Miami 3/11/2011 2:37:55 AM
News / Law

Dalai Lama Wishes to Retire as Tibet’s Political Leader

by Daun Lee

The Dalai Lama has expressed his desire to retire as the political leader of Tibet. The Dalai fled China in 1959 during uprising between the Chinese government and Tibetans wishing for autonomy. Dalai has encouraged the Tibetan people to elect a Prime Minister to handle the political affairs of the exiles in Tibet. The Chinese government however feels the Dalai’s announcement as a trick to deceive the international community. It is unclear how Tuesday’s announcement, which is also the anniversary of the Tibetan uprising of 1959, will affect talks between Beijing and Tibet.

Losing their political leader is disappointing to the Tibetan people who have been struggling to gain autonomy from the largely atheist Chinese government. The Tibetan people have been struggling to gain freedom for over 52 years, and many leaders have been running their government in exile.

Exile can be a self-imposed of imposed by a government to a person or group of people usually in protest of their treatment in their native land. Exiles differ from refugees in the respect that refugees are seeking citizenship in countries where their personal safety is in danger. Millions of refugees along with immigration attorneys ask for naturalization in a different country. Exiles in contrast aren’t seeking citizenship.

People from China comprise an large majority of new immigrants to the United States. When applying for citizenship an immigrant can benefit from the expertise of an immigration lawyer. Immigrants leave their native countries for a variety of reasons including economic opportunity and religious freedom; no matter the reason a person seeking citizenship needs the guidance of an immigration attorney.