US Bill on Tibet: A Strategic Move or an Eyewash?
On 22 December, 2020, Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 was passed by the US Senate and has been translated into a law after President Donald Trump signed it. This has been held as a landmark legislation, which reaffirms the rights of the Tibetan Buddhist to choose the next incarnation of Dalai Lama without any interference of China, but this policy of the US government is having much more in its basket than to block China's interference as it re-authorises and modifies many provisions related to Tibet. This article sheds light on the modification of US’s stance and policies on Tibet.
The United States recently passed the Tibetan Policy and Support Act which allows the USA to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on the Chinese officials if they try to interfere in the process of choosing the next Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists. Lobsang Sangay, the President of the Tibetan government in exile, termed that new bill "a momentous landmark for the Tibetan people". The law has eight main spheres in which it will work.
The Dalai Lama is revered by the Tibetan people and is hailed as the spiritual and political head of Tibet. The 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1952 after the Chinese government invaded Tibet. Since then, he and his followers have been living in India. The current Dalai Lama helped in setting up the government in exile which since 1959 has overtaken the political governance of Tibet and its people but the Dalai Lama still continues to be the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism. China's threat to manipulate the selection process is seen as way to impose its control over the Tibetan people. In 1995, Chinese government was hailed responsible for the disappearance of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a 6-year-old boy who was Dalai Lama's choice of successor of Pachen Lama, the second most important tulku lineage in Tibetan Buddhism. While the Tibetan people have urged China to release the successor who would is a legitimate candidate for 15th Dalai Lama, the Chinese government appointed their own Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu.
While China has claimed that it has the legitimate authority to choose the successor of Dalai Lama, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, issued an official statement explaining that he who reincarnates has the sole legitimate authority choosing the successor, and the Dalai Lama's Gaden Phodrang Trust will be informed of his decision. Since then, the 14th Dalai Lama on several occasions has tried to reiterate and notify the Tibetan people and the world that the decisions on successions, emanations and reincarnations of Dalai Lama belongs to the Tibetan Buddhist faith community alone and the new bill passed by United States too, asserts this. According to the policy, the written instructions of the 14th Dalai Lama will be sole determinant of choosing his successor and any interference by China in this matter would showcase a clear violation of the fundamental religious freedoms of the Tibetan Buddhists and the Tibetan people. The Chinese officials who are found engaging in this scheme would commit gross violation of human rights and sanctions will be imposed on them.
The new law also gives diplomatic representation to Tibet and a new consulate will be established in Lhasa, Tibet which will provide consular services to US citizens traveling to Tibet. The consulate will monitor the political, economic and cultural development in Tibet vis a vis China. The law authorises the Office of the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues and expands the duties of office by including additional mandate of ensuring that the next Dalai Lama is appointed solely by the Tibetan Buddhist faith community. It also directs the Secretary of State to not open a new Chinese consulate in US unless China allows the opening of an American consulate in Lhasa.
The Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 approves USD 1 million per annum (till 2025) for the Special US Coordinator on Tibet. Under this, the sum of USD 675,000 has been allotted for Tibetan Scholarship Programme (scholarships) and USD 575,000 for Ngawang Choephel Exchange Programs (student exchanges), USD 8 million for the Tibetan Autonomous Regio and Communities in China, USD 6 million for Tibetans living in India, USD3 million for Tibetan governance.
The law also expresses about the exploitation of natural resources of Tibet, in particular, water. Global warming is a huge threat to the glaciers of in Tibet as it would not only result in variable water flows in the future and would also have an adverse impact on the vegetation growth and biodiversity. The law calls for collaborative efforts between Chinese and international scientific institutions to monitor the Plateau and its gradual glacier retreat and rise in temperature and carbon levels. It also proposes the involvement of Tibetan stakeholders in the development and implementation of grassland management policies. China has already completed water transfer programs diverting billions of cubic meters of water yearly and has plans to divert more waters from the Tibetan plateau in China. The law also proposes a policy framework on water security to cooperate on sharing of information and diversions of water from the Tibetan plateau which China has done.
By passing the TPSA 2020, the Congress has made it quite clear that Tibet is a priority for United States and it will continue its support for His Holiness Dalai Lama. One cannot ignore that China and controlling its expansion was one of the highest priorities of Trump government under which this law has been passed. The relationship between US and China have fallen to their lowest over a range of issues like trade, human rights, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South China Sea and the on-going pandemic. China has slammed US over TPSA law and is "resolutely opposed" to the law. It hails the passing of this law as US interference in the sovereign issues of China and territorial integrity. China has urged the US government to stop meddling in the domestic affairs to avoid the further deterioration of overall China-US cooperation and bilateral relations.
While this law has come into effect, one does not know how committed the government will be about this, especially given the Biden will take over the office. Biden is known to have a less aggressive stance when it comes to China and scholars are of a view that once in office, Biden government will try to improve relations with China. However, Biden in an interview in September 2020, too showcased an aggressive stance about the Tibet issue and promised that sanctions would be imposed on the Chinese officials for the human rights abuses. Biden took office from 20 January and one will have to monitor the international scenario to know about the further steps taken by US government, because it is highly unlikely for China to take a step back when it comes to Tibet.
Pic Courtesy-Will Pagel at unspalsh.com
(The views expressed are personal.)
