'Dalai Lama popularity is key to Tibet cause'

DHARAMSHALA: China offers plenty of trade opportunities and that's a key reason why western countries do not support the Tibetan cause as strongly as desired, said the outgoing Kalon Tripa (Tibetan equivalent of PM) Samdhong Rinpoche on Friday. His term ends on March 20 when Tibetans vote for the next Kalon Tripa.

"Whatever support we get from the west is only on the basis of public opinion on the Tibet issue and His Holiness' popularity which no world leader can ignore. But there is always a competition to appease China," he said.

On Thursday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu had described the Dalai Lama's announcement to quit politics as a trick to deceive the global community.

The Rinpoche refrained from commenting on the Chinese reaction. "Unless it concerns distortion of facts, we always avoid reacting to People's Republic of China statements. Most are baseless. Also, we can't use the kind of language they use," he said.

On the recent controversy involving Karmapa Lama, where cash worth nearly Rs 7.5 crore was found in the temporary residence of the Karma Kagyud sect leader of Buddhism, he said the matter was "a complicated financial issue which wasn't handled well by the cashier and the accountant. His Holiness has put 100% faith in the Karmapa Lama."