China Says: Dalai Lama Can’t Pick His Own Successor

As feuding between the Chinese government and the Tibet people continues the Dalai Lama over the weekend said it was up to him if he would be reincarnated, something Beijing dismissed.

The 76-year-old spiritual leader of Tibet said he would make his decision when he’s “about 90? however China says it’s not his decision any longer and “the title of Dalai Lama is conferred by the central government and is illegal otherwise.”

In Tibetan tradition monks pick a boy to be Dalai Lama based on specific signs that he is the former leader’s reincarnation while the Dalai Lama has never helped identify his own successor as the current Dalai Lama is suggesting.

According to a rep for China’s foreign ministry. “The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should follow religious rituals and historical conventions and laws and regulations of this state.”

In the meantime the Dalai Lama says he will offer “clear guidelines to recognize the next Dalai Lama” noting that he plans to offer those guidelines when he’s still “physically and mentally fit.”

It should be noted that China has never approved of the spiritual leader in Tibet, throwing the current Dalai Lama into exile and killing thousands of Tibetan monks, women and children to spread their anti-Tibetan sentiment while claiming rights over the Tibetan land.

Do you believe that Tenzin Gyatso should have the right to help choose his successor by setting up strict guidelines for his reincarnation?