If There Are Two Dalai Lamas India Should Deal With the Tibetan People’s Choice: Shivshankar Menon

Описание: If there are two Dalai Lamas India should deal with the Tibetan people's choice: Shivshankar Menon, former NSA, Foreign Secretary & Ambassador to China, to Karan Thapar for The Wire.

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In an interview to discuss the Dalai Lama succession, India’s former National Security Advisor was asked what should be India’s response in the event there are two Dalai Lamas, one chosen by Beijing and the other by the Gaden Phodrang Trust in Dharamshala, and Shivshankar Menon replied: “We should keep dealing with whoever the Tibetan people choose as we have done so far.” Reiterating his point, Mr. Menon said: “We will deal with whoever the Tibetan people choose … wherever they make it (the choice). He’s (the Dalai Lama) laid down a procedure but it’s not necessarily in Dharamshala or wherever. Wherever the Tibetan people choose to do so (we should recognize their choice).



In a 23-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Shivshankar Menon, who has also served as Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to China, said that the Dalai Lama succession is “a sensitive issue” and its “not going to be easy to deal with.”



In the interview, Mr. Menon spoke extensively about China’s insistence on choosing the next Dalai Lama and how this contradicts its position as a Communist State that believes in atheist Marxism and dialectical materialism and which views Buddhism and other religions as an opium.



Mr. Menon also spoke about the impact on India-China relations if India chooses to deal with the Dalai Lama decided by Dharamshala as opposed to the Dalai Lama preferred by Beijing. As he put it, “China could make it a big issue or it may choose not to do so. At the moment, we don’t know.”



Mr. Menon also discusses the impact on relations between the USA and China if President Trump chooses to adhere to the 2020 Tibet Policy and Support Act, which imposes sanctions on any Chinese officials who interfere in the process of selecting the Dalai Lama. This Act was passed during President Trump’s first presidency.



On the face of it, Mr. Menon’s view seems to differ from that of Nirupama Rao, also a former Foreign Secretary and former Ambassador to China, who in an interview on Monday told us that in the event we end up with two Dalai Lamas India should not endorse either of them. As she put it: “India should continue hosting the Tibetan tradition without formally recognizing one Dalai Lama, selected by China, over the other, chosen by the Tibetan people here in India. This isn’t about taking sides … the intention is to avoid escalation and confrontation.”



Finally, speaking about the emotional and even political bond between the Indian people and the institution of the Dalai Lama as well as the Indian people and the Tibetan people, who worship the Dalai Lama, Mr. Menon said: “I think there’s always been a very special and strong bond between India and the Tibetans, the Tibetan people and with the Dalai Lamas of the past as well, right through.”



I will stop there. There’s a lot in this interview that will be of great interest. I, therefore, suggest you should see it for yourself.



Here is the link to the interview:


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