“I Always Have One Dream,” a century of peace: His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
See Page 8.... Vol. 02, Issue 93, Print Issue 17, 31August 2013
Tibetan nun released from jail after severe torture
Australian Ambassador to China, Frances Adamson granted rare visit to Tibet
B o d - K y i - Cha-Trin
See Page 7.....
A Voice For Tibet Bi-monthly
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama commences Buddhist teachings to Korean devotees By Jake Thomas: 27August 2013
Shedup Lhamo, a 40-year-old nun of the Geden Choeling Nunnery in Karze County, Kham region, eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI/File
ByYeshe Choesang: 26 August 2013
Dharamshala: - Reports coming out of Tibet say Chinese authorities in Karze County of Kham region, eastern Tibet have released a Tibetan nun in very poor health. Shedup Lhamo, a 40-year-old nun of the Geden Choeling Nunnery in Karze County (Chinese, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), eastern Tibet was released on Saturday, August 24, sources told The Tibet Post International, citing sources in the region. Lhamo was reportedly repeatedly subjected to severe torture during her one-year jail sentence for staging a protest against Chinese rule. She was severely beaten while in custody, though she bore no outer signs of harm on her release, sources said, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that possible internal injuries. See Page 2...... Foot-and-mouth disease continues to spread in Tibet amid fears
Dharamshala:-After successfully concluding about a monthlong meditational retreat in Ladakh, the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday, August 25 commenced a three-day teaching on Tsongkhapa’s Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, at the main temple in Dharamsala, India. Addressing 4700 devotees, including 250 Koreans and international visitors from 61 countries, His Holiness said that positive human values like morality, love and tolerance should be developed to create a lasting peace and happiness in the world, which is troubled by corruption, bullying and discords in the name of religion. The three-day teaching sessions are held at the request of followers and devotees from Korea. “The world still faces problems like corruption, hypocrisy and bullying of weak by strong despite introduction of rule of law, democracy and freedom of press,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in his introductory remarks on the first day of a three-day teaching being given at the request of a group of Koreans. “Despite making tremendous technological advancement and material development, people still do not have inner happiness and lasting peace in the world. Lack of positive human values breed negative emotions like greed, jealousy and hatred,” the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said. “So the need to develop human values is common for all 7 billion human beings, irrespective of whether they believe or
His Holiness conducts a teaching for Korean disciples, main Tibetan temple in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala, India, August 26, 2013. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL
do not believe in religion. All the world’s religious traditions teach development and promotion of morality, love, compassion, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline,” His Holiness said.
Tense situation in Yulshul County Tibet after crackdown on mine protesters
Security has been beefed up at His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s residence and Buddhist temple following the serial bomb blasts in Bodh Gaya and terrorists’ threat to Tibetan monasteries. See Page 2......
Diaspora: A Tibetan Perspective – Conversation
A cell infected with foot-and-mouth disease virus in an undated image courtesy of The Pirbright Institute. The virus is red, green is tubulin and blue is the nucleus. REUTERS/The Pirbright Institute By Samuel Ivor: 28 August 2013
Dharamshala: - foot-and-mouth disease, one of the most serious diseases affecting cattle today, have been reported with increasing frequency from various parts of Tibet this year. China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has said that the disease had now been confirmed in a village in Biru (Tibetan: Driru) County in Nagqu (Nagchu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, after it was suspected to have hit seven head of cattle on Aug 10, reported China’s official Xinhua news agency Aug 26. The report also cited the MOA as saying that on Aug 19, another village in Nagqu County in the same prefecture reported that 99 head of cattle showed symptoms of the disease. It added that the national foot-and-mouth disease reference laboratory confirmed the two cases as type A foot-and-mouth disease on Aug 26. See Page 6....
China’s air force, or PLA (AF), in live fire exercises over the Tibetan plateau. Photo: File
Tibetans and Indians from all walks of life gathering for the Diaspora talk series at the India International Centre in New delhi, India on 25th August. Photo: TPI By Kalsang Dolma: 26 August 2013
‘India should put pressure on China over Tibet issue’ Exclusive photographs coming from the region showing heavy armed Chinese forces deployed in Zadoe County, Kham region of eastern Tibet on 16th August, 2013. Photo: TPI
By Yeshe Choesang: 19 August 2013
Tibetan parliamentary delegation meeting with Meghnad Desai, a leading Columnist associated with The Indian Express. Photo: TPI By Kalsang Dolma: 27 August 2013
Mysore, Karnataka: A member of Tibetan parliamentin-exile said here Tuesday, August 27 that India should put diplomatic pressure on China to resume the dialogue with leaders of Tibetans-in-exile and stop committing human rights violations. Lobsang Yeshi said India should provide unstinted support to the Tibet struggle. Panaji August has reported for Business Standard that a member of a four-member Tibetan delegation, Yeshi also See Page 4... met Goa ministers, politicians and an MP.
Dharamshala: - Emerging reports from Tibet say over hundred Tibetans were injured and one man committed suicide in Yulshul County, Kham region of eastern Tibet, after a massive crackdown carried out by armed Chinese military forces to disperse Tibetans peacefully protesting against diamond mining in the region. “The protestors were severely beaten by Chinese security forces with gun butts and hurling tear gas to disperse the peaceful protesting against diamond mining in Yulshul County in eastern Tibet. The situation remains tense in the county, as there is a growing anger over the severe crackdown,” sources said. “Local Tibetans are concerned that the mining activities are not sanctioned by the Central government officials and that they could trigger environmental problems, including pollution. Protesters raised their hands and shouted slogans such as “stop the destruction of the environment”, while putting up large banners displaying President Xi Jinping and his recent environment speech,” Ven Konchok told The Tibet Post International (TPI), citing sources in the region. “Over hundred Tibetans were wounded in the Chinese crackdown, while at least eight Tibetans were arrested and 15 others taken to a hospital. The total numbers of injured and
arrested still cannot be confirmed, this hospital alone treating 15 protesters,” said Konchok Dhondup, Tibetan monk currently living in Dharamshala, citing local contacts. “Over 1,000 Tibetans gathered to protest against the mining activities in each of the three sacred Buddhist sites in Yulshul County. The massive crackdown followed a tense confrontation between local Tibetan protestors and Chinese miner workers at three sacred Buddhist sites having diamond reserves in Dzatoe in Yulshul County (Chinese: Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai Province) since August 13. “A Tibetan man identified as Sokpo Choedup was seriously injured after what appears to be a self-inflicted knife wounds and was taken away by Chinese police,” Ven Konchok said. ”Hundreds of armed military forces immediately arrived at the holy sites,” said Konchok. “Over 500 armed police stormed holy sites in Atod Yultso and Zachen Yultso and fired teargas to disperse the protestors. The protestors were tortured, severely beaten with gun butts, threatened with being shot if they don’t end their protests,” he added. “The local Tibetans however complained that the mining workers increase environmental destruction in the county, that against China’s environmental protection law and are carried out by the workers in coordination with corrupt state and local officials, without sanctions See Page 6... from the central government,” he further added.
New Delhi: - Even as heavy rain came pelting down; a steady stream of people came for the Diaspora talk series at the India International Centre on 25th August. Soon the conference hall, which has seating for about 30 persons, was full. The audience consisted of a good mix of Tibetans and Indians from all walks of life; among the audience were also many GTPN members. We were honoured to have Mr. Tenpa Tsering la, the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi,who felt that the talk was very enriching. See Page 6... Tibetans condemn alleged sexual assault on minor girl
Tibetan community in exile strongly condemns recent alleged sexual assault on minor Tibetan girl in Mundgod. Photo: TP/File By Kalsang Dolma: 28 August 2013
Dharamshala: - Tibetan community in exile strongly condemns the recent incident of alleged sexual aggression perpetrated on a minor Tibetan girl in Mundgod settlement by two fellow community members. “The Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration will do everything within its power to ensure that such heinous criminal offense is duly reported to the local police and dealt See Page 6... with in the court of law.
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TPI NEWS
Remembering Martin Luther King’s Dream By Yeshe Choesang: 31 August 2013
Dharamshala: - Over the past 50 years, since the Chinese invaded Tibet, the six million people of Tibet have suffered. The Chinese Government continues its use of cultural genocide, torture and severe abuse, despite officially claiming to recognise the basic rights of Tibetans, as well as compliance with international law. In his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called for America’s “bank of justice” to repay a metaphorical check of freedom and security to African-Americans, and to abandon discrimination including race, colour, language, religion, political or
employment, yet most University places are only open to highly-trained Mandarin speakers. In the years since the Chinese occupation, the TibetanChinese gap in any social sphere, including primary and post-primary education, has only widened and is getting bigger all the time. Fifty years after the so-called “liberation”, what can we see of Tibet? There is the Tibetan underclass, “new slave-like cheap labour”, caught in the revolving door of poverty, despair, miseducation, and incarceration. Worsening material conditions for many Tibetans has coincided with the obliteration of affirmative action programs meant to level the playing field in
opinion
Time for a new stance on Tibet By Seema Sirohi, Times of India: 19 May 2013
The recent Chinese incursion into India, the long stand-off, the fear and fury surrounding the brazen episode and the eventual resolution once again raises an old question : What about Tibet? India’s security is directly linked to Tibet, as Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of Tibet’s government-in-exile, told a Washington audience last week and he is right. “When China says that Tibet is one of the core issues, all the more (reason) that India should say, Tibet is a core issue for India as well,” said the eloquent bearer of Tibetans’ political hopes. He gently urged India to do “more” while profusely thanking it for its hospitality over the years. Sangay must resurrect from the ashes of India’s Tibet policy whatever signs of life he can because he can’t stop fighting. As he once said the Tibetans are “genetically disposed to dealing with China” having done it for 2,000 years. But for Indians, China is relatively new,
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“Your Health is our Happiness” MEXICAN, ITALIAN, INDIAN, CHINESE, CONTINENTAL & THAI FOOD other opinion, national and social origin. As the news of freedom and human rights spread worldwide, the message of what the Tibetan people wanted the world to understand was loud and clear - Free Tibet and save Tibet. Unintimidated by communist China’s hardline policy of oppression, Tibetans have since 1951 stood up to those who would do whatever it took to destroy the religion, culture, and language of Tibet. Unfortunately, there are no signs of civil-rights progress in Tibet over the past half-century, while new repressive policies on social equality threaten the Tibetan people. Fifty years after a great day of celebration for civil rights across the world, the daily experience of the Tibetan people is still marked by racism and exclusion from the “Chinese Dream”. Tibet was a sovereign state administrated by a people with a distinct language, culture, religion, history and customs until the Chinese invasion. Tibet, once a peaceful buffer state between India and China, has been transformed into a so-called militarized zone. There are at least 300,000 Chinese troops stationed there at any time, as are at least one quarter of China’s nuclear arsenal of 350 nuclear missiles at 5 different missile bases. It is believed that approximately 3,000 religious and political prisoners are held in prisons and forced labour camps where torture is common. There are reports that Tibetan women are subject en masse to forced abortions and sterilization. Alexander Solzhenitsyn has described China’s administration of Tibet as “more brutal and inhumane than any other communist regime in the world.” A total of 120 Tibetans in Tibet already set themselves ablaze in protests against the repressive Chinese government policies and rule in Tibet, with another seven setting themselves on fire in India and Nepal. Most of the Tibetan younger generations who grew up, were educated and are alleged to have benefited under Chinese rule, are today calling for freedom and for cultural and religious freedom, language rights, and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet. The many crises faced by the people of Tibet such as public education, residential segregation, unemployment, incarceration, and health are only getting worse, despite the promise of a post-Mao Era. A litany of statistics indicate that a new generation of Tibetans will grow up in communities plagued by concentrated poverty, joblessness and hopelessness. Hard-won victories to desegregate the public schools across Tibet have been reversed. Some recent sources from Tibet claim that Tibetan students today are as segregated from Chinese students as they were in the 1940s, when Tibet was allegedly a “backward society.” In today’s information economy in Tibet, a college degree is increasingly necessary for
employment and education. On the other hand, there is some hope of the “soft power policies” which were publicly mentioned by Hu Yaobang, the former Chinese leader, when he was visiting Tibet in 1980, as well as China’s paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, who told Gyalo Thondup (His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s brother) in 1979, that whatever happened in the past is past. He stated that anything can be discussed - anything except full Tibetan independence. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach in favour of seeking greater autonomy for Tibet within China would be sufficient, if the Tibetans who have struggled for Tibet were to be included. Unfortunately, this remains far from reality at this point in time. The reality is that Buddhist monasteries and town centres across Tibet remain heavily surrounded by Chinese military forces. Tibetans in Tibet cannot freely travel in their own homeland. They are treated with suspicion and mistrust by the Han Chinese who freely move into Tibet every year. The crisis in Tibet during and after the Beijing Olympic Games led to anger and concern among the international community, caused by the unspeakable horrors of Chinese brutality and deadly crackdowns during this period. Many reports suggest that Chinese police and authorities have shot and killed many Tibetans every year since the invasion. Despite this, not one Chinese official concerned has been convicted. Yet, despite all of these challenges and harassment; despite the fact that Tibetan culture and religion is under constant attack by the Han Chinese government, the Tibetan people continue to peacefully resist. On August 28, 2013, the day of the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s speech, His Holiness the Dalai Lama sent a message of peace to the world, about his hope and dream in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. In the message, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, “I always have one dream that within this century the world truly becomes a real happy human family. In order to achieve that we need to have a sense of oneness of humanity.” The best hope for peace in our world, including Tibet and China, must come through a great expansion of freedom in all the parts of earth, as well as respect for the basic rights of every human being. Like the great Martin Luther King Jr, Tibetan people both inside and outside of Tibet also have their hopes and dreams of peace and freedom intertwined with the struggle for basic rights. Thousands of Tibetans in exile wish to return back to Tibet one day, their homeland in which they wish to take their last breath. Unfortunately for many, their wish for freedom never materialized. But there is one common dream that the six million people of Tibet will never stop expressing;- the call for freedom for Tibetans and the return of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama to his homeland Tibet.
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Relatives, friends, and community members lined the road to welcome her with ceremonial scarves on her return to her home in Shungang village in Karze. They talked about taking Lhamo to a hospital for a checkup and treatment. Shedup Lhamo was detained on August 25 last year when she staged a solitary protest in Karze town. She called for the return of the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for freedom for Tibet. She also reportedly threw leaflets in the air, though witnesses could not see what was written on them, the sources further added. A total of 120 people, including monks, nuns and students in Tibet have also set themselves ablaze in self-immolation protests calling for Tibetan freedom, with another six setting fire to themselves in India and Nepal.
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especially the new China, one that is flexing its considerable muscle all around, scaring its near and far neighbors into various combinations of confabulations. “Tibetans have every reason to believe that China wants Tibet but not the Tibetan people,” says Sangay. Otherwise, why wouldn’t China apply the Hong Kong and Macao model of “one country, two systems” and give Tibetans the power to make decisions about being Tibetans, retain their culture and language. But what they get are Chinese crackdowns, most recently in 2008. China even tried to affect Sangay’s election by leaning on Nepal to prevent ballots of Tibetan exiles to be delivered to India for counting. Contrast that with India holding regular local and state elections in Arunachal, Mizoram, Manipur and Jammu & Kashmir despite the much-hated Armed Forces Special Powers Act. India’s moral case over contested areas is stronger today because the people have a voice. India has reason to help Tibetans reach an acceptable solution with China. Sangay was indirectly asking India to use the leverage of the 1,20,000 Tibetan refugees on Indian soil to argue for real autonomy for Tibet, and start adding distance between itself and China. Recreate the buffer in a different form. But official India has anxiety about hosting the Dalai Lama and his flock. It lets China determine the nature and extent of its interaction with the spiritual leader, creating ludicrous protocol dilemmas. It puts Tibetan protestors behind bars so they don’t mar the view of Chinese visitors. The Chinese Olympic flame gets more respect from Indian police than Tibetans exercising their right to peaceful protest. In a democracy. Some urge India to play the “Tibet card” but Tibetans are not cards, they are a people with a long history who have systematically been suppressed by China. What sadder index of pain than the 117 Tibetan self-immolations to protest Chinese rule? Should India reconfigure its diplomacy to suit these trying times? It abandoned its rights over Tibet and accepted Chinese sovereignty in a fit of post-colonial solidarity without any quid pro quo. Then it agreed to a “one China” policy without getting a real “one India” policy in return. The end result is India’s constant defensive posture, broken occasionally by a bit of diplomatic aggression in drafting of
statements. Can India “reclaim” the Tibet issue, even if notionally? China has never shied from using the Tibet card against India, it refers to Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet and claims 90,000 square kilometers . Simultaneously, it denies Indian claims in Aksai Chin as it did last year by showing the area as its territory in new e-passports . India retaliated by issuing visas with a counter map. In 2010, Xinhua knocked off 1,600 kilometers off the border ahead of Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s visit to India, forcing the Indian ambassador to assert the length of the border as 3,488 kilometers. These cartographic wars should be a side-show not the mainstay of Indian policy. Tibet is at the core of the border dispute with China. A real solution would require China to urgently address Tibetan demands for autonomy . Nine rounds of talks between 2002-2010 ended in stalemate with the Dalai Lama’s envoys resigning in frustration. The Chinese had begun threatening they may take away minority status of the Tibetans, thereby removing the basis for granting autonomy. China has kicked the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” out of the door while altering demographic reality on the ground. Tensions are on the boil as Chinese take the top jobs while the government relentlessly exploits Tibet’s natural wealth. Reportedly, Tibetan nomads are being forced off their traditional lands and photographs of the Dalai Lama are routinely spat upon. Years of singleminded social engineering and cultural suppression have brought the age of self-immolation. There are a hundred reasons for tweaking India’s diplomatic routine China has shown zero sensitivity to India’s core interests, it has broken pledges on border negotiations, it has steadfastly opposed the “rise” of India in various international clubs, it has singlehandedly made Pakistan a nuclear power and repeatedly saved its terrorist back in the United Nations. This is not an argument to turn up the heat n e e d l e s s l y b e c a u s e o f I n d i a ’s v e r y r e a l limitations on the ground. But nor is it an endorsement of the institutional diffidence sometimes on display and extreme fear of hurting Chinese sensitivities. A new balance between the two might help. The writer is a Washington DC-based analyst.
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issued an urgent announcement in view of the new security measures taken by the local security agencies. “As a result of new security measures, no outside electronic gadgets, including FM radios, will be allowed in the Temple premises at all times,” the Office of His Holiness said in a statement on 20 August. The office also said it would provide English translation for all English-listening members of the audience in a designated area. “We apologize for the inconvenience created and ask for your understanding while we work out a new method for translation services for future teachings,” it said. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has returned to Dharamsala on Friday morning, August 23 after successfully concluding about a monthlong meditational retreat in Ladakh, India’s northern state Jammu & Kashmir.
.......teachings to Korean devotees
However, earlier devotees of varied nationalities who use to attend the teachings of His Holiness used to take FM radios and electronic gadgets with them including translators to hear the sermons in their own mother tongue. “We have decided not to allow the FM radios and electronic gadgets in the teachings of the Dalai Lama which are going to start from August 25 this month according to the office of the Dalai Lama” said Mohit Chawla, ASP at district police headquarters here. Only those FM radios provided by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be used during prayer or teaching session. Himachal Pradesh Police used to review the security of the Tibetan spiritual leaders and their official palace, besides establishments of the Tibetan Administration based in Dharamsala, India. The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has
TPI NEWS
The Tibet Post International
Tibetans living in free countries have a great responsibility, says the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa really tells you.” The Gyalwang Karmapa particularly encouraged the young students to learn the Tibetan language and to learn about Tibetan culture and traditions, advising them that this would be very beneficial. “Actually you are all from a very different environment, a very different place, living in the midst of other The 17th Karmapa addressing a group of students on August 3rd 2013 – Gyuto Monastery, cultures, so to be able Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI to learn Tibetan, to speak Tibetan, and to learn By Pat de Brún: 28 August 2013 Dharamshala: - A meeting in Dharamshala, about Tibetan culture and traditions is from one India, with a large group of foreign-born Tibetan way of looking a very difficult thing to do. It can children who were on a Summer Camp Program, put a lot of pressure on you. But I hope that all of the Gyalwang Karmapa urged them to remember you can take this pressure and transform it into the difficulties faced by Tibetans living in Tibet. courage.” The group of about 60 students included young Finally the Gyalwang Karmapa thanked the Tibetans born in Switzerland, Canada, the United parents of the students who had sent their foreignStates, Ireland and France, who had travelled to born Tibetan children to India in order to deepen India in order to learn about and experience more their cultural roots. “For all of you parents who have taken the interest of their Tibetan cultural roots. On Saturday, August 3, the group had the in Tibetan culture, and who have decided to send opportunity to meet and be blessed by the 17th your children who are Tibetans to India in order to learn a little bit more about the situation and the Gyalwang Karmapa Rinpoche . “There are a lot of difficulties that the Tibetans culture in Tibet, and to learn the Tibetan language who live in Tibet face, and the responsibility and also about Tibetan culture and traditions – it to remove or eliminate those difficulties falls is very good. It’s something that creates a strong upon all of us who live in foreign countries,” impression and so this is a wonderful thing to do. the Gyalwang Karmapa told the young students. I’d like to thank you all very much for it.” “It’s a great responsibility that we have.”“For all of the Tibetans who live in free countries, who are scattered all over the world, for all of you it is your own individual responsibility. And this is something that you all have to know and understand for yourselves, before anyone else
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Professor Samdhong Rinpoche graces 13th annual Federation of Tibetan Co-operatives in South India By Kalsang Dolma : 22 August 2013
Bylakuppe: - The 13th Annual Conference of 15 Tibetan co-operatives graced by Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, the former Kalon Tripa of Tibet on Tuesady, August 20, at Lugsam Co-operative’s community hall in Bylakuppe, South India. The three-day conference was organized by Federation of Tibetan Co-operatives (FTCI) in India Ltd and co-ordinated by Lugsam cooperative society. Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche was the Chief Guest for inaugural function. Member of Tibetan Parliament in exile, Mr Jigmey Jugney and Mr Lobsang Yeshi, Settlement Officers of Lugsam and TDL settlement, representatives of various organisations and monasteries and camp leaders were present as a guest,” said a statement released by FTCI. The function began with lighting of butter lamp by the Chief Guest and rendition of Tibetan and Indian national anthem. A minute long silence was then observed to pay respect to martyrs who self-immolated for the cause of Tibet. Mr Tashi Wangdu, FTCI CEO welcomed the guests and participants of the conference and presented a brief report on Tibetan co-operatives and FTCI. He gave comprehensive information on how activities currently undertaken by FTCI and member cooperative societies benefit the members. His talk also covered on upcoming projects of FTCI. Mr Pema Delek, the Federation of Tibetan Cooperatives Chairman began his address by talking about evolution of co-operative movement in Tibetan community in exile. He then highlighted the improvement made by Tibetan co-operatives in terms of profitability, management and service to members as compared to earlier. He said that like local Indian farmers, members of Tibetan cooperatives in Karnataka has been getting agriculture loan, interest subsidy and drought relief. Chief Guest Prof Samdhong Rinpoche presented 2013 Tibetan Entrepreneur of the Year Award to
13 Annual Conference of Tibetan Co-operatives being held in Bylakuppe, on August 20, 2013. Photo: FTCI
Mr. Dorjee Palden, Scrap dealer from Mundgod Tibetan Settlement. He also launched the first annual Nyamdel Newsletter in Tibetan version and honored Dharamsala co-operative society for completing 50 years of community service (1963-2013). Following the presentation of the Best Secretary Award to Mr Kelsang Gyatso, Secretary of Mainpat Tibetan Co-operative Society, FTCI Chairman and special guests picked 10 lucky student’s name from the box for Nyamdel Scholarship. Rinpoche in his address emphasised on importance of active participation of members in cooperative management, distribution of profit to members and operation of co-operative activities as per the state and central co-operative societies acts. He further added that co-operative must be aware of amendment made by the government with regard to co-operative’s acts and bye-law from time to time without delay. Rinpoche then said that he was glad to hear
Largest NGO in exile, Tibetan Youth Congress urges Nepal officials to hand over Gyatso’s body By James Dunn: 20 August 2013
Dharamsala Aug 20 – The largest Tibetan NGO in exile, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) has initiated a request asking the Nepal Government to release the body of Karma Nyidhon Gyatso, a Tibetan monk. Gyatso, self immolated on August 5, 2013 in Boudha Kathmandu. Gyatso was from Damshung County located near Tibet’s capital Lhasa. He has been identified as being 39 years old and arrived at the Kathmandu Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre on January 30, 2012 escaping from Tibet. According to reports, we believe the body of Gyatso is in the custody of the Nepal Police Department. In a press release, TYC President Tenzing Jigme stated, “we urge the Nepalese Government to either hand over the body to the Tibetan Community in Kathmandu or arrange for the correct funeral rituals according to Buddhist traditions”. Nepal is a nation rich in culture, tradition and religion. The great Lord Buddha, founder of Buddhism was born in Nepal and some of the holiest Buddhist sites are located here. The respect that one has for each other’s culture and religion makes this country really unique and great. The Nepalese people have always allowed for space so that each and every individual living in this nation enjoy the freedom to practice their religion - moreover the people of Nepal have embraced Tibetans with open arms and we are forever grateful for that. This is the second Self Immolation case in Nepal. Drupchen Tsering, another Tibetan monk, selfimmolated in Boudha, on February 13, 2013 and died on the same day. “Despite requests from the Tibetan community in Kathmandu, diplomatic efforts and international petitioning, his body was cremated secretly without any customary rituals,” TYC said. TYC Vice President Tamdin Hrichoe says, “we hope that Nepal will do the right thing this time. Gyatso deserves the right to be cremated with respect and dignity”. “TYC is the largest NGO in exile working for the freedom of the Tibetan people. Today, on behalf of
about support and help provided to poor and needy Tibetans by co-operatives and appreciated Lugsam co-operative for constructing community hall in a very aesthetic manner without any foreign donation. He went on to say Tibetan co-operative can help to contribute in achieving present Kashag’s principle of Self-reliance. At the end of his speech, Rinpoche expressed that “May be under the management and guidance of FTCI, Tibetan co-operatives has potential, opportunity and facility to saw a seed that will contribute tremendously in building a sustainable economy of the future Tibet.” He also said Tibetan co-operatives certainly help to lead and guide Tibetan community in exile in the field of education, culture, religion, health and so on. The participants for annual conference include Chairman and Secretary of 15 co-operatives, Managers and staff of FTCI, Board of Directors of Lugsam, Delar and Hunsur cooperative societies.
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Karma Ngedhon Gyatso, a Tibetan monk who self-immolated at Boudha holy site in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo: TPI
Tibetans and Buddhists all over the world, TYC urges the Government of Nepal to act on principles and values that the people of Nepal uphold,” it further added. The youth group said it has sent “letters to Nepal Embassy and Consulates in New Delhi, Washington DC, New York and San Francisco as well as Human Rights groups. TYC requests that the Government of Nepal hand over Gyatso’s body to the Tibetan Community of Nepal or kindly make arrangements so that proper funeral rituals according to Buddhist traditions can be performed.” Since 1998. seven exile Tibetans have set themselves on fire in India and Nepal in an escalating wave of protest against Beijing’s rule in Tibet. Four of them reportedly died later, succumbing to their injuries. A total of 120 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet since 2009 to protest against the same hardline and repressive rule, demanding the return of the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland and freedom for Tibetans inside Tibet and of them 103 were reportedly passed-away from their severe burn injuries.
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31 August 2013
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Imprisoned writer Dupa Kyab’s short poems reveal the sufferings in Tibet By Kalsang Dolma: 27 August 2013
Dharamshala: - Gangkye Drupa Kyab is a writer, poet, teacher and a father of two who was sentenced early this month to five years and six months in prison for alleged political activities against Chinese rule in Tibet. Gangkye Drupa Kyab was first detained on the night of 15 February 2012 by a group of about 20 Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers from his home in Serta (Ch: Seda) County. His house was raided and his wife, Wangchuk Lhamo, was given no explanation despite repeated appeals at the time of detention. Since then, for 17 months, his whereabouts remained unknown to family and friends until his sentencing on 1 August 2013. Choenyi Woeser, an exile Tibetan journalist and a childhood friend of Drupa Kyab told the India based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) that local Tibetans consider Drupa Kyab a highly conscientious individual and teacher, having a great love and respect for Tibetan culture and language. During his primary school days, Drupa Kyab was physically weak and no one expected him to perform great tasks, Woeser remembers. However, he had a melodious voice and teachers often made him sing songs. But one day, his relative, in whose house he was staying suffered injuries in a brawl. Immediately, Drupa Kyab came to his rescue and defended him. As a student, he was focused on his studies and respectful to his teachers, but had no interest in sports. Drupa Kyab has written many essays and poems under the name of Gangkye Drupa Kyab and Gang Metak. TCHRD has translated and edited two short poems composed by Drupa Kyab. The poems reveal the suffering and pain endured by Tibetans during the crackdown on 2008 protests, and the hardships faced by ordinary Tibetans trapped in the web of official corruption and profiteering. Tears of the Past The history of the Snow-landers When I think of it now, all I get is tears No moments of joy occur in our hearts When all we do now is swallow tears In the midst of illusory history And the war of the brazen reds Countless Tibetan lives have been lost Ah, this suffering! Amid the war of the past Our protector exiled behind the snow-mountains The red terror tramples upon the Tibetan people Who can endure the present loss? All the Mind Yearns for is Money
TIBET
China secretly jails a singer of Tibet, the precise details of his sentence unknown By Yeshe Choesang: 28 August 2013
Imprisoned Tibetan writer, poet, teacher, and father of two, Gangkye Drupa Kyab. Photo: TPI
All the mind yearns for is money As nature is turned upside down the body and mind suffer To dispel suffering, they search for lords and deities everywhere The facilities and skills of modern science Cannot be secured easily without money The golden rope of the historical past And the sovereign kings benefited everyone No service is more honorable on this earth Than governing subjects with love and compassion Today the glorious past appears like a dream Words and souls are bought off for private gains The divine nature of love and compassion is abandoned All the minds yearn for is money Registering names and securing medical certificates Paying medical bills and consulting doctors Getting admitted into hospitals all occur through hook and crook There’s no fair and equal treatment Sick patients throng hospitals Bodies and souls worn down by weight of suffering Those who cannot back up medicines with money Are on the verge of dying Young and old patients throng hospitals Loved ones visit them Their eyes filled with torments of love Thinking of them I suffer a mixed feeling of joy and sadness
Dharamshala: Unlike other alleged corruption or criminal trials in China, a Chinese court has secretly sentenced a popular Tibetan singer to five years in prison over his songs about selfimmolation protest in Tibet. Shawo Tashi, a 40-year old Tibetan singer was reportedly sentenced to five years in prison and is subject to two and a half years of deprivation of political rights. “The so called People’s Intermediate Court in Malho (Chinese: Huangnan) sentenced Shawo Tashi to five years in prison for allegedly distributing photos of Tamdrin Tso, a young mother who self-immolated in November last year, copying her final statement on the photos, participating in a demonstration against the Chinese government rule, and singing nationality songs for Tibet ,” Sonam, a Tibetan living in Switzerland told The Tibet Post International. He is from Rebkong county (Chinese: Tongren, Qinghai province, China), Amdho region of eastern Tibet. “The Chinese authorities also accused him of for publicizing the actions of a self-immolation protester and for performing songs with banned political themes,” Sonam added. “Although precise details, including the date of his sentencing are still not available in this respect, though he is believed now to be held in a jail in Siling township (Chinese: Xining, Qinghai’s provincial capital ),” he further added. “Since his arrest, the whereabouts of Tashi remained unknown to family and friends until his sentence this month. He was placed totally in incommunicado detention in police custody with the Chinese authorities releasing no information
By Yeshe Choesang: 19 August 2013
Dharamshala: - Emerging reports coming out of Tibet say four more Tibetans have been secretly sentenced to varying prison terms by the Intermediate People’s court in Malho, north-eastern Tibet, over allegedly involving self-immolation in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet and shouting slogans demanding Tibetan independence. Jamyang Tseten, Tsondue Choeden, 19, Lhamo, 20 and a 18-year old Tibetan student were sentenced for their alleged role in self-immolation protests and allegedly shouting slogans demanding independence for Tibet, sources said. “Jamyang Tseten from Qinghai Communications Technical College was sentenced to 4 years in prison and deprived of his political rights for 2 years, for allegedly committing separatist political activities against Chinese rule in Tibet,” said sonam currently in Switzerland told The Tibet Post International. “Tsonsue Choeden, a monk from Rongpo Monastery in Rebkong County was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and deprived of political rights for 1 years over accusations of inciting others to selfimmolate in protest against Chinese rule, while
Lhamo, a 20-year old Tibetan youth and an 17-year old student were each sentenced to 2 years and deprived of their political rights for 1 years over allegedly shouting slogans demanding independence for Tibet,” he added. “Sobum, a 18-year old Tibetan who was arrested over accused of involvement in a self-immolation protests is not sentenced, but he is still in Chinese police custody” said Sonam. Earlier this month, China has sentenced four Tibetan writers up to five years in prison and deprived their political rights for their alleged involvement in a Tibetan movement against Chinese rule in Tibet. In mid-June, Wangchuk Dorjee, a student at the Middle School of Nationalities in Malho County was sentenced to 4-years in prison for allegedly leading a protest last year in Malho county, Amdho region of north-eastern Tibet, where several thousand Tibetan students took to the streets demanding “equality of nationalities and freedom of languages” and demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In mid August 2012, two students- Tashi Tsering, 22, and Choeyang Gonpo, 21, each were received jail terms of three years and In early April this year, eight Tibetan students have been sentenced to five years in prison after a major protest. In the recent past months, reports emerged of several Tibetans being secretly sentenced to varying prison terms for their alleged involvement in the protests. A total of 120 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet since 2009 to protest against the same hardline and repressive rule and of them 103 were reportedly passed-away from their severe burn injuries. Tibetan self-immolators have called for the return of the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland and freedom for Tibetans inside Tibet.
Tibetan singer Shawo Tashi was jailed to five years, detials still unknown. Photo: TPI
about his whereabouts or condition,” Sonam told TPI. “Tashi, a young talented singer, who has expressed his deep loyalty towards Tibet and its people through several albums. One of his songs, - ‘Faraway Father,’ a reference to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, became very popular among Tibetans,” sources added. According to the sources, “Tashi’s sentence comes just after another Tibetan singer- Kalsang Yarphel, a 38-year old was arrested by Chinese authorities in capital Lhasa on July 14 this year, for allegedly singing a song calling on Tibetans to “unite” and to learn and speak their own language.”
In June 2013, two Tibetan singers- Pema Trinley, 22, and Chakdor, 32, were secretly sentenced to 2-years in prison, over allegedly distributing politically sensitive songs. Sources said that “they were arrested by Chinese authorities in July 2012 in Machu county, Amdho region of North-eastern Tibet (Chinese: Gansu province) over a DVD that contained songs praising selfimmolation protesters and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” A total of 120 Tibetans in Tibet already set themselves ablaze in protests against the repressive Chinese government policies and rule in Tibet, with another seven setting themselves on fire in India and Nepal.
Tibetan man sentenced to death over wife’s self-immolation protest
Four Tibetans sentenced to varying jail terms over self-immolation protests in Tibet
Jamyang Tseten (R) and Lhamo (L). Photo: TPI
The Tibet Post International
Dolma Kyab (Ch: Drolma Gya) sentenced to death over wife’s self-immolation. Photo: Xinhua By James Dunn: 18 August 2013
Dharamshala: - In a deepening crackdown on selfimmolation protests, Chinese authorities in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, have given death sentence to a Tibetan man for allegedly killing his wife. Dolma Kyab, 32, was handed death penalty more than five months after the death of his wife, Kunchok Wangmo, 29, in Dzoege (Ch: Rue’rgai) County in Ngaba Prefecture, according to a Xinhua report carried on the state controlled news mediachina.org.cn and Global Times. The report said Dolma Kyab strangled his wife to death at 11 pm on 11 March 2013 following an argument over his drinking problem. He then burned his wife’s body early next morning to make it look like she committed self-immolation, the report claimed quoting court authorities. Mr. Kyab is the sole bread earner in his family which consists of his eight-year-old daughter and his aged mother. However, exile Tibetan sources had reported that Kunchok Wangmo died of self-immolation protest on 13 March 2013 on the main street of Dzoege County town. A day later, on 14 March, Dolma Kyab was detained after he refused to follow official orders to blame the death of his wife on domestic problems. Interestingly, the Xinhua report quoted Mr Kyab’s lawyer Su Haijun as saying that Kunchok Wangmo’s parents would not believe that their son-in-law killed their daughter as the husband and wife “were generally on good terms with each other.” In recent years, China has made aggressive overtures, mainly in the form of hush money,
to silence family members of self-immolation protesters. Last year, Dhonue, husband of Dolkar Tso, was secretly detained after he refused to accept bribe from the authorities in exchange for blaming the death of his wife on family problems. Dolkar Tso died of self-immolation protest on 7 August 2012 near Tsoe Gaden Choeling Monastery in Tsoe city in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. Mr Kyab has become the first Tibetan sentenced to death in connection with self-immolation protests. The Intermediate People’s Court in Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture passed the death sentence. In January 2013, the same court sentenced Lobsang Kunchok, 40, to death with two years’ reprieve while his nephew, Lobsang Tsering, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on “intentional homicide” charges. The latest death penalty indicates that the authorities have hardened their stance on the issue of selfimmolation, by making an example out of a few defiant relatives to scare and intimidate other family members and relatives of self-immolation protesters into toeing the official line. This year saw an alarming rise in the number of Tibetans arrested and sentenced in connection with selfimmolation protests, with some getting as many as six to 10 years in prison for alleged connections with self-immolation protests. In February 2013, Chinese authorities in Qinghai Province reported the detention of more than 70 Tibetan suspects out of which 12 were officially charged. Dharamshala based Tibetan Centre for Human
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Rights and Democracy said it “remains reasonably skeptical over alleged confessions made by Mr Dolma Kyab regarding his involvement in the so-called murder of his wife. Torture is still used extensively to extract confessions in politicallymotivated cases. China’s lack of transparency in handing death penalty, in addition to its frequent failure to comply with international legal standards raises important questions over the lawfulness of the latest death sentence passed on Dolma Kyab.” We seek “immediate and urgent intervention by the UN Special Rapporteur on Extra Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Execution, governments and the international community in ensuring that Mr Dolma Kyab’s human rights are respected and protected,” the statement further added.
pressure on China over Tibet...... ...................continued from front-page
“The Indian government should put diplomatic pressure on China to resume the dialogues with us. China and we need to look for a solution within the broader parameters of autonomy and also improve the human rights conditions,” Yeshi said. Yeshi said that over 10 million Chinese have been settling in Tibetan annually, as against the six million indigenous Tibetan population. “Tibet needs its social stability, unity, harmony and abolition of human rights violation. We hope that India stands alongside Tibetans in upholding the ideals of humanitarianism, freedom and democracy,” Yeshi said
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Kashag’s two years of achievement? TPI NEWS Ten questions for Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay The Tibet Post International
CTA, DIIR news media- Tibet Net: 21 August 2013
Dharamshala: - On the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the 14th Kashag (Cabinet), Dr Lobsang Sangay Sikyong or the democratically elected political leader of Tibetan people gave an exclusive interview to the Tibetan administration news media- ‘Tibet Net.’ 1. How would you describe your administration’s overall strategic approach as you complete two years in office? The 14th Kashag had the formidable challenge of ensuring a smooth transition in the wake of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s historic decision to devolve his political authority to a democratically elected leader while sustaining the Tibetan freedom struggle. The strategic approach we have taken at a macro level can be summarized as a three-phase integrated approach of consolidation, action and dialogue. The consolidation phase that spanned much of the first year was focused on ensuring a smooth transition. Our priority during this time of transition was to avoid disruption; and rally all Tibetans and supporters. Towards this end, we hosted several major conferences in Dharamshala that brought together Tibetan representatives from all across the globe and leaders of the Indian and International Tibet Support Groups. With His Holiness’ blessing, Tibetans inside and around the world have fully supported the transition and taken responsibility in fulfiling the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The 14th Kashag would like to express its appreciation for the support and urge Tibetans to continue to do so. This support has been instrumental during the consolidation phase. The action phase witnessed major solidarity events in several cities including New York, New Delhi, Brussels, Tokyo, Sydney and others. These solidarity events were complemented by media awareness and efforts to garner support for Tibet in congresses and parliaments across the world. Working with friends and supporters of Tibet, we were able to get declarations, resolutions and motions passed in parliaments in the European Union, Australia, Brazil, Japan, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the United States and other countries. The dialogue phase involves sustained efforts and initiatives to resume contact with the Chinese government. Additional investment will be made to educate both Tibetans and external audiences on the Middle Way Approach. The Task Force on Negotiations will be enlarged and members will have their 26th meeting in September 2013 during which ongoing developments in Tibet and China will be reviewed and discussed. 2. What is the Middle Way Policy and how has this policy benefited Tibet and Tibetans? As early as the 1970s, His Holiness the Dalai Lama began to formulate a far-sighted and pragmatic solution to the Tibet issue after consulting various Tibetan leaders in exile and later in the 1980s also soliciting feedback from Tibetans inside Tibet. The new formulation traversed the middle path between repression and separation – rejecting the repressive and colonial policies of the Chinese government towards Tibetans while not seeking separation from the People’s Republic of China. This win-win proposition, which came to be known as the Middle Way Approach, calls for genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the framework of the People’s Republic of China. This approach was also in sync with then China’s paramount leader Deng Xiaoping’s position that, “except for independence, all other issues could be discussed and resolved.” The Middle Way Approach has enabled Dharamshala and Beijing to establish contact through a series of talks held between Chinese representatives and envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. For the first time, Tibetans inside and outside Tibet were able to contact and visit one another. Tibetan students and monks in Tibet visited India to receive secular and monastic education, which also contributed to the revival of Buddhism inside Tibet and awareness and solidarity with the exile Tibetans. Many prominent educated Tibetans inside Tibet support the Middle Way Approach because they view it as a realistic and forward-looking approach to peacefully resolving the issue of Tibet. Furthermore, this approach enables many governments to support a solutionoriented Tibet policy and helps them raise the Tibet issue in their bilateral dialogue with China. After President Barack Obama’s meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama on July 16, 2011, the White House applauded “the Dalai Lama’s commitment to non-violence and dialogue with China and his pursuit of the Middle Way Approach,” and encouraged “direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences.” Another key area where the Middle Way Approach is steadily bearing results is in the minds of many Chinese, particularly among the intellectuals. Some of the Chinese intellectual luminaries, including Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned Nobel Laureate, were signatories of a courageous open letter in 2008 that expressed support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s peace initiatives. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s outreach to Chinese students and scholars and his teachings to Chinese Buddhist practitioners, part of an estimated 300 million plus Buddhists in today’s Mainland China, are also helping
Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay (center) with Kalons of the 14th Kashag in Dharamsala, India, in 2011/Photo courtesy:DIIR
reshape Chinese attitudes towards Tibet and Tibetans. For all the reasons stated above, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) remains committed to the Middle Way Approach in resolving the Tibet issue. Top 3. What is the cause of the unprecedented wave of self-immolations in Tibet and how has your Administration handled this painful issue? On the second anniversary of the present Kashag, a special prayer session was held in dedication to 120 self-immolators, their family members and for all those who have given their lives for the cause of Tibet. Similar prayer sessions were held in the Tibetan settlements in India and abroad. Sadly, since 2009, 120 Tibetans have self-immolated, including 22 in 2013. 103 of them have died. The self-immolators include monks, nuns, nomads, farmers, students and Tibetans from all three Tibetan regions of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo, including the capital city of Lhasa. Political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, economic marginalisation, environmental destruction and lack of religious freedom are the primary factors driving Tibetans to self-immolation. According to Human Rights Watch, two million nomads were resettled in ghetto-like accomodations without their full consent and proper consultation. The repressive policies has also resulted in recent incidents of violence in several mining areas in Tibet. The only way to end this brutal and grave situation is for China to change its current hardline Tibet policy by respecting the aspirations of the Tibetan people. We are always mindful of the fact that our compatriots inside Tibet hold the key to the Tibet issue. The Kashag has consistently appealed to and discouraged Tibetans from drastic action, including self-immolation, as a form of protest. As human beings, we do not want anyone to die in such a manner. However, as Buddhists, we pray for the deceased. As Tibetans, it is our sacred duty to support the aspirations of Tibetans in Tibet: the return of His Holiness the great Fourteenth Dalai Lama to Tibet, freedom for the Tibetan people, and unity among Tibetans. The blame as well as the solution for the selfimmolations lies with the Chinese government. Top 4. Would you like to make any clarifications on the May 8, 2013AFParticle Exiled Tibetan PM not challenging Chinese Communist Party’s rule in Tibet? Those who have heard or read my remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington DC, the basis of the AFP article, should have no grounds to be alarmed. There is no divergence between my comments and the long-held official CTA position on major issues such as the role of the Communist Party in Tibet, democracy in Tibet, and control of Tibet’s defense. These official CTA positions were articulated in the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy For the Tibetan People and the accompanying Note on the Memorandum of Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People (hereinafter referred to as Note), submitted to the Chinese government in 2008 and 2010 respectively. As far as Socialism and the role of China’s Communist Party in a Tibet that is genuinely autonomous is concerned, I urge readers to review chapters 3, 4 & 5 of the Note, which clearly states, “The Memorandum, in no way challenges or brings into question the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party in the PRC. The Memorandum also does not challenge the Socialist system of the PRC. Nothing in it suggests a demand for a change to this system or for its exclusion from Tibetan areas.” With reference to democracy, I was asked by the CFR event moderator “Do you think you can institute democracy in a genuinely autonomous Tibet? Will there be real, free political elections, freedom of expression? It would be unique to the People’s Republic, wouldn’t it?” The answer to these questions is “no.” As I explained at the CFR event, “democracy is what we practice and this is what we aspire. But this is not part of what we are asking.” As explained we do not challenge or demand a change to the socialist system of the PRC and leadership of the Communist Party if we are granted genuine autonomy. 5. What is CTA’s stand on Tibetans applying for Indian or other foreign citizenship? The decision to apply for Indian or any other country’s citizenship is a personal choice. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1986 grants citizenship rights to Tibetans born
in India between 1950 and 1987; and to those born after 1987 if “either of whose parents is a citizen of India at the time of his/her birth”. CTA cannot prevent any Tibetan from applying for Indian citizenship. At the same time, CTA cannot compel Tibetans to apply for Indian citizenship, as the application process entails surrendering both Registration Certificate (RC) and Identity Certificate (IC) documents to the Indian authorities. Also, the primary objective of CTA is political and to provide welfare services to Tibetans in exile. CTA issues bona fide Tibetan letters of support through our Offices of Tibet to those applying for citizenships abroad. We also issue “No Objection Certificate” (NoC) through our Department of Security to applicants for Indian citizenship. During my administration, we have so far, received exactly 14 requests for NoC and we have not withheld supporting documents for anyone. 6. What is the state of CTA’s finances? CTA is financially sound. During the Tibetan Parliamentin-Exile’s budget session in March 2013 the 14th Kashag submitted a budget for the fiscal year 2013-2014 that includes new revenue representing an increase of 23% over the previous budget. We are confident we will not only raise, but also exceed our revenue goal. The current 2013-2014 budget includes 97 new projects, including programs for settlement revitalization and youth employment, which will positively impact a majority in the Tibetan refugee community. The budget also includes an increase in monthly stipend for former political prisoners from INR 3500 to 6000, for elderly people without family from INR 900 to 1500, and for people with special needs from INR 700 to 1500. Health and education for those living below the poverty line are also covered. It includes performance-based scholarships for higher studies to encourage academic excellence. The budget also strengthens CTA’s IT infrastructure and upgrades all computer hardware and software. The voluntary cha-ngul payment by individual Tibetans, which constitutes about 8% of annual CTA’s revenue. I commend those Tibetans who are regular contributors, and encourage others to begin to make such voluntary contributions. The amount is modest, but important symbolically as it reflects a personal commitment to the Tibetan cause and support for CTA as an institution. Lastly, let me say that CTA funds are prudently managed with clear controls in place. Approval is needed from either the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile or its Standing Committee before the Kashag can receive or spend funds. 7. How is the CTA helping new arrivals from Tibet and tackling youth unemployment in the Tibetan exile community? I am happy to report that we have allocated an additional sum of INR155 lakhs (USD293,000) from the current CTA budget for the rehabilitation of new arrivals from Tibet in Dharamshala and other places. The curriculum at the Sherab Gatsel Lobling School (SGLS), formerly known as Tibetan Transit School, has been thoughtfully upgraded and redesigned. This new program expands the school’s focus from basic education to basic education plus skills and vocational training. Furthermore, SGLS students who qualify, will now have the option to pursue college and university education. Beginning this budget year, we have launched a new program to offer a second chance for those new arrivals who are 35 years and older, and for those who have dropped out of SGLS and are unemployed, to reapply for a two-year program. The Department of Security provides new arrivals with much-needed assistance in obtaining all their necessary documents. The Department of Health offers medical care and attention to torture survivors among the new arrivals and also provides them life-skill training. The Department of Religion & Culture gives monthly stipends to the new arrival monks and nuns and facilitates admission into their choice of monasteries and nunneries in India. Although there is a decrease in the number of new arrivals from Tibet into India, the Tibetan Reception Centres in Kathmandu, New Delhi and Dharamshala continue to facilitate their safe journey and looks after their essential needs until the time they are enrolled in secular or monastic educational institutions. On a related note, we are also committed to tackling the problem of youth unemployment. We all know that the
success of any community rests on the productivity of its youth, and that today’s Tibetan youth are tomorrow’s future. With this in mind, we have launched several initiatives in this arena: · A pilot Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) venture was launched in Dharamshala, as a joint effort of CTA’s Tibetan Administration and Welfare Society (TAWS) and OKS Group, an Indian corporation. As part of this venture, the newly-opened BPO center will employ 50 Tibetans. Depending on the success of the pilot venture more such centers could open in the future. · In addition, employability skills trainings are being provided to 570 young Tibetans, including new arrivals, through the Tibetan Career Centre (TCC), a project of the USAID-funded EDOTS program. The TCC operates in several satellite centers for the Tibetan youth throughout various Tibetan settlements, including in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, HP. · The third initiative for our youth is with The Institute for Small Trade Training at Neelamangala, Bangalore, managed by the Department of Home. This program has announced a new round of skills training for unemployed Tibetan youth in seven different fields: cookery, graphic & web design, computer hardware & networking, medical transcription, beautician, hairdressing and tailoring. Similar vocational training programs are also made available at Tibetan Homes Foundation, Mussoorie and at Selakui. 8. What are some of your new initiatives in education and what is the current status of the transfer of CTSA-run schools to the CTA? Education continues to be a top priority of our administration. Our literacy rate of 84% is better than that of many south Asian countries. We want to provide a supportive environment where our schools, students and teachers can excel. Some of the key programs we have launched include: Incentivized Scholarship: The incentivized scholarship to offer higher funding for higher scores was initiated to inspire students to work harder and perform at higher levels. Students from families living below the poverty line (nyamthak) now receive special scholarships as long as they score a minimum of 40% in their board exams. Gaden Phodrang student merit awards have been increased from three to nine and the top three performers in science, arts and commerce receive INR 20,000/15,000/10,000 respectively. A new annual Sikyong scholarship of INR 100,000 will be awarded to any student scoring 95% or higher in XIIth grade board exams. This year’s XIIth grade board results are also encouraging. The number of students scoring 90% rose from 4 in the previous year to 13. Students scoring at least 70% rose from 242 to 345. Tenzin Chokyi, the first recepient of the Sikyong scholarship, scored a total of 95.4% in the All India Senior School Certificate Examination – the highest to date in the history of Tibetan education in exile. · New College Opportunities in the United States: CTA and a partner organization convened a meeting in Boston on October 14, 2012 which brought together His Holiness the Dalai Lama and more than 60 deans and admission officers from some of the top American schools including Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Princeton and Yale. We are hopeful that the number of Tibetan students seeking and gaining admissions to highranking universities will increase in the coming years. CTA will continue to reach out to university officials in the U.S. and elsewhere across the globe. · Bhuntar, Centre for teacher education: We opened a centre for teacher education at Bhuntar, an off-campus branch of Central University of Tibetan Studies, Sarnath. The aim is to give teachers a strong foundation in content and pedagogy firmly grounded in moral ethics and human values. Education Advisory Committee meeting: The first-ever Education Advisory Council meeting was held on 5-6 June 2013. Experts in the field of education, including Indian Padma Shri recipients, attended the meeting as committee members. · National Geographic Explorers (Nat Geo) Program: A year-round science, environmental science and English learning programs were introduced for students of class VI to X in three Sambhota schools (Peton, Paonta and Chauntra) and two TCV schools ( Suja and Chauntra) in July 2013. This collaborative effort between the Department of Education and the Nat Geo Explorers (NGX) Program, based in the U.S., aims to improve English language proficiency of Tibetan students; and to improve the teaching and learning of environmental science. As regards the CTSA schools transfer, we are close to finalizing the document detailing the modalities of the transfer. We are aware of the challenges related to the transition and will make every effort possible to ensure a transparent and successful transfer. 9. What are your thoughts on the state of gender equality in the exile Tibetan community and what measures has your Administration taken in this area? The 14th Kashag is fully committed to gender equality and supports the welfare and overall advancement of Tibetan women. Though there is still much to do, I’m pleased to report that we have made some progress. This includes the fact that female Kalons run two of
31 August 2013
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CTA’s largest departments – Department of Home, and Department of Information and International Relations. Also, women representation in the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has increased from 8 to 12 compared to the previous parliament. Women comprise 36.5% of the CTA workforce. Yes, the number of women in senior CTA leadership positions is still much too small. This is due to the fact that promotion within the CTA service is exclusively based on seniority. However, now that more women are applying and being hired by CTA, we are confident this will lead to an increased number of women in key positions. To gain a better understanding of the gender situation in the exile community, the Social and Resource Development desk (SARD) of Department of Finance has recently published a report titled The Status of Women. In the exile Tibetan community-at-large, I’m pleased to see Tibetan girls excelling academically. In the recent All India Secondary School Certificate Examination conducted by CBSE, the girls outperformed the boys in clearing the high school board exams (88.63% to 85.96%), attended colleges in larger numbers and also received a larger share of CTA scholarships. In 2011, 125 female students received undergraduate scholarships as compared to 53 male. Post graduate scholarships went to 52 women and 21 men. In 2012, the numbers were 125 female to 108 male for undergraduate scholarships and 52 female to 20 males for post graduates. This accomplishment is comparable to economically advanced countries because, even in the U.S., the female representation outpaced male representation at the college level only recently. Let me also comment on the Tenzingang incident, a most unfortunate case of gender violence. This incident happened in June 2011, two months before the 14th Kashag took over. By then, an agreement had already been mediated amongst concerned parties by the local community. The aggrieved woman, till date, refused to file a legal complaint despite our and others repeated efforts. As per the court of law, if a victim refuses to file a case, one cannot do much. Through the CTA’s Department of Health the previous Kashag extended all necessary medical and other assistance to the aggrieved woman. As per the resolution passed in the Tibetan Parliamentin-Exile, the Kashag in April 2012 sent out a circular notifying local representatives of all Tibetan settlements to exercise gender sensitivity in any decision-making process. The dedicated staff of Department of Home and Kalon Gyari Dolma continue to create awareness among the Tibetan settlement officers on gender sensitization. 10. Lastly, what is the current status of the Canada Tibetan re-settlement program and could you please provide an update on the U.S. Immigration Bill that has a provision for 5000 visas for Tibetans? We are grateful to the Canadian government for accepting 1000 Tibetan refugees from Arunachal Pradesh as permanent residents under a special program. This opportunity became possible after His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Canada in 2008. In the first lottery, 890 people were selected, including 409 applicants under “Single” category and 481 under the “Family” category. The first batch of 204 applicants is expected to leave for Canada in the fall of 2013. CTA provided the settlement resident data, allocated the number of seats based on the population of various camps, and monitored the entire process. The actual process of preparing a list of people, organizing the lottery, etc. was conducted by the camp representatives in conjunction with Project Tibet Society, the Canadian organization coordinating the resettlement program. Provision for 5000 visas to the U.S. for displaced Tibetans over a three-year period was initiated as an amendment to a larger immigration reform bill currently under consideration in the U.S. Congress. Senator Diane Feinstein sponsored the amendment which passed the U.S. Senate with broad bipartisan support. However, the fate of the Tibetan provision is tied to the outcome of the larger immigration bill. The House of Representatives, controlled by the Republican Party, has criticized the comprehensive immigration bill and announced that they will come up with their own series of immigrationrelated bills. Hence, it remains uncertain whether or not the Congress will pass the immigration reform bill. Would you like to share any final thoughts? I, on behalf of the Kashag, want to express my deep gratitude for the continuing support of Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet. Active participation by individuals and civic groups is crucial for a vibrant democracy. We welcome diverse opinions and feedback on our various initiatives and policies while at the same time, encouraging civil and respectful discourse as we maintain our unity. The enduring spirit of Tibetans in Tibet, the unity of all Tibetans, and the guiding presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will help us achieve our long cherished goal that all Tibetans enjoy the freedom and dignity which we deserve and is our right. I would like to thank all my colleagues in the Kashag and the CTA staff for their support and dedication. We continue to meet adversity with exceptional unity, resilience, and dignity. I pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet. I fervently pray for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
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TPI NEWS H.H the Dalai lama His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet to His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet to visit four European countries attend human rights forum in Czech Republic The Tibet Post International
31 August 2013
By Kiran Menon: 28 August 2013
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with his old friend former President of the Czech Republic Václav Havel in Prague on December 10, 2011. Photo/Besperát By Jake Thomas: 30 August, 2013
Dharamshala: - Before taking His 10-day trip to four European nations, the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a two and a half-day teaching and continue from Chapter 8 from Shantideva’s A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (chodjug) at the request of a group of Southeast Asians at the Main Tibetan Temple, from September 3 to 5, 2013. After the three-day teachings in Dharamshala, india, His Holiness will be visiting four European states, including Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic and Germany, from September 9 to 19, 2013. The Nobel Peace Laureate will talk on various topics, including ‘the Culture of Compassion,’ ‘the Path to Peace and Happiness in a Global Society,’ ‘Compassion and Respect in Today’s Society,’ ‘Strength Through Compassion and Tolerance’ and ‘Tibetan Buddhism,’ during His upcoming visit to the four nations. His Holiness will give a public talk on the Culture of Compassion in Riga, Latvia on September 9, 2013. On September 13, His Holiness will give a public talk on The Path to Peace and Happiness in a Global Society in Vilnius, Lithuania. The spiritual leader will give a public talk on Compassion and Respect in Today’s Society
A Tibetan Perspective.............. ...................continued from front-page
The talk took off with Envision’s Director Ms. Youdon Aukatsang as the moderator, and Ms. Tenzin Choesang, a Legal Consultant with UN Woman, and Mr. Tashi Topgyal, a photo journalist with Indian Express, as the speaker and discussant respectively. Drawing from their life’s experiences and reflections, the speakers talked about Inheritance. They shared with the engaging audience how growing up in North-east India it was so easy to assimilate with the larger crowd, as Tibetans share a lot of similarities with the locals including Lepchas, Gurungs, Sikkimese. However, a sense of ‘Tibetanness’ always remained embedded somewhere deep down, and it reflects invariably in their day-to-day life. Inheritance is not only a valuable possession passed on to them from their parents and grandparents, but it’s the subtle idiosyncrasies of being a Tibetan—of burning an incense at the start of a day or placing an altar in their homes. Choesang also talked about how we as a generation born in exile have varied experiences due to which our narratives may also differ. Identity she says is a dynamic process, and as individuals our identity is moulded with each passing day. The discussion soon became even more vibrant with an enthusiastic audience who were forthright with their questions and views. Among the many topics that were touched upon, gender disparity within our community was one of them. The discussion ended with fun, laughter and a broader perspective.
in the afternoon at Tipsport Arena, in Prague, Czech Republic on September 14, 2013. He will give a teaching on Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind on September 15, in the same city. His Holiness will give a public talk on Strength Through Compassion and Tolerance at Swiss Life Hall, in Hanover, Germany on September 18, 2013. The next day in Steinhude, Germany, His Holiness will give a public talk on Strength Through Compassion and Solidarity. His Holiness is not only the spiritual leader of Tibet, but also an inspiring advocate and ambassador of world peace;- international r e c o g n i t i o n o f h i s “ t i r e l e s s e ff o r t s a n d dedication to human rights and world peace. Wherever His Holiness goes throughout the world, he talks about fundamental values: compassion, tolerance, forgiveness—referring to three main goals in life to which he is particularly committed;- fostering human values, promoting inter-religious harmony and the well-being of the Tibetan people.
alleged sexual assault on a girl..... ...................continued from front-page
Our Settlement Officer in Mundgod will render all necessary assistance to both the victim and her family,” said Kalon Dolma Gyari for the Department of Home. On August 26, Kalon Dolma Gyari and representatives from 24 different associations/institutions convened a meeting in Mundgod Tibetan Settlement to assess the situation and meet the girl and her family members. Kalon Dolma has mentioned that the Department of Home shall provide any necessary assistance to both the victim and her family. She further requested to form a committee to support the victim’s family to attend the court’s hearing. The Tibetan home department has “firmly instructed all its Settlement Officers that such incidents must be immediately reported to local law enforcement authorities without any exception.” “It is sad and appalling that such case has happened in the Tibetan community; however we believe it is never too late to take concrete action against such heinous acts,” said The Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA ). TWA Vice President Samten Choedon met with the parents of the victim along with the Settlement Officer and RTWA Executives and further studied the case. With the parent’s consent, they decided to file a case against the two culprits which was soon followed by the local police arresting the accused. TWA also said “it stands with the victim and her family. TWA (within its power) has and will support those who are victims of injustice and cruelty in any form.” “Starting this year, the TWA has begun a one year project which aims to provide Legal Rights education/ workshop at various Tibetan settlements across India,” it further added. According to sources, “a Tibetan minor girl being allegedly raped by two Tibetan men namely Nyima Tai and Choephel in Mundgod Tibetan Settlement in South India.”
......Tibet after crackdown on mine protesters ...................continued from front-page
Konchok stated that the Chinese security forces have planned a major crackdown on those sitting in protest at Chi-dza holy site on August 17. “China’s large-scale exploitation of mineral resources in Tibet has led to sustained socioeconomic and environmental problems. Massive influx of Chinese migrant workers into
Tibetan areas deprives Tibetans of employment opportunities,” said the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) baed in Dharamsala-India after the incident. The CTA said it has “repeatedly called on China to ensure active participation of Tibetan people in all decision making process and that social, environmental and cultural impacts assessment are carried out.”
Dharamshala: The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama will join a galaxy of world leaders, including fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and Frederik Willem de Klerk, at a human rights forum in Czech Republic next month. More than 100 global leaders from politics, academia, civil society, media, business and religion will discuss challenges and threats related to democratic transitions. The theme for the 17th annual Forum 2000 conference in Prague is ‘Societies in Transition’. “The aim is to better understand what is needed during the transition from an authoritarian regime to a democracy but also to better understand the things that causes these processes to grind to a halt or lose their way,” executive director Jakub Klepal was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. The annual forum was launched the late Czech Velvet Revolution icon Vaclav Havel and American Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel in year 1997. Former Czech President Havel’s concerns over Tibet led to close relations with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In 2004, His Holiness the Dalai Lama awarded the Light of Truth award to Mr Havel for his outstanding contribution to public understanding of Tibet and its current plight. His Holiness visited Prague a week before Mr Havel’s death in December 2011 and spent time with him. His Holiness described Mr Havel as a “great statesman whose steadfast and unflinching determination played a key role in bringing freedom and democracy to the then Czechoslovakia.” foot and mouth disease confirmed in Tibet.... ...................continued from front-page
The disease is a contagious and sometimes fatal viral one which affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild species within the family Bovidae. The authorities have sterilized the infected areas and culled 388 head of cattle to prevent the spread of the disease. Xinhua had reported other confirmed incidents of foot-and-mouth disease infections earlier this year in Pome (Chinese: Bomi) County in Nyingtri Prefecture (Jul 10), a village in Shangri-La (Gyalthang) County of Yunnan Province (Jun 9), Shigatse Prefecture (Apr 22 and Aug 5), and in Chamdo (Changdu) Prefecture (Aug 13).
Namgyal Café The famous and popular Namgyal Café has merged with Om Hotel, right off McLeod Ganj Main Square.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with his old friend former President of the Czech Republic Václav Havel in Prague on December 10, 2011. Photo/Besperát
Havel on many occasions strongly raised his voice over Human Rights violations in Tibet and expressed his support for Tibetan struggle and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Middle-way approach to solve the issue of Tibet. Former President Havel was a puckish, absurdist playwright turned political activist, spent four and a half years in prison for opposing Czechslovakia’s Communist government before
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emerging as a leader of the Velvet Revolution that swept it aside in 1989. His Holiness first visited Prague at the official invitation of President Havel soon after the Velvet Revolution in January 1990. President Havel became the first President after the communist rule. This will be His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 10th visit to the Czech Republic. Apart from attending the Czech forum, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a public talk on ‘Compassion and Respect in Today’s Society’ and teaching on ‘Eight Verses of Training the Mind by Geshe Langri Thangpa’ on 14 and 15 September respectively. According to the organisers, the talk will be broadcasted on the Forum website: http://www.forum2000.cz
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Contributors to this editon Keary Huang Gabriel Lafitte Pat de Brún Samul Ivor Kiran Menon James Dunn Yeshe Choesang Kalsang Dolma Choenyi Sangpo Himalayan Literacy Trust (Head Office) Room #2 2nd Floor, Exile House Temple Road, McLeod Ganj: 176219 Dharamshala, Distt. Kangra H.P., India
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7 TPI NEWS International Sikyong of Tibet Dr Lobsang Sangay visits Tibet supporters from different parts of Asia Southland U.S.A. Tibetan community hold solidarity rally in India’s capital Delhi 31 August 2013
The Tibet Post International
Dr Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of the Tibetan exile government, greets members of Los Angeles’ Tibetan community at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles on Aug. 25. (Katie Falkenberg, Los Angeles Times / August 25, 2013)
By Yeshe Choesang: 27 August 2013
Los Angeles, US: The political leader of Tibet Dr Lobsang Sangay, on his first Los Angeles trip since becoming the political successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama two years ago, hopes to keep alive the Tibetan struggle for freedom. Kate Linthicum has reported for Los Angeles Times on August 27, 2013, the leader of the Tibetan government in exile is in Los Angeles this week, and although his administration is not officially recognized by the U.S. or any other regime, Tibetans living here have done their best to mark his visit with all the pomp afforded a visiting head of state. On Sunday, they greeted him at Los Angeles International Airport with white scarves and flowers. Later, a line of shiny black cars, each festooned with a Tibetan flag, ferried him to a reception at a nearby church. Lobsang Sangay, a Harvard-trained legal scholar, took over leadership of the exile government two years ago after the Dalai Lama gave up his political authority. Sangay is making a weeklong tour of West Coast cities with large Tibetan populations, his first as prime minister. In Los Angeles, he’s meeting with human rights groups, visiting Tibetan monasteries and giving interviews. But his most important task may be the most challenging one: keeping alive the dream of a sovereign Tibet among a community of refugees who live thousands of miles and a world apart from the Himalayan plateau. Dr Sangay himself has never set foot in the land his parents fled. He was born in a refugee community in India and later moved to the United States to study. Like His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader who went into exile in 1959 after a failed anti-Chinese uprising, Sangay has not called for independence from China. Instead he advocates a “middle way” consisting of dialogue and nonviolence that he hopes will win more autonomy for the Tibetan region, similar to what Hong Kong and Macau enjoy today. China’s leadership has so far rejected calls for Tibetan self-determination. On stage at Sunday’s reception, where Sangay was
seated at a banquet table overflowing with fruit and cookies, he said the future of the Tibetan cause would depend on younger generations of exiles taking up the work of their parents. “Our responsibilities are very, very serious,” he said. “If we don’t work hard enough, Tibet could be wiped from the map.” He urged young people to work harder than their peers and pursue professional education. “You are not studying simply for a career,” he said. “You are studying for a cause.” Sangay described the situation for Tibetans as “grave” and getting worse. He cited a report from Human Rights Watch that found that millions of nomadic people had been resettled in ghetto-like conditions, and he noted that the number of self-immolations has grown. In the last two years, more than 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule. Though Sangay’s government, along with the Dalai Lama, have officially condemned the acts, he seemed on Sunday to offer a degree of understanding. “They want to see freedom for Tibetans,” he told the audience. “Essentially what they’re saying is, “We are leaving this world so that you, the Tibetans, can have freedom.” After the reception, Sangay posed for pictures with locals. He was elected in 2011 with 55% of 50,000 votes cast by exiled Tibetans living in 30 countries. According to the Tibetan Assn. of Southern California, 268 Tibetans live in the area from San Diego to Santa Barbara. The community is small but active. The group organizes protests whenever Chinese dignitaries are in town and runs a Sunday school for children to help preserve the Tibetan language. Chok Tsering, who lives in Hawthorne, said it always feels right when the community gets together. “It’s a very good feeling when you see Tibetans sharing the same food and talking in our language,” he said. He remembered Dr Sangay from New Delhi, where in the 1990s they served at different times on the leadership of the Tibetan Youth Congress. “He would not be in this position right now if he was not passionate,” Tsering said. “He’s always active, he’s always sharp.” While some Tibetans have criticized the exile government for not pushing for independence, Tsering said he supported the middle way approach embraced by Sangay, who leaves Tuesday for Utah. Sangay was not the only representative of a government not recognized by the U.S. to come to town this month. Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou was also here briefly. Although Taiwanese presidents have traditionally kept their U.S. stopovers low-key, Ma had planned to greet supporters in Chinatown in a rare public appearance that was a sign of improving relations with China. Ma had to cut his trip short to deal with a typhoon back home and did not go to Chinatown, but he did meet with local Taiwanese American leaders.
Australia’s Ambassador to China, Frances Adamson granted rare visit to Tibet
Frances Adamson, Australia’s Ambassador to China, has had a rare visit to Tibet. Picture: Sabrie Gilles Source: The Advertiser By Kalsang Dolma:27August 2013
Dharamshala: - The Australia’s Ambassador to China, Frances Adamson, had a rare visit to Tibet last week, after seeking permission for the two years since she took up the post. In recent years, only a handful of the 190 ambassadors in Beijing have been granted approval annually to visit Tibet. Rowan Callick, Asia-pacific Editor for The Australian has reported on August 27, 2013 that the last official Australian visit was by the previous ambassador, Geoff Raby, in 2010. Foreign Minister Bob Carr told the Senate almost 18 months ago he had asked China to allow Ms Adamson to visit - in answer to questions from the Greens about his having described the Dalai Lama as a “cunning monk”. He said he would seek approval for a delegation of MPs “to investigate the grievances that have given rise to these extreme and distressing forms of protest” - referring to the wave of self-immolations, chiefly in the adjoining Tibetan areas of Qinghai and Sichuan. Ms Adamson led a delegation of five from the embassy in Beijing, which stayed for four days in Tibet. They met the second most powerful leader in China’s
autonomous region - Deng Xiaogang, the deputy Communist Party secretary. The meeting with him was extended from half an hour to about 90 minutes. They also met Jiang Jie, vice-chairman of the Tibet autonomous region government. Both the leaders agreed there was value in deepening Australia’s bilateral engagement with China on Tibet. The ambassador said she would welcome more frequent visits to Tibet by journalists and diplomats, “to mirror the growing numbers of international tourists who visit”. The delegation, which went to Naidong county in the south of Tibet and to the capital, Lhasa, was given access to monasteries, and also inspected longstanding Australian programs that provide health and agriculture support. Ms Adamson said: “It was heartening to see the improvements in healthcare being delivered through the Tibet Health Capacity Building Program,” whose current three-year program is costing $7.5 million. “So, too, the hard work done by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research over many years has helped boost productivity, and thus livelihoods, for small-scale Tibetan farmers.” Ms Adamson’s visit appears to coincide with a growing confidence in Beijing that the situation in Tibet has stabilised. Heavy armed troops and police were deployed in Lhasa earlier this month, during a crowd gathering at the annual Shoton festival. The US embassy in China has recent released photos of Ambassador Gary Locke’s visit to Tibet and the story has a completely different ending. Recent images from the region reveal the real and tense situation in Tibet, including capital Lhasa, a place tightly controlled and repressed by the Chinese government.
Photo 1: Ven. Dr Nakamura of Japan expressing his solidarity with the cause of Tibet on during the rally in Delhi on 26 August 2013, Photo 2: Indian public join the Asian solidarity rally for Tibet and Photo 3: Dr Tint Swe, former member of Burmese Parliament, addressing the gathering. /Photos/Tenzin Nyibhum/Wild Tibet Pictures
By Yeshe Choesang : 27 August 2013
New Delhi: - Tibet supporters from different parts of Asia Monday, August 26 held a massive rally at Jantar Mantar in the centre of India’s capital New Delhi to express solidarity with the Tibetan people and raise concern over environmental repercussions of China’s policies on billions of people in Asia living on river water originating from the Tibetan plateau. The rally was organised by the Core Group for Tibetan Cause-India, Asian Tibet Support Groups and facilitated by the India-Tibet Co-ordination Office based in New Delhi. According to the Central Tibetan Administration,
people from all walks of life, including political leaders, former army officials, religious leaders, students, teachers and social activists from Burma, Japan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, took part in the rally at Jantar Mantar, which was held against the backdrop of alarming number of selfimmolations by Tibetans to protest against the Chinese government’s repressive policies. Over 120 Tibetans have set themselves on fire calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans. Several Indian parliamentarians who were intended to join rally could not do so due to the ongoing parliamentary session, the organisers said.
Addressing the rally, Dr. Tin Swe, a former member of Burmese Parliament, expressed his deep solidarity with Tibet and said the Tibetan struggle is always close to his heart because it is a fight for truth and justice. He added that the Burmese people has always supported the just cause of Tibet. Mr Abdul Rasool Khan, a retired colonel and veteran of the 1962 Indo-China war, said India should have done more for the cause of Tibet. He said it is the sacred duty is India to strengthen the Tibetan movement for a free Tibet and help alleviate the sufferings of the Tibetan people. In his address, Mr Indresh Kumar, patron of Bharat Tibet Sahyog Manch and long time friend of Tibet, said a resolution of the issue of Tibet would ensure the security of India. Mr Vijay Kranti, a long time supporter of Tibet and Tibetan people, said India has never shared a common border with China before 1949, adding that China’s invasion of Tibet has created a persistent border conflict with India and other neighbouring countries. He expressed deep concern over the Chinese activities on the rivers of Tibet, which he said could wreak havoc on the downstream countries. Speaking to the media after the rally, Dr. N K Trikha, national convenor of the Core Group for Tibetan Cause-India, said Tibetans are suffering untold brutality in Tibet under the severe repression imposed by the Chinese government. He said that it is not the Chinese people but the Chinese government that is trying to annihilate Tibet’s identity and culture with its failed policies. He expressed hope that the efforts of the Tibet support groups will restore freedom and rights denied to the Tibetans by the Chinese government.
Yak brings Tibet message to London on his bike By Kalsang Dolma: 26 August 2013
London: - A Tibetan nomad completes his solo cycling tour of 13 European countries – covering over 5000 miles, and then leaves for Japan to further his mission to highlight China’s abuse of human rights in his homelands. He is 42, father of two young teenagers. He says he is in good health and loves cycling. Since 2000, Rinpo Yak has cycled across 44 of the 50 states in the US – covering over 8,400 miles. In March this year, coinciding with the anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising, Yak set out his latest global solo cycling tour from Brussels, the European Union’s Headquarters. Since 2009, Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) of Amdo Province in eastern Tibet has witnessed the largest number of Tibetans resorting to self-immolations in protest of Chinese government’s misguided policy on Tibet. Showing solidarity with his brethren in Tibet, Yak said, “I am a Tibetan from Ngaba. I have been living in the US with my family since 1998 after fleeing Tibet into Nepal the year before. My main mission for undertaking this global cycling tour is to raise the deplorable condition of human rights in Tibet whilst carrying the messages of over 120 self-immolated Tibetans, who died calling for freedom and the return of our Spiritual Leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the international community.” In Europe, Yak cycled across 13 countries where he met with over 120 public figures such as parliamentarians, government officials and human rights advocates. Yak arrived in Britain two weeks ago after cycling across Europe, including Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Holland, Spain and Italy. London was the final stop in his European leg of the cycling tour, where he had meetings with government officials, parliamentarian and NGOs representatives. In addition to media interviews, Yak also met with local Tibetan communities and Tibet support groups across Europe. On his arrival in the British capital on 2 August, Yak gave a live interview with Washington-based Voice of America’s (VOA) Tibetan Language programme from their London studio. Yak said that the European countries were showing overwhelming support and solidarity with the Tibetan people, and the public figures he met with were also candid about the growing influence of China’s economic power, indicating clear challenges to the Tibetan struggle in the years ahead. Honouring Yak’s arrival, Thubten Samdup, Londonbased Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and members of Tibetan Community in Britain hosted a cordial reception at The Office of Tibet. They applauded Yak’s individual initiative for the Tibetan cause, which was very inspiring and motivating. Yak then took part in the Prudential RideLondon
Photo 1: Rinpo Yak with Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North and Rinpo Yak with Amnesty International HQ officials (Wednesday 7th August). Photo: TPI/Tsering Pasang
FreeCycle festival on the following day, which organisers estimated some 50,000 cyclists joined in the streets of London. Yak stood out from the cyclists as he was flying Tibetan national flag on his bike! During the week, Yak participated in an action protest jointly organised by Free Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet outside the InterContinental Westminster Hotel in central London. The two leading Tibet groups have been urging the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to withdraw from their involvements in ‘The InterContinental Resort Lhasa Paradise’, which is opening soon in Lhasa. The Tibet campaigning groups maintain that the IHG presence and its naming of the hotel as the “Lhasa Paradise” is a ‘propaganda gift to the Chinese regime’ which is responsible for gross human rights abuses throughout Tibet, and severe repression, surveillance and denial of human rights in Lhasa in particular. The campaigners also said that the Chinese authorities may use the hotel and its business facilities to discuss and implement further repressive measures in Tibet. Whilst acknowledging their Tibet campaigning work, Yak visited offices of several groups, including Free Tibet and Tibet Society, and urged them to continue their support for Tibetan people. They also helped Yak with facilitating meetings and media contact. The main highlights of Yak’s London engagements were his meetings with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Member of Parliament, Amnesty International and the BBC World Service. Accompanied by Londonbased Tibetans, Rinpo Yak urged the Foreign Office to note Tibetan people’s aspirations when dealing with the Chinese government. He further urged Britain impress upon China to review its hardline policies in Tibet, address the genuine grievances of the Tibetan people through dialogue and
allow unfettered access to Tibet for the media and UN. The Tibetan delegate reiterated that Tibetans in Tibet were simply calling for their freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Despite the British Parliament in summer recess at present, Jeremy Corbyn, an MP for Islington North met Rinpo Yak with several Tibetans at the weekend in his constituency. Mr Corbyn, who is known to be a dedicated socialist MP from the Labour Party, has previously raised Tibet issue in the Parliament. Yak spent some time with Temtsel Hao, producer at the BBC World Service Chinese programme. Later, the BBC World Service published an article about the meeting on its Chinese website. A local newspaper also reported Yak’s stopover in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, south London, which is home to nearly 100 Tibetans. At the meetings, Yak asked concerned officials to write messages of support and pledges to act in his notebooks, which he plans to present to the Dalai Lama and then the European Union and United Nations. The Tibetan Community in Britain, Greenwich Tibetan Association and Kailash Momo Tibetan Restaurant hosted receptions, farewell dinners and made donations to Rinpo Yak. Individual Tibetans offered khatas and spontaneous donations in support of Yak’s exemplary mission for the Tibetan cause. After his successful UK and European cycling tour, Yak left for Japan on the morning of 12 August to continue his mission. From Japan, Yak plans to cycle to Taiwan and possibly China. His final destination is India, where Yak hopes to receive an audience with the Dalai Lama. (This report is compiled by Tsering Passang, who assisted Rinpo Yak’s key engagements in London with Lodup Gyatso.)
8 TPI NEWS back page focus “I Always Have One Dream” Says His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet
The Tibet Post International
31 August 2013
By Yeshe
His Holiness the Dalai Lama sends his message of hope and dream in honor of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28th, 2013, Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama Thursday spoke from his residence in Dharamshala, India,
about his hope and dream in honor of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Choesang: 30 August 2013
In a video message, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said: “I always have one dream that within this century the world truly becomes a real happy human family. In order to achieve that we need to have a sense of oneness of human humanity.” “I think through education and more holistic view as well as a realistic of thinking, I have confidence that we can develop a sense of oneness of humanity. Then the very basis of violence and war will no long longer be there and then this century will become a century of peace and non-violence,” said His Holiness. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream” speech put the civil rights movement into the hearts and minds of Americans and beyond. It contributed to him being named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963 and to his Nobel Peace Prize the following year. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington, the speech was a defining moment of the American civil rights Movement.
Yak Herders and vegetarianism
His Holiness the Dalai Lama sends his hope and dream in honor of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28th, 2013, Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI
By Gabriel
Lafitte: 28 July 2013
Of all peoples, Tibetans might seem the least likely to take to a vegetarian diet. The altitude of the Tibetan Plateau averages four kilometres above sea level. The land is ideally suited to yaks, hardy sheep breeds and goats; but vegetables grow only in sheltered valleys. Yet Tibet not only has vegetarians, but an energetic vegetarian movement coming from Serthar Larung Gar challenging Tibetans to assert their distinctive identity in the most embodied way, by adopting a vegetarian diet, perhaps for life, but often at regular intervals as a reminder of difference and distinctiveness, in contrast to China’s appetite for anything that moves, to be consumed even if the animal is alive. Body, speech and mind unite to produce the new “real Tibetan.” Khenpo Tsullo, following his master Khenpo Jikphun, challenges all Tibetans to abstain from meat on at least a few days each month, not only for ethical but, implicitly, for national reasons as well. In a land of nomadic herders, the Khenpo’s zeal in propounding the merits of vegetarianism, where yaks and sheep graze the rich pastures of eastern Tibet, far above the Sichuan basin, puts some cosmopolitan Tibetans offside. Tibetan bloggers energetically debate this latest union of daily behaviour and national identity, some going so far as to call him coercive, even fascist. They accuse him of imposing an extreme political correctness on a population whose economy and income come from raising animals. The more China dominates the public sphere, permitting no independent Tibetan voices any space, the more Tibetans reclaim the person, behaviourally and mentally. The Khenpo is energetic, even forceful, in making the case for vegetarianism with Tibetan characteristics, yet highly flexible in defining a wide range of ways abstention from meat can be done. He draws on Tibetan traditions of fasting and sacrifice, such as the common practice of forswearing meat for a year after a beloved has died. He holds public meetings vigorously expounding the classic Buddhist ethics of not taking life, and asks people there and then to raise their hand and take the vow to refrain. He dwells on the passion of southern Chinese for all
manner of life, describing graphically the excesses of traditional Chinese Medicine such as eating the brains of live monkeys, frying living chickens and boiling live fish. He confronts the drivers of China’s global demand for exotic animal parts, in making his case for Tibetan difference. This is remarkably direct, and challenging, compared to the endless polite reports of the Convention on Traffic in Endangered Species (CITES) or Traffic reports on China’s insatiable, global market for shark fin, tiger bone, rhino horn and myriad other potency boosters cut from animals. The khenpos and the lamas are regaining public space. Most do so very quietly and skilfully, attracting neither the attention of Chinese authorities, nor an outside world attuned to tales of Tibetan victimhood but not Tibetan success. Not far from deeply troubled places, lamas skilfully maintain productive, harmonious communities that quietly prosper. But Khenpo Tsullo comes from a community which has already gone through state persecution quite recently, not only surviving mandatory dismantling and destruction of a Buddhist teaching and practice community, growing stronger than ever. Serthar Larung Gar pioneered new ways of doing the Buddhist practices that transform body, speech and mind, outside the state’s regime of monastic governance and close surveillance, and compulsory “patriotic education” for all monastics. From the outset, Larung Gar bypassed state scrutiny, setting up a nomadic camp on a remote mountain slope in a corner of Sichuan few Chinese ever heard of. For years, they remained under official radar, an ostensibly temporary gathering which nonetheless was dedicated to intensive meditation practice, each participant, Tibetan or Han, female or male, nun, monk or lay, all doing the deep inner plunge into the nature of mind that retreatants do, undistracted yet under guidance, each in their own wooden cell hut. Only after this had grown steadily, over a decade, did state power grow uneasy, fearful and violent, invading the camp as a new millennium dawned, forcing the meditators to tear down their tiny homes. State authority was especially alarmed that so many sincere Buddhist practitioners were Han, who had discovered in Tibet an authentic gateway
and guide to the inner world. This mixing of categories, mingling of nationalities, Han learning from Tibetans, was clearly intolerable, although no law was broken. The huts were smashed. Tibetans in exile protested at yet another assault on Tibetan cultural autonomy, and after a month or two, the issue faded from view. On the ground, at Serthar, the charismatic Khenpo Jikphun, creator of this space of introspective realisation, was detained and died. Yet far from collapsing, in the absence of a charismatic and far sighted leader, Larung Gar rebuilt and is now bigger and stronger than ever, a magnet attracting from near and far those whose sole objective is to fully awaken. Death has no sting for them, nor the state. Now they are reclaiming the public sphere as well. When, after endless debate, confusion and resistance, it became clear that the time has come for women to have as much right as men to full monastic ordination, the first such ordinations were not at an old institution, but at Larung Gar, where most practitioners are women. The new vegetarianism movement originates in Larung Gar, the nomad camp high in the alpine pasture meadows of Serta. The appeal to go vegetarian strikes chords in Tibetans. A Tibetan social scientist, Kabzung, of Sichuan University, reports that many Tibetans he interviewed readily related the call to their own circumstances and found a fit. A government worker says this is her way of controlling high cholesterol. Another woman says her husband has chronic illness, and this is her way of making merit she can dedicate to him. Those grieving a loved one say it is their way of showing the departed they live on the hearts of the living. Kabzung (Ga’errang in Chinese) told the 2013 conference of the International Association for Tibetan Studies that the new veg movement appeals most to educated Tibetans, who are aware that international visitors are sometimes shocked at Tibetan meat consumption, especially on festive occasions, when many animals are slaughtered. On reflection, Kabzung says, Tibetans never saw religion as a lifestyle statement, or a public stance, or a declaration of identity. Religion was life, as water is to fish, without any self-conscious distance. It was China’s presence in Tibet, bringing with it religion as a category of behaviour and attitude, to be defined and governed, that made Tibetans begin to see religion as an icon of culture and identity. If Kabzung is right, China’s strenuous effort to define, regulate and establish boundaries around religion, to banish it from the public sphere, to demand its adherents denounce the Dalai Lama, are all counterproductive. In seeking to control and diminish the role of religion in Tibetan life, China has only made it stronger and more central to all aspects of identity and cultural difference, the ultimate reference point defining what it means to be Tibetan. By strenuously confining religion to the private life of the individual, China has only expanded its centrality in Tibetan minds. The vegetarians of Tibet, in each mouthful, now embody a confident Tibetanness that no coercion can control. Prof Gabriel Lafitte is an Australian public policy analyst who has worked with Tibetans for over 30 years, most recently as consultant to the Environment & Development Desk, CTA.
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