The Tibet Post International by Tibet Post International

Page1 Kyigudo

Earthquake Page 2 21st Birthday of Panchen Lama

Page 3

HH the Dalai Lama at IPL

Page 417th Karmapa Leads Prayer Page 7

HH the Dalai Lamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AppealPage 8 Photos of Quake

14th

11th

Dalai Lama of Tibet

Penchen Lama

Page 2 ........ Vol. 01, Issue 16, 30 April 2010

B o d - K y i - Cha- Trin

of Tibet

Bi-Monthly

page 8............. www.thetibetpost.com

Rs.5

Arrests a Famous Tibetan Writer

China Asks Tibetan Monks to Leave Kyigudo Quake Zone

Tibetan writer, Shogdung. Photo: TPI/file

Dharamshala: Tagyal, pseudonym Shogdung, a well-known Tibetan writer and the editor of the Qinghai People's Publishing House, was arrested recently by Chinese Security Bureau Officials in Siling (Chinese; Xining, the provincial capital of so-called Qinghai). News of the arrest was reported yesterday by one of Tagyal's friends, the writer Nyi-Shun, in Sangdor, a Tibet-based online literary forum which was censored shortly after ...See page 6

Solidarity with Kyigudo

Dharamshala: Chinese authorities announced Friday that they have asked all Tibetan Buddhist monks who have been helping with relief efforts in the Tibet's Kyigudo (CH: Yushu) region to vacate the quake zone. The official stance is that the monks are being asked to leave in order to facilitate the efforts of specialists being brought in, but the Chinese government has fielded accusations that the monks are being asked to leave for political reasons. In a statement issued to the Associated Press, the State Council, China's Cabinet addressed in greater detail their reasons for asking the monks to depart. "Now it's the phase for epidemic prevention and reconstruction and [it] requires specialized personnel to start their work. It would bring more difficulties to disaster relief work if lots of unprofessional personnel were at the scene." A Tibetan Monk makes phone calls to his relatives at his destroyed house after an earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai

Despite what China's official reports say, many reports from within Tibet claimed that the monks' efforts were crucial to disaster relief in the immediate aftermath of the quake. Many monks traveled across hundreds of kilometers from their home monasteries in order to aid

province April 16, 2010. Photo: Reuters /Stringer

the relief efforts by preparing meals, excavating survivors from the rubble, and cremating hundreds of bodies. The monks also helped ease the spiritual anxiety that many survivors

held on behalf of their deceased family members by chanting Tibetan prayers for the dead. .........See page 7

Saddly announced Rigzin Dolma, Tibetan singer from eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI/file

Dharamshala: In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit Kyigudo on April 14, killing thousands of people, Tibetan intellectuals and singers, dwelling inside Tibet, expressed their sympathy for quake victims in poems and songs.

Jonang Buddhist Sect and Dharamshala Tibetans offer Long-Life Prayers to His Holiness

The day following the Kyigudo quake, wellknown Tibetan poet and comedian Manla .....See page 7

Garden of Freedoms His Holiness the Dalai Lama walking to the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala to attend a long-life prayer offering Jonangpa and Dharamshala Tibetans on 27 April 2010. Photo: TPI

Ms. Lhamo Tso, wife of jailed Tibetan movie maker attends a candle light vigil in Dharamshala, India where Tibetan Government in exile based for last 50 years. Photo: TPI;File

Dharamshala: The Internatiional press freedom group "Reporters Without Borders" (RSF) on Monday launched an online 'Garden of Freedoms' designed to complement exhibits at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The Paris-based press freedom group said it had created a virtual garden that is 'dedicated to freedom of expression' during the Expo, which runs from May 1 to October 31. ......See page 2

Dharamshala: The followers of Jonang sect of Tibetan Buddhist Tradition and Tibetans living in Dharamshala, Yesterday, made grand long life prayer offerings to Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the main temple, in Dharamshala. The ceremony commemorated the 50th anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's stay in India. Their prayers were also dedicated for the victims of the earthquake disaster in Tibet. The prayer ceremony was led by the Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa, the head of Jonang tradition. His Eminence the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, Prime Minister of Tibetan government in exile, other senior officials from the 3 pillars of the exiled Tibetan Democratic Government in-exile and around seven thousand students, teachers, foreigners and Tibetans living in Dharamshala attended the religious ceremonies. The highlight of the event, however, was the

keynote speech by His holiness the Dalai Lama, giving an address about the lineage of Jonang Tibetan Buddhist Tradition and how it's roots reach back to Nalanda Buddhist Tradition. "Nalanda", thought to be one of the first universities ever to be constructed in human history, is dedicated to the Mahayana Buddhist teachings of higher studies. One of the Kashmiri scholar Somanatha's disciples, the 11th century Kalachakra yogi Yumo Mikyo Dorjee is regarded as one of the earliest Tibetan articulators of a zhentong view -- an understanding of the absolute radiant nature of reality. Emphasized within the Kalachakra Tantra and the Buddha's 3rd turning teachings on Buddha-nature, this view would later become emblematic of the Jonangpa.

The religious leader for the Republic of Kalmykia, Telo Tulku Rinpoche visiting Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: The Supreme religious leader for the Republic of Kalmykia, Telo Tulku Rinpoche saddly announced on Friday that the Tibetan Exile leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama was denied a visa to Russia, by Moscow ............ See detail on page 4

Thank You Himachal

His Holiness elaborated on the concept of cause and effect in Buddhism. " Cause and effect in Buddhism differs from the belief of a higher being, as in that we do not believe in an external force that controls your past present and future. The actions that you commit have a direct effect either now or later." His Holiness also expressed his appreciation for the all Tibetans and Chinese who aided and helped the victims of the earthquake disaster. Also giving his condolences to the family and friends of the deceased "don't be discouraged." There were more than 100 students from Tibetan schools near Dharamshala whose parents and relatives live in the earthquake affected area of Kyigudo, Eastern Tibet at the main Tibetan temple.

Mr Lobsang Choedak (L) DIIR media coordinator, Mr Tashi Norbu (C) president of the ceremony organising committee and Mr Tenzin Phuntsok Atisha (R) Secretary of DIIR holding a press conference in Dharamshala, India on 26 April 2010. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: Coinciding with the 50th year of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama's arrival into India, the Central Tibetan Administration, plans for a two day .....Detail on page 2

15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

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Painting and Writing of the Press Freedom Group inaugurates its Spirit: Remembering the “Garden of Freedoms” ......continued from frontpage 11th Panchen Lama Visitors to the www.rsf.org website said Shanghai authorities had sent at the group said. can use Chinese, French and English to explore the 'cyber-police pavilion, the Tibet pavilion and the prisoners of conscience enclosure, where they will be able to sign petitions for (the prisoners') release,' the group said. 'The Garden of Freedoms will be the only place in the Shanghai World Expo where you will be able to discover the realities that the Chinese authorities go out of their way to hush up,' it said.

Tibetans in exile painting and writing the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet in Dharamshala, India on 25 April 2010. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: Tibetans in exile celebrated the 21st birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet, Gedun Choekyi Nyima, on Sunday. The Buddhist lama was kidnapped by Chinese authorities shortly after His Holiness the Dalai Lama declared him to be the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama in May 1995. The event was organized by the Central Association for His Holiness the Panchen Lama and was attended by top officials from the Central Tibetan Administration, including Ven Tsering Phuntsok, Minister of Religion and Culture, Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, Ms Dolma Gyari, Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in-exile, and representatives from Tibetan exile non-government organisations. Following the formal ceremony, the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) held a painting and writing session, with the jailed Panchen Lama as its theme. More than 20 acclaimed Tibetan artists, including Tenzin Dakpa and Tamdin Tsetan, each created a portrait of the imagined face of the Panchen Lama as a 21-year-old man. One of the paintings will be chosen as a new emblem for campaign materials calling for the Panchen Lama's release. Kirti Dolkar Lhamo, president of the TWA explained, "Our Panchen Lama art campaign is designed to give Tibetans a beautiful, updated image of a figure they respect and revere. Currently, the images we use to remember him are of a young child, but he has now reached adulthood. “We and the rest of the world must not forget about him. This new art campaign is part of our continued

effort to raise awareness and one that we hope will also create a meaningful visual reference for Tibetans." In addition to the painting competition, young monks and nuns from religious institutes in and around Dharamsala wrote essays and poems expressing their thoughts on the Panchen Lama. The work will be send sent to Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region, with a request to deliver it to the imprisoned Panchen Lama. The safety and whereabouts of the 11th Panchen Lama remain undisclosed by the Chinese authorities. China continues to deny access to him, despite repeated calls from UN bodies to allow independent fact-finding delegations to assess his health and general well-being. In a press release, the TWA called on “the moral conscience of the world, in particular the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and influential international bodies, to join our 15year struggle for the release of the Panchen Lama. “We also beseech the Chinese government to understand that the holding of the Panchen Lama is a hostile gesture which prevents the Tibetan people from exercising their customary religious reverence, and as such contravenes their basic human rights, as well as those of the Panchen Lama himself.” TWA has 52 regional chapters and over 15, 000 members outside Tibet. It is the second largest Tibetan NGO and the only women's NGO in exile. It advocates human rights for Tibetan women in Tibet and works to empower Tibetan women in exile, particularly new refugees.

It said the Chinese consulate in Paris had refused to issue visas for two Reporters Without Borders employees who wanted to attend the Expo. The Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Defenders last week

least 10 local rights activists to labour camps and detained or placed under house arrest dozens of others to prevent them staging protests during the Expo. Hundreds of thousands of police and security guards, aided by some two million 'civic volunteers,' are ensuring public order in Shanghai during the Expo. Reporters Without Borders criticized French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other international leaders scheduled to attend the opening of the Expo for failing to raise the 'dark side' of rights abuses in China. 'A World Expo is meant to bring people together around such values as progress, humanism and culture,'

'What kind of universal values is China offering us when it jails such advocates of democracy as the intellectual Liu Xiaobo?,' it said, referring to a dissident writer who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for subversion in December. The group said it had raised its concerns in a letter to the Paris-based International Bureau of Exhibitions, which approves and oversees international and World Expos, but it received no reply. The Shanghai Expo is designed to 'explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century,' with the theme 'Better City, Better Life.' Organizers aim to attract a record 70 million visitors, most of them Chinese.

Tibetan NGOs to Join the 2nd Congress of the Asia Pacific Greens Network Taiwanese capital Taipei tomorrow.

Ven Ngawang Woebar (L) and Ms Kirti DOlkar Lhamo (R). Photo: TPI

Taipei: Two influential delegates from Dharamshala based Tibetan NGOs to visit Taiwan. Thus marking the beginning of an eightday visit to Taiwanese NGOs and communities, starting beginning of the May. On 3rd May the delegates are scheduled to address Tibetan issues at the 2nd Congress of the Asia Pacific Greens Network summit which will be opened in

Meili Chow, the president of Taiwan Friends of Tibet told The Tibet Post International that President of Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) Mss Kirti Dolkar Lhamo, will both be sharing their insights on various topics regarding justifications behind a risk-ridden Tibetan life exiled in India, the role of the Tibetan Women Movement in both micro and macro perspectives, Tibetan life in China controlled Tibet, and defining the term "exiled community". On the 5th of May, the audience will be provided the opportunity to spend an evening with the delegates from exiled Tibetan Organizations, while the delegates will also try to

seek help for their Tibetan counterparts in other nations. The delegates will also address the acute environmental degradation and industrial exploitation from Chinese pressure occurring in the Tibetan Plateau, with a speech on “The third pole of the earth-Tibetan plateau”. Further more, the delegates will also express thoughts on how Tibet and Taiwan should work together to face an increasingly assertive China. Taiwan Friends of Tibet invites all who is concerning the future of Tibet and Taiwan under the greedy regime of communist China. The group has announced today that all Taiwanese are welcome to join these meetings with Tibetan friends.

Thank You Himachal Pradesh and its People ......continued from frontpage celebration are underway. ‘Thank You Himachal Pradesh' and its People, is the theme of the event, organized to express the gratitude of the Tibetan people and their government, to be held on the 30th of April and the 1st May of 2010 in Dharamshala, the town in which His Holiness resides. The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Professor Kumar Dhumal will homage the proceedings at Dari Ground, in close proximity to Dharamshala, on the 30th of April at 9.00 AM, alongside the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the 14th

Dalai Lama. The preliminary feature will be a photo exhibition on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Mahatma Gandhi's message of peace, which will be held at the distinguished Museum of Kangra Arts. The Minister of Industries, Krishan Kapoor, will introduce the exhibition to the public at 3.00 PM. Honourable Virbhadra Singh, the Union Minister of Steel, will attend on the second day, when the event will take place in Tsuglagkhang, the main temple in Mcleod Ganj. The proceedings, which aim to honor a

number of local senior citizens who have made contributions to the Tibetan community over the last fifty years, will begin at 9:55 AM. Men-Tsee Khang, the Tibetan Medical and Astrology Institute, will hold a free medical camp on the Dari G rounds near Dharamshala, scheduled to open at 1:00 PM and close at 5:00 PM. The camp will offer Tibetan ayurvedic treatments to the general public. All residents of Mcleod Ganj and Dharamshala are invited to participate in the celebratory events.

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15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Two Most Popular His Holiness the Dalai Lama the Centre of Leaders: Barack Obama, Attraction at IPL in Dharamshala H.H the Dalai Lama Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, was the centre of attraction at the Indian Premier League (IPL) match played between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings Sunday in Dharamshala. Dressed in a traditional Buddhist maroon robe, the Nobel Peace Prize winner spent around an hour watching the Kings XI innings. Before the match began, His Holiness the Dalai Lama presented the players of both teams with traditional Tibetan white scarves, given for good luck.

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Popular Leaders, Photo: TPI/File

Dharamshala: US President Barack Obama and the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama are the world's two most popular leaders, a new poll released today said. The poll was conducted on the Internet in six countries; Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States, by Harris Interactive for France24 and Radio FranceInternationale, between March 31 and April 12 , and covered 6,135 adults aged between 16 and 64.

Holiness the Dalai Lama was at second place at 75 percent, followed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at 62 percent. Meanwhile German Chancellor Angela Merkel was at fourth position with 54 percent support. She was followed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy who tied for fifth place with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at 37 percent.

According to the survey, Obama won 77 percent backing in the poll, ranking as the first most popular leader in the world, and Tibetan spiritual leader His

World's most unpopular leaders according to the survey were Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Libyan strongman Muammar alGaddafi and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Dharamshala: Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama this morning expressed his eagerness to visit Kyigudo (Chinese name: Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture) to offer comfort and prayer to victims of the recent earthquake there.

He concluded that he feels an emotional attachment to Kyigudo, because both he and the late Panchen Lama were born there, and that he would lke to visit the area to pray for the earthquake's casualties and offer his condolences to the survivors.

Speaking at a press conference at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamsala, north India, His Holiness said, "Actually, I also come from that area. So naturally very sad. The people, their living standards low, and education also quite backward. And then, last 50, 60 years, constant problems. The fear become their way of life. On top of that, this major disaster happened. So very, very sad."

The full text of the press release issued by His Holiness' private office is printed below:

He continued that he appreciated the help given by monks and lay people from neighbouring areas, and also by the Chinese central and local governments, including Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who visited Kyigudo. "I personally feel the construction of new schools and hospitals are items of most importance," he said. "Whether it comes from individual friends or NGOs in the outside world, help inside Tibet is always very much appreciated, and it should concentrate on education and health."

As I mentioned briefly soon after I heard the news, I was deeply saddened by the effects of the devastating earthquake in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Tibetan: Kyigudo) of Qinghai Province which resulted in the tragic loss of many lives, a great number of injured and sever loss of property. Because of the physical distance between us, at present I am unable to comfort those directly affected, but I would like them to know I am praying for them. I commend the monastic community, young people and many other individuals from nearby areas for their good neighborly support and assistance to the families of those who have lost everything. May your exemplary compassion continue to grow. This kind of voluntary work in the service of others really puts the bodhisattva aspiration into practice.

Some of the players, especially Indians, missed no opportunity to seek his blessing by touching his feet. Accompanied by Preity Zinta, bollywood actor and co-owner of Kings XI Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) president Anurag Thakur, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the chief guest at the match, enjoyed cricket for the first time in his life and met dignitaries including Bollywood actor Kabir Bedi. His Holiness also obliged some of the spectators by allowing them to get themselves photographed with him. The cricket stadium, one of the new venues in the country, is located nearly 4,000 feet above sea level and

Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, was the centre of attraction at the Indian Premier League (IPL) match played between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings on Sunday (18 April) in Dharamshala. Photo: TPI

surrounded by the majestic Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas, making it one of the most beautiful grounds in the world. As the Dalai Lama left the stadium, a TV commentator remarked: "People go to meet the Dalai Lama for peace but I suspect he didn't find any peace today as after every couple of seconds someone was going to meet him." "Today is a very special occasion because we got the public

appearance of His Holiness," a Tibetan supporter said as the Dalai Lama left. "For us it is undoubtedly an occasion of a spiritual tryst with our guru," another follower remarked. Dharamshala is sometimes known as 'Little Lhasa", after the Tibetan capital city, or 'Dhasa' (a compound of 'Dharamshala' and 'Lhasa'). A total of 140,000 Tibetans live in exile, over 100,000 of them in different states of India.

His Holiness Speaks Publicly About Kyigudo Earthquake I also applaud the Chinese authorities for visiting the affected areas, especially Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who has not only personally offered comfort to the affected communities, but has also overseen the relief work. I am very appreciative too that the media have been free to report on the tragedy and its aftermath. In 2008, when a similar earthquake struck Sichuan, Chinese central and local government leaders and auxiliary authorities took great pains to provide relief, allow free access to the media, as we as clearing the way for international relief agencies to provide assistance as required. I applauded these positive moves then and appeal for such ease of access on this occasion too. The Tibetan community in exile would like to offer whatever support and assistance it can towards the relief work. We hope to be able to do this through the proper and appropriate channels ass soon as possible. When Sichuan was rocked by an earthquake two years ago, I wished to visit the affected areas to pray and comfort the people there, but I was unable to do so. However, when Taiwan was struck by a typhoon last year, I was able to visit the affected families and pray with

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Speaks Publicly About Kyigudo Earthquake at main Tibetan temple, Dharamshala, India on 17 April 2010. Photo: TPI/Yangyal Sham

them for those who bad perished in that disaster. In providing some solace to the people concerned, I was happy to be able to do something useful. This time the location of the earthquake, Kyigudo (Chinese: Yushu), lies in Qinghai Province, which happens to be where both the late Panchen Lama and I were born. To fulfill the wishes of many of the people there, I am eager to go there myself to offer them comfort. In conclusion, I appeal to

governments, international aid organizations and other agencies to extend whatever assistance they can to enable the families of those devastated by this tragedy to rebuild their lives. At the same time, I also call on the sur vivors of this catastrophe to recognize what has happened as the working of karma and to transform this adversity into something positive, keeping their hopes up and meeting setbacks with courage as they struggle to restore what they have lost. Once again, I pray for those who have lost their lives as well as for the well being of those who have survived.

15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

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100th Death Anniv. of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Marked in Dharamshala

17th Gyalwa Karmapa Offers Prayers and Donations to Quake Victims Dharamshala: His Eminence the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee led a prayer ceremony this morning for the Kyigudo (Chinese: Yushu) county of eastern Tibet quake victims at his residential Gyuto monastery in Dharamshala, northern India. So far, there have been 2,046 reported deaths, most of them ethnic Tibetans.

100th Death Anniversary of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Marked in Dharamshala on 27 April 2010. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: An important milestone for Tibetans was crossed on April 27th, 2010, as it marked the 100th death anniversary of Khyentse Rinpoche, one of the most respected religious leaders of Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist tradition. All of the senior officials from the 3 pillars of the Tibetan democratic government including the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile Samdhong Rinpoche, Mr. Penpa tsering and Mrs. Dolma Gyari, Chairman and Vice Chairwoman of the exiled Tibetan Parliament respectively, were all present to mark this fundamental occasion. This gathering in Dharamshala, India, was one of three ceremonies with two others that are to happen in Nepal - where Khyentse Rinpoche is based - and Bhutan. At the ceremonial gathering, the current reincarnation of Khyentse Rinpoche sat and listened as Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche gave a speech accounting the contributions to Buddhism, philosophy, and founding of various Buddhist organizations of the previous reincarnations, while giving

hope that the current one will continue the good deeds of Khyentse Rinpoche and wishing him the best of luck. Since Khyentse Rinpoche acted as head of the Nyingma school of Tibet at Buddhism from 1987 to 1991, it was a paramount gesture for Mr. Sonam Tenphel - Member of Tibetan Parliament representing the Nyingma sect - also to explain that the current reincarnation of the young Khyentse Rinpoche has much to learn. Not only will Khyentse Rinpoche - who is currently approximately 18 years old be meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama for advice, he will also begin to travel to learn about different perspectives all over the world and become familiar with the international work of the previous Khyentse Rinpoche. Ven. Sonam Tenphel also expressed desire and hope for the current Khyentse Rinpoche to be able to visit Tibet. A ceremony held at the central Tibetan administration on the 27th April 2010, During the gathering, a 45 min. documentary was presented on Khyentse Rinpoche's life.

Buddhists Saddened by Russia's Denial Visa to His Holiness ......continued from frontpage authorities. In March, senators representing Russia's Buddhist regions sent a letter to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, requesting a visa for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Moscow authorities rejected their appeal, stating "a visit by the Dalai Lama to Russia would be taken particularly painfully by Beijing during the current anniversary (65th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II) year of our shared victory with China". In 2004, his Holiness the Dalai Lamas visit created controversy when his visa was initially denied. However, following the numerous rallies and signed petitions by Russian Buddhists, the decision was overturned.

In the announcement by Telo Tulku Rinpoche he said the possibility of the Tibetan exile leader returning to Russia in the future would depend on "signs of ease in tensions in his relations with the official authorities of People's Republic of China" as cautioned in Moscow's response. Furthermore, Rinpoche said, "such a refusal is distressing, but we are not going to stop and will continue to work in this direction." Russia has major concerns over preserving positive relations with China, particularly as economic partners, as seen in the 2004 Visa refusal. China opposes countries who accept His Holiness the Dalai Lama for foreign trips, routinely berating countries for lending credibility to the separatists struggle in Tibet.

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The ceremony was attended by all abbots, ex-abbots, Geshes (holders of doctorate degrees in Buddhist studies), and monks living in Gyuto monastery. Religious rituals dedicated to the deceased were conducted today by all Karma Kagyul monasteries in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. In the keynote address, the Karmapa, expressed his sorrow for the catastrophic loss of human life and severe destruction in the earthquake. To comfort and inspire the living victims, he said, "This (quake) is a tragic

(Chinese: Qinghai province) have historic and spiritual links with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa Lama, who both hail from this region.

His Eminence the XVII Gyalwa Karmapa (C) and the lamas of Gyuto monastery prays for Kyigudo earthquake victims on Thursday, 22 April 2010. Photo/ Tibetnet

happening in our Tibetan history. It is great to see Tibetans have inherent strength to overcome the traumatic and painful events due to their understanding of the nature of compassion, interdependence and law of Karma." His Eminence the Karmapa also expressed his appreciation for relief aid from neighboring Tibetan regions and praised the rescuing activities by Tibetan monks. The quake-hit areas Tso-Ngon region

Last week, the 26 year-old head of the Karmma Kagyu sect instructed his Karmapa Foundation in America to donate $200,000 for immediate aid for the victims of this disaster and to help with the task of rebuilding. Today, the Gyuto monastery administration and its monks donated $3,505 to the "4-14 Yushu Earthquake Charity Committee," formed by Kyigudo youths who now reside in Dharamsala. Conditions in Kyigudo are worsening, with plummeting temperatures hitting the area early this morning, and Tibetans becoming agitated by the presence of large numbers of Chinese military, who are seeking to take control of rescue and relief activities from monks in affected areas.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Meets Relatives of Earthquake Victims residence in Dharamsala on April 18th, 2010.

His Holiness meets with relatives of Kyigudo quake victims on 18 April 2010. Photo: Dalailama.com/Tenzin Choejor

Dharamshala: His Holiness offered his condolences and prayers to a group of students whose parents and relatives live in the earthquake affected area of Kyigudo, Eastern Tibet at his

His Holiness advised them not to lose hope, to keep up their courage, and to continue to study hard. There were around 40 students including 19 boys with their school staffs from Tibetan schools near Dharamshala. His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 17 April has offered his condolences to victims of earthquake in the Tibetan plateau. The 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Kyigudo county,

eastern Tibet, killing over 2000 people and injuring over 10,000 according to the most recent estimates. Speaking at a press conference at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala, His Holiness said, "Actually, I also come from that area. So naturally very sad. The people, their living standards low, and education also quite backward. And then, last 50, 60 years, constant problems. The fear become their way of life. On top of that, this major disaster happened. So very, very sad."

Dharamsala Community Library Reopens: 10,000 Books Waiting for You Dharamshala: The Dharamshala Community Library (DCL) was once again opened on 26th April 2010, by Mr. Tenzin Choeying, one of the original founders of the library and ex TCV teacher Dhondup Tsering, who helped fund the reopening of the library by collecting donations in the United States. The DCL was started by and operates under the guidance of four founding members, Mr. Tenzin Tsundue, writer/activist, Tenzin Choeying, director of Students for a Free Tibet, Bhatia, journalist/ photographer, and Bhuchang, poet/ writer. The main aim of the set up of the DCL Library at Dharamshala is to promote intellectual and creative awareness in the Community by

on Temple Road with generous assistance from the renowned Indian writer Pankaj Mishra, who also donated a large number of books. The Tibetan welfare office has also donated many books.

Dharamshala Community Library (DCL) on 29 April 2010. Photo: TPI

providing a space for reading. The other reason for setting up the library is to give Tibetan youths a way to gain more knowledge in their free time. The library closed in 2009 due to high rent costs and was reopened near the Tibet Hope Center to be more accessible to students at the center. Earlier the DCL operated for a year

"The DCL is strategically located near hope center and ex-political prisoners' movement (Gu Chu Sum), where there are number of students and adults learning English and Tibean" Mr. Tenzin Choeying said. Now the DCL has 20,000 books, most of which are kept in the Gangchen Kyishong (Central Tibetan Administration) area because the library is currently too small to house them all for now. The founders have plans to enlarge the library in the coming years.

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China Media Criticises â&#x20AC;&#x153;Misleadingâ&#x20AC;? Western Quake Coverage the tragedy as a miracle of ethnic unity. China's president Hu Jintao announced an "all-out" response to the earthquake, promising the speedy dispatch of thousands of rescue workers to the worst-hit areas. Tibetan rescue team searching efforts in the quake zone of Kyigudo county eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: China's state-run People's Daily newspaper on 21 April criticized what they insisted was "misleading" coverage of the Kyigudo earthquake, despite there was no enough search-and-rescue effort in the Tibetan area of Kyigudo earthquake zone from the beginning. "Western media agencies published far more photos of the rescue efforts from Tibetan monks in the Yushu earthquake than that of rescue efforts from fire and rescue personnel, "A New York Times claimed in an article titled "After Quake, Ethnic Tibetans Distrust China's Help" that some Tibetans complained about PLA soldiers' poor rescue work," the article insisted. Ethnic tension in Western areas of China still a source of great concern and embarrassment for the Chinese government, and with memories of the 2008 Tibetan and 2009 Uyghur protests still in mind, China has been keen to portray national response to

Despite these promises, rescue efforts, have been led primarily by monks, and reports of Chinese authorities restricting monks from carrying out effective relief work have widely circulated. China's media has downplayed the role of monks, and particularly of their spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in dealing with the tragedy. At a recent press conference in China, Jangyi, Spokesperson for the Chinese Government's Department of Foreign Affairs, was careful to avoid addressing questions from foreign media about His Holiness the Dalai Lama's appeal to visit the quake-stricken Kyigudo area. Chinese writer Tan Xiao Yi posted on Chinese state-run news website Tibet.cn that questions regarding His Holiness appeal "are not worth answering on the Chinese side," because, "The Dalai Lama is seeking to visit the victims [of the earthquake] to stir up political rebellion."

Kyigudo monaster after the deadly quake killed thousands Tibetans on 14 April 2010. Photo: TPI

(Montreal, 21 April 2010) - The Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) hopes the Canadian government will right an unfortunate wrong by extending condolences to the Tibet Governmentin-Exile and the Tibetan people over the loss of life, injury and property in last week's tragic earthquake in Tibet. Kyigudo monastery before the deadly quake, Eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI

While both the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister issued statements last week offering condolences to the Chinese people, neither statement acknowledged that this tragedy occurred in Tibet.

Today's national day of mourning offers an ideal moment to acknowledge the loss of Tibetan life and injury.

Canada's earlier condolences are in stark contrast to those of Speaker Nancy Pelosi who - in extending her condolences on behalf of the U.S. Congress - stated that: "The thoughts

"This tragedy occurred in Tibet and has disproportionately affected the Tibetan people, many of whom have friends and family who live in Canada," said CTC executive director

China Admits Dam Construction in Tibet Dharamshala: China has finally admitted to the construction of a dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River. The admission follows years of denial, even after satellite images in 2009 clearly showed the construction of the dam. From its origins around Mount Kailash in southwestern Tibet, the Tsangpo River, or Brahmaputra as it is known in India, flows across southern Tibet, into India's Arunachal Pradesh state, and then East into Bangladesh. The 302 meter Tsang po Dam would far exceed the size of the existing Three Gorges Dam across the River Yangtze, the world's current largest hydroelectricity dam. Chinese officials were keen to insist that Tsangpo Dam is a run-of-theriver project, and will involve no water storage or diversion. Indian Foreign Minister S.M.Krishna told the Indian Parliament on Thursday, "The Chinese foreign minister assured me that there would be no water storage at the dam and it would not in any way impact on

Chinese Ahai Dam, Yangtse, (Ch: Yunnan), wall height 139m, eastern Tibet. Photo: File

downstream areas." However there are fears in India that Chinese plans to dam major Himalayan rivers upstream in Tibet will have disastrous consequences for the environment and water security in areas around the lower reaches of the rivers. China has also ignored concern from experts about dam building in seismically active regions. The May 2008 Sichuan earthquake which killed 90,000 people, has been

argued to have been triggered by the Ziping pu Reser voir in the region. Though it denies the link, the Chinese Government has refused to release data to contradict the theory. Two hydropower dams have previously been built on the Yangtze in quake-devastated Kyigudo (Chinese: Yushu) County, and future plans have been reported to build over 80 dams on the Yangtze, Mekong and the Salween rivers in the Tibetan Plateau.

U.S., China to Resume Dialogue on Human Rights in Next Month The US delegation of Human Rights will be led by by Mike Posner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, while the Chinese side will be led by Chen Xu, the Foreign Ministry's director general for international organizations.

Canada should extend condolences to Tibet Government-in-Exile and Tibetan people and prayers of Members of Congress are with the people of China and Tibet, and the loved ones of those lost in the powerful earthquake that struck the region yesterday." The CTC wrote Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon on Monday asking that both he and the Prime Minister take the opportunity to extend condolences to Tibetans suffering and mourning in Tibet.

15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

Chinese execution. Photo: darkgovernment.com/file

Dharamshala: The United States and China will resume their stalled bilateral human rights dialogue in next Month in Washington, the State Department said Thursday. The dialogues, which will be held on May 13 and 14 for the first time in two years, are expected to touch on a broad range of issues including religious freedom, the rule of law and Internet censorship, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told a press briefing.

Dermod Travis. "Their loss and grief is no less." The CTC also noted that when Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon expressed condolences in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti he specifically conveyed his sympathies to Canadians of Haitian descent as well. "Canadians of Tibetan and Chinese descent and the Tibetan people themselves deserve no less," said Travis.

The dialogue had been scheduled for February, but was delayed after U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to meet with Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama in February and US arms sale to Taiwan angered the communist regime of China, leading to a period of high tension between the two countries. Philip Crowley downplayed the significance of the delay, saying that the dialogue "had taken us a little bit longer to schedule." Criticism of China in a U.S. annual report on human rights has long been a sore point for Beijing, which has compiled a retaliatory list of human rights abuses in the United States since 1998. However, Crowley noted that the United States has raised human rights issues "in all of our high-level meetings" with China. The human rights dialogue itself, however, has been infrequent, with the previous two meetings taking place in December 2002 and May 2008.

According to the joint statement issued by the two countries during President Obama's visit to China last November, China and the United States underlined that each country and its people have the right to choose their own path, and agreed to hold the next round of human rights dialogue in Washington by the end of February 2010. "Both sides recognized that China and the United States have differences on the issue of human rights," said the statement, " Addressing these differences in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, as well as promoting and protecting human rights consistent with international human rights instruments, the two sides agreed to hold the next round of the official human rights dialogue in Washington D.C. by the end of February 2010." U.S-Sino relations had been soured over Obama's talks with the Tibetan dissident leader, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and China's strict censorship of the Internet. But their ties appear to have taken an upturn recently with Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao in their meeting in the U.S. capital earlier this month underscoring the importance of reinforcing their partnership to tackle common challenges such as nuclear proliferation.

15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

Overseas Tibetans Donate for Quake-hit Tibet: Report

TPI TIBET

The Tibet Post

Two Students Missing in Eastern Tibet Storm-triggered Flooding Dharamshala: A heavy storm in Dzayul County, eastern Tibet has left at least 2 students missing and cut water, power supplies, local Chinese authorities told the state controlled news agency Xinhua on Monday. According to a report published by Xinhua on Sunday, Landslides and mud-and-rock flow cut off road traffic and caused other problems in the county, communication links were also damaged, leaving the county with only one satellite phone to connect with the outside world.

A Tibetan mother feeding her injured baby in Kyigudo county, eastern Tibet where a deadly quake caused thousands of lives. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: The U.S.-based China Overseas Tibetans Association has raised funds totaling 500,000 (73,000 U.S.Dollar) yuan for quakehit Kyigudo or Yushul, an eastern Tibetan region of Kham (Ch: Qinghai Province).

Lhamo said Tibetans have a special attachment to Yushul for religious and historical reasons. "Princess Wencheng used to stop there en route to Tibet when she was on her trip to marry the king Songtsen Gampo of Tibet," said Lhamo.

According to Chinese news agency "Xinhua" the donations made by overseas will be channeled to the quake zone through relevant government agencies or philanthropic organizations in China.

The Tang Dynasty (around 7 century) princess married the king of Tibet as part of a peace treaty, and later became an iconic figure embodying the amity between the Han and Tibetan Buddhists.

Yangchen Lhamo, chairwoman of the association and a Tibetan singer living in the U.S., said in Beijing, "Overseas Tibetans are very concerned about the quake victims and want to offer help."

Yushul is an important place for Tibetan Buddhism, the dominant religious belief of people in Yushul. One buddhist temple toppled by the quake boasted a history of over 800 years.

A lake surrounding a small hill in Kongpo region eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI/File

Floods caused by the storm that started to hit the Dzayul county (Ch: Zayu of so called southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region) on April 23 have destroyed at least one house and damaged many others in Dzayul's villages. A student was seen rushing away by the torrents, reported with citing a spokesman with the so called regional government.

Another student had been reported missing. And rescuers are searching for them, he added. Heavy rains are continuing to ravage Dzayul areas where 208 people have been forced to relocate, he said, without giving more details. Dzayul County had so far recorded

China Says Independence Activists Will Be Shot Dead On Sight points from Kyigudo Airport to the town of Jiehe and screening those who enter the region. To exacerbate the situation, snow and plummeting temperature hit the area this early morning, disturbing relief efforts and affecting victims living in tents.

China Arrests a Famous Tibetan Writer in Siling, Tibet

Thousands of monks from the region and Tibet joined the rescue, but nearly 40,000 of them are being ordered back to their neighboring hometowns within two days.

......continued from frontpage publishing. According to Nyi Shun, on the 23rd April 2010at 4:30 pm, five to six Silang security guards stormed into Tagyal's office and took him to his home where, after rummaging through his study room and scanning his video collection, arrested him. And later, at around 10 pm, the security force returned to the house to confiscate his two computers and his printer. "At around 3 am on the same day, the security men come to my house again to give me the arrest warrant and took his bedding," Nyi Shon wrote, citing the account of Lha-Tso, Shog Dung's wife. Lha Tso continued that, "The following day, my daughter Yeshe Tso and I went to the detention center in Silang several times, but the

Chinese authorities did not allow us to see him." On the third day, when a devastating earthquake hit Kyigudo and resulted in the deaths of thousands of people as well as in numerous casualties, Chinese authorities refused to permit Shog Tong as well as others to visit the devastated area. Nevertheless, he began providing aid, relief and transportation to patients in Siling. At present, family and friends of Shog Dong are anxious regarding his arrest, as his current whereabouts are unknown. By reason of the recent release of Shog Dung's book titled Division of Sky and Earth, a detailed account of the 2008 peaceful protest, referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the earth-mouse-year revolution,' Chinese authorities forcibly shut down his privately-

321.8 mm rainfall in April, the biggest amount for the month in history, according to the regional meteorological bureau, which also forecast more rain in the area in the coming four days. Dzayul, a county of 27,000, is located in eastern Tibet, 960 km from the regional capital Lhasa.

Chinese armies not letting Tibetan monks to rescue in Kyigudo, eastern Tibet on 20 April 2010. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: A Chinese soldier said that if Chinese troops encounter a Tibetan independence activist in the quake area of Kyigudo, he or she could be shot dead on the spot without approval from higher authorities, The Epoch Times reports. April 20 marked the seventh day an important day to remember the dead according to Tibetan tradition - since a devastating earthquake hit Kyigudo (Chinese Yushu) in eastern Tibet, reportedly killing 2,064 and leaving thousands of victims

homeless. The following day, official mourning ceremonies were held all across China and Tibet to express sympathy for the quake victims. The state of affairs in the quakeaffected area is intense. Due to their concerns over the rumors of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to Kyigudo Quake zone, Chinese authorities are strictly monitoring the region. Tibetan people in Kyigudo are agitated with the large number of military soldiers from the Lanzhou Military District, who are entering the area to set up check

The Epoch Times quoted a local Tibetan saying that soldiers and rescue teams were struggling with altitude sickness, while Tibetanspeaking monks did not have any problems and were playing an important role. Soldiers were reportedly staying on the sidelines while many monks were digging though rubble to search for survivors. Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, last week expressed his eagerness to visit Kyigudo to offer comfort and pray for the victims of the quake, but China continues to ignore his appeal. Article edited by Mareva Lindo, The Tibet Post International

The Tibet Post

TPI KYIGUDO EARTHQUAKE

15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

Careless Rescue Effort: Hundreds of China Ignores His Holiness Tibetan Students Confirmed Dead the Dalai Lama’s Appeal to The voices of classmates can still be heard underneath the rubble, even 2 days after the Earthquake.

Chinese state controlled news agencies interviwing quake victims, Kyigudo, eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: When the Kyigudo earthquake shook the eastern Tibet Plateau, The ‘ National Vocational School ' in Kyigudo county (CH: Yushu), suffered serious damages and losses of life. The School consists of three

campuses where 400 girls attend. Students of the school were eating they're breakfast when the 6.9 earthquake hit. So far twenty students have been rescued from the rubble while another 30 students are confirmed dead.

When a friend and classmate of two students was pulled free from the dormitory that was hit hardest and was confirmed dead, the two girls said through tears, that when the earthquake hit at 5.00 am, the teachers who were responsible for the dormitory did not turn up to either help or assist the students and that if they had, the deaths of their classmates could have been avoided. Another student from the same dormitory said she knows of two more confirmed deaths to add to the thirty and that, there are many more that are deceased and seriously injured.

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Poems and Songs in Solidarity with Kyigudo Quake Victims afraid, my heart is with you forever." Most of the poems and songs, which have become more and more popular in the aftermath of the earthquake, dedicated to the deceased and other victims of the quake, are intended to be inspiring for those affected by the quake, and to express solidarity with quakeaffected fellow Tibetans. A rough translation of "To Share Weal and Woe":

Tibetan students from Kyigudo currently studying in exiled schools near Dharamshala, India offering prayers at the main Tibetan temple on 27 April 2010. Photo: TPI

......continued from frontpage

with her own composed melody.

Kyab posted a poem in mourning of the tragedy, titled ‘To Share Weal and Woe' on Newyouth, a Tibetbased literary forum website. Popular Tibetan female singer, Rigzen Dolma, later sang the poem

Dolma said, "Yushu, (Tibetan Kyigudo) the origin of Three Rivers (Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang), and my beautiful hometown. Dear my fellow brothers and sisters, your sorrow pained my heart. Do not be

The sudden disaster Separated my beloved brothers and sisters Dead and alive. You suffer my sorrow physically and I feel your pain heartily Om Ma Ni Padme Hum My beloved brothers and sisters Our hearts will always be together. Listen the song by Rigzin Dolma

Visit Quake Survivors

Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the main Tibetan temple, Dharamshala, India on 17 April 2010. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: China continues to ignore Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's appeal to visit victims of the earthquake in the Tibetan Plateau. "This time the location of the earthquake, Kyigudo (Chinese: Yushu), lies in Qinghai Province, which happens to be where both the late Panchen Lama and I were born. To fulfill the wishes of many of the people there, I am eager to go there myself to offer them comfort," the Tibetan spiritual leader said at a press conference on Saturday. Coverage from the bbc shows monks praying to the Dalai Lama, holding pictures - the possession of which can lead to imprisonment - of the Tibetan spiritual leader to their foreheads. A petition started by Tibetan monks urging Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to allow the Dalai Lama access to the devastated surfaced today on boxun.com. "At such a time as this when we have suffered such a terrible blow we are in urgent need of the Dalai Lama to come to our disaster area and provide salvation for our dead and comfort for our wounded souls. President Hu and Premier Wen, we request that in your gracious benevolence you may satisfy the wishes of the people in the disaster area," the petition read.

Coverage of the aftermath of the quake on Taiwan's Formosa TV featured interviews with survivors of the earthquake. "We hope china will allow His Holiness the Dalai Lama to come here. We have always believed he would come back. His Holiness the Dalai Lama would bring hope and blessings for us," one Monk said. "We wish for His Holinesss the Dalai Lama to be here with us," another survivor said. While China has managed to evade direct acknowledgment of the Tibetan Buddhist leader's appeal, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, the Chinese-selected Panchen Lama and vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, today held a Buddhist prayer ritual for victims of the earthquake. Ooigyijabu was declared the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama following the abduction of the original, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, whose whereabouts remain unknown. The Chinese Qinghai province, birthplace of both the Dalai Lama and the previous Panchen Lama, still retains a strong Tibetan cultural heritage, despite continued Chinese cultural, religious and political oppression.

China Asks Tibetan Monks to Leave Kyigudo Quake Zone ......continued from frontpage However, China says that the monks are no longer required to facilitate relief efforts. "While fully recognizing the positive contributions of the monks that came from other areas, we suggested to them that they return to their monasteries to ensure the high effectiveness and order

of quake relief work," said the Cabinet's official statement. Some groups are not so happy with China's dismissal of the monks. "China's determination to colonize even Tibet's tragedy is depressingly all too unsurprising. Its expedient airbrushing of Tibetans' response to a very Tibetan tragedy underlies the importance of the international

community acting to ensure that funding for the reconstruction effort is transparent and is aimed specifically at meeting the humanitarian needs of the Tibetan people. Rather than the political ends of the Chinese Communist Party," said Matt Whitticase, spokesperson for the Free Tibet organization. Free Tibet also reported that Tsering

Woeser, who is a Beijing based Tibetan writer, said her contacts in the quake zone told a different story about the monks' departure. According to them, local officials told monks that if they did not leave the quake region immediately, there would be trouble. "The government's attitude is that the lamas are an unstable element, this is especially so following the unrest,"

said Woeser, referring to 2008's widespread riots that occurred in the region to protest the Chinese occupation. Monks were also noticeably absent in the Chinese government's media coverage of post-quake relief and the Day of Mourning ceremony that was held in memory of those lost in the disaster.

TPI PHOTOS

15 April , 2010 Dharamsala

The Tibet Post

Earthquake Hit Kyigudo of Tibet

Fire rages on a hillside in Kyigudo County a stone’s throw from a group of monks Photo: TPI

The rubble of a collapsed building, seen on April 15, 2010, after a 6.9magnitude earthquake hit Yushu county in northwest China’s Qinghai province the day before. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Tibetan Buddhist monks and a couple Chinese relief workers join forces to search the rubble for bodies and the rare buried survivor Photo: TPI

Chinese paramilitary policemen look for survivors under the debris of collapsed houses after an earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai province, April 16, 2010. (REUTERS/China Daily)

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Smiling children share a hard-to-come-by hot meal Photo: TPI

Rescuers carry a 13-year-old Tibetan girl, who had been buried in the ruins of a collapsed hotel for more than 50 hours after a strong earthquake, in Yushu, Qinghai province, April 16, 2010. (REUTERS/Donald Chan)

Buddhist monks and nuns gather en masse to chant Tibetan prayers for the dead Photo: TPI

Tibetan monks carry a body they dug out from the debris of a collapsed hotel building in the earthquake-hit town of Gyegu in Yushu County, Qinghai province April 16, 2010. (REUTERS/Alfred Jin)

Monks carry bodies, wrapped in cloth, onto a truck for Tibetan burial near the Gyegu Monastery in Gyegu town, in China’s Qinghai province, Friday, April 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

A family rest in their courtyard near collapsed houses in Gyegu town, Qinghai province on Friday, April 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

Tibetans pull down a wall where they believe survivors may be buried amid the debris of a collapsed hotel building in Gyegu town, Qinghai province April 16, 2010. (REUTERS/Kevin Zhao)

A girl reads a book outside her makeshift tent amid the rubble of a quakedemolished building in Yushu county, Qinghai province on April 16, 2010. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)