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My Hero
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H.H Tour in Indiana
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Donates for Earthquake
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help for China-Tibet talk Page 8 Photos of Thank you Himachal Pradesh
Mother of
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H.H The Dalai lama.
Lobsang
Page 2 ....... Vol. 01, Issue 17, 15 May 2010
Building Temple in China
Indian President Pradibha Singh Patil gives an address after she gave details of her and her family members on the launch day of the 2011 census at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on April 1, 2010. Photo: AP
Dharamshala: Indian president Pratibha Devisingh Patil is to dedicate a Buddhist temple to the people of China when she visits the country next month. The temple has been inspired by the Sanchi Stupa and cost $4 million to build over the course of five years, according to IANS. ...See page 5
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A Portrait of Compassion: Irishman Inspires HH the Dalai Lama Dharamshala: Over one thousand people, primarily children, gathered at the TCV School in Dharamshala yesterday to witness their spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, honor and commend Richard Moore, whom HH described as "a living example of peace" and "my hero". Moore, a 48 year-old Irishman, was blinded at the age of 10 by a rubber bullet fired by a British soldier. Remarkably, Moore was accompanied yesterday by Charles - the British soldier who shot him. The two met in 2006 and became friends. Moore has no anger or bitterness towards the man who blinded him, and it is this exemplary attitude, a noble paradigm of kindness and compassion, that "deeply touched" His Holiness. In 1996 Moore founded ‘Children in Crossfire', a charitable organization working to protect and promote the rights of some of the world's most vulnerable children, particularly those who have been caught in the crossfire of poverty. Moore captivated the audience yesterday, speaking of his personal tragedy and revealing that in spite of such a debilitating trauma at a very young age, he has "learned to see life in a different way." Indeed, through the efforts of ‘Children in Crossfire' in developing countries worldwide, young children and their communities have been empowered to build a better future, a noteworthy illustration of the triumph of the human spirit to overcome
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Richard Moore (L), the founder of the charity
adversity. As the world's foremost advocate of the message of compassion, the Tibetan Leader initiated the gathering after meeting Moore in 2007 when HH spoke at Children in Crossfire's 10th Anniversary Conference. HH the Dalai Lama found inspiration in Moore, and invited him to visit Dharamshala, confident that future generations would draw inspiration from the
Irishman's admirable spirit of forgiveness and compassion. His Holiness honored Richard with a citation, which he read to the gathering, and a Khata, a traditional well-wishing scarf. The Tibetan leader expressed his immense appreciation towards Moore, thanking him several times for visiting Dharamshala and adding that people like Richard Moore are truly deserving of The Nobel Peace Prize.
Shanghai Expo 2010? Taiwanese President Ma Ying Jou
Dharamshala: On a recent interview with Christiane Amanpour from CNN, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jou expressed support for Tibet's autonomy and the Dalai Lama's efforts to talk to China, explaining that "that is the only way to solve the Tibet issue". The president also addressed the recent tensions between the United States and China and
China Revokes Human Rights Lawyers’ Licenses The charge refers to the defending of Yang Ming, a Falun Gong follower, in Sichuan Province in April of last year.
.....See page 7
World Press Freedom Day
Both lawyers refute the charges and claim that Yang Ming's trail was mishandled in court. The two have said they will appeal the decision.
Tang Jitian and Liu Wei had their law licenses revoked for defending a practitioner of the forbidden Falun Gong spiritual movement.
Indian and Tibetan Journalists living in Dharamshala, on 03 May 2010 jointly held an informal ceremony for the World Press Freedom Day at Hotel Dhuladhar, Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: As the World Press Freedom Day is celebrated around the globe in line with the United Nations proclamation in 1993, Tibetan journalists in-exile in Dharamshala together with local Indian journalists yesterday called on China to release all journalists jailed in Tibet and allow the international media to visit the region. President of Association of Tibetan Journalists ......See page 2
Dharamshala: Two human rights lawyers in China have been banned permanently from practicing law in China. Tang Jitian and Liu Wei had their law licenses revoked for defending a practitioner of the forbidden Falun Gong spiritual movement. The ban is the most recent effort of the Chinese government to prohibit the work of human rights lawyers in Tibet and elsewhere in the country. According to reports, the two lawyers were accused of having "disrupted the order of the court and interfered with the regular litigation process" in Beijing last month.
Fireworks light up the Shanghai skyline during the opening ceremony for the Shanghai 2010 World Exhibition, Friday April 30, 2010. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: The World Expo 2010 is being held from May 1 through to October 30 in the centre of Shanghai along both sides of the Huang pu River. China's rapid ............ See detail on page 7
Nuns Leadership
"It's revenge for what we have done. It's to scare our friends who are doing the same things. It has a chilling effect on them," Tang Jitian said on Monday. The ban contributes to growing discontent with the stifling of human rights work in the country, and the elimination of fair hearings and representation of those accused with antigovernment acts. "Independence issues and the Falun Gong if you were to be a lawyer for that, they want you to do it their way, to act out a part in their theatre," Mr. Tang said. "If you cannot protect the rights of the people, the most basic rights, then why do you even exist as a lawyer? The entire profession might as well be extinct."
The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) leading the second Tibetan Nuns' Leadership Programme in South India.
Dharamshala: The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) led the second Tibetan Nuns' Leadership Programme in a bid to carry out the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has called for nuns to gain confidence and believe in their ability to make a difference. .....Detail on page 4
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TPI TIBET IN EXILE
International Mother’s Day Celebrated by TWA
occasion as their responsibilities mirror the important position of a mother within a community. The TWA said: "In 1950s Tibet the old adage that ‘the mother is the precious jewel at home, the father the external fencing' still held true. "But in the decades that followed Tibetan women found a collective voice which saw them increase their influence outside the domestic arena.
The Tibet Post
Karmapa Stands Down as Representative of Kyagu Tradition
"The rise of Tibetan women is palpable, as well as their establishment as a social and political power to be reckoned with."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with his mother, Dekyi Tsering in ‘Gyalyum Chemo: The Great Mother’ film.
Dharamashala: A screening of ‘Gyalyum Chemo: The Great Mother' and the recognition of two notable women within the community marked International Mother's Day yesterday in Mcleodganj. The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) organised the film-showing at the Tibetan Day School and
presented two headmistresses with a token of gratitude for their work with children. Tsering Yangkyi was thanked for her role at the Tibetan Day School and Samdhup Dolma, who has since retired, was honoured for her work at the Tibetan Children's Village. Both women were chosen for the
‘Gyalyum Chemo: The Great Mother' is produced and directed by Emmy award-winner Rosemary Rawcliffe, and follows the life of the simple village woman who gave birth to His Holiness the Dalai Lama becoming known as the Great Mother of Tibet. The film touches on the power of motherhood, mythology and storytelling, and offers an insight into the first family of Tibet with previously unseen photographs and rare archive footage. The TWA has 52 regional chapters outside Tibet and works to empower Tibetan women in exile, in particular refugees.
Lobsang Sangay Tops Tibetan Opinion Poll for Next PM relations between Tibet and Taiwan. Prime minister Prof Samdhong Rinpoche is currently serving his second five-year term which ends in August 2011 when Tibetans will elect a new leader to head the government-in-exile based in Dharamashala. Between 1960 and 2001 His Holiness the Dalai Lama was responsible for appointing this political figure, but in the last decade he has given the responsibility to the Tibetan population.
Dr Lobsang Sangay speaking at a panel discussion on next Tibetan Prime minister in Dharamshala, India in 2009. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: A poll lasting over one year has revealed today that Dr. Lobsang Sangay is the most popular candidate for the next prime minster (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Over the past 13 years Lobsang Sangay has arranged conferences between Tibetan and mainland Chinese scholars at Harvard, and in India he was the youngest ever national executive member elected in the Tibetan Youth Congress.
The senior fellow at Har vard University Law School gained 55.5 per cent of the votes in a poll conducted by the Shambala Po s t , a n d wa s f o l l o we d b y Lobsang Nyandak with 16.5 per cent and Ngawa Tsegyam with 5.5 per cent.
Currently a representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Nyandak has been director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, was elected to the Assembly of the Tibetan People's Deputies for Kham province.
Opinions have been collated by the news organization since the beginning of April 2009, and culminated today after 13 months of voting.
Ngawa Tsegyam, in third place, is a member of the Private Office and acts as Private Secretary to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and has been recognized for his role in strengthening
The preliminary poll carried out by the Shambala Post is one of many efforts to gauge public opinion, including a recent survey conducted by the Kalon Tripa 2011 website which also announced Lobsang Sangay as the most popular candidate earlier this month. The website estimated that there are about 150,000 Tibetan refugees in exile across the globe, mainly living in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Of that number 120,000 are estimated to be eligible voters, however only 26.8 per cent of that number cast their vote in the 2006 prime ministerial election. The Shambala Post provides readers with online news forums, blogs History, speeches of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and literary discussions.
The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa arriving for 2nd conference on The Indian view for global Peace in Dharamshala India on 5 April 2009. Photo/ TPI
Dharamshala: Kar ma Sherab Tharchin and Sonam Damdul, Two Tibetan parliament members who represent Kagyu Tradition in the Tibetan Parliament in exile yesterday held a press briefing about His Eminency the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje's resignation as representative for Kagyu Tradition at the upcoming Religious Affairs Meeting.
and Taklong Kaygu traditions," the Karmapa said in his statement.
The Kyagu tradition, one of the four main sects - along with Niygma, Sakya and Gelug - of Tibetan Buddhism, is divided into four major and eight minor sub-traditions.
In the statement His Eminence the Karmapa also stressed to the Kagyu MPs the importance of purity in the inner circles of Buddhism, and urged them to ensure it.
At the Kagyu General Body Meeting in Norbulinka, the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, head of Karma Kagyu tradition, a statement from the Karmapa was issued outlining his main reasons for his standing down. "I am offering the chance to the three eminent heads of Drukpa, Drigong
The MPs told reporters that the decision of the Kyagu General Body Meeting was that representation of Kagyu Tradition should be taken up in turn by heads of all Kyagu subtraditions. The MPs added that this was a fair and democratic means of representation.
The Karmapa further said that preeminency in the Kagyu Tradition should be based on personal merits rather than election by a single meeting, and that commitment to his studies would inhibit the amount of time he could devote to leadership of the sect.
Tibetans Urged to Participate in 2011 Indian National Census
Mr Tsering Phuntsok, the Settlement Officer at the Tibetan Welfare Office based in Dharamshala. Photo/TPI
Dharamshala: Data collection for the 2011 Indian National Census is continuing in Dharamshala, including Tibetans in its count for the first time. Authorities have been surveying residents in Himachal Pradesh since the 7th April and will continue to do so until the official closing date of 22nd May. Data collection in Mcleod Ganj may continue after this period, as there is currently only one enumerator for the area. The census is gathering demographic
information on a national scale and includes Tibetans residing in India for over 6 months. This is the first time that Tibetans have been included in the Indian census, which collects data on the population of India every ten years. The census consists of two sections, the first comprises 35 questions relating to housing and assets issues, whilst the second focuses on information for the National Population Register, with questions on gender, age, occupation and nationality. All those who take part in the census are eligible for the new Unique Identity Card (UIC). Benefits include a ration card which allows individuals to purchase items such as rice, gas and sugar at government rates. The Settlement Officer at the Tibetan Welfare Office based in Dharamshala, Mr Tsering Phuntsok, explains that Tibetans will therefore receive ‘everything that the people of India get, except the voting card'. An official notice was given by the ...........See on page 3
The Tibet Post
TPI DALAI LAMA
HH the Dalai Lama Begins US Tour in Indiana The Tibetan leader was received at the TMBCC in Bloomington on Tuesday to a fanfare of traditional Tibetan music and dancers, and hundreds of spectators.
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US House of Representatives Expresses Condolences with Kyigudo Quake Victims
In preparation for the arrival of the internationally respected Tibetan icon, Drepong monks spent eight days preparing an intricate sand mandala, and teams of volunteers built ponds, decorated prayer wheels and tended the surrounding 108-acre park. The two-day teaching at Indiana University will be geared towards practicing Buddhists; however the following Indianapolis talk is aimed to reach a wider audience. Upon His Holiness the Dalai Lama's arrival in Bloomington, Indiana, Buddhist monks, leading by Alak Aja Rinpoche, welcome him. Photo/TPI
Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his 12-day US tour today with a teaching in Bloomington, Indiana. The Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate will deliver a twoday teaching on The Heart Sutra (sherab nyingpo), organised by The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Centre (TMBCC), at the Indiana University Auditorium; followed by a public talk in Indianapolis on Facing Challenges
with Compassion & Wisdom, organised by the TMBCC, Interfaith Hunger Initiative and Indiana Buddhist Centre, at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday. The occasion marks the Tibetan leader's sixth visit to Bloomington, a major Tibetan Buddhism centre in the US, and his first since the death of his elder brother, founder in 1979 of the TMBCC and former professor at Indiana University, Thubten Norbu.
Larry Gerstein of the Indiana Buddhist Centre which is coorganising the Indianapolis talk said, "He will be talking about it to the average person in a way they can understand it. And more importantly, it is what you do with that and the contributions you make to your society." His Holiness will give further talks in Madison, Wisconsin; Cedar Falls, Iowa; and New York. A full itinerary can be found at www.dalailama.com/teachings/ schedule
Tibetans Must Press China-Tibet Talks........ power of technology to bring news out of Tibet; and vague signs from Beijing that some Chinese leaders might be ready to soften their stand on Tibet.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet speaking world media in Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI/File
Dharamshala: Years of negotiations with the Chinese government have achieved little for the Tibetan people, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said on Friday (7 May), though he insisted that talks still needed to press ahead and that the Chinese leadership could - eventually - soften its stand on Tibet. In an hour-long interview with The Associated Press, the Buddhist leader criticized Beijing for its policies in his Himalayan homeland while he held out the possibility that some type of accord could be reached. "So far, dialogue failed, but that does not mean in future no possibility," His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in his private compound in this Indian hill town where he has lived since fleeing Tibet more than five decades ago. While admitting he was deeply frustrated by the lack of progress during nine rounds of talks, he also said there were clear signs of progress with Beijing. "They are realistic," he said of the Chinese leadership. "They have the ability to act according to a new reality." His reasons for hope included increasing sympathy for the Tibetan cause among Chinese intellectuals; the
Some of the Beijing leadership believes that "policy regarding Tibet now should be more openly, more peacefully. I heard that," he said in his sometimes tangled English. "True or not? We'll have to wait." And patience, he added, is something Tibetans understand. It has been 51 years since he fled his homeland. "Another 10, 20 years we can wait," he said, breaking into laughter. Talks between China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama's envoys resumed in January for the first time in 15 months but made no apparent progress on the Tibetans' demands for more autonomy. Beijing refused to even talk about granting Tibet more latitude, limiting discussions to the future of the exiled spiritual leader. As to his future, the 74-year-old His Holiness the Dalai Lama said some Chinese leaders were simply waiting for him to die, hoping the Tibet issue would fizzle once he is gone. In Tibetan Buddhism, each Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor. Because of this, turmoil often surrounds the death of a Dalai Lama as religious elders look for mystical signs that point them to the next reincarnation. The man demonized by Beijing, though, insists he is nowhere near death. "Unfortunately, the demon demon Dalai Lama - looks very
healthy," he said, laughing loudly at his joke. And, he noted, his death may make the situation worse for China, as angry young Tibetans - no longer held back by his steadfast demands for nonviolence - could take to the streets. It is a possibility he fears deeply. "If some kind of violence takes place, then the Tibetan will automatically be the victim," he said. There was no immediate comment from Beijing, but Chinese officials have long accused the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama of being a "splittist" intent on sowing trouble within Tibet. While 74 year old Tibetan spiritual leader insists he only wants some form of Tibetan autonomy, Chinese officials say he is secretly advocating for complete independence. "The people understand more that splittism brings misfortune and ethnic unity brings happiness," Hao Peng, the Chinese vice governor of Tibet, told journalists visiting the region in March, during a tightly controlled visit. Beijing, of course, doesn't need to be as diplomatic as His Holiness the Dalai Lama. While His Holiness the Dalai Lama wields enormous spiritual influence across Tibet, where he is seen as both a living god and the Tibetan king, Beijing has near-absolute control of the region. China has thousands of soldiers stationed there, manages a vast intelligence network and is flooding Tibet with ethnic Han
His Holiness the Dalai lama and speaker of US House of Representatives meeting in Dharamshala, India in 2008. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: The US House of Representatives Tuesday expressed its "condolences and sympathies" with the victims of the 14 April Kyigudo earthquake.
other Tibetan Buddhist sites that are integral to the preser vation of Tibetan culture and religious traditions."
The resolution was careful not to ignite Chinese ire over ethnic tension, stating Ăts "sympathies" were "for the people of China following the tragic earthquake in the Qinghai province of the Peoples Republic of China on April 14, 2010."
Reiterrating an offer of international assistance in relief efforts, one of many from the international community which were rejected by China, the resolution stated it "reaffirms the United States pledge, issued by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, to stand ready to assist the people of China during this difficult period," and "expresses support for the recovery and longterm reconstruction needs of the residents of the areas affected by the earthquake, including the restoration of monasteries and other Tibetan Buddhist sites that are integral to the preser vation of Tibetan culture and religious traditions."
The resolution also committed to "support for the recovery and longterm reconstruction needs of the residents of the areas affected by the earthquake, including the restoration of monasteries and
The 6.9 Magnitude Kyigudo earthquake and its 18 aftershocks devastated the ethnic Tibetan area on 14 April, leaving over 10,000 people dead and over 120,000 people homeless.
Chinese.
and economic divisions across the country.
In a House Resolution submitted by Congresman McMohan, US Congress pledged to express "solidarity with the people of the Qinghai province, TibetanAmericans, Chinese-Americans, and all those who have lost loved ones or have otherwise been affected by the tragedy, including rescue and humanitarian workers."
Since 2008, when demonstrations flared into riots in Tibetan communities across western China, Beijing has imposed smothering security on many Tibetan areas as it mixes government threats of further crackdowns with economic incentives to gain support. His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled his homeland in 1959, nine years after Communist troops marched into the Himalayan region. Beijing claims Tibet has been a Chinese territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were effectively independent for most of that time and that migration to the region and restrictions on Buddhism are threatening their culture. Beijing denies all such accusations and Chinese President Hu Jintao has publicly made the creation of a "harmonious society" one of his top goals, trying to bridge the vast ethnic
His Holiness the Dalai Lama scoffed at that. "So far, in order to develop harmony, the main method is suppression!" ......continued from page no 2 Tibetan Welfare Office in April, informing residents of the census and urging everyone to take part to make obtaining a UIC possible. A receipt is given on completion of the census forms, which must be kept and then submitted when applying for the future UIC. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has himself already completed the census at the beginning of the month and encourages all Tibetans in exile to do the same. According to the 2009 Demographic Sur vey of Tibetans in Exile, there are currently over 15,000 Tibetans residing in Dharamshala.
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TPI TIBET IN EXILE
TWA Educates Nuns to be Community Leaders
way they speak to their body language - they used the skills they had learned during the four previous days to deliver some very impressive presentations. In the feedback session, a number of nuns revealed that they had been frightened at the sound of the words ‘workshop' and ‘training' and that they had tried to avoid joining the programme.
Nun participants in the second Tibetan Nuns’ Leadership Programme orgnized by TWA.
......continued from frontpage Held in the south Indian nunnery of Jangchub Choeling, Mungod, Karnataka, the five-day training course, from April 26 to April 30, 2010, was organized by TWA in conjunction with Science Meets Dharma, Switzerland (an institute which aims to provide monks and nuns in Tibetan monasteries in India with access to scientific education). The course was attended by 22 nuns from Jangchub Choeling after one nun, Yeshi Sangmo, came to the first course in 2009 and told TWA that she felt the other members of her nunnery would benefit from the training. The programme was led by TWA's joint Secretary, Tenzin Dolma and Programme Coordinator, Nyima Lhamo. The opening ceremony was attended by Khen Rinpoche Kunchok Thapgye of Jangchub Choeling nunnery, Mr. Palden, Settlement Officer and Vice President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, both of whom gave speeches encouraging nuns to take advantage of the opportunities for training and education. The programme focussed on the basic leadership concepts like team management, self concept, SWOT technique, communication skills, goal setting, visualisation, leadership qualities, river of life - sharing one's
inner stories through drawing, mind games and documentary screenings. A half-day session on gender empowerment looked into the differences between gender and sex, gender stereotyping and socialisation through practical exercises, which the TWA felt it was essential to discuss openly. Group discussions, brain-storming exercises and public speaking formed a large part of the programme, with the aim of building up the nuns' communication skills. Every evening saw a documentary screening, followed by a debate session. The films included Lhamo Tso's ‘Behind the Sea and Dispatches: Undercover to Tibet', which stirred emotional and patriotic reactions. The biographical film ‘Gyalyum Chenmo: The Great Mother' had the nuns moved to tears. A short documentary, ‘Are We Ready for 2011', made by TWA executive Dhardon Sharling and friends, focused on the significant upcoming Kalon Tripa election. This film helped the nuns to realise that it is their duty as Tibetan citizens to exercise their right to vote, and to call for a transparent election process. On the final day, each nun made a video in which they evaluated themselves on everything from the
The Tibet Post
Conclusion of NDPT 2011 Elections Campaign First Leg
However, by the end of the course they said that they fully understood the benefits it could offer and expressed their wish to attend more in the future. TWA is delighted at this positive response. The nuns were also given feedback for ms which showed that the sessions on goal setting, gender empowerment and the short documentary on Kalon Tripa were the most popular. "It was amazing to see the transformation from the level of shyness to a sense of standing in one's authority" TWA's programme coordinator Nyima Lhamo said. TWA's executive Tenzin Dolma reaffirms that "through courses like these, we will enable Tibetan nuns to maximise their influence and to discover what they are truly capable of. The nuns who attended the course began to find out that they have talents which can be harnessed not only for the furthering of their own potential, but for the benefit of wider society." TWA thanked the administration of Jangchub Choeling nunnery for sending as many nuns as possible to join the programme and for helping it to become a resounding success. TWA also extended heartfelt thanks to the Science Meets Dharma Institute and its managing director Kelsang Chokteng for providing us with much-needed financial support, and for putting trust in TWA to deliver this programme. Nun Palden Sangmo wrote to request if such programmes could be made an annual affair in all the nunneries in exile and coincidently this has indeed been an intrinsic part of the mission statement of TWA's programme coordination desk.
National Democratic ParTy of Tibet leading 2011 campaign for its Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) and Parliamentary candidates in Northern India. Photo/ TPI
Dharamshala; The first stage of the NDPT's 2011 campaign for its Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) and Parliamentary candidates was today concluded with "success and to our satisfaction," the party posted on its official blog. The party wrapped up the first leg of its election campaign, stating "Overall the first stage of the campaign concluded with success and to our satisfaction." In light of the dismal 2006 voter turnout of 26.8%, the main focus of NDPT's campaign has been on raising awareness of the upcoming 2011 Tibetan elections. NDPT President Chime Youngdung in his speeches during the campaign emphasised the need for people to "step up and take responsibility for their government". The crux of the campaign was the introduction of the two most prominent candidates for the Prime Minister's seat, Dr. Lobsang Sangay and Mr. Tenzin Namgyal Tethong.
Another key issue discussed over the tour of seven Tibetan settlements over North India in the first stage, was the possibility of adopting a bicameral system of legislation, i.e. having two distinct legislative or parliamentary chambers, as exists in India, the US and many other democratic countries. The NDPT also laid out two conditions to be fulfilled by prospective Members of Parliament in return for party support: "(i) If a candidate is elected, they must support any bill which strengthens democratic processes in Parliament. (ii) If a candidate is elected, she or he must attend official NDPT meeting when their time allows for it." The 2010-2011 NDPT election campaign will include visits to Tibetan settlements in other parts of India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Plea to Release Journalists jailed in Tibet ......continued from frontpage (ATJ),Tashi Wangchuk said, "We want to appeal to the Chinese government to release all the journalists jailed in Tibet. Last year we made a public statement that we want to go to Tibet and so far there has been no sign of any acceptance of that statement. Nevertheless, we are ready to go to Tibet if the Chinese government permits us. We further request the
Chinese authority to allow all the Indian and international journalists to visit Tibet." Tashi stressed the importance of allowing visits by international media given that there is no media freedom in Tibet. Dorjee, a Tibetan journalist in-exile felt that "since there is lack of media freedom inside Tibet, this day to celebrate press freedom is an appropriate time to again ask the Chinese government to allow free
access for international media and Tibetan journalists, and enable them to assess the situation inside Tibet." Additionally, Yeshe Choesang, Tibet Correspondent for Reporters Without Borders said, "Throughout the region foreign journalists and media workers are banned. However, the selected reporters are not only strictly controlled by officials but also by prospects of social ostracism,
imprisonment, detention, and legal persecution. Indeed, not only journalists and writers, but even their defenders - lawyers and human rights advocates - are being arrested and harassed, and almost all websites of exiled groups are prohibited and blocked in Tibet and China." Yeshe further elaborated, stating that "Since the unrest in Tibet in March 2008, at least 50 Tibetans have been
arrested - and in some cases sentenced to long jail terms - for sending reports, photos or videos abroad. Many of them have been sentenced to between 3-15 years. A 54-year-old retired Tibetan doctor, Yeshi Choedon, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on charges of leaking secrets -essentially, disclosing information - to the outside world about the peaceful protests in March 2008."
TPI INTERNATIONAL
The Tibet Post
15 May , 2010 Dharamsala
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His Holiness Speaks in Catch Me, if You can: The Chinese Pursuit of Internet Hegemony Bloomington, Indiana whom drove hundreds and even thousands of miles just to get a glimpse of the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama giving teachings on The Heart Sutra at Indiana University Auditorium. Photo/ Richard E.Farkas/ TMBCC
Dharamshala: His Holiness started his U.S tour with a speech at the Bloomington centre in Indiana yesterday. The Dalai Lama spoke on the Heart Sutra is considered by some the best known and most popular of all Buddhist scriptures. People packed the Indiana University Auditorium Wednesday to get a life lesson from the Dalai Lama. Security was tight for the soldout lecture, which drew many who heard from the exiled Tibetan leader for the very first time. According to an audience member at the hearing, His Holiness basically talked about" very fine lines between being selfless, being happy, being compassionate but also being aware of who you are and where you are on the path". This speech drew thousands of people, some of
The Dalai Lama also called on people to practise religious tolerance, and advised people to look within their own beliefs and faith, before trying to decipher what other faiths had to say. His holiness also touched upon the issue of freedom for Tibet, when he said that he was committed to the middle way path to independence, but also said that as long as the question of history was concerned Tibet was a free nation. His holiness then attended the launch of a book, ‘Common Ground between Islam & Buddhism' which talks about the common ground shared by Islam and Buddhism in the domains of spirituality and morality. He also said that he was inspired by the meetings he had with Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan and their subsequent discussion on the promotion of religious harmony. The Dalai Lama will now spend another day teaching in Bloomington before taking his message to Indianapolis.
Building Temple May Bring Peace Between the Two Asian Giants ......continued from frontpage Constructed from Indian granite and marble, the structure marks 60 years of diplomatic ties between India and China and will be officially presented to the people on May 27. It was in 2003, during the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China that the idea was originally proposed. Since then, it has been completed in the ancient capital Luoyang of central China's Henan province. An architectural design competition was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs which saw New Delhi architects Akshaya Jain and Raka Chakravarty take on the project. Jain
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inspiration in the ancient Sanchi Stupa, built by emperor Asoka, in the area of Madhya Pradesh which is well known for its temples dating from the 3rd century B.C to the 12th Century A.D. The final design features a dome 63 feet tall and 80 feet in diameter, with a glass roof opening onto the Buddha statue. The statue itself is made from Chunar sandstone, the same as the Sarnath Buddha in Uttar Pradesh and stands 15 feet tall. Elsewhere at the temple there is a ‘toran' welcome gate, two ‘dwarapals' (gate keepers) and a specific shrine for the Buddha's feet to be worshiped called the ‘paduka'.
Imaginative users can find ways of searching for sensitive topics such as news about Falun Gong, a banned spiritual movement. In Google, entering the words "Falun Gong" will cause the entire results page to be blocked, but "FLG movement" will not. Many Chinese internet-users are well versed in configuring their internet browsers to route page requests through unblocked proxy servers outside China which help bypass the firewall. The Chinese Pursuit of Internet Hegemony
Dharamshala: Ten years ago Bill Clinton described China's efforts to restrict the internet as "sort of like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall". But as China's web-filtering technology has grown more sophisticated, and the ranks of its Internet police have swelled, some have begun to wonder. A report in 2003 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace suggested that, despite difficulties posed by the Internet to authoritarian regimes, it could also be used to fortify them. China, the authors concluded, had been "largely successful at guiding use" of the internet. At a congressional hearing in February on American companies involved in internet business in China, a Republican congressman, Christopher Smith, said the internet there had become "a malicious tool, a cyber sledgehammer of repression". The government has also spent freely to keep its liberating side-effects under control. The committed few that are brave or foolhardy enough to use the Internet to challenge the authorities now face a police force of some 30,000 online monitors, say foreign human-rights groups, such as Human Rights Watch. They also say that China has jailed over 50 people for expressing views online or in text messages. Worried about the forces unleashed by rapid economic and social change, China's leaders have stepped up their efforts in recent months to control not only the internet but other media too. A handful of outspoken newspapers have been closed and their editors sacked.
Attack on the blogs China is moving closer to a ban on anonymous blog ging. Reuter's reports that the Internet Society of China is recommending that bloggers use their real names when they sign up for a blog account. The report goes on to say that, "The Internet Society of China has recommended to the government that bloggers be required to use their real names when they register blogs, state media said on Monday, in the latest attempt to regulate freewheeling Web content. The society, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Infor mation Industry, said no decision had been made but that a 'real name system' was inevitable. "A real name system will be an unavoidable choice if China wants to standardise and develop its blog industry," the official Xinhua news agency quoted the Internet Society's secretary general, Huang Chengqing, as saying. "We suggest, in a recent report submitted to the ministry, that a real name system be implemented in China's blog industry," Huang said." The article goes on to say that bloggers can still use a pseudonym but only after registering their real name with the blog service. This is just a cover-up and a scheme by the Chinese government to tighten the noose around the neck of one of the very few bastions of free media that remain in the Chinese mainland. Everything is not lost... The firewall, however, is porous.
US search giant Google's decision to set up a self-censored version of its search engine in China this year whipped up a storm of criticism in America. iResearch, a Shanghai-based market-analysis firm, however, says China's Baidu, a state-run search engine, enjoys more than 56% of the search market; Google follows with less than a third, having been the leader three years ago. Popular features of Baidu's engine are its ability to link searches to related chat forums, and to hunt for MP3 music files, most of them pirated. Baidu's searches are not nearly as comprehensive as Google's. But selfcensorship, both by Baidu and by Google in its new China-based engine, still allows information that the party dislikes. For instance, news about the congressional hearing which concerned the censorship of Google in China-ignored by China's print media-can be found on both. For example, entering the Chinesecharacter equivalents of the words "Congress America internet freedom" into Baidu produces three prominent results relating to the hearing. All are blogs. Two even contain advertisements with links to pornographic websites. It is therefore virtually impossible for the mandarins at the Chinese censorship office to fully restrict access to the news. And as the old adage goes "You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time". The internet cannot be tamed, it is a free spirit and somewhere, there is a whisper in the wind that says "catch me if you can".
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15 May , 2010 Dharamsala
Lone Protester Calling for Proper Allocation of Earthquake Relief Arrested
A Tibetan woman crying after a deadly quake hit Kyigudo of eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: An exiled Tibetan returnee was arrested yesterday for staging a solo protest in front of Jokhang temple (Tsuglakhang) in Lhasa, according to confirmed inf or mation r e c e ived from a reliable source by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). Dharamshala: Samdup Gyatso, a 28-year-old, was arrested by around seven Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials during his brief solo protest in front of Tsuglakhang temple in Lhasa yesterday. According to sources, at around 3:20 PM (Beijing standard time) during the peak hour for religious activities around the Tsuglakhang temple, Samdup Gyatso staged a lone protest carrying the banned Tibetan national flag in his hand and had another stitched on the back of his shirt. He shouted slogans calling for the "quick return of the exiled Tibetan leader to Tibet", "release Panchen Lama" and "proper allocation and delivery of earthquake relief received from international donors to the much needed nomadic communities in Kyegudo." He was immediately arrested by PSB officials and whisked off in a police vehicle. There is no information on his current whereabouts. Samdup Gyatso was born into a nomad family in Haiyan County, Tsochang (Ch: Haibei) "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture" (‘TAP') in Qinghai Province. He was a former student of Sherab Gatsel Lobling, a Transit School for newly arrived adult Tibetan refugees in Dharamshala. Before that he was also a monk of Ja b d r u n g G a r t o k M o n a s t e r y. Samdup came into exile in November 2007 and studied for a year at Sherab Gatsel Lobling
School. In March 2008, he returned to Tibet via Tibet-Nepal border of Dram and was arrested for carrying several books of speeches by the Dalai Lama and subsequently detained at Shigatse PSB Detention Centre for one month. He was later shifted to Drapchi Prison where he spent the next six months. He returned to his hometown after his release from prison in October 2008. This is the second known case of a Tibetan being arrested in connection with the recent earthquake that devastated the Tibetan areas of Kyegudo (Ch: Yushu/Jiegu) in Qinghai Province, killing thousands of Tibetans and injuring tens of thousands. Earlier on 23 April, Tagyal, a renowned Tibetan writer in Xining was arrested for signing an open letter of condolence to the victims of the disaster that criticized the Chinese government's handling of the earthquake relief efforts. The open letter was written by a group of prominent Tibetan intellectuals based in Xining, Qinghai Province just three days after the earthquake. Tagyal writes with the pen name "Shogdung" (morning conch) and worked for the Nationalities Publishing House in Xining. TCHRD fiercely condemns the arbitrary arrest of Samdup Gyatso. His action constitutes nothing more than a peaceful exercise of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and other major international human rights covenants to which the PRC is a signatory. The Centre believes the grievances expressed by Samdup during the protest represent views shared by a broad spectrum of Tibetans in Tibet.
TPI TIBET
The Tibet Post
Repressive Conditions Force Tibetan Writer into an Early Resignation Dharamshala: Dawa Dorjee, editor for Path Magazine (Lambu), and renowned Tibetan writer, recently resigned from his post at the People's Investigation Centre in Nangrong County, Nyakchu district of eastern Tibet according to information received from sources by The Tibet Post International. There were multiple reasons behind his decision to leave his position on May 4th 2010. Firstly, as a minority, Dawa experienced much discrimination and duress at the hands of his Chinese superiors. Secondly, he was displeased with the large scale of corruption he witnessed in his workplace. Additionally, in order to retain his position, he was forced to denounce the separatism of Tibet, their leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and any activities promoting the independence and autonomy of Tibet. Dawa could not continue to maintain his patriotism within such an oppressive environment. Furthermore, Dawa felt his own personal commitment to be true to himself, as an honest and sincere
A Tibetan woman covered her mouth calling for more human rights in Tibet. Photo: TPI
human being, would be severely compromised if he continued to work under these strict and suppressive circumstances. Indeed, the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that devastated Kyigudo in eastern Tibet last month, killed thousands of people, and injured many more whilst also leaving nearly all the victims and their families homeless. Subsequently, Dawa lead a campaign to collect donations for
the earthquake relief efforts. However, the Chinese authorities obstructed him by declaring that if the donation exceeds 200 yuan, it would be regarded as a political contribution as opposed to aid for those affected by the Kyigudo disaster. This contradicts the past attitude adopted by the Chinese, notably with regards to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, where over 1000 yuan could be donated to the cause with no such consequences.
Exiled Women’s Group Donates for Earthquake-hit Tibet believe are the most vulnerable groups. It is estimated that 65 percent of the surviving population are women and children, including 1,500 orphans - most of whom are now homeless due to the destruction of 85 percent of homes in Kyegudo.
Tibetan womans and child quake hit Kyigudo of eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: In the wake of the disastrous earthquake that struck Kyegudo in eastern Tibet - leaving more than 2,000 dead, 10,000 injured and hundreds of thousands homeless - on April 14 this year, the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) and its 52 regional chapters have raised one million rupees (Rs. 1,000,000) for the quake survivors. Yesterday (28 April 2010), on the auspicious occasion of the 15th day of the month, the funds have been dispatched via the Yushu Earthquake Relief Fund of Tibet Foundation based in the United Kingdom. The donation is the largest TWA has ever contributed in its 51year history, and includes 20 percent of the April salaries of Central TWA's executive members and staff. Reports coming out of Tibet highlight the lack of food and water available to sur vivors of the earthquake, who are living off instant noodles and packaged/tinned food. The TWA's donation strives for immediate provision of clean drinking water and nutritious food for women and children, which they
TWA's main priority is to ensure that the funds it has raised reach the people who need it most. It is only through a careful study of several worthy aid organizations both in and outside Tibet engaged in relief operations in Kyegudo, and by consulting many responsible individuals -both Tibetans and nonTibetans - regarding the best channel to forward the donations collected, that the TWA has decided to send the funds through the Tibet Foundation. TWA arrived at the above decision mainly because Tibet Foundation is a legitimate UK registered charity (292400) with over 25 years of experience in successfully running aid projects in Asia; including relief work during natural disasters in Tibetan inhabited areas such as the snowstorm disaster in Sershul, East Tibet (Sichuan, 1995), the landslide disaster in Yushu, East Tibet (Qinghai, 2007) and the earthquake in Aba (Sichuan, 2008. Tibet Foundation works with close cooperation with the local people as well as Government authorities at various levels of administration. They have specifically asked the
donations to be used solely for humanitarian purposes, particularly in areas of health and poverty relief projects for the victims of the recent earthquake. The Tibet Foundation Yushu Earthquake Committee will implement disaster relief work based on need assessments carried out by their field officers, thereby ensuring utilization of established procedures for transparent monitoring and evaluation of project works. According to Dolkar Lhamo Kirti, acting TWA President, "The post earthquake relief efforts and the expression of solidarity and support from Tibetans, both inside and outside of Tibet, have been truly inspiring. TWA and its chapters will continue to raise funds and donate through the Yushu Earthquake Relief Committee, as the resettlement and rehabilitation work inside Kyegudo will last for a couple of years. TWA will strive hard to contribute in any possible way to strengthen the spirit of the earthquake survivors and to rebuild the beautiful town of Kyegudo." TWA also sends an earnest appeal to the Chinese Government to acknowledge the wishes of the Tibetan people, particularly the sur vivors of the Kyegudo earthquake, who are clinging on to the hope of a possible visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He Himself has expressed a strong intention to visit the ravaged area.
TPI INTERNATIONAL
The Tibet Post
Russia Ready to Help Reconcile China, Dalai Lama Buddhists in Russia. "If all the parties make attempts to separate clearly pastoral contacts from political associations, this would be a solution to the problem. We are ready to assist in this," Lavrov said. There are some 700,000 followers of Buddhism in the Russian Federation, or about 0.5% of the total population.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Photo/ TPI
Moscow: Russia is ready to help settle the conflict between China and the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday. Lavrov said that Moscow supports the development of interreligious and interconfessional ties, but is against aspects of religion that have been distorted into politics. "We are following carefully what is happening between the leadership of China and the Dalai Lama and we know that the Chinese leadership is deeply committed to the Dalai Lama dissociating himself from any kind of political activity and separatist tendencies in regard to one or another territory in China," Lavrov said during a speech at the
Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament. The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959, has repeatedly said he seeks autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China. Beijing accused the Nobel Peace Prize winner of orchestrating the March 2008 unrest in Tibet, which left 19 people dead and 623 injured, according to official Chinese reports. The Dalai Lama has denied the allegations. Lavrov said that occasional attempts to politicize the Dalai Lama's role as a spiritual leader do not bring any desired results, including the development of ties between the Dalai Lama and
China is repeatedly infuriated when world leaders meet with the Dalai Lama as China accuses him of heading a separatist group seeking independence for Tibet. China has always claimed Tibet as its territory and says it has autonomy.
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama Leaves for US Tour Dharamashala: Tibet's spiritual and political leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama left for the United States on Sunday for a 15 day tour of the country. His holiness the Dalai Lama is expected to deliver religious discourses at several venues and to have an audience with Tibetans-inexile in the US and Canada, ANI reports. Tibetan Prime Minister in-exile Prof Samdhong Rinpoche said: "His Holiness is going to the US for the second time this year. His first visit will be in Mongolian-Tibetan religious centres in some of the states.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the main temple in Dharamshala. Photo/ TPI
"Then thereafter he will also visit New York for religious teachings and also to meet the Tibetan community." His Holiness left the country at Kangra airport amid a host of students who had gathered to seeoff the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
Taiwanese President Expresses Support For Tibet's Autonomy
In February, U.S. President Barack Obama received the Dalai Lama at the White House, which led to a ......continued from frontpage souring of relations between Taiwan caused by an arms deal made Washington and Beijing. between the US and Taiwan in January this year. Ma Zhaoxu, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, urged the Ma justified the deal by explaining United States to seriously take into that the weapons are of a "defensive nature to defend Taiwan's account China's stance and stop democracy". The president also "supporting anti-Chinese separatist reiterated that. forces." Ma also stated in the interview that Last October, the Dalai Lama a "one country, two systems" model does not suite as a viable option for received an award from the U.S. Taiwan's future political situation, as Congress in honor of his human Taiwan is a full democracy and rights work. "elects [their] own president, [their]
own national parliament and [they] run [their] own business". While reiterating his inaugural speech that states Taiwan will "maintain the status quo, namely no unification, no independence". China does not recognize Taiwan's independence as a sovereign nation, as it considers it to be a renegade province of the PRC. However China also considers Inner Mongolia, East Turkestan and Tibet as part of itself even though the three regions were only invaded and taken over after the communists took power in Beijing in 1949.
Shanghai Expo 2010 – A Dazzling and Unprecedented World Fair ......continued from frontpage development over the last 20 years was evident at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. After winning the bid to host the Expo in 2002, Shanghai has spent a colossal amount in an effort to prepare the city infrastructure and clear the site for the event. The site is now packed with sculpture gardens, shops, national pavilions, a sports arena and a visually impressive performing arts centre. At least 70 million visitors, primarily Chinese, are expected to pavilions and exhibitions staged by countries and organisations from all over the world. The Expo has provided China with the opportunity to display its growing influence in the global sphere and improve relations with other
countries. With the opening ceremony held in the evening of April 30, security measures in Shanghai were been radically increased. Dozens of world leaders attended the ceremony which consisted of both indoor and outdoor events including performances by singers, dancer and a dazzling display of fireworks and lasers.
mammoth two hundred foot tall structure. India has a larger pavilion than many other countries due to its diverse culture and wide variety of ethnic groups, religions and languages. The main theme is "Unity is Diversity" and whilst the focus of the exhibit is interaction between rural and urban areas, the pavilion also showcases India's rich cultural heritage.
The theme of the World Expo is "better city, better life", and indeed the five central pavilions are dedicated to exploring different aspects of urban development. At the heart of the site covering 2.5 square miles sits the China pavilion, the "Oriental Crown", an edifice incorporating traditional Chinese architecture and design into a
Hundreds of thousands of people have already braved the Shanghai heat to visit the most expensive World Fair in history to date. Indeed among the VIPs who witnessed the World Expo's opening ceremony were two orphans who sur vived the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that devastated China's Qinghai
Province, traditionally Kyegundo in Kham Province of eastern Tibet, on April 14 last month. The death toll from the earthquake is still rising, over 12,000 people were injured and as many as 100,000 people have no home as a consequence of the catastrophe. However, ‘Reporters Without Borders', an international organisation fighting for press freedom, has reported that the Propaganda Department asked the media to reduce their coverage of the earthquake and increase features regarding the Shanghai Exhibition. Furthermore, The Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) is calling on Canadian leaders and tourists visiting the Shanghai Expo to put an extra wide berth between themselves and what organizers have offensively
ter med the "Heavenly Tibet" Pavilion. "This pavilion is a hopeless attempt to whitewash the government of China's human rights abuses in Tibet," said CTC executive director Dermod Travis. "There is nothing heavenly about Tibet for Tibetans when thousands have disappeared or been incarcerated for exercising their universal human rights since 2008." Event organizers state that the "Tibet Pavilion displays the unique charms of Tibetan culture, Tibetan people's patriotism, resolution to make progress, and aspiration for well-off life, peace and harmony, yet the CTC notes that in addition to its failure to depict human rights abuses under China's occupation, the pavilion will not even display a single photo of the Dalai Lama.
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15 May , 2010 Dharamsala
Blood and Tears the home of the exiled Tibetan government. Continued human rights violations, religious and cultural persecution, and limited economic opportunities forced almost 25,000 Tibetan refugees to leave their home in the 1980s, while several thousand per year still arrive in India and Nepal. Tibetan monk lights candles to show solidarity with fellow Tibetans at main temple in Dharamshala. Photo/ TPI
Dharamshala: The 20th century has been marked by unprecedented levels of violence and bloodshed committed in the course of religious and cultural persecution, ethnic conflict, totalitarianism, war, and genocide. Among the worst acts of violence include the Soviet pogroms against Ukrainian Kulaks, Nazi Germany's systematic destruction of Jews and Gypsies, and the Khmer Rouge's eradication of alleged opponents of socialism in Cambodia. More recently, by virtue of media images, we have witnessed ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda. The legacy of genocide remains in these countries, although the systematic slaughter of civilians has since ended. However, the same cannot be said regarding the genocide of the Tibetan people under Chinese occupation. To, this very day the Chinese government continues to detain, torture, and kill Tibetans in order to control the strategic land of Tibet. The reasons for the same are simple1) The occupation of Tibet provides China a border with India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan, as well as the natural barrier to any threats that the imposing Himalayas provide 2) Control of Tibet increases Chinese control over control of the bountiful land, water, and mineral resources of Tibet. The official Chinese reason for this illegal occupation is that china only wants to ‘liberate' Tibetans from poverty by opening their society to industrialization, but the real reason for this crime is only to increase the Tibetan dependence on the Chinese for employment, food, and social services. But the most serious issue is that of the cultural genocide, that is intended to destroy the traditional Tibetan customs and religions. As a consequence, the central system of belief and values that has always united Tibet is slowly but surely being lost. It is widely believed that approximately 1.2 million Tibetans, or one fifth of the population, died from starvation, execution, imprisonment, or torture during the Chinese invasion of Tibet. A failed Tibetan uprising in 1959 forced the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, to escape to India. Approximately 85,000 Tibetans followed their leader and soon began constructing Tibetan refugee settlements in India and Nepal. Today, there are about 100,000 Tibetan refugees living in Dharamsala, India,
Another tragedy confronting the Tibetan people is the question the internally displaced persons (IDPs) who remain in Tibet under the totalitarian regime of China. The most well known Tibetan IDP is Gendun Choekyi Nyima, who was named by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnated Panchen Lama. When the Chinese learned of the Dalai Lama's decision, they detained the 5 year-old boy, who has not been seen in public since 1995 and has been held incommunicado, removed from the Tibetan people and leadership. In response to the detention of Nyima, many human rights groups refer to the current Panchen Lama as the world's youngest political prisoner. Beyond detaining Nyima, the Chinese government appointed their own Panchen Lama, whom they intend to groom as a ‘puppet' for China. This action blatantly undermines Tibetan cultural integrity by invalidating the traditional selection process for locating a Panchen Lama.This is but one example of the blatant form of cultural genocide that is being practised by the Chinese government in Tibet Show Me the Money!! In spite of the grim reality of the situation in Tibet, very little is being done by the Chinese government or Western governments to alleviate the suffering of Tibetans. Economics have overshadowed any attempt to improve human rights in Tibet. China's explosive economic growth and vast population have captivated Western capitalists, who are willing to ignore human rights violations, such as repressive labor practices, when these violations contribute to an increase in business opportunities and profits. The primacy of profits over human rights is evident in China's recent admittance to the World Trade Organization, as well as in Beijing's being awarded the Olympic bid for the 2008 summer games. In the world of today where money talks, it is highly unlikely that the Obama Administration will let the ‘Tibet Question' interfere with economic relations with China. Therefore it is necessary for journalist, activists, and grass-roots organizations to promote ‘economic diplomacy' as a way to ameliorate the situation in Tibet. The media has an important role to play in spurring this shift to economic diplomacy by putting Chinese abuses in the spotlight. In the name of basic human morality and dignity, the world community must try and make more concrete efforts to end the human rights abuses being committed against Tibetan people. This would go some way in restoring the glory that these proud people once knew.
TPI
The Tibet Post
Russian Scholar Depicts Independent Status of Tibet Dharamshala: The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamshala was presented today with the most recent book in Russian on Tibet. The book is entitled 'Hidden Tibet: History of Independence and Occupation', and traces the history and development of Tibetan culture and religion from ancient times to the present day. Authored by Dr. Segius L. Kuzmin, Senior Scholar of Russian Academy of Sciences, the book was released on the March 10 2010, the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day. A summary and review of the piece by Nawang Rabgyal detailed the book as containing 12 chapters in 541 pages and 180 photographs, starting from geography of Tibet and origination of Tibetan people up to the present situation in occupiedTibet. He felt it to be the most comprehensive and convincing work in Russian language devoted to the question of Tibet. It depicts the history and development of Tibetan culture and religion, which makes very clear that Tibet, had its own independent and unique national identity. The book analyzes the Chinese traditional and geopolitical views as well as politics in respect to
to ancient Chinese conception of the emperor's global power. Its principles are being wrongfully transferred onto a nation state model in post-revolution China. Inclusion of Tibet into the People's Republic of China was not legitimate. Tibet is an occupied country."
"national minorities", and thus makes very clear why China misinterpreted Tibet as a state subordinate to China, or even the part of China, and why it is wrong. It analysis legal argumentation of the Tibetan question and depicts very clearly that according to international law Tibet has never lost her statehood and thus unequivocally Tibet is an occupied country.
Dr. Segius L. Kuzmin spoke at the presentation today. He discussed his book referring to the ancient history of both Tibet and China. He summarized that "Tibet has never been a part of any other country including China" and felt that as this is clear from the facts, it should from both a political and international perspective, be perceived as an occupied country. Dr. Kuzmin then talked of ancient Chinese history and through an analysis of this he depicts the "blurs" in the Chinese evidence against their claim to Tibet.
The book disproves some erroneous views on history of Tibet. In summary the author writes "Tibet has never been a part of any other state. At the time when China was an inseparable part of Mongolian Yuan Empire and Manchu Qing Empire, Tibet was a separate country but not a part of these empires. It was not a part of Chinese Tang and Ming Empire. Statement that Tibet was a part of neighboring empires is related
Tibetan prime minister and the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile attended the book event today, together with other dignitaries. The Director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives spoke of his great appreciation towards the author and thanked him for his book. He described it as "one of most comprehensive historical books on Tibet's legacy" and felt it was a good contribution.
Tibetan monk lights candles to show solidarity with fellow Tibetans at main temple in Dharamshala. Photo/ TPI
Chinese HIV/AIDS Activist Flees to US
China-based campaigner Wan Yanhai has fled to the US with his family. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
Dharamshala: Wan Yanhai, founder of a prominent AIDS advocacy group in China, has fled to the US with his family after increasing pressure and harassment from the Chinese authorities. Although Wan had become accustomed to aggravation from the Chinese government and authorities, in recent months Beijing has been tightening its control over the operations of independent groups and activists that are seen by the Communist leadership as threats to the government's authority. As such, the degree of pressure and stress had increased significantly and after dozens of intimidating phone calls, Wan fled to the US due to concerns for his personal safety. Wan Yanhai's departure comes less than a year after another Aids campaigner moved to America and serves to illustrate the toll that relentless official harassment takes
on activists in China, even those working on issues such as AIDS that are recognized by the government as legitimate concerns. Likewise, a renowned women's rights organization was shuttered last month, and more recently, two lawyers who represented a member of an outlawed spiritual movement were banned from practicing law for life. Wan founded the Beijing-based Aizhixing Institute in 1994 to raise awareness and fight discrimination. While he praised the government for strides it made on the issue in recent years - such as increasing funding and attempting to address the stigma of having the virus in China - the authorities were less tolerant of his work on sensitive issues, such as highlighting the cases of those who contracted HIV from blood transfusions. Wan had been detained and questioned several times, but said in recent months the stress escalated following checks by tax, education and propaganda officials, and the state administration for industry and commerce. Police recently interrupted a lecture he gave at the Southern China Science and Industry University on sexual orientation and mental health. Wan later heard that a notice had been sent to universities nationwide telling
them not to invite him to speak. Further more, in March the government decided to regulate overseas donations to aid groups. Wan expressed that these tightened regulations on foreign assistance to Chinese NGOs have caused major funding problems. The rule says groups such as Aizhixing must show proof that overseas nonprofit donor groups are registered in their home countries and strictly follow detailed agreements with foreign donors on how donated funds are spent. In recent years, China's government has made huge strides in openly addressing the spread of HIV, but it is deeply suspicious of independent activists, and Wan has one of the highest profiles among those working on AIDS in China. Wan's move was met with support by Chinese activists, many of whom posted messages on Twitter, although some also expressed regret at his departure and worries about the future of his organization. "I empathize with Wan's feelings. Although I feel a little regret toward his decision, still, I fully understand and wish them a happy life," said Zeng Jingyan, whose husband Hu Jia, another HIV/AIDS activist is serving a 3 1/2-year jail term for sedition.
The Tibet Post
TPI PHOTOS
15 April , 2010 Dharamsala
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Thank you Himachal Pradesh and its people
Prof Samdhong Rinpoche (the Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exileProfessor), Prem Kumar Dhumal (the honorable Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh), His Holiness The Dalai Lama and His Eminess Karmapa sit to begin the day’s celebration Photo: TPI
Both Indian, Tibetan and Nepalese audience members listen intently to the words of the ceremony celebrating 50 years since HH arrived in Dharamsala Photo: TPI
Prem Kumar Dhumal and His Holiness share a private word Photo: TPI
His Holiness greets the Minister of Industry for Himachal Pradesh, Shri Kishan Kapoor Photo: TPI
His Eminess Gyalwa Karmapa Rinpoche Photo: TPI
A beaming smile from His Holiness
Photo: TPI
His Holiness presents Prem Kumar Dhumal with the gift of a traditional Tibetan Thanka Photo: TPI
Prof Samdhong Rinpoche speaks to the audience Photo: TPI
Shri Kishan Kapoor also recieves a Tibetan Thanka from Prof Samdhong Rinpoche Photo: TPI
His Holiness is presented with a bouquet of flowers from Mrs Svita Kaki, Head of Dari town Photo: TPI
Members of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts perform a song during the ceremony Photo: TPI
Other members of the Institute also sing to thank Himachal Pradesh and its people Photo: TPI
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15 April , 2010 Dharamsala
TPI PHOTOS
The Tibet Post
Thank you Himachal Pradesh and its people
His Holiness and Mr. Virbhadra Singh, Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh greet the crowd gathered at the Main Temple of Dharamsala on the second day of celebrations Photo: TPI
His Holiness the Dalai Lama presents a Buddhist scroll to Mr. Virbhadra Singh, Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Also in attendance were former state ministers and lawmakers, Mrs. Chandresh Kumari, (1st L) and Mr. G. S. Bali (1st R). Photo: TPI
His Holiness shares a joke with a local senior resident Photo: TPI
The Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, discusses proceedings with Mr. Virbhadra Singh Photo: TPI
His Holiness and Mr. Virbhadra Singh show their unity Photo: TPI
His Holiness presents a grateful local resident with gifts including a shawl, a traditional Tibetan white scarf and hat Photo: TPI
His Holiness offers Mr. Virbhadra the traditional Tibetan white scarf Photo: TPI
The President of the Dharamsala Press Club receives a Tibetan Thanka Photo: TPI
His Holiness gives a smile to the local Indian senior citizens Photo: TPI
Tibetan monks say a joint prayer at the ceremony Photo: TPI
Mr G.. S. Bali is also presented with a traditional Tibetan white scarf by His Holiness Photo: TPI
The Prime Minister of Tibet,. Sandong Rinpoche, views the photo exhibition at the Museum of Kangra Arts; the exhibition focuses on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Mahatma Gandhi's message of peace Photo: TPI