w*********s
发帖数: 2136 | 1 Dalai Lama to retire from political life
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 10 March 2011 04.23 GMT
The Dalai Lama has announced he will retire from political life within days.
In a speech posted on the internet and delivered in the northern Indian hill
town of Dharamasala, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader said he would
ask the Tibetan parliament in exile to make the necessary constitutional
changes to relieve him of his "formal authority" as head of the Tibetan
community outside China.
The assembly, which meets early next week, is expected to approve his
request. Though long-anticipated, the move away from the limelight by one of
the world's best known political figures signals a dramatic change.
Analysts and supporters have described the decision of the Dalai Lama, whose
office traditionally combines spiritual and temporal roles, as historic.
Kate Saunders, of the International Campaign for Tibet, said the decision
meant that "at a perilous moment in the history of Tibet" the Dalai Lama was
"expressing his faith in the Tibetan people".
The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has progressively distanced himself
from a direct political role and expressed a desire to live as a simple monk.
"As early as the 1960s, I have repeatedly stressed that Tibetans need a
leader, elected freely by the Tibetan people, to whom I can devolve power.
Now, we have clearly reached the time to put this into effect," the 76-year-
old told an audience at his traditional appearance to mark the anniversary
of the Tibetan people's 1959 uprising against communist Chinese authorities
in Lhasa, and his own escape to India.
Next week the Tibetan community in exile will vote to elect a new Kalon
Tripa, or prime minister, who will, depending on the constitutional changes,
take on the Dalai Lama's political functions.
The Dalai Lama, who is revered by his followers as the 14th reincarnation of
the Buddha Avalokiteshvara who achieved spiritual enlightenment, said many
of his supporters had asked him not to take the step.
"Since I made my intention clear I have received repeated and earnest
requests both from within Tibet and outside, to continue to provide
political leadership," he said. "My desire to devolve authority has nothing
to do with a wish to shirk responsibility. It is to benefit Tibetans in the
long run."
The speech, analysts said, was particularly aimed at the 6 million Tibetans
living in China. The Dalai Lama and his senior aides have been concerned in
recent years about a gulf opening between the views and values of the two
communities.
In Thursday's speech the Dalai Lama spoke of recent events in the Middle
East, describing them as "remarkable non-violent struggles for freedom and
democracy".
"I am a firm believer in non-violence and people power and these events have
shown once again that determined non-violent action can indeed bring about
positive change," he said. "We must all hope that these inspiring changes
lead to genuine freedom, happiness and prosperity for the peoples in these
countries."
The Dalai Lama also reminded his audience of the importance of preserving
Tibet's environment, a key theme in recent years.
The move has been flagged up on a number of occasions. Last year the he told
a conference in Delhi that a new set of political leaders were emerging
among exiled Tibetans. Since 1960 an assembly has been elected by voters in
exile but only since 2001 the office of prime minister has been elected too.
For the coming polls, 80,000 voters have registered in India, Nepal, Bhutan
, US, Europe, Australia and elsewhere.
As unrest rippled through Tibetan areas in 2008, the Dalai Lama threatened
to resign as leader of the administration in exile if violence continued.
Two years ago, the German news magazine Der Spiegel asked him whether it was
possible to resign his position, given that Tibetans believe him to be the
latest reincarnation in a long line of religious leaders. He told them he
would "no longer play a political role or a pronounced spiritual role".
The question of the spiritual succession is highly controversial and has the
potential to spark serious fractures within the Tibetan community. Chinese
authorities are likely to exploit any opportunities offered by the
transition of power.
The Dalai Lama is considering ways of averting any succession crisis,
possibly through the unprecedented step of seeking his own reincarnation.
The Tibetan emigré community is keen to anticipate the moves Chinese
authorities are likely to make when the Dalai Lama dies.
Beijing insists it has the right to approve the reincarnations of the senior
Tibetan monks and has said the next Dalai Lama will be born in China.
But the Dalai Lama has suggested that since he is likely to die in exile, he
will also be reincarnated there.
China's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, said the Dalai Lama was
playing "tricks to deceive the international community", the news agency
Agence France Presse reported.
Supporters suggest the retirement may, paradoxically, increase the Dalai
Lama's influence on behalf of his community. China has repeatedly warned the
leaders of other countries against meeting him.
"Up until now [foreign governments] have often sought to overcome the
perception of dealing with him as a political leader ... there's a
possibility that they may find it easier to have a formal relationship with
him as an eminent religious leader," said Saunders.
But she added that the Dalai Lama would continue to be regarded by the
Tibetan people as their free spokesperson: "In a sense, [he] cannot retire,"
she said. | P*V
发帖数: 587 | 2 此人已经多次说要退休阿啥的
正如老将说不来菌斑了，布莱mit了
一样的
days.
hill
of
【在 w*********s 的大作中提到】
: Dalai Lama to retire from political life
: guardian.co.uk, Thursday 10 March 2011 04.23 GMT
: The Dalai Lama has announced he will retire from political life within days.
: In a speech posted on the internet and delivered in the northern Indian hill
: town of Dharamasala, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader said he would
: ask the Tibetan parliament in exile to make the necessary constitutional
: changes to relieve him of his "formal authority" as head of the Tibetan
: community outside China.
: The assembly, which meets early next week, is expected to approve his
: request. Though long-anticipated, the move away from the limelight by one of
|
|
