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News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
The Next Dalai Lama: How Tibetan Monks Will 'Confirm' Reincarnation
Last Updated: On his 91st birthday in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama may reveal his successor—born outside China—defying Beijing's efforts to control Tibetan spiritual leadership Tibetans in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, are preparing for a grand celebration of the Dalai Lama's 91st birthday, amid much speculation that he may designate his successor. Unlike political appointments, the selection of a new Dalai Lama is guided by Buddhism's traditional process of reincarnation. Yet China insists on controlling this process, claiming the right to approve the next Dalai Lama, an assertion many Tibetans view as an attempt to undermine their culture. The succession is not merely a religious matter but one with geopolitical significance, drawing interest from India, the United States, and of course, China. The Nobel Peace Laureate has led the Tibetan community from Dharamshala for 66 years since fleeing Tibet in 1959, and remains revered far beyond Buddhist circles. How The 14th Dalai Lama Was Chosen According to Tibetan tradition, it is believed that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated after death. The 14th Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935, as Lhamo Dhondup into a farming family in north-eastern Tibet. At the age of two, a search team appointed by the Tibetan government confirmed his identity as the 'reincarnation" when he apparently recognised possessions belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama. In the winter of 1940, Lhamo Dhondup was brought to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, where he was formally enthroned as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. This time, the Gaden Phodrang Foundation, set up by the Dalai Lama in 2015, will head the search and recognition process. The Dalai Lama has stated that his successor will be born outside China, ensuring freedom from political interference. The Selection of His Successor The process of the selection of the successor involves: Ensuring Tibetan Governance In Exile Until a new Dalai Lama emerges, the Tibetan Parliamentary body in Dharamshala will continue managing governance and ensuring continuity of Tibetan leadership. Beijing asserts that its leaders must approve the next Dalai Lama, relying on a Qing-era golden urn method (established in 1793) and insisting that the next incarnation be born within China. The Tibetan exiled government rejects this, arguing China, an officially atheist state, has no place in spiritual matters. Beijing counters by labelling the Dalai Lama a 'separatist' and heavily regulates devotion to him within China. With over 100,000 Tibetan Buddhists in India, China views the Dalai Lama's presence there as contentious. Meanwhile, the US last year passed laws urging China to refrain from interference, framing the issue as one of religious freedom and human rights.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'What's the point of ... ': Why is Bangladesh interim chief Muhammad Yunus threatening to resign?
B angladesh's interim government head Muhammad Yunus has reportedly threatened to quit citing difficulties in carrying out his mandate due to the ongoing political stalemate. ANhid Islam, chief of the student-led National Citizen Party, told BBC Bangla that Yunus is growing increasingly uncertain about continuing in his role as chief adviser, as political parties have failed to reach consensus on key reforms. 'Sir said - 'If I can't work… I was brought here after a mass uprising to bring change and reform to the country. But in the current situation, with mounting pressure from movements and the way I'm being cornered ... I cannot work like this. The political parties, you've all failed to reach common ground',' Islam quoted Yunus as saying. Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Al reported that Yunus said in the meeting with his advisers that 'what is the point of being the chief advisor if he cannot function properly?' Nobel Peace Laureate Yunus, 84, assumed leadership as the interim head of Bangladesh last August, following a student-led uprising that compelled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Alerta: Você tem zumbido no ouvido? Dica de ouro pode aliviar! Zumbido no ouvido Undo But why is Muhammad Yunus threatening to resign now? Though there has been no official statement from Yunus's office regarding the resignation, reports suggest growing tensions between the military and the interim government, particularly over the timeline for holding parliamentary elections. Political parties have increased pressure on Yunus to announce a clear election schedule. Criticism over delay in elections Yunus is facing mounting criticism from political parties and civil society groups over his failure to announce a timeline for the country's next parliamentary elections. Yunus, who took charge in August last year, had promised swift reforms and a return to democratic rule. However, nearly a year later, the absence of an election date has sparked accusations of indecisiveness and eroding public trust. 'If the government fails to meet public expectations, it will be difficult for the BNP to continue extending its support,' senior BNP leader Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said. 'The highest priority should be placed on announcing a clear roadmap for the election,' he said. BNP has also been staging large-scale protests in Dhaka, demanding the immediate swearing-in of its mayoral candidate. The party claims that the interim government has obstructed an Election Commission ruling that declared Ishraque Hossain as the rightful winner of the disputed 2020 mayoral elections. At the time, the BNP had alleged that the polls were rigged by the now-banned Awami League. Amid calls for clarity, Yunus's office has remained silent on a definitive election schedule. Yunus vs army chief Bangladesh's army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, has also reportedly issued a firm warning to Yunus, demanding that national elections be held by December. According to reports, while speaking at a closed-door meeting, Zaman also firmly rejected the Yunus government's proposed "humanitarian corridor" to Myanmar's Rakhine State, calling it a "bloody corridor" and a threat to national sovereignty. 'The Bangladesh Army will never be involved in any activity that is harmful to sovereignty. Nor will anyone be allowed to do so,' Zaman was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune. 'National interest must come first in any action. Whatever is done must be guided by political consensus,' he said. The corridor plan, unilaterally announced in April by foreign adviser Touhid Hossain, was intended to route humanitarian aid through Chattogram Division, where over a million Rohingya refugees already reside. The plan, backed by the UN and reportedly supported by the United States, faced swift backlash from opposition parties, including the BNP and Left groups, who condemned it as 'unilateral and illegal.' Meanwhile, a cabinet member and special adviser to Yunus said on Friday that Yunus "needs to remain" in office as interim leader to ensure a peaceful transition of power. "For the sake of Bangladesh and a peaceful democratic transition, Professor Yunus needs to remain in office," Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, a special assistant to Yunus, and head of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, said in a post on Facebook. "The chief adviser is not going to step down," he said adding, "He does not hanker after power." Interim government undermining freedoms, says Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch has also put pressure on Yunus-led interim government by accusing it of undermining fundamental freedoms, citing its recent political crackdowns, including the banning of the former ruling party, the Awami League. The country, home to roughly 170 million people, has been in political unrest since a student-led uprising ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Protests have continued as various parties press for democratic reforms and swift elections. The organisation warned that Yunus's administration risks repeating the authoritarian practices of his predecessor. 'Instead of pursuing its pledge to reform the criminal justice system and bring accountability for serious abuses, the government… is attempting to suppress the rights of supporters of the deposed leader,' it said in a statement. The rights group condemned the government's use of 'newly introduced powers under a draconian amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act' to suppress opposition voices. The Awami League was officially banned on May 12, just days after mass protests outside Yunus's residence. The ban remains in place pending trials of Sheikh Hasina and other senior party leaders, many of whom are accused of human rights violations during her tenure. As pressure mounts from political parties, military, and international rights groups, Muhammad Yunus now finds himself cornored from all sides. What was once seen as a moral and democratic reset under a Nobel laureate's leadership is now mired a growing crisis of confidence. Now only time will tell whether Yunus will hold his ground or make an early exit.
Al Etihad
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Etihad
Global Justice, Love & Peace Summit concludes with Peace Charter
13 Apr 2025 21:00 DUBAI (WAM) The Global Justice, Love & Peace Summit, the world's largest peace conference, concluded on Sunday with the declaration of a Peace Charter – `A Love Letter to Humanity' – by12 Nobel Laureates, emphasising that that true peace can only thrive when guided by fairness, open dialogue, and unwavering dedication to justice, love, and the second day of the summit with a key note address, then Chief Guest, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Co-existence, said, 'It will be our wisdom that will bring about and strengthen peace among nations and will promote and ensure respect and human rights for everyone. It will be our wisdom that will allow us to resolve conflicts through peaceful means.'Citing examples of the wisdom of the UAE leaders, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said their wisdom has made the UAE a country of progress, prosperity and stability.'It will be our wisdom that will ensure an economic prosperity that will reach everyone in the future and lead to better living conditions for all regions of the world,' adding that 'our wisdom that will make our cultural, economic and religious diversity a basis for mutual respect and for enhancing our capacity to bring great change as we act together.'Later in the day, Nobel laureates reinforced the call for a peaceful and a just world through a Peace Charter – `A Love Letter to Humanity' – which will be presented which will be presented to the United Nations, (UN),' said Dr Huzaifa Khorakiwala, Chairman of the I am Peacekeeper Movement, the organisers of the joint Peace Charter said in its preamble, 'Peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of justice, love, and peace, commit to upholding the principles that foster harmony, progress, and human equality for all. We believe that true peace can only thrive when guided by fairness, open dialogue, and unwavering dedication to justice, love, and freedom.'The 12 Nobel laureates who took the historic peace pledge included, Abdesattar Ben Moussa Lawyer, Tunisia Human Rights Activist Nobel Peace Laureate 2015, Houcine Abbasi Educationist, Tunisia Nobel Peace Laureate 2015, Jose Manuel Ramos Horta, President, East Timor, and Nobel Peace Laureate, 1996, Kailash Satyarthi Social Activist, India Nobel Peace Laureate 2014, Lech Walesa Ex-President and Politician, Trade Union Activist, Poland, and Nobel Peace Laureate 1983, Leymah Gbowee, Liberia, Nobel Peace Laureate 2011, Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoudh, President, Tunisian Order of Lawyers, Tunisia Nobel Peace Laureate 2015, Prof Mohan Munasinghe, Deshmanya, Sri Lanka, Nobel Peace Laureate 2007, Nadia Murad, Social Activist, Iraq, Nobel Peace Laureate 2018, Oscar Arias Sanchez, Ex President of Costa Rica, Nobel Peace Laureate 1987, Ouided Bouchamaoui, Tunisia, Nobel Peace Laureate 2015, and Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Social Activist, Judge, Lawyer, Iran, Nobel Peace Laureate Pace Charter reinforced the importance of holding up the fundamental values of justice and equality, fairness and open dialogue, knowledge, power, right to education and dignity, leadership, compassion, and action. The charter also emphasised the need to foster the seven human values of Gratitude, Forgiveness, Love, Humility, Giving, Patience & Truth as the Foundation of Inner Peace.
