China's policy of Sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism misguided attempt at controlling people's religious beliefs, says CTA President

Calling Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposed policy directions on Tibet 'misguided' and 'unrealistic', the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Dr Labsang Sangay said China's policy of Sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism is a misguided attempt at controlling the Tibetan people's religious belief and the reincarnation system.

"China's policy of Sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism is a misguided attempt at controlling the Tibetan people's religious belief and the reincarnation system. China must draw on its past experiences and allow the Tibetan people to maintain its distinct faith and religious traditions," he said.

"For Tibetans, Buddhism is more important than Communism. To force them to treat communism as more important than their faith is not only a violation of international religious freedom, but is also deeply misguided. Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is never going to work. The last 60 years of Chinese rule in Tibet is a testament to that fact," he added.

The CTA President termed the demolition of Larung Gar and Yarchen Gar, two of the largest Buddhist institutes in the world by Chinese authorities was a tragic example of Chinese atrocities on Tibetan Buddhism.

"Tibetans continue to undergo untold suffering and brutality. Freedom House has listed Tibet as the least free region in the world after Syria for five consecutive years. Yet, the determination of the Tibetan people inside Tibet is still strong and remains faithfully devoted to His Holiness the Dalai Lama," he said.

At the seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, which ended in Beijing on Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that more education and guidance should be provided for the public to mobilize their participation in combating separatist activities, thus forging an ironclad shield to safeguard stability, according to Chinese state media.

The CTA President explained that "to foster stability in Tibet, China must first address the genuine grievances of the Tibetan people and not forget the 154 Tibetans who have set themselves on fire in protest against Chinese policies in Tibet."

"The root cause of instability in Tibet is not the Tibetan people's faith, but the repressive and failed policies of the Chinese government. The continuation of these hard-line policies and repression is only going to make matters worse. That's why Genuine Autonomy based on the Middle Way Approach is the only viable solution," he said

"As envisioned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibetans seek Genuine Autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution. Resumption of dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his envoys remains the only foreseeable solution to resolve the Tibet issue," he said.

The CTA President said China has been quietly militarizing the Tibetan plateau for over 60 years under the pretext of development and modernization. "For Tibet, this has only led to an influx of soldiers, Han settlers, and weapons. For its neighbours, this militarization of the Tibetan plateau has led to a military build-up on its borders, jeopardizing the already contentious border regions as evidenced by the recent Galwan incident," he said.

The CTA President said restoring the status of Tibet as a zone of peace with its historical demilitarized border with India is the only way of enduring peace in Asia.

( With inputs from ANI )