JAKARTA - On July 6, 1935, the political leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama was born into the world. The Dalai Lama is a leading figure in the struggle for independence of Tibet and other democratic countries from China. China has high sentiments towards the Dalai Lama. Until now the Dalai Lama was exiled in India. Its existence is also 'disturbed'.

'Dalai Lama' is a title. 'Dalai' means 'ocean' in Mongolian. While 'Lama' is the equivalent of the Sanskrit word for 'guru' or spiritual teacher.

Taken together, the Dalai Lama's title is literally 'Sea Master', which means "spiritual master as deep as the ocean." He has the birth name Lhamo Dhondup and also has the name Tenzin Gyatso.

The Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Buddhist deity who symbolizes compassion. The Dalai Lama is also considered an enlightened being.

The Dalai Lama is said to have postponed life after his own death. He chose to be reborn to benefit mankind.

The Dalai Lama takes power at a young age
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatzo (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Dalai Lama assumed full political power in 1950, when he was 15 years old to be exact. However, his leadership was brief because in October of that year the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet with little resistance.

Don't stay still. In 1954 the Dalai Lama went to Beijing for peace talks with Chinese leader Mao Zedong. But in 1959, the suppression of the Tibetan people continued to be carried out by Chinese troops.

This led to the uprising of the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama and his closest advisers believe the Chinese government is planning to kill him.

The Dalai Lama and several thousand of his followers fled to Dharamshala in northern India and established an alternative government. The Chinese government regards the Dalai Lama as a symbol of an obsolete religious movement that is not in line with communist philosophy.

The Chinese government also accuses the Dalai Lama of being a separatist and a traitor for supporting self-rule in Tibet. The Dalai Lama is also labeled a terrorist for inciting an uprising in Tibet.

Conflict with China

Since the Chinese invasion, the Dalai Lama has taken many actions in hopes of establishing an autonomous Tibetan state within the People's Republic of China. In 1963, he issued a draft constitution for Tibet.

The constitution contains a number of reforms to democratize the government. The Dalai Lama wants Tibetans to have freedom of speech, belief, assembly and movement.

Citing Biography, during the 1960s, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) funded and trained Tibetan troops to resist the Chinese invasion and occupation. The Dalai Lama also provided knowledge and support to the Tibetan army.

But the program failed. Thousands of lives have been lost in what the United States sees as a Cold War ploy to challenge the Chinese government's legitimacy in the region.

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In September 1987, the Dalai Lama proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan for Tibet. It was the first step to making peace with the Chinese government and ending the volatile situation.

The plan proposes that Tibet be a sanctuary, where enlightened people can live in peace and the environment can be preserved. The Dalai Lama spoke to members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on 15 June 1988.

There, the Dalai Lama proposed talks between China and Tibet that would lead to a self-governing democratic political entity for Tibet. The entity will be linked to the People's Republic of China and the Chinese government is responsible for Tibet's foreign and defense policy.

'Negation' the Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

In 1991, the Tibetan government in exile declared the Strasbourg Proposal invalid because of the negative attitude of the Chinese leadership towards the proposal. The Dalai Lama continues to be seen as a man who wants to divide China, even earning the nickname "wolf in the robe of a monk."

Search engines in China even block the word 'Dalai Lama.' China really doesn't want to recognize the Dalai Lama and will continue to keep Tibet under Chinese rule.

In 2011, the Dalai Lama renounced worldly power and kept only the role of religion. It doesn't even help in changing the attitude of the Chinese government.

In 2017, the Central Tibetan Administration announced the Fifty-Fifty Vision aimed at solving the Tibetan problem within the next five years. At the same time they maintain and strengthen the resilience of the Tibetan government and people as well as the Tibetan freedom movement and the unique cultural identity of the Tibetan people for the next 50 years as needed.

But unfortunately, the step was no longer heard echoes. Overall, the Tibetan movement for independence and autonomy in China is not growing.

The Chinese government has also changed its pattern of dealing with the Dalai Lama. Initially it was said that the Dalai Lama had to accept that Tibet was part of China. Now, the Chinese government says the Dalai Lama himself accepted that Tibet was part of China long ago.

Photo illustration (Raimond Klavins/Unsplash)

China is increasingly trying to eliminate the Dalai Lama's influence in Tibet. Citing a BERNAS article entitled Stories of World Journalists Joining the Chinese Government's Tour to Tibet: There is a Smell of Eroding the Dalai Lama's Influence, China had engineered a visit by a group of Western journalists.

Various propaganda tools such as banners, pictures, messages from Chinese President Xi Jinping are scattered all over Tibet. Xi Jinping is trying to remove the influence of the Dalai Lama from Tibet.

The Chinese government has also allocated billions of dollars for the construction of roads, electricity systems, airports, trains, schools, and other life expectancy programs. "Tibet has eradicated extreme poverty."

"The people are now living a better life and living in contentment. A new socialist form in Tibet has taken its shape," the Chinese government's 2019 report on Tibet said.

*Read other information about WORLD HISTORY or read other interesting articles from Putri Ainur Islam.

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