments, and civil society organizations—to call on China to cease its repressive actions.
The People’s Republic of China’s hydropower and dam projects are increasingly leading to massive human rights violations and environmental damage in Tibet. Since Asia’s largest rivers originate in the Tibetan plateau, the construction of hydroelectric dams in Tibet also threaten the water supply, livelihoods and health of up to 1.8 billion people across China, South and Southeast Asia.
This report shows how the Buddhist Association of China (BAC), a supposedly non-political organization, is becoming a key instrument in the Chinese Communist Party’s strategy to assimilate and transform Tibetan Buddhism – particularly in relation to the search for and recognition of reincarnate lamas.
