…insists that it has the right to choose the next Dalai Lama. It says the selection must follow Chinese laws and traditions,which include reincarnation.
In 1995,the Dalai Lama named a six-year-old boy as the 11th Panchen Lama,the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism. China rejected the choice, and installed its own Panchen Lama. The boy disappeared from public view, and is believed to be living under house arrest.
The Dalai Lama is now 88 years old,and his death will trigger a succession crisis. The Party will want to install a successor who is loyal to Beijing, and who will not challenge its authority.
But many Tibetans will not accept a Dalai Lama chosen by Beijing. They will see him as a puppet of the Party, and will continue to revere the Dalai Lama in exile.
The succession crisis could lead to further unrest in Tibet,and could further erode the Tibetan identity. It is a challenge that Beijing must address carefully,if it wants to maintain stability in the region.
