President Joe Biden speaks during his inauguration as US President in Washington, DC, US, on 20 January 2021. Biden became the 46th President of the United States of America. Reuters/Pool/Patrick Semansky
By Lobsang Wangyal
McLEOD GANJ, India, 21 January 2021
Congratulating Joe Biden for assuming office as the new US President, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama expressed gratitude for his support for Tibet, and appreciated him for rejoining the Paris climate accord.
The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in the Himalayan village of McLeod Ganj for 60 years, has been one of the world’s foremost environmental activists calling to end global warming.
“As someone deeply concerned with the ecological crisis our planet faces, I am so pleased that you are elevating the issue of climate change to your highest priority and that the United States is rejoining the Paris Climate Accord. Global warming is an urgent threat to the whole world and to the survival of our species,” the Dalai Lama wrote in a letter to Biden.
The Dalai Lama also commended Biden for taking other measures to bring the country back in order and on the path of development and reconciliation.
Shortly after being sworn in on Wednesday, Biden signed 17 executive orders, memorandums, and proclamations from the Oval Office, sweeping aside much of the former President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Among the steps the president took were orders to rejoin the Paris climate accord, end Trump’s travel ban on some Muslim-majority countries, halting the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization, advance racial equity, and support other underserved communities.
Bolstering the sluggish economic recovery and taking action on the coronavirus pandemic were also among the top agendas.
Dismantling Trump’s policies his aides said were to “reverse the gravest damages” caused to the country by Trump.
The Dalai Lama further wrote that the whole world places its hope in the democratic vision and leadership of the United States. “In these challenging times, I am confident that you will contribute to shaping a more peaceful world in which those suffering from hunger, disease, and violence may find help. The need to address these issues is indeed pressing.”
Thanking the president for his long-standing support for the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama said, “It has been our good fortune to have enjoyed the friendship and encouragement of the American people and their leaders in our endeavour to protect and preserve our ancient Buddhist culture, a culture of peace, non-violence, and compassion.”
Biden during his campaigning said that he would meet with the Dalai Lama if elected as president, and would press China to resume talks with Tibetans for “meaningful autonomy”. He also vowed to impose sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses in Tibet and to step up support for Tibetans.
It is bit strange and slightly incongrous when both Dalai Lama and Lobsang Sangay congratulates a new president somewhere in the world.
I think Lobsang generally waits to see if Dalai Lama release a statement for a while, and then sends his own letter, if it looks okay.
This is ridiculous. There are two tigers on one mountain, and such arrangements in nature are almost always likely to result on aggression, as two dominant alpha males operate in a same small territory.
I can imagine how difficult Lobsang’s job is – having to balance a multitude of conflicting, and overlapping duties and obligations and redlines.
I am looking forward to the day President Joe Biden meets the Dalai Lama. I am hundred percent sure that Joe Biden will keep his election pledge to meet the Tibetan leader. Joe Biden has seen America through thick and thin. He knows the power of America and its short comings as well.
The greatest asset of America is its democratic ideals and its freedoms. He said, “My whole soul is in this, bringing America together”. His mission is to unify America which is torn by systematic racial injustice and ideological polarisation.
The second Catholic in history to hold the office after John F Kennedy and the oldest US President ever starting his first term at 78, he brings vast legislative experience to the White House. Remembering the Kennedy assassination in 1963, I was worried that this could happen again at such a tumultuous event in US history.
Thank goodness, everything went without a hitch. The greatest hope and expectation now is the Occasion when HH The Dalai Lama meets President Joe Biden to the clapping of hands and tears of joy among the Tibetans who are lucky enough to witness the spectacle.
Democracy is often messy but as the president said, try to understand each other by putting oneself in the other person’s shoes. But if it is not able to reconcile with each other, that’s alright. That’s democracy.
Tibetans should also learn to respect each other’s views and not fight over our respective ideologies. Try to respect each other’s view point but if that’s not possible, don’t tarnish the reputation of others by smearing them with innuendoes.
We must understand that in democracy every one is entitled to their views. The French philosopher Voltaire said: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.
Dalai Lama met with ex-President George H Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Obama but they have never supported Tibet’s independence reconciliation. Moreover, President Obama declared Tibet is integral part of China in Beijing. But President Donald Trump never met Dalai Lama during his presidency because he loves Tibet more. That’s why on Dec 28, 2020, US President Donald Trump has signed the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020, giving US’ Tibet policy a final push and reiterating America’s commitment to support the cause of Tibet. Trump always emphasizes country comes first before leader.
The Dalai Lama congratulates President Biden and the Tibetan spiritual leader sends his congratulations.
But we can expect Chinese Communist Party folks and fifty centers to says the Dalai Lama claimed to be Sikyong or head of CTA?
Why won’t CCP be satisfied with deceiving one billion Chinese but still feel the need to deceive six million Tibetans?
The Dalai Lama and the Sikyong are two different persons– unless “Adruk tenpa thinks all Tibetans are unworthy of individuality?
A Druk Tempa
Are you even a Tibetan?
The Tibetan people inside and outside Tibet haven’t had a plebiscite to accept or reject Chinese occupation of Tibet.
Democracy provides political leaders aka head of state. But a leader who has never betrayed the Tibetan people is the people’s choice to provide incorruptible leadership.
Political power and moral suasion are known to democracies but alien to communism. CCP believes in dictatorship and destruction of individual dignity and an objective truth.
Xi Xi La la has assumed Mao’s mantle of being greater better and wiser than a billion plus Chinese. Nothing so filled with obscene or hubris is seen in the Dalai Lama’s history.
Hope you find happiness; but not at the expense of Tibetans or all birds bees wild animals monkeys dolphins pangolins… what sentient animals wild or domestic would not benefit from Tibetan Rangzen?
Actually the Sikyong is supposed to be the head of the Central Tibetan Administration, an organization in exile. The Sikyong is also the head of Cabinet, a part of the executive branch of Central Tibetan Administration. The Tibetan Parliament in exile unanimously voted to the change the tittle of Sikyong in Article 19 of Tibetan constitution and has legitimate power to congratulate or convey a sympathetic message to foreign leaders. Now, we know our Sikyong is just a messenger between Gangchen Kishong and Dalai Lama office or a messenger between DL office and Washington, DC, office or a messenger between Dalai Lama office and Xi Jinping office.