Dalai Lama reincarnation strategy up for discussion at monk’s conference

The chief monks of Tibetan Buddhism are primed to discuss the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama at the 11th high-level conference of religious leaders since 1963, in the wake of the election of a democratic leader of the exile community and statements from the Dalai Lama that he may be "reincarnated" before he dies.

The Dalai Lama had told reporters last month in Europe that the September meeting of Tibetan religious heads will hold discussions on the issue of his reincarnation, the Times of India said. 

The issue became a serious topic of discussion after China introduced a new law banning Tibetan religious beings from reincarnating without government's approval.  (They're still allowed to die without official permission). 

It's doubtful that any official confirmation that the exiled monks will choose a successor to the Dalai Lama before his demise will come out of the meeting, but it will no doubt send the message that they don't intend to plead with Beijing for a rubber stamp.

The conference also intends to commemorate the martyrs those who have been victims, torture, murder, and imprisonment inside of Tibet by the Chinese occupation, the paper said. The Tibetan administration, including prime minister, supreme justice, speaker and deputy speaker of Tibetan parliament, ministers, and representatives from independent government bodies also took part on the inaugural day of the meeting.  Involving these political leaders recapitualted the symbolism of this year's election, which aimed to contrast the democratic reform of the exile community with China's arbitary, single-party dictatorship.