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Tibetan writer arrested in Lhasa Page 5 Vol. 01, Issue 34, 15 January 2011

Tibet - Mongolia Treaty of 1913

Political Prisoner Died of Bad Health Conditions Page 5

I n t e r n a t i o n a l B o d - K y i - Cha- Trin

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All Buddha's Teachings Must be Translated in Tibetan: Buddhist leader

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

From left: Prof Elliot Sperling of Indiana University, Mr Kelsang Gyatsen, Member of Tibetan Parliament- inExile, Mr Tashi Tsering of Amnye Machen Institute, Mr Sonam Gyaltsen of the College of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah, Prof Tsering Shakya of the University of British Columbia, Prof Jampa Samten of the Central University of Tibetan Studies, Varanasi and Mr Chung Tsering, a researcher at the Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration during the opening session of the discussion on "1913 Treaty between Mongolia and Tibet" being held in Dharamsala on 30 December 2010. Photo: Tibet net

Dharamshala: A two-day discussion cum debate on the historic significance of 1913 treaty between Continues on Page 6

5th Student Conference Begins

over 80 Tibetan students from 25 different Indian colleges and monastic institutes through-out India.

Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: The fifth annual student conference began today with unity being the main focus. The conference is being held at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarah near Dharamshala and attended by over 80 Tibetan students from 25 different Indian colleges and monastic institutes through-out India.

The conference began with addresses from the Continues on Page 2

Dharamshala: All teachings of lord Buddha and Buddhist texts, which were not available in Tibetan, should be translated into Tibetan language, said His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibet's political and spiritual leader while delivering the valedictory address at the four day Tengyur conference which held on Tuesday at the Buddhist holy city of Varanasi in India.

The four-day 'Tenggyur Translation Conference: In the tradition of the 17 Pandits of Nalanda', is being jointly organised by the Central University of Tibetan Studies and American Institute of Buddhist Studies at Columbia University. "We must translate those sutras that are written in Pali and are not available in Tibetan," said His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Buddhist leader said a number of sutras had already been translated into Tibetan by the Tibetan and Indian scholars. The texts were edited and enriched further by the next generation of scholars, but there were many other sutras that must also be translated.

Other distinguished guest including Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in-exile Prof.

Samdhong Rinpoche, vice-chancellor of the Central University of Tibetan Studies Geshe

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arriving at Sarnath, Varanasi, on 10 January 2011. Photo: TPI

Ngwang Samten and Robert Thurman from Columbia University also expressed their views on the occasion.

Annual Report 2010: Human Rights Situation in Tibet

Addressing the inaugural function, Prof.

Samdhong Rinpoche said that Nalanda and Tibet Continues on Page 3

Tibetan Monks Learn Science

In this Nov. 17, 2010 photo, Tibetan monk, Kunjo Baiji, works through a chemistry experiment at Emory University in Atlanta. Some of the newest additions to Emory University's student body may have adopted some of the behaviors of typical college kids, but one key difference separates them from their classmates: they're Tibetan monks sent by the Dalai Lama to the United States to learn science. Photo: NPR

Six Tibetans Arrested in Nepal

Dharamshala: Emory University in Atlanta which has been traditionally a home to a See on Page 4

57 Journalists killed in 2010

A Buddhist monk arresting by Nepal authorities at the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal on 2nd August 2008. Photo: TPI/file

Buddhist monks protest in 2008 in eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI/File

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD)

Dharamshala: Nepalese authorities have arrested a group of six Tibetan refugees who recently escaped into Nepal from Tibet. The four Tibetan men and two women, who did not have any travel documents, were apprehended at around midnight in Sindhupalchowk district Sunday.

Despite signing the UN Refugee Convention, Nepali authorities arrested hundreds of Tibetan refugees, accusing them of attempting an illegal entry to Nepal. The group was handed over to immigration authorities for investigation and necessary action, said Nepal authorities.

Continues on Page 6

Dharamshala: The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) on 12 January 2011 released its Annual Report 2010: Human Rights Situation in Tibet. This 90-page report documents violation of right in Tibet in the area of Civil and Political Rights, Religious Freedom, Right to Education and Right to Subsistence.

Civil and Political Liberties During 2010, there is no let up by the government of PRC. As of 30 December 2010, there are 831 known political prisoners in Tibet out of which 360 are known to have been legally convicted by courts and 12 Tibetans are serving life

imprisonment term. During the year, 188 known Tibetans have been arrested and detained, out of which 71 have already been sentenced by the courts. The crackdown on intellectuals and cultural figures continued to take place this year also. Since 2008, over 60 Tibetan writers, bloggers, intellectuals and cultural figures have been arrested. The authorities targeted prominent Tibetan figures during the year who were earlier looked upon as exemplary individuals. On 23 August 2010, the Chinese government made an Continues on Page 8

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala - A total of fifty seven journalists were killed in thirty three countries in connection with their work during 2010, Reporters Without Borders said in this year's annual report - but increasing numbers are being kidnapped to be held as bargaining chip. The France-based press watch group said Thursady that tally compared Continues on Page 4

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TPI EDITORIAL

15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

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China's Abuse of Human Rights in Tibet is Getting Worse Editor in Chief - YC. Dhardhowa E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.com

So called China Tibet Online. Photo: CTO

Dharamshala: Founded in 1996, the Center for Tibetan Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is the only human rights organization in exile involving litigation, legal advocacy, education, and public outreach. Each year it publishes an annual report covering violations, positive trends, if any, and "significant human rightsrelated processes" affecting Han Chinese and Tibetans.

Human rights are a set of basic rights, which most the people believe belong to all human beings by birthright. The concept is ancient, although the term "human rights" only entered usage in the 1940s. Because many people, especially in democratic countries, feel very strongly about human rights, a number of measures have been undertaken to protect their citizens.

TCRHD's latest annual report is examined below, "during 2010, there is no let up by the government of PRC. As of 30 December 2010, there are 831 known political prisoners in Tibet out of which 360 are known to have been legally convicted by courts and 12 Tibetans are serving life imprisonment term."

For example, freedom of expression is targeted, and Tibetans particularly intellectuals have been threatened, denied equality, education, employment, and their citizenship without "declaring loyalty" to mainland China. In other words, on condition they abandon their national identity, culture, language, and historic heritage that's the equivalent of asking Han Chinese to renounce Buddhist leaders including His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Harsh crackdown on intellectuals and cultural figures have continued. Since 2008, over 60 Tibetan writers, bloggers,

intellectuals and cultural figures have been arrested.

Financial means involves claiming social rights, including health-care and education, as commodities, accessible to those Han Chinese who moved in Tibet. Most parts of Tibet remain under siege, and sustains near daily assaults, killings, genocide and targeted assassinations. China not only using its financial power with western, Asian and African governments, China pays Nepal government to arrest Tibetan refugees as they cross over the TibetNepal borders to escape persecution, according to U.S. embassy cables.

Why is the economy and Human Rights treated differently, by the West, in the ‘special case' of Tibet? The United Nations made an attempt to put Human Rights into a broader context, through decades of first-hand experience with Tibetan refugees worldwide. The Europeans and Africans Unions treat the Tibetan similarly, even as they play their economy games with China.

In many urban areas including Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, military forces and government officials enforce land seizures, home demolitions, displacement, segregation, isolation, closures, movement and travel restrictions, the so-called 'Western Development Strategy', daily home invasions, arrests, attacks on peaceful protesters, imprisonments, and torture of detainees under a rigid 'matrix of control' involving checkpoints, bypass roads, roadblocks, curfews, electric fences, and various other harassment to cow all Tibetans into submission or make them give up their original identity.

Since 1950s, China has denied

Tibetans fundamental human and civil rights and increasingly fewer of them to many officials. In the territories of eastern Tibet, it's far worse under military occupation and China laws affording no protections to Tibetans.

Nor has the Supreme Court upheld the law that should be sacrosanct in a legitimate democracy. When it's compromised, no one is immune from abuse and neglect as greater numbers in Tibetan are learning, including Chinese.

Losing it threatens all other freedoms.

It's a basic legal right even China's Supreme Court recognizes, but not absolutely having repeatedly ruled that curtailing it is justified in extreme public danger situations or if national security may be undermined. However, the "true test of freedom of expression lies in allowing the airing of views that are extreme, controversial, or infuriating."

However, during the 2008 Tibet protests, China failed the test. Protest demonstrations were attacked, dispersed, and silenced. Participants were arrested and then intimidated by dubious charges. Excessive force and preemptive detentions were used, then bogus indictments made based on charges of 'participating or involving in unlawful gatherings.'

Legally, authorities overstepped so egregiously that harsher measures may follow, including targeted killings and torture. China also restricted the foreign media, prohibiting on the scene access to report accurately on the conflict. For their part, the Chinese state controlled media largely supported the government. Overall, coverage restrictions during 2008 caused China's journalistic freedom rating to drop sharply as measured by international human rights organizations. Dissent was minimally tolerated, and repressing it continued unrest in Tibet. "Not only were critics silenced, they were accused and vilified, and their critiques unaddressed."

Many Han Chinese do not care about human rights of people in Tibet, they instead consider Tibet Han colonization. The Chinese authorities continue to violate a range of basic human rights. The use of the death penalty remains extensive and nontransparent; torture is widespread; there is a lack of judicial independence; obstacles to fair trials include administrative detention and reeducation through labor; prison conditions are poor and prisoners are treated badly; human rights defenders, Buddhist monks and nuns particularly spiritual leader adherents face harassment and detention; human rights violations occur frequently in Tibet; and there are increased restrictions on freedom of expression and severe restrictions on freedom of association since 2008.

5th Student Conference Begins

By James Dunn, The Tibet Post Europe

deputy speaker of Tibetan Parliamentin-Exile, Dolma Gyari, Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche and His Eminence the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

Kalon Tripa stated that ascertaining the condition of Tibetan education and literary art was of crucial importance, urging the student audience to remember their responsibilities to

preserving Tibetan culture and history.

During the conference, which concludes on January 10th, Tashi Rabten was awarded with a gallantry award by the Tibetan college student's association. Tashi Rabten, is currently in detention for publishing Written in Blood, a collection of articles relating to democracy, freedom and equality in Tibet. He was also the editor of Shar Dungri, a journal that dealt with the

violent suppression of Tibetans after the 2008 protests.

The key motions of the conference are to ensure the incorporation of the Tibetan issue into studies. The conference also aims for the unity of all Tibetan educational institutes to ensure an improvement to the education system, for cultural and language preservation in the Tibetan community.

The Tibet Post

Tibet's PM Candidate Campaigns in Swiss James Dunn, The Tibet Post Europe

London: Tibetan Prime minister (Kalon Tripa) candidate, Tenzin N. Tethong, on Saturday (8th January) addressed a gathering of Tibetans at the Swiss Capital. The event, attended by over 150 people was organized by the Tibetan Youth association in Europe and the Tibetan Woman's organization in Switzerland as a question and answer session.

Tenzin Tethong, who was in Switzerland visiting Tibetan officials in the build up to the Kalon Tripa elections in March, attended the event to promote his candidateship for the role. Tenzin began the address by introducing himself, his political views and his aspirations for becoming Kalon Tripa, which was followed by a series of questions from delegates of both organizations. His was questioned on a range of topics including, internal and external political affairs as well as environmental issues.

Tenzin N. Tethong, met Satuarday with the Tibetan Youth association in Europe (TYAE) and the Tibetan Woman's organization in Switzerland (TWOS), in Zurich. Photo: TPI

The event concluded with questions open to the floor in which Tenzin praised organizations such as the Tibetan Youth association in Europe and the Tibetan Woman's organization in Switzerland, stating that if elected he would work for increased synergy in between the many Tibetan organizations worldwide.

Central Tibetan Relief Committee Convenes General Body Meeting

Prof Samdhong Rinpoche presides over the general body meeting of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Central Tibetan Relief Committee at Gangchen Kyishong in Dharamsala on Wednesday, 29 December 2010/Photo by Namgyal Tsewang

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

Dharamshala: The General Body Meeting of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC) was presided over by the committee's vice-chairman Prof Samdhong Rinpoche on Wednesday (29 December) at Gangchen Kyishong.

The Tibetan settlement officers in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, who are members of the general body of the CTRC, attended the meeting. His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Central Tibetan Relief Committee was registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860, in 1981.

The Himachal Pradesh government had made recent amendments to the Societies Registration Act, 1860, in conformity with the provisions of The Himachal Pradesh Societies Registration Act 2006.

Accordingly, the CTRC as a registered society is required to make amendments in its Memorandum and Rules and Regulations with the provisions of HP Societies Registration Act, 2006, Mr Ngodup Dorjee, Executive Secretary of the CTRC, told Tibet TV. The governing body of the CTRC made the amendments during its meeting on 27 December 2010, which were tabled and ratified in yesterday's general body meeting, Mr Dorjee said.

The governing body of the CTRC has asked all our general body members to make necessary amendments in their respective societies' rules and regulations/bye-laws with the provisions of the HP Societies Registration Act, 2006, he said.

Some of the new amendments made in the objectives of the society were (1) Promotion of the social welfare (2) Promotion of rural development and (3) Promotion of religious or charitable purpose including establishment of funds for welfare of military orphans, welfare of political sufferers and welfare of the like.

Other ancillary objectives include (1) initiate, conduct and assist family welfare and health and community development programmes (2) initiate, administer and assist programmes for providing better nutrition to children and adults especially amongst the poorer and more backward sections (3) promote agricultural practices and projects for improving food production (4) undertake to coordinate and guide international charities, agencies and individual donors to wherever the need is most felt within the Tibetan community and give them access to materials about the socioeconomic conditions of Tibetan refugees in exile.

TPI DALAI LAMA

The Tibet Post

15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama Be Realistic, Transform Tragedy into Strength Condoles Over Loss of Lives in Australia

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet giveing teachings on Buddhism during his visit to Salugara, West Bengal, India. Photo: TPI

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of Tibet, Tuesday has expressed deep condolences over loss of lives in flash floods that swept through southeastern Queensland in Australia.

In a condolence message to Queensland premier Anna Bligh, the Tibetan leader and Nobel laureate said: 'I was saddened by the unprecedented flood in your state which has brought severe destruction and suffering to the property and general public.

'But I admire the Australian government's preparedness in tackling the flood disaster in terms of its relief efforts.' His Holiness the Dalai lama, added: 'I am praying for no further loss of lives of those affected by the flood, speedy reconstruction of destroyed

homes and an early end to the disaster.'

5 children were among the 10 killed late Monday as the deluge tore through Toowoomba and other parts of the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, upending cars and ripping buildings from their foundations. The officials urged thousands of people to flee to higher ground on Tuesday in Australia's third-largest city, Brisbane.

Around 300 people were plucked from the disaster zone by helicopter on Tuesday after the tiny hamlet of Forest Hill was cut off by the torrent, Queensland premier Anna Bligh told reporters. Some 78 people were still missing late Tuesday, and Queensland police warned that the death toll was likely to rise as emergency crews continued to sift through the wreckage.

New Delhi: By adopting a realistic approach to problems, Tibet's spiritual leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama said one can transform tragedy into strength no matter how big the obstacle is.

"With a calm mind, we see reality more clearly but a disturbed mind destroys inner peace because it cannot utilize human intelligence properly," His Holiness said. "The enemies, the destructive emotions, are inside you and only you can destroy your inner peace."

His Holiness was speaking to a crowd of over 3,000 on the different levels of happiness at the 19th Tushita Dharma Celebrations organised yesterday at Shanker Lal Hall in Modern School.

Defining happiness as the state of deep satisfaction, His Holiness said happiness can be achieved on sensorial as well as mental level. Even animals experience sensorial satisfaction which is physically-attuned and therefore shortlived. But human beings can achieve a deeper, genuine sense of satisfaction on the mental level by using human intelligence.

Sometimes listening to devotional music or looking at holy images provide sensorial satisfaction that complement the deeper practice of attaining deeper satisfaction on the mental level, said His Holiness.

He said he has always found the image of Mother Mary carrying a baby in her arms as a very powerful symbol of compassion, love and kindness. Once when he was on a pilgrimage to visit a

His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks about the changing role of science while delivering his opening address at the International Conference for Science, Spirituality and Education held in Gangtok, Sikkim, India, on December 20th, 2010. Photo: TPI

small Mary statue in Fatima, His Holiness had a very profound experience. "We were coming back after holding a silent meditation and for no apparent reason I looked back and saw Mary's statue smiling at me," His Holiness said.

Different religious traditions whether theistic or non-theistic practice different methods to reduce extreme self centeredness or ego. Theistic traditions such as Christianity believe in total submission to God which in some ways reduce self-centered acts. Non-theistic traditions such as Buddhism and Jainism believe in the law of causality which essentially means cultivating positive Karma or actions to achieve long-term satisfaction. Buddhists believe that through positive actions, one can

China Now Needs To Open Up: Tibet's Leader

All Buddha's Teachings Must be Translated in Tibetan had a strong association in the ancient period. A number of Tibetan and Chinese scholars had been allotted special rooms at Nalanda for studying and teaching, he said.

Delivering the welcome address, vicechancellor of the Central University of Tibetan Studies, Geshe Nagwang Samten said that the scholars of Nalanda and Tibet have enriched the Buddhist philosophy by translating the text from Sanskrit to Tibetan language.

Pobert Thurman, an American professor of Buddhist studies at Columbia University, highlighted the teachings of Buddha. He said that in today's world, many problems like global warming are emerging due to the greed of man. The solution to these problems is not possible through science only, he added.

According to the organisers, the Tengyur or 'shastra section' contains Tibetan translation of many important

Sanskrit works from Indian monastic universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila. When translated into Tibetan, these works in turn inspired Tibet's own enlightenment renaissance. Accordingly, many great Tibetan masters including His Holiness the Dalai Lama have termed the Buddhist teachings in these Tengyur texts as of very high value.

The Indian works preserved meticulously in the Tibetan translations represent the lost Indian heritage consisting of works not only related to Buddhist philosophy but also on a variety of ancient Indian sciences and arts like ayurveda, jyotish, grammar, lexicography, prosody, iconography and sculpture. Translating these works from Tibetan into the modern language is a commendable attempt to regain this heritage for the benefit of future generations.

prevent future negative actions without relying on external factors.

Cultivating positive qualities of warmheartedness and a genuine sense of concern for other's well-being has nothing to do with being a believer or a non-believer, His Holiness said. These are inner secular qualities necessary for a happy life, not some abstruse concepts of next life or heaven and hell, he added.

Dr Renuka Singh, director of the New Delhi-based Tushita Mahayana Meditation Center said His Holiness' teachings have immense relevance to today's violence and pollution-ridden globalised world.

His Holiness released a book 'Becoming Buddha' published by the Center to coincide with its 30th anniversary.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama taking part in his first video conference discussion, in which he responded to questions from three prominent Chinese intellectuals, on January 4th, 2011. Photo: His Holiness' Facebook

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: Tibet's spiritual and political leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Tuesday (January 4) took part in his first video conference discussion with three prominent Chinese intellectuals which lasted just over an hour. Unlike the communist regime, His Holiness is open to dialogue with China, and is always trying to reach out to ordinary Chinese in order to discuss issues, including Tibet.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said "geographically, we are faraway thousands of miles, but still we can see each other's face clearly, also we can communicate with one another via online video, it shows that we have reached the 21st Century."

"Such a video communication via

Internet can not feel each other's breath, however I was very pleased to meet people living in China, and hope in the future it will be continued, I believe that China will definitely change, one day we could meet face to face."

A total of 319 questions were asked, with His Holiness responding to questions from the three Chinese intellectuals. Chinese writer Wang Lixiong, initiated the online video discussion in 2011. He also moderated the video conference discussion from Beijing. The other two Chinese participants were Law Professor and civil rights activist Teng Biao and prominent Human Rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who were in Shenzhen.

Teng Biao and Jiang Tianyong were the

prominent human rights lawyer during the Chinese crackdown on Tibetans in 2008, they jointly issued a statement saying "we are willing to provide legal assistance to Tibetans." During the video conference, the lawyers questioned the Dalai Lama about Wikileaks and about interaction with Chinese scholars.

Teng asked, "open communication and understanding between Chinese and Tibetan people, particularly between Chinese and Tibetan intellectuals, is very important and a constructive initiative to solve the Tibetan problem peacefully. If you are willing to promote it, how do you promote such exchanges and understanding between two sides?

What are the main obstacles to further development?

"I have made efforts to communicate with Chinese friends ahead of Tienanmen events, I have also asked the same to Chinese friends who were living in US and Canada. Despite some suspicious staring by our friends from the mainland. Anyway, after Tienanmen events, then the communication with Chinese people becomes quite strong, particularly after the 2008 crisis in Tibet more and more Chinese have started paying attention to the Tibetan issue," His Holiness the Dalai Lama replied.

His Holiness said that whenever he met with Chinese and foreign friends, professors, and scholars, he talked about the need for China to be an open society. "whenever I met with Chinese and foreign friends, I usually told them, China now needs to open up."

The Tibetan spiritual leader has reiterated that his faith in the Chinese Continues on Page 7

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15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

TPI INTERNATIONAL

Free Tibet Protests to be Held During Hu's Visit to U.S.

The Tibet Post

Chinese Communist Regime Fails on Human Rights Plan

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Thousands of exiled Tibetans and supporters carrying banners (Free Tibet) during 51st anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day in 2010, Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: - Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to the United States from January 18 to 21, 2011. Along with Regional Tibetan Youth Congress NY & NJ, CATA, ICT, Initiatives for China, and many other rights groups, United Nations for a Free Tibet calls on people to join protest rallies in Washington D.C and Chicago against Chinese President Hu Jintao and to highlight the Tibet issue when he meets President Obama.

Those rallies shall be very important since it might be the last visit of president Hu to US as a leader of the CCP. We have to make sure he hears us loud and clear: FREE TIBET! And let's join together to tell the world that trade, money, and politics should come after Human Rights, Freedom of Language, Equality for all People, in China as well, and a Free Tibet.

We kindly invite you to participate in the demonstration to show your support, calling on to raise the awareness of freedom, democracy

and human rights during the visit.

Together we insist on: U.S government should abide by freedom, democracy, human rights and other universal values in handling exchanges with China, especially for the protection of human rights and personal freedom.

The immediate and unconditional release of Tibetan political prisoner Jigme Gyatso [Pinyin: Jinmei Jiacuo, Chinese:who was tortured after speaking to the former UN Special Rapporteur, Dr Manfred Nowak in 2005 and is believed to be gravely ill in Chushur (Chinese: Qushui) prison near Lhasa.

The immediate and unconditional release of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese human rights activist who called for democratic reforms and the end of communist one-party rule in China; he was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment; Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.

Dharamshala: The Communist Chinese Government has failed to deliver on commitments in its firstever National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010) to protect key civil and political rights over the past two years, Washington based Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

The 67-page report, "Promises Unfulfilled: An Assessment of China's National Human Rights Action Plan," details how despite the Chinese government's progress in protection of some economic and social rights, it has undermined many of the key goals of the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP) by tightening restrictions on rights of expression, association, and assembly over the past two years.

The report highlights how that rollback of key civil and political rights enabled rather than reduced a host of human rights abuses specifically addressed in the NHRAP. "If this plan had been vigorously pursued - and had not been accompanied by a slew of government-tolerated abuses - it could have marked a real change in the Chinese government's human rights performance," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "But the government's failure to implement the Action Plan makes clear it is more of a public relations exercise than a meaningful tool for protecting and promoting human rights for the people of China."

The Chinese government unveiled the NHRAP in April 2009 as a policy tool for "the promotion and protection of human rights during the period 2009-2010." The NHRAP laid out policy objectives in categories including economic, social, cultural, and civil and political rights, and

57 Journalists killed, 51 Kidnapped, 535 Arrested: Media Group 2010 Report

Fifth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Photo: File

included sections on the Chinese government's international human rights obligations and human rights education initiatives. The NHRAP described itself as the result of "broad participation" of 53 named government ministries, agencies, and government-organized nongovernmental organizations, along with academics from nine research institutions coordinated by the Information Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

But the NHRAP's value was undermined by the government's simultaneous commission of human rights abuses during the same period.

In 2009-2010, the government: • continued its practice of sentencing high-profile dissidents such as imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo to lengthy prison terms on spurious state secrets or "subversion" charges;

• expanded restrictions on media and internet freedom; • tightened controls on lawyers, human rights defenders, and nongovernmental organizations; • broadened controls on Uighurs and Tibetans; and • engaged in increasing numbers of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions, including in secret, unlawful detention facilities known as "black jails."

"China needs a credible national human rights action plan that is designed and implemented to improve its human rights performance, not deflect criticism," Richardson said. "The Chinese government's failure to meaningfully deliver on the National Human Rights Action Plan's key objectives will only deepen doubts about its willingness to respect international standards as its global influence grows."

Tibetan Monks Make Foray into Emory to Learn Science Emailed by Chime Tenzing, Dharmasala, India, The Tibet

with 76 in 2009, a drop of 25 per cent.

"Fifty-seven journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2010, 25% fewer than in 2009, when the total was 76. The number of journalists killed in war zones has fallen in recent years.

Significantly, it is becoming more and more difficult to identify those responsible in cases in which journalists were killed by criminal gangs, armed groups, religious organizations or state agents. "Fewer journalists were killed in war zones than in preceding years," Reporters Without Borders secretary- general Jean-Franc?ois Julliard said.

"Media workers are above all being murdered by criminals and traffickers of various kinds. Organized crime groups and militias are their leading killers worldwide. The challenge now is to rein in this phenomenon. The authorities of the countries concerned have a direct duty to combat the impunity surrounding these murders.

If governments do not make every effort to punish the murderers of journalists, they become their accomplices."

"Another distinguishing feature of 2010 was the major increase in kidnappings of journalists. There were 29 cases in 2008, 33 in 2009 and 51 in 2010. Journalists are seen less and less as outside observers. Their neutrality and the nature of their work are no longer respected. "Abductions of journalists are becoming more and more frequent and are taking place in more countries." Reporters Without Borders said. "For the first time, no continent escaped this evil in 2010.

Journalists are turning into bargaining chips. Kidnappers take hostages in order to finance their criminal activities, make governments comply with their demands, and send a message to the public."

"Journalists were killed in 25 countries in 2010. This is the first time since

Reporters Without Borders began keeping these tallies that journalists have been murdered in so many countries. Almost 30% of the countries (7 in total) were African countries.

Many journalists flee abroad to escape violence and oppression. A total of 127 journalists from 23 countries did this in 2010."

"The number of arrests and physical attacks on netizens in 2010 was similar to previous years. Harassment of bloggers and censorship of the Internet have become commonplace. There are no longer any taboos about online filtering. Censorship is taking new forms: more aggres- sive online propaganda and increasingly frequent use of cyber-attacks as way to silence bothersome Internet users. Significantly, online censorship is no longer necessarily the work of repressive regimes. Democracies are now examining and adopting new laws that pose a threat to free speech on the Internet."

Methodist seminary and school of theology - has the newest group of students but from a different background & a new mission! They are wearing the traditional crimson robes and closely shorn heads. They are the six monks from Tibetan monasteries in India-- most in their 30s - taking physics, biology, and chemistry classes with hopes of returning to their monasteries in India to teach science to other monks and nuns.

Like any other college kids, they like munching on pizzas, posting on Facebook and hanging out with friends on weekends! But they have come to Atlanta on a mission to learn science so that they could go back to India and fulfill the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

"I have long believed in and advocated a dialogue and crossfertilization between science and

spirituality, as both are essential for enriching human life and alleviating suffering on both individual and global levels. The Emory-Tibet Science Initiative has a unique opportunity to fulfill this need, and thus make a contribution not only to the Emory and Tibetan communities, but to the world at large, by expanding the horizons of human knowledge and wisdom" , said His Holiness during his first visit to Emory.

According to Geshe Lhakdor, director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala in India, "It's the first established program for Tibetan monks from India to train at a Western university".

Dozens of Emory students also go to India each year to study at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founder and a top teacher.

TPI TIBET

The Tibet Post

Former Tibetan Political Prisoners Died of Bad Health Conditions

15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

China Detains a Tibetan Writer in Lhasa, Capital of Tibet

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Former Tibetan Political Prisoners, Thupten Legtsok (R) and Dorjee Tsering (L)Died in Lhasa, capital of Tibet ater suffered serious Health Conditions. Photo: TPI

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: Two Tibetan monks from Meldro Gungkar county, central Tibet died after being released from Chinese prison said a report from Tibet received on Wednesday. They were in a very bad state after being tortured, beaten and insulted by Chinese authorities. Thupten was arrested during the 1989 peaceful protest in Lhasa, which reportedly caused the deaths of hundreds of Tibetans and the arrest of thousands more.

According to information received by The Tibet Post International on Wednesday, Thupten Legtsok from Meldro Gungkar county, was a monk from Daklha Lhuguk monastery in Lhasa, capital of Tibet died earlier last year after being subject to brutal torture by the Chinese authorities. He was arrested while participating in the 1989 peaceful protest in Lhasa.

In 1989, several monks from Daklha Lhuguk monastery on the outskirts of Tibet's capital, Lhasa, peacefully march toward Barkor Street in the central city.

Legtsok was joined by others, lead a peaceful Tibet march from Tsuklakhang Temple, proclaiming independence slogans for Tibet, distributing

pamphlets, and raising the banned Tibetan national flag at Barkor Street of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. They all were arrested immediately following three day long peaceful protests in Lhasa.

Our source says that he was tortured and beaten nearly to death at a secret jail.

The Chinese authorities then harshly interrogated him, asking for information on his political participation. The authorities beat him until vomiting bloods. After his release from prison, Legtsok suffered from a 'serious health condition.

Another Tibetan monk Dorjee Tsering died in November last year after being subject to brutal torture by the Chinese prison authorities. He was arrested by Chinese authorities for participating during a protest rally that he staged with other Tibetans in Lhasa in 1994.

Tsering was sentenced for four years in jail by the so called Lhasa Intermediate Court. Following his release from prison, he suffered from a 'serious health condition for the past several years. It is in this political context that he was expelled" from the Meldro Katsang monastery in Meldro Gungkar county.

The report further says, 'that kind of arrest

Dharamshala: Tenpa Lodoe, pseudonym Gang-ga Champo, a wellknown Tibetan writer and the editor of 'Walk-Forward' (Dhunkyod) was arrested recently by Chinese Security Bureau Officials in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet (Chinese; Tibet Autonomous Region, TAR).

According to information received by The Tibet Post International, the magazine editor was arrested by police in Lhasa, capital of Tibet on 29 December 2010, the Tibetan writer is a native of the Chakrapalbar county, near Chamdho, eastern Tibetan region of Kham.

Our source quotes the information as saying, he was arrested by Chinese authorities when he and one of his friend reached the main street of Lhasa, the police sat them in chairs with automated hand and ankle restraints after taking to Lhasa Chinese police station. The authorities confiscated all his valuables, such as laptop, mobile phone, books, and printer, etc.

Penpa Lodoe completed his Buddhist studies at Ngagyur Institution (Ngagyur Dansachenmo), the main monastery of Nyingmapa Tibetan Buddhist sect in Tibet and later worked as an important member of and imprisonment in Tibet are frequently carried out by the Chinese authorities as a result of peaceful demonstrations-in violation of international human rights law-there are serious abuses following detention since occupation over Tibet.

Incidents of severe beatings at the time of arrest, torture and insulting during incarceration, and severe beatings of inmates already sentenced have been informed with sufficient frequency.' Since March 2008 alone, over 224 Tibetans have been killed, 1,294 injured and 290 sentenced, more than 5,600 were arrested or detained and over 1,000 disappeared after the Chinese armed military deadly cracked down in all parts of Tibet.

China Sentences Tibetan Writers Up to Four Years in Prison

Tibetan writer Buddha (L) and Jangtse Dhonkho (R). Photo: RFA

By Chakmo Tso for RFA's Tibetan service

Dharamshala: Three writers of Tibet detained earlier this year by Chinese authorities have been handed jail terms of three to four years for "inciting activities to split the nation," according to sources in the region. According to a report posted by Radio Free Asia, Jail

terms handed down without any representations.

The three writers-Jangtse Donkho, Buddha, and Kalsang Jinpa-were tried on Oct. 28 by the Aba [in Tibetan, Ngaba] Intermediate People's Court, but the sentences were not handed down

5

until Thursday. "The three Tibetan writers were sentenced for three-to-four years in jail by the Ngaba Intermediate Court on Dec. 30, 2010," said a source from inside Tibet.

"Jangtse Donkho and Buddha were given four years and Kalsang Jinpa was sentenced to three years in prison," the source said. The sentences were handed down without any representations by the defendants or their family or legal counsel, the source added.

"None of the Tibetan writers or their lawyers or family members were allowed to speak in the court at the time of verdict," the source said. "hen the judge ordered all in the court to rise for the verdict, all three did not comply and remained seated."

When the judge announced that Jangste Donkho would receive a jail term of four years, he clapped his hands, the source added. "This could be a sarcastic gesture against the judgement," the source said.

"The other two remained silent."

The three men have 15 days to appeal the sentence. They were first detained

Tenap Lodoe, Tibetan writer from Chakrapalbar county of eastern Tibet.

Photo: TPI

Tibetan Association of Intellectuals (Tib: Palbar Lhobkul Tsokpa), he also founded an association called "The Status of Snow-mountan" (Tib: Gangri Neybab Tsokpa) which established by young Tibetan monks and writers in eastern Tibet.

Associating with Ven. Goyon, the editor of the magazine 'Purgyal Kyi Namshey' (Soul of Ancient Kings) and other Tibetan writers, gives him

opportunities to organize several conferences and discussions in various places in Tibet. A writer's conference titled 'Seeking the Copyrights' was held in Chengdu, eastern Tibet on 24 January 201, over 17 Tibetan intellectuals including editors, bloggers and writers were participated, the meeting was also organized by Lodoe and his friend Goyon.

"Associating with other writers gives him opportunities to practice the art of writing, the Tibetan writers' conferences often bring in successful writers, bloggers and editors to speak on a variety of topics concerning writing and publishing," said in his recent published article on blog.

At present, family and friends of Tenpa Lodoe are anxious regarding his arrest, as his current whereabouts are unknown.

Our source also says that on 5 June 2010 his friend Goyon, a well-known Tibetan writer was detained, the authorities then harshly interrogated him, asking for detailed information on his current work and political participation. They beat him continuously and threated him with guns placed to our foreheads. He was seriously ill after being released from Chinese prison last year.

A Tibetan Political Prisoner's Life Under Threat: Report

Dharamshala: A Tibetan political prisoner named Jigme Gyatso serving a 17-year long prison sentence in Chushul prison near Tibet's capital Lhasa is in critical health condition due to severe torture, according to a report received by the Central Tibetan Administration.

In 1996, the Intermediate People's Court in Lhasa levelled alleged charges of counter revolutionary activities against Jigme Gyatso along with a group of Tibetan residents of Lhasa. Jigme Gyatso was subsequently locked up in Drachi

prison to serve a 15 year jail term with hard labour.

While in prison, Jigme raised slogans of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's long life which resulted in a 2-year extension of his incarceration. Nevertheless, he remained firm in his resolve for which he was severely tortured and beaten up rendering him physically very weak.

The severe beatings continued after he was shifted from Drapchi to Chusul prison and presently his survival is on stake due to the debilitating health condition.

Jigme was born in 1961 in Sangchu in Tibet's Amdo Province.

He used to live in Lhasa before the arrest and his mother passed away two years after he was arrested.

He was one of the first Tibetans who worked for the just cause of Tibet in Sanghcu, Ladrang in Amdo Province.

During his stay in Lhasa he joined Tibetan friends and dedicated sincere efforts in number of activities for Tibet.

Notwithstanding physical weakness caused by beatings under the Chinese government's captivity, many Tibetans like Jigme have kept up their spirit of determination and courage to brave the repression.

in June and July, and were charged primarily because of articles they wrote about the 2008 Tibetan protest movement in a local newsletter, Shar Dungri ("Eastern Snow Mountain").

Each of the men pleaded not guilty during the trial, which lasted half a day.

Buddha had earlier spoken in court in fluent Chinese to say that articles of the kind that he and the other men were

accused of writing were also published

by Han Chinese.

He said the punishment handed down to the three writers was biased because of their ethnicity, accusing the authorities of perpetrating "injustice among different nationalities." The other men spoke in Tibetan in their own defense, but witnesses said they were hampered by poor interpreting.

Jigmey Gyatso. Photo: Tibet.net/file

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

6

15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

TPI TIBET IN EXILE

Former TAR Official Endorses future Tibetan Prime Minister

Kalon Tripa candidate, Tethong speaking at the gathering on 7th Jan 201, London, UK. Photo: TPI

By Tsering Passang,London

London: As the Tibetan general election fever is on the full swing, despite the chilling British wintry weather, members of the Tibetan Community in Britain attended the public meeting with Kasur Tenzin Namgyal Tethong, a leading prime minister candidate from the US, on Thursday 6th January at The October Gallery in central London.

The public discussion with Kalon Tripa (Prime minister) was webcasted Live and received online questions from Tibetans in Minnesota, Indiana, Paris and Hunsur. To watch this full video, please visit: http://www.londonney.com/ Election2011.html This public meeting, organised by the LondonNey Tibetan Productions and the Tibetan Youth UK, is aimed at providing an independent platform for the Tibetan electorates in the UK to interact with the Kalon Tripa candidates. The organisers thanked The October Gallery for their support in making this event possible.

The interactive session, which lasted just over two-hours, provided the much needed public discussion forum for the Tibetan electorates with one of the leading Candidates for the Prime Minister’s post. A wide-range of topics was covered with the enthusiastic

audience.

During the course of the discussion, the public learned in depth Tethong’s early years of public service in the Tibetan Government in Exile, his foreign mission roles in New York as His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Representative and later in Washington as the Special Representative. The audience also became aware of Tethong’s ongoing service to Tibet by promoting the works and ideals of His Holiness the Dalai Lama through The Dalai Lama Foundation and general Tibetan cause through one of his early initiatives The US Committee of 100 for Tibet.

Tethong, who is regarded as the softspoke Tibetan gentleman, showed his readiness to lead the Tibetan struggle, if he is elected the next Kalon Tripa.

During his dedicated public service in the Tibetan Government in Exile for nearly thirty-years, Tethong had served in various capacities including as a Kalon and as the Kalon Tripa from 1990 to 1995. The potential future Prime Minister said, “I’ve always dedicated myself to the service of the Tibetan cause under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I’ve the confidence to serve as the next Kalon

Tripa based on the past contributions that I made through numerous proactive initiatives, which has brought a decent amount of benefits to our society.” Tethong also re-emphasised that the Kalon Tripa job is not an easy one, especially considering the current situation of Tibet in the geopolitical world, and added, “Without some kind of real leadership experience, I’m not sure how one can effectively perform the Kalon Tripa duties. This is not a position where one can gain experience.”

The former Kalon Tripa said that the principal cause and his top priority is the reclamation of Tibetan Nation and revival of the real freedom for the Tibetan people both inside Tibet and as well as those in exile.

When asked if he would make any attempts to change the current course of ‘Middle-Way” Policy towards resolution of the Tibetan political struggle and adopt a new direction, Tethong replied, “The next Kalon Tripa cannot change the current course and formulate any new policy straightaway as we have our own democratic process but the elected person can certainly play a very important role by exploring any other possibilities and make related suggestions or findings to the Tibetan Parliament and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”

Amongst the audience were three London-based current and former Representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a defected senior Tibetan official from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). At the end of the Q&A session, the former TAR government official expressed his full support and trust in the Kalon Tripa candidate, whilst recalling his days in Lhasa as an official in 1980, when Kasur Tenzin Namgyal Tethong, then Representative in New York, headed the Second-Fact Finding Delegation to Tibet. The emotional elderly gentleman said that Tibetans in Tibet then saw a real leadership in Tethong, and he and other fellow Tibetans back in Tibet really hope that Tethong would fulfil the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the wider Tibetan cause in finding a lasting political resolution to the Sino-Tibetan issue.

Following the discussion and light refreshments, Friends of Tenzin

The Tibet Post

Tibetan Leader to Address Tengyur Translation Conference

His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks about the changing role of science while delivering his opening address at the International Conference for Science, Spirituality and Education held in Gangtok, Sikkim, India, on December 20th, 2010. Photo: TPI

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net Dharamshala: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tibet’s political and spiritual leader will address Tuesday (11 January) the ongoing conference on the translation of one of the Tibet’s most precious treasure of the Buddha’s teachings known as ‘Tengyur’ at the Central University of Tibetan Studies (CUTS) in Sarnath.

The four-day ‘Tengyur Translation Conference: In the Tradition of the 17 Pandits of Nalanda’, which began on 8 January, is being jointly organised by CUTS and the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at Columbia University.

The conference is aimed at focusing on issues pertaining in particular to the translation of the Tibetan Tengyur not only into English, but also Sanskrit, Hindi, Chinese and other languages, according to the organisers.

The conference is part of the long-term project initiated by the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at

Columbia University and Tibet House US of translating the Tengyur into English and other modern languages, and to publish the many works in a collection called ‘The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences’. The project received the support of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for its historic initiative to support, create, and publish authoritative English translations, studies, and editions of the entite Tibetan Tengyur and its associated literature.

The works of the foremost Indian scholars of Nalanda tradition are presently preserved in the collection of their writings known as Tengyur in Tibetan translation. It took teams of Indian masters and great Tibetan translators over four centuries to accomplish the historic task of translating them into Tibetan. Most of these books were later lost in their Sanskrit originals, and relatively few Continues on Page 7

Namgyal Tethong United Kingdom hosted a dinner in his honour. Thupten Tenzin, who hosted the dinner in an Indian restaurant, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Tibetans and supporters of Tenzin Namgyal

Tethong in the UK, for his selfless community service over the past forty years for Tibet and Tibetan people, and for his latest determination to serve once more in the Tibetan Government in Exile as the next Kalon Tripa.

Nepal Authorities Arrested Six A Discussion Held on Significance of Tibet - Mongolia Treaty of 1913 Refugees After Escaping Tibet Amid growing pressure from the communist regime of China, Nepal has been sending back the Tibetan refugees "illegally entering into Nepal from China." Over the last several years many news reports have confirmed that authorities of Nepal has handed over several Tibetan refugees to Chinese authorities living in Tibet.

The China's communist regime has used its financial muscle to pay off the Nepal government to arrest Tibetan refugees who fleeing Tibet and crackdown on Tibetan refugees living in Nepal, according to secret US cables published by WikiLeaks.

Cables released by the whistle-blower website show an unnamed source of the US Embassy in New Delhi repeatedly claiming that "Chinese government rewards Nepali forces by providing financial incentives to officers who hand over Tibetans attempting to exit China".

China claims there are no Tibetan refugees, only illegal migrants who should be given harsh punishment to stop the exodus. This year, Nepal's dependence on China has grown as it is regarding the communist republic as the second largest source of tourists to make its 'Visit Nepal 2011' year a resounding success.

Various international communities including human rights organizations have alleged that Tibetan refugees thus sent back home are punished and severely tortured by Chinese authorities in Tibet.

Nepal is home to around 20,000 exiled Tibetans. They began arriving in large numbers after Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled Tibet following a failed uprising in 1959.

Following strong pressure from the communist regime of China, Nepal has forced to tighten up security along its border with Tibet.

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

Mongolia and Tibet is being organised by the Department of Information and International Relations at Gangchen Kyishong from 30-31 December.

A group of seven scholars and historians have been invited to make their presentations and shed lights on the treaty and Tibet's relationship with Manchu dynasty and Mongolia.

The highlights of the opening session includes a presentation on "Tibet's relationship with Manchu dynasty before signing the treaty with Mongolia in 1913" by Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen, a Member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

Prof Elliot Sperling, Associate Professor of Tibetan Studies, Indiana University's Department of Central Eurasian Studies, spoke on the international reception and circulation of the 1913 TibetoMongol Treaty.

Mr Sonam Gyaltsen, a Tibetan historian presently teaching at the College of

Higher Tibetan Studies near Dharamsala, shed light on Tibet's relationship with Mongolia before and after the signing of the 1913 treaty.

Prof Tsering Shakya, noted historian and expert on Tibetan studies who is currently Canadian Research Chair in Religion and Contemporary Society in Asia at the Institute for Asian Research at the University of British Columbia, presented a "Comparative study of Mongolia and Tibet in their search for nationhood in the early part of 20th century".

The presentation was followed by an interactive question and answer with the members of the audience consisting of senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration and members of NGOs. On the second day, Prof Jampa Samten of the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Varansi, Mr Chung Tsering, researcher at the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan

Administration and Mr Tashi Tsering, noted historian and director of Amnye Machen Institute in Dharamsala, will make their presentations on the treaty.

Earlier on 13-14 October this year, twenty-seven experts from Mongolia, India, America, Korea, Russia, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Holland and Germany gathered for a two-day symposium on the treaty in Monglia's capital Ulaanbaatar. On the basis of profound research done in Tibetan, Mongolian, Russian, English and Chinese, the members had concluded the debate; unanimously agreeing that 99 per cent of "1913 Treaty between Mongolia and Tibet" is factual and official.

The historic "Treaty of Friendship and Alliance Between the Government of Mongolia and Tibet" was signed at Urga in January 1913. The treaty, consisting of 9 Articles, proclaimed the formation of independent states of Tibet and Mongolia.

TPI BUDDHISM

The Tibet Post

His Holiness Calls for More Compassion

15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

7

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Inspires Humanitarian Leaders

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

International Support Groups conference held in Delhi, India. Photo: TPI

By James Dunn, The Tibet Post Europe

London: During an address to a crowd of hundreds in Sarnath, yesterday, His Holiness said, “all people should be more compassionate towards all.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s statement came during an opening ceremony for a new academic building at the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Sarnath. The event was attended by hundreds of Buddhist monks and fellow Tibetans, in which

His Holiness said that to achieve ‘bodhi’ you must remove the sorrows of others. During his address the congregation he also said that all living beings in the world feel pain and sorrow, but only humans can feel the pain and sorrow of others.

“Among all living beings, humans have wisdom, hence they should apply their wisdom purposefully and in the right direction,” he said.

Tibetan Leader to Address Tengyur Translation Conference were translated into Chinese. The Tengyur is truly one of the Tibet’s most precious treasures, a mine of understanding that Tibetans have preserved in Tibet for the benefit of the whole world.

The Buddhist culture that flourished in Tibet can rightly be seen to derive from the pure tradition of Nalanda, which comprises the most complete presentation of the Buddhist teachings.

Foremost Indian scholars of Nalanda Monastic University such as Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Aryaasanga, Dharmakirti, Candrakirti and Shantideva wrote the scriptures that we Tibetan Buddhists study and practise.

“When translated into Tibetan, these works in turn inspired Tibet’s own enlightenment renaissance.

Accordingly, the Buddhist teachings in these Tengyur texts are deemed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and many other great Tibetan masters to be of the highest value,” the organisers said in a statement.

Expressing his support to the American Institute of Buddhist Studies’ Tengyur translation project in 2007, His Holiness the Dalai Lama had said: “At the present time, when there is a great emphasis on scientific and technological progress, it is extremely important that those of us who follow the Buddha should rely on a sound understanding of his teaching, for which the great works of the renowned

Nalanda scholars provide an indispensable basis.” “... It surely will require the intelligent and creative efforts of generations of translators from every tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, in the spirit of the scholars of Nland, although we may hope that using computers may help complete the work more quickly,” His Holiness said.

“As it grows, The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series will serve as an invaluable reference library of the Buddhist Sciences and Arts. This collection of literature has been of immeasurable benefit to us Tibetans over the centuries, so we are very happy to share it with all the people of the world. As someone who has been personally inspired by the works it contains, I firmly believe that the methods for cultivating wisdom and compassion originally developed in India and described in these books preserved in Tibetan translation will be of great benefit to many scholars, philosophers, and scientists, as well as ordinary people,” he added.

Participants from different countries like the US, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Russia, Taiwan, Japan and Nepal are taking part in the conference.

Kalon Tripa ( Tibetan PM) Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, who left Dharamsala for Varanasi yesterday, will also attend the conference.

China Now Needs To Open Up Continues from page 3 people on the issue of Tibet remains unshaken. "I have met with several hundred Chinese scholars and writers to discuss Tibet, many Chinese intellectuals and writers fully support the Tibetans' middle-way policy towards achieving genuine autonomy, our present middle-way policy which is not a "we win, you lose" kind of stand, would

be beneficial to both China and Tibet."

"The recent report emerging out of Wikileaks indicated that, you told the U.S. ambassador to New Delhi that the world should focus its attention on the environmental problems in Tibet which cannot wait and that the Tibetans can wait for five to 10 years for a political solution. Is that true? What solutions do you suggest for it and what are your actual views on this?" Jiang asked.

New Delhi: Inspired by the teachings of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on compassion and interdependence, a diverse group of over 75 individuals and philanthropic groups from all the world gathered here on last Friday to galvanize global impact on individual and communal well-being.

Delhi Dialogue, the first of its kind that brought together big and small NGOs, is aimed at enabling humanitarian leaders to collaborate, network, and create pragmatic opportunities as well as to expand their impact and avoid duplication.

Representatives of organisations working on critical global issues such as poverty, rural empowerment, education, conflict resolution, juvenile justice, and gender inequity made presentations before His Holiness requesting his suggestions and advice during the day-long event.

His Holiness said many poor and marginalised people he has met over years often tend to display a sense of inferiority. He recalled a visit to a family in Soweto (South Africa) where a local teacher related to the family told him how the natives felt inferior. His Holiness said he told the teacher it was wrong to hold such attitude and that every human being has the same potential. “After a while, the teacher took a deep sigh and whispered to me that he understood what I said,” said His Holiness who has since then sponsored the education of the family’s three children. The children are now doing further studies with financial help provided by His Holiness.

“Show more respect and give them selfconfidence that they too are human beings with equal right to overcome sufferings,” he said.

Former president of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who chaired a session with His Holiness on rural poverty shared his experience working on the PURA project, a sustainable development system that provides urban amenities in rural areas.

Dr Kalam said the fact that 700 million Indians live in 600,000 villages makes it important to empower the rural areas for the over all development of India. Each PURA benefits 20 villages and so far 7,000 Puras have been established.

Richard Moore, the Irishman who demonstrated a rare spirit of forgiveness by befriending the British soldier who blinded him talked about the work his organisation, Children in Crossfire, does in conflict-torn areas in Africa and Norther Ireland. His Holiness had called Moore “My Hero” during a public talk Moore gave at the Tibetan Children Village school in Dharamsala. “These days, in my hometown in Derry, people tease me calling me “Derry Lama,” Moore said leaving the audience in splits.

"As I said before, there will be no change in my stand, 'Middle-way Approach would be beneficial to both China and Tibet, but, the large-scale environmental problems in Tibet are a matter of great sadness to me. It is not only sad for Tibet, these are problems looking from a wider perspective, Tibetan environmental problems may impact many of the rivers which flow through large areas of Asia, where more than a billion people in the region depend on the water that comes from rivers that originate on the Tibetan plateau," His Holiness replied.

Tibetans holding their traditional white scarfs awaiting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Varanasi, India on 09 January 2011. Photo: TPI

Moore remembered a meeting His Holiness had with some long-suffering victims of state and paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland. He said the moment His Holiness walked in, the whole atmosphere changed. And a woman who had found it difficult to cope with the death of her husband by a proxy bomb finally told His Holiness, “You have released me to forgive the people who killed my husband,” Moore said.

A common concern shared by the participants was the untimely closure of many NGOs within less than 10 years of existence even after making effective contributions. Some like Dr Fazal Abdel of BRAC (Bangladesh) suggested periodic overhaul of the system in areas of human resources and auditing in addition to time-tested values like determination and persistence to prevent immature burnout.

An interesting outcome of the event was the commitment to build earthquakeproof schools in areas between Sichuan and Yushu provinces - both hit by deadly quakes in 2008 and 2010 that killed hundreds of schoolchildren, Mathieu Ricard, an eminent scientist and a Buddhist monk informed the gathering.

One of the success stories shared by the participants was Joe Madiath’s Gram Vikas initiative that aims at reducing unnecessary drudgery borne by rural women in collecting firewood and fetching water as the key to increasing female enrollment in schools. When he first started his project in villages near Chandragiri in Orissa, less than 10 percent of women went to schools. The enrollment rate is now above 90 percent after facilities for water, electricity, and sanitation were provided. Some Tibetan refugees living in the vicinity have also benefited from this project.

And in Bangladesh, 200 schools run

by BRAC outperformed many richer, high-quality private schools in last year’s exams. BRAC works primarily in the area of girl child education and has so far organised 8 million women from different villages.

Prayas provides education, healthcare, and shelter some 35,000 street children in India. Founder-Director Mr Amod Kanth said much work needed to be done as 60 million children still do not go to school out of which 35 million live in extreme conditions exposed to various injustices including trafficking.

Prayas has also organised exchange programmes with Tibetan children in Dharamshala.

Craig Kielburger, founder of the Canada-based Free The Children, has built 650 schools for marginalised children. In partnership with the Vancouver-based Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education, the organisation has created various programmes through which children raised funds for schools in Gansu, Sichuan, India, and Africa. Quoting His Holiness, Kielburger said the greatest challenge is not in fixing the challenges the world faces but in raising the children to care about these existing challenges.

Bunker Roy’s Barefoot College employs an unique method to electrify villages - by training illiterate grandmothers, among them some Tibetans, to be solar engineers.

Earlier this year in Dharamsala, Roy introduced His Holiness to two grandmothers who were to later become engineers. The NGO also works in Africa and Himalayan areas besides Rajasthan where it is located.

The Canada-based Roots of Empathy fosters a sense of empathy among school children to arrest what founder Mary Gordon called “desertification of heart”. Gordon said developed countries with their modern education and highly advanced economies face large quantities of “emotional illiteracy”.

By 2010, the impact of the organisation has grown to 300,000 students scattered all over North America and Europe.

Other presenters were Leila Chiriyath Janah of Samasource, Saurav Adhikari of Shiv Nadar Foundation, Jeff Walker of Millenium Promise, Rev. Mpho Tutu of Tutu Institute for Prayer, Carolyn Miles of Save The Children, Peggy Dulany of Synergos, Zainab Salbi of Women for Women International, Barun Mohanty of Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, UNICEF, Jennifer Buffett of NoVo, Rajeev Mehrotra of Foundation for Universal Responsibility, Ruchira Gupta of Apne Aap, Mohammad Musa of CARE, and the Omidyar Network.

Victor Chan, a Chinese-Canadian who co-authored Wisdom of Forgiveness with His Holiness hosted the event. Chan who has been a long-time friend of His Holiness is also the author of Tibet Handbook: A Pilgrimage Guide.

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15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

TPI HUMAN RIGHTS

Annual Report 2010 announcement of reforms being carried out in the application of death penalty by removing the capital punishment for financial crimes.

Although this reform is welcome, it does not have any significant effect in Tibet. Since spring 2008, nine Tibetans have been sentenced to death with two already having been executed. The remaining seven are serving death penalty with two years reprieve. This year three Tibetans, Sonam Tsering, Lama Lhaka and Sodor of Kolu Monastery in Chamdo were given death sentence with two years reprieve. In May this year, China issued new regulations saying evidence obtained illegally through torture cannot be used in death penalty cases and other criminal prosecutions.

China theoretically banned torture in 1996 but evidence obtained through duress was routinely accepted as the definition of illegal acts was vague that police used various techniques to work around the ban. In restive regions like Tibet, torture is a regular feature in the detention centres and prisons. The police use inhumane techniques and torture to present evidence before the courts.

Right to Education During the year students in Tibet staged protests on several occasions in order to put forward their grievances and concerns over social and policy issues. March and April 2010 saw a huge number of detentions and expulsions of Tibetan students and teachers from schools and academic institutions in eastern Tibet. On 19 October 2010, thousands of Tibetan students from six different schools in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County, Malho "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture" ("TAP") in Qinghai, took to the streets to protest against the proposed changes in education system which intends to drastically sideline Tibetan language. The protests later spread to other areas in Tibet and as far away as in the Minzu (Nationalities) University in Beijing where around 600 Tibetan students on 22 October 2010 demonstrated for the protection of Tibetan language. The protests were sparked by an order by the Qinghai government that all lessons and textbooks should be in Chinese language in primary schools by 2015 except Tibetan and English language classes. The government argued that the proposal of enforcing Mandarin in schools will bring the Tibetan students on par with the other citizens, avail opportunities in the economic life and integrate into the broader Chinese society. However, the Tibetans have been calling for the preservation of Tibetan language as an identity of the Tibetan race and the foundation of religion and culture which connects to the wider issue of cultural and ethnic identity. Unfortunately the authorities see the assertion and promotion of cultural uniqueness and pride as antistate. The enforcement of mandarin as the first language will soon be applied across Tibet which will negatively impact the lives of Tibetans dramatically. China's laws protect and promote ethnic minority languages, however, the reality suggest otherwise.

In light of China's constitution, national and international laws, the state of PRC has the responsibility protect the Tibetan language. The proposed change in the education

system by the regional government of Qinghai absolutely contradicts all the legal provisions.

Religious Freedom During the year, practice of centuries old traditional Tibetan Buddhism and the monastic community faced yet another strike by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government. In September 2010 the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) issued Order no 8 ‘Management measure for Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples'.

The 44 articles regulation which entered into force on 1 November 2010 obstructs the centuries old traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices, restricts relationship between students and masters, and provides a strong legal instrument for the authorities to control the monastic institutions as well as monks and nuns. This regulation is a reinforcement legal instrument to curb primarily the influence of the Dalai Lama and other heads of Tibetan Buddhism most of whom live in exile pursuing their religious propagation and teachings. In what can be construed as an escalation of control in the monastic institutions in Tibet, the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the CCP conducted a meeting on the democratic management of the monastic institutions from 14 - 15 August 2010.

The meeting held at Shigatse drew heads of monastic institutions and local UFWD heads in the "TAR" as well as Tibetan areas in four provinces to tighten religious institutions in Tibetan areas. During the meeting, the head of the UFWD, Du Qingli, remarked that patriotic and legal education should be strengthened in order to make the monks and and nuns abide by the laws of the country and voluntarily protect unity of nation, nationalities and social stability.

Right to Subsistence Beijing's discourse on Tibet always had two strands, one that of "development" and "stability" on the other hand. With over 80 percent of Tibetans living in rural areas, the benefits of Western Development Strategy (WDS) have not been accessible to the large majority of ethnic rural Tibetans. Little of the development money has trickled down to the poorest sections of the society.

While China claims to prioritize economic rights of its people, it has failed to employ rights based and need based approach to development in Tibet thus rendering extreme difficulties in the lives of nomads and farmers. In drawing his conclusion on the government's resettlement of Tibetan nomads in huge numbers under the Tuimu Huancao (removing animals to grow grass) policy, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter, after his mission to the PRC from 15-23 December told the government that nomads should not be forced to sell off their livestock and resettle.

After a decade since the last work forum, the Fifth Tibet Work Forum was held in Beijing from 18-20 January 2010.

President Hu Jintao and more than 300 of China's most senior Party, government and military leaders attended the meeting. In an unprecedented development, unlike previous four work forums on Tibet the Fifth included all Tibetan areas

The Tibet Post

World’s Buddhist Traditions Pray for Peace and Inter-faith Harmony

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

Taipei: Addressing a grand prayer congregation for world peace and religious harmony held on the New Year eve in Taipei, Tibet’s spiritual leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s Representative to Taiwan has underscored the importance of religious harmony among different religions of the world.

Representative Mr Dawa Tsering also spoke on the essence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s commitment in the promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world’s major religious traditions.

The ceremony was jointly organised

by Theksum choeling Tibetan Dharma Center headed by Khenpo Tsenam, Longshan Temple and Fa-Shan Temple of Taiwan under the guidance of Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Khenpo Tsenam and other eminent Taiwanese monks spoke about the importance of maintaining good relationship among all the practitioners of Buddhism in Taiwan and to work in concert for religious harmony.

The prayer gathering was attended by over 600 people belonging to different practitioners of Buddhism, described according to the tradition followed outside of India as “Southern

incorporated into Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces.

Although not much is known, the forum indicated the regional integration of policies across all Tibetan areas of the PRC. After a decade of the ambitious Western Development Strategy, the authorities seem to have acknowledged that the inequality between the rich and the poor has widened, social services are not uniform and the education level of the people uneven. The Fifth Tibet Work Forum indicated to be focusing on accomplishing improvements in rural Tibetans livelihood. Unlike past forums, the work forum did not reveal megaprojects lists although it may well be because the high expenditure projects will be announced in the 12th Five Year Plan for the years 2011 to 2016.

During the year thousands of lives were lost to the earthquake in Kyegudo (Ch: Jyekundo) and the mudslide disaster in Drugchu. While it is commendable that the government provided good support in the relief efforts for quake struck Kyegudo, it is unfortunate that the state did not allow the Dalai Lama to the area despite his direct request for a visit to the area to say prayers and console the grieving families. The government would have won much admiration by the Tibetan people as well as internationally had it set aside politics and let the human emotions and spirituality connect. The key to win over hearts and minds of the Tibetan people lies in connecting with the Dalai Lama. The state should have a bold vision in resolving the issue of Tibet through dialogue with Dalai Lama in order to ensure a stable environment where in the people of Tibet and China live harmoniously.

Buddhist monks pray for world peace and religious harmony in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, on 31 December 2010/Photos by Sodor

Buddhism”, “Eastern Buddhism” and “Northern Buddhism”. Monks and nuns from different Taiwanese and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and learning centres in Taipei were also present.

“Southern Buddhism” represents Buddhism as practiced in Sri Lanka and most of Southeast Asia. It is usually considered to be synonymous with the Theravada.

“Northern Buddhism” sometimes

refers to Buddhism as practiced in East Asia and the Tibetan region particularly Tibet, China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, and Vietnam. It is often held to by synonymous with Mahayana. However, the term Northern Buddhism is also sometimes used to refer specifically to Tibetan (including Mongolian) Buddhism. In this terminology, the Buddhism of China, Japan etc. is called Eastern Buddhism.

Justin Bieber, His Holiness Tops Klout’s ‘Most Influential People’ Survey

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to the people in Kalimpong, West bengal, India.

Photo: TPI

By Emailed by Chime Tenzing, Dharmasala, India, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: In a recent online survey conducted by Klout using a complex algorithm formula, the teen sensation from Canada, Justin Bieber, who became an idol in the world proved to have greatest influence in the virtual world with more reciprocity from his followers.

In the top 20 highest of Klout versions, Bieber obtains the perfect number, 100, while Tibet’s spiritual and political leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama takes second place with the number 90.

The popularity and influence of Barack Obama occupies the fourth position with the number 88. Obama is ‘defeated’ by an eccentric singer, Lady Gaga, with number 89.

The calculation was done by looking at the number of tweets, likes, pings, Linkedin connection, Google, and status updates on other social media.

This calculation was done to see how much influence of a person who also means how important that person to be

heard.

Klout is a private company in San Francisco, California, that tracks the impact of your opinions, links and recommendations across your social graph. Joe Fernandez founded Klout to measure influence across the social web in early 2008 after spending nearly three months with his jaw wired shut and depending completely on social media for communication.

Fascinated with how one could now instantly broadcast their questions, opinions and ideas to the people who trust them the most, Joe started Klout to help businesses.

The Klout Score is the measurement of your overall online influence. The scores range from 1 to 100 with higher scores representing a wider and stronger sphere of influence. Klout uses over 35 variables on Facebook and Twitter to measure True Reach, Amplification Probability, and Network Score.

The Tibet Post

TPI TIBET IN EXILE

Longest Court Case of Tibetan Youth Congress Deferred Once More

The eight Tibetans are Tsering Thundup(74), Tsering Norbu (74), Namgyal Dorjee(53), Tamding(55),N. Dorjee(54), Lobsang (58), Choegyal (56) and Pema Dorjee(68). Choegyal could not appear for this hearing on medical grounds. Photo: TPI

By Tenzin Norsang, TYC

Delhi: A “Valentine Date” at the New Delhi High Court is what was decided on Friday, 7 January, by the High Court Judge in New Delhi. Eight Tibetans were ordered to appear with affidavits and proof of residence on 14 February 2011 for what is hoped will be the final hearing of an outstanding court case.

In Spring 1992, nine members of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Hunsur Rabgyaling settlement in South India embarked on a rally called “Save Tibet Yatra”. The group reached New Delhi on 9 March to coincide with the major campaign activity organized by the Central Executive of Tibetan Youth Congress for the 33rd commemoration of the 10th March Tibetan National Uprising Day. The following day on 11 March 1992, the nine Tibetans went to the Chinese Embassy in Chanakyapuri around 1 pm, waved the Tibetan National flag and shouted slogans denouncing China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. The group also tried to enter into the Embassy but was prevented by the Security personnel on duty. The nine were arrested and later taken to Tihar Jail.

Almost two decades later and after sixty court hearings, the group is once again summoned for hearing in New Delhi High Court. During this time, one of the persons passed away. Following a series of unsuccessful hearings and the last decision against TYC, the case was appealed to the Delhi High Court on 25 January 2000. The eight are being tried under the Indian Penal Code section 307, 436, 427, 148, 149, 186 and 353.

Mr. Tenzin Norsang, Joint Secretary of TYC, who was handling this case

appealed to the Judge along with lawyer Mr. Panday on behalf of all the protesters, noting the difficulty of traveling repeatedly for this case all the way from South India. The 14 February hearing will hope fully be final.

Following the decision to make this a final appearance, TYC Centrex and RTYC Delhi organized are reception in Majnu-Ka-Tila on January 7th to honor the protesters for their enduring spirit and courage. Mr. Pema Dorjee spoke on behalf of the group and asserted that their sacrifice is minuscule compared to the sacrifices made by Tibetans inside Tibet. “We face problems coming again and again for the last 20 years for the hearings, but we never lose our spirit for Tibet’s Independence”, he added.

The eight Tibetans are Tsering Thundup (74), Tsering Norbu (74), Namgyal Dorjee(53), Tamding(55),N. Dorjee(54), Lobsang (58), Choegyal (56) and Pema Dorjee(68). Choegyal could not appear for this hearing on medical grounds.

This court case has started and remained pending since the time Mr. Lhasang Tsering took office for the second time as President of TYC. Since then seven Centrex teams have changed hands and every office has continued to deal with this case. This maybe the longest court case in TYC’s history, but this is definitely not the only case in existence. TYC has to consistently deal with numerous other court hearings of cases that have been lodged over the years resulting from our various campaign activities. The campaigns have been concluded but TYC has to continue to follow up on the court procedures that require our attention.

China Now Needs To Open Up people on the issue of Tibet remains unshaken. "I have met with several hundred Chinese scholars and writers to discuss Tibet, many Chinese intellectuals and writers fully support the Tibetans' middle-way policy towards achieving genuine autonomy, our present middle-way policy which is not a "we win, you lose" kind of stand, would be beneficial to both China and Tibet."

"The recent report emerging out of Wikileaks indicated that, you told the U.S. ambassador to New Delhi that the world should focus its attention on the environmental problems in Tibet which cannot wait and that the Tibetans can wait for five to 10 years for a political

solution. Is that true? What solutions do you suggest for it and what are your actual views on this?" Jiang asked.

"As I said before, there will be no change in my stand, 'Middle-way Approach would be beneficial to both China and Tibet, but, the large-scale environmental problems in Tibet are a matter of great sadness to me. It is not only sad for Tibet, these are problems looking from a wider perspective, Tibetan environmental problems may impact many of the rivers which flow through large areas of Asia, where more than a billion people in the region depend on the water that comes from rivers that originate on the Tibetan plateau," His Holiness replied.

15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

9

India Far Less Corrupt than China, says His Holiness the Dalai Lama London: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed the worldwide issues of corruption and terrorism, yesterday, in New Delhi, stating that India was far better at stamping out corruption through its government than other countries such as China and Pakistan.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama made these statements upon concluding the 18th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture, which he gave on the “Power of Compassion”. He finished the lecture by inviting audience questions, where he was quizzed on how to tackle corruption in India. He said that India’s combination of a free press and independent judiciary created an effective environment for limiting corruption. However His Holiness continued to say, “Ultimately, selfdiscipline and inner moral ethics only can root out this menace.” He continued by drawing comparisons to China’s dealing with corruption saying that India’s judiciary is not “controlled by a party”, which occurs in communist China.

When questioned on the threat terrorism plays in the world, His

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, October 21st-25, 2010. Latest Photos from The Tibet Post International www.thetibetpost.com

By James Dunn, The Tibet Post Europe

Holiness called it an “invisible and dangerous” problem, which threatens everyone. He continued by putting forward his views on how to eradicate it, “we need to go to the root cause of the problem. The emphasis should be given on fundamental values. It is a kind of sin of the past.”

Controversially, His Holiness moved

away from the importance of prayer in bringing about peace, saying that it is “education which can bring peace”.

However, this kind of education he went onto say had become absent from the modern educational system, moving away from an education in moral and ethical values in favour of more modern studies.

Tibet's Leader in The League of ‘Most Admired Man’ for 2010

By Emailed by Chime Tenzing, The Tibet Post International

Dharamshala: A recent poll conducted in the United States by USA Today/ Gallup to find out the most admired men and women for the year 2010 ranked His Holiness the Dalai Lama at number 10 by the Americans and ranked 5th in the vote-by-party category. His Holiness received 1% by Americans and 2% by the Democrats nationwide.

In both the category, Obama was the runaway favorite for Most Admired Man among Americans and Democrats, with 22% and 46% respectively.

On the other hand, Hillary Clinton is the Most Admired Woman this year, her ninth consecutive year at No. 1 with 17 % .She was followed by Sarah Palin (12 %) and Oprah Winfrey (11 %).

Results for this USA Today/Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Dec. 10-12, 2010, with a random sample of 1,019 adults, aged 18 and older, living in the continental U.S., selected using random-digit-dial sampling.

The Gallup Organization, known primarily as Gallup, provides a variety of management consulting, human resources and statistical research services. It has over 40 offices in 27 countries. World headquarters are in Washington, D.C. Operational headquarters are in Omaha, Nebraska.

Its current Chairman and CEO is Jim Clifton.

Gallup has studied human nature and behavior for more than 75 years.

Gallup's reputation for delivering relevant, timely, and visionary research on what people around the world think and feel is the cornerstone of the organization. Gallup currently has four divisions: Gallup Poll, Gallup Consulting, Gallup University, and Gallup Press.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Celebrates TCV's Golden Jubilee on Monday, 01 November 2010, Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI

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Mr. Thomas Keimel Dr. Vincent Brucel Mr. YC. Dhardhowa Mrs. Sangay Dorjee Ms. Keary Huang Ven Phuntsok Dhondup Mr. Tenzin Kunga Mr. James Dunn Ms. Pema Tso

Contributors for this Editon James Dunn Mathew Hayes Ye-Rinne Park YC. Dhardhowa Sangay Dorjee Pema Tso The Tibet Post International Press of Tibet (Head Office) 1st Floor, Dolkhang House, Jogiwara Road, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, Distt. Kangra H.P 176219 India

UK UK UK India India India Tele: 0091-1892-224641 Moble:+91-9882423566 E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.com www.thetibetpost.com

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15 January , 2011 Dharamsala

TPI INTERNATIONAL

His Holiness Urged Not to Retire from Leader of Tibet

The Tibet Post

Tibetans in Minnesota Welcomes New Governor Mark Dayton

By Emailed by Chime Tenzing, The Tibet Post

14th Parliament Members's session- Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: The Tibetan parliament in exile, here in Dharamshala, on Wednesday urged Tibet's spiritual and political leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama not to consider retirement or even semi-retirement from his position as the leader of Tibet and the Tibetan people. "Tibetans, both in Tibet and in exile, have been greatly concerned about your intention to retire completely from governmental roles," a memorandum submitted to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama said.

The following is a memorandum issued on Wednesday by the members of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. "During the conclusion ceremony of the First Tibetan National General Meeting held in 2010 at the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements, South India; in your response to questions asked during a meeting with the Chinese public in Toronto; at the founding anniversary of the Tibetan Children's Village at Upper Dharamshala; and in your answer to questions asked at a press conference in New Delhi, Your Holiness expressed an intention to retire completely from governmental roles. Tibetans both in Tibet and in exile have been greatly concerned and grieved by this and have been continuing to petition Your Holiness, beseeching that you never entertain any thought about carrying out a plan for such a decision. We, the members of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, too have, likewise, been holding successive meetings with extremely grave concern over Your Holiness's wish to take complete retirement from governmental roles.

Out of a feeling of great kindness for us, Your Holiness led the Tibetan people to the fine path of democracy, beginning with the introduction of reforms in the functioning of the Tibetan government the moment you assumed spiritual and temporal powers in Tibet. And as soon as you stepped foot on Indian soil after escaping into exile, Your Holiness introduced election to allow the Tibetan people to vote for their own representatives, and in 1963, Your Holiness also promulgated a Tibetan constitution.

In 1991, Your Holiness approved to us the Charter of the Tibetans in Exile, under which you expanded the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and made it into a lawmaking body which was in full conformity with the definition of a modern national legislature. In

particular, Your Holiness, in 2001, introduced the system of direct election of the Kalon Tripa, thereby ensuring that the Tibetan people themselves vote for the head of their government.

To state it simply, no amount of offerings of precious materials can make up for even a fraction of the gratitude the Tibetan people owe for what they have received solely as a result of Your Holiness's enormously great wishes and deeds. Besides, it does not bear mention that Your Holiness's successive speeches of the recent times were, no doubt, motivated by your very kind desire to ensure the well being of the entire Tibetan people both for the present and in the longer term future. Nevertheless, it remains a fact that all of us of the Snowland of Tibet have been sustained thus far by Your Holiness's kindness and generosity. On the basis of the Buddha's sacred prediction, Your Holiness has been firm in abiding by the oath you had been moved to take over your chosen realm of religious teaching or temporal rule especially in these apposite times for fulfilling it.

Thus, it is inconceivable that for as long as this aeon endures, there can ever be a moment at which the people of Tibet can at all be separated from your excellent religious and temporal leadership. The very first point in each of the reports and resolutions adopted in a series of recent relevant meetings have made this point clear. They included the report adopted at the end of the First Special General Meeting of Tibetans held in 2008 in accordance with the provisions of Article 59 of the Charter of the Tibetans in Exile; during successive sessions of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile; and, in particular, Document Number of 63 of 2010, which was a unanimous resolution adopted during the ninth session of the fourteenth Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

Also, at the conclusion of the First Tibetan National General Meeting, which was held at the Tibetan settlements at Bylakuppe, in south India, a report was compiled which brought together the opinions and suggestions of all the delegates who attended it. The very first point of the political section of the report stated: "His Holiness the Dalai Lama has thus far assumed responsibility as the leader of the great Tibetan nation and as the head of the Tibetan government.

On behalf of the Tibetan people both in Tibet and in exile, we offer immense

Dharamshala: On 3rd of January Minnesota greeted and welcomed their new governor Mark Dayton. Mr. Dayton was sworn in as Minnesota's 40th governor, calling on his political friends and foes to set aside their differences and work together to create jobs and clean up the state's financial mess.

'Let's get Minnesota working again by working together,' Dayton said in an inaugural address at St. Paul's Landmark Center. The former U.S. senator is the first Democrat to hold the state's top office since the late Gov. Rudy Perpich vacated it in 1990.

Dayton succeeds two-term Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Mary. The master of ceremonies, former Vice President Walter Mondale, thanked Pawlenty for graciously turning over power to Dayton and his staff.

Like his mentor Perpich, Dayton is focused on jobs."My top priority is to get Minnesotans working again," he said in a solemn speech.

Dayton later spent more than two hours working a crowd of well-wishers in the governor's reception room and the hall outside his Capitol office, many simply congratulating him and others raising issues they wanted him to address.

Tibetans in Mennesota, US. Photo: File

Namgyal and Nima Dorjee of the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota gave Dayton a copy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's autobiography, "My Land and My People,'' and a Tibetan traditional ceremonial scarf, or khata, on behalf of Tibetans in Minnesota.

They told him His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be in Minnesota in May and were pleased with Dayton's response.

"He said he was glad to know that and he wants to try to invite His Holiness to the governor's office,'' Nima Dorjee said.

His Holiness has confirmed his visit to Minnesota on May 8th, 2011 to host a series of spiritual events in the city. The

conference will be jointly organized by The Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota and the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota, which will see His Holiness' first official visit to the city since 2001.

The premise of the visit is based around the theme "One Heart, One Mind, One Universe".

His Holiness the Dalai Lama last visited the Capitol ten years back in 2001.

Minnesota has the second largest concentration of Tibetan-Americans in the United States. The Tibetan population is estimated around 3,500 in the area.

Christians in Sikkim feared ‘Conversion Threat’ During His Holiness’ Visit!

Dharamsala: Although Tibet's Buddhism is the predominant religion in Sikkim. But other faiths like Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism and Islam also has its equal share of followers. It can be said that in Sikkim, religion seems to lie at the root of all socio-cultural activities.

Every aspect of the society in Sikkim has a strong bearing upon religion.

However, Buddhism is the most predominant religion in Sikkim. The majority of the Sikkimese, Bhutias and Tibetans in Sikkim generally follow the Tibetan Buddhism.

Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama also urged people from all faiths to give equal respect to all the religions in the world. "All the major religions in the world have visions, so people should learn the principles of such religions and use it in their day to day life, His Holiness told people here in Gangtok.

Despite the successful co-existence of different religious faiths in the state, there is also a kind of suppressed fear of friction between people of different faiths. Recently when the Sikkim state government invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to come and lead a conference on "Cognitive Sciences and Eastern Contemplative Traditions", the pastor of a Gospel for Asia-related church in Sikkim, India, has asked for prayer in order to quell the strong opposition from other religion in the area.

Pastor Nandan has asked the Christians around the world to pray for the believers in his city during this time.

"Please pray that this visit will not cause problems for our church," he asked, "and please pray that our people will have strong faith to face and overcome any problems."

Pastor Nandan said that, "while his congregation is growing, they are facing strong opposition from other religions in the area, and opponents are

gratitude to His Holiness. At the same time, His Holiness the Dalai Lama remarked in his speech that he was already in semi-retirement. This has plunged the entire people of Tibet, both those in the county and outside it, to such depth of despair that they are no longer able to digest their food or to go to sleep in peace. In view of this development, this general meeting

appeals to His Holiness the Dalai Lama never to carry out any plan for such a decision." This was unanimously adopted by the entire meeting.

Giving due consideration to the above series of pleas, we beseech and pray with heartfelt devotion that Your Holiness never ever contemplate going into either semi-retirement or full retirement."

By Emailed by Chime Tenzing, The Tibet Post

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visiting Kalimpong, West Bengal, India on 12 December 2010. Photo: TPI

taking advantage of the Lama's visit to increase the pressure".

"Some in this society are trying to convert our believers to their faith, either by threats of violence or by enticing them with worldly things," pastor Nandan was quoted as saying.

GFA (Gospel for Asia) President K.P. Yohannan said it is ironic that "among those opposing the Christians are followers of the Dalai Lama, who preaches a message of non-violence and has been awarded the Nobel Peace prize."

Dr. Yohannan also called for prayer for the Sikkim believers.

"Pray for Pastor Nandan and his congregation as they witness to the love of Christ among the people of Sikkim," he said. "They have a strong desire to share the Good News among those who have not heard, so let us pray that the Lord will fulfill that desire of their hearts."