The Dalai Lama and Tibet’s Future

P. Stobdan

Archive data: Person was Senior Fellow at IDSA from January 1993 to December 2018 Ambassador (Prof.) P. Stobdan is a distinguished academician, diplomat, author and foreign policy expert. He has… Continue reading The Dalai Lama and Tibet’s Future read more

In an ominous way the Dalai Lama recently threatened to terminate the over 400-year-old spiritual lineage of his position, saying that Tibetans no longer require the authority of the Dalai Lama and it would be a shame if a ‘weak’ person succeeded him.

In 2011, he also gave up his political authority in favour of an elected leader among Tibetans living in exile. Seemingly, the motive for these measures was to forestall any alternative plan by Beijing to appoint a successor after him and challenge the authority of such an appointment if Beijing does so.