འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་གསར་འཕྲིན།
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A Digest of Tibetan Issues and News from Inside and Outside Tibet RGD No. HPENG/2013/51798 | Volume: XXIV Issue:06| July 2022
Former Tibetan Political Prisoner Dies by Barkha Mathur Former Tibetan political prisoner and revered monk Jigme Gyatso, 56, who was known for his resistance against the Chinese government in Tibet, died on July 2 at his home in Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China’s Gansu province. No cause of death has been given, but sources said he had been in poor health since his release from prison in 2016, reports Radio Free Asia. Tsering Tsomo, Executive Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has said that TCHRD is demanding “immediate and Continued on page 7
Arrests and Releases inside Tibet this Month Reports are coming through of Tibetans being arrested by the Chinese authorities on various charges, including their advocacy on Tibetan language, land, religion and environment rights, keeping photos of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and also for their online activities which are constantly monitored. There is usually a delay before news of these cases reaches the outside world due to the communication restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on Tibetan regions. There are several reports of arrests and releases this month. Read them on page 5. Continued on page 5
US Congress Promotes Tibet Conflict Resolution
by Barkha Mathur A bipartisan Bill to strengthen the United States’ policy to promote dialogue between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and His Holiness the Dalai Lama towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Tibet and the PRC has been introduced in the US Congress. United States lawmakers Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and Representative Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts, introduced the Bill. The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act, introduced on July 13, supports the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination and Continued on page 3
FUTURE OF CONTACT MAGAZINE
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We have been awaiting replies to our survey to assess the requirement for the printed version of Contact. Thank you to those of you who replied. Contact is 25 years old this year; we are immensely proud of what the magazine has achieved and are making plans for the future. Watch this space, and remember, this is your last chance to write and tell us your views for the future of Contact! Please email us at editor@contactmagazine.net www.contactmagazine.net
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September 15 - 16, 2022 : His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a two day teaching on Chandrakirti’s Entering the Middle Way in conjunction with the autocommentary (uma jukpa rangdrel thok ney) in the mornings at Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala. Source: dalailama.com/schedule
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The purpose of life is to be happy CONTACT IS PUBLISHED BY LHA CHARITABLE TRUST
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Contact magazine | July 2022 | Page No 2
The basic source of all happiness is a sense of kindness and warm-heartedness towards others. We are all the same as human beings. We are born the same way, we die the same way, and we all want to lead happy lives. The key to happiness is peace of mind. This is not something that can be bought. Inner peace has to be cultivated by each of us from within. All our religious traditions, despite whatever philosophical differences there may be among them, carry the same message of love and warm-heartedness that is the foundation of such peace of mind. I sometimes wish that we were more like children, who are naturally open and accepting of others. Instead, as we grow up, we fail to nurture our natural potential and our sense of fundamental human values. We get caught up in secondary differences and tend to think in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Education can change this. We need to learn to distinguish the destructive nature of emotions like anger, fear and attachment, which disturb our peace of mind, from the positive qualities of compassion that are genuine sources of happiness. I often ask myself what the purpose of life is. I conclude that it is to be happy. We have no guarantee of what will happen in the future, but we live in hope, which is what keeps us going. There is sometimes insufficient understanding of the difference between sensory consciousness and mental consciousness. The ultimate source of happiness is a mental feeling of joy, and not a wealth of material goods. The sensory pleasure material things provide is generally shortlived. Such satisfaction does little to allay anxiety and fear. On the other hand, mental joy sustains itself. Nowadays scientists too agree that our basic human nature is compassionate and warm-hearted because that is the way our lives begin. Without our mother’s love and affection we would not have survived. Since we depend on other human beings for our own happiness, it is natural to feel warm-hearted towards them. Human beings are responsive. No matter how beautiful a flower may be, it won’t react to my smile. But if I smile at another human being, she or he generally smiles in return, and even animals react positively. Today, the world is mostly focussed on external development. However, ancient Indian traditions emphasise looking within to find the real source of joy. To be happy it is our minds we must transform. This is the basis of the longstanding traditions of ahimsa, doing no harm, and karuna, wishing others to be free from suffering. Compassion, an active concern for others’ well-being, is not only part of religion, it also belongs to our lives as human beings. From compassion we develop self-confidence; that brings inner strength, allowing us to act with transparency and candour. If a person is happier, his or her family is happier; if families are happy, neighbourhoods and nations will be happy. By each of us working to transform ourselves, we can change our human way of life and make this a century of compassion. We must continually consider the oneness of humanity, remembering that we all want to be happy. And indeed, everyone has a right to a happy life. Along the way we may be faced with problems, but we must not lose hope. We must keep up our determination without being impatient to achieve quick results. If you agree with anything I have written here, I hope you will follow it up in your day to day lives. As I have said before, if you want others to be happy, practise compassion, if you want to be happy, practise compassion. Source: dalailama.com Originally published by India Today, September 30, 2021
Contact Magazine Managing Director : Tsering Wangdue Editor-in-Chief : Jenny James Editor : Tenzin Samten Designed by : Karma Ringzin Topgyal Published by Lha Charitable Trust Email:editor@contactmagazine.net Facebook: ContactNews Instagram : tibetan_news_brief Printed at Imperial Printing, Dharamshala Phone:01892 -222390
News Features US Congress Promotes Tibet Conflict Resolution Continued from page 1
recognises Tibet’s legal status as unresolved, according to a press statement released by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Republicans, led by Michael McCaul. Representative McCaul said in the statement, “The Chinese Communist Party’s invasion of Tibet in 1950 and its repression of Tibetans ever since set the stage for the CCP’s ongoing territorial aggression and human rights atrocities.” The Bill has two main components: One, “it strengthens the basis for US support for dialogue by making it US policy that Tibetan people are entitled to the right of self-determination under international law and that their ability to exercise this right is precluded by the current PRC policies; and that the conflict between Tibet and the PRC is unresolved, and that the legal status of Tibet remains to be determined.” Two, it “counters PRC disinformation on Tibet by
directing the State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues to ensure that US government statements and documents counter disinformation about Tibet from PRC officials, including disinformation about the history of Tibet, the Tibetan people, and Tibetan institutions including that of the Dalai Lama, authorising existing funding under the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 to counter disinformation about Tibet, and requiring the annual Report on Tibet Negotiations to Congress on the Executive Branch’s activities to counter disinformation about Tibet.” The Bill’s supporters hope that this attempt by the US to hold China accountable for its human rights record and the toughening of language surrounding Washington’s position on Tibet will put pressure on Beijing to resume long-stalled negotiations with the Dalai Lama. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and US leaders have welcomed the introduction of the new Bill.
Official Recognition for Traditional Tibetan Medicine Degree byBarkha Mathur Medical degrees granted by the Sowa-Rigpa College and Hospital of Men-Tsee-Khang (or Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute) are now recognised by the government of Himachal Pradesh (HP) which has agreed to provide a noobjection certificate (NOC). This decision was taken by the HP Government earlier this month and will contribute to the promotion of the traditional Tibetan system of medicine, known as Sowa-Rigpa or Amchi medicine. Men-Tsee-Khang comes under the administration of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and was set up in Dharamshala by His Holiness The Dalai Lama after his arrival in India. The CTA had previously sought permission from the HP government to grant Bachelor of Sowa-Rigpa Medicine and Surgery (BSRMS)degrees under the provisions of the Indian Medicine Central Council, reports the Hindustan Times, citing the Requirement of Minimum Standards for under-graduate Sowa-Rigpa Colleges and attached Hospitals Regulations, 2017. The five-year BSRMS programme concludes with a one-year internship before the degree is awarded. Tibetan language, Buddhist philosophy, astrology, and Sowa-Rigpa (Tibetan medicine) are all included in this course. According to the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology,
Yuthog Yonten Gonpo (1126-1202) from Tibet is widely regarded as the main founder of Sowa-Rigpa, mostly based on his composition of the Four Medical Tantras (GyudZhi), a four-book treatise on Traditional Tibetan Medicine (SowaRigpa) which forms the main course of study in the Tibetan medical tradition. The Forty Sixth Report of the Indian Medical Council (amendment) Bill 2010 of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare of the Government of India states that Sowa-Rigpa, which means science of healing, is an integral part of Buddhist culture. With a history going back over 2,500 years, it is one of the oldest surviving and well-documented systems of medicine of the world. It is widely practised in Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, some parts of China, Nepal, a few parts of the former Soviet Union and in the Himalayan regions of India including Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Lahoul and Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) and the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. The committee also noted that most of the theory and practices of Sowa-Rigpa were similar to Ayurveda. The Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine is recognised by the Government of India along with other Indian systems of medicine which include Ayurveda,Yoga, Unani, Siddha and also Homeopathy.
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News Features Award for Imprisoned Tibetan Activist by Tenzin Samten Anya Sengra, the imprisoned Tibetan environmentalist and human rights defender and respected Tibetan civil society leader, has been awarded the seventh Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Medal of Courage. The award ceremony was held at the Tibetan Association of Northern California Community Centre in Richmond, California on July 12.The Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Medal of Courage is awarded
annually to Tibetan human rights defenders in recognition of their action to promote Tibetan human rights in the face of Chinese oppression. The year’s award to Anya Sengra was received on his behalf by Dhondup Wangchen, a former political prisoner who was arrested and imprisoned for his part in making the documentary film Leaving Fear Behind. Dhondup Wangchen currently lives in the United States. Anya Sengra was arrested on September 4, 2018 by Chinese officials in Amdo province and is currently serving a seven year prison sentence, from December 2019, for his peaceful campaigns on environmental issues and anticorruption. He was charged with “provoking agitation” and gathering people “to disrupt public order”, and also accused of forming two Wechat groups which included the words “anti-corruption” and “environmental protection”. In May 2019, a group of four United Nations (UN) Human Rights experts, together with the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche issued a statement calling for the release of Anya Sengdra and expressing their concerns about his declining mental and physical health.
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The Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Medal of Courage award ceremony was hosted by San Francisco Team Tibet. The Medal of Courage award was initiated in 2016 by the International Tibet Network, a global coalition of 170 Tibet-related non-government organisations campaigning for an end to human rights violations in Tibet, and for restoring rights to the Tibetan people. The award is in remembrance of Tibetan community leader, philanthropist and human rights defender Tenzin Delek Rinpoche who spent over 13 years in a Chinese prison; he died in prison under suspicious circumstances and without seeing his family. He was accused of a bombing in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. The first Medal of Courage was awarded to retired female medical doctor, Yeshi Choedron, who was arrested in March 2008. She was accused of providing “intelligence and information harmful to the security and interests of the state” to “the Dalai clique’s security department”. Other nominees for the award are Rinchen Kyi, Tenzin Nyima and Bangri Rinpoche. Rinchen Kyi, a school teacher from Golog prefecture in eastern Tibet, was arbitrarily detained from her home on charges of “inciting separatism”. She was released in April 2022. Tenzin Nyima, 19, a monk from Dza Wonpo Monastery in Kardze, Sershul County was arrested in 2019 with four other young monks for peacefully demonstrating in front of a police station, calling for Tibet’s independence and throwing leaflets in the air. Nyima died of injuries sustained during his time in prison. Bangri Rinpoche, the founder of an orphanage in Lhasa and teacher there, was arrested with his wife Nyima in 1999. Rinpoche was given a life sentence which was later commuted to 19 years; his wife was sentenced to 10 years. The couple were charged with attempting to “split” the country.
News Features Arrests and Releases inside Tibet this Month Jul 28: Arrested in Sershul County Lotse, 57, a Tibetan man from Shershul county in Kham Kardze, was arrested earlier this month for failing to register a WeChat group he had created – WeChat groups are required by law to be registered; the group was named “Happy 80th Birthday” and had around 100 members. Other people were arrested along with him, reports United Kingdom-based Tibetan research and advocacy group Tibet Watch. Jul 22: Two Activists Released
Tashi Tsering and Drukbum Tsering were released from prison on July 1. This follows the release of four others earlier this year, all were imprisoned on the same charges of landrights activism in Amdo, Rebgong, reports Radio Free Asia. In 2019 they were all given prison sentences of three to seven years by the Rebgong county people’s court, accused of running an “illegal organisation” claiming land rights for Tibetans. Jul 21: Student Sentenced
Nyima, a student from Shelian Township in Kardze who was arrested in January and charged with spying, has now been sentenced to three years in prison for contacting Tibetan exiles, reports Radio Free Asia. Nyima studied Tibetan culture and shared his knowledge with tourists visiting Tibet, he was seen regularly interacting with visitors and there is speculation that this is the reason for his arrest.
Jul 18: News of Further Arrests An unnamed man, aged around 60, is reported to have been arrested in Kardze; he is accused of keeping photographs of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and is victim of the Chinese crackdown around His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday on July 6. Jul 12: Arrested in Nagchu
Youdon, 20, a Tibetan woman from Nagchu [Ch: Nagqu] was arrested on charges of displaying a photograph of HH the Dalai Lama on the altar in her home. Radio Free Asia reports that Youdon was taken to Lhasa and is currently being detained there; there are no further details of her whereabouts. She is reported to be the sister of Zumkar (see “Woman Arrested” below). In Tibet, keeping or displaying photographs of His Holiness is considered a crime, giving rise to many arrests. Jul 4: Woman Arrested
Zumkar, 27, a Tibetan woman, was arrested in her home in Tsarang Township, Amdo County in Nagchu, having been found in possession of a photo of HH the Dalai Lama. She was transferred to Lhasa, 500 km away. She is reported to be the mother of two and a devout Buddhist who grew up as a nomad in an area undergoing profound transformation under the direction of the Chinese authorities.
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News Features Rewards Given to Tibetans for Reporting on their Fellow Tibetans by Staff Reporter The Lhasa Municipality Public Security Bureau has circulated a notice offering rewards for Tibetans reporting on crimes “against state security” in order to “build an iron wall of stability”, reports the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), a Washington-based advocacy group, saying this initiative was issued ahead of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6. The 12 point notice, written in Chinese and dated July 4, stated that the reward for reporting on any of the crimes listed in the notice will be up to 300,000 Chinese Yuan [$45,000/ £38,000], providing a financial incentive to Tibetans to comply with the order. While most of the points listed are vague and generic, they provide scope for any Tibetan activism, including online activities connecting with exiled Tibetans, listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings or reading books related to his teachings, to be considered a criminal act. In addition, point seven clearly states that any form of spreading information about “Tibet Independence” is considered a criminal act. ICT have said that they are deeply concerned about the measures. Their press release states, “The Chinese authorities in Tibet are using tactics to turn Tibetans against each other by creating further fear and distrust among families, friends and neighbours. These rewards represent measures of a totalitarian system, deeply affecting the lives of Tibetans and criminalising peaceful dissent and activities that are protected by international law.” ICT has provided the following translation of the notice, detailing the scope of reporting on “illegal activities and crimes”: 1. Illegal and criminal clues that spread rumours, defame and slander the state power and the socialist system, and endanger national sovereignty. 2. Illegal and criminal clues on publishing and disseminating harmful remarks, publications, audio and video materials, undermining ethnic unity, creating ethnic division, inciting ethnic hatred and undermining national unity. 3. Illegal and criminal clues of collusion with overseas institutions, organisations and individuals, stealing, spying on, selling and illegally providing state secrets or intelligence. 4. Illegal and criminal clues that use the name of religion
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5. 6.
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to endanger national security, collude with foreign forces to interfere in domestic religious affairs, distort religious teachings, or use other methods to incite and advocate violence and other extremist and ethnic discrimination ideas. Illegal and criminal clues of funding or assisting hostile forces or other organisations or individuals to endanger national security. Illegal and criminal clues of making, selling, distributing, listening to, reading, storing publications that promote terrorism, extremist publications, audio and video materials or other items, hoarding or wearing flags, clothing, utensils, souvenirs, etc containing terrorism and extremism contents, financing terrorist activities and separatist sabotage activities. Illegal and criminal clues that use the Internet to create and spread rumours, or publish or spread incitement to harmful speeches that endanger political security and social stability, download, produce, disseminate and store anti-propaganda information through the Internet or mobile phones, mobile storage media, e-readers, etc; and gathering the crowd to preach and spread the idea of “Tibet independence”. Illegal and criminal clues that use the power of family and clan to run rampant in villages, oppress the masses, control grass-roots political power, manipulate and interfere with grass-roots public affairs and interfere with and undermine rural governance and social stability. Illegal and criminal clues of illegal operation, transportation, trading, storage of explosive, flammable, toxic, corrosive hazardous chemicals and sales, storage, and provision of hazardous chemicals, and selling, storing and providing scattered gasoline and diesel in violation of the “Administrative Measures for the Sales of Fragmented Oil Products in the Tibet Autonomous Region” (Order No 117 of the People’s Government of the Autonomous Region). Illegal and criminal clues on venting anger or taking revenge on society, prepare clues to commit extremist violent crimes such as murder, injury, arson, explosion, poisoning, etc. Illegal and criminal clues of illegally manufacturing, trading, transporting, mailing, storing and possession of guns (including parts), ammunition, explosives, dangerous chemicals and controlled knives. Other various illegal and criminal acts that seriously affect the people’s sense of security.
According to ICT, the Chinese authorities issued similar notices in 2018 and 2019.
News Features Former Tibetan Political Prisoner dies Continued from page 1
impartial investigation into Gyatso’s untimely death and prosecution of his torturers in the Chinese law enforcement establishment”. TCHRD’s statement continued, saying that Jigme Gyatso was “one of the most courageous and compassionate human rights defenders, who sacrificed everything to advance the cause of freedom and human rights in Tibet. Gyatso’s death was the direct result of the long years of torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment he suffered at the hands of Chinese government and the denial of proper and timely medical treatment.” Since his release in October 2016 after serving five years in prison on a charge of working “to split the nation”, Jigme Gyatso had been incurably ill. He was suffering from multiple health issues including diabetes, hypertension and other complications related to his heart, liver and eyes, according to TCHRD who report that because of continued police surveillance and other restrictions such as not being able to recover his national ID card, he could not seek proper and safe medical treatment
at private hospitals. In May, his health began to deteriorate and he was admitted to a medical facility in Amdo [Ch: Qinghai] for an extended period but his condition did not improve. Also known as Labrang Jigme, he was a monk and Buddhist scholar at Labrang Monastery in Sangchu County, Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. Jigme Gyatso had faced multiple detentions in the past for his protests against the Chinese government’s oppression in Tibet. He came into prominence after he testified in a 2009 video about the brutal treatment he suffered from Chinese authorities, which was widely circulated on the Internet. In the video, he described in detail his trauma, constant inhumane beatings, multiple hospitalisations, denial of food and water for days, forced confessions and interrogations, all of which are reported to have nearly killed him. In 2016, after he was released from his last detention, the Chinese authorities ordered his family not to have a welcoming reception and he was asked not to put on his monk’s robe and not to return to his monastery.
Tsewang Rinchen Sentenced by Tenzin Samten Tsewang Rinchen, a Tibetan man from Rinpung county in Shigatse city near Lhasa, was sentenced to a year and six months jail term on July 16 by the Shigatse People’s Court. Rinchen was accused of failure to comply with the local orders for nomads in the region to relocate to towns and cities. He was also accused of misusing his position as the secretary of the Rinpung county’s nomadic community, reports the Tibet Times. He lost his job and was fined Chinese Yuan 35,000 [$ 5,200 / £ 4,250]. Currently, there is no information about where he is being held. According to a Tibet Times source, Tsewang Rinchen was initially arrested in May this year, on the charges above, and held in a detention centre for two
months for interrogation. Some members of his family were summoned to his sentencing hearing. He has been working as the secretary of Rinpung county since 2002. He is described as someone who has immense love and respect for his community, and for the Tibetan culture as a whole. In 2013, when the authorities ordered the nomads in Rinpung county to leave their traditional nomad lifestyles to live in towns and cities, Tsewang Rinchen submitted an application to the Chinese authorities stating the problems the nomads will face when losing their lifestyle, and the importance of allowing nomads to live in their own communities and keep and manage their livestock, which has been their livelihood for centuries.
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News Features His Holiness in Ladakh : Interfaith Pilgrimage by Staff Reporter His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans and Buddhist across the world, participated in his first public engagement in Ladakh by going on a pilgrimage to the Jokhang, the principal Buddhist Temple in the centre of Leh, the Jama Masjid and Anjuman-e-Imamia mosques and the Moravian Church in Leh on July 23. His Holiness also consecrated the newly constructed Thiksey Library and Learning Centre at Thiksey Monastery on July 25, reports the official website of His Holiness. At Jokhang, the main Buddhist temple, His Holiness greeted the audience saying, “Tashi Delek, we are all very
inaugurated by His Holiness in 2006. “Your presence here today sends a strong and much needed message of unity, peace and brotherhood among the different religious groups of Ladakh to the wider world,” said one speaker at the gathering. His Holiness reiterated that India has a good, longstanding custom of religious harmony, and that is especially evident in Ladakh. He continued by saying that all human beings are the same, seeking happiness, and he called on everyone to help each other whenever possible. On the same day, His Holiness went on a pilgrimage to a Moravian Church where he was welcomed by their congregation who sang a song in appreciation of his contribution to peace and harmony in the world. Appreciating their warm welcome His Holiness said, “It reminds me of the many Christian brothers and sisters, scientists and religious leaders, such as the Polish Pope, John Paul II, among them, with whom I have made friends.” He expressed his admiration of the kindness Christians show by helping poor needy people all over the world, saying that he regards this as “a sense of the oneness of humanity”. His Holiness arrived in Ladakh on July 15, his visit was at the request of Thiksey Rinpoche of Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh, together with former MP Thupten Tsewang, the current President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association. The trip is his His Holiness with members of Sunni community Photo: OHHDL first away from his residence since the Covid-19 global pandemic. old friends and the bonds between us are rock-solid. I’d like to thank you for your faith and devotion, which I take as a source of encouragement.” He assured his audience that he is determined to continue working on making a contribution towards the flourishing of the dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings. His Holiness then visited the Sunni Mosque, the Jama Masjid in Ladakh where, he said, “it is my practice to offer prayers at other people’s places of worship whenever I can. Since all religions convey a message of compassion (karuna), even though their philosophical views may differ, they are worthy of respect”. His Holiness also recalled his acquaintances with the Muslim community back in Lhasa. The Tibetan spiritual leader next went to the Shia Mosque known as Anjuman-e-Imamia which was Photo: OHHDL
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News Features His Holiness Promotes Human Values by Tenzin Samten His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed 3,000 students from 15 schools and colleges in and around Leh, the capital of Ladakh, during his visit there this month. The students gathered in the teaching ground of the newly built Thiksey Library and Learning Centre at Thiksey Monastery where His Holiness had been requested to consecrate the new Library and Learning Centre, reports the official website of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness said that he was touched by the genuine love and affection shown to him by the people of Ladakh and thanked them all and added how happy he was to be able to visit Ladakh again. He continued, “I very much appreciate the harmony that pervades the Ladakhi community.” “Whether we belong to one ethnic group or another, and whether we practise this religion or that, we are all essentially the same as human beings,” said His Holiness. “From the moment of birth, when our mothers take care of us, until we breathe our last, we are all the same. Therefore,
it’s in the interest of us all to live in peace and harmony […] Whether we have faith in religion or not, the benefits of warm-heartedness can be taught as part of training in secular ethics.” His Holiness stressed that ahimsa – doing no harm – and karuna – compassion and warm-heartedness – are key factors to living a happy life and that this indirectly contributes to creating a happier world at large. He recalled the hard work of the Tibetan Kings who developed Tibetan writing modeled on the Indian Devanagari alphabet, saying that this in turn made it possible for the translation of Indian Buddhist literature into the Tibetan language. He explained that there are over 300 volumes of the Kangyur and Tengyur (a collection of Buddhist texts recognised by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism) and that to study them Tibetan remains the most accurate language. He finished by saying, “Another point I want to share with you is that global warming is becoming a really serious problem. One of the positive steps we can take to counter it is to plant and care for trees. In this context it’s wonderful to see so much greenery here at Thiksey. The Indian environmental activist Sunderlal Bahuguna gave me the task of reminding people in the Himalayan region how important this is. I promised I would, so please plant and take care of trees wherever and whenever you can.”
70,000 Gather to Hear His Holiness Teach
by Barkha Mathur so-called enemy can be your best teacher”. His Holiness His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan and further said that retaliation will not help in leading happy Buddhist leader, gave a three-day teaching in the Himalayan lives. He said to the devotees, “Although Tibetans have region of Ladakh in the north of India on July 28-30. faced great hardship and misery at the hands of Chinese More than 70,000 people from across the region gathered Communists, I advise them not to harbour feelings of at the Shewatsel Teaching hatred or vindictiveness.” Ground in Leh as His Holiness On the second day, His Holiness explained Shantideva’s Entering explained that Shantideva’s is the Way of a Bodhisattva and an effective text to follow if one bestowed the empowerment of wishes to lead a meaningful life. He Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment said, “Tibetans and people of the of great compassion. Himalayan region are familiar with On the first day of the mantras such the six-syllable mantra teachings, His Holiness told of Avalokiteshvara (Om mani padme the people gathered, “lovinghum) and mantra of Arya Tara (Om kindness is the key to happiness”. Taré Tuttaré Turé Svaha), but they Photo: OHHDL He continued, “We experience it should also consider themselves from the moment we are born and even when we reach fortunate and try to lead a meaningful life by being warmthe end of our lives, we will feel more comfortable and hearted and focused on ultimately attaining enlightenment.” relaxed if we are surrounded by warm-hearted relatives and On the final day of the teaching, His Holiness bestowed friends. In short, we are social animals and if we are warm- the Avalokiteshvara Empowerment. As the teachings hearted towards others, we will lead happy lives.” concluded, the devotees prayed for His Holiness’s long Citing China as an example, he said that at times “your life.
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News Features Worldwide Celebrations for the Dalai Lama’s 87th Birthday by Tenzin Samten His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the most revered Buddhist leader and Nobel Peace laureate, turned 87 on July 6. Tibetans across the world celebrated the day with events and festivities, and friends and supporters of the Tibetan exiled leader sent their birthday greetings. In Dharamshala, the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and seat of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) also known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, Tibetans and supporters from around the world gathered in the courtyard of Tsuglakhang temple to celebrate the day at an official event organised by the CTA. Richard Gere was a special guest at the event, saying in his speech, “His Holiness is not going to be here forever, he is going to leave this body at some point. We can’t rely on the Dalai Lama to carry all of us. We have to carry each other, and it’s going to happen soon enough that that reality hits us. It’s up to the Tibetan people to carry the weight of your freedom, the weight of your truth, the weight of your possibilities, and the weight of your vision.” Following the official ceremony, the Dharamshala Tibetan community continued the day’s celebrations with a series of dances performed by different groups representing different regions in Tibet, and dedicated to His Holiness on his birthday. In Tibet, the Chinese authorities had heightened security and online surveillance prior to, and during, the month of His Holiness’s birthday. Every year at this time, there are reports of arrests and detentions in Tibet. Radio Free Asia reports that Tibetans have found ways to mark His Holiness’s birthday through picnics or by offering incense. “There are Tibetans inside Tibet who write essays and articles in praise of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on this occasion”, reported RFA, who’s local source, speaking anonymously for their own security, said that these articles “are widely read and shared on social media”. RFA‘s source continued, “This year [...] visitors and pilgrims to the Potala Palace and Tsulangkhang Temple in Lhasa are heavily restricted and limited. Only a certain number of visitors are allowed each day to avoid large public gatherings.” In Nepal, unlike in previous years, Tibetans were granted permission for a two-hour celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday; large numbers of Tibetans showed up for the gathering which was presided over by many dignitaries from western embassies who are currently in Nepal. Tibetans in the diaspora celebrated His Holiness’ birthday in their respective communities. World leaders, supporters and friends of Tibet and His Holiness sent their greetings. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Conveyed 87th birthday greetings to His Holiness the @DalaiLama over phone earlier today. We pray for his
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long life and good health”. In Geneva, representatives of various Tibet support groups and Tibetans came together to mark the day by hosting the Tibetan national flag and Buddhist flag for the first time at Parc du Tibet, Geneva and the local Tibetan community members and supporters of Tibet prayed for the good and long life of His Holiness. Special messages and greetings were also extended by the Swiss Parliamentary group for Tibet, German Parliamentary Group for Tibet, Tibet Interest Group in the European Parliament and the Belgian Buddhist Union, and in London a new photographic exhibition was launched at an event held by the London Office of Tibet, attended, among others, by Tim Loughton, Conservative Member of Parliament and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet. The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote, “I extend best wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 87th birthday today. His Holiness brings light to his fellow Tibetans and so many around the world by promoting peace [and] encouraging inter-faith harmony […] The United States will continue to support His Holiness’s and the Tibetan community’s efforts to preserve Tibet’s distinct linguistic, religious, and cultural traditions, including the ability to freely choose their religious leaders.” “On @DalaiLama’s birthday, I honour his lifetime of compassionate advocacy and look forward to continuing to work with His Holiness,” tweeted the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Uzra Zeya. “It is with great admiration that I join millions in sending warm birthday wishes to His Holiness the @DalaiLama – a beacon of hope for the Tibetan people and a force for compassion in the face of oppression,” tweeted the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has reacted to Indian Prime Minister Modi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s birthday greetings to His Holiness. The Hindu reports him as saying “the Indian side should fully recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama. India should abide by its commitment to China, speak and act prudently and stop using Tibet related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs. “Tibet affairs are China’s internal affairs, which brooks no foreign interference. China is firmly against any engagement by any country with the 14th Dalai Lama. We urge the US side to have full understanding of the important and sensitive nature of the Tibet related issues, respect China’s core interests, have a clear understanding of the anti-China separatist nature of the Dalai group and abide by its commitment on Tibet related issues, stop engaging with Dalai Lama in any form and stop sending any wrong signal to the outside world.”
News Features Dalai Lama Library and Archives Launched in Dharamshala by Staff Reporter On the occasion of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6, the Tibetan spiritual leader was invited to inaugurate the new Dalai Lama Library and Archives which is located below his residence and above the Lha-gyal-ri circumambulatory path around Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala. His Holiness started by thanking everyone for “being cheerful” on his birthday. He continued, “Since I bear the title ‘Dalai Lama’, I’ve done what I could to contribute to preserving Tibetan religion and culture. At a certain point the whole question of Tibet seemed about to vanish like a rainbow, but we set up schools and re-established our monasteries so that today Tibetan culture, religion and language thrive in exile. “When I first went to the United States, I was invited to visit the Congress. One of the members asserted that China has millions of soldiers, while the Dalai Lama is just one man, but they can’t overcome him. The point is, we have never told lies; we have the truth on our side. “For years, I’ve worked sincerely, respecting the law of causality. The issue of Tibet is not just a political matter, it’s a question of truth,” said His Holiness. His Holiness stressed the importance of Tibetan culture, saying that it concerns the workings of “mind and emotions” with its focus on ways to achieve peace of mind, he then recalled the hard work of setting up the Tibetan community in exile during the initial years following his arrival in India with the help and support of the then Indian Prime Minister Nehru.
His Holiness concluded his address by saying, “Today is my birthday and you’re all in a cheerful mood despite the heavy rain we’ve had. Let me tell you a story. On one occasion Nechung referred to me as like a ‘water-crystal jewel’. I was born in the region of Siling. I studied in Lhasa and came into exile in India. What I learned along the way was how to train the mind, which is something I’ve been able to share with others. So, it seems that Nechung’s prediction about the light of the ‘water-crystal jewel’ illuminating the world has come true.” His Holiness said that he is looking forward to going to Delhi to hold discussions with educationalists on how to make education more complete by combining a modern approach with the ancient Indian understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions. Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, former Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, introduced the new library and archives, saying that the object is preserving His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings as well as the teachings of previous Dalai Lamas, in technologically advanced format to enable easier access for all. The various awards that have been presented to His Holiness will be collected and put on display; the centre will also serve as a place to assemble resources for those who wish to research His Holiness’s life and work. Rinpoche explained that the construction of the centre was started in 2017 and was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic; however, work was resumed in 2020.
Prestigious Award for Tibetan Exile Writer by Mary Trewartha Bhuchung Sonam, the influential Tibetan writer and poet has been awarded the Ostana Prize. The annual Italian award, Writings in the Mother Tongue is awarded by the Chambra d’Òc to literary authors who use a “mother tongue”, a present-day minority language of territorial belonging, in their works. Phayul reports that his award makes particular note of his translation work which brings “focus to Tibetan language and literature”. Bhuchung’s latest work, Under the Blue Skies is a Tibetan reader which celebrates sixty years of Tibetan literature in English. It includes 40 compositions in fiction, non fiction and poetry by 30 popular Tibetan writers – including His Holiness the Dalai Lama; it is published by Blackneck Books and TibetWrites, a group founded by Bhuchung and other Tibetan refugee writers and translators. Bhuchung told Contact, “This award makes me realise that whatever little we do makes a difference, and that others do pay attention as we protect our language and promote our literature. The Tibetan language is our life-
essence. Without it everything dies.” Bhuchung, who is 50 and based in Dharamshala, travelled to Italy for the cultural event and prize award ceremony held by the Chambra d’Òc, a cultural association that works in the field of promotion and enhancement of the lesser used languages in the world. The organisation says, “The increasing awareness of the importance attributed to linguistic and cultural diversity in international strategies all over the world has led the small community of Ostana, a small municipality in the Alps, to try to make a contribution for the recovery and revival of its native language and to implement an occasion where the language can be practised whereby the entire linguistic heritage can return to being the centre not only of the attention and of cultural research, but of the entire community’s life as well.” Bhuchung’s many books include Songs from Dewachen (2022), Yak Horns: Notes on Contemporary Tibetan Writing, Music, Film and Politics (2013), and Burning the Sun’s Braids: New Poetry from Tibet (2017).
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Tibetan Headlines Jul 29: Security Dialogue Tibet was represented at the Ketagalan Forum – 2022 IndoPacific Security Dialogue in Taipei. Representative Bawa Kelsang Gyaltsen from the Office of Tibet was among the delegates from 11 countries at the forum which aims to enhance cooperation and dialogue among those with an interest in maintaining and advancing peace, security and prosperity in the Indo–Pacific area. Jul 28: Critical Health Condition
Norzin Wangmo, a Tibetan political prisoner from Kham Kyegudo in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture who was arrested in May 2020, was sent home from prison in poor health in March. Her health is now critical, reports the Tibet Times, who say that she is not improving despite consultations at different hospitals, and that she suffered serious injuries all over her body while in prison. Jul 28: Permanent Strategy Committee The Permanent Strategy Committee of the 16th Kashag (Cabinet of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile), has met to review and discuss strategy and progress. This is the committee’s second meeting; it was convened following the dissolution of the Task Force on Sino–Tibetan Negotiations. Jul 27: Returnees Questioned Tibetans returning home from visits abroad are being questioned by the Chinese authorities, reports Radio Free Asia, whose local sources are saying that the authorities are looking for signs of disloyalty or separatist sentiment. RFA’s source said they are asked about “possible involvement in political activities” and have to attend frequent meetings where they are told how to “live ‘a decent life’ [...] and to stay away from sensitive political issues”. Jul 27: Delegation to Brazil A team from Men-Tsee-Khang visited Brazil from July 2-13, promoting Tibetan traditional medicine and Astro science knowledge. They were hosted by Tibet House in San Paulo and the events were attended by health practitioners and professionals, laypeople and members of several Buddhist organisations in Brazil. They gave an intensive five-day programme at Tsarpa Sakya Monastery which was founded by Lama Rinchen, a Brazilian Tibetan Buddhist monk. Jul 27: Tibetan Monks Banned Tibetan Buddhist Monks have been banned from visiting Yunfu in the Guangdong province of China, reports bitterwinter.org, who say the authorities are citing their illegal “missionary activity”. Visiting Tibetan monks have been giving teachings, which are becoming more popular but, says bitterwinter.org, this
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is not tolerated by the Communist Party of China and a notice of boycott has been issued. Jul 26: Majnu Ka Tilla Majnu Ka Tilla, the Tibetan colony in Delhi known as “Little Tibet”, is to be developed as a food hub under Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s new project to maximise Delhi as the food capital of India, along with Chandni Chowk in the first phase, reports Times of India. Infrastructure requirements, including road, electricity, water, sanitation and food safety will be adhered to said Arvind Kejriwal. Jul 26: Activist Under Investigation Drew Pavlou, 23, an Australian anti-China activist currently in London, United Kingdom, is under investigation following his arrest there during a peaceful protest outside the Chinese embassy. He denies the allegation that he sent an email about a bomb threat to the Chinese embassy, reports the Guardian, who quotes Pavlou as saying that he was the victim of an “orchestrated campaign”. Pavlou has campaigned about the Chinese oppression of Tibetans and Uyghurs. Jul 25: Euro–Tibet Cup Tibet United FC Bern from Switzerland has won the 12th Euro– Tibet Cup football tournament after defeating team Yak Boyz from Paris. This year’s tournament, the biggest sporting event in the Tibetan community in Europe, took place in Deurne, in Antwerp, Belgium with 15 teams participating from Belgium, Switzerland and France. The Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Belgium has been organising the Euro–Tibet Cup tournament since 2008. Jul 22: New Indian President-Elect His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written to Shrimati Droupadi Murmu congratulating her on her election as President of India, saying that Tibetans have received the “unparalleled support of the Government and people of India” in their endeavour to protect and preserve the Tibetan identity. His Holiness expressed his gratitude to the Government and people of India for the warm hospitality granted to Tibetans for more than six decades. Jul 21: Promoting Understanding A new programme to teach Indian army officers about Tibet has been launched at the Central Institute of Himalayan and Cultural Studies in Arunachal Pradesh, the north eastern Indian state that borders Tibet and where there are regular clashes with, and incursions across the border by, the Chinese army. The course is to promote understanding and includes Tibetan language, religion and culture, reports Radio Free Asia. Jul 20: No Outside Contacts Tibetans living in and around Lhasa have been ordered to stop contact with family and friends living abroad. Non compliance risks loss of all government aid, among other severe consequences, reports Voice of America. The authorities are now visiting Tibetans’ homes to check for photographs of HH the Dalai Lama and people are advised not to listen to groups living outside China, nor to do business with outsiders.
Tibetan Headlines Jul 20: More Relocations 300 more residents have been relocated from Doima Township in Tsonyi county to their new homes 1,000 km to the south, in Singpori near Lhasa. The authorities cite protection of the environment, and the high altitude and harsh environment as the reason for the compulsory relocations, despite the fact that Tibetans have lived there happily and sustainably for generations. 130,000 people in total are to be relocated. Jul 19: Ecological “Protection”? Li Zhanshu, China’s top legislator, on a tour of Tibet has spoken of a new law for the ecological protection of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, reports Chinese state media Xinhua. He said “ecological protection is the basic premise and the rigid constraint of the region’s development” and called for “focus on safeguarding national unification and strengthening ethnic unity, and to ensure enduring social stability”. Jul 18: Tennis Protest United Kingdom based Free Tibet, together with Power to Hongkongers staged a protest at the international Wimbledon tennis tournament in London to show attention to the missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. Despite threats of arrest from security – due to concern about upsetting the tournament’s Chinese sponsors – the protest hit the international media and attracted much interest from surrounding tennis fans. Jul 18: A Winner! Tibetan athlete Choeying Kyi has won a Bronze medal in the women’s 20k race walk at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in the United States. She was the first Tibetan to compete in the Olympics, competing in 2012 and 2016, and is the Tibetan athlete who has won the most medals at international events, representing China. She was born in Tsochang in Amdo. Jul 15: Young Tibetan Killed Tsultrim, a Tibetan man in his 30s was fatally stabbed at the Chinese restaurant where he worked as a waiter in SaintLeonard, France. The Tibetan community in France held a silent protest and many Tibetans have walked out of their job at the same restaurant, and other Chinese restaurants across France. Police have made an arrest. Jul 13: Temporary Monastery Gyalrong Tsodun Kriti Monastery in Amdo Ngaba’s Barkham county was destroyed by an earthquake last month forcing 290 monks to live in makeshift shelters. The monastery itself has been relocated into a tent with help from people in neighbouring monasteries and towns, and regular religious activities are taking place there, reports Radio Free Asia. It is not known whether the authorities will help to restore the monastery. Jul 12: Expelled for Corruption Zhang Yongze, 53, the Communist Party of China’s former Deputy Chairman of Tibet has been expelled from his party and dismissed from office for “serious violations of discipline and law”, reports the Tibetan Review. He is reported to have
been involved in “superstitious activities and lived a luxurious lifestyle while trading power for money and sex”. Jul 11: Tibetan Woman Dies A young Tibetan woman has died in Toronto, Canada, 17 weeks after suffering an attack on a city bus in which she was set on fire by Tenzin Norbu, 33, while on her way to work. She did not know her assailant who remains in custody. The local Tibetan community have been shocked by the attack and are praying for her. Jul 8: Condolences HH the Dalai Lama has written to the wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot during a campaign
speech saying, “I pray for him and offer my condolences to you and members of your family.” His Holiness said he appreciated his friendship and support for the cause of Tibet, “Mr Abe truly lived a meaningful life in the service of others”. Jul 7: Mental Health Awareness The Central Tibetan Administration’s Mental Health Desk has organised a mental health awareness programme targeting young Tibetans who are studying and working in Bangalore and Delhi away from the Tibetan communities in India. The student groups were given workshops on techniques and information on handling stress, navigating negative emotions and understanding mental disorders with the aim of making the participants mental health advocates in their locality. Jul 5: Monastery Relocation Atsok Gon Dechen Choekhor Ling in Drakkar County in Amdo is to be relocated, by order of the Chinese authorities, to make way for a hydro-electric power station on the River Machu, or Yellow River. The 19th Century monastery provides accommodation and education in Buddhism for over 157 monks. Approximately 53 square km is to be requisitioned for the project, affecting 22 villages and over 15,000 people. Jul 2: National Heritage Fellowship Tsering Wangmo Satho, a Tibetan opera singer and dancer based in California, has been awarded the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship 2022. The award is America’s highest honour in folk and traditional arts. Tsering co-founded Chaksam-pa, a Tibetan Dance and Opera Company committed to sharing and preserving Tibet’s artistic traditions. Each fellow is awarded $25,000 and features in a film.
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People Story “It’s not really meaningful if you are not able to help others” by Tenzin Pel-lha As a young girl in Tibet, Dorji Kyi remembers seeing an image of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on a small pendant, a gift from a relative in India. Like many of her peers in the early 1990s, she arrived in Dharamshala – smuggled in, disguised as a Nepali girl at seven years old – to be educated in the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) schools. She remains grateful for how these years shaped her and the opportunity to be close to His Holiness. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.” Dorji went on to study journalism at Madras Christian College and MOP Vaishnav College for Women during which she had an internship in Chennai, shadowing a health reporter. “I had a very romantic idea about being a journalist,” she laughed. But within a month, although she had several bylines, she knew the profession wasn’t for her. However, she was sure that she’d ultimately do work to benefit others. After earning her master’s degree, Dorji took a job with Amazon, where she worked for two years on an international troubleshooting team. She reflects on it as a positive professional experience and opportunity to integrate with the Indian community. Yet she longed to contribute to Tibetan causes, inspiring her to apply for a job at the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), which she admired for their work on women’s empowerment, gender equality and environmental justice. In 2013, Dorji was offered a job with TWA to focus on campaigns for Tibet’s environment. The position enabled her travel to Peru in 2014 for COP20, the United Nations
Dorji during COP20 - Climate Conference in Peru
Climate Change Conference. Travelling with a Tibetan government staff member, she gained deeper insight into the significance of Tibet’s river system serving ten
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downstream countries and its weight on a global stage, particularly after her colleague was mysteriously banned from the event after leaving pamphlets with information about Tibet’s environment outside a talk given by representatives of China. “This experience gave me a sense of how powerful China’s influence is and how important it is that the Tibetan community continue to make our voices heard on an international platform,” she said. “It inspired me to keep going.” The next chapter of Dorji’s career at TWA led her to travel extensively to dozens of Tibetan settlements in north India, leading workshops on legal empowerment of Tibetans in exile.“It was my first experience with public speaking in front of large groups and it pushed me out of my comfort zone” she said, expressing how it taught her to let go of perfectionism, simply do her best, and move on. “It gave me the confidence to do something meaningful for the Tibetan community.” Her two formative years at TWA prepared her for the transition to Lha, the Tibetan-run charity providing social services to the Tibetan and other Himalayan communities, where she joined as a programme manager in 2015. Registering students for classes and managing volunteers – she estimates there have been 10,000 volunteers in Lha’s 25 years – facilitated rich conversations and lifelong friendships with a diverse population. “It overwhelms me because it’s not the work of few people, it’s so many people,” she said, reflecting on her seven years with Lha and the organisation’s impact. “It has made me really understand what His Holiness says about how we have this one human life … it’s not really meaningful if you are not able to help others.” Fittingly, this same sentiment is expressed about Dorji by her colleagues and friends, including long-time volunteer Cynthia McGowan who began teaching with Lha in 2017. “I have a lot of admiration for Dorji,” said Cynthia after a class. “She’s ambitious, knowledgeable and committed to helping Tibetans and others … what she does makes a difference.” Dorji considers joining Lha as a blessing that helped her clarify her life’s purpose. She stepped down as director in May 2022 to prepare for her next endeavour: a Master’s degree programme in Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University in the United States.
Tibet-Related Websites News:
tibet.net - official website of the Central Tibetan Administration in exile phayul.com -Phayul is published in Dharamshala, has opinion, reviews, photos, etc contactmagazine.net - Contact magazine online news rfa.org/english/news/tibet - Radio Free Asia’s mission is to provide accurate and timely news and information to Asian countries whose governments prohibit access to a free press 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 tibetanreview.net - Tibetan Review online news
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 non-governmental 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 grassroots group campaigning for full Tibetan independence freetibet.org: - UK-based campaigning organisation, also a good news source tibetwatch.org - Tibet Watch works with Free Tibet to promote the human rights of the Tibetan people through monitoring, research and advocacy. 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 www.facebook.com/tsundue - Tenzin Tsundue’s website for up to date information on activists’ campaigns, demonstrations and activities
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.
Contact is published by Lha Charitable Trust Institute for Social Work and Education We have moved! (see map on next page)
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DHARAMSHALA CONTACTS Delek Hospital Gangkyi, Central Tibetan Administration Hours: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm, Mon-Sat Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm Emergencies: 24-hrs, daily Phone: 222 053,223 381
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