US Senate passes resolution rejecting China’s role in reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist figures/ENG

2018. április 27./Phayul.com/TibetPress

eredeti cikk

By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, April 27: The United States Senate has passed a resolution on Wednesday that supported the right of the Tibetan Buddhists to hold authority over the reincarnation process of spiritual leaders, as opposed to the heavy-handedness of the communist Beijing government.

The unanimously passed resolution 429, “affirmed its support for the Tibetan people’s fundamental human rights and freedoms, including their right to self-determination and the protection of their distinct identity. The Senate expressed its sense that prominent among these rights is that the identification and installation of Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders as a matter that should be determined solely within the Tibetan Buddhist faith community, in accordance with the inalienable right to religious freedom.”

The bill introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), addresses the bottleneck issue over the legitimacy of religious authority through spiritual leaders that is practiced widely in Tibetan Buddhism. The bill called for, “the right of Tibetan Buddhists to determine their own leadership, including a future 15th Dalai Lama, free of outside interference from the Chinese Government.”

U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) have introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

Senators Leahy said, “We stand by the Tibetan people, who have long been our unwavering friends,” said Leahy. “We also stand by the rights of Tibetan Buddhists, not just in Tibet but around the world, who should be able to determine their own religious leadership in accordance with their inalienable right to religious freedom.”

The antics of Beijing claiming authority over the reincarnation of Tibetan spiritual leaders, many say, have prompted the move. China has earlier abducted the Dalai Lama endorsed Panchen Lama considered by many to be the real Panchen Lama and instead appointed their own candidate.

China has also claimed legitimacy over the right to appoint the next Dalai Lama. The 82 year old Dalai Lama in response have claimed sole authority over the matter and said it is up to the Tibetan people whether a next Dalai Lama should come or not.