The Dalai Lama and the oh so sensitive autocrats in Beijing

The Chinese government has 1.3-billion people to be concerned about, yet they obsess about one man. The problem is he isn't one of theirs, so they can't control him. That, however, doesn't stop them from using diplomatic muscle to attempt to control anyone who fraternizes with him.

The man is of course the Dalai Lama. His goal of autonomy for his homeland is understandably annoying to a regime that thinks Tibet is rightly part of China, particularly to a regime composed of control freaks. They express their annoyance loudly and frequently. When Prime Minister Harper welcomed the Dalai Lama to Canada in October, 2007, the Chinese accused Canada of interfering in China's internal affairs and claimed the feelings of all Chinese people had been hurt. They are currently expressing great umbrage over the Dalai Lama's visit to the U.S. later this month where he will meet with President Obama in Washington. And not only heads of state feel the wrath of the Chinese. The granting of an honorary degree to the Dalai Lama by the University of Calgary in December has resulted in the removal of the university from one of the Chinese minister of education's accredited institution lists. The man's persistent popularity in the democracies seems to drive the dictators frantic.

Not that he has particularly impressive democratic credentials himself. Chosen as head of the faith, and therefore by default as head of state, by an arcane process of religious mumbo-jumbo, his claim to legitimacy as leader of the Tibetan people has no democratic foundation. The Dalai Lamas long ruled over an impoverished, backward land of aristocrats and serfs as oppressively as the Chinese rule over their Tibet.

The Dalai Lama appears to have put all that behind him, however, and is now a major spokesman for human rights, and that does nothing to endear him to the barons of Beijing either.

The obvious solution would be to let the Tibetans choose their own future, but that is of course not in the cards. So the Chinese are stuck with this annoying pebble in their shoe. And they may be stuck for a long time. After all, the Dalai Lamas, through reincarnation, live forever. The current incarnation, Tenzin Gyatso, declares he won't be reborn in a land that isn't free and has even suggested Tibetans should be allowed to vote on whether or not they accept his rebirth. It's not surprising the Chinese are concerned about an enemy who may never die. On the other hand, he insists on a peaceful approach to the conflict with China, an approach other Tibetans are highly impatient with. The Chinese should at least be grateful for that.