Man of Peace: His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.
Vol. 03, Issue 121, Print Issue 45, November 30, 2014
Exiled prime minister of Tibet speaks in Evanston
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“Nehru was a great friend to me.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama By Jane Cook: November 21, 2014
Lobsang Sangay, prime minister-in-exile, speaks of the Tibetan cause during a stop at the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago centre in Evanston on Monday. (Bob Seidenberg/Pioneer Press) By Chicago Tribune: November 30, 2014
Chicago: - Exiled Tibetan prime minister, Dr Lobsang Sangay, has said there is: “a sense of solidarity from inside Tibet.” After Dr. Sangay was elected prime minister-in-exile of Tibet in 2011, his countrymen, many of whom have lived under Chinese rule since the country’s 1949 invasion, overwhelmed the new leader with well wishes. “There are many singers in Tibet,” Sangay said during an appearance Monday. “Some composed songs and put it on YouTube. Some have sent me prayers; some have sent me letters; some have sent me paintings with portraits of all the (Dalai) Lamas and my photo on it. These are many changes and a sense of solidarity from inside Tibet.” P-7 ... Residential home for slum children in Dharamsala turns 10
Attendees at Tong Len. Photo: Media File ByTenzin Desal: November 19, 2014
Dharamshala:- Residential home for slum children, Tong Len, celebrated its 10th anniversary at its Dharamshala campus on November 19. The ceremony was attended by former Tibetan Prime Minister, Professor Samdong Rinpoche; Professor Ajay Shrivastava, Chairman of the Umang Foundation in Shimla and Anna Owen, Director of Tong-Len UK. “I derive great satisfaction to see a monk performing an act of compassion,”said Prof Samdong Rinpoche in Hindi, while addressing the gathering, which included many Tong Len students and their parents ,from Charan Khad community. “It is essential that you should learn and continue to use your mother tongue. Giving equal importance to a second language other than your mother toungue is in my opinion misplaced,” he added, stressing the importance of their native language and culture. The organisation was founded by a Tibetan monk, Lobsang Jamyang. Born in Tibet, he came to India in 1997, and during his stay in Dharamsala he visited Charan Khad. With the help of other monks and his friends, in 2004, 10 children from the slum were enrolled at the residential school. Tong Len strives to provide education and a safe environment for children of displaced families from poor parts northern India who had migrated to the Kangra valley.
Scientists discover 2.5 Million year old Canyon in Tibet By Yeshe Choesang: November 30, 2014
Dharamshala: - A group of scientists from Caltech and China Earthquake Administration have claimed to have discovered a deep ancient canyon buried under Yarlung Tsangpo River (also known as Yarlung Tsangpo) in Central Tibet. The study shows that about 2.5 million years ago, Yarlung Tsangpo created a deep canyon at least 500 meters below its current riverbed. According to media reports, the data tells us that the river had incised deeply into the margin of Tibetan Plateau and then at a later stage the tectonic uplift created the gorge and made this river so steep. The study, which was published in American Association for the Advancement of Science a week ago, shows that as the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tetonic plates lifted the Tibetan Plateau, sediments filled the ancient canyon. Through drilling, the scientists determined that the ancient canyon was, in some parts, 1000 meters deep.
New Delhi, India: - “Nehru was a great supporter and friend to me,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said while addressing the 11th Nehru Memorial at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi on Thursday, November 20. Arriving at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, His Holiness was received by the Chancellor, Prof. K. Kasturirangan, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. S. K. Sopory and other members of the administration. An audience of more than 1200 gathered under a shamiana canopy and His Holiness looked out over a sea of smiling faces and was welcomed with warm applause. The occasion was inaugurated by lighting a lamp before a portrait of Pandit Nehru. Prof. Sopory pointed out that this year marks the 125th anniversary of Nehru’s birth. The purpose of the lecture was to advance and disseminate knowledge in accordance with Nehru’s principles of humanism, tolerance, the adventure of ideas and the search of truth. The chancellor stated that the University that bears Jawaharlal Nehru’s name, maintains an ethos of dialogue and respect for diverse views, adding that the institution upholds India’s timeless values of peace and non-violence. “Respected elder brothers and sisters,” His Holiness began, “and all of you other brothers and sisters, I always like to emphasise that on a basic human level we are all the same. We 7 billion human beings are the same, physically, mentally and emotionally. Of course, there are minor differences between us in terms of the size of our noses or the colour of our hair, but these are entirely secondary. We all have the same kind of brain, so demarcation on the grounds of nationality, faith or colour is unimportant.” He said humanity needs to be more mature. Most of the problems we face are of our own making and are based on secondary differences such as faith and nationality. He said the fact is that we are social animals, whose very future depends on other beings. “This is why I like to begin by greeting everyone as my brothers and sisters,” he stated, adding that the invitation to speak on this occasion came as a great honour. Jawaharlal Nehru was a great Indian leader with a far-reaching vision for Asia. Although India is an ancient nation, it won independence in 1947, led by
His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India on November 20, 2014. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL
Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. The two of them had differences of opinion, yet together they established India as a nation based on democracy, secularism and ahimsa. His Holiness remarked: “I personally first met Nehru in 1954 in Beijing. It was at a state banquet hosted by Zhou Enlai, who introduced the other guests to him. When he came to me and said ‘This is the Dalai Lama,’ Nehru froze, speechless and unmoving. I felt that at that moment all his concern about developments in Tibet and perhaps reflections on Patel’s warnings ran through his mind. Zhou Enlai broke the spell by moving on to the Panchen Rinpoche who stood next to me. “Our next meeting was during the Buddha Jayanti celebrations in Bodhgaya in 1956. During this period, I had several meetings with Nehru and sought his advice. By early 1957 several of my advisers were of the opinion that I should remain in India and not return to Tibet. Nehru told me I should go back, highlighting
the clauses in the 17 point agreement that I should pursue. I went back and tried to apply his advice. As soon as I reached Yatung, I told the Chinese officials that we should pay more attention to repairing the mistakes that had been made. “When all else had failed and I reached the Indian border again in April 1959, I was unsure whether I would be able to enter India, until I received a message to say that the Government of India would welcome my arrival. Towards the end of April I reached Mussoorie and Nehru came to see me. I explained all that had happened and he paid special attention. P - 5... Conference Commemorating Je Tsongkhapa’s Heir to His Tantric Teachings
Monk arrested after staging lone protest
His Holiness the Dalai Lama delivering the keynote address during the inaugural session of the conference at Gyuto Tantric College in Sidhbari, HP, India on November 29, 2014. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL By Erika Hepburn : November 29, 2014
Dharamshala:- His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Je Tsongkhapa’s Fourfold Interwoven Commentary on the Guhyasamaja Tantra at Sera Choding and entrusting his tantric teachings to the care of Jetsun Sherab Sengey. His Holiness and the Ganden Tri Rinpoche were guests of honor, and hundreds gathered to participate in the celebratory conference, including monks and officials of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). Gyuto Abbot introduced His Holiness saying that he provides the empowerment and guidance necessary to keep Tibetan Buddhism alive. Before His Holiness spoke, Kalon for Religion and Culture, Pema Chinjor, praised Tibetans for their perserverance despite Chinese attempts to olbiterate Tibetan Buddhism. P-7 ...
Health Kalon’s Message on World AIDS Day An undated photo of Sonam Yarphel, a 22-year-old Tibetan monk from Mang-ge Monastery in Sershul County, eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI By Yeshe Choesang: November 26, 2014
Dharamshala: - Chinese police authorities detained a Tibetan monk in Sershul County, Kham, eastern Tibet for staging a lone protest by raising slogans calling for “freedom in Tibet” and the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “Sonam Yarphel, a 22-year-old monk from Mang-ge monastery was arrested in the street in Sershul county by shouting slogans— protesting against Chinese rule in Tibet,” Ven Jampal Woeser, a monk from Sera Monastery in South India told the Tibet Post International (TPI) on Wednesday. “Chinese security personnel immediately arrived at the site of the protest and forcibly detained him,”VenWoeser said, adding “He was peacefully protesting against the Chinese government on the streets of Sershul by carrying a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama before being confronted by the authorities.” “He walked about for few minutes in the street while raising a portrait of the Tibetan spiritual leader over his head, shouting slogans such as
“Freedom for Tibet,” and “Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” the source said citing contacts in Tibet. An image received from the restive Tibetan county also shows the young Tibetan monk staging a lone protest by shouting slogans against Chinese rule and carrying a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. According to the source, large numbers of Chinese soldiers and police officers are reportedly advancing towards the Mang-ge Monastery. Sources continued that his current condition and whereabouts remain unknown. The authorities are strictly controlling the movement of the monks. Many monks from the monastery have disappeared, while many have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms on charges of “subversion”. Soepa, a 36-year-old monk from Mange Village in Sershul County became mentally unstable in 2013 after enduring severe torture during five years of imprisonment in the notorious Chushul Prison. He was arrested in 2008 after staging a peaceful protest in front of the Jokhang Temple on Barkhor street shouting slogans against Chinese rule in Tibet. P-4...
By Tibet Net: December 1, 2014
Dharamshala: - World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1, to remember those who have died from the disease, support those who are suffering from the disease and make a collective effort to prevent new infections and create an AIDS free generation. The global theme for World AIDS Day between 2011-2015, as selected by the World AIDS Campaign, is “Getting to Zero.” Backed by the United Nations, the “Getting to Zero” campaign focuses on the goals of zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) global statistics, in 2013, 1.5 million people died from HIV-related causes globally. At the end of 2013, there were approximately 35 million people living with HIV and 2.1 million people who have P-5 ... recently become infected.
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Editorial:
Man of Peace: His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Photo: TPI/Yeshe Choesang November 30, 2014
Dharamshala: - On December 10, Tibetans and supporters all over the world will mark the 25th anniversary of the day the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to world peace, justice and freedom and his consistent resistance to the use of violence in his people’s struggle to regain their liberty. Recipients of the award, considered “the world’s most prestigious prize,” receive a medal, personal diploma and prize money. After being awarded the peace prize in 1989, His Holiness the Dalai lama announced that he would donate his prize money to the cause of a better world, including money for the many who are facing starvation in various parts of the world, the leprosy programs in India, existing institutions and programmes working on peace, and the establishment of a Tibetan Foundation for Universal Responsibility. Awarding him the prize, the Nobel Prize Committee said “Ever since 1959 the Dalai Lama, together with some one hundred thousand of his countrymen, has lived in an organised community in exile in India. This is by no means the first community of exiles in the world, but it is assuredly the first and only one that has not set up any militant liberation movement.” It further stated: “This policy of nonviolence is all the more remarkable when it is considered in relation to the sufferings inflicted on the Tibetan people during the occupation of their country. The Dalai Lama’s response has been to propose a peaceful solution which would go a long way to satisfying Chinese interests. “It would be natural to compare him with Mahatma Gandhi, one of this century’s greatest protagonists of peace, and the Dalai Lama likes to consider himself one of Gandhi’s successors.” Though much may have changed in 60 years, the torch for this heroic struggle has already passed to new generations. As the Central TibetanAdministration has dedicated 2014 as the year of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to celebrate, pay tribute and express the gratitude of the Tibetan people for the all the achievements and blessings that he has bestowed on us. At the same time, we must remember His Holiness’ dedication to peace, love and civil rights, the work that earned him the prize and a place in history—continues to live on. Here are some of his timeless messages: 1. “Tibet could indeed become a creative centre for the promotion and development of peace.” During his Nobel Lecture, His Holiness said: “It is my dream that the entire Tibetan plateau should become a free refuge where humanity and nature can live in peace and in harmonious balance. It would be a place where people from all over the world could come to seek the true meaning of peace within themselves, away from the tensions and pressures of much of the rest of the world.” 2. During his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, the Tibetan spiritual leader spoke of the need for humankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression. “The suffering of our people during the past forty years of occupation is well documented,” He said. “Ours has been a long struggle. We know our cause is just because violence can only breed more violence and suffering, our struggle must remain non-violent and free of hatred. We are trying to end the suffering of our people, not to inflict suffering upon others.” 3. When asked about basic human problems, His Holiness has never stopped speaking of the importance of global ethics and universal responsibility.
“Science and technology, though capable of creating immeasurable material comfort, cannot replace the age-old spiritual and humanitarian values that have largely shaped world civilization, in all its national forms, as we know it today,” he said during an event entitled: “Secular Ethics, Human Values and Open Society.” No one can deny the unprecedented material benefit of science and technology, but our basic human problems remain; we are still faced with the same, if not more, suffering, fear, and tension. Thus it is only logical to try to strike a balance between material developments on the one hand and the development of spiritual, human values on the other. In order to bring about this great adjustment, we need to revive our humanitarian values.” 4. In 2008, His Holiness spoke about the values of democracy, and open society. He said: “I believe that many of the violations of human rights in Tibet are the result of suspicion, lack of trust and true understanding of Tibetan culture and religion. As I have said many times in the past, it is extremely important for the Chinese leadership to come to a better and deeper understanding and appreciation of the Tibetan Buddhist culture and civilization. I absolutely support Deng Xiaoping’s wise statement that we must “seek truth from facts.” Therefore, we Tibetans must accept the progress and improvements that China’s rule of Tibet has brought to the Tibetan people and acknowledge it. At the same time the Chinese authorities must understand that the Tibetans have had to undergo tremendous suffering and destruction during the past five decades.” 5. His Holiness is a principled advocate of human rights for all sentient beings. “At birth, all human beings are naturally endowed with the qualities we need for our survival, such as caring, nurturing and loving kindness,” he said. “However, despite already possessing such positive qualities, we tend to neglect them. As a result, humanity faces unnecessary problems. What we need to do is to make more effort to sustain and develop these qualities. Therefore, the promotion of human values is of primary importance. We also need to focus on cultivating good human relations, for, regardless of differences in nationality, religious faith, race, or whether people are rich or poor, educated or not, we are all human beings.” 6. During his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, he expressed the importance of truth and love in overcoming evil, stating: “No matter what part of the world we come from, we are all basically the same human beings. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. We have the same basic human needs and concerns. All of us human beings want freedom and the right to determine our own destiny as individuals and as peoples. That is human nature.” 7. His thoughts on nonviolence: “Genuine non-violence is not the mere absence of violence. The demarcation between violence and nonviolence depends less on the kind of action involved and more on the motivation or attitude with which we act,” His Holiness said in New Delhi, India, on September 12, 2012. “If we are to learn from that, when we are faced with conflict we have to find peaceful ways and means to resolve it. Whatever kind of problem we face, we need to address it through dialogue, by sitting down with our opponent and talking it through.
OPINION
The Tibet Post International
Special Report: How China’s shadowy agency is working to absorb Taiwan
(Reuters, November 27, 2014) – Ever since a civil war split the two sides more than 60 years ago, China has viewed Taiwan as a renegade province that needs to be absorbed into the mainland. To that end, the legion of Taiwanese businessmen working in China is a beachhead. In June, hundreds of those businessmen gathered in a hotel ballroom in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. They were there to toast the new head of a local Taiwan merchants’ association. They sipped baijiu liquor and ate seafood as a troupe performed a traditional lion dance for good luck. An honored guest, senior Communist Party official Li Jiafan, stood to deliver congratulations and a message. “I urge our Taiwanese friends to continue to work hard in your fields to contribute to the realization of the Chinese dream as soon as possible,” said Li, using a nationalist slogan President Xi Jinping has popularized. “The Chinese dream is also the dream of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait – our dream of reunification.” Li, who ended his speech to beating drums and loud applause, is a department chief in the Shenzhen arm of the United Front Work Department, an organ of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. Its mission: to spread China’s influence by ultimately gaining control over a range of groups not affiliated with the party and that are often outside the mainland. United Front documents reviewed by Reuters, including annual reports, instructional handbooks and internal newsletters, as well as interviews with Chinese and Taiwanese officials reveal the extent to which the agency is engaged in a concerted campaign to thwart any move toward greater independence by Taiwan and ultimately swallow up the self-ruled island of 23 million. The United Front’s 2013 annual work report for the Chinese province of Zhejiang, for instance, includes the number of Taiwanese living in the province, the number of businesses they run as well as an entry
on background checks that have been conducted on the Taiwanese community in the province, an entrepreneurial hub near Shanghai. The United Front hasn’t confined itself to the mainland. It is targeting academics, students, war veterans, doctors and local leaders in Taiwan in an attempt to soften opposition to the Communist Party and ultimately build support for unification. The 2013 work report, reviewed by Reuters, includes details of a program to bring Taiwanese students and military veterans on visits to the mainland. INFLUENCING POLITICS Through the United Front and other Chinese state bodies like the Taiwan Affairs Office, which is responsible for implementing policies toward Taiwan on issues including trade and transport, Beijing has also tried to influence politics on the island, in part by helping mobilize Taiwanese businessmen on the mainland. Many of them are heading back home this weekend to vote in mayoral elections that are being viewed as a barometer of support for Taiwan’s ruling Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), which favors closer ties with China than does the proindependence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). A large number of those businessmen, who a senior KMT source said will largely vote for the party, will be flying on deeply discounted airfares being offered by Chinese and Taiwanese airline companies. “The goal is simple – peaceful unification,” said a person with ties to the Chinese leadership in Beijing. Soft power, not armed force, is the strategy. “To attack the heart is the best. To attack a [walled] city is the worst,” the source said, quoting Sun Tzu’s “Art of War.” Questions sent by fax to the Beijing office of the United Front Work Department were not answered. The Chinese government’s Taiwan Affairs Office referred Reuters to a statement on its website saying it does not comment on elections on “the island.”
What’s happening in Taiwan is part of a broader effort by Beijing to bolster its control over restive territories on its periphery. The United Front has long been active in Hong Kong, which is ruled under the “one country, two systems” model that enshrines a wide range of personal freedoms for its residents and which China’s leaders have proposed as a model for Taiwan. Reuters reported in July that United Front operations in Hong Kong had shifted from the backroom courting of academics and businessmen to the streets, where new groups of pro-Beijing agitators were attempting to silence critics of China. “What the United Front is doing to Taiwan now is the same as what it has been doing in Hong Kong since the 1980s – a quiet, slow but extensive penetration,” said Sonny Lo, a professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Education and author of a book on China’s covert control of the city. Unlike Hong Kong, Taiwan is a fully democratic entity. It has an army but does not have membership in the United Nations, and China has refused to rule out the use of force to gain control of the island. Since the KMT won the presidential election in 2008, cross-Strait ties have been warmer than ever. More than 20 trade deals, including the establishment of the first direct flights between Taiwan and the mainland, have been inked. No trade agreements were signed under the previous DPP-led administration. Earlier this year, Chinese and Taiwanese officials held their first official meeting since 1949. Taiwan’s economy has become increasingly intertwined with China’s. About 40 percent of Taiwan’s exports are to China and some key sectors like technology have much of their manufacturing on the mainland. The world’s biggest electronic components maker, Foxconn Technology Group ,, which assembles Apple Inc’s iPhones, has many of P-3 ... its plants in China.
Remembering the tragedies of the 20th century, we need to make this a century of dialogue.” 8. His Holiness has always believed that war and the large military establishments are the world’s greatest sources of violence. He said: “Whether their purpose is defensive or offensive, these vast powerful organizations exist solely to kill human beings. We should think carefully about the reality of war. Most of us have been conditioned to regard military combat as exciting and glamorous - an opportunity for men to prove their competence and courage. Since armies are legal, we feel that war is acceptable; in general, nobody feels that war is criminal or that accepting it is a criminal attitude. In fact, we have been brainwashed. War is neither glamorous nor attractive. It is monstrous. Its very nature is one of tragedy and suffering.” 9. His Holiness’ thoughts on how to achieve happiness and the purpose of life. “As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems,” he said. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves, but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind. “Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others’ suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase.” 10. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message that China needs human rights, democracy and the rule of law: “China needs human rights, democracy and the rule of law because these values are the foundation of a free and dynamic society. They are also the source of true peace and stability. I have no doubt either that an increasingly open, free and democratic China will be of benefit to the Tibetan people too. It is my firm belief that dialogue and a willingness to look with honesty and clarity at the reality in Tibet and China can lead us to a viable solution to our problems. While great progress has been made to integrate China into the world economy, I believe it is equally important to encourage her also to enter the mainstream of global democracy.” 11. His Holiness’ viewpoint on Ecology and the Human Heart: “As to the question of human survival, human beings are social animals. In order to survive we need companions. Without other human beings there is simply no possibility of surviving; that is a law of nature. Since I deeply believe that human beings are basically
gentle by nature, I feel that we should not only maintain gentle, peaceful relations with our fellow human beings but also that it is very important to extend the same kind of attitude toward the natural environment. Morally speaking, we should be concerned for our whole environment.” 12. His Holiness’ message on developing compassion and how can we start: “Some of my friends have told me that, while love and compassion are marvellous and good, they are not really very relevant. Our world, they say, is not a place where such beliefs have much influence or power. They claim that anger and hatred are so much a part of human nature that humanity will always be dominated by them. I do not agree. We humans have existed in our present form for about a hundred-thousand years. I believe that if during this time the human mind had been primarily controlled by anger and hatred, our overall population would have decreased. But today, despite all our wars, we find that the human population is greater than ever. This clearly indicates to me that love and compassion predominate in the world. And this is why unpleasant events are news, and compassionate activities are so much part of daily life that they are taken for granted and, therefore, largely ignored. We should begin by removing the greatest hindrances to compassion: anger and hatred. As we all know, these are extremely powerful emotions and they can overwhelm our entire mind. Nevertheless, they can be controlled. If, however, they are not, these negative emotions will plague us - with no extra effort on their part - and impede our quest for the happiness of a loving mind. So as a start, it is useful to investigate whether or not anger is of value. Sometimes, when we are discouraged by a difficult situation, anger does seem helpful, appearing to bring with it more energy, confidence and determination. 13. His Holiness’ thoughts on Religious Harmony: “In every religion, there are transcendent things that are beyond the grasp of our mind and speech. For example, the concept of God in Christianity and Islam and that of wisdom truth body in Buddhism are metaphysical, which is not possible for an ordinary person like us to realise. This is a common difficulty faced by every religion. It is taught in every r eligion, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, and that the ultimate truth is driven by faith. The root cause of these man-made problems is the inability of human beings to control their agitated minds. How to control such a state of mind is taught by the various religions of this world. If a harmonious relationship is established amongst societies and religious beliefs in today’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural world, then it will
surely set a very good example for others. However, if all the sides become careless, then there is a danger of imminent problems. In a multiethnic society the biggest problem is that between the majority and the minority.” 14. His Holiness’s Middle Way Approach For Resolving the Issue of Tibet: “The Tibetan people do not accept the present status of Tibet under the People’s Republic of China. At the same time, they do not seek independence for Tibet, which is a historical fact. In treading a middle path in between these two lies the policy and means to achieve a genuine autonomy for all Tibetans living in the three traditional provinces of Tibet within the framework of the People’s Republic of China.” His Holiness said during his March 10 statement in 1998: “Last year, we conducted an opinion poll of the Tibetans in exile and collected suggestions from Tibet wherever possible on the proposed referendum, by which the Tibetan people were to determine the future course of our freedom struggle to their full satisfaction. Based on the outcome of this poll and suggestions from Tibet, the Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies, our parliament in exile, passed a resolution empowering me to continue to use my discretion on the matter without seeking recourse to a referendum. I wish to thank the people of Tibet for the tremendous trust, confidence and hope they place in me. I continue to believe that my “Middle-Way Approach” is the most realistic and pragmatic course to resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully. 15. Announcing his retirement and the transfer of political authority to the democratically elected Tibetan leadership in 2011, His Holiness said: “Recently, I received telephone calls from Tibetans inside Tibet saying they are extremely worried and feel abandoned as I am retiring. There is absolutely no need to worry. After taking retirement, I will continue to lead Tibet in spiritual affairs like the first four Dalai Lamas. Like the second Dalai Lama Gedun Gyatso, who founded the Gaden Phodrang institution and led Tibet spiritually with unanimous mandate, I will also retain that kind of spiritual leadership for the rest of my life. Perhaps if I bring no disgrace on the people and make good efforts in the future, I will continue to lead spiritually.” In 2011, Dr Lobsang Sangay, who was democratically-elected as the leader of the Tibetans, signed the charter amendment bill related to this in the Tibetan parliament, which gave its unanimous approval to the charter amendment. “I took over the political leadership of Tibet from Sikyong Taktra Rinpoche, when I was 16 years old. Today, in the 21st century, when democracy is thriving, I hand over the political leadership of Tibet to Sikyong Lobsang Sangay,” His Holiness said during a speech on August 8, 2011.
Exile News November 30, 2014 3 Pro-democracy activist leads China Tibetan political leader to tour cities in the US and Canada Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow, group during Dharamshala visit
TPI NEWS
The Tibet Post International
By Kathryn Middel-Katzenmeyer, November 20, 2014
Dharamshala: - Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay left Dharamshala on Wednesday for a tour of eight cities in Canada and the US between November 21 – December 5. Before leaving for Canada Thursday, the Ti b e t a n p o l i t i c a l l e a d e r w i l l m e e t w i t h important officials in New Delhi. The Tibetan political leader (Sikyong) Dr. Lobsang Sangay will be in Halifax, Montreal and Ottawa in Canada for a six-day visit between November 21 - 26. On November 21, the Sikyong is scheduled to attend the prestigious Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax, where he will join world leaders from more than 60 countries, including the largest-ever US Congressional
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration. Photo: TPI/Yeshe Choeang
delegation led by Senator John McCain and Tim Kaine, Canada’s foreign minister John Baird, former Israeli prime minister Eduk Barak, Turkish president Abdullah Gul, Japan’s ViceMinister of Defense Hideshi Tokuchi, NATO’s
India’s High Commissioner to Canada Nirmal Verma and India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson M.J. Akbar, among others. The Forum is being held against the backdrop of many serious global security issues and will bring together individuals who are on the ground facing consequential local threats, writers who challenge and influence the world’s thinking on security, and decision-makers who make tough choices. Following his visit to Canada, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay will tour Vermont, Wisconsin, Chicago, New Mexico, Santa Fe and Boston between November 27 - December 5.. During his time in the US, he will address members of the Tibetan community and meet with the Governor of Vermont and other dignitaries.
Special Report: How China’s shadowy .........
Chinese delegation during their visit to His Holiness’ residence in Dharamsala. Photo: Media File By Tezin Desal: November 20, 2014
Dharamshala:- A delegation of eight Chinese met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and visited thw Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan Children’s Village and other organisations around Dharamsala between November 16 -19. “we would really like to know how Tibetans live in Dharamsala. How democracy works in exile,” Huang Meixin, deputy executive president of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy told the Tibet Post International (TPI). “I think the Tibetans living here in Dharamsala and exile are well organised. Tibetans are taking very good care of children in the school, the students are very well dressed and it seems that they are very happy,” she added. Huang Meixin was one of the eight members of the group from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and Australia. The group was led by China’s pro-democracy activist, Chin Jin, who is based in Australia.
During an interview with the TPI, Chin Jin, former head of the Federation for a Democratic China in Australia, said: “I had already made it very clear that without fundamental change in current China’s political regime, there is no hope for Tibetans. “Democracy in China is the key to solving all the problems – Tibetan problem and human rights issues in China.” Chin Jin is a Chinese dissident and is the former head of the Australian Federation for a Democratic China, a political organisation set up by exiled Chinese dissidents in the wake of the Tiananmen square massacre. He helped organise a meeting between Chinese diaspora in Australia and His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his visit to the country in 2009. He will be speaking at the invitation of a longstanding Tibetan supporter, Vijay Kranti at a conference organised by Gandhi Peace foundation and Center for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement on November 22.
Home for Tibetan children inaugurated in New Delhi
built complex could serve better as accommodation for college going Tibetan students in Delhi and the children currently under the care of the children’s home could study in various TCV schools in India. In a speech made during the inaugural ceremony, Dakpa Rinpoche said: “In 1997 after passing my degree in Buddhist Philosophy from Drepung Loseling Monastery South India, I wanted to put into practice the teachings of the Lord Buddha by trying to help all sentient beings. “On visiting various Tibetan settlements in South India, I was touched deeply by the situation of some of the Jetsun Pema attends the inauguration of Maitreya Children’s Home in New Delhi. Photo: Media File By Tezin Desal: November 18, 2014
children affected by physical and financial disabilities. Meeting the parents gave me the desire to help secure a better future for their children. “Bonnie ma brought with her five children and we rented
Dharamshala:- A home for Tibetan children in New Delhi
a small house in Dwarka suburb on the outskirts of Delhi.
was inaugurated by the younger sister of His Holiness the
Then slowly the number of children increased from five to
Dalai Lama, Jetsun Pema on November 16.
15 and now there are 25 children in the Maitreya Home.”
The building complex in Dwarka, which is called Maitreya
Madam Bonnie Cappuccino (affectionately called Bonnie
Children’s Home, is run under the auspice of a charitable
ma), is the director of Child Haven International of
organisation founded by Dakpa Rinpoche in 1997.
Canada, who has been sponsoring and involved in the
According to media reports, Jetsun Pema, the former
project since its founding years.
president of Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV), who
The Maitreya foundation aims to provide needy Tibetan
attended the inaugural ceremony, suggested that the newly
children with a good education.
A book on Tibetan self immolations launched
Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Penpa Tsering, and author of the book, Jayang Soepa, at the book launch. Photo: TPI/Chonnyi Sangpo
By Tezin Desal: November 28, 2014
Dharamshala:- A book on self immolations in Tibet by a Tibetan parliamentarian in exile was launched on November 27, 2014. The book, published by Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Center, was released at the Central Tibetan Administration’s Nyatri Hall. Chief guest, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Penpa Tsering, said: “As a colleague at the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, I have seen Jayang Soepa taking great interest in collecting information through his sources and documenting them. “The spate of self immolations is fresh in the
memory of this generation of Tibetans - their feelings, despair and struggle. Future generations and researchers can access this book and use it as a definitive source of information regarding self immolations. “I would encourage the translation of this book into English and Chinese and approach reputed publishers to reach a wider audience.” The book, which is available in Tibetan, documents all the incidents of self immolations in Tibet and in Exile. In a press release issued by the author, he said that he hopes the book ‘reveals facts about the self immolations’ and how ‘the family members and their communities’ were affected. Speaking at the launch, he added: “Tibetan self immolation is a new phenomenon among Tibetans as a form of protest. “Self immolations among Tibetans are political and are not unique to Tibetans. In this book I tried to draw the parallels and contradictions between self immolations in Tibet and in other parts of the world. “In the future, 50 to 100 years from now, anyone who wants to study about our struggle can get hold of this book and get all the information regarding the self immolations.”
Taiwan presidential spokesperson Ma Weikuo said Taiwanese heading home to vote were exercising their right as citizens. “It is normal that Taiwanese businessmen living in Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China, Europe, Japan and other parts of the world want to return to Taiwan to vote,” she said. PRIZED HONOR The United Front’s annual work reports and handbooks provide a window into the agency’s methods. It has at least 100 offices in Zhejiang. The 2013 work report said 30,000 Taiwanese businesspeople and their families were living in the province and 6,800 Taiwanese enterprises had operations there at the end of 2012. United Front officials reported creating a more friendly business environment by helping to smooth investment problems and resolve legal disputes for resident Taiwanese. In the Zhejiang city of Ningbo, one United Front office said it spent 110,000 yuan (about $18,000) to buy life and traffic accident insurance for 137 Taiwanese businessmen. Under a “three must visit” system in effect across the mainland, United Front officials are instructed to visit Taiwanese businesspeople and their families during traditional holidays, when a family member is ill and when someone is facing economic troubles. “They help with our business as well as little problems in daily life such as car accidents, illness and schooling for kids,” said a Taiwanese man surnamed Lin, who works in the property sector in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. One enticement China has dangled in front of the Taiwanese business community residing on the mainland, is provincial and municipal membership in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which serves as an advisor to the government. It is a prized honor for businessmen whose livelihoods are directly dependent on the mainland. The position affords access to government officials and a form of protection in a country that lacks an independent judicial system. “There will be a force that helps protect your business on the mainland,” said Lin. “They won’t make trouble if you are a CPPCC member.” Holding CPPCC membership is a violation of Taiwanese law that bars citizens from taking positions in state or party bodies in China. It is, however, legal to be an honorary, non-voting CPPCC member. The Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland (ATIEM), which lists some 130 Taiwanese business associations across China as members, met with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou in December 2012 to try changing that. Their bid to persuade him to allow Taiwanese citizens to become full-fledged CPPCC members ultimately failed. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council announced that same month that Taiwanese could not sit on the CPPCC. Earlier in 2012, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau had handed a list of 169 Taiwanese suspected of being CPPCC members to the island’s Mainland Affairs Council, which implements policy toward China on a wide array of issues including business, shipping and travel. The council whittled the list down to 32. Ultimately, no one was punished after Taiwanese authorities determined those named were all either honorary CPPCC members or weren’t holders of a Taiwanese passport. FAR-REACHING DEALS Taiwanese working on the mainland have actively lobbied for increased trade ties with China. ATIEM, the business lobby, lists some of Taiwan’s largest companies as members on its website. Several of the group’s founding members urged the Taiwanese government to sign far-reaching deals with China, arguing it would boost Taiwanese business on the mainland. They held meetings with Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council to help lay the groundwork, a senior member of the organization told Reuters. Their efforts were rewarded when Taiwan signed trade deals in 2008 that for the first time allowed direct flights, shipping and mail links with the mainland. ATIEM hasn’t always been on the winning side. In
March, students occupied the Taiwan legislature in a bid to block passage of a deal that would have allowed for freer trade with China. The protests, dubbed the Sunflower Movement, fed off fears the pact would give China greater sway over Taiwan. The protest ended when parliament agreed to suspend a review of the bill. ATIEM did not respond to questions sent by email. Some Taiwanese officials warn against United Front encroachment. In late September, the head of Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council, which handles matters related to citizens living overseas, told a parliamentary committee that the United Front was stepping up work among Taiwanese business leaders and younger Taiwanese on the mainland and abroad. “They are drawing the Taiwanese who are more receptive to China over to their side, exerting pressure on Taiwan’s government and affecting its mainland policies,” Alexander Huang, a former vice chairman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, which is responsible for ties with China, told Reuters. He didn’t cite specific examples. Mainland Affairs Council spokesperson Wu Mei-hung said United Front activity shouldn’t be interpreted in an “overly negative way.” “China has some political intentions,” she said. “But Taiwan has its own advantages in terms of systems, core values and soft power. All of these, we hope, will impact China via exchanges.” The ruling KMT dismisses charges from the opposition DPP that it is benefitting from United Front activity. Kuei Hung-cheng, the KMT’s director of China affairs, acknowledged the close relationship between Taiwanese businessmen on the mainland and the Chinese authorities, but said that did not mean Beijing held sway over the party. “The KMT will not be influenced or controled by the Chinese Communist Party. That is not possible,” he said. A MAGIC TOOL The United Front is a legacy of the earliest days of Leninist communist revolutionary theory. China’s version of the United Front, dubbed a “magic tool” on the agency’s own website, helped the Communist Party become established on the mainland and ultimately prevail in a civil war that forced Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang (KMT) to retreat to Taiwan in 1949. The United Front has as its primary goal the promotion of “motherland unification” and blocking of “secession.” A 2007 handbook for United Front workers in Beijing instructs cadres to “unite neutral forces in order to divide and attack enemies.” It also directs them to “make friends extensively and deeply with representatives from all sectors” in Taiwan and abroad to “form a mighty troop of patriots.” A senior Taiwanese defense official, who did not want to be named, referred to the United Front’s tactics as a “war.” The ultimate goal was “to overturn the Republic of China,” he said, using Taiwan’s official name. The front’s activities haven’t been confined to harnessing China-friendly forces. The southern Taiwanese city of Tainan, which is a bastion of the pro-independence DPP, has been singled out. One group in the city that has gotten special treatment is doctors, who have been invited on trips to the mainland, according to a 2011 work report from an organ associated with the United Front. The visits had “successfully enhanced identification with the motherland among some pro-green Taiwanese,” the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, a nominally independent political group that is permitted to operate by the Communist Party, wrote in its report. Green is the color associated with the opposition DPP. Some politicians in Taiwan unabashedly favor unification. Among them is Chang An-lo, the head of a pro-unification party. Known as the White Wolf, Chang was once a leader in a triad group, a traditional Chinese criminal syndicate, called the Bamboo Union. He lived for a decade in China as a fugitive from the law in Taiwan but ultimately was never tried. He also spent ten years behind bars in the U.S. on drug-smuggling charges. Sitting in his office in Taipei dressed in a white jacket
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and black shirt, Chang says he and his party have regular contact with Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office and he has “friends in the United Front.” The Chinese government, he says, has provided all-expenses paid trips for members of his party to the mainland. “Getting carrots from China is better than getting sticks,” he says. UNSPOKEN CONSENT The United Front and the Taiwan Affairs Office are also deeply involved in an activity that in Communist China is strictly prohibited: democratic electoral politics. Taiwanese businessmen based in Shenzhen and Shanghai told Reuters they have been encouraged by United Front officials to head home to vote in past elections. This year, the stakes are high for Beijing. The Democratic Progressive Party champions independence. The ruling KMT government backs a status quo position of “no unification, no independence, no war.” Election airlifts helped the KMT to victory in 2008 and 2012. Close to a quarter million Taiwanese residents on the mainland headed home to vote in the 2012 presidential election, according to a senior member of the ruling party who estimates there are about one million Taiwanese working and living in China. As many as 80 percent voted for KMT leader Ma, who won a second term promising closer ties with Beijing, the official said, citing an internal survey. This year, the airlift may not be enough to turn the tide in the most important mayoral run-off – in Taipei. Final opinion polls published by Taiwan’s leading media outlets showed the KMT’s candidate trailing an independent by 11.5 to 18 points. A victory for the independent would mark the first time in 16 years that the KMT has not ruled the capital. But Beijing isn’t giving up. More than a dozen airlines, including state-owned Air China and Taiwan’s largest carrier China Airlines, have agreed to provide discounted flights from the mainland to Taiwan at the end of November, according to a notice sent to members by ATIEM. The Beijingbased organization lists the Chinese minister in charge of the Taiwan Affairs Office as an honorary chairman on its website. A senior official at Taiwan’s China Airlines told Reuters that “with tickets selling at 50 percent off, airlines will incur losses.” But the carrier would nevertheless “100 percent meet the demand from Taiwanese businessmen.” China Airlines spokesman Jeffrey Kuo said the company was offering “promotional tickets for all flights” because November was “the low season.” Air China did not respond to questions sent by fax and email to its Beijing office. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said it was aware that Taiwanese businessmen wanted to vote in the elections. ATIEM had negotiated with airline companies to allow them to fly home, it said. He-tai Chen, president of the Taiwan Merchant Association in Shenzhen, said the Taiwanese business community on the mainland was “China’s best public relations tool.” “There are 7 to 8 votes in my family,” he said. “And am I not the one who decides to whom those votes go?” The United Front has also been working to penetrate other layers of Taiwanese society. As part of an operation called “Collecting Stars,” it has targeted military veterans in Taiwan, inviting them to China for visits. In May 2012, retired Taiwanese and mainland generals who were once sworn enemies met for an invitational golf tournament in Zhejiang, United Front documents show. Outreach to students takes the form of summer camps, corporate internships and discover-yourroots tours to the mainland. Tsai Ting Yu, a 15-yearold junior high school student who joined a trip in 2013 and in 2014, said she attended classes with her mainland hosts and visited popular tourist sites, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. “Before the trips, I kind of resisted the idea of China. But through the programs I got to know them better and that resistance gradually disappeared,” said Tsai. She says she is now considering doing an undergraduate degree on the mainland.
TIBET TPI NEWS 4 Tibetan self immolator returned home without legs China’s major hydroelectric dam project operational The Tibet Post International
November 30, 2014
A screenshot from China’s state funded CCTV showing Sungdu Kyap in a hospital after amputation. Photo: Media File By Tezin Desal: November 26, 2014
Dharamshala:- Sungdu Kyab, who set himself on fire near Bora monastery in Sangchu on December 12, 2012, had been returned to his family but with his legs amputated against his parents’ wish. Gyatso, a Tibetan in exile, origininally from Sangchu
told the Tibet Post International (TPI) that the authorities in Gansu province had returned him to his family. But his family still remains under close surveillance by the state police. “They were not allowed to see the actual condition of his legs, and they refused to give their approval for amputation,” said Gyatso.
At least 26 Buddhist nuns expelled from their nunnery in Tibet
Undated photo of Kharkyodling Nunnery in Driru county, Kham, eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI By Yeshe Choesang: November 17, 2014
Dharamshala: - At least 26 Buddhist nuns have been expelled from a Tibetan nunnery in eastern Tibet for their refusal to comply with new crackdowns, after the Chinese government increased restrictions on religious practice. Sources indicate that recent visits by work team officials who have conducted the “patriotic education” campaigns at the nunnery found 26 nuns who are not registered with the Democratic Management Committee (DMC). “The authorities have expelled these nuns from Palden Kharkyodling Nunnery in Driru county, Kham, eastern Tibet, after a massive “Patriotic Education” launched since September this year,” Ngawang Tharpa told the Tibet Post International on Monday. “A Total of 26 nuns were expelled from the nunnery and they were ordered to return to their homes, after most of the nuns refused to renounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” he added. According to the source “work teams visited the nunnery several times in September and conducted mandatory political trainings for the nuns to denounce and criticize His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a “splittist.” The so called “Patriotic Education”, a campaign which forces Tibetan monks and nuns to register with the Chinese authorities, those who do
not possess a registration card or stay permit, are expelled from monasteries and nunneries throughout Tibetan areas. Source inside the region stated that “about 140 nuns who have registered with DMC are allowed to study at the nunnery. But, many more without with DMC fled to the remote mountains to hide in the following days.” ‘Those nuns who have not registered with the DMC and those who have resisted the patriotic education classes, are forced to leave the nunnery, or go into hiding when work teams visit their nunnery,’ it said. ‘The nunnery currently is under increased restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, following a new crackdown on nuns, attempting to limit their religious practices,’ it added. “These nuns are living there under difficult circumstances, they have no idea where to go and some were crying out loud after they were expelled from their nunnery,” the source said. Originally a Kagyu school, the nunnery was established in 1488 by Dungchen Sonam Dhondup, son of Yeshe Khandro Sonam Paldren, and later became a Geluk school. It was rebuilt in 1984 by a group of nuns led by Choezom, following its destruction during the Cultural Revolution,’ sources said.
Monk arrested after staging lone protest Three Tibetan monks were also arrested for protesting against the Chinese rule in Sershul county on March 10, 2013, the 54th anniversary of Tibetan national uprising day. After the latest incident, the Chinese government imposed severe restrictions on internet and phone connections by increasing its crackdown on communications across the region in an attempt to prevent any news reaching the outside world.
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Since 2009, there has been 132 Tibetans who have self-immolated in Tibet to protest against Chinese repressive rule in the region, of them 113 have died.. The Central Tibetan Administration repeatedly said it is very concerned. CTA has consistently and categorically discouraged selfimmolation. But, says it supports their aspiration calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet.
Earlier, Kyap’s parents had made attempts to visit Sangchu county hospital where he was undergoing treatment. However, they were turned away and told that he had been moved to a detention center and they would not be allowed to visit him. “He was sent back to his family home on Oct. 23, 2014, with his legs amputated,”said Gyatso. “Kyab’s parents had been told by the hospital authorities shortly afterward that his legs would have to be removed.” However, it couldn’t be confirmed to what degree his body was burnt and the severity of the injury that would require an amputation. Through its sources, the TPI learned that the news of Kyab’s release last month was delayed owing to security restrictions imposed by authorities in Tibetan areas of China, A screenshot made available through our source shows Kyab after amputation being given medical attention. The photo is a screenshot from a report televised on the China’s state funded TV news channel CCTV.
By Tezin Desal: November 25, 2014
Dharamshala:- China’s major hydropower dam in Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) started its operation on November 23. The Zangmu dam is built at an altitude of 3,300 meters above sea level at a cost of $ 1.5 billion for its first section. According to reports the next five sections will be completed “no later than next year.” According the Chinese media, in which the construction is described as a “huge project”, the plant is designed to generate 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Zangmu is one of the five projects planned on the Brahmaputra to generate a total of 2,000MW of hydro power. The operation of the dam came after India repeatedly expressed concern about the dangers of damming the Brahmaputra. According to sources quoted by The Times of India , “Indian officials have so far been satisfied
Zangmu dam, one of the dam in Yarlung Tsangpo became operational on November 23. Photo: PD
by Beijing’s explanations, not realizing China was actually building a massive project that would affect the river’s flow into Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of the northeastern region of India.” The report of the operation of the dam in Brahmaputra came after a recent announcement from India regarding its plan to commision extensive studies to study the impact of the dam building and behavioral changes in the Brahmaputra.
Dhartsedho County in eastern Tibet rocked by earthquakes Steve Shaw: November 25, 2014
Dharamshala: - Three people were injured after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dhartsedho County in Kham, eastern Tibet on Tuesday, November 25. It followed a previous earthquake which struck the same area at approximately 4pm on Saturday, November 22. Saturday’s earthquake was reported to be a magnitude of 6.3 and five people were killed. The number of injuries following Tuesday’s quake has brought the death toll since Saturday to 68. The majority of the 129,320 people living in Dhartsedho (Chinese: Kangding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture) and the surrounding counties are Tibetan. Tuesday’s quake is reported to have caused very little damage, but the effects of Saturday’s quake were far more severe with 26,000 houses damaged and 79,500 people reported to have been affected. Kangding’s regional airport also sustained some damage but flights were not disrupted. The Civil Aviation Administration of China said on Saturday that it was making thorough checks of Kangding airport as well as the neighbouring Jiuzhai Huanglong and Daocheng airports. Operations have been unaffected. The Xinhua News Agency reported that part of the highway connecting Sichuan and Tibet caved in following the quake and trapped about 100 vehicles.
Pa Lhagang Town on Sunday, Nov 23, 2014, after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Dhartsedho County in Kham, eastern Tibet Saturday. [Photo: Chinese state controlled media]
Railway services were halted in the area while workers checked for damage to the line. In the town closest to the epicenter, known as Pa Lhagang (Chinese: Tagong), a statue of Buddha in a local temple was also damaged. In a statement on Monday the Chinese Finance Ministry announced that the central government would release an emergency relief fund of 50
million Yuan for those affected. The money is to be used for relief efforts including emergency evacuations and to support with reconstruction of damaged homes. A total of 9,184 residents have been evacuated and 999 medical staff members have been sent to the quake-affected areas. Relief efforts have included dispatching tents, quilts, clothes and shoes.
reported that members of the community gathered to protest a mine and erected large posters at the entrance to the site depicting Chinese President Xi Jinping and quoting a speech in which he talked of the importance to future generations of protecting the environment. The Paramilitary Armed Police violently broke up demonstrations after three days of peaceful protest by firing tear gas into the crowd and beating them with electric prods. An unknown number of protesters were arrested and the local community and protest leader Kaitsa Soldor has been missing since the incident. Free Tibet said another protester, Sogpo Choedup, 27, attempted suicide in protest and was taken away
by security forces and hospitalised. Many of these issues have been raised in the past by Free Tibet. In a report presented at the UN Human Rights Council on March 6, 2012, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur for Food returned from a visit to China and made several recommendations to the Chinese government, including calling on them to: “Suspend the non-voluntary resettlement of nomadic herders from their traditional lands and the non-voluntary relocation or rehousing programmes of other rural residents, in order to allow for meaningful consultations to take place with the affected communities, permitting parties to examine all available options.”
Tibetan nomads being forced off land, says Free Tibet By Steve Shaw: November 19, 2014
London: - British Tibet Support Group, Free Tibet, has reported that Tibetan nomads are being forced off the land and moved into urban settlements leaving them to face poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. Since the early 1990s China’s policy - known as ‘tuimu huancao’ – has been responsible for the resettlement of more than one million Tibetan farmers. Most have lived off the land for generations but are now forced into barrack-like urban settlements. China’s goal is to have all nomads in Tibet moved from their land by the end of 2014. As justification for the policy, China claims that grasslands must be protected from overgrazing. However, Free Tibet said independent experts have shown that China’s policies are scientifically unjustified. Traditional Tibetan farming techniques have protected the grasslands for hundreds of years. Poor education amongst the nomads has meant that many have been unable to give properly informed consent and are persuaded to give up their land rights through threats and bribery. Once moved into an urban setting, nomads rarely have the skills or education to make a living. Many have to struggle with being forced to pay threequarters or more of the cost of their new, lower quality housing, leaving them in debt and unable to feed their family or livestock. Tibet is rich in natural resources, including gold, copper and water and clearing the land of nomads leaves it open for exploitation by Chinese companies. As Chinese modernisation has spread across Tibet, mining companies and damming operations have replaced farming in many areas. Tibetans have objected to Chinese exploitation of the resources and highlighted potential environmental destruction. In August, Free Tibet
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Adviser Dr Franz Pahl Former speaker of South Tyrol, Italy Adviser Mr Thomas Kemeil A software engineer, Austria Adviser Mr Shalinder Kumar A professional graphic designer, India Adviser Ven Thupten Yarphel A Tibetan writer, India Editor in Chief Yeshe Choesang Chinese Editor Keary Huang Tibetan Editor Choneyi Sangpo English Editor Tenzin Desal Project Manager Matthew Singh Toor Reporter Dawa Phurbu Photographer Artemas Liu Layout & Design Choneyi Sangpo Circulation Jigme Gyatso
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November 30, 2014 H.H THE DALAI LAMA 5 Use “Technology” constructively: Spiritual leader of Tibet We are all biologically equipped with love and need to know more about our mind and emotions, affection: His Holiness at Springdales School for this is knowledge that leads to inner peace. If
The Tibet Post International
TPI NEWS
His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the 1st World Hindu Congress in New Delhi, India on November 21, 2014. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL By Kathryn Middel-Katzenmeyer: 22 November 2014
New Delhi: - “Technology makes our life easier and brings people closer together, but we must use it constructively.” So said His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Friday November 21, when he met with a representative of one of the world’s oldest religious traditions, the Parsee Dr Homi B Dhalla. The pair first encountered one another when they were guests of Pope John Paul II in Assisi, Italy, in 1986. They have met several times since. On this occasion Dr Dhalla wanted to ask His Holiness several questions in connection with a documentary film he is making about peace and human rights. He began by asking how, besides engaging in dialogue, we can put an end to violence. His Holiness replied that violence is directly related to our destructive emotions. Anger, fear, jealousy and to some extent greed are sources of violence. If we do not deal with such emotions, violence will continue. There is a need to educate people to understand that violence is socially disruptive, as well as being bad for our health and destructive of our peace of mind. In connection with violence against women, His Holiness said that of course it is wrong. Despite entrenched notions of male superiority, men and women need each other. In recent times, education has introduced a greater sense of equality. Asked about young people’s relationship with technology, His Holiness was unequivocal in his appreciation. “Young people can help create wider awareness that we all want to live a happy life. We all need affection. Therefore, it is very helpful to acknowledge the oneness of humanity,” he said. When Dr Dhalla asked about Tibet, His Holiness told him that archaeology indicates the great antiquity of people in Tibet. “In the seventh century and before, we developed our own mode of writing, which makes Tibetan one of the world’s oldest scripts. We have collections of books translated into Tibetan, but what’s more, we rigorously study these texts. Meanwhile Chinese hardliners are suspicious that a separate mode of writing and literature implies separatism, so they restrict them where they can.” Driving to the Ashoka Hotel on the edge of Delhi’s diplomatic quarter, His Holiness was welcomed by members of the organizing committee for the 1st World Hindu Congress. The Congress opened with a Swami blowing a long blast on a conch and was formally inaugurated with the lighting of the lamp. Joint General Secretary of the VHP, Swami Vigyananand explained why the World Hindu Congress was being held, adding that he looked forward to a resurgence of prosperity and influence for the Hindu community across the world. “Good things do not happen of their own accord, we have to make them happen,” he said. Sajjan Bhajanka, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, expressed a warm welcome to everyone present, to His Holiness, Mohanrao Bhagwat and Ashok Singhal, the Chief Guests, and the 1800 delegates from 50 countries. He mentioned the Congress’s intention to honour three individuals: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Pujya Swami Dayanand Sarasvati and Ashok Singhal. The citation for His Holiness described him as a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, someone who has already been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the Magaysay Award, who has established schools, monasteries and institutions such as the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives and who has propagated the Dharma of truth and compassion. Mohanrao Bhagwat and Ashok Singhal were called upon to offer him the saffron shawl and certificate. Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s health did not permit him to travel, so he asked that his disciple accept the award on his behalf. Ashok Singhal declined to be honoured. Requested to offer the Congress’s
inaugural address, His Holiness began: “Dear spiritual brothers and sisters, it’s a great honour for me to participate in this World Hindu Congress since I consider myself to be just another human being. I always emphasize that we 7 billion human beings are the same, mentally, physically and emotionally. Whether we are kings or queens, beggars or spiritual leaders, we are all born the same way. We depart for the next destination in the same way. However, because we tend to forget this sameness, we stress instead the secondary differences between us. We think of each other in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Nevertheless, we should remember that if and when we escape a natural disaster and encounter someone else, we willingly greet them as a fellow human being with no concern for where they come from or what they believe. Children too embrace each other as fellows without concern for differences between them.” He pointed out that today we face all kinds of problems, war and violence for example, problems that we created. In trying to address such problems we’re much better to emphasize that we are all human beings. We all want to lead a happy life and just as we value human affection, so do others too. Indeed, our lives begin and we survive in an atmosphere of affection. If we think of the oneness of 7 billion human beings in this context, there is nothing to divide us. His Holiness remarked that despite philosophical differences between them, he views all major religious traditions as conducive to peace of mind. He mentioned the Samkhya-Yoga, Jaina, NyayaVaishesika, Mimamsa-Vedanta and Charvaka schools of ancient Indian thought. He suggested that they illustrate that in comparison with the ancient civilizations of Egypt and China, the Indus Valley civilization ultimately produced a larger number of great thinkers. “I am a student of the Nalanda tradition and a Buddhist monk. I’ve studied a bit, but by and large have been a lazy student. However, I have great admiration for the scholars and spiritual practitioners of ancient India. I read and admire their writings, which reveal that they used their human brains to the maximum. In the writings of Aryadeva, Bhavaviveka, Dignaga and Dharmakirti there is much debate and analysis of different traditions. Their writings are lucid. It’s clear that Buddhist knowledge advanced in response to the intellectual challenge from other schools and that non-Buddhist schools also developed accordingly. “The renowned Indian physicist Raja Ramana once told me with pride that he had found explanations in the writings of ancient Indian scholars that correspond to what quantum physics has to say today. And what made him particularly proud is that what is regarded as fresh and new in these ideas among scientists today was known to Indian thinkers long ago. “I always say that we Tibetans regard Indians as our gurus. All our knowledge came from India. One great Tibetan scholar of the 15th century said that despite the whiteness prevailing in the Land of Snow, until the coming of light from India, in the form of knowledge, Tibet remained in the dark. I sometimes jokingly say that it is ancient Indians who we regard as gurus rather than modern Indians who have become somewhat Westernized. But now you too are trying to revive and preserve your centuries old traditions and I appreciate that.” His Holiness spoke of the dialogue he has opened with modern scientists over the last more than 30 years, focussing on cosmology, physics, neurobiology and psychology. This has revealed that compared to the highly developed psychology of ancient India, modern psychology has barely reached kindergarten level. In this connection it is not sufficient therefore to conduct rituals for days. In addition to temples, there is a need for places to study and discuss things at a deeper level. We
we learn to tackle our destructive emotions, we can really begin to create a more compassionate world. “We Tibetans are the chelas or disciples, but I think we can say we have been reliable chelas. We have preserved intact knowledge that our gurus have lately neglected. My request to you is to pay more attention to this ancient knowledge wherever you have established temples and other institutions. This is a real contribution you can make across the world.” His Holiness spoke of Buddhism and Hinduism as ‘spiritual brothers,’ which provoked cheers throughout the hall. He said they share shila, shamatha and prajna - ethics, concentration and wisdom - and where they differ is in the view of atman or anatman. He recalled meeting a spiritual leader in Bangalore a couple of years ago, a good man who organizes food for the poor on a large scale. They discussed the correspondences of their spiritual traditions until His Holiness acknowledged that for him, a Buddhist monk, anatman is more appropriate; for his friend, a Hindu monk, it is the view of atman that appeals. But, he said, whichever view they choose is their own personal decision. He reiterated that all major religious traditions teach compassion, forgiveness and self-discipline. For those who propound belief in a creator, singlepointed faith is God is a powerful practice. For those who believe in causality it is powerful to understand that if you do good you will benefit and if you do bad you will suffer. The aim, the goal of all these traditions is to benefit humanity, therefore, His Holiness said he makes great effort to promote inter-religious harmony. Mentioning an occasion in Australia when a Christian friend introduced His Holiness as a good Christian and he in his turn said he regarded his Australian friend as a good Buddhist, he ventured to suggest that here he might claim to be a good Hindu. His Holiness also remarked that there is a great deal in common between Hindu and Buddhist tantras. He told the gathering how keen he was to discuss actual experience with the practitioners who spend years high in the mountains. When Ashok Singhal invited him to attend the last Mahakumbh Mela he looked forward to that opportunity, but sadly the weather did not permit him to travel. “Such opportunities allow the development of mutual understanding and with that comes mutual respect, which is the basis of harmony. Is that clear? That’s all, thank you,” he concluded.
By Tracey Son: November 23, 2014
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was received at Springdales School, New Delhi, by the Principal and Founding Principal, Ameeta Mulla Wattal and Rajni Kumar, where love, truth and goodness are valued. “Whenever I meet other people, I remember that we are all the same as human beings. Having the same human brain, we all have the same potential,” His Holiness began. He referenced experiments scientist conducted on human social nature and our sense of community that are built from trust, and love. The education of these values relies on the basis of scientific findings, common experience and common sense. Despite having philosophical differences, the main practice is love. India’s unbiased respect of religions and even for those who declare no faith can help us understand how to educate people on the value of love. “We are all biologically equipped with love and affection,” he continued. There is nothing we can do about the past violence, but this generation has potential to change the future—not by looking at our own
Nehru was a great friend ...
“In 1960 he advised me that we should make English, an international language, the medium of study in our schools. He told me that the way to support our culture and traditions was to educate our children. Nehru was a great supporter and friend to me, so it is an honour for me to speak here on this occasion.” His Holiness went on to outline his three main commitments, his sense that as human beings we each have a responsibility to care for humanity. As social animals, human beings need friendship, but friendship doesn’t come from wealth and power, but from showing compassion and concern for others. He said: “Look at my face, my friends tell me it hasn’t changed much in 15-20 years. It’s unlined by age and people ask ‘What’s the secret?’I tell them ‘Peace of mind.’And today, even scientists are confirming that peace of mind is good for our physical health. But it’s not tranquilizers, alcohol, drugs or gambling that bring peace of mind. My number one commitment is to extend awareness that peace of mind depends on our cultivating inner values. “We are too materialistic. India should lead the way in showing that in addition to material benefits we need inner development. We can find this by following India’s secular approach of showing respect for all religions and even those people with no faith. Those one billion cannot be excluded; they too need to know that the
Health Kalon’s Message ...
These numbers are staggering and hence, HIV continues to be a major global public health issue. There is no cure for HIV infection. Hence, the responsibility is two-fold; prevention of new infection, and supporting those living with HIV both in terms of medical treatment in order to live a long healthy life, and social empowerment in order to live a productive life without discrimination. It is the responsibility of every individual to equip oneself with wholesome education on HIV and AIDS. Knowing and being aware is the first step towards prevention. After understanding the disease and its effects, it is a further responsibility to educate others and provide support to those already infected. The Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of the Health has been successfully tackling the issue of HIV AIDS in Tibetan communities over the years through its HIV AIDS Program funded by the Norwegian Church Alliance (NCA). The department focuses on four main activities; prevention of AIDS through widespread AIDS awareness campaigns in schools and settlements across India, provision of medical support for those living with HIV, provision of social support for those living with HIV through support group meetings and counseling, and strengthening the capacity of health care workers to effectively manage HIV AIDS. Today, various Tibetan schools across India are commemorating World AIDS Day 2014 through various innovative activities in order to raise awareness and generate conscious responsibility among young minds so as to achieve the goals of “Getting to Zero”. All Tibetan settlements are also actively involved in commemorating World AIDS Day through our regional health centers. The social structure of the Tibetan population in India, by the virtue of being a highly mobile
country, but for all of humanity. India’s interreligious harmony is a prime example that making others happy does not have to be at the expense of our own happiness. After leaving Springdale School, he addressed the Ananta Aspen Centre, an independent, not-for-profit organization that seeks positive change through dissemination of knowledge. He outlined three commitments. First, he began by promoting deeper human values as a source of happiness and physical health. Second, he advocated for inter-religious harmony and sharing a common goal. Lastly, he spoke of the benefit of a flourishing Tibetan culture, Buddhism and natural environment in Tibet is to the greater community. The importance of compassion, and that the future of the world depends on how we exert ourselves is what we can take away from His Holiness’ speeches in New Delhi. “We are all the same as human beings. We all need to take responsibility for creating a better world and a more peaceful humanity. Please keep this in mind and take it to heart,’ he added.
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community, exposes people to great risks of HIV and becomes highly vulnerable to new infections. In December, the Department of Health is launching a mobile HIV AIDS awareness campaign targeted at educating Tibetan people in sweater-selling areas across India. Currently, the department has over 30 beneficiaries living with HIV who regularly seek support, and over 60 registered as living with HIV. We encourage more people with HIV to come forward and seek support in order to live a long healthy life and prevent death. However, it must be remembered that in order to achieve the goal of “Getting to Zero”, it is not merely the effort of a day but it should be a continuous ongoing effort throughout the year. With these efforts in mind, the day is not far away when we can actually achieve zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
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basis of happiness is within. What we need is not more preaching, but education. If we succeed in that, we may be able to make this a century of peace and non-violence. But all of us, particularly you who belong to the younger generation, have a responsibility to bring this about.” His Holiness explained that India is a living example of a country where all the major religions flourish side by side. Indigenous traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Samkhya School live together with Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam that have come from abroad. He said he regularly encourages people in other parts of the world to emulate the harmony that exists here. As a Tibetan, His Holiness’s third commitment is to the Tibetan people who place their trust in him. Since 2011, and his retirement from political involvement, he has dedicated himself to preserving Tibetan culture, a culture of peace and non-violence, and the protection of the environment. China, as the country with the largest population, needs such cultural values. “These are my commitments and I urge you too to think about the larger concerns of the whole of humanity. Don’t limit your view to what India or your particular state within it needs. Teachers in ancient times like the Buddha thought in terms of the whole world. China may have the largest population, but you have democracy, freedom, and the rule of law - use them to promote education.” Asked if the Buddha’s way of teaching is appropriate today His Holiness replied that it is, quoting the Buddha as having instructed his followers not to take what he said at face value on the basis of devotion, but to investigate and experiment with it, to adopt a scientific approach. Asked about his stand on Tibet and the prospects for relations with China, he paused to note that these were political questions. He went on to note that China is changing and that Xi Jinping stated in France and again in Delhi that Buddhism has an important role to play in Chinese culture. With regard to global development, His Holiness counselled taking serious steps to address climate change and the gap between rich and poor. He reiterated the importance of education and mentioned the development of a pilot project to design a curriculum based on secular ethics. The fundamental point is that it is affection, warm-heartedness, that makes us happy; wealth alone can’t do that. Offering silk scarves to the participants he explained that the gift has its roots in the Indian tradition of offering a shawl, that the silk material originated in China and that the auspicious verses inscribed upon it are Tibetan - a symbol of harmony.
Over 1,500 Tibetan monks gathered at the Gaden Jangtse Thoesam Norling in Munggod, South India on Sunday, November 30, 2014 as they chanted prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo: TPI/Mr Tenzin
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TPI NEWS
November 30, 2014
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eehhhhhhhhhhffffffffffgg On the 25th anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights, religious harmony, and the just cause of Tibet, the Tibet Post International’s staff, readers and supporters offer His Holiness the Dalai Lama our best wishes and pray for his good health and long life and the spontaneous fulfillment of his every wish. cccccccccccdddddddddddd 2014
Teaching in Dharamsala, HP, India from December 2 to 5: His Holiness will give teachings on Tsongkhapa’s Great Stages of the Path (lamrim chenmo) at the request of a group of Mongolians at the Main Tibetan Temple. Contact Website: dalailamamongolsunchoi.mn Teaching in Mundgod, Karnataka, India from December 23 to 29: His Holiness will continue his teachings on the 18 Great Stages of the Path (Lam Rim) Commentaries in Mundgod (venue to be decided) at the request of H.E. Ling Choktrul Rinpoche and Gaden Shartse Monastery. Contact Websites: http://www. jangchuplamrim.org and http://www.jangchuplamrim.com
2015
Teaching in Sankisa, Uttar Pradesh, India on February 1 & 2: His Holiness will give a two-day Buddhist teaching based on the Dhammapada organized by the Youth Buddhist Society (YBS) of India. Contact Email: hhdlteachingsankisa@gmail.com Teaching in Basel, Switzerland on February 7 & 8: His Holiness will give a Buddhist teaching based on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhichitta (jangchub semdrel), Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsikgyema) and confer the Avalokiteshvera Empowerment (chenresig jigten wangchuk) organized by the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein at St. Jakobshalle. Contact Website: www.dalailama2015.ch Public Talk in Basel, Switzerland on February 8: His Holiness will give a public talk on Secular Ethnics for Today’s World in the afternoon organized by the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein at St. Jakobshalle. Contact Website: www.dalailama2015.ch Public Talk in Copenhagen, Denmark on February 11: His Holiness will give a public talk on Strength Through Compassion and Connection in the afternoon at the Bella Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama.dk Teaching in Copenhagen, Denmark on February 12: His Holiness will give a one-day Buddhist Teaching based on Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsikgyema) at the Bella Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama.dk
Source: The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Spend time with friends and relatives. Travel for pleasure. Your fun loving approach will be admired and appreciated by others. Your uncanny insight will help you make the right choices. Talking to those you trust and respect will help you sort out any problems.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Your self esteem will benefit. Friends will be loyal and caring. Your need to obtain additional details will lead you into strange topics of conversation. Channel your energy into projects that will enhance your home. Go with the flow and don’t be concerned about your own job.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) Disputes may start because of a lack of honesty. Colleagues may try to undermine you. You are best not to discuss your personal life with others. Minor health problems will cause setbacks if you haven’t taken proper care of yourself.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You will find travel and lectures most stimulating. If you put your energy into physical outlets you will avoid confrontations. You may blow situations out of proportion when dealing with the one you love. Don’t blow situations out of proportion or you could find that others will misinterpret what really happened.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Avoid boredom by being creative in your endeavors. Real estate ventures will be to your ad vantage. You will upset your partner if you have spent money on things that aren’t necessary. Your self esteem will benefit. Friends will be loyal and caring.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You may divulge private information without realizing it this month. Don’t jump too quickly if someone tries to make you join in on their crusade. You may have more to do with children this month; keep an open mind. You’re not your usual self this month.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.
CANCER (June 22-July 22) Your partner may blame you for everything. Don’t push your luck with your boss. Refuse to get involved in idle chatter; it will only make you look bad. Situations in your personal life are moving a little fast lately.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Your partner may make you feel jealous and unloved. Positive changes regarding your personal status are evident. Tempers may flare if you haven’t been completely honest about your intentions or your whereabouts. You are best to deal with those outside your family.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Throw yourself into your work. You’re in the mood to do things such as competitive sports, or perhaps a night on the town. Your professional attitude will not go unnoticed. You will be able to enlist the help of colleagues who believe in your ideas.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Monday. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Take advantage of moneymaking ventures. The locks, stove, gas, or electric wires may not be secure. It might be time to shake a leg and do a personal makeover. Family may not want to get involved but an entrepreneur will.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Involvement with prestigious organizations will be to your advantage. You can accomplish the most if you travel for business purposes. Lack of cash might be partly to blame for the problems at home. Residential moves will be in your best interest.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Don’t let your emotions take over. Catch up on your reading and correspondence. Involvement in financial schemes will be followed by losses. Don’t settle for less than the best.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.
November 30, 2014 International 7 Top US diplomat: Not a degree of Sikyong: Willing to meet Chinese gov’t representatives anytime
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TPI NEWS
freedom for Tibetans in Tibet
Washington, D.C. Sarah Sewall, Under Secretary of state for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights; and Atul Keshap, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia brief at the Washington Foreign Press Center on November 24, 2014. Photo: US State Department By Yeshe Choesang : November 26, 2014
Dharamshala: - “Tibetans in Tibet do not enjoy freedom within the Communist nation,” a top US diplomat said after meeting Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal. The US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Sarah Sewall, who is also Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights talked of her assessment of human rights conditions in Tibet during an interaction with reporters at the Washington Foreign Press Center, Washington, D.C. on Monday. During her trip to the two countries, she met Tibetan refugees in both the countries and gained first-hand information about the situation in Tibet. “In my role as special coordinator for Tibet, of course, I had a parallel agenda in visiting Nepal and India, and the focus on refugees was paramount in both countries,” Sewall told reporters. “I met with both community and NGO leaders who were working with refugee populations to help them better realize their potential both in terms of their human capacity,” she said. “As partners in a national effort to develop and grow and maintain their culture and religion within an environment that has varying degrees of support for that practice.” Sewall said she met with “both the refugees themselves and with those working with the refugees to learn more about their aspirations, about some of our exchange programs, and about the infrastructure that supports refugees as they live within both Nepal and India.” Sewall also met the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama in his capacity as an internationally respected religious and cultural leader, and had a wide range of discussions with the Dalai Lama. “I’m interested in hearing his views about religious extremism within Buddhist movements globally and what can be done to promote tolerance,” she said, adding that she was ‘interested in learning more about remarks made on the public record about potential
discussions with the Chinese, about different issues that are of concern to him.’ “I spent much of my time talking to refugees and talking to the organisations that welcome and work with refugees about the situation in China, because they tend to have more recent stories,” Sewall said. “I met with several people who had left China recently, and I spoke to many people who have family in China,” she added. “Their assessment of the situation tracks very much with the State Department’s assessment of the situation, as recorded in our human rights reporting - that there is not a degree of freedom for Tibetans within China that we think is consistent with international human rights standards. “We spoke about non-violent approaches to conflict resolution, to include the questions of preserving Tibetan culture, religion, and education in every place that Tibetans currently reside. “That’s a very wide-ranging discussion that, of course, also includes concerns about the refugee community with whom he works closely,” she added. Sewall said the US Government has spent an enormous amount of its resources and its energy seeking to support Tibetan in particular refugees, and also Bhutanese refugees in the two countries. She said her Government has spent an enormous amount of its resources and its energy seeking to support Tibetans. Sewall also announced a new $3.2 million USAID grant in Nepal to help modernize the health system for Tibetan refugees in India, to help modernize the health system for Tibetan refugees. Encouraging a “direct dialogue” that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. The Obama administration however says it supports the “MiddleWay Approach” which is proposed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet and to bring about stability and co-existence between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples based on equality and mutual co-operation. On several occasions, US President Obama reiterated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in Tibet. However, Obama also reiterated the U.S. position that Tibet “is part of” China and that the United States does not support Tibetan independence. His Holiness the Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans.
By Tenzin Desal: November 28, 2014
Dharamshala:- Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay held a meeting with Canadian lawmakers over lunch and met with the members of Tibetan communities in Canadian cities he hadn’t visited since he took office. During a public talk organized by the Canada Tibet Committee in Montreal on November 25, he said: “The Middle Way Approach is the official policy of the Central Tibetan Administration which seeks genuine autonomy within the framework of the constitution of the People’s Republic of China. “Since 2009, 132 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet because of political repression, economic marginalisation environmental destruction in Tibet.” When asked about the status of Sino-Tibetan dialogue by an audience during the talk he said: “The dialogue between the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government has been in stalemate since 2010 due to suspicion and lack of positive response from the Chinese side. “Tibetan leadership adheres to transparent approach and is willing to meet with the Chinese government representatives anytime and anywhere.” Before the meeting, according to Central Tibetan Administration, he met with 13 Tibetans living
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay addressing a meeting organised by Canada Committee for Tibet. Photo:CTA
in the City. On his visit to Canada he also met with members of Tibetan communities in Montreal and Ottawa. The Government of Canada is facilitating the immigration of up to 1,000 Tibetans over the next five years. They are refugees who settled in the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. I am “glad that the resettlement project is going well and that the new arrivals are making a
Nobel Summit relocates after His Holiness is denied South African visa By Cameron Hickert: November 23, 2014
Dharamshala: - The Nobel Peace Laureates Summit has been relocated from Cape Town to Rome, after the South African government failed to issue a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, according to a statement issued by organisers on November 16. Instead of Cape Town, the 14th Global Peace Summit will be hosted by the City of Rome, at the invitation of Mayor Ignazio Marino, between December 12 - 14. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, along with 22 other Peace Laureates, has confirmed that he will be attending, alongside
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, ShirinEbadi, Leymah Gbowee, Tawakkol Karman, Mrs. Mairead Maguire, President José RamosHorta, David Trimble, President Lech Walesa, and Betty Williams. The Chinese government praised South Africa’s decision to deny a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, preventing him from attending the Nobel summit scheduled in Cape Town. Supporting His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan cause with their presence in Dharamshala on October 2, two Nobel laureates –Jody Williams and ShirinEbadi – said they decided to boycott the Nobel
By Tezin Desal: November 24, 2014
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay at a panel discussion on democracy in China at Halifax International Security Forum. Photo: CTA
Dharamshala:- The Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Dr Lobsang Sangay attended the Halifax International security forum on November 21 in Halifax, Canada. The forum was attended by people harbouring democratic values from various backgrounds including military, government, business, academia and media. The forum aims to provide opportunity for leaders to learn from each other, share opinions, generate new ideas and put them into action. A c c o r d i n g t o t h e C TA , t h e S i k y o n g participated in a panel discussion, during which he stated: “The recent protest in Hong Kong is an indication that democracy is touching the shores of China. Protest
summit in South Africa to send a strong message to China that they won’t bend under its pressure. The two Nobel laureates said the real aim of the Nobel summit in South Africa was to celebrate the legacies of Nelson Mandela. “We were greatly saddened when South Africa denied a visa to His Holiness to attend the summit. The summit was cancelled as the Nobel laureates will not attend it.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who in 1989 wreceived the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for Tibet, now lives in exile with some 140,000 Tibetans.
Tibetans and Tibet supporters stage protests as Xi attends G20
“Sense of patriotism is stronger than ever before,” Dr. Lobsang Sangay
in Hong Kong is a test for the Chinese government and the people of Hong Kong. “The One Country, Two Systems of Hong Kong has its genesis in the 17-Point Agreement that the People’s Republic of China signed with Tibet under duress on May 23, 1951.” Responding to questions about the Tibetan issue, he said: “Despite China’s repressive policy inside Tibet, the commitments of third generation Tibetans both inside a n d o u t s i d e f o r Ti b e t a n s t r u g g l e a n d preservation of Tibetan culture, religion and language are very strong. “They all are born and brought up under the present Chinese regime, but their sense of patriotism is stronger than ever before.” Other panelists include Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, Chairman, Cyber Security Advisory Panel to the Bank of England and Dr. Masashi Nishihara, President, Research Institute for Peace and Security. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Stephen Puddicombe, a Journalist from CBC Television. The forum drew 300 speakers and analysts from 60 different countries.
smooth transition as Canadian residents,” said the Sikyong during his address to the Tibetan community based in Ottawa. “It is necessary to work hard but at the same time new arrivals should study well. If you get some kind of degree you will get a better job, a better job means a better income.” On November 26, the Sikyong crossed the US border to visit Burlington, Vermont, where he met and addressed the town’s Tibetan Community.
Tibetans and supporters stage protest as Xi Xinping arrives for G20 summit in Brisbane. Photo: ATC By Tezin Desal: November 17, 2014
Dharamshala:-Tibetans and Tibet supporters in Australia staged protests as Xi Xinping made his first visit to Australia since he took power. The protests were led by the Australia Tibet Council (ATC), Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), and other locally based Tibetan community associations. In an appeal to join the rally on ATC’s website it said: “Tibetans and supporters in Australia and worldwide are calling on key world governments to take joint action to address the human rights crisis in Tibet. “Tibetans and supporters shone the spotlight on China’s failed human rights record and called on world leaders for a new, coordinated action on the crisis in Tibet.” The G20 summit is a meeting of the wealthiest countries in the world where the leaders gather to discuss wide range of global economic issues and to use their collective power to tackle key issues confronting the planet. On November 14, the Tibet support groups held a banner floated in the air by two giant balloons
which read ‘G20 unite for Tibet.’ This protest was held at the iconic Story Bridge which is close to the hotel where Xi Xinping is staying during the summit. On the following day on November 15, Tibetans and their supporters staged a mock die-in protest “in solidarity with those who have sacrificed their lives for freedom in Tibet” at a major intersection in the city of Brisbane that was used by the world leaders on their commute toa the two-day summit. “Economic growth, the key agenda at the G20
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Sangay’s speech at the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago center, a community centre for Tibetans living in the Chicago area, was one of his stops on a five-city North American tour. Born in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, in 1968, Sangay is a Harvard Law School graduate. Elected on April 27, 2011, he represents approximately six million Tibetans inside Tibet as well as an estimated 150,000 worldwide.
Summit, can be a force for good but only when combined with policies that are consistent with human rights. China remains an authoritarian state that continues to oppress Tibetans. Likeminded governments must stand by their shared democratic values and put collective pressure on China to end the suffering in Tibet.” said Kyinzom Dhongdue, Campaigns Manager of Australia Tibet Council. The deputy director of the New York based Students for a Free Tibet and the director of its India office is now touring Australia and was also present at the protests. Pema Yoko said: “Joint G8 government pressure on Russia forced Vladimir Putin to roll back repressive policies in Ukraine. G20 leaders can apply similar multilateral pressure on China to help end the crisis in Tibet. The only way China will change its violent course in Tibet is if global leaders, like those gathered here in Brisbane stand up for human dignity and hold China accountable for its abuses in Tibet.”
Conference Commemorating
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His Holiness began by comparing religion to medicine.. He explained that just as there is not one best doctor for all illnesses, but specific doctors for specific ailments, that the same goes for religion. “However, the philosophy [Buddhism] expresses is profound.” He reminded the audience, “The teaching of the Buddha is intended to lead to liberation, to freeing the mind of defilement...However, the Buddhas cannot simply pass on their realization, you have to develop it yourself. You have to be your own master.” The last discussion invited scholars to present their research on energy winds. At one point, His Holiness interjected, “Since we came into exile there have been about 30 cases of people remaining in ‘thukdam’...We say that as long as the mind is present, the body remains fresh...We need to examine this [to understand] what the role is of the pervasive wind-energy.” A bell sounded and monks served lunch to all the guests, after which brief discussions resumed. The conference concluded with Lama Uzey thanking His Holiness. “[He] is the one on whom the survival of the Dharma depends,” he said. “May we have the opportunity to receive teachings from him again and again.”
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TPI NEWS
November 30, 2014
Back Page Focus
Spirit and culture of Tibetans will survive: A tourist’s impression of Tibet By Kathleen Ford: November 19, 2014
Photos taken during Kathleen’s visit to Tibet. Photo: TPI/Kathleen Ford
Dharamshala:- Our decision to take the controversial new train from Xining to Lhasa in 2012 tugged at my conscience, but it was the one way that we could logistically manage our trip to Tibet. And I will admit that the opportunity to watch the vast Tibetan plateau unfold before our eyes was a compelling prospect. My husband and I board at Xining in the evening and are soon travelling in darkness, but we wake up the next morning to magnificent scenery. Welcome to Tibet, the Land of Snows. Vast brown plains stretch in every direction with smooth snow-covered mountains on the horizon. Occasionally there is a lake or stream, usually frozen. All under brilliant sunshine. I find it starkly beautiful, and love that there is such wild, wide open space left in the world. We see some small settlements, or more often, just a house sitting alone. Sometimes there is a person or two looking after a herd of yaks or sheep. As we approach Lhasa, the settlements grow larger and, with a slight decrease in elevation, the terrain becomes rockier and seemingly more fertile. Several villages are ringed by stonewalled garden plots and yaks drag ploughs over the land. We see many military vehicles heading towards Lhasa as we get closer, at one point counting a convoy of 70 army trucks. Tibet is indeed the problem child of China.
The train pulls into Lhasa almost 24 hours after leaving Xining. As we leave the station, we are immediately singled out as foreigners and subject to police escort. We are taken to our prearranged guide who works through some paperwork with the police officer, and are finally released. At the time of our visit, foreigners are not allowed to travel independently in Tibet. We can walk around town on our own but need to have our passports and papers with us at all times in case we are checked. Most importantly, our guide instructs us to take absolutely no photos of police or military personnel. This could be challenging as there are armed police with surveillance cameras perched on building rooftops, and simply police and security everywhere you look, often marching through town in squadrons. On our way into town, we see the Potala Palace for the first time and it is a staggering sight. All the photos I’ve seen have not prepared me for the beauty and scale of this incredible structure. The next day we have an opportunity to tour the inside on a closely timed and regulated visit. A few monks can be spotted in the Potala Palace but we wonder about their authenticity as we have been told they are all actors and spies. The present building, dating from 1645, was the religious and political centre for Tibet and
the home of successive Dalai Lamas. It is now essentially a museum, with limited rooms open to the public. Nonetheless we can’t help but be excited about what we are seeing … huge jewelencrusted tombs of several Dalai Lamas, statues and thangkas depicting Buddhas, protectors and gods, all exhibiting riotous colour. We also spend time in the Barkhor, Lhasa’s medieval town centre and marketplace, the spiritual heart of Lhasa for Tibetans. This is where the Jokhang, Tibet’s holiest temple, is located. Pilgrims perform kora around the temple and the maze of old streets surrounding it. We join the shuffling throngs and it feels fascinating to watch and be part of this ancient ritual of pilgrimage. Later we browse the small shops and stalls that sell everything from yak butter and cheese to clothing for monks to prayer wheels and prayer books. There are shops that sell brightly painted furniture and others with containers for storing tsampa. Merchants trade the highly valued caterpillar fungus which is found in Tibet and used in traditional medicine. One of the things I love about Tibet is the obvious love for beauty and the arts. Even objects with the most mundane function are beautifully crafted, painted, carved, or otherwise made to be aesthetically pleasing. Pilgrims from the countryside have their hair coiled into ropes, wrapped around their heads and decorated with coral, turquoise, and brightly coloured wool. We are in Tibet for a full week and for much of our time there we feel like we are on sensory overload. We gain tantalizing glimpses of Tibet’s rich culture, artwork, and architecture, while grappling with the idea of continual security and surveillance. Perhaps the most poignant moment for us came as we walked down the darkened corridors of one monastery looking at 300-yearold thangkas. We shone lights on them to see the stories of Buddhism and Tibetan history. Some of the paintings still had remnants of old newspapers glued on top of them, left over from the Cultural Revolution when monks tried to save these precious artworks from being destroyed. I am so glad they survived, and I am confident that likewise the spirit and culture of Tibetans will survive and flourish.
Popular Tibetan singer jailed for four years for political songs By Yeshe Choesang: November 30, 2014
Dharamshala: - A popular Tibetan singer has been convicted and sentenced by the Intermediate People’s Court in Chengdu, Sichuan, over his songs calling for unity among Tibetans. ‘Kalsang Yarphel is 39 years old and was sentenced to four years in prison after taking
part in concerts encouraging Tibetans to speak their language, and calling for unity among Tibetans in Tibet,’ sources within the region told the Tibet Post International (TPI), on Sunday. ‘The Chinese authorities have accused him of singing Tibetan songs with banned political themes,’ sources added.
Singer Kalsang Yarphel, who was detained for singing “politically subversive” song at a musical concert. Photo: TPI
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Yarphel who is from Makuk Tara Town, Machu County, North-eastern Tibet, was detained by Chinese authorities in Lhasa, on June 14, 2013. He has been handed a four-year prison term, as well as two years of deprivation of political rights after being held in detention for oneand-a-half years,’ according to the source. The sources added that the concerts were held in 2012. Yarphel’s popular songs included “We Should Speak Tibetan” and “We Should Unite.” Yarphel’s father ’s name is Gonpo Tsetan and his mother is Makho. His wife’s name is Tsezin Palmo and they have two sons and one daughter- Ogyen Kyab, 22, Konchok Tenpa, 20, and Dolkar Lhamo, 19. According to a previous TPI report: “a 40-year-old Tibetan singer Shawo Tashi was sentenced to five years in prison for his songs about self-immolation protest in Tibet. His sentence came just after Kalsang Yarphel was arrested in Lhasa in June last year, for allegedly singing a song calling on Tibetans to “unite” and to learn and speak their own language.” Two Tibetan singers- Pema Trinley, 22, and Chakdor, 32, were secretly sentenced to two years in prison in the same month, over allegedly distributing politically sensitive songs. Sources said that “they were arrested by Chinese authorities in July 2012 in Machu county, Amdho region of North-eastern Tibet over a DVD that contained songs praising self-immolation protesters and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” Tibetans in Tibet are denied most rights, including the right to freedom of artistic expression - a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is not a crime for Tibetan artists to sing in their own language about their own culture.
The Tibet Post International
His Holiness the Dalai Lama meets Indian home ministry officials
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during an audience with Indian home ministry’s union minister of state, Kiren Rijijuji (3rd R) and joint secretary, K K Pathak, (3rd L) with Home Kalon, Dolma Gyari ,(1st R) in New Delhi on November 24, 2014. Photo: CTA By Yeshe Choesang: November 24, 2014
Dharamshala: - The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, met Kiren Rijiju, union minister of state for Home Affairs and Mr K.K Pathak, joint secretary of Home affairs, Government of India, in New Delhi, on November 24. A c c o r d i n g t o t h e C e n t r a l Ti b e t a n Administration (CTA), His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Government of India, particularly to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the officials who worked to formalise policy guideline “The Tibetan Rehabilitation policy, 2014. The meeting was coordinated by Dolma Gyari, the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA’s) Kalon for the Department of Home. During the meeting K.K Pathak appraised His Holiness on his recent visit to the Tibetan community in Changtang in Ladakh with Kalon Dolma Gyari. He informed His Holiness on the current situation and developmental plans for better living conditions to the people of Changtang. Briefing the home secretary on some major problems faced by the administration in the Tibetan settlements and submitted a memorandum during her visit to New Delhi in October, Dolma Gyari apprised the Indian
Home Ministry officials of important issues relating to Tibetan refugees in India. Mr Rijiju expressed his appreciation for the Tibetan administration’s efforts in properly rehabilitating Tibetan refugees in India. Secretary Mr Anil Goswami expressed happiness on meeting the Tibetan delegation and receiving updates on Tibetan refugees. He assured the group that the problems discussed during the meeting shall be looked into and addressed accordingly. Kalon Dolma Gyari also expressed her deep gratitude to the government and people of India for their long-standing support for Tibetans over the last fifty years. The CTA recently said: “The Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014, formalised on Oct 20, 2014, comes at a time when the Government of India found that the level of assistance/facilities extended by the various State Governments is not uniform.” After due consultations with the concerned State Governments and the inter-ministerial consultations at the Government of India level, the policy guidelines were laid down to bring uniformity across all the States and to improve the general satisfaction level of Tibetan refugees, CTA’s home department further said.