Dalai Lama, on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day on Monday, reaffirmed that his successor will be born outside China at Dharamshala.

On the same day,Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Penpa Tsering accused the Chinese leadership of pursuing a deliberate policy to erase Tibetan identity.

Beijing has dismissed the Dalai Lama’s claim, insisting it holds the sole authority to appoint the next Dalai Lama, despite opposition from Tibetan spiritual communities and human rights groups.

Dalai Lama, earlier in his book “Voice for the Voiceless”, had also wrote that his successor, the Buddhist spiritual leader, would not be from China. 

Moreover, Tsering stated that China’s policies have led to mass suppression of Tibetan religious freedoms, language, and traditions. Over a million Tibetans have died, and around 80,000 fled into exile, including the Dalai Lama, who has lived in India since the 1959 uprising, noted the ousted prime minister.

China has forcibly enrolled over a million Tibetan children in colonial-style boarding schools, restricted monasteries, and severely curtailed the Tibetan language in education. Additionally, unchecked Chinese mining and construction projects are causing irreversible environmental damage.

Tsering reaffirmed the Tibetan administration-in-exile’s commitment to dialogue, advocating the Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ approach for genuine autonomy within China. As Tibetans marked National Uprising Day, delegations from Slovakia and Estonia joined the ceremonies, underscoring continued global support for Tibet’s struggle.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)