May 2019

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འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་གསར་འཕྲིན།

Contact

A Digest of Tibetan Issues, News and Community Information RGD No. HPENG/2013/51798 | Volume: XXI

Issue: 4 | May 31, 2019

Task Force on Sino-Tibet Negotiations Meets

Contents

by Nithin Thomas Prasad The 31st task force meeting on Sino-Tibet negotiations was held on May 15 – 16. The two-day meeting at the Tibetan government headquarters in Dharamshala concluded that the exile Tibetan Government, officially known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), seeks genuine autonomy under China through the Middle Way Approach.

Continued on page 3

Jail for Boy Calling for Panchen Lama’s Release

by Tenzin Samten Sershul County People’s Court in Kardze handed a jail term to a Tibetan youth on May 8, for calling for the release of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Panchen Lama.

His aunt was also accused of spreading the news of his arrest, reports Radio Free Asia(RFA).

Wangchen, 20, was sentenced to four and a half years Continued on page 5

US Ambassador to China: “Talk to the Dalai Lama!”

by Mary Trewartha The United States Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, was granted a visit to Tibet from May 19 to 25, the first time that US ambassador has visited the region since 2015 - despite requests being made for visits in the meantime. The visit has hit the international news media and is seen as a result of the new Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act which was recently Continued on page 5

Tibetans Thrown Off Ancestral Land

by Jailel Barr As many as 40 Tibetan families from Chunga village in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture’s Chabcha county have been uprooted from their ancestral lands and moved to urbanised areas, against their wishes and by order of the Chinese government, says Radio Free Asia (RFA)in a report dated May 1. Big families of nine or more members Continued on page 4

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News Features 01-11 Tibetan Headlines 11- 12 International Headlines 13 People Story 14 NGO Profile 15 Lha News 16 Volunteer Story 17 Charities & Organisations 18-19 Activities & Information 20-21 Jobs & Advertisements 22-23 Mcleod Ganj Map 24

Upcoming Events in Dharamshala June 3, 2019 : Teaching in Tsuglakhang His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give teachings on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva in the morning in Tsuglakhang, the main Tibetan Temple in Dharamshala.

June 5, 2019 : Teaching His Holiness the Dalai Lama will confer the Avalokiteshvara Initiation (chenresig jigten wangchuk wang) in the morning in Tsuglakhang.

July 5, 2019 : Long Life Offering Ceremony His Holiness will attend a Long Life offering prayer to be given to him by former staff of the Central Tibetan Administration, in the morning, at Tsuklakhang. source: dalailama.com May 31 - June 10: Football Tournament The 25th Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup Football tournament will be held at Tibetan Children’s Village School (TCV) ground.

Contact magazine is sponsored by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD). TFD’s kind contribution has made this publication possible.

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Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 2

“Whether you believe in God or not does not matter so much, whether you believe in Buddha or not does not matter so much; as a Buddhist, whether you believe in reincarnation or not does not matter so much. You must lead a good life. And a good life does not mean just good food, good clothes, good shelter. These are not sufficient. A good motivation is what is needed: compassion, without dogmatism, without complicated philosophy; just understanding that others are human brothers and sisters and respecting their rights and human dignity.”

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Acknowledgment Contact magazine is a wonderful example of the collaboration between Lha staff and volunteers from all over the world. The team at Lha provide the continuity for the magazine from the office while the majority of articles are written by volunteers, some of whom drop by and write one or two articles while others go on writing for us for months or even years after they have left Dharamshala. Some give us occasional editing help. Our two proofreaders, Clifford Martin and Ailsa Newcombe, have been making a vital contribution from Britain over the last two years.

We are deeply grateful to every one of our volunteers, without their commitment, enthusiasm and dedication Contact would not exist: Thank you and tashi delek!

News Features Task Force on Sino-Tibet Negotiations Meets Continued from page 1

The Middle Way approach, proposed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, entails taking a non-partisan and moderate position that safeguards the vital interests of all concerned parties. The task force said this remains the core goal and means of the CTA to find a mutually acceptable resolution.

The task force was constituted in 1999 to implement peaceful dialogue with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the issue of Tibet. The last round of talks with China took place in January 2010 but failed to result in any resolution due to major differences between the representatives of the Dalai Lama and the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

After nine rounds of meeting, talks between the two sides stopped in 2010. The two envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, resigned in June 2012 citing lack of genuine conviction to resolve the issue from Beijing.

Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, President of the CTA, who took up his post in March 2011 and who presided over the Task Force meeting, said relations between the two sides broke down after the 2010 talks but since then China Sikyong Lobsang Sangay has kept open informal channels of dialogue with the exiled Tibetan leadership. The Task Force has met nine times under his leadership.

Commentary on the Chinese news site, news.cgtn.com, said the main reason the talks from 2002 to 2010 failed was due to the “deliberate misinterpretation of the Dalai clique of the preconditions of the central government about the subject and theme of negotiations.” The statement continued, “There has always been a precondition drawn by the central government of China that talks should be held with personal representatives of the Dalai Lama on his destiny and that of the people around him, rather than with the so-called Tibetan government in exile on the autonomy of Tibet”. The commentary concluded that “without common grounds, no talk or dialogue could proceed, let alone achieve any positive outcomes.”

In 1950, Beijing sent troops into Tibet – until then independent – and has since claimed that under their rule, Tibet has been “peacefully liberated” and brought into the modern era despite numerous documented actions of repression.China sees the Dalai Lama, who crossed the border into exile in India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, as a dangerous “separatist”. However, he states publicly that he seeks genuine autonomy for his

homeland, not independence. He remains widely revered in Tibet as well as in exile.

No Meeting On May 22, the private office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama denied claims that a proposed meeting between His Holiness and Chinese President Xi Jinping in New Delhi in 2014 was blocked by the Indian government as a “cautious intervention.”

This was in response to a revelation made by Indian Journalist Sonia Singh in her book Defining India: Through their eyes, published on May 20. In the book, the 83-year old Nobel laurate was quoted as saying in an interview with Ms Singh, “In 2014, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Delhi for talks with Prime Minister Modi, I requested a meeting with him. President Xi Jinping agreed, but the Indian government was cautious about the meeting, so it didn’t happen.”

However, a senior Indian official and secretary in a statement said that although a meeting was proposed by the Tibetan side, the Chinese never agreed to it. “Although we had proposed a meeting between His Holiness and President Xi Jinping during his visit to India in 2014, the Chinese authorities had not given a definite response.

Therefore, there was no basis for the government of India being cautious of the initiative,” he noted.

Calls for China toTalk to the Dalai Lama Governments around the world have called on China on numerous occasions to talk to the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

In a first since 2015, the United States Ambassador US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad and his to China Terry wife Christine with school children as he visits an Branstad has elementary school in Lhasa, Tibet on May 22.

Photo: The Epoch Times visited Tibet where he criticised the Chinese government for interfering in religious freedom and urged them to hold talks with the Dalai Lama.

Read more about Mr Branstad’s visit to Tibet on page 5.

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News Features HRW Calls for Release of Tibetans Imprisoned for Peaceful Protests

by Jailel Barr medical care in custody”. In many cases, says HRW, “There “Chinese authorities should immediately release Tibetan has been no information regarding some of the prisoners’ monks and other peaceful critics arbitrarily imprisoned whereabouts, wellbeing, or charges for more than a decade”. since the March 2008 protests across the Tibetan The Central Tibetan Administration says the accused plateau” says Human Rights Watch (HRW) in their report are “human rights defenders, prominent environmentalists, entitled China: Free Tibetans Unjustly Imprisoned, New religious figures, monks, and professionals, amongst Compendium of About 80 Long-Term Cases. The report, others, with an average sentence term of roughly 13 years, published on May 21, has shed new light on the cases of excluding life sentences (15) and death sentences (7)”. wrongfully imprisoned Tibetans allegedly involved with The report on their website, tibet.net, mentions the three the 2008 Lhasa protests. former political prisoners who Since that dissent broke out have died within the last two Human Rights Watch, a nonmonths, all of whom were government organisation tortured in prison and whose based in New York, has ill health and subsequent uncovered about 80 cases death can be attributed to their of monks who have been treatment in prison. tibet.net prosecuted and sentenced to states, “Hundreds of Tibetans long term imprisonment. The continue to be arbitrarily report cites the difficulties Images of some of the 80 Tibetans who were sentenced to long detained, unjustly jailed and prison terms including life in prison and the death penalty of obtaining information: mistreated in prisons for merely Photo: HRW “Information about sentences exercising their freedom of from Tibetan areas is tightly restricted, and people who expression and demanding the Chinese authorities of their report detentions and prosecutions to others abroad are rights and freedom in Tibet”. themselves at risk of arrest”.

The HRW report lists the information that HRW has Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights been able to verify about the 80 cases which, they say, Watch, said, “Tibetans who did nothing more than call “involve Tibetan Buddhist monks and others who were peacefully for their human rights to be respected have sentenced to long prison terms, including life in prison and been unjustly sentenced to long prison terms. The Chinese the death penalty”. In some cases charges are unknown, authorities should immediately free these prisoners.” but a vast majority are nonviolent political activity The report goes on to give details of the treatment of deemed to be “endangering state security”. The Human imprisoned people, saying they are held without due process Rights Watch compilation of Tibetan political prisoners and that there are “serious concerns for the health of many “relies on reports received from local sources despite the of these prisoners, due to severe physical abuse and denial of government’s censorship and intimidation”.

Tibetans Thrown Off Ancestral Land Continued from page 1

are now packed into their new living spaces, which are small two-bedroom homes unequipped to house large families, “we don’t feel comfortable in our resettlement home at all” says RFA’s local source.

The evicted Tibetans have had to sell their livestock at low prices to relocate to new areas. “We are all pastoral nomads with no skills for working in a modern city, and though we were told the Chinese government would help support poor Tibetan families, we have received no assistance so far”, RFA’s source explains.

RFA’s source, who remains anonymous, says that it has left families begging in the street for financial aid. She describes her home in Phenpo, about 63 km from Lhasa, saying the family did not have to pay for water, electricity or rent but after moving to the Kuru Sampa suburb to the

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east of Lhasa they have to pay for everything. Uprooted Tibetans are promised compensation for their land of 12,000-200,000 yuan (US$1,750-US$29,0 / £1,400£12,000): some are still waiting to receive their money.

Many feel that the amount offered is insufficient for the value of the land and for them to be able to move forward, supporting their families. When offered a settlement the RFA source said, “It is better to take the money offered and relocate as consequences can be severe.” Families are not given a reason when evicted but on May 16 a report from RFA states the land will be used to build a new airport. phayul.com commented, “Forced relocation, land grabs and urbanisation are recurring issues in occupied Tibet in the last few decades with Tibetans on the receiving end of Chinese government policies”.

News Features Jail for Boy Calling for Panchen Lama’s Release Continued from page 1

in prison while his aunt Dolkar was given a fifteen months prison term for sharing news of Wangchen’s protest outside the region. Lobsang and Yonten, who were arrested with Wangchen on April 29, were each fined 15,000 yuan (US$2,200 / £1,700) and ordered to attend political re-education classes on “issues of national security” for six months, said RFA’s source.

Wangchen made his living in horse riding competitions. During a session hanging prayer flags, and in the hearing of other Tibetans nearby, he prayed loudly, for the release of Gendhun Yonten Choekyi Nyima – the 11th Panchen Lama – and for the reunion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama in Tibet.

The incident took place on a hillside near a monastery in Sershul.

Police called Wangchen’s aunt Dolkar in for questioning on May 3 and announced that no more than five family members would be allowed Lobsang into the court hearing on May 7. RFA’s Tibetan source said that Wangchen walked unsteadily to court making them believe that he had been tortured while in police custody. However, no one was allowed access to him to confirm his wellbeing.

Speaking to RFA, the source said “We don’t know where Wangchen and his aunt were taken after they were sentenced, and his family was not allowed to provide lawyers to represent him in court,” He added that the situation is tense as the place is under a security clampdown.

On May 17, 1995, His Holiness the Dalai Lama Wangchen and his aunt Dolkar recognised six year old Gendhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th reincarnation of Tibet’s spiritual leader Panchen Lama. Three days later Nyima and his parents were abducted by the Chinese government and have been missing since then. The last seen photo of him was at the age of six. This year marks the 30th birthday of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima. Tibetans across the world marked the day with calls for his release. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) called for his release on April 24, the eve of his 30th birthday, to allow him to assume his role and take up his studies at Tashi Lunpo monastery. They report that his whereabouts are still unknown, although it is believed he is alive.

The Chinese government picked another boy, Gyaltsen Norbu, and installed him as the 11th Panchen Lama – he is currently serving as the Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China.

US Ambassador to China: “Talk to the Dalai Lama!”

Continued from page 1

passed into US law and will mean that Chinese officials who implement restrictions on access for foreigners to Tibet will themselves be denied visas to visit the US – a law which China has denounced.

Reuters said that the visit comes “amid escalating trade tension between the two countries” and quoted a US Embassy spokeswoman as saying, “This visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language”.

The Tibetan Review reported that China expected Mr Branstad to “conform to its propaganda claim that all was well in Tibet under its rule”.

During his visit, Mr Branstad’s call to China to reopen talks with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama regarding the situation in Tibet were reported in the international media.

The Hong Kong Free Press reported on the visit under the headline US ambassador urges Beijing to open ‘substantive dialogue’ with Dalai Lama, while Time, under the headline

US Ambassador Urges China to Meet With Dalai Lama in Rare Visit to Tibet, said that Terry Branstad also “expressed concerns regarding the Chinese government’s interference in Tibetan Buddhists’ freedom to organise and practice their religion” as well as concern about the lack of access to the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Time reported that he visited important religious and cultural sites and met “senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders”. The South China Morning Post, the most independent Chinese news site, said “Talk to the Dalai Lama, US ambassador urges China on rare trip to Tibet. Terry Branstad also raises long-standing concerns about the lack of access to the autonomous region”.

The only reported response from China to date has been their usual statement, this time made by Chinese government spokesperson Lu Kang on May 28, that Beijing “firmly opposes any foreign interference in Tibet affairs in China’s domestic affairs.”

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 5

News Features US and Canada Support for Tibet by by Shoshana Zimmerman Canadian and US government officials have called for their governments to take action to uphold Tibetan freedom of speech, religion, movement and linguistic rights. They have drawn attention to the current situation where Chinese surveillance and repression of Tibetans has increased in the Tibetan Autonomous Region and in greater Tibet.

In the United States, 32 Members of Congress signed a letter from the Human Rights Commission to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 7, urging enforcement of the 2018 Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, which addresses the current lack of access to Tibet for Americans, and the 2002 Tibet Policy Act which calls for China to negotiate an agreement on Tibet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s representatives.

In the letter, the Representatives expressed “deep concern for the well-being of the Tibetan people under Chinese rule” and asked the Secretary of State and the President to “address the lack of respect for human rights in Tibet during all your meetings with senior Chinese government officials.”

Two days later, on May 9, members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee drew “attention to the state of Tibetan Buddhism under Chinese rule” in a letter to

Sam Brownback, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and well-known as a strong supporter of religious freedom. This 11 member bi-partisan group expressed their “shared belief that promoting religious freedom must remain a central pillar of US foreign policy.”

They strongly urged the Ambassador to share his views with them and spearhead international and US government efforts “to ensure the 15th Dalai Lama is chosen according to religious practice.”

In Canada Senator Hon Than Hai Ngo moved a motion to raise awareness of the serious and recurring human rights abuses in Tibet and to urge the Government of Canada to take stronger action with China in support of genuine autonomy for Tibet. Senator Ngo said when introducing his motion on May 14 that he was “deeply distraught” at the restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms in Tibet and urged China to grant freedom to Tibetans, to cease detaining dissidents and to free political prisoners.

Additionally the motion called for renewal of the SinoTibetan dialogue based on the Middle Way Approach, and for Canada to be granted unlimited reciprocal diplomatic access to Tibet.

Thousands Gather to Hear His Holiness

by Corinne Dobinson His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave teachings on The Three Principles of the Path by Je Tsongkapa in the main temple in Dharamshala on May 10-12. The teaching had been requested by a group of Russian Buddhists; over 1,100 Russians attended. The temple was filled to capacity – as well as Tibetans and Indians, people attended from over 69 nations including Mongolia, Bhutan, Korea, the United States, Israel and many European countries. There was also a large monastic attendance.

His Holiness explained that Buddhism spread from India to Tibet then to Mongolia, including its Russian areas. He told the audience that, in preparation for his Geshe degree, several Masters from this region were very helpful to him, especially in relation to learning about the Madhyamaka tradition.

On the first morning His Holiness made some general points about Buddhism and provided the background to the text to be studied. He referred to the importance of using logic when following the Buddha’s teachings and experimenting with the teachings to test their effectiveness, rather than relying purely on faith. He pointed out that with technological advances more people across the world are becoming

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interested in Buddhism. He also said that Buddhism needs to be in accord with modern science and should be compared with other religions, emphasising the importance of using non-violence to resolve conflict in the world.

His Holiness put the text into the boarder context of the Buddha’s teachings. He explained that Buddha gave three kinds of teachings, dependent upon the capabilities of the students: these are known as the Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma. The first comprises the Four Noble Truths, the second the Perfection of Wisdom or Object of Clear Light and the third comprises the Subject of Mind of Clear Light. He explained that the text he would be teaching is a commentary on the latter, which is taught in both the Sutras and Tantric teachings.

On the second day His Holiness went through the entire text of the Three Principles of the Path and on the third he conveyed the Bodhisattva ceremony, followed by a private teaching on the Furthest Everlasting Continuum (Sanskrit – Uttaratantra; Tibetan – gyu lama) for the Russian group.

His Holiness taught in Tibetan and translations were available in twelve different languages. The teachings are currently available on www.dalailama.com/videos.

News Features Nepali Journalists in Trouble After Writing about His Holiness

by Mary Trewartha Three Nepali journalists are being investigated following their online report about the health of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Kathmandu Post reported on May 12 that they were being “probed for disseminating a news item regarding the Dalai Lama”. The three, Mohani Risal, Somnath Lamichhanne and Jivan Bhandari, work at the English desk of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) national news agency in Nepal and picked up the reports of His Holiness’s discharge from hospital in Delhi after his short illness from the Indian press.

The Kathmandu Post continued, “Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gokul Baskota, confirmed to the Post that the investigation was initiated at his orders”. Baskota is quoted as saying that the Tibet issue is “sensitive for China and dissemination of a report regarding the Dalai Lama by the state-run news agency […] was against Nepal’s commitment to [the] One-China policy” and that this is why the probe had been instigated.

The Post reported that, following publication of the article, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu raised concerns with the government of Nepal. There is the suggestion that staff on the Nepali state-owned daily, the Gorkhapatra, may have tipped off Baskota “because of internal politics in the state-owned paper”.

The journalists concerned are quoted in the Post as expressing reservations to the Chair of RSS about their working environment and the lack of press freedom. They are also quoted as saying to a colleague that “the Dalai Lama is a global newsmaker and that his health condition made important news for people around the world, including in Nepal”, and that they did not have any political reason for publishing the information.

Radio Free Asia (RFA) quotes Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia Director for Human Rights Watch, as saying that under China’s influence, Nepal has recently experienced a growing crackdown on freedom of expression and that in an effort to appease China, Nepali authorities have placed numerous restrictions on the rights of Tibetan refugees.

RFA’s report continues, quoting Dilliram Batarai — one of the four people assigned by RSS to conduct the inquiry — as saying on May 14 that the investigation is still under way, and that “no statements have yet been released.” He continued, “RSS is a state-run news agency, however, and our investigation will be guided by Nepal’s relationship with China, by the One-China policy, and by Nepal’s foreign policy. So we report to higher authorities”.

The Tibetan Review reported that an official from Xinhua, China’s state news agency, had visited the RSS chairman the day after the news article was published online.

Tibetan Activists in Golog Targeted

by Jailel Barr A campaign that claims to target organised crime in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Amdo, north eastern Tibet, has led to harassment and strict surveillance of Tibetans with a history of political activism, says Radio Free Asia in a report citing two local sources and released on May 22. Their source is quoted as saying, “Under the name of rooting all black and evil forces, the Chinese have targeted illegal gambling and the formation of grassroots organisations that solicit money from people” [our emphasis], and that 14 people have been arrested. The report continues, “The campaign imposes strict curbs on local Tibetan’s ability to gather and share information on

social media”, and people are to “avoid randomly talking to any foreigners from America and the West”.

The source also tells RFA, “If any association has more than 10 people, they must seek permission through registering at the local village and up to the county level.”

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy says the campaign has “led to an increased restriction on human rights and lives of the Tibetan people”, and that it has “resulted in the detention, arrest, and torture of human rights and environmental activists and of ordinary Tibetans promoting the use of the Tibetan language”.

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News Features World Parliamentarians Tibet Convention

by Corinne Dobinson The 7th World Parliamentarian Convention on Tibet was held in Riga, Latvia from May 7 to 10. The convention’s aims were to “reinvigorate and galvanise global support for Tibet through concerted efforts and deliberations on the parliamentary front” reported tibet.net – the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) based in Dharamshala. Parliamentarians and advocates from around the world who were attending reported on current methods of supporting Tibet and drew up a draft action plan for future engagement, including the Riga Declaration.

Going against their foreign policy agreement with China, two members of the Nepali parliament, Pradip Yadav and Iqabal Maya, attended, the Tibet Journal reported on May 14, quoting newspaper sources in Nepal. According to the Tibetan Review on May 15, both were visiting Latvia for personal reasons, although Maya admitted he attended the convention to support the Tibetan parliamentarians. It was reported that neither sought consent to attend the convention from the Parliamentarian Secretariat, but it is also not clear if they were required to. The report also cites foreign affairs experts saying that it shows implementation of Nepal’s foreign policy is weak.

The convention, originally formed in 1994, was attended by around one hundred people and included 25 parliamentarians and advocates from 13 countries. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama addressed the convention at the start through a video message saying that his priorities are the protection of the Tibetan environment and the Tibetan language and culture. He explained that Tibetan is the best language with which to study ancient Indian knowledge, philosophy, psychology and also quantum physics.

Following the convention, on May 13, the Tibet Parliament reported on the United States Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act which was adopted as law last year: this provides for reciprocity of access to Tibet by tourists, journalists, diplomats and others.

Mr Jonathan Stivers, Staff Director for Congressional Executive Commission on China, recommended at the convention that other countries implement similar Acts. He further recommended that parliamentarians make clear statements of support for the right of the Dalai Lama, Buddhists and the Tibetan people to make choices about the succession of His Holiess the Dalai Lama.

The policies of the European Union (EU) on Tibet, and how the EU has maintained an agenda on human rights violations, were reported by Hon Csaba Sogar, MEP and Mr Vincent Metten, EU Policy Director of Europe International Campaign for Tibet. They presented the framework for

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EU-China dialogue and gave details of those that had taken place; putting forward their wishes for actions of the next EU parliament, due to be elected in July.

Following discussion, ideas for action were put forward and developed into a draft action plan. The Riga Declaration was drawn up and published on tibet.net. Some of the points included in the declaration are: serious concerns that the government of the PRC tried to persuade those attending the convention against doing so; the PRC’s refusal to enter into dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama since 2010; reiteration of the belief that a peaceful solution to the conflict is possible through negotiation; reaffirmation that prior to the invasion of China, Tibet was an independent country and that the annexation of Tibet by China in 1951 was illegal under international law; expression of solidarity with the Tibetan people’s non-violent struggle for their rights; condemnation of the assaults on Tibetan religion, culture and identity; concern for the Tibetan environment; reaffirmation that the Buddhist practice of appointing reincarnations of the Dalai Lama and Tulkus be solely a religious matter without the interference of political bodies.

The declaration calls on the PRC to end the repression of Tibetans, to address the issues raised and to enter into peaceful negotiations. It also recognises that foreign parliamentary bodies can play a crucial role by putting pressure on China and by formulating and implementing policies to aid the Tibetan people.

More Representations in the EU Prior to the convention, Dr Lobsang Sangay, President of the CTA, who was touring the Baltic region to raise awareness and gain support for Tibet, visited the Lithuanian parliament where he gave a press conference. This was strongly condemned by the Chinese embassy in Lithuania who called it “a serious political incident”.

Meanwhile Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s former envoy to Europe, spoke to the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid on May 8 at a hearing, Religious Freedom: The human rights situation of religious minorities in China held by the German government. In his address he said that China wishes to eradicate Tibetan identity and disrespects international legal norms through its treatment of minority groups. He urged the German government to make a clear statement that they would not recognise any successive Dalai Lama appointed by the Chinese.

News Features Spotlight on Lack of Press Freedom in Tibet

by Tenzin Samten of the possible serious consequences for the people Tibetan journalists gathered in Dharamshala to mark World concerned.

Press Freedom Day on May 3 and to voice their concerns Tenzin Dalha spoke about internet censorship and about the declining access to information and reporting growing surveillance inside Tibet. He said that the internet from Tibet due to the systematic restrictions imposed has become a huge problem to the Chinese government. by the Chinese government on the right to freedom of “Despite active control from the government, millions of movement and access for the journalists. people under the Chinese government continues to use The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy proxy and VPNs to bypass censorship”, said Dalha.

(TCHRD) and Association for Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) Pre-recorded videos showing interviews with Paul organised a panel discussion entitled Entry Barred: Mooney, a former correspondent for the South China Freedom of Movement and Access in Tibet which featured Morning Post (SCMP); Dolma, a former reporter with panelists Tenzin Paldon, editor-in-chief of Voice of Tibet Qinghai TV and Abhishek Majumdar, the playwright who (VoT); Pema Tso, a senior editor wrote Pah-La, the play performed with Tibet Times and Tenzin at the Royal Court Theatre in Dalha, a researcher at the Tibet London, United Kingdom, last Policy Institue (TPI). The month, were screened before the discussion was moderated by panel discussion.

Tibetan writer and activist Tenzin TCHRD and ATJ stated that Tsundue. the Chinese authorities forbid Tibet Times editor Pema Tso, independent reporting trips to who was born and brought up in the Tibet Autonomous Region Tibet before escaping to exile, Panelists:(from left) Tenzin Dalha, Tenzin Paldon, Tenzin (TAR) and other Tibetan areas Tsundue (moderator) and Pema Tso, said that in Tibet everything in Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai and Photo: Contact / Lha is government controlled Yunnan provinces. Journalists and Tibetans don’t even have the right to say that they reporting from Tibet are under constant surveillance and don’t have press freedom in Tibet. Pema stressed that exposed to intimidation, and their sources to harassment. the situation inside Tibet is such that there is no way to They also highlighted that in a report published by the provide updates on any cases filed by reporters from exile Foreign Correspondents Club of China, a foreign journalist or anywhere in the world. based in Beijing, after visiting Tibet in 2016, said reporting Paldon was asked about the challenges she faces as the conditions were freer in North Korea than in Tibet.

Chief Editor of VoT. She said “getting information from The participants at the gathering agreed to put out a Tibet” and “verifying the information” are the challenges. call to the international community to engage with China She also shared one of the challenges of reporting the and to exert pressure on China to remove all policies and stories of Tibetans living inside Tibet: they need to be practices that violate the right to freedom of movement double checked before publishing out of consideration and travel in Tibet.

Former Tibetan Political Prisoner Dies at 50

by Choeyang Wangmo Yeshi Gyatso, a former political prisoner from Tsammo Yartheng village in Rebkon County, Amdo, in northeastern Tibet, passed away at the age of 50 on May 1. The deterioration of his health had resulted from the torture he suffered while in prison.

Yeshi Gyatso was arrested on March 31, 2008 for

taking part in the peaceful protests taking place across Tibet that year. Gyatso was also accused of spreading information about other peaceful protests in Rebkong county. He was detained for some months, during which time he was forcefully interrogated, beaten and tortured by the Chinese prison authorities, including by electric current applied to his tongue. These tortures left him with deep psychological trauma and physical infirmities that ultimately led to his death.

Gyatso is survived by his mother.

Gyatso is yet another in the long line of former political prisoners who have died as a result of the torture they underwent while in Chinese custody.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 9

News Features US Says China is a “Country of Particular Concern”

by Corinne Dobinson China has been placed on a United States list of “countries of particular concern” (CPCs) in relation to its religious freedom record. The annual report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), published on April 29, includes China in the 16 countries that were designated.

The USCIRF website quotes Tenzin Dorjee, USCIRF Chair, as saying “Our goal is not only to call out the offenders, but to provide concrete actions for the US government to take in working with these countries to get off our lists”.

The report’s chapter on China provides key findings in support of the designation. These include the introduction of a new Regulations on Religious Affairs Policy in February 2018. This prohibited religious teachings that had not been previously authorised and forced religious groups to report their online activity. The report also claims the Chinese government continued to persecute all religious faiths “not only to diminish and erase the independent practice of religion, but also the cultural and linguistic heritage of religious and ethnic communities, particularly Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims”.

The USCIRF report states that the Chinese government uses, amongst other methods, technological surveillance to repress Tibetan Buddhists and that it had received information that 800,000 to two million Uighur and other Muslims were detained last summer. According to USCIRF, despite an agreement last year between the Vatican and the Chinese government allowing China some control in the appointment of bishops, repression of the Catholic Church increased and many churches were closed down. It is also reports that over 900 Falun Gong followers were arrested for distributing information and practising their faith.

The annual report cites recommendations made to the US Congress and Administration to address these issues. These include incorporating diplomatic and legislative measures in negotiations on trade, exports, business and programme funding,visa restrictions and co-ordinating with foreign governments on sanctions.

The purpose of the USCIRF is to identify countries that engage in or tolerate violations of religious freedom rights and to make policy recommendations to the US Congress and the US Administration to address these issues.

Support or Surveillance?

by Tsering Wangdue China’s Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security has published a notice outlining plans to issue at least 100 million electronic social security cards throughout the country by the end of this year, and to replace the already existing 1.25 billion social security card holders with electronic cards within three years. The notice stated that all cities should open mobile payment services for the e-cards and that social security card holders can apply for an e-card through 58 different Apps.

The e-card is a multipurpose, nationally unified social security card which is accepted as a recognised identity card containing all the holder’s personal information. The card can also be used for self-service enquiries, medical and insurance payments and settlements and to carry out daily financial transactions. Since they were first issued in 2018 the popularity of the e-card has been rapidly rising as it is easy to use and obtain.

The first e-card was issued in Qingdao in April, 2018.

Social security card holders can link their card with the Chinese messaging app Wechat which enable users to provide their identification, payment records and other relevant and personal information to the other party or government offices.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 10

China’s plan to include every citizen under a unified electronic social security card has drawn strong criticism from rights groups outside mainland China. Critics say that such a system can become a dangerous surveillance tool for the Chinese government and will enable it to get a tighter grip on ethnic minority regions such as Xinjiang and Tibet. A Dharamshala based rights group said that although these cards are practical in daily life, there is still the fear of the government misusing the information to track and control individual behaviour and deny access to social benefits and service for those who are deemed punishable by the Chinese Government, reports Phayul.

A social credit system is also operated and managed through social security cards, paired with a facial recognition technology system. Citizens are given credit based on their daily behaviour: a low credit would be a red flag to numerous services such as healthcare or flight tickets, and could result in a dismissal from a high paid job. The government claims that the purpose of such system is to restore social trust and create a culture of sincerity, yet critics fear that it might be the beginning of turning George Orwell’s fiction “1984” into a reality.

Tibetan Headlines May 30: Homeless in France Tibetan asylum seekers staying in a migrant camp have been made homeless when the authorities dismantled their camp in a woodland near Paris.

The alternative accommodation offered could only take 120 of the 200 Tibetans needing a home. They escaped from Tibet earlier this year and are hoping to obtain work visas in France.

May 29: Nobel Laureats Child rights activist and Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has called on His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala. They are scheduled to have a three-day intense discussion on how compassion can help solving the problems that confront the world.

May 27: No Invitation

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen has faced cricitism from the Taiwan Jury Association and political advocates because of her government’s failure to invite HH the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan,prompting speculation that she is succumbing to “fear of China”. Previous Taiwanese presidents have invited His Holiness to Taiwan. Taiwan’s independence is threatened by China who claims the territory as its own.

May 23: Belgians Commit

In the runup to the Belgian federal and regional elections on May 26, the International Campaign for Tibet has questioned political parties concerning their support for the Tibetan cause. Eight parties replied, expressing concern at the worsening human rights situation in Tibet.

May 23: 17-Point Agreement Anniversary

May 23 is the 68th anniversary of the 17-point agreement which China forced on Tibet in 1951. The Central Tibetan Administration says they expect China to issue a statement about the “unification of Tibet with the motherland” and goes on to point out that the Agreement itself is a “testimony to the fact that Tibet was never a part of China before the agreement”.

May 23: Self-Immolators Identified

Photographs of three young people who self-immolated and died in 2012 have now been released for the first time. At the time of their protests, no photographs could be verified and so none were released. The three are Dorjee, 18, from Cha Ruwa, Ngaba, March 5; LobsangSherab, 20, from Cha town in Ngaba, March 28, and Damchoe (LobsangDamchoe), 17, from Ngaba Kirti Monastery, August 27.

May 21: No Contest

This year’s Miss Tibet contest has been called off as nobody has applied to take part. The founder and director, LobsangWangyal, says he hopes to hold it next year and announced this year’s winner of his company’s Free Spirit Award: Rebiya Kadeer, the Uyghur activist who campaigns against Chinese government policies in her native East Turkestan, or Xinjiang.

May 20: No Teaching in Tibetan

The Chinese authorities in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous region have ordered schools to stop teaching all subjects through the medium of Tibetan, except for the Tibetan language, for first grades only.

Subjects such as history, geography, maths and biology are currently being taught in Tibetan – from next autumn they will all be taught in Chinese only.

May 17: Long Life Offering

His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended a Long Life Prayer offered to him by the people of the three provinces of Tibet and Tibetan spiritual traditions (cholsumchoegyud) in Tsuglakhan, the main Temple in Dharamshala. The event was attended by thousands of devotees from many countries.

May 17: TCHRD Report

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has released its 2018 Annual Report which says that the “introduction of new policies and regulations has led to an increased restriction on human rights and lives of the Tibetan people”. The report cites long-standing instances of human rights violations in Tibet.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 11

Tibetan Headlines May 14: Allegations Denied

May 6: Noodle Factory Fire

May 10: More State Surveillance

May 6: Death Threats

Dagri Rinpoche, 65, has denied the allegations that he molested two women: one, an Indian woman, while on board a recent flight to Dharamshala airport; the second, a Spanish woman living as a nun alleged that he molested her, and others, ten years ago but she only came forward on hearing of this more recent incident. Rinpoche was detained by police and later released on bail.

China is using the Chinese-owned social media platform WeChat to “crack down on gang crimes” in Tibet, reports Chinese state media the Global Times. The report continues, “Some gangs in the Tibetan region have colluded with the Dalai clique [...] The Dalai clique is very good at using modern communications channels [...] to spread separatism”.

May 10: Warship Lhasa

China has named one of its new Type 055 destroyers Lhasa, China’s state media the Global Times reports that the ship is named after “the capital of Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region”. China has a policy of naming warships after major Chinese cities, and, controversially, is naming another destroyer Tapei, after the capital of Taiwan, which China claims as Chinese territory.

May 8: Cyclone Relief Fund

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has donated Rs 1 million [US$14,360 / £10,990 ] to the cyclone relief fund in Odisha. The state was hit by cyclone Fani last week.

His Holiness also wrote to Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik praising the relief efforts and offering his condolences and prayers.

May 7: Emmy Award

Kunchok Dolma, 21, a Tibetan living in New York, has won an Emmy - the highest recognition in the American Television industry for her role as creator and producer of the television series Rolando’s Rights, part of her work helping immigrants in New York learn English through the We Speak NYC initiative.

Kunchok donned her chupa to receive her award, and saying “BhodGyalo!” [Victory for Tibet] in her acceptance speech.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 12

The iconic Kalimpong Noodle Factory has been destroyed by fire. Owned by Gyalo Dhondup, older brother of HH the Dalai Lama, the factory became famous after the publication of his book The Noodle maker of Kalimpong: The Untold Story of My Struggle for Tibet in 2015. Dhondup, 91, plans to rebuild the factory.

Canadian Intelligence has reported that the threats against ChemiLhamo, 22, the TibetanCanadan student who has received constant harassment and death threats since being elected President of the Students’ Union in Scarborough Campus of Toronto University, are likely to originate with Chinese diplomats in Canada. This revelation follows a police investigation.

May 4: Tibetan Students Questioned

Classmates and close acquaintances of the Tibetan student detained for writing an essay detailing the lack of job opportunities for Tibetans in local government are being questioned. The student, Sonam Lhundrub, is still in detention, reports Radio Free Asia who say the essay has been read over 27,000 times.

May 3: Denisovans in Tibet

Scientists say the jawbone of a Denisovan found in the Gansu region of Tibet is a prehistoric human species, proving wrong the previous belief that Homo Sapiens was the only species able to survive in extreme environments. Denisovans - the third species of human - were previously believed to have lived only in Siberia.

May 1: UK Support

Tim Loughton, the Conservative Member of Parliament and Co-Chair of the British All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, and also the Secretary of State for International Development, asked in Parliament, “Can we do more to help these [Tibetan] refugees?” Loughton said Tibetans are “in desperate need of our help to keep the spirit of Tibet alive.”

International Headlines May 30: Hells Angels Banned In the Netherlands, Hells Angels have been banned by a court in the city of Utrecht who said the biker club has a culture of violence, causes social unrest and is a danger to public order and the rule of law. Hells Angels have been involved in violent clashes with rival motor gangs.

May 29: 30th Anniversary June 4 will be the 30th anniversary of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in which soldiers shot and killed up to 10,000 people, mainly students, peacefully demonstrating for democracy in Tiananmen Square.

Surveillance of known dissidents takes place in the runup to this day every year to avert demonstrations on the anniversary, but this year it is increased with up-to-date robot censors used to carry out surveillance.

May 28: EU Election Shakeup Results of last week’s European Union Elections show major gains for the Liberal, Green and nationalist parties at the expense of the traditional centre-left and right parties. Pro-EU parties are still in the majority. Turnout was the highest for 20 years.

May 27: Death Sentence In Iraq, KévinGonot, Léonard Lopez and Salim Machou, three Frenchmen, have been sentenced to death, found guilty of joining Islamic State (IS). They were among 12 French citizens captured in Syria and transferred to Iraq for trial.

French President Macron has declined to comment.

May 24: Landslide Victory The Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a landslide victory in the General Election, returning Narendra Modi as Prime Minister for a further five year term.

India is the world’s biggest democracy with over 600 million people voting in this election.

May 23: Islands to be Returned The United Nations General Assembly voted by a huge majority that the British should return the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. The islands were acquired in 1965 in exchange for Mauritius’s independence.

May 22: HIV Outbreak In southern Pakistan, 600 new cases of HIV were confirmed last month; three quarters of these are children. A doctor

has been arrested on suspicion of re-using syringes, and another doctor spoke to the BBC of “lax practices by local quacks”.

May 21: Huawei Deadlock Huawei, the Chinese technology company, now has restricted access to Google which will affect android mobile phone users.

United States President Trump has vetoed any involvement with Huawei amid fears of potential security breaches in American online activity, and has requested other western countries to follow suit.

May 20: Taiwan Gay Marriage Taiwan becomes the first Asian country to legalise gay marriage following a voteby Taiwan’s constintutional court in 2017.

The parliament was required to pass the changes by May 24 this year. It will take effect when Taiwan’s President Tsai Ingwen passes it into law.

May 16: Abortion Outlawed In Alabama in the United States a new law has been passed to outlaw abortions in all cases except where the mother’s life is in danger. Abortion will not be allowed when pregnancy follows rape or incest and any doctor carrying out the procedure faces 99 years in prison.

May 15: WhatsApp Hacked Social media messaging platform WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, has been hacked and surveillance software installed on phones using the app. A voice call was sent to selected phones which enabled the breach. Experts say the origin of the attack was in Iran. WhatsApp have rolled out a fix and users are advised to update their apps.

May 14: Death of a Legend Doris Day, one of the biggest film stars of all time, has died aged 97 at her home in California. Her films included Calamity Jane and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much and she had a number one hit album in 2011, My Heart. In the 1970s she stopped performing in order to focus on her animal foundation.

May 13: Miracle Landing In Myanmar, a National Airlines plane has been safely landed despite the landing gear failing to deploy; all 89 passengers were unhurt. The pilot, Captain Myat Moe Aung, burnt off all excess fuel to reduce the aircraft’s weight before landing on the back wheels. He has received accolades for bringing down the plane safely.

May 10: Exhilarating!

72-year-old Jean-Jacques Savin, a French adventurer, has crossed the Atlantic Ocean east-west in a 3m (9 feet) long and 2.10m wide orange barrel-shaped capsule. His 4,500km (2,800 miles) solo crossing took him 122 days using only ocean currents to propel the capsule. He said it was an “exhilarating voyage but also quite risky”.

May 9: No Fasting Uyghur Muslims, the Muslim ethnic minority inhabitants of East Turkestan, or Xinjiang, in north western China, have once again been forbidden from fasting during the holy month of Ramadam.

Offenders are sent to re-education centres - which are effectively internment camps.

May 7: Myanmar Journalists Freed Two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone, 33 and Kyaw SoeOo, 29 have been released from jail after being held for more than 500 days for their reporting on Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis. Their detention has been hailed internationally as an assault on press freedom. Their release, along with thousands of other detainees, follows a mass presidential amnesty.

May 7: Plane Crash An Aeroflot jet burst into flames after making an emergency landing at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow. There is an unconfirmed report that it was struck by lightning moments before it crashed.

Forty-one of the 78 people on board were killed; survivors escaped via the emergency chute.

May 6: UN Designates Terrorist The United Nations has designated Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, the militant group behind a deadly bomb attack that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war, as a terrorist. China had blocked India’s campaign for this designation, contributing to an escalation in tensions between India and China.

China has now dropped its objection.

May 2: No Apology Prague Mayor ZdeněkHřib has upset China by visiting Taiwan and meeting Sikyong, president of the Tibetan government-inexile. China has not received the apology they expected and has retaliated by cancelling a number of events. Another member of the mayor’s political party said, “human beings are more important than money”.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 13

People Story Sharing Experience: A Tibetan Web Designer

by Lodoe Gyatso As I meet Karma Ringzin Topgya, he is ready for me. He hands me a document containing information about his date of birth, parents, education and work history. He seems almost surprised that I want to know more about him.

Karma reveals that he is currently a freelance Web designer. He tells me that his love for computers goes back to 1998, in the days of “black and white screens” and DOS. He found working with computers to be fun, and started learning to use DOS commands. He tells me

his knowledge of the DOS commands turned out to be very handy when he later started learning the windows operating system and applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel.

He muses that there have been big changes in the computer world since then. In those days connecting to the Internet cost Rs 45 per hour. Now the Internet is faster and provides more benefits such as Google and YouTube.

Karma graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Delhi in 2000, but it seems that he was not satisfied with this achievement. He changed course and studied Computer Applications at first at Apar India Computers. He then attended Sikkim Manipal University where he completed the degrees of Bachelor of Computer Information Technology and Master of Computer Applications, the last of which he completed in 2004.

Karma’s joy is teaching about computers. For six years from 2004 he taught at the Education Support Trust. He has lectured students from many different backgrounds, always encouraging them to ask questions. Sometimes he does not know the answers, and then he has to find it out.

In this way he keeps on learning all the time.

When building a website, Karma puts a lot of thought

into it. One has to plan carefully, and think how the user will interact with the site. There are a lot of options, such as the colours of the site, as well as the fonts and the layout.

All of this has to be practical and easy to use. Building a good website cannot be rushed. He believes that a good website should have an active life, with regular new posts and lively discussions. So the design of the website has to assist in meeting this ideal.

When asked what he wants to be remembered for, Karma is very forthright. “I designed the website for Sera Jay Rigzod Chenmo,” he says proudly. In describing it, he uses the word “useful” over and over. The management of the site is good, he says, adding that it hosts many books, especially Buddhist scriptures of all traditions.

He believes that a large number of Buddhist practitioners can get benefits from those free books. (see www. serajeyrigzodchenmo.org – site is in Tibetan language)

I ask him what advice he would give to a young person just starting out. Karma is very clear. “Get trained in a job that has prospects in the long term.” He cites an example. People will always eat, he reasons, so training to be a chef is a good choice. He says that he was deeply impressed by a saying of the Dalai Lama: “Helping is a sign of Buddhism.”

One of Karma’s goals is to return to Tibet. This is at present impossible, but he is tempted by the wonderful stories that his students have told him of the country. He longs to see Lhasa in particular, and mentions Amdo with longing. He has been to Nepal and was impressed by the famous stupas and the awesome Guru Rinpoche Caves.

Karma’s favorite motto is “Never leave what you can do today for tomorrow.”

As we part, I am certain that he is ready for whatever will come his way. After all, he has prepared for it.

Every month we feature somebody from the Tibetan community on our Dharamshala Voices page as well as the occasional profile of one of the many NGOs in Dharamshala who do so much to help the Tibetan Community You can read more Dharamshala Voices stories on the Contact website: http://www.contactmagazine.net/dharamasla-life/

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 14

NGO Story National Democratic Party of Tibet

by Lodoe Gyatso On meeting Tsering Yangzom, the International Secretary of the National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), one’s first impression is one of youthful enthusiasm mixed with a hefty dose of idealism.

“Tibetans should work, stand and fight together,” she speaks out. “We are all aiming for the same thing: to return to Tibet, and so we must solve issues quickly.”

This youthful zeal seems to be a characteristic of the organisation she represents.

The NDPT was established in 1994 by the Tibetan Youth Congress under directives received from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The organisation could only have formed in the context of a political party in Tibetan history.

On the one hand it is an NGO that promotes and protects national unity and integrity by abandoning any prejudice based on religion, regionalism and status of Tibetan people, and looks forward to the introduction of true democracy in the day that a free Tibet is attained.

On the other hand, the NDPT is a political party that endorses Sikyong (President) candidates and members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

It takes a delicate balance to ensure that the organisation meets both its mandates.

The party celebrates its 25th founding anniversary this year. Membership of the organisation is open to Tibetans above the age of eighteen. It has 7,000 members and has 48 chapters in India, Nepal and Bhutan. There are coordinators in the USA, Australia and Switzerland. The

Central Executive Committee (CENTREX) is the highest office of the organisation and is elected for a three-year term. It currently consists of eight executive members.

The NDPT has regular events aimed at bringing the message of democracy to Tibetans and seeking international supporters.

Events are held to mark special occasions such as

Human Rights Day, World Rivers Day, the Panchen Lama’s birthday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday and to celebrate the anniversary of his award of the Nobel Prize.

Tsering Yangzom explains about the leadership training given to young Tibetan leaders in various universities to equip them for their future leadership roles. She explains that a wide variety of skills are taught. As a former staff member of the Tibetan Women’s Association it is no surprise that she is very enthusiastic about the Gender Equality training included as part of the course.

We shift the conversation to Gender Equality, and she explains that she believes in the removal of gender stereotypes. For example, it is perceived in the Tibetan

community that only men play basketball, or football in the earlier thoughts of older Tibetans. Why should a woman not want to play basketball too, she asks.

The Party hosts public discussions on democracy process and electoral system. Tsering Yangzom emphasises that it is necessary for every Tibetan to know their rights and responsibilities.

The organisation has several important goals, such as : • to help strengthen the democratic process initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama; • to work for the preservation and promotion of Tibet’s unique traditions and rich cultural heritage, as well as to respect the right of all Tibetans to practise the faith of their choosing; • to struggle for the restoration of Tibet’s rightful independence; • to become informed and educated and to gain necessary experience so that true democracy can be put into practice soon after Tibet regains independence; • to establish fruitful relations in the international arena with other governments and parties who hold similar objectives and policies; and • to become a forum for intellectual debates and discussion – both of those who hold similar varied positions; and at the same time the NDPT considers it equally important to keep alive the issue of Tibet on the international stage.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 15

Lha News Tibetan Traditional Massage and Basic Spa Course

by Choeyang Wangmo The new Lha Livelihood Programme 2019 course has kicked off with the first Tibetan Traditional Massage and Basic Spa Course which started on May 9 at Lha’s Ahimsa House with ten participants. The students will receive intensive training in Tibetan massage and will be introduced to Swedish and aromatherapy massage.

Side courses are offered alongside and include personality development, financial literacy and basic English to give participants the opportunity for overall development. The course is for a period of four months with one and half months of class time. The remaining time will be for students to participate in internship placements to enable them to gain hands-on experience.

Lha’s livelihood programme is a series of short term vocational courses First batch of our livelihood participants which will include bartending, multi-cuisine, bakery and hospitality. The programme is aimed to help Tibetans to equip themselves with relevant skills for employment to support their livelihood, whether abroad or in India. The livelihood programme is funded by The Tibet Fund, US and we remain tremendously grateful to the fund team for their continuous support through the years.

Dr Tamdin: Talk on Tibetan Medicine Lha staged a talk by Dr TsewangTamdin, attending Physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chairman of the Academic Council of Tibetan Medicine and Astrology: General Health and the Benefits of Tibetan Traditional Medication. The talk took place at Lha’s Ahimsa House on May 16 with over 40 people attending.

The talk was aimed to raise awareness in the Tibetan community of personal everyday health and hygiene. The talk was funded by The Tibet Fund.

Data, Investigative and Online Research Workshop Lha in collaboration with the Association of Tibetan Journalists,held a four-day workshop, Data, Investigave and Online Research to provide intensive training in journalism and reporting for Tibetan journalists and other interested individuals.

The course took place at Lha’s Ahimsa House from May 21 – 24 and was led by Mr Siddhartha Roy, a foreign correspondent at The Diplomat magazine and a Pulitzer Grantee.

The nineteen participants received training in optimising content for the web, creating content for social media and increasing engagement, researching and investigating using social media together with an introduction to investigative and data journalism and privacy for journalists. It was a delight to see the participants thoroughly enjoying their learning experience and we would like to thank Siddhartha for his time and commitment.

As part of this initiative, Lha was able to facilitate a similar two day workshop for Central Tibetan Administrtaion staff, working with Mr Siddhartha, at the Department of Information and International Relations.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 16

Volunteer Story & Lha News 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, Jenni Knight shares her story with us.

Volunteer job at Lha: English Teacher

Learning About Life

I feel so lucky to have had the privilege of teaching at Lha. My time was too short and I have vowed to return for longer next time. What a unique, life affirming, eye opening experience.

How did I get here? Well, at the end of 2018 my teaching contract finished. Our children were fairly grown up and independent.

It was time to do something different. I love to travel but what I really wanted was to contribute (albeit in a small way) and be part of a community, at least for some of my journey. I’d done some volunteering before but it always felt cursory - like I was a paying guest. But here at Lha they threw me into Beginner class and Conversation class and before I knew it I had a few individual students and off I went. It felt great to be doing something useful after a month of travel. To be honest the experience far exceeded my expectations. What I found was a great bunch of staff and students who were keen to make my experience easy and enjoyable. Before long I felt part of a community. I witnessed my students taking part in the march to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Tibetan

Uprising, stayed in a wonderful welcoming homestay where I sampled the best Tibetan home cooked food in the town and slept in the beautiful prayer room.

My students in Beginners English were ready for anything and so keen to learn. I learnt so much from them. About the similarities and differences in our lives, about the connectedness of us all. We laughed a lot and I made some new friends for life.

I had questions Jenny with her students at Lha answered, and seeds of new questions planted. The experience dispelled some myths in my thinking and opened my eyes in a small way to the experience of others. Reading about the situation for Tibetan people and their collective struggles is informative but speaking with an individual who’s living it definitely has more immediacy and fosters a better understanding. My students and friends taught me so much about life, happiness, beliefs, hope, laughter and our shared humanity. I truly miss them and feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to teach and learn from the people at Lha. I hope to return soon. Thank you.

Tashi Delek!

Planning to Visit Dharamshala? Volunteer at Lha

Lha Charitable Trust is the largest volunteer host based in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh - where His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration - or Tibetan Government-in-Exile are based.

Lha offers an opportunity for you to share your knowledge and skills with the Tibetan refugee, local Indian, and Himalayan communities while gaining hands-on experience of working with a non-profit, community social work organisation. Some of our volunteers are involved with teaching and tutoring English, French, German and computer studies. Others participate in the daily English conversation classes.

We particularly need volunteers for the winter months. May to August are the months when most volunteers visit McLeod - why not come in the winter when it’s quiet and we really need your help?

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 20 years.

For more information, please visit www.lhasocialwork.org Contact magazine online www.contactmagazine.net Facebook: Contact News / Twitter: Contact News

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 17

Charities And Organisations Central Tibetan Administration

Tibetan Library (LTWA)

TCHRD

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.

Location: Near Library Phone: 01892-222218 Hours: Mon-Sat: 9:00 am-5:00 pm Email: kashag@tibet.net Web: www.tibet.net

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.

Location: Gangchen Kyishong Phone: 9882255047 Email: ltwa1970@gmail.com Web: www.tibetanlibrary.org

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democrac (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.

Location: CTA, Dharamshala - 176215 Phone: 01892-223363 Email: office@tchrd.org Web: www.tchrd.org

Delek Hospital

Lha Charitable Trust

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.

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 Web: www.delekhospital.org

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 back page) Location: Temple Road, McLeod Ganj, Opposite State Bank of India Phone: 01892-220992, 988-2323-455 Email: office@lhasocialwork.org Web:www.lhasocialwork.org

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama The Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama (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.

Location: McLeod Ganj, Phone: 01892-221343 / 221210 Email: ohhdl@dalailama.com Web: www.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.

Location: Tipa Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala -176219 Phone: 01892-221554 Email: president@tibetanyouthcongress.org, tyc@tibetanyouthcongress.org Web: www. tibetanyouthcongress.org

Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) The TWA conducts workshops on gender sensitisation and domestic violence throughout Tibetan settlements in India, provides Tibetan women with education scholarships and connects women with international sponsors.

Location: Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj Phone: 01892-221527 Email: tibwomen@gmail.com Web: www. tibetanwomen.org

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.

Location: Dharamshala Cantt.176216 Phone: 01892-221354 / 221348 Email: headoffice@tcv.org.in Web: www.tcv.org.in

Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute Men-Tsee-Khang, also called Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute, is a facility for research, training and practice of traditional Tibetan medicine. Patients may seek treatment at Men-Tsee-Khang for both acute and chronic conditions. The facility provides extensive training and produces traditional pharmaceuticals.

Location: Gangchen Kyishong, Phone: 01892-223222 / 223113 Email: info@men-tsee-khang.org Web: www.men-tsee-khang.org

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 65 schools under this organisation after the take over of CTSA Schools.

Location: Khanyara Rd, Dharamshala176215 Phone: 01892 - 246422 / 246423 Email: stss1999@gmail.com Web: www.sambhota.org

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 programmes, childhood education and sponsorship, primary and nursery tent schools, and children’s support hostels. Volunteer opportunities available.

Location: Top Floor, Bank Of Baroda, Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamshala-176215 Phone: 01892-223930 Email: jamyang@tong-len.org Web: www. 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.

Location: Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj Phone: 9882786875 Web: www.sftindia.org, Web: www.studentsforafreetibet.org

Tibet Charity Tibet Charity provides programmes including English and computer classes, an animal care programme and a variety of medical and educational financial support programmes.

Location: Temple Road, McLeod Ganj Phone: 01892-221790 / 221877 Email: director@tibetcharity.in Web: www.tibetcharity.in

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 18

The Kangra District 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.

Location: Red Cross Bhawan, Dharamshala Phone: 01892-224888 / 9418832244 Email: sharmaopl12345@gmail.com Web: www.redcrosskangra.org

Gu-Chu-Sum 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 including medical, financial, basic education and vocational training. It also organises lobbies 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 World Tibet World is a charitable trust (Reg No 136/2015) “Where Tibet meets the world & the world meets Tibet”. Education programmes: international language courses, training, workshops and a winter programme for schoolchildren. Cultural programmes: folk show, talks, sharing stories, monk chat, compassion + wisdom = happiness workshops, cultural tours, engaging volunteering options, cultural exchange and collaboration programmes.

Location: Jogiwara Road near Post Office, McLeod Ganj Phone: 9816999928/8353005268 Email: info@tibetworld.org

Charities And Organisations Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA)

Clean Upper Dharamshala Project

National Democratic Party of Tibet

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).

Location: TIPA Road, McLeod Ganj Dharamshala-176219 Phone: 01892-221478 Email: tibetanarts2012@gmail.com Web: www.tibetanarts.org

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.

Location: Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala - 176219 Phone: 01892-221059 Email: cudpswm@gmail.com Web: www.tsodhasa.org

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.

Location: Dharamshala–176219 Phone: 9882787633 / 9882673330 Email: tibetparty4@gmail.com Web: www.ndp4tibet.org

Nyingtob Ling (Realm of Courage)

Norbulingka Institue

Nyingtob Ling supports Tibetan children from disadvantaged families. The children make handicrafts and paintings. They are so friendly and love to have visitors.

Location: Near Norbulingka, Sidhpur Phone: 01892 211042 / 9816028149 Email: nyingtob_ling@hotmail.com Web: www.nyingtobling.org

Norbulingka Institue is a centre for Tibetan culture with studios and artists at work. The institution is dedicated to the preservation of the Tibetan culture in its literary and artistic forms. Guided tours are available. You can visit temple, workshops, garden and the showroom of Tibetan arts and crafts. You can take a free tour of the studios and observe artists at work. The tour guides will explain each art form in depth. There is a restaurant on site. (See back cover inside) Location: Sidhpur, Dharamshala Phone: 9882144210 Email: info@norbulingka.org Web: www.norbulingka.org

Learning and Ideas for Tibet (LIT) Learning and Ideas for Tibet (LIT) is a nongovernment, non-profit adult education centre in Dharamshala. LIT provides Free Education, Health Care and Skills Training to Tibetan Refugees to help eradicate poverty and illiteracy amongst the Tibetan population.

Location: Underground Hotel Akash, Jogiwara Road, Mcleodd Ganj, Dharamsala 176219 Phone: (+91) 7590025915 Email: learningandideasfortibet@gmail.com Web: www.lit-dharamsala.org

Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution is a non-profit, 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.

Location: Session Road, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala 176215 Phone: 01892-226627 Email: tccrteam@gmail.com Web: www.tccr.org

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.

Location: Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala- 176219 Phone: 9857973026 Email: rogpa2004@yahoo.com Web: www.tibetrogpa.org

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.

Location: Village Gamru, P.O Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamshala, Distt Kangra 176215 Phone: 9816105554 Email: tashu72004@yahoo.com Web: www.gamruschool.com

Women’s Team Volunteers needed to teach English to Indian women and children in the village of Kaniyara near Dharamshala. Contact Jitender.

Email: jitenderje@gmail.com Phone: 7831956680 / 08894435595

The Active Nonviolence Education Centre 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

Tibetan Dubbing Society Tibetan Dubbing Society, founded in 2015, is a non-profit organisation working towards preserving the Tibetan language through various forms of entertainment and dubbing animation movies into the Tibetan language for Tibetan children.

Location: Near Norbulinga Institute Phone: +91-8629837735 Email: savetiblang@gmail.com Web: www.tibetdub.org

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 Rs 20.

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 19

Activities And Information Livelihood Programme Lha Charitable Trust in collaboration with Tibetan Health Spalon based in Dharamshala has announced a four month traditional Tibetan massage and spa course for Tibetans as part of their Livelihood programme. The programme is funded by the Tibet Fund, USA. The course covers: • Tibetan Traditional Massage • Introduction to Swedish massage and Aromatherapy massage • Course weightings: Theory 30% and Practical 70% • Two month on-the-job training • Personality development, financial literacy, basic English and other complementary courses

Buddhist Philosophy Library Of Tibetan Works And Archives Web: Www.tibetanlibrary.org Location: Gangchen Kyishong, Between

Mcleod Ganj And Lower Dharamshala Hours: Mon-Fri: 10:30 - 11:45 Am Phone: 9882255047

yoga and reiki Yoga & Reiki Courses Location: Om Yoga Ashram,Near Dal Lake Mob: 9805693514 /981649432 Email: om.yoga@ymail.com Web: http://www.omashram.in Shivam Neelkant Yoga Kendra 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 Dorjee Spa Location: Pema Thang Guest House,

WHotel Bhagsu Road Phone:9816393673 9857108408 Whatsapp: 9816393673

Meditation

Languages

Tushita Meditation Centre Web: www.tushita.info Location: Dharamkot Hours: Mon-Sat: 9:30-11:30Am Phone: 0898-816-0988 Email: spc@tushita.info

Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translators Programme Location: Rato Chuwar Labrang,

Shivan Neel Kanth Yoga Website: www.shivamneelkant.yoga.com Location: Bhagsu Nag, Near High Sky Phone: 09816565138 Email: Yogi_shivam@Yahoo.co.in

Tibetan Language Location: The Tibetan Library

Om Meditation Ashram

Location-Om Yoga Ashram,Near Dal Lake Mob: 01892 220333 /9805693514 Web: www.himalayanashram.com

Cooking Lha Tibetan Cooking Classes - For Groups Location: Lha Soup Kitchen, Temple Rd, Just

Below The Dalai Lama’s Temple Hours: Registration, 9:00-11:00Am Phone: 01892-220992

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: yesheadconsultant@tibet.net Lha Charitable Trust Location: Near Dolma Chowk, Mcleod Ganj Phone: 9882323455 / +91 (0)1892 -220992 Web: www.lhasocialwork.org

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 20

Phuntsok Gatsel Session Road Hours: 10:45-5Pm Email: lrztp.manager@gmail.com

*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 Sanskrit Language Study Program At Vikramashila Foundation India (Vfi) Location: Vikramashila Center, 1St Flr, Ketan

Lodge,Jogiwara Road, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala, HP Email: vikramashilafoundation@gmail.com

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 Tibetan Institute of 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 in

Lower Dharamshala 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 & 4Th

Sat

Centre For Living Buddhist Art Location: Khanyara Road Website: Www.livingbuddhistart.com Email: sarikalochoe@hotmail.com Phone: 9418655401 Hours: 9 Am- 5 Pm

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

Specialist 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: 2:00-4:30 Pm; Emergencies: 24 Hrs Daily

Maanav Health Clinic

Location: Main Square Hours: 10:00 -12:30 Pm & 2:00-5:00 Pm 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

News:

Tibet-Related Websites

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

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 rukor.org - a discussion site on Tibetan nomads and their fate bitterwinter.org - A magazine on religious liberty and human rights in China

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.

DHARAMSHALA CONTACTS Ambulance: 01892-102, 222189 Tibetan Delek Hospital Location: Gangchen Kyishong, Central Tibetan Administration Hours: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm, Mon-Sat; 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 Police Superintendent: 01892-222244

McLeod Ganj Post Office Location: Jogiwara Rd, Before the 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

Contact Contactmagazine magazine| |April May 2019 | Page No 21

Jobs And Advertisements Job Opportunities The Department of Finance, CTA

Postion: Programme Officer Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in public administration and international development health, economics and social sciences and other related fields (Master’s degree preferred) Deadline: June 21, 2019 Email: finance@tibet.net/sard@tibet.net For details, check: tibet.net

The Department of Health, CTA

Postion: Gender and Entrepreneurship Coordinator Qualification: Masters or Bachelors degree in any one of the following courses: a) Gender Studies / Women Studies b) Development/Entrepreneurship studies c) Social science or Social Work Email : doe.project@tibet.net Check details on: tibet.net’s announcement section Deadline: June 20, 2019

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#5

8 AUSPICIOUS HIM VIEW HOTEL

8 beautiful rooms with balcony facing the Himalayan Range.

Enjoy the sunrise from your bed!

Phone: 01892-220567 Cell: 9418236603 Jogiwara Rd (Map #9) Email: tseringd@aushimview.com

Nature Cure Health Club

Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guest House - Map #6 Whatsapp: 7833047078 Mobile: 09882320136 Email: mahinder_m@hotmail.com 20+ yrs’ experience: Swedish massage courses & treatment, Zen Shiatsu courses, Singing Bowl

Quantum Healing - Breath & Bowls Workshop A 3-part Soul Purification and Healing

NEED A DENTIST?

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

Tibet Women’s Association (Central)

Positions: 1 Counsellor, 1 Helpline Desk Staff, 1 Outreach Programme Staff Qualification: Bachelors Degree and good command of English and Tibetan Mode of selection: written test and interview Deadline: June 5, 2019 Submission of Application: TWA Central Office, Bhagsu Road, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala

To advertise here, Contact Lha office at Temple Road, Mcleod Ganj or Call us on 9882323455 Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 22

Dr Natasha Mehra @ Perfect 32 Dental Clinic Location: Near Hotel Mount View Jogiwara Rd, McLeod Map #8 Email: perfect32dentalclinic@gmail.com /Call: 09218742046 Website: www.perfect32dentalclinic.in

Enjoy traditional Taiwanese and Chinese food and a peaceful environment, just one minute from the Bus Stand, just behind Asian Plaza! (Map # 4)

To advertise here, Contact Lha office at Temple Road, Mcleod Ganj or Call us on 9882323455

Contact magazine | May 2019 | Page No 23

Map Of McLeod Ganj

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Lha Headquarters State Bank of India & ATM Smile Dental Clinice & Implant Center 04. Common Ground Cafe 05. Woeser Bakery 06. Nature Cure Health Club 07. 8 Auspicious Him View Hotel 08. Perfect 32 Dental Clinic 09. Ahimsa House & Lha Soup Kitchen 01.

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Chonor House Tibetan Musuem and Temple Delek Hospital Central Tibetan Administration Tibetan Library Mentsekhang (Tibetan Medical Institute) 16. Gangkyi Taxi Stand 10.

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Lha Traveller Services and VolunteerOpportunities Long or short-term, skilled or unskilled volunteers needed at Lha • Teachers: English conversation, English, French and Chinese language classes • Computer classes: IT and web designers • Environmental professionals • Medical and healthcare professionals • Fundraisers and grant writers • Project professionals; chefs and cooks • Writers....And much more!

Share your knowledge and skills with the local Tibetan, Indian, and Himalayan communities whilst gaining hands-on experience working with a social services charity Tibetan Homestay Lha arranges home-stays with refugee families giving visitors the chance to experience the Tibetan life style and a chance to connect and learn about each others’ cultures. Homestays include accommodation, breakfast, and dinner.

Reception and Orientation Service Our services help smooth your arrival in Delhi - avoid the scams at Delhi Airport! - and your onward travel to Dharamshala. On arrival here we will orientate you into the Tibetan community.

Highly recommended for people who want a stress-free arrival, especially if you are arriving late at night or early in the morning, you can buy online in advance of your travel to India.

To find out more please visit www.lhasocialwork.org Lha office, Temple Road, McLeod Ganj 176219 Dharamshala, Distt. Kangra H.P. (Mon-Sat: 9am-1pm and 2-5pm) office@lhasocialwork.org +91 (0) 1892-220992 www.tibetnature.net www.samdhongrinpoche.com www.tibetfairtrade.com www.tibetnature.net

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འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་གསར་འཕྲིན། Contact Newsletter

Managing Director Dorji Kyi Editor-in-Chief Jenny James Editor Tenzin Samten Circulation Manager Tsering Wangdue Designed by Karma Ringzin Topgyal Published by Lha Charitable Trust Web:www.lhasocialwork.org

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