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DHARAMSHALA, January 12: The Tibetan Prime Minister (Sikyong) Dr.
Lobsang Sangay on Saturday rubbished all claims made by Beijing over the
reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, asserting that ‘historically, politically,
spiritually and logically,’ only His Holiness has the right over the
matter.
“Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong once said that ‘Religion is poison,’
so why the Chinese authorities are keen to recognize the reincarnation,”
Sikyong told the Japanese media while talking on the present situation in
Tibet, at Gokokuji Temple in Tokyo.
Sikyong stated that Chinese authority has destroyed ‘over 98% of
monasteries in Tibet and burned Tibetan Buddhist scriptures’. He also
compared the Chinese regime to North Korea and apartheid South Africa.
He also talked about the high level of scrutiny and surveillance the
Tibetans are subjected to, and that they live under constant fear.
“Tibetans are issued identity cards with 2nd generation high-tech chips by
the Chinese authority to monitor their movements.”
The Tibetan PM also criticized the Chinese façade of developing Tibetan
towns into cities, leading to further marginalization of the Tibetans. “The
urbanization of Tibet with a huge influx of Chinese migrants and large
scale exploitation of Tibet’s natural environment and resources are
influencing sharp rise in the temperature,” Sikyong said while addressing
the audience on ‘Melting Tibet, Threat to Asia’.
Expressing his concern over the environmental situation of the Tibetan
Plateau he said that ‘Tibet as a strategic area in terms of environment and
its direct impact on the world’s ecosystem’ must be protected. “Because of
the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Buddhists around the
world, we know why Tibet is important spiritually but lesser known fact is
the environmental and geopolitical significance of Tibet,” said Sikyong.
He also blamed the water diversion projects by China and its mining
activities for further damaging the fragile ecosystem on the plateau.
“Chinese mega hydropower projects on the rivers originating in the Tibetan
plateau would further accelerate the damage on Tibet’s fragile ecosystem
and threaten the flow of rivers in the downstream region,” he said.
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