Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 10 : Tibetans in exile, including senior leaders, activists, and officials of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), on Sunday strongly condemned a recent statement made by a Tibetan official from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), claiming that the Chinese government has the final say in the reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama.
They refuted these statements and labelled the official as a "Chinese puppet" while asserting that the decision rests solely with the Dalai Lama himself.
Tibetan exiles argued that such interference undermines religious freedom and Tibet's cultural traditions, categorically rejecting the legitimacy of such statements and labelling the official a mere mouthpiece of Chinese propaganda.
A prominent Tibetan writer and activist, Tsundue called the TAR official a "Chinese puppet" and emphasised that the Dalai Lama is the overall representative of the Tibetan community and tradition.
Tenzin Tsundue, a prominent Tibetan writer and activist, told ANI, "The moment you say 'Tibetan official', it's a misnomer. A person who is just Tibetan by blood and culture doesn't represent the Tibetan inspiration, culture, or tradition. Here, what is called Tibetan actually represents the Chinese government; therefore, he represents Chinese propaganda. Truly, it is his holiness the Dalai Lama whom we, both Tibetans inside and outside, look up to unanimously as the overall representative of the Tibetan community and the tradition that he upholds. Therefore, the final say about the reincarnation of his holiness the Dalai Lama rests solely on what his holiness has to say. We all wait for him to make the decision, and that decision will be respected and carried out by Tibetans inside and outside and all those who follow Tibetan Buddhism around the world."

The controversy arose after the TAR official's comments, which align with Beijing's long-standing position on controlling the selection process of Tibetan spiritual leaders, triggering widespread outrage within the global Tibetan community.
The Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Dolma Tsering, accused the TAR official of parroting China's narrative and questioned China's legitimacy to control Tibet.

"The official of the Tibet Autonomous Region has parroted what China is trying to sell to the world. By claiming ownership of selecting or electing the Golden Urn, they do not thereby make the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama their own. Due to reincarnation, the personality is that of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. He has stated that he will be born in a free country, implying that for him, being born in Tibet necessitates Tibet's freedom. It should have freedom of expression. It should have human rights available there... People should have the freedom to visit their people within Tibet. At present, Tibet is the biggest prison in the world. So if somebody says it's our responsibility and we have the full authority, I just want to ask them, please, to justify their legitimacy to control Tibet first, because their invasion of Tibet in 1959 was against the UN conventions and resolutions. So first justify that, and justify why you say Tibet has been a part of China since antiquity," she stated.
The official spokesperson of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, Tenzin Lekshay, highlighted China's lack of religious legitimacy and stated that the Chinese government has no role to play in the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

"Recently, a Tibetan official from the so-called TAR region has expressed that the Chinese authority has a final say on the reincarnation of His Holiness. It is historically not true, and the Chinese government, the People's Republic of China, is being run by the communist regime, which does not believe in religion. So a person or a government or any institution that doesn't believe in religion - how can they interfere in a matter which is concerned with religious tradition so therefore there is no way that the Chinese government has a legitimate role to play in the reincarnation of his Holiness and His Holiness has categorically mentioned many times that the final say on the reincarnation of his Holiness, the Dalai Lama, will be with his Holiness himself and not with any other institution or individual and that includes China," he told ANI.
Lekshay added that such statements from Tibetan officials under Chinese influence are deliberate tactics by Beijing to gain perceived legitimacy.
"There are a bunch of Tibetan officials in the Chinese communist cadres, and they are in the ransom files, but they are also under Chinese pressure. Do they have the right to say what they feel about? I doubt it. Therefore, China has deliberately made sure that a Tibetan comes in the face to say that the final say goes with the Chinese government; otherwise, there is no legitimacy on the Chinese part, so it's a deliberate attempt from the Chinese side. Because that's what they have; they have no other resort but to let in the Tibetans to talk about it," he added.
The Dalai Lama, who has recently celebrated his 90th birthday, had previously indicated that his reincarnation could occur outside Chinese-controlled territory to preserve the institution's integrity.
On July 2, the Dalai Lama stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama.