Sikyong’s statement on 54th Tibetan National Uprising Day
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
See Page 3..... Vol. 02, Issue 82, Print Issue 6, March 15, 2013
CTA religion minister visits Australia
Sikyong Congratulates Woeser for winning Women of Courage award
B o d - K y i - Cha-Trin
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama receives doctorate from Himachal university By Yeshe Choesang and Matthew Singh Toor: 04 March 2013
Mr Pema Chhinjor, Kalon of the Department of Religion and Culture. Photo: TPI By Yeshe Choesang: 09 March 2013
Brisbane: Mr Pema Chhinjor, Kalon (minister) of the exile Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Department of Religion and Culture, has met with members of the Tibetan community in Australia. Mr Chhinjor was received on March 6 at Brisbane airport by Mr Ngodup Gyaltsen, secretary of the Office of Tibet, and Mr Tsering Wangchuk, president of the Queensland Tibetan Association. He then visited Chenresigwang Tibetan Buddhist Institute and later addressed members of the Tibetan community about the current situation in Tibet. Mr Chhinjor called on Tibetans living in the free world to strengthen their efforts to make the international community aware of the aspirations of Tibetans inside Tibet, and urged them to maintain unity and harmony in the community. He also briefed the audience on the efforts made by the CTA to resolve the Tibet issue via the Middle Way policy. On March 7, Mr Chhinjor visited the Dolkar Tibetan Buddhist Institute and later in the tour addressed the 54th Tibetan National Uprising Day in Melbourne before heading to Canberra on March 11.
CTA responds to Chinese allegations
Dharamshala: The Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) conferred an honorary doctorate of philosophy on His Holiness the Dalai Lama at its first convocation ceremony on February 28. CUHP’s chancellor, Arun Maira, presented the degree to the Nobel Peace Laureate at the Temporary Academic Block in Shahpur near Dharamshala in northern India. The Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, the Venerable Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, and finance Kalon (minister) Mr Tsering Dhondup, were among the dignitaries to attend. Addressing the audience, His Holiness spoke on happiness and well-being. “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy,” he said. “From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience, I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. “Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others, however different from us they may seem to be, automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.” The spiritual leader continued that, fundamentally, human beings are all the same, as they want happiness and do not want suffering, despite differences in skin colour or the texture of their hair, in their religious beliefs, in the languages they speak, in the culture they uphold or even gender differences. “Appreciating this sameness is crucial to respecting and
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the first convocation of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh in Shahpur, HP, India on 28 February 2013/Photo: TPI
understanding other people and to developing compassion and kindness toward them,” he said, adding that the short-sighted way of pursing our own vested interests causes conflicts. “If we focus only on our own requirements, regardless of the needs
and interests of others, we are likely to hurt them and provoke their hostility. This is especially true when we view happiness predominantly in terms of material possessions, wealth and power. Although, to my mind, this viewpoint is mistaken, it is See Page 6..
Kalon Dicki Chhoyang. Photo: TPI/Artemas Liu
Three Tibetans sentenced to jail terms for alleged role in self-immolation
China jails senior Buddhist monk
By Yeshe Choesang: 08 March 2013
Dharamshala: A top official of the exile Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamshala, northern India, has responded to the Chinese government’s allegations over the wave of self-immolation protests in Tibet. On March 7, Ms Dicki Chhoyang, Kalon (minister) of the Department of Information and International Relations, said that Beijing has accused the Tibetan government-in-exile See Page 5 ...
The Venerable Yarphel, a senior Buddhist monk from Yershong Monastery in Rebkong county, who received a one year, three months jail sentence. Photo: TPI
UN releases correspondence with China
By Yeshe Choesang: 05 March 2013
Dharamshala: A Chinese court has sentenced a senior Tibetan Buddhist monk to one year and three months in prison for his alleged involvement in a self-immolation protest. Sources inside Tibet report that, on the afternoon of March 1, a local Chinese intermediate people’s court sentenced 42-yearSee Page 6...
World leaders criticized for silence on Tibet
Jigme Dolma, a 17-year-old Tibetan girl from Karze county, who was beaten and imprisoned by the Chinese authorities. Photo: TPI By Matthew Singh Toor: 28 February 2013
Geneva: On February 20, in the run-up to the UN Human Rights Council’s 22nd session, which started in Geneva on 25 February, the UN released for publication its communications with the Chinese government in 2012 regarding the human rights situation in Tibet. Five UN Special Procedure mandate holders made a joint appeal to China on 13 July 2012, asking for information on Jigme Dolma, a 17-year-old girl who was beaten by the Chinese police for her peaceful protest in the main market of Karze county, eastern Tibet (Chinese: Ganzi in Sichuan) on 24 June 2012. Dolma was hospitalised for two months and then sentenced to prison. In its response, Beijing said, “Our investigation reveals that we have no knowledge about the case but there is a similar case.” Citing Article 51 and 54 of the Chinese constitution, it continued See Page 8 ...
Top photo: From left: Nyima, Kalsang Kyab and Lhamo Dorjee. Remaining photos: Dorjee Dhondup, Kalsang Sonam, Akhu Samdup and Tsering Namgyal, who self-immolated in Lhuchu on 29 November 2012. Photo: TPI
By Yeshe Choesang: 02 March 2013
Dharamshala: On March 1 a Chinese court sentenced three Tibetans to jail terms of up to 15 years for their alleged involvement in the wave of self-immolation protests against Chinese oppression, which have now reached at 107. Sources inside Tibet told TPI that the “so-called Intermediate People’s Court hearing was held under heavy military surveillance. The three were charged over accusations of inciting Tsering Namgyal to self-immolate. Tsering (31) set himself on fire near the local Chinese government office in Luchu county, [Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture], on November 29, 2012.”
According to Chinese state-controlled media, at a secret trial the court sentenced Lhamo Dorjee to 15 years in prison, with his civil and political rights suspended for three years. Kalsang Sonam also had his rights suspended for two years and received an eleven-year jail term. Tsezung Kyab was charged with ‘intentional homicide’ and sentenced to ten years, with his rights suspended for one year. In total, nine Tibetans from Dzamtsa Lotso village in Luchu, Amdho province, were arrested on charges of inciting others to self-immolate: Kalsang Samdup, Nyima, Tsezung Kyab, See Page 6 ...
From left: Mr Ngawang Choephel, the Venerable Kirti Rinpoche, Ms Sophie Richardson, the Venerable Telo Rinpoche and Mr Adam Koziel in Geneva, 06 March 2013. Photo: Tibet Office, Geneva
By Yeshe Choesang: 09 March 2013
Geneva: The spiritual leader of the Kalmyk people of the Russian Federation has described the current situation in Tibet as genocide and criticised world leaders for not doing enough for basic human rights and freedoms there. Speaking on March 6 at a UN event in Geneva sponsored by five NGOs - The People’s Republic of China: Threat to the Survival of Tibetan Buddhism - Telo Rinpoche, spiritual head of the Republic of Kalmykia, said it was unfortunate that world leaders See Page 7 ...