Tibet's government-in-exile says lama's flight a surprise

January 9, 2000
Web posted at: 6:13 p.m. HKT (1013 GMT)

DHARMSALA, India (CNN) -- Aides to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, denied any involvement in the flight of Tibet's third-ranking religious leader from China last week.

The 14-year-old Karmapa Lama -- the only leader of Chinese- occupied Tibet approved by both the Dalai Lama and Beijing -- made a guarded public appearance on Saturday and has met twice with the Dalai Lama since his trek across the Himalayas to India.

"Since his arrival, our main concern is his health," said Tashi Wangdi, Minister of Religion and culture for the exiled Tibetan government in the Indian city of Dharmsala. "It was a long and difficult journey, and the whole flight was a very traumatic experience, because he is only 14 years old."

Wangdi said his arrival was a surprise to the government-in-exile.

The lama's aides have been careful to keep journalists and cameras away from him, and he has expressed no interest in talking to reporters. But his arrival has prompted a wave of speculation about his dramatic trek in snow and ice at high altitudes across the Himalayas.

The arrival of the 17th Karmapa Lama -- in Tibetan belief, the reincarnation of his predecessors -- means that the leaders of all the four branches of Tibetan Buddhists are now in exile in India.

RESOURCES The Dalai Lama

The 17th Karmapa was being groomed by China's Communist leaders as an alternative to the Dalai Lama. His escape has delighted Tibetan Buddhists, who regard him as the head of the Black Hats branch of the religion -- one of the four branches under the overall leadership of the Dalai Lama.

"It's good that he is has left China and come to India, where things are much better," said Pema Topden, a Tibetan youth.

China, which has occupied Tibet since the 1950s, has acknowledged the Karmapa Lama's departure, but its statements indicate he would be allowed to return if he chose. Beijing has kept a tight control over the religion's second-ranking leader, the 11th Panchen Lama -- a 9-year-old boy who has spent much of his life being tutored in Beijing.

Tibet's clergy were forced to snub the Dalai Lama's candidate and appoint a boy of China's choice in an attempt to diminish the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's traditional ruler and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Correspondent Kasra Naji and Reuters contributed to this report.

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.