June 2022

འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་གསར་འཕྲིན།

Contact

A Digest of Tibetan Issues and News from Inside and Outside Tibet RGD No. HPENG/2013/51798 | Volume: XXIV Issue:05| June 2022

Monk Self-Immolates in front of HH the Dalai Lama’s Portrait

by Ray Sorensen An unidentified monk has self-immolated in front of a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, reports the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a non-governmental organisation that works to protect the human rights of Tibetans and promote democracy in the Tibetan exile community.

TCHRD says local sources report the monk was protesting against the Chinese government’s recent crackdown on religious freedoms. The self-immolation in front of His Holiness’s portrait carries special significance since, in 2018, the Chinese Continued on page 3

China’s Crackdown on Tibetan Intellectuals and Writers

by Staff Reporter The Chinese government has been escalating tactics to abolish Tibetan core identities by targeting Tibetan language and religion, and by arbitrary detentions of people working towards preserving or promoting the Tibetan language, followed through with long sentences without proper trial. The recent series of reports on the sentencing of Tibetan writers and intellectuals Rongwo Gendun Lhundup, Thupten Lodoe and Rongwo Gangkar are all illustrations of the Chinese government’s systematic crackdown on Tibetans intellectuals. In many cases,

Continued on page 4

World Parliamentarians Gather to Discuss Strategy for Supporting Tibet

by Staff Reporter The eighth World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet (WPCT) was held in Washington DC on June 22-23 and was attended by over one hundred parliamentarians from 26 countries, both in person and virtually, including the members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE).

The two-day convention saw discussions and briefings on various issues facing Tibet by members of parliaments from the various countries attending, as well as experts and activists. Sessions included The Significance of Asia and Tibet in

Continued on page 3

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Teaching Schedules July 8 - 10, 2022 : His Holiness will confer the Heruka Initiation of the Luipa Tradition (dechok luipa wang) in the mornings at Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala.

September 15 - 16, 2022 : His Holiness 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.

Source: dalailama.com/schedule Contact News

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Contact magazine | June 2022 | Page No 2

“I write this as someone who lost his freedom at the age of 16, then lost his country at the age of 24. Consequently, I have lived in exile for more than 50 years during which we Tibetans have dedicated ourselves to keeping the Tibetan identity alive and preserving our culture and values. On most days the news from Tibet is heartbreaking, and yet none of these challenges gives grounds for giving up. One of the approaches that I personally find useful is to cultivate the thought: If the situation or problem is such that it can be remedied, then there is no need to worry about it. In other words, if there is a solution or a way out of the difficulty, you do not need to be overwhelmed by it. The appropriate action is to seek its solution.

Then it is clearly more sensible to spend your energy focussing on the solution rather than worrying about the problem. Alternatively, if there is no solution, no possibility of resolution, then there is also no point in being worried about it, because you cannot do anything about it anyway. In that case, the sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be for you. This formula, of course, implies directly confronting the problem and taking a realistic view. Otherwise you will be unable to find out whether or not there is a resolution to the problem.

Taking a realistic view and cultivating a proper motivation can also shield you against feelings of fear and anxiety. If you develop a pure and sincere motivation, if you are motivated by a wish to help on the basis of kindness, compassion and respect, then you can carry on any kind of work, in any field, and function more effectively with less fear or worry, not being afraid of what others think or whether you ultimately will be successful in reaching your goal. Even if you fail to achieve your goal, you can feel good about having made the effort.

But with a bad motivation, people can praise you or you can achieve goals, but you still will not be happy.”

Excerpt from His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Countering Stress and Depression published on www.dalailama.com

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 Email: ippdsala@gmail.com

News Features Monk Self-Immolates in front of HH the Dalai Lama’s Portrait Continued from page 1

authorities banned photos of the Tibetan spiritual leader and required that they be replaced with portraits of Chinese communist leaders Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping.

TCHRD says the monk was in retreat at the time, at his residence in Khaygya in Amdo. Going on retreat is a Buddhist religious practice intended as a time of reflection and study, to focus the mind and deepen one’s spiritual practice. According to TCHRD, the monk self-immolated last May to protest against the increased suppression of religious freedoms led by the governor and deputy party secretary of Kanlho prefecture, Yang Wu, which has involved a tightening of control over monasteries, intimidation of religious practitioners and forced entries into sacred spaces such as violating the spiritual practice of monks in retreat.

Yang Wu’s crackdown was in preparation for an

inspection by Wang Yang, a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official. During his inspection of schools and religious institutions, Wang emphasised the party’s ethnic and religious policies of “carrying out in-depth antiseparatist struggles”, “building an iron wall for national security”, “solidly promoting the cause of national unity”, “popularising the common national language [Mandarin Chinese]”, and “adhering to the direction of Sinicisation of religion”.

Member of the monk’s family have been detained in Tsoe city in an undisclosed location, under the pretext of a possible Covid infection, after a relative returned from a Chinese city upon hearing about the monk’s death. But local sources say their detention is meant to stop news of the protest from spreading outside of Tibet. Chinese government restrictions have prevented identification of the monk.

World Parliamentarians Gather to Discuss Strategy for Supporting Tibet Continued from page 1

Global Warming and Climate Change, Narratives on Tibet: The Need for Change, Sharing Experiences, Collaborations, Networking and Action Plans proposed for like-minded countries around the world, and Common Ground to Face Common Challenges.

The meeting was organised by TPiE with the objective of strengthening and coordinating the support of world parliamentarians to resolve the issue of Tibet, including seeking solidarity with world leaders who are willing to express their concerns over the human rights situation and religious persecution in Tibet. The convention requested parliamentarians from other countries to consider taking initiatives in their respective countries to support an early resumption of dialogue between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the People’s Republic of China, in order to discuss a solution for the Tibetan situation.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed the convention participants via a video message, thanking all the participants and continuing, “Politically, we are not seeking independence for Tibet. I have made this clear over the years.

What most concerns us is the importance of preserving and safeguarding our culture and language”. While speaking about Tibetan culture and values being based on being kind and compassionate, His Holiness added “I am not urging anyone to propagate Buddhism, but I am talking about developing a kind heart”.

The Tibetan spiritual leader also called on the parliamentarians to “consider ways to revive and advance the essence of Tibetan culture, which is about keeping in mind the well-being of others” and called on educational institutions to include teachings about human values such

as kindness and honesty.

The US Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, joined the convention, saying in her press release that she was present in order to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the Tibetan people. “For decades, the Chinese government has waged a dangerous assault on human rights in Tibet” said Ms Pelosi, continuing, “In just one of the many shocking examples, 27 years ago, the Chinese Communist Party abducted the eleventh Panchen Lama. This issue symbolises the plight of the Tibetan people. The Chinese government has clearly shown that it has no regard for Tibetan autonomy or identity or faith. This aggression has accelerated in recent years, with new actions to impose mandatory political education, cruelly restrict religious freedom, expand its mass surveillance régime and further close off Tibet to global visitors”.

Calling on parliamentarians to strengthen their policy towards China, Ms Pelosi added, “the world has a moral duty to speak out with one voice against Beijing’s abuses and stand up for the Tibetan people. That is why this forum is crucial, bringing together leaders of parliaments from all over the world to advance real autonomy for Tibet”.

During the concluding address, the Deputy Speaker of TPiE announced the revival of the International Network of Parliamentarians for Tibet (INPaT), launching its official website www.inpat.org and the adoption of the Washington Declaration and Washington Action Plan.

The first WPCT was held in New Delhi (1994) and subsequent conventions have been held in Vilnius, Lithuania (1995); Washington DC, USA (1997); Edinburgh, Scotland UK (2005); Rome, Italy (2009); Ottawa, Canada (2012) and Riga, Latvia (2019).

Contact magazine | June 2022 | Page No 3

News Features China’s Crackdown on Tibetan Intellectuals and Writers Continued from page 1

news of detentions and sentencing of Tibetans can take many months to reach the outside world under the Chineseimposed crackdown of communications within Tibet, and particularly for Tibetans attempting to communicate with the outside world.

Rongwo Gendun Lhundup, 48, also known as Lhamkok, a prominent Tibetan monk and writer, was sentenced to a four-year prison term on a charge of “inciting separatism” on December 1, 2021 by the Xining Intermediate People’s court, reports the Dharamshala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

In addition to the four years of imprisonment, he was given two years of “deprivation of political rights”. He was initially detained on November 11, 2020 from Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong, Amdo [Ch: Qinghai] and kept in an undisclosed location for almost two years. Gendun is known for his Tibetan language expertise and for his love and concern for the status and future of the Tibetan language and culture. He travels frequently all over Tibet teaching and participating in panel discussions on Tibetan culture, said the TCHRD report. He also administers a popular website called Tsenpo. He was detained soon after publishing his latest collection of poems, Khorwa, which translates as the Buddhist concept of the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

In May, Radio Free Asia reported that he was reportedly undergoing China’s political re-education programme under which he is required to translate Tibetan Buddhist scripts into Mandarin Chinese. He had been arrested several times in the past and was under living under surveillance.

A separate report by TCHRD gives details of Thupten Lodoe also known as Sabuchey, 34, a well-known Tibetan scholar, writer and intellectual, who has been sentenced to a four and a half year prison term. He was detained in October last year.

Until his sentencing on June 14 on charges of “inciting separatism”, “endangering state security” and “harming ethnic unity,” he was held in an unknown place for more than eight months. He is from Bum-nying village

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in Dzachuka, Kardze. There is still no information about where he is being held or under what conditions. According to TCHRD’s report, he is proficient in both the Tibetan and Chinese languages and is a prolific writer, publishing his work on Tibetan online platforms. He is considered one of the most respected and influential writers among his generation, focusing his writing on socio-economic subjects and the situation inside Tibet. Prior to his detention, he had been warned about his online posts by local security officers.

“After carefully studying Sabuchey’s writings dating back to 2016, TCHRD researchers have found that most of his writings were analyses and opinions related to social and livelihood issues, language and economic conditions, as well as traditional and modern knowledge systems.

None of his writings broke any laws, let alone the ones for which he was eventually imprisoned such as ‘inciting separatism’,” said TCHRD in their report.

Rongwo Gangkar, 48, another prominent Tibetan scholar and writer who disappeared last year, is confirmed as having been arrested by the Chinese authorities in early 2021. His current whereabouts and his health condition are not known, reports Radio Free Asia. He is a popular Tibetan writer known for his works such as The Knot and An Interview with Gendun Choephel and is also celebrated for his skill as a translator.

Gangkar is from Rebkong county in Malho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is a monk from Rongwo Monastery.

“A long list of Tibetan writers and scholars has been arrested or sentenced by the Chinese government for merely asserting their national identity and exercising fundamental rights, including Go Sherab Gyatso, Dhi Lhaden, Rongwo Gendun Lhundrup, Pema Tso, Seynam, Rinchen Tsultrim and Kunsang Gyaltsen among others, with some of them having been punished with long imprisonment terms,” said the Human Rights Desk at the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The CTA has called on the Chinese government to stop its cultural assimilation policy, to release all Tibetan writers, intellectuals and cultural leaders who are being held immediately and without any pre-conditions, and to guarantee human rights and constitutional rights for Tibetans living under their régime in Tibet.

News Features US Calls for Religious Freedom in Tibet

by Ray Sorensen In its recently published 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, the United States Department of State said that decisions on the succession of His Holiness the Dali Lama should be made by the Tibetan people, and raised concerns about the disappearance in 1995 of the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.

The annual report submitted to the United States Congress details the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing repression of Tibetan Buddhists through intensified surveillance, forced disappearances, prolonged detentions without trial, torture, abuse, discrimination, and a policy of Sinicisation of religion.

The report notes regulations issued by the Chinese government in 2021 that require clergy to pledge allegiance to the CCP and force religious schools to teach Xi Jinping Thought – a set of policies and ideas derived from the writings and speeches of Chinese President Xi Jinping and now included in the preamble of the Chinese constitution – and to interpret religious ideas in accordance with CCP ideology.

The report describes other repressive measures such as increased surveillance of monks and nuns through ubiquitous closed-circuit cameras, monitoring of internet and social media use, and employing thousands of government workers in monasteries and religious institutions. Religious and government workers are forced to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama and pledge allegiance to the CCP sanctioned Panchen Lama,

Gyaltsen Norbu. Tibetans caught carrying photographs of His Holiness the Dali Lama, or his writings, are subject to arrest. Writers and artists promoting the Tibetan culture and language have also been arrested. Tibetans have been forced to replace portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in their homes with those of CCP leaders including Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping.

In May 2021, the Chinese government issued a White Paper asserting that Tibet had always been part of China and that the Chinese government would select Tibet’s Buddhist leaders, including the next Dalai Lama.

Despite repeated requests, no US diplomats were allowed to visit the Tibetan Autonomous Region in 2021. US officials, including the Secretary of State, have continued to advocate for Tibetans’ religious freedoms including the right to preserve, practice, teach and develop their religious traditions and language without interference from the government. The report states that throughout 2021 the US used a variety of diplomatic tools to promote religious freedom in Tibet, including visa restrictions on Chinese government and CCP officials involved in restricting diplomatic access to the TAR. The report details that on March 9, 2021, a US State Department Spokesman said the Chinese government should have no role in the succession of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and that Beijing’s interference, including the 1995 disappearance of the Panchen Lama, remains an “outrageous abuse of religious freedom.”

Student Sentenced to Three Years

by Mary Trewartha Nyima, a student from Shelian Township in Kardze in Amdo, was arrested in January on a charge of spying, and then sentenced on June 5 to a three-year prison term, reports Radio Free Asia.

Nyima, a student at Gehoe National University in Amdo, focussed his studies on Tibetan culture. He is fluent in Tibetan, Chinese and English and has always mixed with tourists and visitors so that he could share the Tibetan culture with them. RFA has reported its source as saying that he was sentenced for “allegedly disseminating state secrets”; their source speculated that

Photo: RFA

his contact with tourists “may be the reason for his arrest”. Their source has also reported that Nima’s family has no idea where he is.

RFA say that the authorities have not specified what “state secrets” Nyima is alleged to have passed on, and that this arrest is similar to that of other influential Tibetan writers and intellectuals. The Chinese authorities are cracking down on Tibetan religion and culture, seeing these as a way that Tibetans can assert their national identity while living under Chinese rule.

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News Features Thousands Flock to His Holiness’s Teaching for Saka Dawa

by Tenzin Samten Saka Dawa, the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar, is considered the most sacred month. It is marked by Buddhists by paying more attention to their dharma practices, including engaging in more spiritual activities.

In Dharamshala, the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibetans gathered in Tsuglakhang, the main

Photo: Contact

temple, to pray for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for the common cause of Tibet. To coincide with the special occasion, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a two-day teaching on June 13 – 14 in person to the public, speaking on the Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment of Tsongkhapa and conferring the Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara empowerment in Tsuglakhang. Over 8,500 people from 56 countries attended the teaching.

“Today, Tai Situ Rinpoché is with us.

He has requested the Chenrezig Gyalwa Gyatso (Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara) empowerment. Avalokiteshvara can be practiced according to all four classes of tantra, but Gyalwa Gyatso belongs to Highest Yoga Tantra,” said His Holiness.

His Holiness explained that Avalokiteshvara is the supreme deity of compassion and then recited some verses in his praise. His Holiness then started the reading and explanation of Jé Tsongkhapa’s Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment saying, “The teaching of the Buddha doesn’t just depend on faith, it’s based on reason. What the Buddha said can be put to the test of reason. Later, the masters of Nalanda, such as Nagarjuna, showed how important it is to examine

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the Buddha’s teaching in the light of reason and establish that he was an incomparable teacher.

“I’m a Buddhist monk who has studied logic and epistemology. I’ve learned that views like those propounded by the Mind Only School, regarding the non-duality of subject and object, can be put to the test of reason. Today, even scientists admire Buddhism’s vast and reasoned presentation of the workings of the mind and emotions. When we are children in the monasteries we study mind and awareness; we learn about the 51 mental factors. As for me, I’ve studied Collected Topics, mind and logic, as well as the Perfection of Wisdom and Madhyamaka teachings,” continued His Holiness.

He briefly narrated the history of how the Tibetan language came into existence and how it eventually led to the potential for translating Buddhist literature into Tibetan, saying “Chinese communists have tried unsuccessfully to restrict Tibetan Buddhist culture, and it is clear that Tibetan Buddhist philosophy is more profound than Chinese communism. In contrast to that ideology, Tibetans exercise a kind of Buddhist democracy in their monasteries and nunneries. Tibet’s traditions are vast, deep and profound and have the potential to be combined with modern science.”

On the second day, His Holiness gave the Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara Empowerment. A prayer for His Holiness, composed by the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoché was recited, with copies distributed amongst the crowd.

Saka Dawa is an annual month long religious festival

Photo: Contact

which this year took place from May 31 to June 28.

Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism across the world celebrate Saka Dawa – the month which is the occasion of Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth, Parinirvana (death) and enlightenment.

News Features US Calls for Renewed Negotiations on Tibet

by Ray Sorensen The United States State Department has called for the resumption of talks on the status of Tibet. In a recent report to the US Congress on Tibetan negotiations, the State Department says no formal talks have occurred between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Tibetan representatives since 2010, despite continued encouragement from the US for both sides to engage in meaningful dialogue.

The report notes the US government’s concern that without direct negotiations, issues such as autonomy for Tibetans within China, human rights abuses, and the eradication of Tibet’s distinct cultural, linguistic and religious identity will remain unresolved, undermining the long-term stability of the region.

The report details US efforts over the past year to resume negotiations for the renewal of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue. US officials, including President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken, have repeatedly called attention to China’s human rights abuses and have urged the Chinese government to respect the rights of Tibetans, including the right to freely practice their religion.

In December 2021,Uzra Zeya was appointed as the

new Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, responsible for promoting dialogue between the PRC and Tibet. Ms Zeya has met His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan representatives and has publicly expressed concern over PRC human rights abuses against the Tibetan people.

Some pro-Tibetan organisations, such as the International Campaign for Tibet, have urged Ms Zeya to be more proactive in her efforts to press the PRC back to the negotiating table.

The US State Department has reported to Congress on the status of Tibet each year since 2003 when the then President George W Bush stated that the lack of resolution to the Tibetan issue would remain an obstacle to further engagement between the US and China. Since then, subsequent administrations have continued reporting to Congress on US efforts to seek a resolution.

UN Demands Access Amid Human Rights Concerns

by Barkha Mathur During the ongoing 50th United Nations Human Rights (UNHR) Council, 47 member states voiced concern about China’s human rights abuses, asking for meaningful and unhindered access. The joint statement by the concerned nations highlights the systematic violations of human rights by China, in particular in Tibet, East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang] and Hong Kong. “The states continue to be gravely concerned about the deterioration of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong and the human rights situation in Tibet”, reads the statement, which was delivered by The Netherlands on behalf of the 47 countries.

The joint statement asks China to ensure full compliance with its obligations under national and international law with regard to the protection of human rights, and to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Prior to the UNHR meeting, a panel of over 40 UN experts called separately upon the Chinese government to cooperate with the UN human rights system and to provide access to independent experts to report on the

treatment of ethnic minorities in East Turkestan and Tibet.

According to the statement released by the Office of the High Commissioner, UNHR, the experts said that it is critical to strengthen cooperation with independent human rights experts and Human Rights Council processes in order for China’s human rights commitments to be fully enforced.

The experts stressed the urgent need for a complete assessment of the human rights violations in the country, especially in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Tibet Autonomous Region and in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Responding to the joint statement by the 47 countries, China is claiming that as many as 69 countries are supporting its own call to the UN to stop discussions of the country’s human rights atrocities, reported the Tibetan Review. In the pro-China joint statement, Cuba, on behalf of the 69 countries said, “Issues concerning Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet are China’s internal affairs and brook no interference.” The joint statement further read, “We oppose politicisation of human rights and double standards, or interference in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.”

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News Features Spotlight on the Plight of Tibet’s Environment Defenders

by Staff Reporter A new report, Environmental Defenders of Tibet: China’s Persecution of Tibetan Environmental Defenders, was released this month ahead of World Environment Day on June 5 by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT)*. The report highlights the persecution of Tibetans who take action to defend the environment in Tibet in the face of the Chinese authorities there who have made it a regular crime to speak out on environmental issues; those who do speak up face persecution and detention on a par with human rights and political defenders.

The report highlights the many Tibetans who have been persecuted and killed for protecting their environment and says that their efforts and the environmental concerns they raise are not recognised by the international community – despite the Tibetan plateau’s crucial role in the global ecosystem and its recognition as the “Third Pole” and “Asia’s Water Tower”. The Tibetan plateau is in the frontline of the climate crisis with its temperature rising at least two times faster than the global average. The plateau is the source of the eight great rivers in Asia, sustaining the livelihood of up to 1.4 billion people living downstream.

Tibetans are living under China’s illegal occupation, and fighting for a genuine autonomy within the People’s Republic of China – an autonomy where Tibetans could protect and preserve their own culture, traditions and environment.

Currently any grievances Tibetans raise are considered a territorial matter and the voices of Tibetan environmental defenders do not make a mark beyond the political struggle.

ICT’s report collated and analysed 50 known cases of Tibetan environmental defenders who have been reportedly persecuted since 2008; of whom 21 are currently serving sentences in prison, with an average sentence length of eight and half years; five have completed their prison sentences (it is not known whether all five have been released), and the whereabouts of 20 remain unknown. One environmental defender was fatally shot during a protest and three have died while in custody.

Kai Müller, executive director of ICT Germany, said, “The international community must recognise that Tibetan environmental defenders are best equipped to build resilience in the land. They should be empowered to mitigate and adapt to climate change for the benefit of 40% of the world’s population. The Chinese government’s denial of Tibetan rights is both foolhardy and hazardous to all of us.”

The 32 page report highlights the major threats facing Tibet’s environment and the role of the Tibetan plateau in both the Asian region and the global climate system, as well as the significant role of Tibetan environmental defenders in Tibet and the threats they undergo on a daily basis under the Chinese régime.

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The report offers the following recommendations to governments and the United Nations agencies: • Press China to uphold its human rights obligations and guarantee and protect the rights of the Tibetan environmental defenders, and release them unconditionally if detained • Specifically raise the cases of the 16 Tibetan environmental defenders identified on the priority list in Appendix A, requesting their release and information about their cases and their wellbeing • Press China to protect the rights of Tibetan environmental defenders to seek information, freely express their opinion, associate, assemble, participate in decision-making, protect their livelihood and home, and seek redress and remedy • Ensure free and prior informed consent; the inclusion of the Tibetan community in the decision-making and implementation process of development projects; and the use of thorough and transparent environmental impact assessment projects on the Tibetan Plateau • Press China to protect and promote Tibetan language learning and practice, as it is the medium in which traditional knowledge and experience is carried and communicated • Promote the opening up of the Tibetan Plateau for scientific research and international collaboration by: - Cooperating with countries in the region to establish a regional environmental council to facilitate scientific research and transparency - Pressing China to facilitate a country visit to China by the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment and/or the Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change • Develop and implement a comprehensive, stable Southeast Asia riparian environmental and security programme designed to provide essential water resources to downstream populations, address increasing water pollution and adequately prepare for climate change • Challenge China’s ecological civilization policy and self-representation as a leader in global climate policy and action. China’s activities in Tibet reveal its exclusionary, geo-engineering, and dangerously unsustainable approach to climate change and environmental management. *The International Campaign for Tibet is a nonprofit advocacy group working to promote democratic freedoms for Tibetans and protect Tibetan culture and the environment.

News Features Sikyong Penpa Tsering Visits the United States

by Ray Sorensen Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the Tibetan Governmentin-Exile (CTA), has made an official visit to the United States from June 17 to 30, during which he addressed the eighth World Parliamentarians Convention (WPCT), held discussions at the US State Department, chaired a meeting with Representatives of the Offices of Tibet and visited Tibetan communities across the country.

Sikyong’s tour began in San Francisco where he met executive members of the Tibetan Association and the Tibetan Community of Northern California. He spoke about the 16th Kashag’s progress in developing worldwide advocacy efforts such as the new Voluntary Tibetan Advisory Group (VTAG), a CTA initiative to engage Tibetans, especially young Tibetans, worldwide in the issues, and emphasised the importance of youth participation in the administration’s initiatives.

Upon leaving San Francisco on June19, Sikyong travelled to Minneapolis to meet members of the Tibetan Association and Tibetan Community of Minnesota. He briefed the gathering on the establishment of the Permanent Strategy Committee, which will develop policies based on information gathered by the Security Department and Tibet Policy Institute and disseminate information to various governments through the

CTA’s Department of Information and International Relations.

Sikyong addressed the eighth World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet in Washington on June22. The Tibetan Legislature-in-Exile organises the convention to strengthen and coordinate the support of legislatures in various countries to resolve the Tibet issue. During the two-day conference, Sikyong urged parliamentarians from 28 countries to create a common platform for all nations supportive of a resolution to the Sino-Tibetan conflict.

While in Washington, on June21, Sikyong led a delegation of the CTA on an official visit to the US State Department.

Sikyong was accompanied by Speaker, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel; Deputy Speaker, Dolma Tsering Teykhang; Kalon Norzin Dolma and Representative Namgyal Choedup. The delegation urged the Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues, Uzra Zeya, to deploy US influence to encourage other nations to support a swift resumption of Sino-Tibet dialogue.

On June 24, Sikyong chaired a meeting of Representatives of Offices of Tibet in which participants discussed diplomacy, the activities of VTAG and the upcoming demographic survey initiative in their respective countries. Sikyong concluded his US tour by visiting Tibetan communities in Burlington, Vermont and Boston.

Thupten Samphel

by Tenzin Samten Veteran Tibetan civil servant, diplomat and writer Thupten Samphel died at his home in South India at the age of 66 on June 4. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), also known as the Tibetan Governmentin-Exile, where he had served for nearly 40 years in various roles, mourned his passing with an official prayer ceremony attended by all CTA officials.

Thupten Samphel was the first Executive Director of the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), the CTA’s think tank, since its inception in 2012 and worked there until his retirement in 2018. He wrote extensively about Tibetan issues through articles, commentaries and reviews in Indian and international news papers, and journals for readers around the world. He published two novels, Falling Through the Roof published by Rupa and Co in 2009 and Copper Mountain published by Blackneck Books in 2021. He also co-authored The Dalai Lamas of Tibet.

He was a member of the fourth and last fact-finding delegation to Tibet in 1985.

The former Director of TPI started his career in CTA in 1981 as Senior Clerk in the Department of Information and

International Relations (DIIR) where he was later promoted to Deputy Secretary through special appointment. In 1986, he moved to work in Gaden Phodrang Office (Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama). He worked in the Office of Tibet, Washington DC and the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office in Kathmandu, Nepal. From 1995 to 2012, he was transferred back to DIIR where he worked as the CTA’s Spokesperson and DIIR Secretary.

During the CTA’s prayer gathering for Samphel, Tharlam Dolma Changa, the officiating Sikyong, said that Samphel lived a meaningful life through his considerable and much appreciated lifelong contributions to the Tibetan community and urged everyone at the gathering to draw inspiration from him and pray for his swift rebirth.

Samphel was born in 1956 in Lhasa to a family who worked for the Yabshe Taktse family. He escaped to India at the age of six along with his brother. In India, he was admitted to Tibetan Children’s Village school (TCV) for his primary education and then to high School at Dr Graham’s Home, Kalimpong. After completing his Bachelor and Masters degree in History from St Stephen College, Delhi University he was among the first group of Tibetan students to receive a Tibetan Fulbright Scholarship to study in the United States where he earned a degree in Journalism from Columbia University, New York.

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News Features Call for Resignation of UN High Commissioner

by Reitik Yadav 231 rights groups are calling for the resignation of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) Michelle Bachelet following her trip to China, which the rights groups regard as condoning China’s propaganda and human rights abuses. Signatories include Tibetan, Hong Kong, Southern Mongolian, Uyghur, Chinese democracy and international human rights advocacy groups. She did not visit Tibet nor had she ever mentioned Tibet during her four years in post.

The statement was signed by the 231 groups and released on June 8. The groups cite her failure to address numerous human rights issues involving the Chinese government during her visit to China in May. The news hit the international media with the Guardian reporting under the headline “Fury at UN human rights chief over ‘whitewash’ of Uyghur repression”, and comments on an “Open letter signed by academics in wake of Michelle Bachelet’s China visit demands release of UN report on human rights abuses”.

“We, 230 Uyghur, Tibetan, Southern Mongolian, Hong Kong, and Chinese democracy and international human rights advocacy groups, call for the immediate resignation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights after she whitewashed the Chinese government’s human rights atrocities during her recent visit to China,” said the statement.

Ms Bachelet’s visit to China was the first visit by an HRC to China since 2005. The statement highlights her failure to address the repression of Uyghurs, Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, Hong Kongers and others by the Chinese government despite warnings from human rights groups that the visit would be treated as a propaganda opportunity by the Chinese government, and repeated requests to include Tibet in her itinerary while in China. In their statement the rights groups accuse her of “squandering a rare opportunity to promote accountability by failing to address the litany of systematic human rights violations committed by the Chinese authorities”.

Ms Bachelet, the ex-president of Chile, who herself has been a victim of torture, has, say the groups, neglected “to offer a single specific recommendation to address the gravity of the human rights crisis”, and point out that she “also praised the Chinese government on several occasions for its commitment to multilateralism, poverty alleviation, and judicial reforms, while largely failing to challenge the Chinese government on its rights record or even make any recommendations on how it could address key concerns” and even of legitimising the Chinese government’s attempt to disguise the human rights violations – which have been recognised by several governments as genocide – as “counter-terrorism”.

During her four-year tenure, Ms Bachelet has been

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particularly silent on the human rights crisis enveloping Tibet and failed to even request access to the occupied country despite no High Commissioner having visited Tibet since 1998.She did not visit Tibet on this trip, and when she finally mentioned Tibet during her end-of-visit press conference it was brief and in general terms.

Alongside the demand that she resign immediately, the groups are calling on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres not to renew her mandate for a second term saying, “The failed visit by the high commissioner has not only worsened the human rights crisis of those living under the Chinese government’s rule but also severely compromised the integrity of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in promoting and protecting human rights globally.”

The human rights groups, along with western governments and an open letter from 39 leading academics from across Europe, the United States and Australia, are all demanding the release of a much-awaited United Nations report on human rights violations against Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang].

The petition closed by noting that : “Michelle Bachelet has repeatedly fallen short in her ability to uphold this vital mandate and it is under such reprehensible conditions that we are calling for her immediate resignation.”

Stop Press: Michelle Bachelet announced on June 13 that she will not seek a second term in office saying, “I am not a young woman anymore and after a long and rich career, I want to go back to my country, to my family”. She stated that her retirement – she is aged 70 – is not in response to the criticism she received about her conduct surrounding her visit to China and that she had informed UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres of this decision two months ago.

Her term ends on Aug 31.

The coalition’s lead signatories are: – China Against the Death Penalty – Free Tibet – Hong Kong Watch – International Campaign for Tibet – International Tibet Network – Southern Mongolian Human Rights Centre – Students for a Free Tibet – Tibet Action Institute – Tibet Initiative Deutschland – Tibet Justice Centre – Tibetan Youth Association in Europe – Uyghur Human Rights Project – We The Hongkongers

News Features His Holiness the Dalai Lama Teaches Young Tibetans

by Barkha Mathur His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans and Buddhists around the world, gave a two-day Teachings for Tibetan Youth at Tsuglakhang, the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala on June 1–2. June 1 this year was second day of Saga Dawa, the most sacred month in the Tibetan Buddhist Year and which celebrates the Buddha’s enlightenment. His Holiness taught on Lama Tsongkhapa’s In Praise of Dependent Arising and the Foundation of All Excellent Qualities as well as conferring the Empowerment of Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion.

An estimated 9,500 people, including school children and young Tibetans, gathered for the teaching, with the preliminary initiation of the Avalokiteshvara Empowerment on June 1, and the actual initiation on June 2.

While speaking on the first day of his Teachings for Tibetan Youth, His Holiness said that he would teach In Praise of Dependent Arising, saying that this explains the meaning of dependent origination and emptiness, as part of the preparations for the Avalokiteshvara Empowerment. “We have a tradition of teaching Tibetan students and schoolchildren in June, and as part of that, I am going to give an Avalokiteshvara Empowerment. We will do the preliminaries today and the actual Empowerment tomorrow,” His Holiness said.

He emphasised that dependent arising can be demonstrated using logic and reason. He acknowledged that the author, Jé Tsongkhapa, was fascinated by emptiness, saying that he pondered dependent origination and emptiness for a long time

and received guidance in visions of Arya Manjushri.

His Holiness also offered a reading transmission of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Foundation of All Good Qualities, and then began the preparations he needed to make before the Empowerment process could begin. He gave the Bodhisattva vows as part of the pupils’ preparation for the Empowerment.

On June 2, the second day of Teachings, His Holiness gave the actual Empowerment of Avalokiteshvara. He said, “Avalokiteshvara is regarded as the embodiment of the compassion of all the Buddhas. And Tibet is the land whose people he is to train.”

His Holiness spoke about the importance of peace of mind and how it can be achieved from practising bodhichitta (the mind that is aimed at awakening) and altruism, with a quote.

He quoted Shantideva saying, “All those who suffer in the world do so because of their desire for their own happiness and all those happy in the world are so because of their desire for the happiness of others” and continued, “Every day as I wake up, I meditate on bodhichitta and emptiness, which sets my mind at ease.”

His Holiness reminded the young people present that everyone possesses a seed of compassion that each person may nourish and extend indefinitely to encompass not only their adversaries, but all living creatures across the universe.

He concluded by saying, “Wherever you are, think about bodhichitta and emptiness. Doing that will increase your accumulation of merit and wisdom and the more you do that, the more it will help the Tibetan cause”

Earthquake in Barkham Sparks Information Clampdown

by Staff Reporter Chinese media has reported a series of more than ten earthquakes the city of Barkham in Ngaba Prefecture in Amdo measuring up to 6 magnitude. They have reported that over 25,000 people have been evacuated, with four injured, and that a level-IV national emergency response had been activated. Local sources, however, have reported to the exile Tibetan media that the response by the Chinese authorities was slow and rescuers reached the region only three days after the initial earthquake. They report that the authorities have also imposed a strict clampdown on the sharing or posting of information in the region, instructing residents not to share videos, photos and other information of the incident online but to report injuries and deaths to the government only.

Radio Free Aisa Tibetan service was informed through their local sources that most of the houses in the affected region have been destroyed, and that many have sustained extensive damages. “The number of fatalities and injured are unknown at the moment. However, the government has

strictly instructed us not to share any pictures, videos and other information of the calamity on social media,” said RFA’s source, speaking on condition of anonymity – all local sources remain anonymous for their own protection as people sending reports to contacts outside Tibet risk detention and imprisonment.

Following the displacement of the 25,000 residents of Barkham and in the face of the slow response from the authorities, Tibetans living in neighbouring regions offered immediate help providing food, clothing and temporary tent shelters to monks and other residents whose homes were destroyed, said RFA in their report of June 15. Once the official Chinese rescue team arrived at the site, Tibetans who had come from nearby areas to help were asked to leave the area. “However, the timely assistance they provided to survivors was a huge help,” said the local source.

The Chinese government routinely imposes surveillance on online activities of residents caught up in an accident or natural disaster in Tibet, making it difficult for the outside world to ascertain the facts.

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Tibetan Headlines Jun 29: More Forced Relocations 17,555 people living at high altitude in Tibet are to be relocated to lower ground within the next six weeks, reports Chinese state media Xinjhua, saying this is a local programme which will move 130,000 people over eight years to “improve people’s living and protect the plateau region’s fragile ecosystem”. People will be moved “to more hospitable areas” from “places with harsh weather and relatively backward production and living conditions”.

Jun 27: Swiss Protest Tibetans and supporters held a demonstration in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council building in Geneva to protest against the Chinese government’s continued suppression of human rights in Tibet. The protest was held during the UN Human Rights Council session there. Members of the Tibetan community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein gathered in heavy rain and wind to observe a minute’s silence to honour all Tibetan martyrs.

Jun 26: Supporting Victims of Torture The Central Tibetan Administration has marked the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture with the publication of a report A List of Torture-related Deaths in Tibet (2008-2022) which cites the “prevalence of inhumane torture in prisons, detention centres and police stations in Tibet”. The UN calls for support for those “who have been victims of torture and those who are still tortured today”.

Jun 25: Football Controversy Shimla Football Club walked out of the final of the 2022 Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup, ceding the game to their opponents Dhondupling Football Club. Shimla FC refused to continue the game, reports Phayul, when a “contentious goal by opponent Dhondupling FC was allowed by the referee”. Phayul reports that Shimla has appealed for a rematch.

Jun 24: Long Life Prayer His Holiness the Dalai Lama was offered a long life prayer ceremony by several Tibetan groups at Tsuglagkhang, the main temple in Dharamshala.

The prayer ceremony was also broadcast live in Tibetan, Chinese, German, Vietnamese, Mongolian and Russian for the online audiences.

Jun 24: Chinese Ambassador Interrupted Protestors interrupted China’s Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian’s speech at the University of Technology Sydney; he was talking about improving the relationship between the two countries. The protestors criticised China’s genocide against the Uyghur Muslims in East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang] and their treatment of Tibetans and Hong Kongers. Drew Pavlou, a well-known anti-Chinese Communist Party activist, was one of the protesters.

Jun 23: Bhuchung Sonam Awarded Bhuchung Sonam has been awarded the Ostana Prize; Phayul quotes the prominent Tibetan poet as saying he is “extremely honoured to be given this award, which [brings] recognition for Tibetan language and culture that are being eliminated in Tibet under China”. The annual Italian award, Writings in the Mother Tongue is awarded to literary authors who use a “mother tongue”, a present-day minority language of territorial belonging, in their works.

Jun 22: Flood Relief Donation HH the Dalai Lama has written to the Chief Minister of Assam offering support and condolences to the people of Assam whose lives were disrupted by the recent unprecedented rainfall and flooding. His Holiness acknowledged the work of the rescue services saying, “As a mark of my solidarity with the people of Assam, I am making a donation from the Gaden Phodrang Trust of the Dalai Lama to support those efforts.”

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Jun 21: Beyond Censorship?

The movie Seven Years in Tibet is being streamed on Netflix leading to speculation that this could signal the end of China’s efforts to influence and censor Hollywood movies. On its release in 1997 the film was banned in China, as was its star, Brad Pitt. The last two pro-Tibet films, Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet, both Disney films, led to a one year ban on Disney in China.

Jun 20: Remembering Tibetan Refugees On this year’s World Refugee Day, the Tibet Museum, Department of Information and International Relations of Central Tibetan Administration held an event at Mewoen Tsuglag Petoen School where students were showcased a photo exhibition Tibet’s Journey into Exile and screened Longing for Tibet, a documentary movie. World Refugee day commemorates the resilience and courage of refugees around the world.

Jun 16: New CTA Initiative A new Capacity Building and Sustainability Initiative has been launched by the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Department of Finance, funded by the Social and Resource Development Fund (SARD) and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The initiative aims to strengthen and improve the capacity of the CTA and Tibetan settlements, improve policy making and enhance transparency through strategic planning.

Jun 16: Yarki Festival The Yarki Festival was celebrated at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in McLeod Ganj; this year’s festival marked TIPA’s 63rd anniversary. The festival celebrates traditional Tibetan opera and dance and is held every year to promote Tibetan culture and highlight the rich vibrance of the Tibetan musical heritage.

Jun 15: Tibetan Innovator Dolma Tsundu, a Tibetan-Canadian, has won the title of Innovator in the 2022 BCBusiness magazine Women of the Year awards, reports Phayul. She is CEO of Flutter Care, whose mission is to “To help all pregnant individuals feel respected, safe, and informed”, their App is “A place for you to easily count your foetal movements and access evidence-based education”. Phayul quotes Dolma as saying, “Our goal is to reduce stillbirths within Canada by 30 percent by 2030.”

Jun 15: Canadian Peace March Sangyal Kyab from Toronto and Rabjee from Minnesota in the United States are walking from Toronto to Ottawa and then back to Toronto.

They have five demands: the return of HH the Dalai Lama to Tibet, renew the Sino-Tibetan dialogue, release the 11th Panchen Lama and other political prisoners in Tibet, support human rights in Tibet and for China to cease devastating Tibet’s environment.

Jun 13: Two Soldiers Missing Two Indian army soldiers have been missing for two weeks, the Times of India has reported that they were on duty on the border between Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh in the north east of India. One is Prakash Singh Rana, 34, of the Garhwal Rifles. A search is being conducted and so far there is no suggestion of an abduction across the border.

Jun 13: Arrested at Potala Tsewang Norbu, 40, was arrested while on a pilgrimage to Lhasa reports Tibet Watch, the UK based research and advocacy group. He had demanded that pilgrims like himself be given priority to visit the sacred Potala Palace as he had been waiting for over a week to visit; Chinese tourists are given priority in the queues. Following his arrest, surveillance of Tibetans waiting to visit the palace was increased.

Tibetan Headlines Jun 10: Swiss Support The Tibet Bureau, Geneva hosted a reception for the Swiss Parliamentary Group for Tibet to show gratitude for their support of Tibet. The Hon Nicolas Walder, Co-president of the Swiss parliamentary group, expressed thanks to the Tibet Bureau, and confirmed the parliamentary group’s ongoing concern for the Tibetan and their “need to do more” in the face of the ever growing Chinese persecution of the Tibetan people.

Jun 10: SEE Learning A three-day workshop about education of the heart and mind for Tibetan elementary teachers, organised by the Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Education, has concluded. The SEE learning (social, emotional and ethical learning) workshop was attended by 46 participants representing 17 Tibetan schools and took place at Sarah College, Dharamshala.

Jun 9: Celebrating His Holiness A photo exhibition has opened in Ulaanbatar in Mongolia to celebrate the Buddhist holy month of Vesak from June 14, together with HH the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6. The exhibition portrays the life of His Holiness; it was produced by Gandan Tegchenling Monastery and the Diluva Hutugtu Foundation and the launch attended by representatives of the Indian and United States embassies, along with scholars, artists and journalists.

Jun 8: No Contacts With Family Rinchen Tsultrim, a Tibetan monk who is serving a four and half years prison term on a charge of speaking about Tibetan political and social issues on social media, is still being denied contact with his family – while other prison inmates are allowed monthly family visits - reports Radio Free Asia. He was detained in July 2019 in Ngaba county and charged with separatism or “working to split the country”.

Jun 8: Tibetan Re-elected Bhutila Karpoche, the Tibetan-Canadian MPP, has been re-elected as the MPP of Parkdale-High Park, Canada. Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, has congratulated her saying, “As a Tibetan, you have always voiced and apprised the government and the people of Canada regarding the critical issue of Tibet and the danger of extinguishing the Tibetan Culture and heritage under the Chinese brutal regime.”

Jun 8: Support From Taiwan The Taipei International Book Exhibition is underway in Taiwan, with Tibet represented by Ganjong Publication, a branch of the Office of Tibet, Taiwan. Representative Bawa Kelsang Gyaltsen gave a presentation with information about books published by Ganjong Publication in the Chinese language; he thanked Ganjong’s volunteers and also Taiwan, saying that Taiwan is the “only Chinese speaking place where Chinese books on Tibet’s issue are permitted to [be] published”.

Jun 7: More Data Collection Tibetans living in Kham [Ch: Sichuan] are now required to provide the authorities with details of the Covid status of their relatives living abroad, including proof of vaccination, phone numbers and social media accounts. Failure to comply risks losing benefits such as housing subsidies, reports Radio Free Asia. Officials have started doing door-todoor visits to collect data in Drago following a similar recent order there.

Jun 7: Parliamentary Review A parliamentary review committee is underway to look at the viability of Gang Jong Development Finance Private Ltd, a Central Tibetan Administration Department of Finance initiative aimed at lending money to Tibetans in the exile community to boost the economy. The

committee will undertake a risk assessment, analyse the financial scope of the initiative and look at legal and investment requirements, reporting back before the next parliament session.

Jun 6: Sikyong in South Settlements Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the Central Tibetan Administration, is currently visiting the Tibetan settlements in Karnataka states, South India. This is his first official visit since his appointment as Sikyong last year. During his visits, he is particularly focussing on discussions around the implementation of an app-based demographic survey and the introduction of e-governance and digitisation of the official archives.

Jun 6: Dharamshala Settlement Officer Kunchok Migmar has been elected as the new Settlement Officer for Dharamshala for the three-year term of office. He gained 1,149 votes, beating the incumbent Settlement Officer Kunga Tsering’s 690 votes.

Kunchok Migmar was born in Tibet, he studied at Tibetan Children’s Village Gopalpur school before going on to read Political Science at Delhi University. Since 2018 he has been Sponsorship Secretary for the Dharamshala Settlement Office.

Jun 4: Remembering Tiananmen Square The 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 in China was marked in Dharamshala with an event organised by Students for a Free Tibet. The event included a “photo action” protest with activists recreating the act of defiance by “tank man” during the 1989 Tiananmen square protest: “tank man” became an icon of the struggle for freedom around the world.

Jun 3: Open Letter to Xi The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has sent an open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping demanding an immediate end to China’s forced cultural assimilation policy in Tibet. China’s Second Generation Ethnic Policy includes the replacement of Tibetanrun schools with Chinese-medium schools which, says TCHRD, is contrary to Article 4 of the Chinese Constitution which mandates freedom to use traditional ethnic spoken and written languages.

Jun 2: Tighter Control Monasteries in Tibet will be subject to tighter financial control by the Chinese authorities. The new Measures for the Financial Management of Religious Activity Sites, jointly formulated by China’s National Administration for Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, will control the finances of all religious venues in China, but the effect will be more intense in Tibet owing to the crucial role monasteries and nunneries play in Tibetan society.

Jun 2: Students Meet Speaker A group of students from Miao Sambhota Tibetan School who are participating in an education programme run by Lha Charitable Trust, met the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile Sonam Tenphel.

The Speaker gave the students a detailed introduction to the evolution of democracy in the exile Tibetan community under the leadership of HH the Dalai Lama. The students, aged 13-14 years, are participating in a week-long learning programme.

Jun 2: Best Young Scientist Tenzin Yeshi, a Tibetan medical student studying at the Asian Medical Institute in the city of Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, has been awarded the “Best Young Scientist” of 2022. Last year he received the “Leading research Student Award” for former Soviet Union Republics. Tenzin Yeshe has won numerous other awards from the World Health Organisation and from Harvard Medical School, as well as being a top academic performer.

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People Story

by Ray Sorensen

Seeing Life in a Different Way

Supriya Chatterjee teaches French at Lha Charitable Trust, which offers language classes including English, German and Chinese to adults from Tibet and other Himalayan regions. Our Contact reporter met Supriya in the Ahimsa House Café to talk about her experiences with the Tibetan community in McLeod Ganj. As we sat at the table, our conversation was frequently interrupted as students, staff and volunteers kept stopping to say hello and chat with Supriya. She had a warm smile and infectious laugh for everyone as she answered her students’ questions and readily offered her help to fellow teachers.

Contact: Tell us a little about yourself Supriya Chatterjee: I was born and raised in Delhi. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Management in Tourism and Travel, I worked at the Holiday Inn in Delhi and at both the Taj Hotel and Novotel in Goa. Later, I decided to pursue an education in languages. I studied French for three years at Alliance Francaise and German for two years at the Goethe Institute in Delhi. Then I spent several years teaching French in the corporate world, including for Vertex Digital Academy and Bharat Electronics. I also used my French skills working in sales at Tech Mahindra for Bel Canada.

C: Why did you decide to learn French and German?

SC: I have been interested in these languages since I was a child. I tried to teach myself using CDs and computer programmes. After I earned my bachelor and while pursuing my master’s in Hospitality and Management in Tourism and Travel, I decided to change and study these languages that I have loved since childhood.

C: How did you end up teaching at Lha? SC: I was tired of living in the city where it is always so crowded and polluted. I had always been attracted to the hills where life is more relaxed and peaceful. In between my different jobs, I travelled to places like Rishikesh. And I had also come to Dharamshala every year for the past five years. That’s how I learned about Lha.

So, I decided to email Lha and ask if they had any volunteer positions available. I had made up my mind that if Lha had a position for me, I would quit my job and come to McLeod Ganj for three months. That original three months turned into a longer stay and during Losar, I went to Rishikesh to take a teacher’s training course for yoga. Even though that school offered me a position teaching yoga, I decided I wanted to return to Lha. This was where I wanted to be because it is so beautiful here. The people are nice, and they see life in a different way, which resonates with me.

C: What made you want to leave your career to volunteer with Lha? Upon hearing this question, a serious expression settled on Supriya’s face, and she paused in thought for a long moment before replying.

SC : I had watched other people working in my profession, in hotels and sales, and even though they worked so hard they were never happy. They were very dissatisfied with their lives. They were always sleep deprived, anxious, paranoid. I saw my co-workers become dependent on sleeping pills and other medications. They

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were physically ill. They had problems in their personal lives. Even though they had good careers, that wasn’t making them happy. They were still searching for something more. I did not want to follow in their footsteps. Watching my co-workers struggle like that motivated me to change my life, to find meaning in something other than my career. I think that here in McLeod Ganj, I have found a good balance for me. Here people do not have that corporate mindset that I found to be so prevalent in places like Delhi.

C: What about the mindset of people at Lha do you find most attractive?

SC : People here seem to be living for more than just themselves.

Outside, in cities like Delhi, the mindset is narrow. People are very focused on themselves. They are always thinking about what they want, how they feel, what they will do next. Conversations always go, “I, I, I, I, I”. Here, people’s minds seem to be much more open.

The mindset is much broader. They have a bigger picture of life.

So, naturally, if you live your life this way, you are not so focused on yourself. You are naturally thinking of others. I think this results in an attitude that… You are kinder and more considerate. You have more compassion toward others. I think this is a healthier approach to life.

C: Having taught in the corporate world, what differences have you noticed when teaching students at Lha? SC: Students at Lha are not in such a hurry to learn. In the corporate world people feel pressure to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. Here, students appreciate the process of learning, they value the knowledge and the perspective it provides. For them, learning is more than just a certificate.

C: Why are Tibetans learning to speak French?

SC: Many of my students have family in France and they anticipate going there soon. The more they can communicate in French before they go, the better prepared they will be to live and work abroad.

C: What are some challenges Tibetans face in learning French?

SC: Some of my students do not speak Hindi or English, therefore, it is difficult for us to communicate. But their determination impresses me, they come to class every day and do their best to learn. They have inspired me to study Tibetan so that I can better communicate with them.

C: Do you have any tips for how to study and practice French?

SC: Everyone has a different way of learning language. For some, they can learn from watching films in French, others from reading books, listening to music, or conversing with other French speakers.

It is important to try different learning methods until you find the ones that work best for you. Then, just go for it! Do not be afraid of making mistakes, the more you practise, the more you will learn.

C: What are your future plans?

SC: My original three months stay at Lha has turned into a six month stay and possibly longer. So, for the immediate future, I see myself at Lha, teaching and studying Tibetan. In the long-term, I plan to pursue my master’s degree in Education. The programme I hope to join is in Germany, but the classes are held in French, so it would use all my language skills.

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.

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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

Mcleod Ganj Police Station: 01892 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

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