Tibetan Resistance Highlights Concerns Over Dalai Lama's Succession Amid Chinese Pressure

Fri Oct 17 2025 08:29:39 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As the Dalai Lama turns 90, a visit to the Kirti monastery reveals deepening tensions between Tibetans and Chinese authorities, especially regarding the spiritual leader's potential successor.

The Kirti monastery in Sichuan province remains a symbol of Tibetan resistance despite stringent Chinese surveillance. As the Dalai Lama celebrates his 90th birthday, worries grow over the future of Tibetan identity and the next Dalai Lama amid government oppression. The situation intensifies as Tibetans express concerns over their rights, the imposition of Chinese education, and Beijing's intent to control the selection of the next spiritual leader.

The recent BBC visit to the Kirti monastery in Aba, Sichuan province, underscores the precarious situation faced by Tibetans as they navigate the looming challenge of the Dalai Lama’s succession amid increasing Chinese pressure. On the backdrop of gatherings in Dharamshala, India, celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, Tibetan voices within the monastery reveal concerns and fears about presenting any support for their exiled leader.

The Kirti monastery, a focal point of Tibetan resistance, witnessed a surge of self-immolations in the late 2000s, igniting global conversations about human rights abuses in Tibet. Despite extensive government surveillance, a monk shared his dire worries: "Things here are not good for us," hinting at the oppressive atmosphere dictated by the ruling Communist Party of China. Surveillance cameras and police presence ensure a constant watch over the community, as people risk serious repercussions for even whispering the Dalai Lama's name.

China's heavy investment in infrastructure has not quelled the persistence of Tibetans who seek autonomy while resisting erasure of their cultural and spiritual identity. The government's portrayal of education reforms aimed at promoting Mandarin and Chinese virtues has raised alarms among Tibetans regarding suppression of their language and foundational beliefs. Recent regulations stipulate that under-18s must attend state schools, effectively sidelining traditional education at monasteries. Such changes have the potential to extinguish the rich heritage of Tibetan Buddhism, according to experts.

Beijing’s disdain for the Dalai Lama's influence complicates the future of Tibetan Buddhism as it prepares to dictate terms for his successor. The Dalai Lama's announcement of a planned successor to be chosen after his death offers little solace to Tibetans subjected to censorship and propaganda about their spiritual leader. Intellectual engagement regarding the Dalai Lama’s future faces suppression in Tibet as voices echo from exile, raising critical questions about the authenticity of the next leader.

As the Dalai Lama himself has emphasized, the next embodiment of this spiritual legacy is expected to contradict Chinese narratives, bringing about a potential confrontation that could disrupt the fragile status quo. Observers note the critical importance of ensuring that Tibetan identity endures despite mounting government efforts to dilute it. Amid this struggle for identity, the legacy of the Dalai Lama will hinge not only on his successor but also on the resilience of the Tibetan people fighting for their rights and beliefs.