Published by: World Tibet Network News, Wednesday, Mar 13, 1996

Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0842 gmt 6 Mar 96

Text of report by Xinhua news agency

BEIJING, 6th March: "I have become disappointed with the Dalai Lama," said, Lhalu Cewangdoje, a noted Tibetan figure who has been the former's close associate, who is here attending the on-going session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee. Lhalu was born into an aristocratic Tibetan family, which had brought forth two Dalai Lamas. And one of his four sons is a reincarnated living Buddha.

The mere mention of the 14th Dalai Lama in exile abroad disappointed people, Lhalu said with contempt, during an interview with reporters at a hotel in Beijing's suburbs. "He is no match for any Dalai Lamas in history. He does not behave like a reincarnated living Buddha but is a stooge of the Westerners."

"I hope the central government can abrogate him if he goes on turning his back on the motherland," he said.

Son of a high-ranking Tibetan official appointed by the Qing emperor, Lhalu, who was adopted by the 2nd Dalai Lama clan, is a legendary person serving as a minister in the old Tibetan local government, then chief in charge of military and administrative affairs for East Tibet. He was commander of rebelling troops in a rebellion staged and led by the Dalai Lama in 1959.

Some 30 years later, however, the 83-year-old Lhalu became a member of the CPPCC National Committee, China's top advisory body, and vice-chairman of the Tibetan Regional People's People's Consultative Conference.

In a hotel room in Beijing's southwest suburb, Lhalu, tall and thin, was seen wearing a cashmere shirt with neckties. Speaking the Tibetan language, he talks in a manner like a scholar.

In his childhood, Lhalu attended a private school at the foot of the Potala Palace in Lhasa and then a school for children of secular officials at Jokhang Monastery, one of the most important Buddhist temples in Tibet.

"In old Tibet, only sons of the aristocrats like me could go to school," he said. "After the democratic reform in 1959, children of commoners can go to school. Many people from the families of the emancipated serfs have become skilled workers and even experts upon graduation in different sectors in today's Tibet."

Lhalu was fortunate for not having followed the Dalai Lama to go in exile. "I have witnessed great changes in people's life after the peaceful liberation in 1951. In the past, the Tibetans were deprived of any freedom and they lived in poverty. Since 1959, 1 million serfs stood up and become masters of their own destiny," he said.

Tibet has scored rapid economic growth with a prosperous market and ample supply over the past decade, Lhalu said. He expressed his particular satisfaction with the efforts by the central government and other provinces and municipalities to help construct 62 major projects in his home region after 1994. These projects, he noted, are closely related to the locals' livelihood and will bring remarkable economic benefits for Tibet.

The central government has time and again extend its welcome to the Dalai to return and contribute to Tibet's development, he said. "But over the past decades, however, the Dalai has been bent on the activities to undermine the construction and development of Tibet and disrupt the people's happy life."

In the history of modern Tibet, the British colonists lured some people in Tibet to engage in activities to split the motherland, Lhalu said.

"But there was no any other person in Tibetan history like the Dalai Lama who overtly accepts rewards from his Western supporters, runs wide making speeches in opposition to Tibetan Buddhism and the motherland, spreading rumours and even sending terrorists to Tibet for sabotages at the instigation of his Western masters," he said.

"I'm completely disappointed with the Dalai Lama," Lhalu said. "He seems like a political swindler, not the incarnation of Buddha at all ."

Lhalu has never worshiped the image of the Dalai Lama, but he is carefully keeping only one photo showing Chairman Mao Zedong receiving Dalai Lama, him and Panchen Lama, which was taken in 1954.

Being a witness to the history of new Tibet over the past four decades as well as old Tibet before the region's liberation from serfdom, the octogenarian has spent much of his time in compilation of Collected Materials of Literature and History in Tibet.

A total of 17 volumes of the collection have come off press with two published each year.

Since the British failed in their scheme to carve up Tibet, he noted, " I'm sure it's futile for a handful of people in the West to back up the Dalai in his splittist activities."

"Some other people know nothing about Tibetan Buddhism but are making uproars about religious affairs in Tibet. That only indicates that they have ulterior motives," he said.

Speaking about the 11th Panchen Lama who ascended the holy throne recently, Lhalu recalled that he had attended the grand enthronement ceremonies in Xigaze, at which he witnessed the grace of the little loving Living Buddha.

"I was in the first group of people receiving the head-touching blessing from the 11th Panchen Lama and felt overjoyed and contended," he said.

According to Lhalu, Both the Eighth Dalai Lama and the 12th Dalai Lama in Lhalu's clan had been approved by the central governments then and the 12th Dalai Lama was confirmed through a lot-drawing ceremony from a gold urn.

Three little boys were found to be candidates of soul boys for the passed 11th Dalai Lama. Hosted by the minister of the central government stationed in Tibet, a lot-drawing ceremony was held in the Patala Palace on 13th January 1858.

The 12th Dalai Lama turned to be the one from the Lhalu clan. On 3rd July 1860, the 12th Dalai Lama ascended the hole throne.

"What shocked me most is that the present Dalai Lama, in disregard of historical conventions and religious rituals, has overtly gone in for schemes to bring harms to Tibet and undermine Tibetan Buddhism by taking the advantage of selecting the 10th Panchen Lama's reincarnation," Lhalu said. "This is totally unacceptable," he said.

Referring to his own four-generation family, Lhalu said he has four sons and one daughter, all of whom have their own families. "I have a total of 17 grandchildren and great-grandchildren," he said with smiles.

At the ongoing annual session of the Eighth CPPCC National Committee, Lhalu said, he will slate a proposal on how to develop local market, farming and livestock-raising, in the long-term interests of the local Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhism.