The Dalai Lama looks to resign as political leader of Tibet

The Dalai Lama announced today he will make amendments to the Tibetan government-in-exile's constitution in order to allow an elected person to take over his political powers, USA Today reports.

Thursday marks the 52nd anniversary of Tibet's failed uprising against China, which resulted in The Dalai Lama's exile. The spiritual leader said he plans to propose the constitutional amendments at Parliament's next session on March 14.  A few days after the session, Tibetans will elect a new prime minister who could possibly take over the 76-year-old Dalai Lama's political role.

The Dalai Lama is currently responsible for giving oaths of office and approving legislation, among many other things.  He also leads exiled Tibetan Buddhists in spiritual matters and, according to the article, is thought of and respected as a king.

But the Dalai Lama's plans "are tricks to deceive the international community," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said. "[He is a] political exile under a religious cloak now engaged in activities aimed at splitting China."

The Dalai Lama's announcement to hand over his political powers goes against requests from the parliament-in-exile who do not feel prepared to lead themselves.

The Dalai Lama, who was selected by monks to be Tibet's spiritual leader when he was a child, said Tibet needs a political leader "elected freely by the Tibetan people."

According to Srikanth Kondapalli, a Chinese studies professor at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, The Dalai Lama hopes to make Tibet a more stable community.

"[The Dalai Lama] has been making some efforts at democratization for a long time, to forestall any anarchic situation in the aftermath of his death," Kondapalli said.