Blow Me Away!!!! The Dalai Lama Is Resigning!

I never thought I'd see this!

The Dalai Lama Is Resigning!
This marks the end of any real hope for Tibetan Independence.

Dalai Lama Set to Retire?

Sourece: Focus: Taiwan News Chanel: Dalai firm on his decision to quit politics 2011/03/17 23:29:33

Dharamsala, India, March 17 (CNA) The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, gave a definite "no" to a majority of Tibetan parliamentarians' request that he stay on to lead the government-in-exile. It was time he terminated an outdated system that had been there for four centuries, he told reporters at Dharamsala. On March 10, he announced his intention to relinquish his political role to a popularly elected leader. "My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility. It is to benefit Tibetans in the long run, " he said at the time. The Cabinet of his government-in-exile has agreed to honor his decision, but the parliament-in-exile, which convened on March 14, hoped he would continue to lead. During an interview with foreign media, including the CNA, the 75-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate said: "If (the parliamentarians) come tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, then I will tell them: No, my decision as far as an institution as a head of both temporal and spiritual, that must end, that is outdated." He said he made that decision out of his own accord, not out of pressure. The Dalai Lama said that his leadership was as outdated as a monarchy and insisted he would relinquish a four-century old tradition of power. "The rule by spiritual leaders, the rule by kings or rajas is now outdated, " said the 14th Dalai Lama, who has been calling for democratic reforms since the 1960s. "I do not want to be like (ousted President of Egypt Hosni) Mubarak." He said successful democracy in Taiwan, India and Japan gave him confidence that democracy is fit for Asian countries. It should also inspire Tibetans that Tibet must also implement full democracy. He was particularly impressed by Taiwan's rule of law as demonstrated in the jailing of former President Chen Shui-bian, whom he called "a good friend of mine, " on conviction of corruption charges. He said he hopes the people of Taiwan will keep their confidence and courage in the face of a rapidly changing world. Dalai also hoped that Taiwan will keep upholding such universal values as democracy, the rule of law and transparency. (By Ho Hung-ju and S.C. Chang) enditem/jc