Lobsang Sangay replaces the Dalai Lama as Tibetan political head

Harvard scholar Lobsang Sangay was Monday sworn in as new Prime Minister of Tibetan government -in-exile, succeeding the Dalai Lama as political head and said he was willing to negotiate with Beijing "anytime, anywhere" for "genuine" autonomy for Tibet within China.

43-year-old Sangay, who replaced Samdong Rimpoche as Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister), vowed to continue with the Dalai Lama's 'middle-path' policy and stressed Tibetan leadership is far from "fizzling out."

"We are here to stay," Sangay, a Delhi University alumni, said at a function presided by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and attended by 5,000 Tibetans, including community leaders settled outside Tibet and India, who braved heavy showers to witness the oath-taking ceremony.

He said, "We believe in a peaceful resolution of Tibet issue, which means a peaceful process and peaceful dialogue."

"We are also willing to negotiate with the Chinese government anytime, anywhere and continue to follow the Middle-Way policy, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet within the People's Republic," said Sangay, who was born in Darjeeling and associated with pro-independence Tibetan Youth Congress.

Expressing gratitude to Indian Government for allowing Tibetans to stay in the country, he stressed Tibet should be the "main issue in any talks between India and China".

"Tibet is crucial for India and a lasting negotiated solution is in interest of both the countries," he later told reporters.

In his brief speech, the 76-year-old Dalai Lama expressed his gratitude to the Tibetans in exile for participating in the democratic process.

"We have handed over all political responsibilities and all the powers now vest in democratically-elected leadership of Lobsang Sangay," the Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of the Tibetans, said in his Tibetan language speech.

Sangay stressed restoration of freedom to Tibetans and return of Dalai Lama to Tibet, who fled his homeland in 1959 to escape Chinese crackdown, was on the top of his agenda and he would pursue it vigorously.

Asking China to find a lasting solution to Tibet problem, he said, "Despite the tragedy in Tibet, we want the world to know, especially Chinese friends, that we remain firmly committed to non-violence and do not view China as a nation and Chinese as a people with malice but with respect."

He also cautioned, "As long as Tibetans are repressed, there will be resistance, and waning respect for China."

A senior fellow of Harvard Law School, Sangay stepped into the shoes of 73-year-old monk-scholar Samdhong Rinpoche, who was elected twice as Kalon Tripa and held the post for the past 10 years.

Rinpoche, in his address said, "This is a new chapter in Tibetan history and a joint step towards a genuine democracy."

Recalling his days at Harvard, Sangay, who has never been to Tibet, said for 16 years he reached out to hundreds of Chinese students and organised conferences on Tibet involving Chinese and Tibetan scholars at the University and would continue his efforts to build "mutual understanding and trust" with the Chinese people.

Pointing out that China was "aspiring to be a superpower and fastest growing major economy, backed by the largest army in the world," he said, "Sadly, China's moral power is lacking behind and it cannot be bought in the market or forced with military might and has to be earned."

The Chinese people especially its diaspora have a key role to play in helping China overcome this moral deficiency, he said.

The Dalai Lama shocked Tibetans by announcing his decision to relinquish all responsibilities and confine himself only to spiritual role on March 10 and conveyed the decision to Tibetan Assembly of Deputies on March 15.

Sangay expressing gratitude to the international community for their enduring support and appealed to them to continue "to stand with us for justice, freedom, dignity, and equality and to persuade Beijing to resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully."

He said that Tibet "being the source of ten major rivers, contributing to the livelihood of more than 2 billion human beings, a just and speedy resolution of the issue of Tibet is in the interest of all Asia."

Reaching out to young Tibetans and seeking their support for the cause of Tibet, he said, "Let us never forget: during our lifetime, our freedom struggle will meet the fate of justice or defeat...."

"This is no time for criticism and cynicism but a time for courage, a time for conviction and above all, time for confidence in the belief that we are Tibetans and we can do it and remembering that if we do not, no one will," Sangay said after he was administered oath by Ngawang Phelgyal, the Chief Justice Commissioner, at the colourful function presided by the Dalai Lama.