Contact July 2017

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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: XIX Issue:6 JULY 31, 2017

Tibetan Student Self-Immolates

His Holiness Teaches in Ladakh

by Mary Trewartha Tenzin Choeying, 19, a third year student at the Central University for Tibetan Studies, died on July 22 after dousing himself with kerosene and setting himself on fire on July 14 outside the entrance to his hall of residence in Varanasi. As he burned he shouted, “Victory to Tibet”.

Students and staff extinguished the fire and he was taken Continued on page 3

by Rebecca Wilk Thousands of people from around the world gathered in Ladakh for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s four-day series of public teachings beginning on July 11.

The first teachings were held at Disket Monastery in the Nubra Valley and were based on the middle volume of Kamalashila’s The Stages of Meditation and Gyalsey Continued on page 7

World Mourns a Friend of Tibet

US Aid for Tibetans to be Restored

by Tenzin Samten Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese writer, literary critic, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, died aged 61 on July 13 in Shenyang hospital in Liaoning province, still under police guard.

Last month, the Chinese government announced that Liu, who was serving an 11-year prison term, was suffering Continued on page 4

W www.contactmagazine.net

by Lauren Chaplin The United States Congress has approved a bill to restore US funding for Tibet. This decision represents a U-turn

by US President Trump’s administration which made moves in its May budget to slash aid to Tibetans by 2018.

The House Appropriations Committee, a body of the US Congress, approved the bill on July 19.

Continued on page 5

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NEWS & ISSUES

Continued from page 1

Tibetan Student Self-Immolates

to hospital in a critical condition.

“I burned myself only for Tibet” said Choeying from his hospital bed, and continued, “Since I was a small boy I always wanted to do something for Tibet as Tibet is illegally occupied by the Chinese government, and the current policies of the Chinese government like wiping out Tibetan language and culture is another reason for my protest”.

Choeying’s parents travelled up from the Kollegal Tibetan Settlement in South India. His condition deteriorated and he was airlifted to Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi for further treatment.

He was a member of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) chapter in Varanasi and the Tibetan Youth Buddhist Association. He was related to the writer and activist Tenzin Tsundue who posted regular updates on Choeying’s condition and said, “Support and messages of love are pouring in from all across the Tibetan community, and from non-Tibetans from around the world”.

On arrival in Delhi Choeying’s condition deteriorated again. An emergency prayer session for his recovery was held in Tibetan Children’s Village Day School in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, included prayers for him at their prayer meeting for Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo.

Sikyong Lobsang Sangay called for all Tibetans to pray for Choeying saying, “While we understand the intention behind the act of self-immolation, we must remember that the life of every Tibetan is precious and that we must be alive to fight for our cause…every life lost is a huge loss for us and our cause”.

Pawo Tenzin Choeying died from his 90% burns on July 22 in Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi.

His body was taken initially to Samyeling Tibetan Refugee Contact

Colony in Delhi. The Tibetan Youth Congress, at the request of Choeying’s family, organised his onward transport to Dharamshala and set up the cremation for the morning of July 26 in accordance with Tibetan astrological calculations.

On the way from Delhi to Dharamshala, the motorcade stopped briefly at the Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah to enable the

Tenzin Choeying’s parents and sister Photo:Tibettimes

students and staff to pay their last respects, before arriving in Mcleod Ganj on the morning of July 25 where he was welcomed by crowds of Tibetans and Indians. A prayer ceremony was held with his family in the TYC office where the media,

Monks leading a prayer for Tenzin Choeying at TYC hall in Dharamshala Photo:Facebook

who had turned out in force, pressed Choeying’s parents for a personal statement.

Choeying’s mother Tashi Yangzom, expressed sadness for the loss and pride for the sacrifice by her youngest son, while Choeying’s father, Ngawang Khedup said: “I have no regrets, but I plead with the new generation to explore other means to fight for freedom”.

Tributes and condolences poured 3

in: Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay; a representative from HH the Karmapa’s Tsurphu Labrang and the Treasury Secretary of Gyuto Tantric Monastery all paid a visit to the parents, as did Norbu Tsering, Chairman of Local Assembly, Kollegal Refugee Camp who came specially to Dharamshala to represent the settlement. Tibetan shops in McLeod Ganj remained closed for the day.

Students from the Tibetan Institute of Medicine and Astrology held an all night prayer vigil in the TYC headquarters and on July 26, the day of the cremation, Tibetan trantric practitioner Sonam Dorjee performed a series of prayer rituals. Mass prayers were held in the three biggest monasteries in exile - Sera, Drepung and Ganden in South India and reports of prayer gatherings poured in from San Francisco, Minnesota, Ontario, NYNJ, Kullu-Manali, Kollegal, CUTS Varanasi, Sarah College, Australia, Rome, Ladakh and elsewhere.

Tibetans in Los Angeles have been holding vigil in front of the Chinese consulate to highlight Choeying’s demands and the need for freedom of religion, culture and basic human rights in Tibet.

Choeying was the youngest of four siblings. His parents urged young Tibetans to live for Tibet and contribute to the Tibetan cause by making use of the international platforms rather than resorting to selfimmolation. They said that youth must fight for the cause through education and non-violence and stressed the importance of preserving the Tibetan cultural heritage and language.

Choeying was the ninth Tibetan to self-immolate outside Tibet. The first self-immolation in Tibet was in February 27, 2009 when a Tibetan monk named Tapey set fire to himself.

149 self-immolations have since taken place inside Tibet.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES World Mourns a Friend of Tibet Tibetans across the world looked up in Dharamshala by the Central Tibetan Continued from page 1 from a late-stage liver cancer and to the Nobel Laureate as the symbol Administration. It was attended by moved him to hospital. Despite of hope for change in China. hundreds of Tibetans and friends who international calls for the Chinese His Holiness the Dalai Lama, also gathered to show respect and gratitude government to release him to enable a Nobel Laureate and messenger of to their Chinese friend. Sikyong him to receive treatment overseas, peace and non-violence, expressed Sangay spoke at the gathering saying, their only response was their standard profound sadness over Liu’s death. “Liu Xiaobo…said His Holiness the reply of asking other nations Dalai Lama is the soul of not to interfere in their internal Tibet and the best way for affairs. the Chinese government to Liu, a Chinese dissident show respect to Tibetans who called for political is to enable the soul of reforms and an end to the the snow-land to return to Chinese single-party regime, Tibet”. Sikyong continued, was labelled as a criminal by “He was perhaps the first the Chinese government and Chinese intellectual to be jailed repeatedly throughout sentenced for speaking up his life. In 2009 he was for Tibet…in the aftermath sentenced to 11 years for his of the [2008] Tibetan participation in drafting the uprising, he co-authored Charter 08 manifesto which and signed the Twelve Liu Xiabo’s wife, Liu Xia, with a photograph of herself with her husband.

Photo:The New York Times called for a multi-party Suggestions for Dealing democracy in China. The Chinese “I am deeply saddened to learn that with the Tibetan Situation…an act of regime found him of guilty of trying to fellow Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo unparalleled courage and sacrifice”. overthrow the state. He was awarded has passed away while undergoing a Liu, who was then a university the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while lengthy prison sentence. I offer my professor, played a significant role in prison. He is the only Chinese prayers and condolences to his wife, during the Tiananmen Square student citizen to receive a Nobel Prize while Liu Xia and to other members of his protest of June 1989 that ended in residing in China. family”, said His Holiness. “Although bloodshed. He was credited for saving Many in China and the world he is no longer living, the rest of us many protestors during the protest regard him as a hero and symbol of can best pay honour to Liu Xiabo by negotiating with the army for a the human rights struggle in China. by carrying forward the principles peaceful end to the situation.

His death reverberates around the he has long embodied, which would In a Facebook post, Tiananmen globe as tributes pour in. lead to a more harmonious, stable and Square survivor and Chinese activist Hongkongers took to protest prosperous China”, he added.

Rose Tang shared her grief, “Teacher outside the central government’s “My heart breaks to hear of Liu Liu, I’ll never forget that you saved liaison office in the city, crying my life and the lives of thousands of “Mourn Liu Xiaobo! Free Liu Xia!” others in Tiananmen Square on June referring to the late dissident’s wife 4, 1989. When I thanked you during who has been under house arrest since a phone interview in 2004, you said 2010. humbly, stuttering, ‘Don’t thank me.’”

In China, the coverage of his death The Norwegian Nobel Committee has been muted. Even the word “RIP” said that China bears a “heavy is being deleted by censors, reports responsibility” for the death of Liu the BBC, and there are reports by the Xiaobo. The Committee’s statement Tibetans remembering Liu Xiaobo Photo: tibet.net Munk School of Global Affairs based assured that “Liu Xiaobo will remain in Toronto University in Canada that Xiaobo’s passing. I, on behalf of a powerful symbol for all who fight China is blocking messages on social Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, offer for freedom, democracy and a better media bearing Liu Xiabo’s name. my condolences and wish his wife world”.

A Facebook post by state media Liu Xia much strength and resolve in Liu Xiaobo was born on December China Daily stated “Liu Xiaobo, these difficult times,” said Dr Lobsang 28, 1955 in Changchun, Jilin and is a convicted criminal released on Sangay, President of Central Tibetan survived by his wife, the poet Liu medical parole, died of multiple organ Administration-in-exile.

Xia, who has been living under house failure”.

A prayer ceremony was organised arrest since 2010.

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JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES Continued from page 1

US Aid for Tibetans to be Restored

The news will be welcomed by Tibetans across the world. There was concern when the proposed cuts were outlined in the administration’s provisional budget; at the time, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi also expressed concern over the decision, although the US State Department highlighted that it would be facing some tough choices following budget cuts of more than 28%.

The funds approved by the Committee will be used to support “democracy and human rights programmes” for Tibetans living in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) and for Tibetan refugees residing in South Asia, especially those in India and Nepal. Although the final figure has not yet been announced, the bill recommends that

the Aid Budget should be no less than it was in the 2017 fiscal year. In 2014, a Congress report disclosed that total US assistance to Tibet was worth USD $24m (£18.4m), although that figure has since been in gradual decline – a trend the Committee hopes to reverse.

Under the recommendations, USD $4.2m (£3.2m) will be given to Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, the only sources of independent information available to the people of Tibet. This figure also includes funds to continue Tibetan language services.

Additionally, $1m (£750,000) will go to the Office of the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues within the State Department and a further $8m (£6.1m) will be used to preserve cultural traditions and to promote environmental conservation and sustainable development among

Tibetans living in the TAR. $6m (£4.6m) will be funnelled into programmes supporting Tibetan refugees living in India and Nepal, with a focus on developing skills, education, and entrepreneurship. An Economic Support Fund will be established to preserve Tibetan culture, and aid the development of future Tibetan leaders, whilst the bill also recommends the continuation of Tibetan exchanges and fellowships, including the Tibetan Scholarship Programmes and fellowships for Tibetans from Tibet.

Although the figures have not yet been finalised, the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to approve its version in the coming weeks. If all goes to schedule, the bill should be considered by the House and Senate and finalised before the end of September this year.

Tibetan Nomadic Lifestyle Under Threat

by Nirmit Shah and Mary Trewartha While UNESCO is this month designating Kokoxili, or Hoh Xil, on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau as a World Heritage Site, the nomadic lifestyle of the people who have lived there for thousands of years is under threat from the Chinese government and there is concern for the implications for the ecosystem there.

This region is the size of Denmark and the Netherlands combined and the nomads have lived there in harmony with nature. Their subsistence farming practices have sustained the fragile ecosystem which is of global importance; UNESCO describes the plateau as the youngest, highest and vastest plateau on the planet with flora and fauna forming a unique ecosystem of its own kind, and of great importance for conservation.

Over the last decade the Chinese regime has enforced a policy of removing nomads from their traditional homelands in Tibet in the name of conservation, and rehoming them in basic housing with little compensation or prospect of Contact

employment, with devastating social consequences including the loss of their herds of yak, cattle and sheep which have been their livelihood for generations. The local people report that their lands are often being used for mining and damming and other commercial and government projects which are environmentally damaging.

However, in the face of concern expressed by Tibetan organisations, including the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) which had demanded more detailed examination of the nomination prior to inscription, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has claimed that the government has not and will not forcefully relocate anyone from Hoh Xil. The Chinese foreign ministry is quoted on July 13 as saying to Reuters that “The Chinese government has not, is not and will not in the future do any forced evictions in the Hoh Xil nominated area”, and Phayul reports that in its application China states that it is “Resolved to fully respect the wishes, traditional culture, religious beliefs and lifestyles of the nomadic people who live there”.

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The ICT is concerned that the status will effectively signify endorsement of China’s policies which include the displacement of Tibetan nomads from their land. They give the example of the Three Parallel Rivers protected area of Yunnan where China has constructed a hydro electric dam which has resulted in a decline in wildlife population and difficulties for the local Tibetan population.

Meanwhile in the Domda area in Qinghai, Tibetan nomads who were forced off their traditional grazing lands two years ago in a state-directed resettlement scheme are being told to go back. Their new homes are wanted for development as tourist centres and housing for government employees. The nomads’ livelihood depends on their herds – which they had to reduce or sell when they left their land and no funding is available to replace them. Radio Free Asia quotes a source in the region as saying, “Without assurances of financial assistance from Chinese authorities…they are suffering great hardship”.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES

His Holiness’s Birthday Celebrations

by Sarah Weber His Holiness the Dalai Lama celebrated his 82nd birthday in Leh, Ladakh on June 6. The celebration was organised by the Tibetan community in Ladakh and the Ladakh Buddhist Association.

Around 20,000 people were in attendance; among those present were the Tibetan President-in-exile Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and other members of his staff.

Special prayers were recited with His Holiness at his residence, before walking to the teaching pavilion on Shewatsel Ground. Once there, a long life offering according to the rite of the White Tara Wish Fulfilling Wheel was held and a mandala offering was made

by Thiksey Rimpoche. His Holiness spoke, emphasising the need to work on a happier, more peaceful and more compassionate world by coming to grips with our negative emotions. Moreover, he expressed his commitment to increase inter-religious harmony. During a cultural interlude, students from the Leh Tibetan Children’s Village school and a group of Ladakhi girls gave a rousing performance of singing and dancing.

After the prayers, a large iced cake was cut and distributed among the students.

Several speeches were held, honouring His Holiness for taking responsibility for Tibet at the age of sixteen, building schools in exile and ensuring the continuation of Tibetan

culture. A mark of the success of this project is that with a 94% literacy rate the Tibetan education system is ahead of those in China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sikyong Lobsang Sangay praised His Holiness in his speech for spreading awareness of the Tibetan issue worldwide. He said: “Today, we should not only pray for His Holiness to live long, but should reaffirm our determination to put what he advises into effect”.

In McLeod Ganj, His Holiness’s birthday was celebrated joyously.

People gathered at Tsugla Khang, the main temple in McLeod Ganj, where chief guest Kishan Kapoor, the Indian

former Minister of State for Industries and Transport, gave a moving speech.

He predicted that China would one day bow to the purity of His Holiness’s teachings and that the day for a free Tibet would come. The festivities were followed by colourful cultural performances by representatives of the three provinces of Tibet and,

finally, a traditional Himachal lunch (Hindi: dhaam) was served. Singing and dancing continued until late in the evening.

His Holiness’s birthday was also celebrated all over the world. In South Korea hundreds of people attended the birthday celebration organised by Tibet House on July 1. Taiwan marked His Holiness’s 82nd birthday with great fanfare on July 3 and further celebrations were held in several countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom and Switzerland, to name but a few. Since 1997, July 6 is celebrated worldwide as World Tibet day to show support for His Holiness and Tibetans. This year on that day Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, launched a short movie in Mumbai using selected images from various activities of Friends of Tibet.

His Holiness said that he is grateful to all who gathered around the world to celebrate his birthday in the spirit of friendship. He gave the following advice: “Time stops for no one, it’s always moving on. What’s past is past, we can’t change it. What we can do is learn from it. The future is dependent on the present. It rests in the hands of the younger generation. Those of you who are young today must harness your innate good human qualities with intelligence and a warm heart to bring about a happier world.”

Birthday Celebrations in Tibet Despite Chinese Ban

His Holiness’s birthday was celebrated in Tibet despite a Chinese ban, reports Radio Free Asia, quoting a local source.

Tibetans in Tibet honoured their spiritual leader’s birthday with prayer gatherings and public picnics. In Rebgong County in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo, Tibetans closed their shops and burned incense to observe the day. “They also organised picnic outings with friends and family to celebrate the joyous occasion, which coincided with the blossoming of many different kinds of flowers in the area”, said the RFA source, speaking anonymously.

Photos and videos shared on social Contact

media showed Tibetans in other regions also making special offerings to HH the Dalai Lama’s portraits in celebration.

In Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, Tibetans openly held prayers and visited monasteries including Jokhang Temple, the city’s main temple, despite the heavy presence of plain clothed security officers.

Monks at Andu Yakgo monastery in Ngaba prefecture in the Amdo region held special prayers for the Dalai Lama’s health and longevity. Sources in the area said that although monks are on summer retreat, over 60 of them gathered for the ceremony.

Many Tibetans also shared the Dalai Lama’s photo and wished him birthday 6

greetings on Wechat, a Chinese social media app. However, when other users attempted to share the posts, they were not able to do so. One source stated: “The Chinese were very strict about online content sharing around the time of the Dalai Lama’s birthday”.

In Kardze prefecture, the annual horse racing and incense-burning festival fell on the same date as His Holiness’s birthday and Tibetans were told to postpone the festival. The residents of Tawu County’s Nagtren village defied orders and carried on with the festivities but were met with a massive deployment of security forces whose threats disrupted the event.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES

His Holiness Teaches in Ladakh Continued from page 1

Thokme Sangpo’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva.

The values of love and compassion over anger and fear were discussed, emphasising the part that all major religions should play in promoting the practice of compassion. His Holiness read the initial sections of The Stages of Meditation before meeting 300 students from Nubra and 200 monks and nuns who had participated in the Great Summer Debate. He encouraged the young people to work towards a more peaceful 21st century and stressed the importance of considering the welfare of humanity as a whole in order to achieve this vision.

On day two, the Nubra community made a Long Life Offering to His Holiness, and His Holiness gave the permission to practice Avalokiteshvara Who Liberates Beings from All Unfortunate Rebirths. “Each time you receive this permission” he explained,

“it eliminates one rebirth in the lower realms”. The permission was a prelude to Mitrayogi’s Three Essential Points, which were taught the following day at Disket Phodrang.

After continued teachings from Thirty Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva and the bestowment of a

His Holiness with representatives of the Muslim community in the Nubra valley in Jammu and Kashmir Photo: OHHDL

White Tara Long Life Empowerment, His Holiness addressed nearly 100 foreigners, whom he greeted as family, and shared his vision for the world saying, “I’m committed to promoting

the oneness of humanity. As a Buddhist monk I feel it’s important to encourage inter-religious harmony as it flourishes here in India. All religions convey a common message of love and compassion”.

A packed audience of an estimated 6,000 people awaited His Holiness at Samstanling Monastery on the fourth day. The teaching was based on Je Tsongkhapa’s In Praise of Dependent Origination, which His Holiness referred to as “a text that bears the blessings of the hard work Tsongkhapa put into understanding emptiness”.

To conclude his final teaching in the Nubra Valley, His Holiness addressed the audience, “Understanding of emptiness alone will not lead you to Buddhahood, you also need Bodhichitta. If you have a warm heart and you care for others you’ll be happy and the community in which you live will be happier too.

See you next time”.

Three Day Teaching on Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life

by Tenzin Samten His Holiness the Dalai Lama concluded his series of teachings in Ladakh with a three-day teaching, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life at the Shiwatsel teaching ground which started on June 28 and was attended by over 40,000 people.

His Holiness explained that he was taught the Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life by Shantideva by the Kinnauri Master Tenzin Gyaltsen in 1967, and said that the Master assured him then that no greater explanation of how to cultivate the awakening mind of Bodhichitta had been composed since this book was written in the eighth century.

Before speaking on the texts, His Holiness reiterated the importance of cultivating love and compassion in today’s world, saying this can give greater peace of mind in the face of the constant anger and fear which are bad for health and trigger mistrust.

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His Holiness quoted the Buddha who said that the mind can be tamed, and when it is tamed, this is conducive to happiness. His Holiness added, “Buddhas do not wash unwholesome deeds away with water, nor do they remove

Ladakhi artists during the long life offering ceremony Photo: OHHDL

the sufferings of beings with their hands. Neither do they transplant their own realisation into others.

They liberate [beings] by teaching the truth of suchness”.

On the second day of the teaching His Holinnes said that it is important 7

to rely on a teacher who is fully qualified. Referring to people who seek pleasure in music, movies, food and fashions, His Holiness said that this is sensory gratification which even animals can achieve and stressed that what makes human beings different is their unique intelligence and an ability to find happpiness in peace of mind.

The organisers of the teaching– Ladakh Buddhist Association – estimated that 60,000 people attended the final day. In conclusion, His Holiness gave a White Tara LongLife Empowerment which was followed by a Long Life prayer offering to His Holiness. His Holiness promised that he will be back next year if his health is good.

The concluding ceremony was joined by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed.

His Holiness’s next set of teachings will be in Botswana next month.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES

International Debut for the Tibetan Women’s Soccer Team

by Sarah Weber This month the Tibetan women’s soccer team became the first female Tibetan team in any sport to compete internationally. On July 7 the squad of exiles, composed of 14 young women mostly aged between 18 and 20 and all refugees living in either India or Nepal, participated in the Vancouver International Soccer Festival (VISF) in Canada.

The tournament started with a friendly match against the Canadian national team, followed by games against Poland, Iran and Portugal.

During the match against Iran, Api Ang became the first Tibetan woman to score an international goal. After the event, the team posted on Facebook: “Team Tibet showed the world today that they can play, they can compete, and that they are Tibetans”.

Originally the team was scheduled

to take part in the Dallas Cup in the United States in the spring but were denied tourist visas. The US Embassy in Delhi rejected the applications, stating that “the team had no good reason to travel to the USA”. The visa controversy attracted international attention and the Central Tibetan Administration clarified that the Tibetan National Sports Association, which gives official recognition to Tibetan sports teams, had disassociated itself from the Tibetan women’s soccer team. The association stated that it has its own women’s football team representing Tibet in various tournaments within India and abroad.

Despite the political issues and frictions Adri Hamael, founder of the Canadian VISF, decided to invite the women to represent Tibet in the tournament. He reasoned that as a

multicultural, friendly tournament designed to bring together the community and squash discrimination, the invitation reinforced VISF’s core values of inclusion, respect and equality. And this is a message the Tibetan women’s soccer team represents. “To play soccer for me is about bonding and connecting with people and I also feel that it is about leadership qualities and personality, because whatever we do we have to do it with confidence”, team player Tsering Lhamo declared.

The team were inspired to adopt His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s slogan “Never give up” when their initial setback ended with a wonderful opportunity. The team’s executive director Cassie Childers concluded: “As hard as the day was when we were denied US visas, this is the happy ending to our story”.

Religious Freedom in Tibet

by Tenzin Samten A seminar on freedom of religion in Tibet was held in the United States by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. The hearing took place on July 12 to coincide with the second anniversary of the death of Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche – a well known religious leader in Tibet who died while in Chinese prison – and included the issue of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation which is seen as having gained political significance.

The hearing was co-chaired by Congressmen Jim McGovern and Randy Hultgren, with witnesses Dr Tenzin Dorjee, Commissioner of the US Commission of International Religious Freedom; Nyima Lhamo, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s niece; Arjia Rinpoche, Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Centre and Todd Stein, an expert on Tibetan issues and a former staff member of the State Department.

The speakers outlined the current state of religious freedom in Tibet, referring to the destruction of Larung Contact

Gar – the largest Buddhist academy in Tibet; the self-immolations taking place in Tibet; the prisoners of conscience held in jails and the succession of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Nyima Lhamo spoke about the situation before and after her uncle’s death from her own personal experience. She said there are six reasons which give rise to her belief that her uncle was murdered in prison and added, “I know there are many who continue to face the same fate as my uncle. So with a lot of difficulties and hardship, I escaped Tibet but for a very important reason – to share the suffering of my late uncle and that of other political prisoners in Tibet, who continue to suffer under Chinese rule”.

Dr Tenzin Dorjee said that by destroying Larung Gar Academy – previously home to more than 10,000 students of Buddhism from all over the world – the Chinese Government seeks to attack the heart of Tibetan Buddhism.

He also spoke of the torture currently taking place of monks and nuns who refuse to denounce the Dalai Lama or 8

who do not pledge loyalty to Beijing.

Arjia Rinpoche in his testimony said “In short, the Chinese government, while it propagates ‘religious freedom’ abroad, at home it practises strict control over all religious affairs, and is a typical example of ‘strict inside and loose outside’ policy.”

In a separate event held in Washington DC, also marking the second anniversary of the death of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, the Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Medal of Courage was awarded to Tashi Wangchuk, a young Tibetan entrepreneur and language activist who is currently awaiting trial in China for “inciting separatism”.

The Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Medal of Courage is an annual award which recognises individuals who make a major contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Tibet.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES Arrests, Sentences and Releases in Tibet this Month Jul 26: Monk Detained Tulku Lobsang, a senior monk from Boroe monastery in Sichuan’s Sershul county has been detained without explanation or charges. Radio Free Asia reports a source as saying that he was called into the police station in Dartsedo and detained on arrival. The monastery manager and others who accompanied Lobsang were sent home. Monks from Boroe as well as laypeople from neighboring villages offered prayers for Lobsang’s safe return, while senior monks and community representatives went to Dartsedo to try and negotiate for his release, but without success.

Jul 11: Tibetan Singer Released Kalsang Yarphel, a popular Tibetan singer from Machu County in his early

40s, has been released from prison after a four year sentence. Photos circulated on social media showed fellow Tibetans welcoming him home with traditional scarves. There are no details about his health. Yarphel was detained in 2013 following his role in organising a series of concerts called Khawai Metok, or Snow Flower, in 2012, and held for over a year before being sentenced. His songs were deemed subversive by the Chinese authorities as they promoted unity and encouraged Tibetans to speak and write in their own language.

Yarphel has been a popular singer since childhood and performed at concerts held by the government and by private organisations. DVD recordings of the Khawai Metok concerts are said to have been widely

distributed in Tibetan-populated areas of China, despite being banned by the Chinese authorities.

Jul 6: Sentenced Jamyang Lodroe, 36, a Tibetan monk who has been missing since being taken into custody last year in Sichuan’s Ngaba prefecture, has been given a three year prison term. He was sentenced on July 4 by a court in Ngaba’s Trochu county.

He was allowed a one hour visit from his family but not told where he will be sent.

His detention may have been due to his writing of articles on sensitive political subjects and sharing them, as well as news of protests in his locality, outside his area. The Chinese authorities in Tibet routinely hand out severe punishments to people who use social media and mobile phones to share news of protests.

STOP PRESS: A Man Dies in McLeod

by Mary Trewartha Reports are coming in that a Tibetan man, Passang Dhondup, aged in his forties, has died as a result of burning in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala on July 29. It appears that he set fire to himself while alone at Lhagyal Ri on the Kora – the circumambulation path around His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s residence and temple.

While there has been no confirmation that this was an act of self-immolation, Tibetan media reports and local people are of the belief that Passang Dhondup self-immolated in protest against the Chinese occupation of Tibet. It is hoped that more details will emerge as a result of the ongoing inquiry.

There are reports in the Tibetan media of people nearby who witnessed the event. Tenzin Dorjee is reported to have said, “His body was already in flames when I came across the spot where he had set himself on fire”.

Tenzin Dorjee contacted a friend Contact

who informed the Tibetan Youth Congress and the Dharamshala Tibetan Settlement Officer. Bhushi, a resident at the nearby elderly people’s home is reported as saying, “I heard something burning and when I looked back, I heard him shout ‘Long live the Dalai Lama’…I cried for help”.

There are other unconfirmed reports that people nearby heard Dhondup shout, “Long live His Holiness” while on fire. Mr Gurmey Dorjee, who was on the Kora is reported as saying that he saw a man he described as middle aged and in lay clothes, and that a moment later he heard a loud scream “Long live His Holiness the 9

Dalai Lama”. A similar experience by another eye witness, Ms Bhukyi (Ama Bhukyi), was reported.

Police arrived at the scene and removed the body. They have confirmed there will be a postmortem and an inquiry. The police found a red bag at the site which contained an umbrella, some cash and a Tibetan national flag. The police also found three bottles of fuel at the spot. There was no identification with the body and the man remained unidentified for two days.

The fire took place at Lhagyal Ri, a place on the Kora where people gather to invoke the deities through incense ceremonies, at around 3pm.

A picture of a charred body – reportedly that of PassangDhondup – among the bushes is being circulated on Facebook.

Passang Dhondup came to India from Tibet in 1991. He was single and worked as a woodpainter in the woodcraft department at Norbulingka Institute.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES No Sign of an End to Border Tensions

by Ben Byrne A trip scheduled annually for Indian and Nepalese journalists to travel to Tibet has been cancelled by the Chinese authorities following border disputes between China and India in the Dokklam area in Sikkim and Bhutan. Beijing has also ordered the suspension of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route through the Nathu La pass. The Nathu La pass was to be traversed by seven of the 25 groups of pilgrims due to travel to Mount Kailash over the next four months. These pilgrims have been unable to cross the border and complete their pilgrimage following the closure of the pass. The other 18 groups will cross the Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand which remains open.

India and China have been at loggerheads over border issues for decades. Tensions famously flared up in 1962 when war broke out and China heavily defeated the Indian

military. The current issue stems from Chinese attempts to extend a border road through the Doklam plateau, an area which is claimed by both Beijing and the Bhutanese government in Thimphu. India backs Bhutan’s claims to the area but the Chinese refer to an 1890 treaty signed by the British and Sikkimese which they claim places the area under their control as a part of Tibet. Chinese officials have recently said that India should learn “historic lessons” from its defeat in the 1962 war. Statements to which Contact

Indian defence minister Arun Jaitley responded by saying “India in 2017 is different from India in 1962”.

Indian officials are concerned that, if linked by Chinese roads, Dokklam could become a launching point for a Chinese attack on the vital Siliguri corridor, also known as the “Chicken Neck”. This strip

of Indian land, just 14 miles wide at one point between the Bangladeshi and Nepalese borders, is a central node which connects Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal and the Seven Sister States to the rest of India. All land trade between the 40 million plus residents of the north eastern states and the rest of India goes through the Chicken Neck due to the lack of a free trade agreement between India and Bangladesh.

Despite these concerns, Sreeram Chaulia, the author of Modi Doctrine: The Foreign Policy of India’s Prime Minister says that “the threat of an actual war is zero.

Right now, all that China is doing is making noises…with the help of an aggressive media. They may keep reminding us of 1962, but the fact is that the situation is now completely different. Both India and China are nuclear powers and the latter cannot therefore risk a fully fledged war”.

The really pressing issue in the Chicken Neck region is the situation in Darjeeling where the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has renewed decades old calls for a separate Gorkhaland state.

Press reports of border skirmishes 10

between Chinese and Indian soldiers play into the hands of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who frequently derides those calling for Gorkhaland as Maoists and attempts to undermine the movement by suggesting that it is the result of Chinese “interference”. The unrest in Darjeeling, where shops, hotels, schools and restaurants are closed indefinitely, has been running parallel to the reports of border skirmishes between India and China since mid June.

China Objects Meanwhile Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, the leader of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, added to the furore by being photographed beside the Tibetan national flag which had been raised at Pangong Lake during his visit there this month, eliciting criticism in the

Chinese state-run Global Times.

The paper speculated that the flag ceremony could have been a political statement instigated by the Indian authorities.

Pangong Lake is in Ladakh near the disputed border between India and Tibet. Sikyong Sangay said the flag raising was part of the Sangsol ceremony for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in celebration of his birthday on July 6, adding, “I came here today to pray for the fulfilment of the long held aspirations of the Tibetan people inside Tibet. The Tibetan people wish to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet with dignity and freedom restored in Tibet”.

JULY 2017

Jul 30:“China’s New Chick” Chinese social media users are reported in the Tibetan media as fuming over the cover of India Today magazine (July 31) which shows a map of China - without either Tibet or Taiwan - and making China look like a chicken. The Tibet Times reports that the cover has sparked a patriotic backlash among China’s online users, saying it is inaccurate and derogatory to China.

Jul 28: Sikyong Honoured Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, the President of the Central Tibetan Administration, was presented with the Mahatma Hansraj Gaurav Samman award by Hansraj College, University of Delhi for his “stellar contributions to the cause of Tibet as an expert on International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution”. Dr Sangay revealed that he was an active Tibet campaigner during his years studying at the college.

Jul 27: Botswana Defies China His Holiness the Dalai Lama is to visit Botswana despite Chinese objections.

Botswana’s Foreign Minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said “The visit is purely private”, adding, “The principle of noninterference in the international affairs of other countries is at the core of China’s foreign policy. We therefore expect…

China to respect our sovereign decision on this matter”. His Holiness is due to speak at the Mind and Life Dialogue there.

Jul 27: Celebrating Bon Hundreds of people gathered at Tsedrup Monastery in Tengchen county in Chamdo to celebrate Tibet’s oldest religion, Bon, from July 2 to 23. People from across Tibet took part in teachings, rituals and dances. The event coincided with the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Bon Higher Institute for Study and Practice. Senior Bon lamas Yungdrung Nyima Rinpoche, Yungdrung Khen Rinpoche and the Lobpon Lobsang Nyima presided.

Jul 25: Dungkar Rinpoche Honoured A panel discussion took place at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies at Contact

Tibetan Headlines

Sarah College, to mark 20 years since the death of Tibetan scholar Dungkar Lobsang Trinley (also known as Dungkar Rinpoche). He is known as the most important Tibetan historian of the 20th century and a great scholar who led the revival of Tibetan language and culture following the Cultural Revolution in Tibet.

Jul 22: Gratitude to India His Holiness the Dalai Lama has congratulated Shri Ram Nath Kovind on his election as the 14th President of India.

His Holiness expressed his gratitude to India in the 58th year of the Tibetans’ exile, saying to the new president, “No doubt you will do whatever you can to consolidate India’s strengths so that she may provide the leadership in the world that her stature entails”.

Jul 21: Ban Winnie the Pooh!

China has banned all mention of Winnie the Pooh because some pictures which have appeared in the international press appear to replicate some of the original illustrations in the Winnie the Pooh books, apparently showing a resemblance between Chinese President Xi Jinping and the honey-loving bear. The story was front page news in the British Financial Times and has since gone viral on social media.

Jul 20: Time to Support Tibet Samajwadi Party leader and former Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav raised the issue of India’s stand on Tibet in Parliament. He said that India’s acceptance of Tibet as part of China is a mistake and it is time for India to support Tibet as an historically independent country. He urged the government to support HH the Dalai Lama and said that India’s “real enemy” is China, not Pakistan.

Jul 20: Counterfeit Pills A public warning has been issued by Men Tsee Khang, the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute based in Dharamshala, urging people to exercise extreme caution as counterfeit pills claiming to be manufactured by the institute are being sold. Institute Director Tashi Tsering said they are unable to meet the growing 11

NEWS & ISSUES demand for medicine, and counterfeit pills bearing the name Men Tsee Khang have been discovered on sale.

Jul 19: Displaying the Chinese Flag A three day festival which launches the traditional picnic season around Tsoe city in Gansu’s Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has been marred by a Chinese edict that Tibetans opening the festival must carry the Chinese national flag during their horseback parade, with warnings of “severe consequences” for failure to comply. They are requiring neighbouring counties to take part in similar forced displays of loyalty to the Chinese regime.

Jul 18: Flag Raised!

The Tibetan national flag was raised briefly in Martyr’s Street in Ngaba last week, the scene of many protests, including self-immolations. A traditional cultural festival took place in Ngaba on July 10, the first since 2008, although the International Campaign for Tibet reports that at least two renowned Tibetan singers, known for singing in support of Tibetan culture and independence, were not allowed to perform.

Jul 17: Factories Shut Down Two factories – a brick factory and a sand-shifting plant – which have for years been providing a major source of income for the Ragya Monastery in Machen County in Tibet have been shut down by the authorities who cite planned environmental improvements as the reason. Nearby mining operations, which have caused dispute with Tibetans there, are continuing and locals fear there are plans to expand these operations.

Jul 5: Photography Magazine The first ever Tibetan photography magazine, InFrame, has been launched. It is the initiative of Tibetan photographer Kalsang Jigme, and was launched in McLeod Ganj by Education Minister (Kalon) Ngodup Tsering with the aim of encouraging photography in the Tibetan community. Kalsang said it is a “Platform to showcase their photography.” 15 % of income generated will go towards setting up a grant for Tibetan photographers.

JULY 2017

NEWS & ISSUES

International Headlines

Jul 27: Rome Drought Water rationing is being considered in Rome in response to the water crisis there, but Italian Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin has warned of health consequences if supplies for Rome’s 1.5 million residents are cut. Levels in Lake Bracciano, which supplies water to Rome, have fallen low enough to pose a potential environmental disaster. Fountains at the Vatican have been turned off for the first time in living memory.

Jul 25: Reforms Vetoed A controversial new Polish law to replace Supreme Court judges with government nominees has been vetoed by the President, Andrzej Duda. Poland’s parliament passed three key judicial reforms which prompted demonstrations across the country. However, presidential approval is required before they can become law. The changes would set Poland’s right wing government on a collision course with the European Union who threatened sanctions if the reforms were not scrapped.

Jul 24: A Monk’s Fraud Wirapol Sukphol, a Thai Buddhist monk, has been extradited from his home in California but has denied criminal charges in Thailand of fraud, money laundering and rape. A video posted on social media showing his opulent lifestyle went viral and sparked an investigation by the Thai Department of Special Investigations which revealed a fortune apparently gained by using his monk’s status to gain money for his personal use.

Jul 21: Drugs Hit Two of the largest dark web marketplaces – Alpha Bay and Hansa – have been shut down, closing their illegal drugs sales.

Alpha Bay had 250,000 listings for illegal drugs and toxic chemicals. This closure follows a “landmark” international law enforcement investigation. Europol said it believed the bust would lead to hundreds of new investigations in Europe.

Jul 20: Surfeit of Plastic A new report puts the weight of the Contact

total amount of plastic ever made at 8.3 billion tonnes – the equivalent of a billion elephants – all created over the last 65 years. Plastic tends to be used for very short periods before being discarded.

None of the commonly used plastics are biodegradable and only 9% of discarded plastic has been recycled.

Jul 19: Found After 75 Years Two bodies which have emerged from a shrinking glacier in the Swiss Alps – the Tsanfleuron glacier, above the Les Diablerets – are believed to be those of Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin who disappeared in 1942. They were farmers tending their cattle at a height of 2,600m (8,530ft). Their seven children never gave up hope of finding them. A DNA test will be conducted to confirm their identity.

Jul 17: Record Skinny Dip In Finland, nearly 800 naked swimmers took to the water during the Ilosaari Rock music festival in Joensuu in a bid to break the world record for the biggest naked swim. 789 people turned out, beating the previous record set two years ago in Perth, Australia by three. The organisers are waiting for Guinness World Records to confirm the record.

Jul 11: Victory at Last Iraqi troops have overwhelmed the last strongholds of Islamic State in Mosul’s old city, ending the catastrophic ninemonth battle that has reduced much of Iraq’s second city to rubble and cost thousands of lives. Scrambling over debris, a soldier covered in dust raised the Iraqi flag on the west bank of the Tigris, signifying the defeat of Isis in Mosul three years after it had captured the city.

Jul 10: Successful Protest Since the Turkish putsch last year that has seen the country placed under emergency rule and 40,000 imprisoned, one political protest has finally got through. In a rare glimpse of Turkey’s beleaguered opposition in action, the justice march culminated in Istanbul on Sunday and covered over 300 miles, having started 12

in Ankara. “The purpose of this is to remove the atmosphere of fear that has spread through society,” said its organiser Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Jul 8: Amelia Earhart A photograph has been discovered that may solve one of aviation history’s biggest mysteries: how did the legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart die? She vanished over the Pacific in 1937 during an attempted round the world flight and was assumed to be lost at sea, but this photo, found in the vaults of the United States National Archives, could show her in Japanese custody on the Marshall Islands.

Jul 7: G20 Protests Police used water cannons to disperse anti-capitalist protestors in Hamburg, Germany, ahead of the G20 summit due to start today. The organisers cancelled the march following violence but many demonstrators remained on the streets.

The demonstration was prompted by the presence of United States President Donald Trump, among other world leaders, in Hamburg for the talks.

Jul 6: Riots A National Assembly session in Venezuela to mark the country’s Independence Day was disrupted when around 100 government supporters brandishing sticks and pipes burst into the assembly and beat up several lawmakers. AFP reported that military police guarding the site did nothing to stop the attackers. Venezuela is currently in economic crisis and faces severe shortages of basic supplies such as medicine and food.

Jul 4: Dolphins to the Rescue Specially trained dolphins are to be used to try and save the vaquita porpoise off the coast of Mexico. The porpoise is the world’s most endangered species – only 40 are believed to exist – and it is hoped the dolphins will locate the porpoises and herd them into a marine refuge. Fishing nets contribute to the vaquitas’ decline and have been banned permanently by Mexico.

JULY 2017

DHARAMSHALA VOICES

Journey Towards Freedom

by Tsering Wangdue Apo Thuka and Apo Serka guided us to India when my cousin and I escaped from Tibet in 1995 when we were eight and ten years old. As we grew up in India, I got to know Apo Thuka and he told me his story.

I came to know that his real name is Thupten Woeser and Apo Thuka is a short name used by his family and near ones. He was born in Derge Lingtsang in Kham, in south eastern Tibet. He first escaped to India in July 1991 with his whole family. “It was during the 1987 Tibetan uprising against the Chinese régime in Lhasa,” he told me, “I was helping a wounded Tibetan who got shot on that day, later I found that the Chinese had caught me helping that man on camera and they were looking for me. So I fled to Amdo [in north eastern Tibet] for a few years and later to India realising that it is not safe anymore to stay in Tibet”.

In 1993 he went back to Tibet as he found life in India difficult, being a refugee without a proper job and having a family to support. He thought he would do some business but he was not so lucky with that so he once again escaped to India. That was the first time he tried being a guide helping Tibetans to escape from Tibet. “There are many Tibetans who want to go to India but they don’t know the route, so I thought maybe I can guide them to Nepal and earn some money since I know the safe route out of Tibet” he said.

He has been going back and forth for a while since then. It was in 1995 when he was in Lhasa that he came to know that the Chinese police were looking for him because he had guided four Tibetan political prisoners - two monks and two nuns - to India on his previous journey. So he immediately left the city and went back to his hometown to hide.

I still remember seeing him for the first time. He was a big man with a well-built body and he had the look of a fierce Khampa man. He told my parents, who had come to see us off, not to worry as he would look after me carefully and let them know once we reach safety in Nepal.

Apo Thuka’s groups always left Lhasa secretly, telling everyone they met on the way that they were going for a pilgrimage to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet and the seat of His Holiness the Panchen Lama. They were

always prepared with things needed for someone going for a pilgrimage, including butter lamps, stored at the back of their truck. After two days of driving, they would abandon the truck at Dingri to start their journey on foot, and then cross the border over the Himalayas. “It is a very dangerous job, if you are caught by the Chinese, you will be put in prison for 18 years or more” he told me.

The road is dangerous and difficult and they always had to be very careful.

They usually travelled at night to avoid border patrols and would rest during the day. “The hardest part of the journey is crossing the glacier of Shar Gangla [the Nangpa la] pass. Many children get frostbite and snow blindness and

some even may fall into deep ice crevasses, but luckily that sort of things never happened to any of my group members”.

The worst part of the journey after crossing the border into Nepal was being captured by the Nepalese police. They did not hand the Tibetans over to the Chinese police in those days, but they did steal everything from you: money, extra clothes, watches and torches, and even the little food that you had, and then drop you back at the border. Our group was caught and dropped back at the border four times before we could successfully avoid capture and make it into Nepal. The fourth time, we had finished all our food and we went to beg from the nearby houses where they offered us some potatoes and rice balls which we made into a delicious rice porridge.

Apo Thuka has successfully guided many Tibetans into exile, it was a job requiring dedication and hard work and he always did it with compassion and made a point of always being truthful.

Even though these guides have no good image or reputation in Tibetan society, he is happy with what he did and says that it always gives him a sense of satisfaction. “Now when I look back I think I have done a pretty good job, the kids that I have brought here have now finished their studies and are working in Central Tibetan Administration offices, the monks have already got their Geshe Degrees [equivalent to a Doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy], so I am happy” he said with a smile.

Now Apo Thuka works at the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Centre as a helper in the pharmaceutical department and is leading a happy life with his family. I still visit him sometimes and we always enjoy talking about the memories of our journey towards freedom.

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 2017

LHA NEWS AND PROJECTS

Lha Hosts Groups from Four American Partner Organisations

by Dorji Kyi Lha’s Cultural Exchange Programme provides a unique opportunity for people to experience the Tibetan culture and the people of McLeod Ganj first hand.

Visits to local cultural centres, museums, temples, the Tibetan government-inexile and non-government organisations, schools and institutes take place to suit the interests of each group and speakers tell them of their work and experiences and provide the opportunity for the visitors to explore the issues in depth – whether political, humanitarian or personal – and ask questions of people with direct experience of the subject of their researches. And on a personal level, visitors are often paired up with

Tibetans living in the community in McLeod Ganj for the duration of their stay, giving both the opportunity to share experiences and ideas, discuss current affairs and brush up their language skills and, most importantly, to make friends for life.

Past exchange students often keep in touch with Lha for years following their visit and follow up at home, spreading the word about what is happening in Tibet and in the exile community and supporting us from afar. We value their interest and input and the ongoing contacts that they give us around the world.

Rustic Pathways Lha hosted three different groups from Rustic Pathways this month – we bade farewell to the last group on July 24. Rustic Pathways is an American organisation whose mission is to empower students through innovative and responsible travel experiences to positively impact on lives and communities around the world.

Contact

This year we have hosted five Rustic groups, comprising a total of 59 students from different parts of the world. All the five groups participated in our mutual learning programme. “This was an amazing experience in which I learned a lot about Tibetan culture while helping the Tibetan students with their English” said one participant, Reilly Folsom.

As a token of appreciation, Lha’s General Secretary presented each student with a Tibetan traditional white scarf along with a souvenir and recommendation letter. Lha wishes all these wonderful young students success in the pursuit of their dreams. We also would like to express our gratitude to all the group leaders and Rustic Pathways management for making the programme such a success.

Loyola University The group from Loyola University, which was led by Mr Michael Smith, was here in Dharamshala for over two weeks participating in our mutual learning programme.

Lha’s Director Mr Ngawang Rabgyal offered everyone atraditional Tibetan scarf and a Lha souvenir to wish them well. He expressed gratitude to everyone for making this programme such a success. One of the group leaders, Ms

Sonam, entertained the gathering with Tibetan songs and played the damnyen – the Tibetan traditional guitar. “I loved having the opportunity to spend time with a student my age from another culture. I learned so much about Tibet from my learning partner”, said: Victoria Shavone Nachman, a Loyola student.

Louisiana State University A group of medical students from Louisiana State University, led by Mr Neil Guidry, stayed in Dharamshala 14

for over two weeks. They visited Dolma Ling Nunnery and monasteries in Bir where they did free dental, eye and general physical health checkups for the residents. They met students from Mentseekhang Tibetan Medicine Institute and visited various other Tibetan organisations in Dharamshala to learn about the issues facing the Tibetan community. Geshe Lhakdor La, Director of Tibetan Library, gave a them a talk,

Buddhist Philosophy in Relation to Physical Health and Mental Well-being.

During their farewell dinner, the group shared their experiences with Lha staff, and Lha’s Director Ngawang Rabgyal thanked them for their volunteer services by offering them traditional Tibetan scarves and small wall hangings.

GoBeyond This month we also hosted a group of students from GoBeyond Travels.

GoBeyong were previously known as Lifeworks International, a group of dedicated educators who create and run expeditionary programmes that hold the possibility of changing lives.

Lha and GoBeyond have worked together for many years. This year’s group consisted of 11 young people from America who were here in Dharamshala for two weeks from July 17 - 29, participating in our mutual learning programme and visting many Tibetan institutes and NGOs. We invited Mr Lobsang Yeshi, a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile and a political researcher, to give a talk on current Tibet issues to our student group As is our tradition, the students were presented a white scarf and Lha souvenir on their final day. We wish them all the best for their future endeavors and thank them all for their participation and support.

JULY 2017

LHA NEWS AND PROJECTS Maintenance Time

Lha Charitable Trust has installed 25 water filtration systems in different communities in north India under their community service programme, benefitting over 13,950 people.

These communities include schools, nunneries and Tibetan settlements.

During the monsoon season, water born sickness is common in all these communities and clean drinking water plays a major role in keeping people safe from these diseases.

During this crucial time of the monsoon season, each year Lha provides a free service and maintenance check for every water filtration system we have installed.

This year’s maintenance is underway. The technician hired by Lha is visiting and checking every system, doing whatever service and maintenance is required and changing the filters.

The water filtration systems have been installed in 11 schools, one nunnery, seven Tibetan settlements,

one hospital and five communities.

All the systems have been generously sponsored by different donors from across the world and we at Lha can’t thank them enough for making this community service possible.

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 Addison Kamb from the United States tells us her story.

Saying Hello to Everyone You Meet

Volunteer Job at Lha: English Teacher I was raised by a former Buddhist nun from Myanmar – raised to value meditation, raised on mantras of peace, raised with a respect of the way Buddhists view the world. So when I was applying for a fellowship at my school, the University of Michigan, that funds students to work and research in India, and I stumbled across Lha, it felt like a perfect fit.

I had always longed for an opportunity to learn from a community so deeply connected to Buddhist principles, and to give back in the small ways that I can, closing the circle that my caretaker opened when she first held my two year old hands.

So I embarked on a 28 hour journey to Delhi followed by a long and bumpy bus up to Mcleod Ganj, alone for what felt like the first time, truly alone. I was to teach English, a language I do not remember learning.

I was anxious, excited, the big question circling my mind, “Am I up to the challenge?”

Two months later I was packing up my things in my cosy guesthouse room situated at the bottom of the seemingly bottomless stairs on Jogiwara Road. I had taught a bit of beginners English and advanced English, I had helped Lobsang with some data entry, picked up trash on the road, and led countless conversations about debate, the existence of God and football teams.

I had made friends and lost friends, trekked to Triund, eaten my weight in

momos and watched the sunrise from the temple. I had found a community of people to whom I owed much and who still called me teacher. That, to me, is what I will remember from Lha – the community.

When you lose your home, your connection to the land, that is a huge blow to your sense of community, of belonging. What Lha does for the people living in Mcleod Ganj, and what it did for me in fact, is build back up the community, and provide not

Addison with her students on her last day at Lha

just physical aid but educational and emotional and spiritual aid. It was, for me, a place of gathering, of bright hellos and amused “tashideleks”. It was where I felt safe, and what a gift it is to grow from anxiety to safety in a new place. When I first met Sarah, a dedicated volunteer and now a life long friend, she told me “you seem like someone who will come back”. I think she’s right. Until then, if you are in Mcleod, please pet the local dogs for me and say hello to everyone you meet.

Contact magazine is published by Lha Charitable Trust

Lha Charitable Trust is an award-winning, grassroots, non-profit organisation and one of the largest Tibetan social work institutes based in Dharamshala, India. Lha has been striving to provide vital resources for Tibetan refugees, local Indian communities, and people from the Himalayan regions for over 18 years. Lha was registered as a charitable trust by the Indian Government in 2005.

For more information, please visit www.lhasocialwork.org To keep up to date with news of what’s happening in Tibet and in the Tibetan exile community, follow Contact magazine online at www.contactmagazine.net Facebook: Contact News / Twitter: Contact News Contact

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JULY 2017

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 2017

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

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

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 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: 4:00am (Rs 554), 6pm (Rs 580), 7:30 pm (Rs 570) Semi Deluxe Bus: 5pm (Rs 590) , 6:30pm (Rs 590) Full Deluxe Bus: (Rs683) AC Volvo Semi-Sleeper: 8:15 am (Rs 1243), 5:35pm (Rs 1275), 7:00pm (Rs 1275), 8:50pm (Rs1275) AC TATA: 5:50pm (Rs 972) AMRITSAR: Ordinary Bus: 5am (Rs257) *from Dharamshala DEHRADUN: Ordinary Bus: 2pm (Rs 560) 8pm (Rs 551); VOLVO: 7pm (Rs 1199) MANALI: Ordinary Bus: 7:10am (Rs358 *from Dharamshala / VOLVO: 11:30 pm (Rs 782) PATHANKOT: Ordinary Bus: 5am (Rs 136) * from Dharamshala SHIMLA: Ordinary Bus: 5am (Rs 408), 6am (Rs 360), 7:50am (Rs 375), 8:am (Rs 520) 7:45 pm (Rs 363), 12pm (Rs 367) *from Dharamshala, Semi-Deluxe Bus: 9:30pm (Rs455) *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.

TA X I S 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 2017

activities and information UPCOMING EVENTS August 15, 2017: Independence day of India August 29 - September 1, 2017: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teaching in Dharamshala (refer to www.dalailama.com) September 2, 2017: Democracy day of Tibet October 2, 2017: Mahatma Gandhi Birthday

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: 921-842-2467/9882255047

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

Siddhartha Retreat and Yoga Centre LOCATION: Upper Bhagsu PHONE: 098165-65138 WEB: www.shivamneelkant.yoga.com

MASSAGE Nature Cure Health Club

Shiatsu massage LOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka, Jogiwara Road PHONE: 07833047078 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:7018483961/9857999373 EMAIL: kunsangdolma75@gmail.com

Dorjee Spa LOCATION: Pema Thang Guest house, Hotel Bhagsu Road PHONE:9816393673 / 9857108408 WhatsApp: 9816393673

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

WEBSITE:www.shivamneelkant.yoga.com LOCATION: Bhagsu Nag, Near High Sky PHONE: 09816565138 EMAIL: yogi_shivam@yahoo.co.in

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

Indian Cooking and Knitting with Ms Rita Kapoor LOCATION: Old German Bakery, 1st Floor, Room No. 2, Opp. Buddha Hall, Bhagsunag PHONE: 94592-06586

Indian Cooking Classes

LOCATION:Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guesthouse HOURS: 10:00am-6:00pm PHONE: 07833047078 / 0988230136 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

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

COMPUTER CLASSES Tibetan Career Centre, Dharamshala LOCATION: Jogiwara Road, Mcleod Ganj HOURS: 9:00am-6pm PHONE: 9882321424 /9880969175 Email at : yesheadconsultant@tibet.net

Lha Charitable Truse

LOCATION: Near Dolma Chowk, Mcleod Ganj PHONE: 9882323455 / +91 (0)1892 -220992 WEB: www.lhasocialwork.org

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LANGUAGES Tibetan Language Class

Contact: Lha office at Mcleod Ganj Phone : 9882323455 / 9805881883 Teacher : Lobsang Damchoe

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: Hotel India House, Bhagsu Rd 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 Tibet Museum

LOCATION:Near the Main Temple and Namgyal Monastery gate, McLeod Ganj HOURS: Tue-Sun: 9:00am-5:00pm

Tibet Photo Exhibit: 50 Years of Struggle and Oppression

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

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

JULY 2017

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:

tibet.net - official website of the Central Tibetan Administration in exile phayul.com -Phayul is published in Dharamshala,has opinion, reviews, photos, etc contactmagazine.net - Contact magazine online 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 thetibetpost.com - Tibet Post International online news tibetexpress.net - Tibet Express online news 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:

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 - Website of the 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 tibetanjournal.com - Tibetan Journal - news, reviews and opinions

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.

Interested in a Tibetan Homestay?

Is Arriving in India a Nightmare?

Thinking about Volunteering?

Lha Charitable Trust can arrange homestays of one month with a Tibetan refugee family. By sharing day-to-day life with a Tibetan family you will have an opportunity to experience Tibetan culture at first hand as well as making friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

Accommodation, breakfast and dinner included.

Next time you come, use the Lha Reception service at Delhi airport.

We will meet you at the airport, look after you in Delhi and give you a safe place to stay while you wait for your overnight bus to McLeod. We’ll put you on the bus and make sure you are on the right seat! Use our service especially when you are arriving late at night or early morning.

Lha offers you the opportunity to share your knowledge and skills while gaining practical experience with a social work organisation – good for your CV as well as being fun and interesting! Lha volunteers develop friendships as well as learning at first handabout the issues facing the Tibetan refugee community.

Find out more! Call into the Lha office, see Map # 1 Contact

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JULY 2017

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Contact

20

JULY 2017

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Contact

21

JULY 2017

advertisements Map not to scale

Map of McLeod Ganj showing locations of places of interest

BHAGSU NAG

See advertisement pages for details of advertisers TIPA

21

DHARAMKOT

27

26

Vipassana Centre

Naddi Village Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV)

15

Tushita Centre

McLEOD GANJ

22

MAIN SQUARE

3

Cantt Police Post

6

23

4

20

1 Lha Main Bazaar

2

27

24

25

12

11

10

5

16

29

28

14

13

Road to Dharamshala

1. Lha Headquarters and Tibet Fair Trade 2. Namgyal Cafe (at Om Hotel) 3. Common Ground Cafe 4. Dr Mobile, Woeser Bakery 5. Black Tent Cafe 6. Carpe Diem Restaurant 10. Perfect 32 Dental Clinic 11. Hotel Ladies’ Venture 12. 8 Auspicious Him View Hotel 13. Ahimsa House and 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. Smile Dental Clinice & Implant Center 26. Himalayan Yoga Retreat 27. Om Massage Centre 28. Chapri Handicrafts 29. Dorjee Spa

19

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

Below “Black Magic Hotel” on Jogiwara Rd -Map#4

Enjoy traditional Taiwanese and Chinese food and peaceful environment, just one minute from the Bus Stand, just behind Asian Plaza! (Map # 3)

NEED A DENTIST?

To advertise here, Contact Lha office at Temple Road, McLeod Ganj

For all your dental requirements under one roof, in a sterile and state of the art clinic

Dr Natasha Mehra @ Perfect 32 Dental Clinic Location: Near Hotel Mount View Jogiwara Rd, McLeod Map #10 Call: 09218742046 Email: perfect32dentalclinic@gmail.com

Lhamo’s Croissant

To advertise here, Contact Lha office at Temple Road, McLeod Ganj

Vegetarian and Vegan Food

Bakery, Coffee shop, Gluten Free and Fresh seasonal juices and salads

Roof top terrace with stunning views

Bhagsu Road, just after Tibetan Settlement Office Map#15 Contact

22

JULY 2017

advertisements

HOTEL D’S CASA

Club House Road, Near Liaison Office, Mcleodgan, Himachal Pradesh 176219

D’s CASA

McLeodganj

Jai Guru Ji

Tel: +91-9857118523 / 9857118380 Email:dscaste;1234@gmail.com :dscasa6@gmail.com Web: www.dscastle.com

Tour & Travel (A Complete Travel House)

Smile Dental Clinic & Implant Center

Mobile: 98058-75922 93186-75922 98163-68680

Oppo. Walia Medical Store Near State Bank of India ATM, Mcleod Ganj.

MOBILE NO: 7018354594 / 8629011445 Map#25 website: smiledentalclinicmcleodganj.com

Contact for: All types of Transportation Trekking, Paragliding, Hotels etc ...

Address: Club House Road, Mcleodganj, H.P -176219

Ocean of Harmony Programmes for Wellbeing For upcoming events, visit www.oceanofharmony.org Meditation Intensives For intensive trainings Meditation Therapies around the world (any country) Intensive Yoga Courses/Retreats contact: Shalu Patel Stress Management (experienced & qualified life Integrated Healing Therapies and wellness coach for Wellness Retreats international trainings)

Phone: (+91) 9979894585 Email: ohlifeandwellness@gmail.com

To advertise here, Contact Lha office near Dolma Chowk, opposite State Bank of India, McLeod Ganj Contact numbers: 9882323455 01892-22092

Contact

23

JULY 2017

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

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 Dorji Kyi Circulation Manager Lobsang Rabsel Published by Lha Charitable Trust Web: www.lhasocialwork.org www.contactmagazine.net www.samdhongrinpoche.com Phone: 91(0)1892-220992 Email:editor@contactmagazine.net Facebook: ContactNews Twitter: @ContactTibet Printed at Imperial Printing, Dharamshala Phone: 222390 Email:ippdsala@gmail.com