Tibetan People's Movement Condemn China's New Religious Repression Tactics

Tibetan Women's Association - GuChuSum - National Democratic Party of Tibet - Students for a Free Tibet, India

The China's State Administration of Religious Affairs (SARA) released a 14-article measures on reincarnation on July 18, 2007. Those restrictive measures came into effect on September 1st, 2007 openly exhibiting Chinese Government's rampant attempt to undermine religious freedom in Tibet.

When we read the 14-article released by SARA, we found that there were 13 main points structured under 5 sub-categories. Following is a gist from the Chinese government's official 14-article.

1. The importance of the Golden Urn Process in selecting reincarnations.
2. As per the hierarchy of the Lama, each reincarnation will have to get approval from one of the following authorities; the Central People's Repulic of China (PRC), SARA, province officials or local authorities. In this way the Chinese government will have complete authority over the reincarnation process in Tibetan Buddhism.
3. The Chinese government also made it very clear that they will not entertain any international government's policies or any individuals from outside of China to attenuate China's policies.

We recognise the 14-article measures to be no more than the PRC's effort to further restrict Tibetans' religious rights.

This restrictive measure not only goes against the centuries old Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and but distincly hinders the reincarnation process in the future as well. This new policy also tramples upon the religious freedom of every religious persons worldwide. We believe that people of faith everywhere who longs for peace and truth, be it Christians, Muslims, Hindus or Jews will never keep quiet at this outrageous Chinese policy on Tibetan Buddhism.

Tibetans around the world will doubtlessly protest the Chinese government's new policies on Tibetan Lama's reincarnation process.

1. History of Buddhism springs forth from the Himalayan regions of India, Tibet, Mongol and China. Now, Buddhism has spread so far and wide into the western countries as well. PRC's direct intervention in determining future Lamas of Tibetan Buddhism has crossed all limits as they absolutely reserve no right to interfere in any levels of Tibetan Buddhism.
2. Many Tibetan Lama's have shouldered great responsibilities in Tibet's history. It is very clear from the history of Tibetan Buddhism that His Holiness the Dalai Lama reserves the right to recognise many high Tibetan Lamas. High ranking lamas of each Buddhist sect also reserves the right to recognise other lamas within their sect. Even after almost 50 years of Tibet's colonization, we, the Tibetan people have invested our trust in His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other high lamas of each sect to recognise future lamas and there is no room for political games in Tibetan Buddhism.
3. We regard PRC, an athiestic government that views religion as poison, intervening in the Tibetan Buddhist lama selection process as a major obstruction to the future of Tibetan Buddhism. This new policy may also prove to be a hindrance for religious harmony amongst many world religions in the future as well.

Due to the above reasons, we will definitely challenge and campaign against this new restrictive Chinese policy and there is no way that we will compromise on this issue. If the Chinese government wants to create a conducive environment for Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan Lamas to advocate peace and harmony within China itself, then we think it is their utmost responsibility to honor His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the respect and prestige that he deserves for being the spiritual and temporal political leader of Tibetan people. The Chinese government should also respond concretely and as early as possible to His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visionary Middle Path approach.

We will never accept this new policy of getting approval from Chinese government to legitimise Tibetan Lamas and we firmly believe that people of conscience around the world who support peace, truth, democracy and freedom will also protest this new policy.