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འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་གསར་འཕྲིན།
Contact
A Free Monthly Publication For Tibetan Issues and Community Information RGD No. HPENG/2013/51798 Volume: XVIII Issue: 7 31 JULY 2016
Tibetan Heroes Day
Rinpoche’s Niece Speaks Out
by Lauren Chaplin Tibetan political prisoner Yeshe Choedron has been awarded the inaugural Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Medal of Courage. This award commemorates the first anniversary of Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s death and also marks the launch of Tibetan Heroes Day. Organised by several Tibetan non-government organisations, including the Continued on page 3
by Mary Trewartha Nyima Lhamo, 26, the niece of the late Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, has escaped from Tibet and arrived in Dharamshala. Her uncle was a revered monk and political prisoner who died in a Chinese prison last year under unexplained circumstances. His imprisonment had generated worldwide interest and calls for his release.
Monastery Demolition
Worldwide Celebration
by Tenzin Samten Chinese authorities have begun demolition work at Larung Gar, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist centre, located in Serta County in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous region in the Sichuan province. The scheme will halve the population of the monastery, reducing it to 5,000 people. Radio Free
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by Tenzin Samten Tibetans and Buddhist devotees all over the world gathered in large numbers to celebrate the 81st birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on July 6. His Holiness celebrated the day at Mungod Tibetan settlement in South India where he was joined by the
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Contact News
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about lha & contact Contact, a free monthly magazine published by Lha Charitable Trust, is a recognised and registered publication under the Registrar Office of the Newspaper, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. The registration number is HPENG/2013/51798. Acknowledged by Lonely Planet and other international travel resources, Contact has been a popular source of news and information on Tibetan issues, and the Dharamshala community, for over 18 years. 700 - 1,000 copies are printed per issue and distributed in the Dharamshala area, Delhi, and various diplomatic missions of India. Copies are also sent to various Tibetan schools, settlements, offices and NGOs in India and abroad. Please Note: The articles, stories and other material in Contact represent the views of the authors and are not necessarily the views of the Contact editing staff or Lha Social Work. All comments on this issue should be submitted by email to: editor@contactmagazine.net
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Tibetan Heroes Day Continued from page 1
International Tibet Network, the Tibetan Women’s Association and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) India, this award recognises Choedron’s courage and dedication to promoting justice and human rights for Tibetans. Yeshe Choedron, a retired doctor, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Chinese authorities for allegedly providing state secrets to the Central Tibetan Administration, formerly known as the Tibetan Yeshi Choedron government-inexile. The Chinese government has not responded to frequent questions about her case, and in April 2016 a reliable Tibet Post International
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Asia (RFA) reported that demolition commenced in the early morning of July 20. The work crew, who were all Chinese, were accompanied by police and government officials. “The work started at 8:00 am on July 20, beginning with those structures that were not already recorded in the government’s record of permitted dwellings,” said RFA’s source. Senior abbots of the centre Khenpo Tsultrim Lodroe and Khenpo Rigdar called on the residents to stay calm and restrain themselves from opposing the work in progress. Khenpo Tsultrim Lodroe advised people not to think that “everything is finished” in an undated audio circulating on Wechat. He said that if they look back in a few years they will find that it was not the worst thing that happened. He further added that protesting against the planned demolition would only make conditions worse at their institution. RFA’s source reported that the centre’s residents are “filled with sadness, sorrow and worry”. He said they felt there was nothing they Contact
(TPI) source reported that her health was weak. Choedron has not seen her children since her prison term began in 2008. Dolma Yangchen, President of the Tibetan Women’s Association, received the award on Choedron’s behalf. “By honouring Yeshe Choedron we pay tribute to her courage and the courage of thousands of other Tibetans in or from Tibet who have spent years of their lives unfairly imprisoned or detained for the important role they have played in the struggle for Tibetan freedom,” said Yangchen. The award is named after Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a highly respected Tibetan spiritual teacher who died under mysterious circumstances on July 12, 2015. His relatives allege that he might have been poisoned, claiming that they saw his skin and nails turn black. At the time of his
Monastery Demolition could do and that their future was uncertain. Tibetans and supporters are circulating photographs of what is happening at the monastery on social media sites and expressing their grief and anger. A student of Larung Gar questioned the move by asking if the only option
Larung Gar Budhist Academy Photo: Daily Mail UK
to solve the over-population is destroying the houses, then why is the same policy not implemented in the Chinese cities and towns where the population is overcrowded? He continued by asking where the equality, rule by law, public welfare, religious freedom and equal rights of 3
news & issues death he was serving a life sentence in Chuandong Prison in the Chinese city of Chengdu. Prior to his death, the Chinese authorities had ignored repeated calls made by Tibetans and international bodies to release him on medical parole. Rinpoche was popular among Tibetans for his campaigns to protect Tibetan culture and religion from repressive Chinese policies, and also for his efforts to protect Tibet’s fragile environment by opposing illegal mining and river pollution. The announcement of this award was accompanied by the launch of Tibetan Heroes Day which is to be an annual event to mark and celebrate the continued courage of the Tibetan people.
all nationalities (as China used to say) are if you crush down the houses of innocent religious practitioners who are living simple lives. This student is quoted by Free Tibet, a London-based non-government organisation. “They are making around 5,000 monks and nuns homeless. China likes to talk about religious freedom, but their actions at Larung Gar cannot be justified. [These actions] show us how [Chinese officials] really feel about Tibetan Buddhism,” said Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, director of Free Tibet. Larung Gar’s population will be reduced from 10,000 to 5,000 by 2017. Orders were given to evict the first phase of residents by October 30; punishments for not meeting this deadline were also announced. A petition has been set up by “Safeguarding Buddhism” on change. org. It aims to achieve 75,000 signatures and will be delivered to the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations. At the time of going to press this petition has over 72,000 signatures. JULY 2016
news & issues
Arrests and Releases Inside Tibet this Month
Jul 27: Former Monk Jailed Argya Gya, a former monk at Kirti Monastery in Sichaun’s Ngaba County, has been imprisoned for his involvement in a WeChat group which celebrated last year’s 80th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He is the second Tibetan to be arrested because of this group: a monk named Lodroe has also been imprisoned. Gya has previously served a three year sentence in connection with a self-immolation in 2011.
Jul 26: Not Forgotten Lodroe, a Tibetan monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba and missing since November last year, has been located by his family at a prison in Lunggu in Ngaba, Sichuan. He was taken into custody on November 18, on charges which have never been divulged although it is believed he may have been detained for celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday. July 20: Monk Released Lobsang Tenzin, a monk from Thangkor Soktsang monastery in Dzoege County, Ngaba, has been released after serving two and half years in prison. Lobsang was arrested in 2013 with two other monks in connection with a self-immolation which took place on July 20, 2013 Continued from page 1
July 20: Secret Trial Lobsang, 23, a Tibetan monk in southwestern China’s Sichuan province, has been sentenced to three years in prison after a trial held in secret and without his family being informed. He staged a solitary protest last September in Ngaba county opposing Beijing’s rule in Tibetan areas, and was tortured and beaten during ten months of detention. His family is concerned about his health. July 16: Khenpo Kartse Released Khenpo Kartse, also known as Khenpo Karma Tsewang, the popular religious figure and abbot of Jhapa monastery in Kham Nangchen, was released on June 6 after serving his two and a half year sentence but he is still not allowed to return to his monastery. Details of his health are not known. Khenpo was arrested on December 7, 2013 on suspicion of involvement in anti-state activities. July 14: Solo Protest Kunchok Dolma, a mother of two, apparently in her twenties, was detained for staging a solo protest in
Ngaba. She walked down the street known locally as Heroes Road, wearing a white dress and carrying a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and was immediately arrested. News of her arrest was delayed due to restrictions on communication channels in Ngaba. July 1: Missing Nun Dead News has emerged of Yeshi Lhadron, a nun from Dragkar nunnery in Kardze county in Kham province, who was arrested in 2008 during a peaceful protest against China’s rule. She has been missing since then, her family unable to find her. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has now reported that Lhadron’s family has concluded that she died in police custody, as word of her death has been leaked by her nurses. June 30: Beaten to Death Yudruk Nyima, a Tibetan man in his 40s, was reportedly beaten to death while in Chinese police custody. He was arrested in Rokhog village on June 20 while returning home from collecting Yartsa Gunbu (caterpillar fungus). Police accused him of being in possession of a gun and claimed he died on his way to hospital. Nyima is from the Zamkha division of Zakhog village in Kham Kardze.
Rinpoche’s Niece Speaks Out
Nyima Lhamo and her mother Dolkar were detained shortly after Rinpoche died on suspicion of sharing details about his death, they were released without charge after 18 days. Nyima has told her story at a press conference in Dharamshala, saying that during her interrogation in Tibet she and her mother accused the authorities of having poisoned Rinpoche.Their release was on condition of not sharing information about Rinpoche or making accusations that he was poisoned. They refused to sign these conditions despite warnings that they risked imprisonment for their Contact
by Kunchok Sonam, a monk aged 18. The two monks arrested with Lobsang are still in prison serving out their sentences.
family if they did not comply and their release was only secured when their
village leader signed to agree to their conditions of release on their behalf. 4
Nyima said that following Rinpoche’s death, the authorities in Tibet have banned prayer services and the building of a stupa in his honour. Photos of Rinpoche and pamphlets about him are also banned and she says that the authorities are planning to take control of his reincarnation. Nyima decided to escape from Tibet so she could tell the world what is going on, despite riskingthe lives of her family at home by doing so. She hopes to raise awareness which will precipitate a full investigation into Rinpoche’s death. Nyima left behind her aging mother and a six year old daughter she may never see again. JULY 2016
news & issues
Mining Stopped by Dorji Kyi Peaceful protests by Tibetans in the Ngaba region in Sichuan province have succeeded in effecting a temporary halt to mining activities near a sacred mountain. Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that the Chinese authorities called a halt to mining operations there during the last week of June. A Tibetan resident of the area told RFA that the project has been temporarily stopped and it is believed this is due to the strength of local resistance and coverage of the protests by international media, “Appeals by Tibetans in Akhore town to local and central authorities may also have played a role,” RFA’s source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The Tibetans in the area know
very well that the mining project on the sacred mountain near Akhore is a part of China’s broader mining plans, and that they can resume mining in the area whenever they choose to do so”, he continued. Tibetans living in Akhore town in Ngaba’s Chuchen County have been protesting against the project since the beginning of March 2013. On May 20 this year Chinese armed police were sent into the area to control protestors who were trying to stop a road construction in the area which they believed to be connected to a mining operation on a nearby sacred mountain. Chinese police issued warnings
and threatened the Tibetan protesters with serious consequences if they continued their protests. Chinese police beat protesters, some of whom were seriously injured, and arrested seven, releasing them after a few weeks. China’s extraction of minerals and natural resources in Tibet has brought massive environmental degradation, including the destruction of grasslands, landslides and pollution of water resources. Many of the Tibetan people who have self-immolated raised their voices against China’s destruction of Tibet’s environment. The numerous anti-mining protests have succeeded in halting some mining activities but it is understood that these halts are only temporary and that operations could resume at any time.
Film Director Hospitalised Following Abuse in Detention by Tenzin Samten The Film Directors Guild of China has demanded more information about the mistreatment of the Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden who was hospitalised after his detention by Chinese police at the airport in Xining city, causing concern to Tibetans in Tibet and worldwide. Pema Tseden, 45, was arrested at Xining airport on June 25. He was interrogated for one night and placed in a detention centre for five days where he sustained cuts and injuries to his hands. Police reportedly said that he was arrested for disturbing public order. The Film Directors Guild of China released a statement which read “We call on the related departments to quickly respond to society’s concerns and make the whole cause public, including the reason for the enforcement methods used by the police and whether their procedures were within the rules, whether there are questions of the use of violence or excessive enforcement.” Sonam, a producer who works with Contact
him, said that Tseden had returned to the baggage area to retrieve a forgotten bag and was challenged by airport staff who said he should not have re-entered the area. Police were called in to intervene and they ordered his detention for “disturbing social order”. “The security officers grabbed him by the hair, handcuffed him behind his back and dragged him to the station,” said Sonam, adding that while in detention, T s e d e n Pema Tseden suffered from high blood pressure, chest pain and headaches severe enough to cause hospitalisation. The airport police have denied any wrongdoing saying that he had refused to “cooperate”. Tseden’s films The Silent Holy Stones (2005), Old Dog (2011), The Sacred Arrows (2014) and Tharlo (2015) focused on preserving Tibetan 5
culture. At the time of his arrest he was on his way to Qinghai province to promote his latest film, Tharlo, which is an adaptation of his novel and reflects upon changes in Tibet and the damage caused by attempts to modernise rural life. The Silent Holy Stones won him the Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial debut while Tharlo won the Best Adapted Screenplay at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards. Pema Tseden is the first director to make a film entirely in Tibetan. He studied film making at China’s most prestigious film school, the Beijing Film Academy. Before that he studied Tibetan language and literature at the Northwest University for Nationalities. On July 11, Tseden posted a statement on Wiebo, the Chinese messaging app. In it he calls for a “clear investigation” into his mistreatment, and states that he is currently in hospital, using an “oxygen mask” and undergoing “injection treatments.” The post was accompanied by a photo of him on an IV drip. JULY 2016
news & issues
Worldwide Celebration Continued from page 1
leader and speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and Khenpo Sonam Tenphel respectively. The Tibetan community in Dharamshala marked the day with a mass prayer and celebration in Tsuglakhang, the main temple. Hundreds of Tibetans, friends and visitors attended the formal ceremony which was followed by performances of traditional songs and dances. Presiding over the event was the Home Minister (Kalon) Sonam Topgyal Khorlatsang (representing Sikyong) who said, “On behalf of the Kashag and Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, I would like to express our deepest reverence to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” Deputy Speaker ArcharyaYeshi Phuntsok and Mr Ajay Singh Mankotia, President of Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association were also in attendance and statements from the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and the Kashag were read out. A Hindi version of Vijay Kranti’s comic book Dalai Lama – Soldier of Peace and a book on the life of former Tibetan political prisoner Lobsang Tenzin were launched during the event. However, Tibetans in Nepal were denied holding any celebration for His Holiness’ birthday despite permission
having been initially given. The Tibetan community in Kathmandu had been making preparations for weeks for the celebration to be held at the Songtsen Brikuti school in Boudhanath but the several hundred who gathered for the event were disrupted by Nepalese police. Around 30 Tibetans were detained, including
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Photo:OHHDL
the Tibetan Settlement Officer, as police forced the Tibetans to cancel the celebration and remove their portraits of the Dalai Lama and other offerings. Local sources are reported as believing that Nepal succumbed to pressure from China as the authorities initially gave permission to hold the celebration. “No one can stop us from respecting and loving His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” a Tibetan living in Nepal posted on Facebook. Nepal is home to more than 20,000
Tibetans. The birthday was celebrated in Tokyo in Japan on July 2, and on July 3, Tibetans and friends of Tibet in Taiwan marked His Holiness’ birthday with prayers, music concerts, photo exhibitions and a film screening attended by around 600 people. Tibetans living in the West also held events held in honour of His Holiness’s birthday. Mr Thomas Mann, a German MEP and Chair of the Tibet Interest Group spoke on behalf of the European Union: “You are and you will be a role model of a peaceful human approach in every situation of life. For your 81st birthday, we promise to continue our work here in the European Parliament”, while in London, England, the Office of Tibet hosted a reception. Tibetans inside Tibet are normally unable to show their joy and celebration on His Holiness’s birthday. However, according to a Voice of America report, despite the risks, Tibetans in Lithangin Sichuan province held a celebration at Tsenyi Monastery, displaying butter lamps and a large portrait of His Holiness while monks held a prayer service for His Holiness’ long life. Lunch followed, and celebratory dances by local Tibetans. Tibetans in Lithang were reportedly summoned to a meeting before the celebration and warned to keep it low profile.
Will the Karmapa Visit Sikkim?
by Tsering Wangdue In Sikkim, over 5,000 followers of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, gathered for the Peace and Aspiration Rally on the streets of Gangtok on July 10. Their message was to urge the central government of India to allow Gyalwa Karmapa to visit Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, his official seat. Tibetans, monks and devotees at the rally carried large portraits of Gyalwa Karmapa, Buddhist flags and slogans reading “It’s now time that our dharma guru visits Sikkim”, “Please allow Karmapa to visit and bless Sikkim” Contact
and “Government of India, you have sovereign power to allow Karmapa to visit Sikkim”.
Monks and devotees at the rally Photo:OHHDL
The rally organisers said “We the people of Sikkim unanimously resolve that the Government of India must immediately grant permission 6
to Gyalwa Karmapa to visit and bless Sikkim.” A hunger strike is taking place and the strikers have pledged to continue until their demand is met. The rally was joined by the former Sikkim CM Narbahadur Bhandari. The state government of Sikkim has announced measures to welcome the Karmapa, should he be allowed to come, in accordance with his standing as Karmapa, but there are reports that other claimants to the throne of the Karmapa have raised objections over this move by the Sikkim Government. Continued on page 10 JULY 2016
news & issues
Training in International Diplomacy and Advocacy
by Tenzin Samten Staff and representatives of the Offices of Tibet, together with selected staff from the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), attended a training session on international diplomacy and advocacy at Heritage Village in Gurgaon, south of Delhi, from July 18. The five day session was organised by the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the CTA. Topics covered by the training included Tibetan history, foreign offices of Tibet, India’s role in Sinoby Lauren Chaplin The Tibetan Task Force on Negotiations met in Dharamshala on July 15 and 16, its 28th meeting to date. A body of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Task Force is dedicated to resolving the issue of Tibet peacefully. The Task Force discussed political developments in China, issues relating to future dialogue with the leadership of the People’s Republic of China and international political developments. The meeting was chaired by the Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile, Dr Lobsang Sangay. He reaffirmed the Tibetan leadership’s desire for the peaceful resolution of Tibetan issues
Tibetan issues, engaging world media to sustain the Tibetan cause, Chinese outreach, the United Nations and issues relating to Tibet, the legacy of HH the Dalai Lama, relations between Tibetans inside Tibet and the CTA. Thirty five participants attended, including staff from the Offices of Tibet across the world, DIIR staff and other representatives from CTA departments. They had the opportunity to hear from a wide range of people with expertise in foreign affairs and international advocacy. Speakers included four former Indian Foreign
Task Force Underway and restated their commitment to the Middle Way Approach. Speaking to Asian News International, Dr Sangay made the following statement: “This is the first task force where we are discussing many of the developments in China, in Tibet, and internationally, including Brexit [Britain’s decision to leave the European Union] and the United States election and India and the South China Sea Philippines case – everything. [We’re] trying to assess where we are and what’s happening all over the world, what’s happening in China, and [if] there [is] a prospect for dialogue where envoys of his Holiness the Dalai Lama could meet
Secretaries, Dr Shashi Tharoo who is a current member of Indian Parliament and a famous author, Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, Ambassador Nirupama Rao, Ambassador Shyam Saran, Ambassador Lalit Mansingh, as well as leading Tibetans from this field including Kasur Tashi Wangdi, Kasur Tempa Tsering and Thupten Samphel, Director of the Tibet Policy Institute. This is the second such training organised by DIIR. The first was held in 2015 in Washington DC in America. with their Chinese counterparts.” Dr Sangay went on to describe Chinese foreign policy as “nationalistic” and Chinese domestic policy as “repressive”. He added, “The envoys of the Dalai Lama are ready to meet the Chinese representatives anytime, anywhere.” The Task Force on Sino-Tibetan Negotiations was formed in 1999 to recommend policies and strategies to find a peaceful and mutually agreeable resolution to the issue of Tibet. It pursues the Middle Way Approach, which would provide genuine autonomy for Tibetans without granting Tibet full independence from China.
HRW Reports Increased State Control for Tibetans
by Lauren Chaplin Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a report entitled Detention and Prosecution of Tibetans under China’s Stability Maintenance Campaign,detailing the increase of “state control over daily life” for Tibetans. The report also shows that the Chinese authorities’ tolerance towards expression and assembly has decreased. Analysing 479 cases of Tibetans detained or tried from 2013-15 for political offences, HRW writes“our research found that many of those detained and prosecuted were local community leaders, environmental Contact
activists, and villagers involved in social and cultural activities, as well as local writers and singers”, noting a shift in the behaviour of the authorities, who, in the past, have overwhelmingly focused on the detention of Buddhist monks and nuns. Additionally, “almost all the protests and detentions identified in this report occurred in small towns or rural townships and villages rather than in cities”, suggesting the increase of dissent in rural areas. The report also notes the “transfer of some 21,000 officials to villages and monasteries in the TAR” and “the deployment of nearly 10,000 police in 7
Tibetan villages in Qinghai”. HRW comments on the drive to “end self-immolations among Tibetans”, leading to a surge in related detentions and prosecutions. Also mentioned is that 2.9 percent of detainees “were reported to have died in custody or shortly after release, allegedly as a result of mistreatment”. “The failure of the central government and local authorities to end these abusive policies and roll back intrusive security and surveillance measures raises the prospect of an intensified cycle of repression and resistance in a region already enduring extraordinary restrictions on basic human rights”, the report concluded. JULY 2016
news & issues
Outrage as “Fake Panchen” Delivers Kalachakra Teaching
by Lauren Chaplin Tibetan activist groups have voiced their outrage at the fact that the Chinese appointed Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu delivered the Kalachakra initiation at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet. Commonly referred to as the “fake Panchen”, this is Norbu’s biggest
Gyaltsen Norbu Photo: Getty Images/Liu Jin
religious platform so far. It comes after years spent living in Beijing, being groomed by the Chinese for a greater religious and political role. Additionally, the order that every Tibetan family in Shigatse must provide at least two participants for the event has been described as “no more than a show of political clout” from Beijing by activist and Chitue or Member of the Tibetan Parliament-inExile Dorjee Tseten. Gyaltsen Norbu was handpicked by the Chinese government in 1995, despite the fact that Gendun Choekyi Nyima had already been recognised by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. Just three days after being recognised, six-year old Nyima was abducted by the Chinese, making him the world’s youngest political prisoner. He has not been seen since. Activists have campaigned for the release of Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, but the Chinese government has been uncooperative. His current condition and whereabouts continue to remain unknown. On July 20, the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) released a statement strongly condemning the Chinese government for its involvement in Contact
orchestrating a Kalachakra teaching by the “fake” Panchen Lama. They asserted that “this calculated move is another one of Beijing’s strategies to claim their right over everything Tibetan despite the glaring contradiction that a communist government is heavily involved in conducting the affairs of Tibetan religious traditions”. TYC President Tenzing Jigme added, “It is apparent from this move that China realises that despite 67 years of occupation it has not been able to control the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people and will go to great lengths to attempt to gain that control.” TYC also suggests that this Kalachakra teaching is a “publicity stunt to try and win over the Tibetan people” after the Chinese government ordered the demolition of part of Tibet’s largest Buddhist centre Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Serthar Country, Kardze, to reduce by half the number of monks and nuns in the monastery. On July 21, Tibetan nongovernment organisations protested against the Kalachakra teaching in Shigatse at the Tibetan National Martyrs’ memorial in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala. The demonstration was organised by Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), the Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet, the Democratic Party for Tibet and the Tibetan Women’s Association. Attendees offered khatags (traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarves) to a portrait of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the Panchen Lama recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.The National Director of SFT Tenzin Tselha, said “let’s give a strong message to China that faith cannot be imposed upon or controlled by a gun.” Despite having given headtouching blessings to 1.5 million Buddhists, the Chinese appointed Norbu has not been accepted by Tibetan Buddhists, who commonly refer to him as the “fake Panchen”. The Central Tibetan Administration believes him to be a puppet controlled 8
by the Chinese government. Norbu currently serves as the Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China and is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body. The Kalachakra, or Wheels of Time Empowerment, is a profound Buddhist initiation which dates back
Gendun Choekyi Nyima at the age of six
to Buddha Sakyamuni’s first teaching, and shows the way of actualising perfect enlightenment. It is regarded as the essence of all Buddhist teachings and is given by a senior Lama to help Tibetan Buddhists through the cycle of life; it is considered to be the most important initiation in Buddhism. Last given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet in 1956, he has since delivered it 33 times in India, and in other countries, including the United States. His next Kalachakra teaching is scheduled for January 2017 at Bodhgaya in North India. The current Kalachakra teaching is being held at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, traditionally the summer residence of the Panchen Lamas. L a r g e L E D screens w e r e installed for the Kalachakra Mandala e v e n t, Photo:Dalailama.com a l o n g with an altar decorated in yellow cloth embossed with Tibetan designs. Updates about the ceremony are being announced over WeChat, a Chinese messaging service. JULY 2016
news and issues
Chinese Tibet Development Forum Criticised by Lauren Chaplin Washington based advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has questioned the integrity of a recent Tibet Development Forum in Lhasa which sought to invoke international support for the Chinese government’s Lhasa Consensus. The two day forum, held on July 7 and 8, was organised by China’s State Council Information Office (SCIO), and was attended by more than 130 representatives from over 30 countries, including officials, researchers and journalists. However, critics of China’s policies in Tibet were barred from attending, including German politician Markus Rudolph and Michael Brand, Chairman of the German Parliament or Bundestag’s Human Rights Committee. The forum, headed by China’s Liu Qibao who is a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China and head of the Propaganda Department,
discussed five themes, including poverty alleviation in Tibet and green development. According to the China Daily, the forum concluded with “participants reaching a consensus on the autonomous region’s development [and] cultural and environmental protection”. The ICT countered that “the consensus produced last week used a smokescreen of opaque terminology to attract the backing of foreign delegates and convince them that China’s policies, which are having a devastating impact on Tibet’s fragile environment, are aimed at the conservation of the plateau”. This statement is endorsed by climate change research which has shown Tibet to be warming nearly three times as fast as the rest of the world. Pointing to specific examples, ICT allege that China has misleadingly described large scale dam-building as “water conservation” and
displacement of nomads from grasslands as “environmental protection”. “It is astonishing that foreign individuals representing respectable institutions would endorse Beijing’s propaganda, while hundreds of Tibetan political prisoners are still in jail for expressing their views,” said ICT President Matteo Mecacci. Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, director of the London based non-government organisation Free Tibet also commented, saying that “the reality of economic development in Tibet is that the majority of Tibetans are marginalised spectators as Chinese migrants and businesses harvest the benefits of Beijing’s policies”. Participants in the forum were also given guided tours of key areas in Lhasa and Lhoka province. This move was denounced by Mecacci, who argued that participating in “Potemkin tours” does not contribute to the credibility of the forum participants.
Olympic Tibetans by Dorji Kyi Two Tibetan athletes, Choeyang Kyi, 26, a race walker, and Topgyal, 22, a marathon runner, will take part in the 2016 Olympics from August 5 to 21 in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. These two individuals are participating in two different events to represent the People’s Republic of China. Choeyang Kyi, who was also the first Tibetan woman to take part and win a medal in the Olympics, was born in Tsochang, Amdo (in Eastern Tibet). She won Choeyang Kyi the bronze medal in 2012 London Olympic Games in race walking but was later announced as the silver medalist when the Russian athlete Olga Kaniskina, who won the silver medal in the race, Contact
was disqualified following a failed drug test. When she won the medal, the Associated Press quoted Choeyang Kyi as saying, “I’m extremely honoured to take part as the first representative of the Tibetans at the Olympic Games and to win a medal,” The middle distance runner Topgyal was born in Dagze County in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa. Even though this will be his first Olympics, he has taken part in many international and domestic games since 2012, winning many medals, according to the China Tibet news website. The same website mentions that Tobgye’s participation in the Olympic Games not only shows that Tibet’s competitive sports level has been improved, but also demonstrates to the world that Tibet has gained great achievements in social and economic development. According to China’s news website www.zxxw.com, a Tibetan archer named Dorjee Choeying was the 9
first ever Tibetan to take part in the Olympics. He represented China in 1988 at Seoul, South Korea. “Many of the Tibetans in exile have a mixed f e e l i n g about the participation of these Tibetans in the Olympics as they are representing China,” said Topgyal Dorjee, a Tibetan living in Dharamsala, India. “We are proud of them and their achievements but it is incredibly sad that they are not able to represent Tibet,” he added. Even though Tibetans are not known to be great athletes, we have traditional sports including horse racing, archery, rope pulling, running and stone lifting, which all encourage Tibetans to be healthy and strong. JULY 2016
news & ISSUES
Land Grab Profiteers by Tenzin Samten Tibetans in Riwoche county in Tibetan Autonomous Region’s Chamdo Prefecture have become the latest victims of land grab inside Tibet at the hands of local Chinese officials. They are either forced to sell their land, which they have owned for generations, at a minimal cost or threatened with being put behind bars, reports Radio Free Asia (RFA). RFA’s source said that the Tibetan residents were told that the land belonged to the local government, or the ruling Chinese government, and they were offered compensation of 25 Yuan ($4, £3) per square metre of land. Those who refused to sell on these terms were threatened with imprisonment. “The same piece of land could easily bring from 1,500 to 2,000 Yuan (around US$250, £200) in the current market,” RFA’s source added. Local Chinese officials are selling the lands grabbed from the Tibetans on to Chinese developers at a profit. The developers build new apartments to sell back to the Tibetans, again for profit. “These officials are secretly colluding with the builders to make profits at the common people’s expense,” said the source, who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity. Local government officials reportedly called a meeting with Tibetans at the end of May to tell them of their intention of taking their land for more development. However, according to the sources, the meeting
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farmers in other Chinese regions have also become victims of government land grabs. One example that has been reported internationally is that of Wukan, a village in the coastal province of Guangdong in southeast China. In September 2011, the villagers of Wukan ousted their whole team of government officials under allegations of corruption following the sale of village land by the government to real estate developers without the
agreement of the original owners or proper compensation for them. To ease the tension, Wukan was allowed to democratically elect their new village chief and council members. Then last month, that democratically elected village chief, Lin Zuluan, was detained for corruption. His confession was later telecasted and his detention sparked renewed protest in Wukan. However, prior to his detention, Lin had posted a letter on Weibo, China’s most popular microblogging site, announcing his intention to organise a mass protest against further illegal seizure of land. The villagers believe that Lin was in fact arrested to stop him organising a protest campaign against further land grab and that his confession was forced. Photos and videos of Wukan residents demonstrating for the release of their leader, the village surrounded by police, were shared online. According to a report published by foreignpolicy.com, “Wukan” and “villagers” became the most censored words on Weibo on June 19 and 20. According to a report published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, China’s government land grabs are one of the main reasons behind the unrest among villagers and farmers in China. Their report states that the Chinese Academy of Social Science tracked 100,000 protests in China in 2013 and found that two thirds of these protests were over land disputes.
Will the Karmapa Visit Sikkim?
The 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee was recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and is followed by a majority of Tibetans and Buddhist devotees. The other claimant to the throne, Karmapa TrinleyThaye Dorjee, was recognised by Shamar Rinpoche. The Indian government has banned Ogyen Trinley Dorjee from visiting the Rumtek Monastery for the past Contact
was held at the time when most of the resident Tibetans were away on the hills collecting caterpillar fungus –a valuable medicinal fungus and a primary source of their livelihood. The Tibetan residents were warned that if they went to the central government in Beijing to appeal they would be jailed on their return. Chinese development projects in Tibetan regions have become one of the reasons for the unrest between local resident Tibetans and Chinese officials in recent years. However, land seizures for government projects is not just an issue in Tibetan regions, villagers and
17 years, in the wake of his escape from Tibet in January 2000 and
Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee
the controversy over the differing claimants to the reincarnation of the 10
16th Karmapa. Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of the Tibetan Buddhists. Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim was originally built by the 12th Karmapa Changchup Dorje in the 18th century. It was later rebuilt and renovated by the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje after his escape from Tibet in 1959. Since then Rumtek has become the sole seat of the Karmapa lineage in India. JULY 2016
news and issues
Tibetan Headlines Jul 24: Display of Loyalty Despite Chinese bans and threats of punishment, Tibetans in Powa village in Kardze Prefecture Bathang County celebrated their annual summer festival with an open display of loyalty to their exiled leader by parading a life-size portrait of HH the Dalai Lama, as well as ceremonial scarves and prayer offerings. Mobile and internet connections were reported to be restricted ahead of the festival, but there were no police restrictions on the day. Jul 20: Anniversary Celebration A celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Guru Padmasambhava was held at Nechung Monastery in Dharamshala, graced by His Eminence the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, and attended by Tibetan Prime Minister in Exile, Lobsang Sangay, and other Tibetan leaders. The ceremony emulated the ones that used to take place in Nechung Monastery in Tibet with the oracles present, and a statue of Guru Padmasambhava. Jul 19: Congratulations On behalf of all Tibetans, Sikyong (Prime Minister) Dr Lobsang Sangay congratulated the newly elected Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Mr Pema Khandu. “I extend my prayers and best wishes to you in fulfilling the expectations and aspirations of your people,” said Sikyong. Pema Khandu, 37, has become the youngest Chief Minister in India. Jul 19: Avalanche Nine people have been buried in an eight metre deep avalanche in Ngari in northwestern Tibet have been confirmed dead. The avalanche happened near the seat of Rutog county in Ngari prefecture, which is around 4,500 metres or 14,800 feet above sea level. The local authorities say they have dispatched rescuers and equipment to the scene to look for the missing people. Contact
Jul 18: Prayers and Condolences His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed sadness and shock over the tragic deaths of 84 people in Nice, France, during the Bastille Day celebrations. His Holiness has written to the French President Francois Hollande to convey his condolences to the people of France and particularly to the families of the victims who were shot and run down by the truck, which was driven by a Tunisian man. Jul 15: Floods and Drought The effects of changing weather in Northwestern Qinghai province left some areas hit by flooding, with others facing drought and drinking water shortages. One town in Yulshul Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture’s Churmarleb County is suffering a critical shortage of drinking water. Streams are drying up and fish are dying. In some other regions, torrential rainfall caused flooding, resulting in loss of life and livestock deaths. Jul 14: Winning Team! The first ever Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup to be held outside India was played in Toronto, Canada with the host team Cholsum Football Club beating New York Tibet United to win the title. The Tibetan National Sports Association has initiated the overseas tournament to boost sports in the overseas Tibetan community. Twelve teams from America, Canada and Europe took part. Jul 10: Museum Exhibition The Tibet Museum is holding a four day exhibition in Pathankot in the Punjab. The exhibition Biography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama depicts His Holiness’s early life and responsibilities, the second exhibition is Indo-Tibet Relations, Ancient Ties and Current Bonds. A documentary film on the history of Tibet is being shown. The exhibition is being held at the Partap World School in Pathankot. Around 1,400 school children, teachers and others visited the exhibition. 11
Jul 9: New Library Ithaca in New York in the United States has been chosen by HH the Dalai Lama to host a library for an archive of Buddhist materials and scripts. A branch of Namgyal Monastery located at Ithaca will set up the institution which will serve to “protect the legacy of the Dalai Lama and all he represents to many millions throughout the world”. Jul 5: Heroes’ Pensions Around 6,000 Tibetan soldiers who saw active service in the Special Frontier Force, an Indian paramilitary group which fought for the Indian army from 1963, will get their pension from the Indian government. This welcome new ruling follows lengthy campaigns and negotiations. Veterans who have waited for years are hoping that their pensions will now be paid and alleviate the poverty which has afflicted many Tibetan ex-service men. Jul 4: First Batch of Graduates The first batch of students have graduated from the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education and celebrated their graduation day with recognition from the University of Mysore. The 77 students graduated from five degree courses. “The day will be remembered for the pride and honour that the entire institute felt on having successfully produced its first batch of graduates,” said the official report. Jul 2: Rangzen Conference The second Tibetan International Rangzen Conference is underway in New York. The three day conference is being attended by prominent Rangzen advocates including Gu Chu Sum Director Lukar Jam Atsok, Scholaractivist Jamyang Norbu, Tibetan parliamentarian Tenpa Yarphel and other Rangzen advocates from the United States, Europe and Canada and aims to enhance and strengthen the Tibetan independence movement. JULY 2016
news & ISSUES
International Headlines
Jul 26: Diplomatic Spat China is criticising India’s refusal to renew visas for three Chinese state media Xinhua journalists, threatening “serious consequences” in an editorial in the state run Global Times. Work visa renewals have been denied for Wu Qiang and Lu Tang, Xinhua Bureau Chiefs in Delhi and Mumbai, and a Mumbai-based reporter She Yonggang. The Times of India speculates they have been involved in “activities beyond their duties”. Jul 21: Crackdown in Turkey A state of emergency has been declared in Turkey following the weekend’s failed coup. More than 50,000 state employees have been rounded up, sacked or suspended and 99 top military officers charged. The coup attempt is believed to have been sparked by the military’s dissatisfaction with the president’s illiberal policies. Amnesty International says the crackdown is of “exceptional proportions”. Jul 18: Morocco Wants In Moroccan King Mohammed VI has announced that Morocco wishes to rejoin the African Union (AU). Morocco left the AU in 1984 when it recognised the independence of Western Sahara. Moroccans regard the Western Sahara as their country’s “southern provinces”.The AU is pushing for a self-determination referendum for the people of Western Sahara. Morocco is the only African country which is not a member of the AU. Jul 15: Bastille Day Attack 84 people were killed and 100 injured as a truck ran into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice in the South of France. In addition to deliberately running down people in the crowd, the truck driver opened fire on them.“The city of Nice has been hit by terrorism on the day of our national holiday. In immense pain, the country is in mourning. The French will face it,” tweeted French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls. Contact
Jul 14: Territory Disputes The recent ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague against China’s claim to the resources of much of the South China Sea has been flaunted by Beijing. President Xi Jinping has said China’s “territorial sovereignty and marine rights” will not be affected by the ruling “in any way” and China has announced it has the right to set up an air defence zone over the territory. Jul 13: Pokemon Go Pokemon Go, a new smartphone game released just a week ago by a Japanese video game maker is becoming the most downloaded and top-grossing smartphone app, sending Nintendo. co’s market value soaring to $9 (£6.7) billion. It uses a technology called Augmented Reality which mixes digital images with the player’s real world through the phone’s camera. The app raises concerns over the privacy and security of players. Jul 9: Child Marriages Marriages between people below the age of 18 have been banned in Gambia and Tanzania, with tough penalties for people who breach the law. In Gambia, anyone marrying a girl below 18 would be jailed for up to 20 years and parents and imams who perform the ceremonies would face prison. In Tanzania, marriage is outlawed for anyone under the age of 18. Jul 8: HRW Lobbies UN Human Rights Watch, (HRW) the New York-based human rights monitoring organisation, has urged the United NationsSecretary-GeneralBanKi-moon to “demonstrate a strong commitment in promoting human rights in China” during his forthcoming tour of China. HRW wrote to him, “The credibility of the United Nations depends in part on its willingness to robustly challenge human rights violations committed by its most powerful members.” The letter also urged to express concerns over new rules for foreign non-governemt offices in China. 12
Jul 7: Bear Defeated Rick Nelson, 61, a Canadian from Ontario and a former boxer, fought off a 320lb (145kg) black bear when it charged at him while he was out walking with his dog. The bear, a female, was protecting her nearby cub. Mr Nelson fought off the mother bear with his fists using skills he learned from years as a boxer, and walked away with just minor scratches on his face and chest. “I did an underhand and hit it right in the snout” said Mr Nelson. Jul 6: Troops Assembling Russia soldiers are assembling at Baltic military bases, apparently in preparation for a Cold War-style standoff with Nato. Russia says it needs to increase its defences in the region because of the build up of Nato forces around the Baltic Sea. Tensions between Nato states and Russia have been escalating since Russia’s intervention in Ukraine in February 2014. Jul 3: Suicide Bomb A suicide bomb in Baghdad has killed 165 people and injured 225 others, Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack. A lorry packed with explosives was detonated in the Karrada district which was busy with people shopping for the holiday which marks the end of Ramadan. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the mainly Shia area and later announced three days of mourning.
Jul 1: Victims Speak Out Chinese women are increasingly taking to social media to speak out against sexual harassment. There has been a surge in campaigning comments on popular microblog Sina Weibo, where users are encouraging victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and rape to make their voices heard. There is a stigma across the country against speaking about such things, and China only passed its first domestic violence law in December 2015. JULY 2016
DHARAMSHALA VOICES
“The Truth Always Wins in the End”
by Sean Fitzpatrick Tsewang Dolma is the International Relations and Information Secretary for the Tibetan Youth Congress* (TYC) and has served as the first female president of Kathmandu’s Regional TYC. After spending only a little time with Tsewang, it becomes very clear that she is a brave and dedicated woman, and this passion for the Tibetan cause has taken her to the very heart of the fight for Tibetan Independence. Tsewang’s upbringing in Jawalakhel, Kathmandu, Nepal’s largest Tibetan settlement, put her on the front row of the fight for the Tibetan cause. Growing up as the daughter of a Tibetan Buddhist monk turned freedom fighter, Tsewang’s youth provided plenty of opportunity to take up the Tibetan banner. Surrounded by other Tibetan refugees and so close to her ancestral home, Tsewang yearned for the wide open plains of her native Tibet. “It was really unfortunate, to be born with a refugee identity, knowing that you will never see your fatherland. When people spoke of Tibet, their childhoods and the land, it made us very jealous, you know? We wanted to see it, to feel the air, to play on the mountains. It is something very sad, to be born in exile…” Recalling her father’s work for the Tibetan army, Tsewang speaks often of her feelings of personal responsibility for aiding suffering Tibetans, at home and in exile. “I would see my father and his team, and how much they sacrificed. When they were young, they wanted to do anything to protect the land. When we hear their story, and how they have done so much, we realise
that now it’s our time. We should do something. So that’s what I’m trying my best to do.” Living near a local elderly people’s home, Tsewang became familiar with the problems faced by elderly Tibetans. So in 2008 she started making T-shirts, fundraising and printing photographs to help the elderly people’s home in Jawalakhel settlement. Tsewang was also concerned for the future of young Tibetans. With few opportunities available in exile, many young Tibetans turn to drugs. Tsewang’s second project was a drug intervention programme. Her work came to the attention of Regional TYC executives who asked if she would like to join the local Regional TYC. “It was such an honour, you know, I was elected and people had faith, and had voted for me. And I feel very fortunate, to be part of the TYC.” China’s influence in Nepal created difficulties for the TYC’s work with the Tibetan community. Any Tibetan event attracted a heavy police presence, and many pro-Tibetan activists were arrested without cause. Kathmandu RTYC members also received frequent threat calls, trying to scare them from their work. However, Tsewang was not so easily shaken. “We used to get threats a lot. They tried their best to discourage us, but I would always tell them that their calling me really helped me a lot, to give me more strength, to do more, and I also welcomed them to call me again. And sometimes they got really pissed off [she laughs].” Having earned the confidence of the Tibetan community, Tsewang was elected to the central committee in McLeod Ganj during the TYC general body in June 2013. She now
serves as International Relations and Information Secretary for the TYC. In just five years, Tsewang has made the journey from friendly neighbour to the top of the world’s largest proTibetan non-government organisation (NGO). Tsewang is a strong and motivated woman, but still she holds herself with all the grace and humility of a true Tibetan. These are her final words to Contact magazine: “I really want to thank your magazine for doing this article, because that’s how many people come to know about the issues of Tibet. I believe in the power of the media, when it tells the truth…The truth always wins in the end. Thank you.
*The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) is a non-government organisation set up in 1970. The organisation pursues four objectives: to serve Tibet under the guidance of our leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama; preserve its culture and traditions; to promote solidarity and to work for the independence of Tibet, even at the cost of one’s life. The TYC is the largest Tibetan organisation in exile, with 35,000 members and 88 chapters worldwide. You can visit the TYC website at: http://tibetanyouthcongress.org/
Every month we feature somebody from the Tibetan community on our Dharamshala Voices page. You can read more Dharamshala Voices stories on the Contact website: http://www.contactmagazine.net/dharamasla-life/ The People stories on the Dharamshala Voices page online tell the stories of the people who make up the Tibetan exile community in Dharamshala and elsewhere, as well as the stories of Lha students and volunteers, told in their own words. Contact
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JULY 2016
lha news and projects
Workshop for Parents on Early Literacy Development
Lha Charitable Trust and the Institute for Social Work and Education, in collaboration with The Tibet Fund, held a workshop, Early Literacy Development, for Tibetan parents on July 5 at Lha’s Ahimsa Hall. This was the second Lha workshop aimed at encouraging parents to read with their children, and to promote the importance of storytelling which is an integral element of Tibetan culture. Forty two parents of children from Yongling Day School and Rogpa Baby Care Centre attended the event. The workshop was led by Mr Jamyang Gyaltsen, an education specialist and former Lha volunteer.
He focused on the importance of early child development and strategies for reading and storytelling.
A group photo with workshop pariticipants Photo:Contact/Lha
Ms Tenzin Dekyi (MA English Literature) then led a session, speaking on the importance of parents talking to
their children and providing guidance on how parents can generally support their children by having conversations with them. Parents actively participated throughout the workshop and felt that many of their concerns had been addressed. The workshop concluded with the distribution of free children’s story books in Tibetan and English. Lha would like to take this opportunity to thank The Tibet Fund for their generous support, Rogpa and Yongling for informing parents about the workshop, and Gen Gyaltsen la and Dekyi la for making this event possible for the second time.
Medical Students Group from Louisiana This month, Lha hosted 12 medical students from Louisiana State University. Led by Professor Neil Guidry, the group visited Tibetan
Visiting students with Men-tse-khang students
medical centres in Dharamshala to get more exposure to the Tibetan
medical system. At Delek Hospital, Dr Tenzin Desel spoke to them about Tibetan medical perceptions and the prevailing common diseases in the Tibetan community. The students also visited Men-tse-khang, the Tibetan medical and Astro Institute, and spent time with Tibetan medical students, exchanging and discussing their experiences and ideas. During their stay, the student group volunteered at an elderly people’s home in Dharamshala, Gaden Choeling nunnery and monasteries in Bir, providing assistance with dental and eye care. On their last day, they shared their
volunteering experience with Lha staff and assured Lha that the next
Students listening to Dr Desel’s talk
student group from their university will continue their volunteer service in the fields in which they were unable to help this time.
Barbeque Raises Funds for Lha
On Saturday July 9, Lha hosted a fundraising barbeque. This was open
to all, and was organised and funded by Lha volunteers Karol Hewlet and Paulina Wrotynska, who are from Contact
Poland and currently studying in Denmark. Despite the rain, around one hundred people showed up to support the event. Karol and Paulina’s week of preparation paid off and together with the enthusiasm of Lha’s cooks and staff, the first ever barbeque party in the town was a success! Many Lha students and volunteers came to support the event as well as members of the public. We at Lha sincerely appreciate the support of 14
everybody who came and extend our thanks to you. We wish Karol and
Paulina all the best in their future endeavours. JULY 2016
lha news and projects
Cultural Exchange
This month Lha hosted five different student groups from America who participated in our cultural exchange programme. Rustic Pathways came with three different student groups in July, each group staying in McLeod Ganj for a week to learn about the Tibetan community. For three of those days they helped Lha students to improve their English. Lha hosted a total of 36 students from Rustic Pathways this month. The Loyola group consisted of 11 students who stayed in McLeod Ganj
Students from Loyola University
for a month. They helped Lha students to improve their English and toured around the Tibetan communities in Dharamsala and Bir to learn about Tibet and its culture. The Lifework group of seven students is here in Dharamsala for two weeks. Every morning they help
Student group from Rustic Pathways
Lha students to improve their English and in the afternoon they participate in different activities and lectures to enable them to learn more about Tibetan culture and religion. Through this programme around 30 Tibetan students gained the opportunity to meet foreign students this month and to share their experiences and knowledge about being a Tibetan refugee. In addition, they were able to work on improving their English skills with the help of their visiting student partners. Contact
Lha could not provide the services we do without the support of our wonderful volunteers who help in so many ways and inspire us with their enthusiasm. Every month we ask a volunteer to share their story. This month Charlotte Wigram-Evans from England tells us her story.
Chaotic, Colourful, Alive…and Special Volunteer Jobs at Lha:Assistant editor and writer for Contact Where to begin? If I had to describe India in three words it would be chaotic, colourful and alive. It is anywhere else x1,000 –more stressful, but also far more special. My time at Lha made the experience unparalleled. I volunteered to write for Contact magazine, trying my hand at it while still at home in the UK before arriving in Mcleod in the middle of May. Being in the office from 9-5 most days I got to know the whole team and I can say hand on heart that Tibetans are the warmest, most welcoming people you will ever meet. The office was an ideal balance of work and play. The volunteer coordinator, Rabsel being tricked into eating a nicotine chewing gum comes to mind – a joke that was countered by the claim that it had made him so sick he had been taken to hospital. Lunches at Lha soup kitchen, learning how to make Tibetan tea, being fed strange local snacks and helping at the charity clothes giveaway are all memories that will stay with me for life. It was so heartwarming to see people leave with a much needed new wardrobe. One elderly Tibetan couple were particularly pleased with a set of hats they found; I didn’t have the heart to tell the little old lady she had hers on backwards. Work wise, I am used to being a
very small fish in a gigantic ocean so it was amazing to feel like an integral member of the team, doing important and meaningful work. Reporting on Sikyong’s oathtaking ceremony in the presence of His Holiness was a definite highlight,
Charlotte with Lha staff
and working for Contact gave me the opportunity to interview some incredible people, including Dr Sangay himself. Local monk and author, Ven Bagdro also inspired instant admiration and respect. You wonder how someone can be tortured by the Chinese for so long, and in so many ways and still have a permanent smile on his face. Whole generations of Tibetans have been born in exile, and it has been decades since many others fled their country. But meeting any one of them you can see why the Tibet cause burns as bright as ever. They are truly passionate, and are truly inspiring. And that is why I will continue to help them reclaim their home in any way I can.
Contact magazine is published by Lha Charitable Trust in Dharamshala which offers support and services to Tibetan refugees and people from the surrounding Himalayan communities. Lha helps Tibetan refugees settle in India by offering language and computer classes as well as individual tuition, and Lha’s soup kitchen provides healthy food to needy Tibetans on a daily basis. To find out more about Lha’s work and projects please visit our website : www.lhasocialwork.org 15
JULY 2016
around town
Charities and Organisations
Central Tibetan Administration
The CTA serves in Dharamshala as the government in exile of Tibet. It is democratic with judiciary, legislative, and executive branches. Within the Executive branch there is the Kashag, consisting of the departments of Religion and Culture, Home, Education, Finance, Security, Information and International Relations and Health, and Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay. WEB: www.tibet.net LOCATION: Near Library PHONE: 01892-222218 HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9:00 am-5:00 pm EMAIL: kashag@tibet.net
The Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama (OHHDL)
OHHDL is the personal office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The office organises his schedule, including appointments and travel plans, diplomatic and personal correspondence, and liaises with officials of the Central Tibetan Administration. WEB: www.dalailama.com LOCATION: McLeod Ganj, PHONE: 01892-221343 / 221210 EMAIL: ohhdl@dalailama.com
Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC)
The TYC is an advocacy and political action organisation with chapters around the world. The TYC organises cultural exhibitions, educational campaigns and social welfare activities. WEB: www. tibetanyouthcongress.org LOCATION: Tipa Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala -176219 PHONE: 01892-221554 EMAIL:president@tibetanyouthcongress.org, tyc@tibetanyouthcongress.org
Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA)
The TWA conducts workshops on gender sensitization and domestic violence throughout Tibetan settlements in India, provides Tibetan women with education scholarships, and connects women with international sponsors. WEB: www. tibetanwomen.org LOCATION: Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj PHONE: 01892-221527 EMAIL: tibwomen@gmail.com
Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV)
TCV provides care to Tibetan children by creating a nurturing environment and fostering Tibetan values and culture while delivering a modern education. There is an Upper and Lower residential school in Dharamshala and day school in McLeod Ganj, with other branches throughout India. WEB: www.tcv.org.in LOCATION: Dharamshala Cantt.176216 PHONE: 01892-221354 / 221348 EMAIL: headoffice@tcv.org.in
Men-Tsee-Khang: Tibetan Medical & Astro. Institute
Men-Tsee-Khang is a facility for research, training and practice of traditional Tibetan medicine. Patients may seek treatment at Men-TseeKhang for both acute and chronic conditions. The facility provides extensive training and produces traditional pharmaceuticals.
Contact
WEB: www.men-tsee-khang.org LOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, PHONE: 01892-223222 / 223113 EMAIL: info@men-tsee-khang.org
Tibetan Library (LTWA) (Centre for Tibetan Studies)
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives has the purpose to restore, protect, preserve, and promote Tibetan culture in all its aspects. They offer courses in Tibetan and Hindi language and Buddhist philosophy and can provide affordable accommodation for those enrolled in two or more courses. WEB: ltwa.net, tibetanlibrary.org LOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong PHONE: 98822-55047 EMAIL: ltwa1970@gmail.com
Delek Hospital
Delek Hospital is a small, Tibetan run hospital in Dharamshala. It has 45 inpatient beds, holds outpatient hours from 9am to 12pm Monday through Friday, and can handle most small procedures. Patients are responsible for a 10 Rupees registration fee. The hospital has a pharmacy on site. WEB:www.delekhospital.org LOCATION: Kharadanda Rd, Dharamshala; Delek Clinic, Bhagsu Rd, Dharamshala HOURS: Outpatient, Mon-Fri: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm; Specialist clinics, Mon-Sat: 2:00 pm-4:30 pm; Emergencies, 24 hours daily PHONE: 01892-222053 / 223381 EMAIL: delek@bsnl.in hospitaldelek@yahoo.com
Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society
The society was established in 1999 to provide educational and administrative guidance to all Tibetan schools in remote areas of India and Bhutan that do not fall under the guidance of Tibetan Childrens Village. Today there are 12 schools under this organisation. WEB: www.sambhota.org LOCATION: Session Rd, Dharamshala176215 PHONE: 01892 - 228877 | 226877 EMAIL: stss1999@gmail.com
Tong-Len Charitable Trust
Tong-Len’s mission is to help displaced communities in North India achieve a secure and sustainable future. Tong-Len projects include educational and health programs, childhood education and sponsorship, primary and nursery tent schools, and children’s support hostels. Volunteer opportunities available. WEB: www. tong-len.org LOCATION: Top Floor, Bank Of Baroda, Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamshala-176215 PHONE: 01892-223930 EMAIL: jamyang@tong-len.org
Students for a Free Tibet (SFT)
SFT is an international NGO that promotes the Tibetan cause among the non-Tibetan community. The organisation attempts to build international solidarity by advocating for a free Tibet through chapter organisations at Universities around the world. WEB:www.sftindia.org, www.studentsforafreetibet.org LOCATION: Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj PHONE: 9882786875
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Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD)
TCHRD advocates for human rights and provides education on the human rights situation in Tibet. The centre publishes journals and articles, as well as conducting workshops and campaigns. WEB: www.tchrd.org LOCATION: CTA, Dharamshala - 176215 PHONE: 01892-223363 EMAIL: office@tchrd.org
Lha Charitable Trust (Lha)
Lha, a Tibetan grassroots NGO based in Dharamshala, is one of the largest social work organisations providing vital resources for Tibetan refugees, the local Indian population, and people from the Himalayan regions. Lha offers free English, French and Chinese classes, cultural exchange programs, IT classes, vocational training, health and environmental awareness education, distribution of clothes and medicine, a community kitchen, and many other programs and activities. (see page 2) WEB:www.lhasocialwork.org LOCATION: Temple Road, McLeod Ganj, Opposite State Bank of India PHONE: 01892-220992, 988-2323-455 EMAIL: office@lhasocialwork.org
The Kangra Distt. Red Cross Society
The Kangra District Red Cross Society renders its humanitarian services, projects and activities with the help and the co-operation of people at all levels of society by donation. WEB: www.redcrosskangra.org LOCATION: Red Cross Bhawan, Dharamshala PHONE: 01892-224888 / 9418832244 EMAIL: sharmaopl12345@gmail.com
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement Association of Tibet is an organisation of former political
prisoners of Tibet and former activists currently in exile that engages in their complete assistance from medical, financial, basic education and vocational training. It also organises lobby and advocacies about human rights abuses in Tibet. WEB: www.guchusum.org LOCATION: Jogibara Road, McLeod Ganj, PHONE: 01892-220680 / 220679 EMAIL: guchusum1991@gmail.com
Tibet Charity
Tibet Charity provides programs including English and computer classes, an animal care program, and a variety of medical and educational financial support programs. WEB: www.tibetcharity.in LOCATION: Temple Road, McLeod Ganj PHONE: 01892-221790 / 221877 EMAIL: director@tibetcharity.in
Norbulingka Institue
Centre for Tibetan culture with studios and artists at work. Temple, tour guides of the workshops, and gardens. L O C AT I O N : S i d h p u r, Dharamshala PHONE:9882144210 EMAIL: info@norbulingka.org WEB:www.norbulingka.org
JULY 2016
around town
Charities and Organisations
Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA)
Established in 1959, under the vision of HH the Dalai Lama, TIPA strives to preserve and promote Tibetan theatrical tradition. The Insitute imparts comprehensive training and lessons on Tibetan folk dance, folk song, traditional instruments and tradition of Tibetan opera. TIPA also hosts a beautiful theatrical museum which remains open during working days. We organise a special group tour of our campus every Wednesday (10 am). WEB: www.tibetanarts.org LOCATION: TIPA Road, McLeod Ganj Dharamshala-176219 PHONE: 01892-221478 EMAIL: tibetanarts2012@gmail.com
Learning and Ideas for Tibet (LIT)
Learning and Ideas for Tibet (LIT) is a nongovernment, non-profit adult education centre in Dharamshala, North India. LIT provides Free Education, Health Care and Skills Training to Tibetan Refugees to help eradicate poverty and illiteracy amongst the Tibetan population. WEB: www.learningandideasfortibet.org LOCATION: Jogiwara Road, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala 176219 PHONE: 01892-220690 EMAIL: learningandideasfortibet@gmail.com
Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution (TCCR)
Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution is a nonprofit, educational organisation dedicated to the non-violent management of conflicts in the Tibetan Community and the world as a whole. They work to promote the approaches and tools of non-violent conflict resolution and democratic processes in the Tibetan community in exile and elsewhere. WEB: http://tccr.org LOCATION: Session Road, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala 176215 PHONE: 01892-226627 EMAIL: tccrteam@gmail.com
Rogpa Baby Care Centre
The Rogpa Baby Care Centre helps low-income Tibetan families to become self-sufficient by providing free child care for infants so that their parents can work. The centre needs volunteers to help with art, games, singing and other tasks including diaper changing. WEB: www.tibetrogpa.org LOCATION: Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala- 176219 PHONE: 9857973026 EMAIL: rogpa2004@yahoo.com
Gamru Village School
Gamru Village School is a successful NGO that provides free high-quality education to any children who encounter serious barriers to education and who have a low standard of living. WEB: www.gamruschool.com LOCATION: Village Gamru, P.O Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamshala, Distt Kangra 176215 PHONE: 9816105554 EMAIL: tashu72004@yahoo.com
Contact
Clean Upper Dharamshala Project
Founded in 1994 to provide a waste management system in and around McLeod Ganj, the Green Workers, the Handmade Recycled Paper Factory, the Green Shop and the Environmental Education Centre are part of the Clean Upper Dharamshala Project. Weekly guided tours are offered on Wednesdays at 3 pm. WEB: www.tsodhasa.org LOCATION: Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala - 176219 PHONE: 01892-221059 EMAIL: cudpswm@gmail.com
Nyingtob Ling (Realm of Courage)
Nyingtob Ling supports Tibetan children from disadvantaged families. The children make handicrafts and paintings. They are so friendly and love to have visitors. WEB: www.nyingtobling.org LOCATION: Near Norbulingka, Sidhpur PHONE:01892 211042 / 9816028149 EMAIL: nyingtob_ling@hotmail.com
Women’s Team
Volunteers needed to teach English to Indian women and children in the village of Kaniyara near Dharamshala. Contact Jitender. EMAIL: jitenderje@gmail.com PHONE: 7831956680 / 08894435595
The Active Nonviolence Education Center (ANEC)
ANEC facilitates trainings, workshops and open forum discussions on nonviolent strategies to help resolve disagreements and differences at all levels of human society. ANEC welcomes volunteers from western countries to participate in informal panel discussions on ideas of regional and global peace and nonviolent strategies. Free lunch and tea and many more benefits for volunteers. LOCATION: No. 262, 1st floor, Khajanchi -Mohalla, Khunyara Rd, Lower Dharamshala PHONE: 9882077708 / 9882921477 EMAIL: wangduemiddleway@gmail.com Website: www.anec-india.net Facebook: www/facebook.com/anecpeace
National Democratic Party of Tibet
The NDPT is currently the only Tibetan political party. With 5000 members in 36 regional chapters throughout the world, the main aim and objectives of the NDPT are to prepare for the establishment of a political party in a future Tibet, to promote democracy, to educate the Tibetan people about the significance of political parties and to create awareness among the people about Tibetan issues. WEB: www.ndp4tibet.org LOCATION: Dharamshala–176219 EMAIL: tibetparty4@gmail.com PHONE: 9882787633 / 9882673330
BUS SCHEDULE
* Times and prices may vary. Please check with the bus stand ahead of departure. Leaving from the McLeod Ganj bus stand, unless otherwise stated: Delhi: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am, 6pm, 6:45pm, 8:15pm and 8:30pm (Rs524) Semi Deluxe Bus: 6pm (Rs544) , Full Deluxe Bus: (Rs683) AC Volvo Semi-Sleeper: 8pm (Rs1121) AC TATA: 4pm (Rs830) Amritsar: Ordinary Bus: 5am (Rs245) *from Dharamshala Dehradun: Ordinary Bus: 8pm (Rs524); AC Deluxe: 2pm (Rs664) Manali: Ordinary Bus: 7:10am (Rs676) *from Dharamshala Pathankot: Ordinary Bus: 10am, 11am, 12:10pm, 12:30pm, 2:10pm, 3:50pm, 5pm(Rs150) Shimla: Ordinary Bus: 5am, 5:30am, 6am, 8am, noon and 4:55pm (Rs360) *from Dharamshala, Semi-Deluxe Bus: 8:22am, 7:45pm and 9:30pm (Rs450) *from Dharamshala FOR BOOKINGS: Location: Ticket stand under McLLo’s, McLeod Ganj Main square Hours: 10am-5pm, daily Phone: 220026 (McLeod bus stand), 224903 (Dharamshala) For deluxe buses, book through any travel agency.
TAXIS
A private taxi to Lower Dharamshala will cost you Rs 200. Cram into a jeep (from the bus stand), and it’ll only cost you Rs15.
IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Ambulance: 01892-102, 222189
Police Superintendent: 01892-222244
Tibetan Delek Hospital Location: Gangchen Kyishong, CTA Hours: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm, MonSat; Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm, Wed only; Emergencies: 24-hrs, daily. Phone: 222 053,223 381
Police Contact Information Location: Past St.John’s Church on the road to Dharamshala in Cantt. area. Phone: 221 483
Kangra Airport: 01892-232374 Bhagsu Taxi Union: 01892-221034 Tourism Office: 01892-224430 , 223325 Rail Booking & Enquiry: 01892-265026
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McLeod Ganj Post Office Location: Jogiwara Rd, past Peace Cafe Hours: 9:30am-1pm and 2-5pm, Mon-Fri; 9:30am-noon, Sat. Parcels and money orders can be sent in the mornings only. Phone: 01892-221 924
JULY 2016
activities and information Upcoming Events August 12 & 13 : His Holiness the Dalai Lama will giving teaching at Leh, Ladakh August 19 -21 : His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teaching at Leh, Ladakh August 29 - Sept 1 : His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teaching at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
BUDDHIST PHILoSOPHY Library of Tibetan Works and Archives WEB: www.ltwa.net/library LOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, between McLeod Ganj and Lower Dharamshala HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9-10 am, 11-12noon PHONE: 921-842-2467
Public Audience with HH Karmapa WEB: www.kagyuoffice.org LOCATION: Sidhpur HOURS: Wed & Sat: 2:30pm PHONE: 01892-235307
yoga and reiki Om Yoga, Meditation and Reiki Centre LOCATION: Ketan Lodge, behind Akash Hotel, on Jogiwara Rd HOURS: 8:00am-5:30pm PHONE: 980-569-3514
Sunita Singh Yoga Class
LOCATION: Singh Corner, nr Magic Tree Upper Bhagsu PHONE: 98058-89060 WEB: www.maashakktiyoga.com
Siddhartha Retreat and Yoga Centre LOCATION: Upper Bhagsu PHONE: 098165-65138 WEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.org
MASSAGE Nature Cure Health Club
Shiatsu massage LOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka, Jogiwara Road PHONE: 941-813-0119 EMAIL: mahinder_m@hotmail.com
Men-Tsee-Khang
LOCATION: Mcleod Ganj Branch Clinic, 1st floor, TIPA Road (2 mins from Main Square) PHONE: 98828-60505 EMAIL: therapycenter@men-tsee-khang.org
Om Massage Centre
LOCATION: Bhagsu Road, Opposite the Green Hotel, Mcleod Ganj PHONE:9857999373/9805895574 EMAIL: kunsangdolma75@gmail.com
Contact
MEDITATION Ocean of Harmony
Taught by an experienced and qualified coach WEB: www.oceanofharmony.org PHONE: (+91) 99798-94585 EMAIL: ohlifeandwellness@gmail.com
Tushita Meditation Center WEB: www.tushita.info LOCATION: Dharamkot HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9:30-11:30am PHONE: 0898-816-0988 EMAIL: spc@tushita.info
Siddhartha Retreat Centre
WEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.org LOCATION: Bhagsu Nag, Near High Sky PHONE: 09816565138 EMAIL: yogi_shivam@yahoo.co.in
Taxi services Rinku Taxi Services
LOCATION: Opposite Club House, near Tourist Information Office, Hotel Surya Road PHONE: (+91) 9418687343, 9857030707 WEB: www.rinkutaxihimachal.com
COOKING Lha Tibetan Cooking Classes - for groups LOCATION: Lha Soup Kitchen, Temple Rd, Just below the Dalai Lama’s temple HOURS: Registration, 9:00-11:00am PHONE: 01892-220992
LANGUAGES Tibetan Language Courses
WEB: www.thosamling.com LOCATION: Thosamling Institute, Sidhpur (near Norbulingka) PHONE: 9882455065 EMAIL: thosamling@gmail.com *see ad on opp. page for more information
LRZTP Tibetan Language Program LOCATION: near Mentsekhang, VOT building EMAIL: Lrztp108@gmail.com WEB: www.LRZTP.org *see ad on pg 23
Rita Thakur Hindi Classes
LOCATION: Ketan Lodge, Jogiwara Rd, beside the Korean Restaurant PHONE: 981-649-4732
Hindi Lessons with Sunil
LOCATION: Kunga Guesthouse, Bhagsu Rd and in Dharamkot PHONE: 01892-21942, 98055-96741 EMAIL: sunilsharma81in@yahoo.co.in
Tibetan Language
LOCATION: The Tibetan Library *see Buddhist Philosophy Listing
Hindi Lessons with Kailash
LOCATION: At Bhimsen’s Indian Cooking Class PHONE: 01892-20063, 941-816-1947
Esukhia Online Tibetan Courses and Tibetan Immersion Spoken Location:Tilak Ray Building, Bhagsu Rd PHONE: 8679502538 / 98820-04965 EMAIL: contact@esukhia.org
art and museums
Indian Cooking and Knitting with Ms Rita Kapoor
Tibet Museum
Indian Cooking Classes
Tibet Photo Exhibit: 50 Years of Struggle and Oppression
LOCATION: Old German Bakery, 1st Floor, Room No. 2, Opp. Buddha Hall, Bhagsunag PHONE: 94592-06586 LOCATION:Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guesthouse HOURS: 10:00am-6:00pm PHONE: 941-813-0119 EMAIL: mahinder_m@hotmail.com
Lhamo’s Kitchen: Tibetan Cooking Classes
LOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the Green Shop HOURS: 8:00am-9:00pm PHONE: 981-646-8719
Nisha’s Indian Cooking Class
LOCATION: The flourishing flora, Opp. TIPA, Dharamkot road, Mcleodganj HOURS: 4:00-6:00pm PHONE: 9882599093 EMAIL: nishaanilsarin@hotmail.com
Sangye’s Kitchen: Traditional Tibetan Cooking Classes
LOCATION: Lung-ta Restaurant, below the Tashi Choeling Monastery on Jogiwara Road HOURS:10:00am - 4:00pm PHONE: 981-616-4540 EMAIL: sangyla_tashi@yahoo.co.in
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LOCATION:Near the Main Temple and Namgyal Monastery gate, McLeod Ganj HOURS: Tue-Sun: 9:00am-5:00pm
LOCATION: Gu-Chu-Sum hall, Jogiwara Rd HOURS: Mon, Wed & Fri: 2:00pm-5:00pm
The Tibetan Institute for the Performing Arts (TIPA)
WEB: www.tibetanarts.org LOCATION: Tipa Road, McLeod Ganj PHONE: 1892-221478 EMAIL: tibetanarts2012@gmail.com
Kangra Art Museum
LOCATION: Near Bus Stand, Kotwali Bazaar PHONE: 01892 224214 HOURS: Tue-Sun: 10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm
Men-Tsee-Khang Museum
LOCATION: Near CTA, Gangchen Kyishong PHONE: 01892-223222 / 223113 EMAIL: info@men-tsee-khang.org HOURS: 9am-5pm. Closed on Sun, 2 and 4th Sat
Form Gallery
LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd. near Oasis Cafe PHONE: 8894-060602 HOURS: Daily, 12:00pm-6:00pm
JULY 2016
activities and information HEALTH SERVICES Perfect 32 Dental Clinic Dr Natasha Mehra LOCATION: Near Hotel Mount View, Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj PHONE: 09218742046 EMAIL: perfect32dentalclinic@gmail.com Tibetan Physiotherapy Clinic Specialised in Muscle and Joint Pain LOCATION: Near Delek Hospital, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala 176215 HOURS: 10am - 5pm (Appointment Bases) PHONE: 9882322783 / 9882321532 EMAIL: jigten17@yahoo.co.in WEBSITE : tibetanphysiotherapy.com Tibetan Delek Hospital LOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, between McLeod Ganj and Lower Dharamshala PHONE: 01892-22053 / 223381 HOURS: Outpatient services, Mon-Sat: 9:00am-1:00pm; Specialist clinics, Mon-Sat: 2:00-4:30pm; Emergencies: 24 hrs daily Maanav Health Clinic LOCATION: Main Square HOURS: 10:00am-12:30pm and 2:00-5:00pm PHONE: 941-815-5795 EMAIL: maanavcare@yahoo.co.in Men-Tsee-Khang LOCATION: Below Delek Hospital, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala 176215 PHONE: 01892-223222 / 223113 EMAIL: info@men-tsee-khang.org Primary Health Centre LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, main market HOURS: 9:30am-4pm, Mon-Sat Nature Cure Health Club LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guest House-Map #10 HOURS: 9:30am-6:30pm PHONE: 7833047078 / 9882320136 EMAIL: mahinder_m@hotmail.com Dr Tandon Advanced Dental Orthodontic & Implant Centre Location: Opp. AP Travels, Mcleod Ganj Phone:9418462936 Email: dr.rahultandon@gmail.com
Tibet-Related Websites
News:
rfa.org/english/news/tibet - Radio Free Asia’s mission is to provide accurate and timely news and information to Asian countries whose governments prohibit access to a free press voatibetanenglish.com - Voice of America’s Tibet pages - VOA is an international multimedia broadcasting service funded by the US government contactmagazine.net - Contact magazine online phayul.com -Phayul is published in Dharamshala,also has opinion, reviews, photos, etc guardian.co.uk/world/tibet - the UK Guardian newspaper’s Tibet pages scmp.com/news/china - the South China Morning Post – one of the more independent news sources in China thetibetpost.com and tibetexpress.net are both sources of news and information
News, information and campaigning:
tibet.net - official website of the Central Tibetan Administration in exile dalailama.com - for broadcasts of His Holiness’s teachings, his schedule and information about Tibet and the Dalai Lama tchrd.org - Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy - a nongovernmental organisation and a research centre to protect the human rights of Tibetan people and promote the principles of democracy tibetanyouthcongress.org - an international non-governmental organisation that advocates full independence for Tibet from China studentsforafreetibet.org - a global grass roots group campaigning for full Tibetan independence tibetanreview.net - news, opinions, reviews and information freetibet.org: - UK-based campaigning organisation, also a good news source savetibet.org - international campaign for Tibet and a good resource for news, campaigns, fundraising and projects tibetnetwork.org/home - a coalition of more than 190 Tibet organisations dedicated to campaigning to end human rights violations in Tibet and restoring rights to the Tibetan people
Writings:
highpeakspureearth.com/category/woeser - occasional translations of Woeser’s enormously popular blog – Woeser lives in Beijing and is continually harassed by the Chinese government for her courageous writings.
T H O S A M L I N G ’s Tibe tan Language Program 2016/17
� �� � �� � � � �� � �� � � �
� Beginner’s Course
• 29 Aug – 18 Nov, 2016 • 13 Feb – 12 May, 2017 5 days/week, total 4.5 hrs/day
Start with the alphabet and learn to read and write basic Tibetan in two weeks! Our new textbook as well as audio and video materials ensure quick progress.
� Intermediate Course
13 June – 26 August, 2016 29 May – 25 August, 2017 5 days/week, total 4.5 hrs/day
Main focus is on colloquial Tibetan and first stages of literary Tibetan.
A f re e l l c o u rse fo r o s S a n g hrda i n e d Dharma Language Course combined with � a! Introduction to Debate (Dudra-Lorig-Tarig) 15 May – 17 November, 2017 5 days/week, total 2.5 hrs/day & afternoon debate sessions Main focus is on literary and colloquial Tibetan. We work with audio materials, transcripts and translations of oral teachings and their root texts. Debate opens many doors to the Dharma and sharpens the mind.
For a minimum of fi ve people coming from McLeod Ganj: inexpensi ve daily transport can be arranged.
T H O S A M L I N G I N S T I T U T E for International Buddhist Women
TO REGISTER: thosamling@gmail.com • Info: www.thosamling.com • Sidhpur • 176057 Dharamsala • mobile 9882455065 Contact
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JULY 2016
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BLACK TENT CAFE Free high-speed Wi-fi
Delicious coffee, authentic homemade Tibetan and western cuisine All food washed in clean filtered water
RINKU TAXI SERVICE
Best taxi & car rental services in Himachal, Tour Packages Pick-up & Drop-in to Airports, Rail station, Bus stop Opp. Club House, near Tourist Information Office Hotel Surya Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala - Map#16 PHONE: (+91) 94186-87343, 98570-30707
Free movies on Saturdays at 7.30pm Live Tibetan music every Wednesday at 6.30pm
www.rinkutaxihimachal.com
Jogiwara Road (near post office), McLeod Ganj – Map # 8
CARPE DIEM
Chapri Handicrafts
Visit Sunanda to see her beautiful shawls, fabrics, gifts, papier-mache, handicrafts, thankas and so much more!
RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA
MEXICAN, ITALIAN, INDIAN, CHINESE, Shop no 9, Next Alley to State Bank of India ATM, CONTINENTAL, & THAI FOOD, No MSG Temple Road, Mcleod Ganj Map#27 • Everything washed with sterilized water Tel: 98826-04215 • Wood-fired pizza oven & clay Tandoori oven • Relaxed atmosphere & Japanese-style seating • Live music every Sunday - Map#9 Bhagsu Road, Opp. Green Hotel Mcleod Ganj - Map#26 Located on Jogiwara Road, Email: kunsangdolma75@gmail.com across from the Tibetan Reception Center Contact: 9857999373 /9805895574 (down from Post Office) - Map # 9
Om massage centre 8 AUSPICIOUS HIM VIEW HOTEL
HOTEL LADIES’ VENTURE
“The most suitable place for foreigners, holidaymakers, honeymooners, trekkers, and those who wish to commune with nature!”
We offer: Affordable dormitories, well-appointed rooms, boarding, and McLeod Ganj’s FINEST hospitality! Jogiwara Road - Map #11 Mobile - 981 623 5648 Hotel - 01892 22 1559
8 beautiful rooms with balcony facing the Himalayan Range. Enjoy the sunrise from your bed! Phone: 01892-220567 Cell: 9418236603 Jogiwara Rd (Map #12) Email: tseringd@aushimview.com
Your Communication Partner
Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guest House - Map #23 Mobile: 07833047078 Email: mahinder_m@hotmail.com,
Dr Mobile Shop
Mobile Sales, Mobile Repair, Sim Cards, Purchase and Recharge Phone Service
Black Magic Building (underground), Jogiwara Road, Map # 7 McLeod Ganj Phone: 9857011101 Contact
Nature Cure Health Club
18+ yrs’ experience: Swedish massage courses &
treatment, Zen Shiatsu courses, treatment, reflexology treatment, SPA, Singing Bowl Treatment and many more! 20
JULY 2016
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Contact
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JULY 2016
advertisements Map of McLeod Ganj showing locations of places of interest
BHAGSU NAG
Map not to scale
See Advertisement Pages for details of advertisers TIPA
21
DHARAMKOT
26
25 Vipassana Centre
Naddi Village
15
Tushita Centre
Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV)
McLEOD GANJ
22
4
5 MAIN SQUARE
3
Cantt Police Post
6
7
20
23
1 Lha Main Bazaar
24
29
8
9
11
10
12
28
16
27
14
2
13
Road to Dharamshala
1. Lha Headquarters 2. Namgyal Cafe 3. Common Ground Cafe 4. Dream Holidays Travel 5. Shangrila Hotel 6. Shambala Coffee Meal 7. Dr Mobile, Woeser Bakery 8. Black Tent Cafe 9. Carpe Diem Restaurant 10. Perfect 32 Dental Clinic 11. Hotel Ladies’ Venture 12. 8 Auspicious Him View Hotel 13. Ahimsa House & Lha Soup Kitchen 14. Chonor House 15. Lhamo’s Croissant, Dolma Therapy 16. Rinku Taxi Service 17. Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan
Parliament-in-exile, Tibetan Library 18. LRZTP Tibetan Language Programme 19. Tibetan Museum and Temple 20. Tibetan Handicraft Centre 21. Taste of India 22. SnowLion Custom Tattoo 23. Nature Cure Health Club 24. Dr Tandon’s Advanced Dental 25. Himalayan Yoga Retreat 26. Om Massage Centre 27. Chapri Handicrafts 28. Tibetan Online School 29. Marleen’s Thankas & Gifts
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17 18
Road to Dharamshala
Our specialty: Chocolate Vegan cake, Gluten free cake, Fresh Coffee Beans, cappaccino, Chocolate chilli lollipop 9am to 7pm - Closed on Monday
Namgyal Cafe
Below “Black Magic Hotel” on Jogiwara Rd -Map#7 The famous and popular Namgyal Cafe has merged
Dream Holidays
with Om Hotel right off the main square - Map # 2 • • • •
Since 1998
Ground Floor of Asian Plaza Hotel, Main Square, McLeod Ganj (3rd office inside Mall) - Map #4 +Worldwide Air Travel Arrangements +AC/Non-AC cars jeeps for tours +Flight/Rail tickets, hotel reservations contact: 98160-87878 / 94180-97149, vineet_dream@yahoo.com
Open every day from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm Mobile: 9882649768
Shambala Coffee Meal Jogiwara Roadd, next to Tibet Kitchen Map#6
NEED A DENTIST? For all your dental requirements under one roof, in a sterile and state of the art clinic
A vegetarian restaurant specialising in variety of Japanese meals: Sushi Rolls, Special noodle Udon, Omthai Rice Coffee / Free Wifi Open every day from 7am to 8pm Mobile: +91 (0) 9882611796
Dr Natasha Mehra @
Lhamo’s Croissant
Perfect 32 Dental Clinic
Vegetarian and Vegan Food Bakery, Coffee shop, French Restaurant Gluten Free and Fresh seasonal juices and salads
CONTACT
Near Hotel Mount View Jogiwara Rd, McLeod Map# 10
Call: 09218742046
Rooftop terrace with stunning views
perfect32dentalclinic@gmail. com
Contact
Extensive vegetarian menu Terrace dining with beautiful view Best pizza in McLeod Ganj Good music and friendly staffs
Bhagsu Road, just before Kunga Hotel Map#15
22
JULY 2016
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Tibetan Online School
Marleen’s Thankas & Gifts
Jogiwara Road, Opp, Lungta Restaurant Mcleod Ganj Map#28 Tibetan & English Language Courses Available Online or Private Classroom Lessons Contact: 9816272816 / tibetschool@gmail.com
We are happy to provide high quality Tibetan thangkas and gifts for all budgets; working with 18 artists we are able to take orders.
Dolma Therapy
Jogiwara Road, 50m down from post office, opposite Tibetan gas office Mc Leod Ganj Map #29
Traditional Tibetan Massage & Courses
Massages offered: full body/ head./ back/ foot Massage courses: 3 - 7 Days
Email: thankas_inn@yahoo.com
Bhagsu Road, Mcloed Ganj Behind Lhamo’s Croissant Map#15 Contact: tsedol1107@gmail.com / 9882456837
May all beings be happy.
Enjoy traditional Taiwanese and Chinese food and peaceful environment, just one minute from the Bus Stand, just behind Asian Plaza! (Map # 3)
snowlion
tattoo
custom
Artist PASSANG
Location: near Hotel Tibet
Professional Tattoo Artist Traditionally Trained Tibetan Thangka Painter
100% Safe & Hygienic Contact: 9459160626-9805286528 snowlion custom tattoo : facebook
To advertise on this page, call Lha office at 01892-220992 or visit the office at Temple Rd, Opp State Bank of India Mcleod Ganj - Map#1
Contact
To Advertise Here Contact Us 23
JULY 2016
ལྷ་བོད་ཀྱི་ལུགས་མཐུན་བཟོ་ཚོང་ལས་ཁང་།
Lha Tibet Fair Trade Regd No.U74140HP2013PTC000540 IEC No. 2213006741 TIN: 02060101641 CST: 02060101641 PAN: AACCL5897M
What’s LTFT?
Lha Tibet Fair Trade (LTFT) is a certified Fair Trade company which supports Lha’s charitable work through the sale of traditional Tibetan goods made by local craftspeople.
What we have?
Hand-made woollen carpets, singing bowls, jewellery, goods made from recycled paper, Tibetan home decor pieces and many more!
Why LTFT?
Your shopping and support will contribute to Lha’s numerous social projects and help Lha become more sustainable and self-sufficient.
What we do?
Retail outlet, manufacture, wholesale, import & export, support local artisans, tours and travel.The LTFT is pleased to welcome any businesses wishing to form partnerships and set up exhibition tours.
Drop-in at our store at LHA office, Mon-Sat Phone: +91 (0) 98823-23455 / 1892-220992
W www.tibetfairtrade.com
Lha Tibet Fair Trade To advertise call Lha office: 01892-220992 or visit Lha office at Temple Rd, McLeod Ganj Map #1
Yoga Teacher Training
200 Hr Teacher Trainings: 13th June & 11th July, 2016 300 Hr Teacher Traings: 19th September, 2016 Daily Drop-Ins : 8:00 Am & 5 PM Deepen your practice of Yoga, Meditation & Pranayama Expand your consciousness even further Learn how to give the gift of Yoga to others
Registration open - Apply online now Login to : www.sarvagunayoga.org Email us at: info@sarvagunayoga.org Contact or Whats App : +91 9882369775, +91 9816693444 Facebook: SarvagunaYogaDhaama
Venue : SARVAGUNA YOGA
Oasis House, Upper Bhagsu, Dharamshala Himalayas Registered Yoga School Yoga Alliance, USA
Follow Contact website using the QR code!
Tibet Fair Trade འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་གསར་འཕྲིན།
Contact Newsletter
Managing Director Ngawang Rabgyal Editor-in-Chief Jenny James Editor Tenzin Samten Assistant Editor Tsering Wangdue Reporter Dorji Kyi Layout Design Tamdin Yangzom Circulation Manager Lobsang Rabsel Published by Lha Charitable Trust Web: www.lhasocialwork.org www.contactmagazine.net Phone: 91(0)1892-220992 Email:editor@contactmagazine.net Facebook: ContactNews Twitter: @ContactTibet Printed at Imperial Printing, Dharamshala Phone: 222390 Email:ippdsala@gmail.com