Did Chinese Propaganda Use A Dalai Lama Video To Portray Him As A Paedophile?

The video featuring the Dalai Lama with an eight-year-old boy from February this year must have been perceived as a goldmine by Chinese propaganda officers. Tibetan cultural practices, of which most people in the West are unaware, were exploited by the Chinese propaganda department to depict the Dalai Lama as a paedophile.

The success of this strategy exceeded China's expectations, capitalizing on Western ignorance of Tibetan culture and the prevalent self-righteous "cancel culture" on social media, as reported by First Post.

Photo Credit: PTI

China's 'smear campaign': All You Need To Know

The smear campaign against the Dalai Lama by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was launched on social media. The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, who has been living in exile in India since 1959, was targeted by this campaign, which has been ongoing since then, according to Magnus Fiskesjö, associate professor at Cornell University.

The source of the raw material for the campaign was an event in Dharamsala where a Tibetan refugee charity employee arranged for her eight-year-old son to meet the Dalai Lama on 28 February. The footage from this meeting was manipulated by Chinese propaganda agencies to create the false impression that the Dalai Lama wanted to kiss the boy by cropping the image and spreading it via social media.

The propaganda clip, along with slurs against the Dalai Lama, was distributed globally through networks of trusted pro-regime individuals and linked bot accounts, garnering millions of hits within days. This orchestrated campaign led to widespread condemnation of the Dalai Lama by people with limited knowledge of him, facilitated by the dissemination of memes and manipulated content, as reported by ANI.

Here's what happened.

Just after the video, A report clarified that the tradition of feeding toddlers by mouth is common in Tibet and still exists, particularly in the Dalai Lama's former home region of Amdo, according to The Diplomat. The running joke among elderly Tibetans is that when they run out of treats for their grandchildren, they humorously offer their tongues, saying, "You may eat my tongue, for I have nothing else left."

Further, the report emphasized that the entire video was not "sexual" in any way and described the interactions between the Dalai Lama and the boy as innocent and light-hearted. During the exchange, the Dalai Lama humorously demonstrated how he used to play fight with his elder brother by pushing his head onto the boy's shoulder.

He also performed a traditional gesture of respect called oothuk, similar to a formal handshake in the West, by pressing his forehead against the boy's forehead. The boy and his mother, who was present during the entire interaction, expressed their joy and excitement afterwards.

The report highlighted that the Dalai Lama gave the boy a customary elders' kiss on the mouth and cheek before playfully sticking out his tongue to indicate the end of their exchange.

Additionally, the report mentioned that the Indian child initially asked if he could "hug" the Dalai Lama, reflecting cultural differences in greetings, as handshakes and hugs are typically avoided in Tibetan customs. Ultimately, the boy received a warm interaction that included a hug, a handshake, and a friendly chat with the Dalai Lama.

Implication of Chinese Propaganda

In the West, Tibetan cultural practices, including the non-sexual concept of "eat my tongue," remain largely unfamiliar to most people. The report observed that many individuals in the West are familiar with cases involving Catholic priests convicted of paedophilia, which allowed Chinese propagandists to insinuate that the Dalai Lama, akin to a male "priest," engaged in similar misconduct.

Global Impact of the Deceptive Strategy

The successful execution of this tactic surpassed expectations, inflicting significant damage on the reputation of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. The report highlighted the limited attention received by the recent grave atrocities committed in Tibet by China in Western media.

Dalai Lama's Apology and Tibetan Response

Interestingly, a statement from the Dalai Lama's office expressed regret for "the hurt his words may have caused." This move triggered outrage among Tibetans, with many questioning the necessity of an apology from the Dalai Lama. The report suggested that Tibetan Buddhists' inclination to feel remorse, regardless of culpability, might have influenced this apology. Subsequent demonstrations in Dharamshala and Ladakh emerged in support of the Dalai Lama, as reported by ANI.

Call for Better Oversight in Democracies

According to The Diplomat, democracies must exercise improved control over platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to prevent them from becoming tools in the hands of authoritarians, both domestically and abroad.

Motives Behind China's Actions

China's smear campaign aims to divert attention from the severe oppression unfolding in Chinese-occupied Tibet. UN human rights experts recently issued warnings about Chinese authorities detaining large numbers of individuals in Tibet, intending to erase their cultural identity and transform them into Chinese-speaking labourers, mirroring the ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs, as reported by First Post.

Additionally, the campaign may seek revenge for the successful inauguration of an ethnic Mongol boy, born in the United States, to the third highest reincarnated post in Tibetan Buddhism, which took place in Dharamsala, India, with the presence of 600 Mongol VIP guests.