An 'anti-Dalai Lama' atheist may steal the thunder in Tibetan polls this weekend (but lose)
Lukar Jam is a maverick. He's an atheist who is willing to oppose the Dalai Lama's Middle Way approach to freedom.
Sumegha Gulati · Today · 11:30 am
Exiled Tibetans across the world are gearing up to choose their Sikyong (political leader) and Chithues (members of Parliament) in the 16th Tibetan parliamentary elections to be held on Sunday. The excitement is palpable in Mcleodganj, the town in Himachal Pradesh that is the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. There are political posters everywhere, as also seminars, discussions and public meetings.
What sets this election apart and has drawn the lines starkly is the candidature of Lukar Jam for Sikyong. A dissident who spent six years in a Chinese jail, Lukar is the only candidate who is demanding Rangzen – complete independence of Tibet. By doing so, he has openly contradicted the Middle Way approach proposed by the Dalai Lama in 2008, which seeks autonomy within China. This strategy has now been accepted by most Tibetan leaders.
Lukar has admittedly unconventional views. With a mere high school certificate, he is in favour of a secular education policy that focuses more on “modernism” and “mainstreaming” rather than just traditional Tibetan subjects. An admitted atheist, he has clearly stated that he would separate religion and politics – a huge blow to the traditional Tibetan society that relies so heavily on the monastery. It is not difficult to understand why Lukar is widely considered as being anti-Dalai Lama.
Running against the polished, Harvard-educated Lobsang Sangay – the current Sikyong running for a second term – it's widely accepted that Lukar stands little chance of winning the election. Yet, his candidature is important because it has helped bring to the surface aspirations and frustrations that had so far gone unrecognised.
http://scroll.in/article/761750/an-anti-dalai-lama-atheist-might-steal-the-thunder-but-lose-in-tibetan-polls-this-weekend
