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:08| September 2022
Lockdown in Tibet – Mismanagement and Public Frustration Reports from Tibet of people dying from Covid are emerging from Lhasa and neigbouring regions, where a lockdown has been imposed by the authorities and 50 days have passed since the Tibetans in those regions have been put under complete lockdown. Five people are reported to have committed suicide under these lockdown measures, which people are reporting to be intolerable. Turn to pages 4, 5 and 7 to read our reports, and the Kashag’s response. Continued on page 4, 5 & 7
Mass DNA Collection In Tibet by Barkha Mathur The Chinese authorities have been conducting a mass collection of DNA samples from local populations across the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). This includes kindergarten children whose blood samples have been collected without the consent of their parents, claims Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international non-government organisation based in the United States, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Continued on page 3
Digital Control of Religion in China by Barkha Mathur The Chinese authorities are using digital authoritarianism to exert control over religious practices in the country, posing a threat to people in the minority regions of Tibet and East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang]. This was highlighted during a hearing held on September 13 by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), an independent agency of the United States government, which monitors human rights and rule of law developments in China. According to the CECC’s official website, during the hearing entitled Control of Continued on page 3
His Holiness Teaches Love and Compassion
by Tenzin Samten His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a two-day teaching on Chandrakirti’s Entering the Middle Way at the request of a group of southeast Asians at Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala on September 15 and 16, to an audience of over 6,000 people from 57 countries, including 650 Buddhists from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. His Holiness started the teaching by reciting, “I prostrate to Gautama who, through compassion, taught the exalted Dharma, which leads to the relinquishing Continued on page 6
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“Real inner peace and inner satisfaction ultimately depends on our mental attitude. What kind of mental attitude? Firstly, we are social animals, so there must be an emotional factor that brings us together as a social group. There is also a biological factor. We are born from our mother’s womb, and at that moment are just like animals, tiny infants. Our survival totally depends on someone else’s care, usually our mother’s. If your mother abandons you for just one, two or three days, I think that you will die. Our survival totally depends on others’ care. Furthermore, the physical body survives with the nutrition of the mother’s milk. The survival of the youngsters of not only human beings, but of cats, dogs and even birds, entirely depends on others’ care. That is a fact. So, there must be an emotional factor that has developed that kind of determination on the part of the mother: the mother’s affection. That affection brings with it the determination of a mother to sacrifice her own comfort, or even her life, in order to protect and care.” -Excerpt from His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s public talk on Universal Responsibility in the Modern World posted on dalailama.com
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News Features Mass DNA Collection In Tibet Continued from page 1
In its recent report, HRW has found that the DNA collection is being done as part of a police “crime detection”. “There is no publicly available evidence suggesting people can decline to participate or that police have credible evidence of criminal conduct that might warrant such collection,” HRW said in the report. The report explained how the authorities’ mass collection of DNA, particularly from children, constitutes a violation of the right to privacy and is a serious human rights violation. It said that DNA information is highly sensitive and can facilitate a wide array of abuses if collected or shared non-consensually. It further asserted, “Compelled DNA sampling of an entire region or population for security maintenance is a serious human rights violation, in that it cannot be justified as necessary or proportionate”. The rights group further stated in its report that “coercing people to give blood samples, or taking blood samples without informed, meaningful and freely given consent or justification, can violate an individual’s privacy, dignity and right to bodily integrity”.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Chinese authorities began the DNA collection drives in 2019 under a policing campaign called the “three greats” (inspection, investigation and mediation), with the goal of reinforcing China’s rigorous grassroots-level policing system. HRW has described the campaign as “intrusive policing”. Taking to her Twitter account, the United States Under Secretary and Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Uzra Zeya, expressed concern over the DNA collection campaign by the Chinese authorities. She said, she was “deeply disturbed by recent reports documenting involuntary, mass DNA collection throughout Tibet, including from Uzra Zeya children as young as five years old. We call on the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to stop these repressive policies and respect the fundamental freedoms of Tibetans.”
Digital Control of Religion in China control. It exercises control by using arbitrary laws and Religion in China through Digital Authoritarianism, it was regulations and implementing them through a complex but discussed that as more religious activity and resources move sophisticated web of Party and government agencies at all online, especially in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, levels, including the CCP’s United Front Work Department, Chinese authorities have expanded use of digital tools to State Administration for Religious Affairs, and China’s monitor and suppress online religious Public Security and State Security expression. Invasive surveillance apparatus.” He further noted that the technologies track and monitor religious crackdown on religion has become groups and individual believers that increasingly harsh in recent years authorities deem a threat. CECC’s under the “brutal rule” of CCP leader statement on the hearing further said Xi Jinping, leading some experts to that on March 1 new Measures for the call his decade-long reign the “bitter Administration of Internet Religious winter for religious freedom in Information Services went into effect, China”. which require a government-issued Another witness, Karrie Koesel, permit to post religious content online Associate Professor at the University and ban the online broadcasting of of Notre Dame, asserted that the religious ceremonies, rites and worship Chinese surveillance state monitors Nury Turkel, Chair of the USCIRF services, among a host of other social media to identify and collect restrictions infringing upon Chinese citizens’ freedom of information on religious believers and their networks. She religion or belief. said, “Chinese authorities track phone apps that transmit Nury Turkel, Chair of the Commission on International information on user activity and location; it utilises facial Religious Freedom (USCIRF) who was present as a recognition technology to follow movement and relies on witness the during the hearing, said, “For decades, the an impressive array of CCTV cameras at temples, churches ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has placed and mosques to keep tabs on attendance and the content of religion under tight, comprehensive and coercive religious services.”
Continued from page 1
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News Features Lockdown in Tibet – Mismanagement and Public Frustration by Phurbu Lhamo Penpa Tsering, 62, from Lhasa Toelung Dechen, Ajho Tibetans in Lhasa, along with neighbouring regions in Penpa from Shigatse and a third unidentified Tibetan the Chinese segregated Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), from Gyantse died at home on September 16 after failing have been facing sudden Covid-19 lockdown protocols to receive timely medical care and treatment from the since early August, with no preparation or warning authorities, reports RFA. in advance from the authorities. People have taken to The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Chinese social media platforms to express their frustration (TCHRD), a Dharamshala-based rights group, shared over the inadequate quarantine facilities, poor food and one Tibetan man’s experience posted on TikTok, a video mismanagement and mistreatment of the sick. Official and photo sharing app: “I have stayed in a quarantine figures from the Chinese government have reported over shelter for 34 days and undergone 24 tests. Finally, 16,900 cases in TAR to date. this morning, I tested positive. When I shared honestly The Chinese authorities have imposed a Zero-Covid about my experience online, some people cautioned me. Policy in TAR, and Out of concern, they while implementing this told me: ‘when the policy, measures and pandemic ends, you strategies in the affected will be taught a lesson regions included strict for breaking the law’. and targeted lockdowns But I haven’t broken and mass testing. any laws. Perhaps they Tibetans have been will not feed me well in forcibly removed from the shelter. And that’s their homes and placed fine. Now that I am in isolation centres, infected, I can’t return even those who tested to my hometown. So, negative for Covid-19. on behalf of the people, Quarantine centre in Lhasa There are reports of I appeal to the higher people suffering from violent beating, separation from authorities to properly manage this pandemic as soon as family members, shortages of food and lack of medical possible. It is better to die than live like this. Execute us, care in the isolation centres. The people affected have whatever, being dead is better.” shared their experiences online of chaotic mass testing, TCHRD has called on the Chinese authorities to ensure their frustrations at being unable to meet their loved ones that the right to freedom of expression is respected and and the restrictions on their right to movement. guaranteed at all times, and they are calling on all public Those who died were denied the proper prayer and authorities and institutions to protect those who report or burial rituals and their right to cremation. expose the harms, abuses and serious wrongdoing that “The lockdown order came without enough time have arisen during this period of crisis. to prepare, leaving people in some cases short of food. On September 17, following public complaints and Finding treatments for Covid-19 positive patients has also criticism, Zhandui, one of the city’s vice mayors in Lhasa, proven difficult,” said a source speaking to Radio Free accepted responsibility for the failure in handling the Asia. Another Tibetan said, “They took us to an isolation month-long lockdown in the region and apologised. “We centre, but there are 800 people in the centre, although sincerely accept criticism for these problems, which have the office should separate the patients and take care of had a great impact on the productivity and life of some them, but the officials left us there without doing anything of the people. On behalf of the municipal government, I for three days, they didn’t come to check if everything would like to express our deep apologies to the people of was okay or give us food, we have to go and get food all ethnic groups and those stranded in Lhasa due to the by ourselves,” said a Tibetan netizen as reported by Tibet epidemic”, said Zhandui as reported by the South China Post. Morning Post. Many Tibetans complained of the spoiled and Other authorities in the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa unhygienic food provided in the isolation centres, of have also apologised for the mishandling of the city during no care or treatment given to patients, the lack of basic lockdown. Over 100 officials in Tibet have been punished facilities including toilets and the unfair treatment of or suspended for their inadequate implementation of Tibetans as compared to other people there. pandemic prevention and control work.
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News Features Tibetan Government-in-Exile Reacts to Lockdown in Tibet by Tenzin Samten The Chinese authorities have been enforcing zero-Covid policies in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa and neighbouring regions since last month with no preparation and policies in place for handling the complete lockdown. Grievances of Tibetans living inside these regions are being shared on various Chinese media platforms. The Tibetan Governmentin-Exile’s Kashag (Cabinet) has issued a statement saying that China’s Zero-Covid Policy is doing more harm than good in Tibet and calling “Beijing to adequately acknowledge the public criticisms made by Tibetans who have genuinely expressed their frustration at the lack of sufficient facilities and protect them from reprisals for [expressing their] honest opinions of the government’s mismanagement”. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has urged the Chinese government to provide timely aid in the form of medicines and basic necessities to Tibetans to overcome the Covid crisis, adding that “we remain steady to extend any assistance in the form of immunity boosters, Tibetan medicines, medical equipment, nurses and volunteers without a second thought or hesitation to help Tibet fight the pandemic”. The exile Tibetan representatives also added that in China’s attempt to present itself as a role model in curbing the outbreak they are disregarding the safety and security of Tibetans in need of medical assistance. Tibetans have taken to online portals to express their conditions of crowded quarantine facilities, food scarcity, lack of medical supplies and unhygienic living conditions. Some Tibetans have compared the condition to being worse than a prisoner and another Tibetan was beaten up for protesting against the dire living conditions under the Covid lockdown.
The Chinese government’s propaganda videos have shown large quarantine centres and officials hailed as heroes in their “tough battle against Covid” but local Tibetans have exposed the reality of these facilities, and the lack of basic necessities. One Tibetan was quoted as saying “We do not have Covid, but they still took us away. Who will be held responsible?” Another person said, “Feeding filthy and spoiled food at the quarantine centre does not seem appropriate. They are patients, not prisoners. If they cannot be cared for, they should not be quarantined in such deplorable condition”. “We were kept together with eight hundred others. Neither the food, nor the medicines, nor the medical staff is adequate to care for us. Without food, how can starving kids survive?” said another criticising the officials’ unsympathic actions. The CTA says that mismanagement of the Covid outbreak in Tibet could be linked to the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and Xi Jinping’s Zero-Covid Policy being used to seize and suppress the parties’ so-called dissenters ahead of its most significant meeting. And from Tibet, the news is coming through that Gontse, 40, a Tibetan teacher from Chongchi County in Amdo, Ngaba, was arrested on August 14 after posting news of the Covid-19 lockdown in Lhasa on social media, reports Tibet Watch. He shared photos and videos on WeChat and Weibo: his accounts have been locked since his detention and his whereabouts are unknown. There are reports of many other Tibetans also being arrested for sharing information related to Covid-19.
Beaten to Death for Helping Elderly People by Staff Reporter to elderly people as it was the Ngodup Tsering, a Tibetan government’s duty and there was man from Dartsedo County no need for an “outsider” to help. in Kham Karze was He was accused of degrading arrested and beaten to death the government’s name through by Chinese police officers, his action of helping. He was reports the Tibet Times. He severely beaten during the was arrested on September interrogation as punishment and 27 when he was returning he died the next day at the police from an old peoples’ home station. after providing food and There is no information as of supplies to the people now whether his body has been living there. returned to his family or not. Photo: Tibet Times He was taken to a Ngodup Tsering was a driver; he local police station for interrogation and police officers has left behind a 78 year old mother Lhakyi, his wife Yutso confronted him for his motivation for providing supplies and two children.
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News Features His Holiness Teaches Love and Compassion Continued from page 1
of all [distorted] views,” the final verse of homage from Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way. “Since we suffer because of ignorance, we have to eliminate all distorted views and develop the correct view. If we are to do this, we need to study, reflect on what we’ve learned and meditate on what we’ve understood,” said His Holiness. “When I first heard about emptiness, I felt it was good, but it was only after I had studied Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, Chandrakriti’s auto-commentary, Entering into the Middle Way and thought deeply about it, that I gained conviction,” he continued. His Holiness explained that distorted views cannot be dispelled by saying mantras but by studying and developing understanding of texts, including Ornament for Clear Realisation and Entering into the Middle Way. He said that the Ornament teaches mostly the Bodhisattva paths and grounds, the method aspect of the path. Entering into the Middle Way reveals the wisdom understanding emptiness. The Tibetan spiritual leader also stressed that as human beings we have the opportunity to study the Dharma, and to understand and experience it, citing his own personal experience, “when I was young, I memorised important texts, listened to my tutors’ explanations of them and thought about them deeply. In exile, I was able to really reflect on what I’d learned, so, from that point of view, coming into exile was like a blessing in disguise. It’s through study, reflection and meditation that transformation takes place.”
Explaining Entering into the Middle Way and its auto-commentary, His Holiness said that Chandrakirti, the author, pays homage to great compassion, alluding to the fact that Buddha became enlightened through a combination of the awakening mind of bodhichitta, which is rooted in compassion, and an insight into emptiness. His Holiness reiterated the importance of cultivating love and compassion and shared his plans to discuss with educators ways in which to restore an admiration for love and compassion in the educational system. “If you check who you are, your body is not you. Your mind is not you, and yet you have a strong sense of cherishing yourself. Think about how, whether you are going somewhere or simply resting, you cannot pinpoint a self in connection with your body or mind. Consequently, you may conclude that the idea of a self is merely designated on the collection of psycho-physical aggregates,” said His Holiness. On the second day of the teaching, speaking about suffering and its causes, His Holiness said, “we need to understand the nature and extent of suffering. Something may appear to be pleasurable, but is actually of the nature of suffering. Suffering and dissatisfaction are not outside us, they’re something we experience within. However, we can achieve their cessation by cultivating the path that consists of the Three Higher Trainings – ethics, concentration and wisdom”. His Holiness answered questions from the audience before concluding the teaching.
Arbitrary Detentions in Tibet by Staff Reporter The Chinese authorities in Keygudo [Ch:Yushu] in eastern Tibet arrested Tsetan, a resident of Ditoe County in Keygudo, last month. In the month since his detention in Yushu’s Trindhu city, no information has been released of his whereabouts, nor the reasons for his arrest nor the state of his health, reports Voice of Tibet (VOT). VOT has learned from their source that Chinese police are carrying out arbitrary detentions, citing various reasons for these arrests and that Tsetan’s arrest is one such case. While returning from Chumarleb County after meeting his family and relatives, he was arrested by Trindhu city police without any reason given. Since his arrest his family
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has been continuously asking the police for information as to his whereabouts and any updates on his condition, but the police have given them no answers. Similar cases of arbitrary detentions in other parts of Tibet have been reported. Tibet Watch, the United Kingdom-based Tibet advocacy group, has released a report of the arrest of five Tibetans from Serta County in Kham Kardze last month for carrying out religious activities, one of whom has died in detention after undergoing excessive beating and torture. On September 14, a Tibetan man named Rinchen Dhondup and seven others from different parts of Tibet including Nagchu, Lhasa and Chumarleb, were arrested for posting and sharing Covid-19 related photos and videos.
News Features Covid Lockdown Suicides by Staff Reporter China’s ongoing enforcement of their Zero-Covid Policy in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa has driven five Tibetans to commit suicide in the three days between September 23 to 25, reports Dharamshala based research and rights group the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). Forty nine days have passed since Tibetans in Lhasa and neighbouring regions were forcefully put under complete lockdown under strict protocols. Videos of some of them jumping from quarantine buildings are widely shared online. According to TCHRD’s report, the five people who died after committing suicide were from the Lhasa comprehensive protective tariff zone number two (West Lhasa), the Bayi community (southwest of Norbulingka), Lanting apartment (near Tibet University) and Gakyiling neighbourhood three (east of Lhasa). TCHRD have translated some Weibo posts by Tibetans who are expressing their frustrations online. One post, from September 24, which shows a photo of a building in Gakyiling neighbourhood, said “It rained today in Lhasa as if to mourn the person who died. Only the dead can reach heaven. The human realm is hell. Only those living in Lhasa can understand the situation of the epidemic in Lhasa. I request everyone to look after us. I request the authorities to stop deceiving the masses. The masses have suffered too much. The China Central Television
and People’s Daily [major state media] may not see this but I thought everyone should see the situation posted below”. Another, posted on September 25 and showing a picture of a dead person lying on a flight of stairs, said “What does Covid prevention and control mean to us? Every life [lives of ordinary people have no value]. Despair. Desperation. No one speaks up. Even when someone speaks, [his voice] cannot go beyond the Dangla mountains [central Tibet]. These lives must be happy in heaven because they have escaped this hell realm.” Among the many comments on these posts, one said “Extreme repression has cost the lives of four persons. This cannot be tolerated further. But [one] should not have protested by giving away one’s life.” Another Tibetan commented “It is really intolerable now, but one should not give away one’s life to protest”. These posts have already been depleted by the Chinese censorship authorities. The authorities are actively removing any social media posts about Covid and lockdown information, and there are reports of arrests and detention of those who post information. “Whatever we speak about and the information we post cannot go outside of Tibet. Everything that we post on Weibo and other [online platforms] is immediately removed. The official figures on the number of infected people and other information are not true. […]” wrote a student in Lhasa.
Five Arrested, One Death in Detention by Tenzin Samten Five Tibetans have been arrested in Serta County in Kham Kardze for organising religious activities; one died in detention, reports Tibet Watch, the UK-based non-government group working to promote the human rights of the Tibetan people through monitoring, research and advocacy. The people, named Chudhar, Gelo, Tsedor, Bhamo and Kori from Khakor Township in Serthar County in Kardze, Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, were arrested on August 24 and taken to a detention centre on the same day. Chudhar’s family was informed two days later that he had died in prison. Tibet Watch reports that according to the information they received, Chudhar, 52, died after undergoing excessive beating and torture while in detention and that he did not have any pre-existing illnesses prior to his arrest. Tibet Watch further stated that there have been clear attempts by the
police to cover up the circumstances of his death as before being allowed to recover his body, the family was required to sign a letter verifying that the police did not kill him. Chudhar was the sole provider for his family: his wife, children, father (71) and mother (75). The family was offered a one-off payment of 100,000 Yuan [£12,500 / $14,000] and an additional 10,000 Yaun [£1,250 / $1,400 ] to each member of his family every year. The other four detainees were transferred to a detention centre in Kardze County on August 31 and are still being held. The five Tibetans were appointed by their community to take charge of the community’s religious activities such as rituals, incense burning and prayer offerings. The community members considered them a dedicated and sincere team.
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News Features Serving All Sentient Beings by Tenzin Samten His Holiness the Dalai Lama was offered Tenshug, the long life prayer ceremony, by five Tibetan organisations from India, Nepal and Australia, in the packed courtyard of Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala, on September 7. Following the Tenshug prayer initiations led by many Rinpoches and abbots, His Holiness addressed the gathering saying, “I am familiar with the experience of the awakening mind of bodhichitta. I renew the wish expressed in this verse every day; as long as space endures, and as long as sentient beings remain, until then, may I too remain, to help dispel the misery of the world.” His Holiness continued, “I belong to the lineage of Dalai Lamas and have a strong link to the people of the Himalayan region. I was recently in Ladakh and I hope to make a visit to Mön Tawang again soon.” His Holiness said that he has been able to serve Dharma and sentient beings and for this reason he is determined to live long so that he can continue with the service. He reaffirmed his belief that he can live for another 10 to 20 years.
On behalf of everyone gathered to offer Tenshug, Ganden Tri Rinpoche, the spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, recited an eulogy and requested His Holiness to live long. “We pray that, like Thangtong Gyalpo, you may live to be 125 years old. We pray that we may be taken care of by you and pledge that we will abide by your instructions. Therefore, we make these offerings to you,” said Gaden Tri Rinpoche who then offered a statue of White Tara, the 8,000 Verse Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and a stupa [Tib:chorten] to His Holiness. Other representatives then made offerings to His Holiness. His Holiness spoke of the current difficult Covid situation inside Tibet and China and said that he will pray to relieve their suffering and alleviate the fear in their minds; he also reminded his audience to remember the people of East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang] with love and compassion. He concluded his address by saying, “I pray that we may continue to preserve and promote the teaching of the Buddha through study, reflection and meditation.”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Awarded Spendlove Prize by Phurbu Lhamo His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been awarded the 15th Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance, an award given annually to honour inspirational individuals who can serve as a role model, for the University of California, Merced. The US$15,000 award was given to His Holiness for his lifelong advocacy for peace, compassion and kindness. The virtual award ceremony was held in on September 18 prior to the observance of the International Day of Peace on September 21; this year’s theme was “End racism. Build peace” as declared by the United Nations. During the virtual ceremony, His Holiness spoke about the importance of protecting the environment, pursuing education, warm-heartedness, achieving inner peace and religious harmony, and attaining complete freedom and genuine autonomy of the Tibetan culture, identity and language.
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His Holiness continued saying, “Different colour, different religious faith, different country — that is not important. What is important is that we are all human beings who have to live together on this planet.” “In our increasingly politically-divided and highly confrontational world, the messages of kindness, peace, compassion and forgiveness of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama are helpful, not only in advancing sustainable social justice using non-violent methods but also as a path to better interpersonal relations and a more meaningful life” said Sherrie Spendlove, the founder of the Alice and Clifford Spendlove prize, in a press release. She added, “The Dalai Lama is an internationallyacclaimed spiritual leader whose work promotes peace and is recognised as such by many other international spiritual leaders”. The Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize was founded by Sherrie Spendlove in honour of her parents, Alice and Clifford.
News Features Tibetan Political Prisoner Released Early by Staff Reporter his death, six other Tibetans were arrested, accused of Pema Dhondup, a Tibetan from Amdo Labrang’s Sangchu deliberately killing Rinchen Dorjee. The following January, County, was released from prison on August 31, before Sangchu County Court sentenced the six Tibetans: Pema completing his prison term reports Radio Free Asia’s Dhondup was sentenced to 12 years; Kalsang Gyatso 11 Tibetan service. He was charged with murder and sentenced years; Pema Tso eight years and Lhamo Dhondup, seven to 12 years by the Chinese authorities for taking ownership years. Also sentenced were Dhukar Kyab, four years, of the body of Rinchen Dorjee, a and Yangmo Kyi, three years, both Tibetan farmer who self-immolated accused of creating a public nuisance on October 23, 2012 near Labrang and chaos. Monastery in Sangchu County. A number of Tibetans have Following his release, Dhondup resorted to self-immolation as their was warmly welcomed home by his only means of protest against the family and neighbours. He is now Chinese régime in Tibet. Their under surveillance. He was scheduled to families and others close to them complete his sentence in 2024 and has are often accused of deliberately Photo: RFA been released two years early, confirmed killing them and given long prison a Tibetan source living in exile and speaking to RFA. The sentences, many disappear for years. In 2016, Tashi source said that currently no details are known about his Rabten, a Tibetan man self-immolated in Machu County in health condition, but he appears to be fine. Six other Tibetans Gansu province in Amdo, and some members of his family sentenced with Pema Dhondup on various prison terms are were charged with “deliberate killing”. In 2014, another also being released, and will remain under strict restrictions. Tibetan named Tsering Namgyal self-immolated; three On October 23, 2012 Rinchen Dorjee self-immolated other Tibetans were arrested, accused of involvement in in front of a police station in Sangchu County. Following the self-immolation.
Prominent Tibetan Thangka Artist and Teacher Dies by Tenzin Samten Norbu, was professor at the Creative Training Institute in Prominent Tibetan thangka painter Tenpa Rabten, 82, Tibet, an agency of Tibet’s governing office before China’s has died in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet on August 29, invasion of Tibet in 1959. Tenpa Rabten was introduced to reports Radio Free Asia. Rabten was one of the artists thangka painting at a young age and went on to be one of who designed the imagery for the imagery designers for Tibetan the Tibetan currency notes used currency before Tibet came under in Tibet before China’s invasion. Chinese rule. He painted thangkas – the Tenpa Rabten founded a Tibetan traditional religious art private fine arts school in 1980, form – and taught hundreds of providing free education to students. underprivileged students and “There have been many trained over 200 artists through teachers of thangka painting, but this institution. He was Professor Tenpa Rabten was someone who of Traditional Tibetan painting at nurtured hundreds of students Tibet University in Lhasa, gaining under his personal guidance, international recognition along and he contributed immensely with awards in Japan and China Photo: RFA to the preservation of Tibetan for his contribution to the arts traditional painting […] His passing is an irreparable loss and from 2014 served as mentor for the Chinese National for Tibetan tradition,” said Buchung Nubgya, a Tibetan Artists Association. living in New York who has met the Tibetan painter several Tibet’s cultural heritage was largely destroyed during times, speaking to RFA. China’s Cultural Revolution and for years artists like Tenpa Rabten was born in 1941 into a family of artists; Tenpa Rabten were forbidden from producing traditional his grandfather Aepa Tsering Gyawu was the 13th Dalai art. RFA learned that he later wrote a number of articles Lama’s personal artist and his father, Drungtok Kelsang about traditional Tibetan painting.
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News Features Tibetan Parliament Session by Tenzin Samten The fourth session, the general session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) was held for ten days from September 7–16 in Dharamshala, presided over by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering and attended by Sikyong (President) Penpa Tsering, Kalons [Ministers], members of the 17th Parliament and the Secretaries of the departments of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The general session saw the Kalons of each department of the CTA presenting their annual reports for 2021-2022, followed by discussion and questioning by the members. “The present members here are formally nominated by the people, therefore, are entrusted with a moral responsibility to defend the public’s confidence and trust,” said Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel in his opening remarks. On September 10, the fourth day of the session, the House paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom’s longestserving monarch, with an obituary. On the same day, Sikyong Penpa Tsering proposed amendments to article 63 of the Charter of Tibetans in exile, regarding the Justice Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission. Some members of parliament brought up the issue of the 16th parliament’s resolution that impeached all Justice Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice, and which led to a deadlock last year. Two parliamentarians called the incumbent Justice Commissioners ineligible to hold the post. Members, led by Dawa Phunkyi and Dawa Tsering, objected to their statements on the Justice Commissioners and walked out of the session, followed by other members. With no two-third minimum attendance of the members present, the session was halted for two and half days. The differences were resolved through an internal meeting with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the session resumed on September 13; the disputed issue was not mentioned again. On the final day of the session, Kalon Norzin Dolma, Minister of the Department of Information and International Relation (DIIR), was applauded for the overall work of the department following the presentation of her report, however the parliamentarians stressed the need for lobbying in support of the bill recently introduced
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in the United States Congress, Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet – China Conflict Act. An official resolution to extend gratitude to India and its people was also passed, particularly noting the work of the Central Tibetan School Administration (CTSA) educating Tibetan children in India over many years, while preserving and promoting Tibet’s culture and heritage. Currently, all schools under the CTSA have been transferred to the Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society (STSS), which is administered by the CTA’s Department of Education (DoE) – the schools were previously administered by the Government of India’s Ministry of Education. A resolution was tabled by parliamentarian Geshe Lharampa Gowo Lobsang Phende, regarding the continued operation of the Gang Jong Development Finance Private Limited (GDF), which was praised by the GDF Review Committee (committee of parliamentarians) for their detailed research on financial scope and risks faced. An amendment to the resolution was suggested by Sikyong Penpa Tsering recommending the GDF to run as an independent company, autonomous from the direct control and supervision of the CTA. The resolution was passed, and a committee of five will be appointed, consisting of three parliamentarians appointed by the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, and two members appointed by the administration. The committee will work on the transition of GDP to an autonomous company and submit a report on its future course of action to the fifth session of Parliament. According to tibet.net, the official website of the CTA, GDF is an initiative under the CTA’s Department of Finance, established in 2015 as a for-profit enterprise with an aim to boost the economy of the Tibetan exile community and enable it to become self-reliant. It was registered as for-profit in 2017 and then certified by the Reserve Bank of India in 2018 as a Non-Banking Finance Company (Non-Deposit Taking). In the closing speech, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel stressed the need to draw attention to the issue of Tibet on global platforms, using opportunities arising from China’s current changing dynamic, and the importance of unity among Tibetans in strengthening the common cause of Tibet.
News Features US Senator Jon Ossoff Visits Tibetan Parliament by Phurbu Lhamo A delegation from the United States led by Senator Jon Ossoff visited the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) based in Dharamshala on September 3. TPiE’s Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering and other parliamentarians welcomed the Senator and the delegation was briefed about the functioning and composition of the TPiE and other issues related to Tibet. Senator Jon Ossoff received an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in his residence. Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering said that the “Senator’s visit sends a strong message Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering to the International with Senator Jon Ossoff Photo: CTA community as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is the legitimate representative of the Tibetan people, and engagement with the CTA is necessary for resolving Tibet’s issue”. She further spoke about the Tibet outreach programmes undertaken by the Tibetan parliament and explained that “the ultimate objective of resolving the issue of Tibet remains the same despite having some internal disagreement, which is in fact one of the essentials in a functioning democracy”, and added “we agree to disagree”.
She continued, explaining the following issues: • Systematic and scrutinised policies of China are overlooking the identity of Tibetans by disregarding their distinct language, culture and religion • 175 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest against China and its human rights violations in Tibet • The current environmental destruction and global climate crisis can be fixed only when China ceases its environmental destruction in Tibet • China’s attempt to control the reincarnation process of Tibetan lamas, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which it sees as a way to legitimise their illegal occupation of Tibet • The Eighth World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet (WPCT) held in Washington, DC and the congressional hearing on Tibet in the US Capitol by Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) Senator Ossoff expressed his appreciation and joy over the enthusiasm of Tibetans in their effort to sustain a government in exile, and said that the aim of his visit is to understand how Tibetans keep their struggle alive in exile, an effort which he said is “inspiring and encouraging”. Speaker Dolma appealed to the Senator to raise his voice to support the Tibet issue. The meeting concluded with the presentation of a memento to the Senator.
Reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama : CTA Statement by Staff Reporter The Kashag [Cabinet] of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), also known as the Tibetan Government-in Exile, has issued a statement on their position on the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The Kashag stated that the Chinese government introduced a law, Management Measures for the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism, in 2007 which takes the control over administration of all monastic institutions, including complete power to recognise reincarnated Lamas and Living Buddhas. The issue of the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has been a concern among Tibetan communities both inside and outside Tibet. The CTA’s Kashag office expressed their need to present this Position Paper for everyone’s information:
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1. The Kashag has the firm belief that His Holiness will live 2.
to the ripe age of 113 as per propitious prescient and the repeated assurances of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The system of recognising reincarnated spiritual beings
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is a religious practice unique to Tibetan Buddhism. The fundamental thought behind this philosophy is to accept the principle of life after death. While extending our sincere appreciation and thankfulness to those freedom-loving democratic countries around the world, including the United States of America, for their complete endorsement of His Holiness’s thoughts on this matter, we will pursue with due diligence to obtain similar support from as many like-minded countries as possible. With regards to the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness’s repeated statements since 1969, the official pronouncement of September 24, 2011, or any guidance in future is inherently discretionary. No government nor any individual has the right to interfere in this matter. This religious activity has to be conducted as per the responsibilities that His Holiness the Dalai Lama enshrines and entrusts. We have full confidence in the leadership of the Central Tibetan Administration at the time to take responsibility as entrusted. The Kashag is in the process of working on other related matters that need to be addressed concerning this issue.
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Tibetan Headlines Sep 29: Refugee Walk An eight member Team Tibet consisting of Tibetans living in Belgium together with Belgian supporters, participated in this year’s Refugee Walk for the first time, with over 80 other teams. The Tibet Team joined the other teams in expressing their solidarity with the thousands of refugees fleeing their countries. The event was organised by Refugeework Flanders, a non-government organisation committed to helping people fleeing war, violence and persecution. Sep 27: Call to Attention The Tibetan community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein gathered for a peaceful protest in front of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to coincide with the ongoing 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, calling the newly appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk to “defend the rights of Tibetans in Tibet” and “heed the voices of Tibetan people”. The meeting was presided over by CTA representatives and many Tibetan NGO leaders. Sep 26: Tibet Lobby Day Over 100 Tibetan Americans and supporters from 23 states attended Tibet Lobby Day in the United States Capitol to lobby senators, representatives and congressional staff,
Sep 22: Sikyong in Japan Sikyong Penpa Tsering, president of the Tibetan Governmentin-Exile, is in Tokyo, Japan where he addressed the All Party Japanese Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet in the Japanese parliament. He appealed to the Japanese government to call on the United Nations Human Rights Committee to publish a report on Tibet similar to that produced for East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang]. He paid tribute to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who died recently. Sep 21: Advocacy Training Session A training session on Tibet Advocacy at the United Nations is underway in Geneva, Switzerland, organised by the Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR). The 30 participants include representatives from Tibetan NGOs from Dharamshala and in Europe as well as DIIR staff. Participants included representatives of the new Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG), which aims to reinforce the existing Tibet advocacy campaigns across the world. Sep 20: 500 Families Relocated Over 500 families in Nagchu county’s Nyima district were relocated to Tsethang County in Lhoka in July to make way for Chinese government projects, including public parks and minings, reports the Tibet Times. Most are nomads with large numbers of animals. Their requests to reconsider the decision have been ignored by the authorities; the promised compensation of 10,000 Yuan [$1,400 / £1,250] has not been received and they are living under great hardship.
calling on them to “stand up for Tibet” and to support the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet – China Conflict Act or Resolve Tibet Act. The annual event is organised by the International Campaign for Tibet; this is the first event since the Covid pandemic.
Sep 20: Parliamentarians Meet The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) is holding a fiveday brainstorming and strategic meeting in Dharuhera in Haryana which includes a presentation by Margaret Curran, a member of the United Kingdom’s strategic planning, international advocacy and communications strategy. Also for discussion are China’s policy on Tibet, Asia and India’s role in the Tibet issue, the relevance of Tibet in international relations and climate change, and the importance of the media.
Sep 24: Children’s Book Launch Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) Samdhong Rinpoche launched a new range of Tibetan alphabet blocks and Tibetan children’s books published by Manjushri Educational Service (MES), a Dharamshala-based Tibetan NGO working to promote early literacy development and early childhood care. Rinpoche said that he appreciated the work they are doing and urged them to continue. MES held a small exhibition of their latest works in their children’s library. MES was set up in 2016 by four Tibetan educators.
Sep 16: Snub for His Holiness? Representatives of the Tibetan community are expressing their disappointment that His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or his representatives, have not been invited to the funeral of British Queen Elizabeth II despite His Holiness’s decades of friendship with the British royal family. There is particular concern that China’s President Xi Jinping has been invited, despite China’s occupation of Tibet, genocide of Uyghurs and the crushing of democracy in Hong Kong.
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Tibetan Headlines Sep 13: Festival Resumes The annual horse racing festival held in Nyagchuka in Kardze but banned for the last 20 years, has gone ahead, reports Radio Free Asia who’s local sources say the authorities have lifted the ban with no explanation. The revered monk and leader Tulku Tenzin Delek always attended the festival before his arbitrary arrest in 2002, following which the festival was banned. Sep 12: His Holiness offers Congratulations His Holiness the Dalai Lama has congratulated His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom on his accession to the throne saying, “I am confident that you will fulfill this great responsibility with kindness and affection, dedicated to the service of others.” His Holiness expressed his joy at seeing his “dear and respected friend” proclaimed King and wished him success in his new journey ahead. Sep 9: Condolences His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed sadness at the death of British Queen Elizabeth II and offered heartfelt condolences to the royal family and the people of the United Kingdom saying, ”Her reign, as Britain’s longest serving monarch, represented celebration, inspiration and a reassuring sense of continuity for so many people alive today”. The Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile extended condolences to members of the royal family on behalf of Tibetans across the world. Sep 9: Lobbying G7 Free Tibet, the British based Tibetan advocacy group, is campaigning for the G7 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union) who are shortly to meet in Germany, to demand that the Chinese government stops its policy of forcing Tibetan children to attend boarding schools, and to shut the schools down. Over 900,000 Tibetan children are separated from their families and living in schools where they are taught to reject their heritage, culture, language, religion and even their families. Sep 7: Congratulations! His Holiness the Dalai Lama has congratulated Liz Truss on her election as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Speaking of Tibetans’ “unique and long relationship with Great Britain”, he continued, “to this day we maintain
close contacts with the families of British Government officials who were posted in Tibet prior to 1959”, and hopes that the UK will continue to prosper and contribute to world peace and stability. Sep 6: Earthquake Update The total of people killed in the earthquake that hit Kham [Ch: Sichuan] was 65: 37 in Ganzi (Kardze), Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and 28 in Shimian County. In addition 12 are reported missing, 170 injured and over 50,000 people have been evacuated, with electricity and communications cut. Sep 6: Film Stardom! Sonam Topden, the Tibetan singer-songwriter, is one of the stars in the newly released Nepali film Samhalincha Kahile Mann. Sonam was reportedly recommended for the role by his fellow star Pooja Sharma and he has received offers for other films. He is quoted as saying, “If the audience likes my work, I will continue to make Nepali films”. Sep 2: New Director for SFT Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) has appointed Pema Doma as Executive Director, replacing Dorjee Tseten who has stepped down after five years in the post. Pema has been working as Campaigns Director for SFT alongside studying for her Master’s degree in economics in the United States. She has also served as Campaigns Intern and the USA Grassroots Coordinator, having worked with US Congressman Jim McGovern and US Senator Elizabeth Warren. Sep 2: TYC General Body Meeting The Tibetan Youth Congress held its 18th General Body Meeting in Dharamshala, concluding with an audience with HH the Dalai Lama. General Body Meetings are held every three years as the forum for decision making and election of officers. This year 112 members attended, representing 45 TYC chapters around the world. Gonpo Dhondup was re-elected President; Tashi Targyal is the new Vice President and Sonam Tsering the General Secretary. Sep 2: Democracy Day The Central Tibetan Administration marked the 62nd Tibetan democracy Day with a ceremony at the Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala. The Tibetan flag was raised and the Tibetan and Indian national anthems were sung by everyone present, followed by the Democracy song led by artistes from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, and cultural performances by students from Mewoen Tsuglag Petoen, Upper TCV and Yongling school.
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People Story “It All Depends On Our Mind”
by Tenzin Pel-lha We are sitting side-by-side in a local café in McLeod Ganj, holding identical copies of Thich Nhat Hanh’s book How to See, reading along together. Water Reflecting The clear still water of a mountain lake reflects the mountain and the sky with pristine clarity. You can do the same. If you are calm and still enough, you can reflect the mountain, the blue sky, and the moon exactly as they are. You reflect whatever you see just as it is, without distorting anything. We review a few unfamiliar words, but mostly sit together contemplating the deeper message, admiring an illustration on the opposite page. I reflect on our discussion earlier that week, during which she, my friend who will remain unnamed, told me her story about coming to India from Tibet in 2018. The year alone makes her story especially significant: before 2008 some 3,000 refugees arrived in India annually, which dwindled to less than 100 (some estimate much less) in the past decade. As we read How to See, I consider the resonance between Thich Nhat Hanh’s message and my friend’s profound experiences. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, after a frightening journey on many modes of transportation from Tibet, my friend recalls meeting another Tibetan woman at the reception centre. The woman had been badly injured on the journey – neglected by her guides who got intoxicated and lost their way – and was in the midst of a slow, painful recovery. What struck my friend most about this encounter was the woman’s positive outlook on life, inspired to heal so she could eventually meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “She was in so much pain but she wasn’t sad,” my friend tells me, which led her to a realisation: “It all depends on our mind; if in our mind we don’t feel it’s so difficult, then it’s not so difficult.” This kind of resilient attitude reminds me of Sarah Lewis’ research on the protective qualities of sems pa chen po (spacious mind), inspiring the title of her 2019 book Spacious Minds: Trauma and Resilience in Tibetan Buddhism. It echoed the strength of my friend, whose journey dates back to childhood. From the time she was in middle school in Tibet, my
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friend dreamt of living abroad. She began learning English but lost motivation to continue when she couldn’t get a passport or plan travel. She continued facing challenges finding a job, even with Chinese fluency. “I would send a resumé and get an interview,” she recalls. “But when they saw me and knew I was Tibetan, even though they needed someone to work, they would say they didn’t.” She continued to face anti-Tibetan discrimination as a jobseeker in mainland China, where even hotels would reject her as a guest. While she could work in her remote hometown, her strong desire to “live outside” endured. “Finally, I had the feeling: I can’t live here.” After leaving her hometown in 2012, she lived in a Chinese city with a group of childhood friends. But it wasn’t until 2018 that she had the opportunity, with the support of an international family member, to escape. The hospitable reception centres in Nepal and India made her transition smooth, for which my friend effusively expresses gratitude. Her arrival in Dharamshala was particularly special as it represented the opportunity to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The day of her visit she joined a small group of 12 exiled Tibetans to meet His Holiness. In anticipation, they couldn’t sleep the night before. “I can’t explain in words how emotional it was,” she reflects, acknowledging that not all Tibetans have this opportunity. Her motivation to study His Holiness’ teachings led her to spend a year living in a nunnery studying Buddhism. Thinking of the optimistic woman she met in Nepal and so many others who inspired her along the way, she was determined to learn to control her mind. As she settled, finding work that aligned with her values was important to her. She declined a paid opportunity at a large institution to instead volunteer to teach at a social service organisation, where she is now employed. “I wanted to do something that wasn’t just for money,” she says. “I wanted to do something for others, even if it was small.” These days, she is motivated to continue working to benefit the Tibetan community and practice Buddhism. “Whatever we do, we need to be present with that moment,” she reflects on the teachings. “We can impact people positively just by being present.”
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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