Published by World Tibet Network News - Saturday, 2 December 1995

Source: Xinhua news agency domestic service, Beijing, in Chinese 30 Nov 95

[Text of Renmin Ribao' 30th November commentator's article: "Warmly greeting the succession of the 10th Panchen", carried by Xinhua news agency]

Beijing, 29th November: On 29th November, people received the long-awaited news from the snow-capped highlands: Representatives sent by the State Council confirmed Gyaincain Norbu, who was chosen in the process of the ceremony, as the 11th Panchen Erdeni Bainqen Erdini. Thus the work of searching for and confirming the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, which took six years, has reached a successful conclusion. We wish to greet warmly the 11th Panchen Erdeni, people of the Tibetan Buddhist circle and the broad masses of religious people!

The reincarnation of the Panchen Lama is a great event in Tibetan Buddhism and also an important matter in Tibet's social life. Most people of Tibetan nationality believe in Buddhism. The reincarnation of a living Buddha is a special type of succession in Tibetan Buddhism. Since the implementation of the system of conferring the title of Great Living Buddha in the Yuan dynasty, the Ming and Qing dynasties gradually included the reincarnation of the Great Living Buddha in the administration, institutions and legal system of the central government. The government of the Qing dynasty, in order to demonstrate the authority of the central government, protect the unity of the country and eliminate faults in the course of reincarnation, established a relatively complete system with the drawing of lots from the golden urn as the central link. The system was promulgated in 1792 and has been adhered to by the central governments and supported by Tibetan Buddhist circles since then. It has become an unchangeable histo

rical rule. Since the establishment of the New China, the policy of religious freedom has been implemented in Tibet as in the rest of the country. The masses' religious beliefs and normal religious activities of various temples have been fully respected and protected. After the death of the 10th Panchen, the State Council promptly made a decision on the reincarnation issue. The State Council's decision and its sincere concern for the searching of the reincarnated child over the past six years have demonstrated our country's continuing policies towards people of different nationalities and religions, and expressed appreciation of the 10th Panchen Lama for his historical merits in protecting the unification of the motherland and unity of various nationalities. This confirmation of the reincarnated child for the Panchen Lama is completely in accord with the rituals and historical rule of Tibetan Buddhism, with the desire of the broad masses of religious believers and with the related policy and rules of the sta

te. It will certainly have a positive and profound influence on the normal religious activities of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibet's stability and development.

Centring on the work of searching for and confirming a reincarnated child for the Panchen Lama, we have waged a serious political struggle against the Dalai Lama. Supported by certain foreign forces, the Dalai Lama created various obstacles to the work of searching from the beginning. After repeated failures, he risked everything in a single venture and publicly and arbitrarily announced that he had confirmed a "soul boy" . What the Dalai Lama has done is totally authorities, opposed by monks and people in Tibet and end in ignominious bankruptcy. This struggle is a continuation of our struggle against the Dalai Lama clique, which as lasted for more than 30 years. The essence of the struggle is whether one should protect the dignity of the law, the interests of the people, the unity of various nationalities and the unification of the country, or violate the state law, hurt the people's interests, create splits among people of different nationalities and sabotage the unification of the motherland. On those ma

jor issues, we cannot compromise at all with the Dalai Lama. In particular, we should point out that the Dalai Lama merely relies on his religious influence; however, some people in the world are using the Dalai Lama as a tool for opposing China and interfering in China's internal affairs in order to achieve ulterior motives.

However, in the history of China and in all the countries of the world that value their own independence and dignity, religious belief and patriotism have always been unified. A qualified religious believer should, first of all, be a patriot. Any legitimate religion invariably makes patriotism the primary requirement for believers. One can talk about love of religion only if one is a patriot. A person who is unpatriotic and has even rebelled against the country not only cannot be forgiven by the country but also cannot be tolerated by religion. The Dalai's behaviour has not only run counter to the fundamental interests of the people of the whole country, including the people of Tibet, but also runs counter to the dignified and deeply-felt religious rituals of Buddhism. If his words are followed, Tibetan Buddhism will be led onto a path of going against the interests of the people and the laws of the country, thereby endangering its due position and future in Chinese society. Therefore, what the Dalai has don

e is not for love of Tibet and love of religion as he has advertised; but, on the contrary, is an out-and-out calamity for Tibet and religion. Only by adopting a clear-cut stand in waging a struggle against the Dalai clique to totally wipe out his influence can Tibet enjoy long-term stability and can Tibetan Buddhism establish a normal religious order in a better way.

The current situation in Tibet is very good. After the central authorities convened the Third Forum on Work in Tibet, Tibet, with the vigorous support from the people of the whole country, has greatly accelerated the pace of its modernization construction. The recently held third meeting of the leading group in charge of the search for the reincarnated child of the Panchen has greatly accelerated the process of confirming the reincarnated child and frustrated the Dalai's political plot of creating chaos in Tibet by exploiting religion. All these have created very favourable conditions for Tibet to speed up economic construction, improve the people's living standard and promote social progress in the days to come. However, it must be recognized that the tasks of economic onstruction facing the people of Tibet are still very heavy. The Dalai will not resign himself to failure. He will certainly seize all available opportunities to have a trial of strength with us, including attempting to once again stir up inc

idents on the issue of the Panchen's reincarnation. We must remain sober and strive to do our tasks well so as to have the situation continue to develop in the direction expected by the people of the whole country. After the work of searching for and confirming the reincarnated child of the Panchen has come to a successful conclusion, we especially hope that the patriotic people from religious circles in Tibet will successfully carry out the work of preparing for the solemn ceremony of installing the 11th Panchen and the future work of long-term training and education, and hope that the 11th Panchen will grow up healthily, inherit the previous Panchens'glorious traditions of loving the country and loving religion, and make due contributions to spreading the Buddhist doctrine, promoting the well-being of the people of Tibet, and safeguarding the motherland's reunification and national unity. We are convinced that under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Jiang Zemin as the core, a unite

d, prosperous and civilized socialist new Tibet will rise up on the roof of the world!

Xinhua in English (1419 gmt 29 Nov 95) carried a shorter version of the above report.