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Tibetans urge world action to release Tibet’s missing Panchen Lama Vol. 03, Issue 131, Print Issue 55, April 30, 2015 Footage shows moment quake hits Tibet as villagers run for their lives
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B o d - K y i - Cha-Trin
Tibetan administration expresses grief, shock over Nepal quake A Voice For Tibet Bi-monthly
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Archbishop Tutu joins His Holiness the Dalai Lama at TCV school By Molly Lortie 23, 2015
Panicked survivors run for their lives as debris falls around them. Screenshot By Yeshe Choesang: April 28, 2015
Dharamshala—Footage was recorded by a survivor of the earthquake who captured the terrifying moment survivors ran for cover. Footage has emerged of the dramatic moment the Nepal earthquake hit Tibet - causing screams of horror from onlookers as they ran for their lives. In the video, which was filmed by a survivor of the deadly ground tremor, buildings can be seen shaking, as dust and debris falls from steep cliff sides and engulfs the people bellow. Other terrifying clips of the deadly quake have emerged online since the disaster hit on April 25. Estimates from the UN suggest that eight million people have been affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, with the death toll currently topping 4,500, according to media reports. A further 8,000 people are thought to be injured. Eighteen people died on Mount Everest after an avalanche swept through its Base Camp, and more climbers are stranded higher up the mountain. Chinese authorities detain a monk from Kirti Monastery
Detained monk and writer Ven Lomig, alias Jamyang. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala — On Thursday, April 23, 2015, good friends His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu together graced a gathering at the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School. The streets were lined with faces, happy to catch a glimpse of the two spiritual leaders. On arrival at TCV His Holiness and the Archbishop were escorted into the small library adjacent to the basketball court. Amidst the neat bookshelves and displays of projects the children had done writing about ‘joy’, several students, girls and boys, recounted their own journeys from Tibet to the school. The first, who had come with her grandmother, leaving the rest of her family behind, broke down in sobs and tears. Archbishop Tutu’s daughter, Mpho, stepped forward to hug and comfort her. She completed her tale, but when the next student too was overcome with emotion His Holiness intervened, suggesting: “You should think about how as a result of coming here you have been able to receive not only a modern education, but also to learn about our rich culture. You’ve been able to study our language. This is the best language for explaining the profound traditions of Nalanda University. This is something to be proud of. And yours may be the generation that can rebuild Tibet.” When His Holiness was invited to address those gathered on the basketball court of TCV school, he turned to the Archbishop and joked that since the Archbishop teases him so much about his English, on this occasion he would speak in Tibetan. He stated that although our various religious traditions have different philosophical viewpoints, they share a common message of love and compassion. This is clearly reflected in the Archbishop and is why he admires him. Addressing the throngs of students seated in front of him, His Holiness said: “We received immense help from the Indian government. The world helped us. Because of the kindness we have received you have the opportunity to study today. Please, work hard. We Tibetans are going through a very difficult time, but we still have our own language and culture. Please take full advantage of your educational opportunities.” Archbishop Tutu spoke next, acknowledging His Holiness, the students, and others who were in the crowd.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Tibetan Children’s Village School, Dharamshala, HP, India on April 23, 2015. Photo: TPI/Dawa Phurbu
“It’s a great honor and privilege to be here... We in South Africa lived for many years under a system of injustice and oppression. Many of our leaders and young people went into exile. It seemed as if the chains of oppression would never be broken, that our prisoners on Robben Island would never come home. And yet,” and he let out his characteristic high pitched chuckle, “it happened.” “In 1995, our beloved Nelson Mandela and the others were released and the exiles came home. One day, you too, all of you, will see your beloved Tibet again. You’ll be free of the oppression that has driven you here. The Chinese government will discover that freedom is actually cheaper than oppression.”
He spoke of the deep honor he feels to count His Holiness as his friend and to the laughs of the crowd, claimed “I pretend that I am modest and I don’t tell too many people that actually he is a very very dear friend. I just say, ‘well you know, he is mischievous. He is troublesome. When I am wearing my cap, he takes off my cap and puts it on his own head.’ But you know, the world supports you. The world loves His Holiness.” P- 3... Three Tibetans killed in Nepal quake
Tibetan man dies after setting himself ablaze in Ngaba county
By Yeshe Choesang: April 20, 2015
Dharamshala — Chinese police detained a young Tibetan monk and scholar on Friday in Ngaba County in Amdo region of north-eastern Tibet for reasons unknown. Ven Lomig, alias Jamyang, is a monk and a writer who resides at Kirti monastery in Ngaba (Ch: Aba, prefecture in southwest China’s Sichuan province). Authorities detained him on April 17 around 11:30 p.m., but no one knows why or where he is being detained, sources said. “At this point of time, we just know that he was detained, but we don’t know the details,” sources added. According to the sources, he is a monk focused on his study, who wrote an article entitled, ‘How Yellow Mist Swirls.” He was studying in the Pharchin grade (a class of Buddhist studies) inside the monastery at the time when authorities detained the monk. Jamyang hails from Meruma in Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, and his family lives in the third group of nomadic villages in Meruma town.
By Business Standard: April 28, 2015
Dharamshala — Three Tibetans died in Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal and there is no contact with the Tibetans settled in Walung region of the Himalayan nation, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said on Tuesday. Walung region is at the border of Nepal and Tibet. In Kathmandu district, Libing Sendrak Rinpoche’s monastery suffered severe destruction. Likewise, many nunneries in the area have also reported damages. One nun died in the earthquake, while three nuns sustained severe injuries in the area, the CTA said, quoting a Kathmandu Office of Tibet statement. P- 2 ... Tibetans Block Highway Construction in Sit-Down Protest
USGS model suggests the Nepal earthquake death toll will rise
Ney Kyab, 45, also known as Dhamkar from Ngaba County, Amdo region of north-eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI By Yeshe Choesang: April 17, 2015
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Dharamshala — Another Tibetan has set himself on fire while shouting slogans calling for for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the release of the 11th Panchen Lama, marking the second such protest against China’s oppressive Tibet policy in the region in two weeks. “Ney Kyab, known as Dhamkar, a 45-year-old father of seven children self-immolated in an apparent protest against the Chinese government’s continuing repressive policies in Tibet,” Kanyak Tsering, Media Coordinator for India based Kirti Monastery told the Tibet Post International on Friday. He called out for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland Tibet and release of the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Chokeyi Nyima who has not been seen since his disappearance in May, 1995. His body was taken away by Chinese authorities, preventing
the traditional Tibetan burial rituals. But numerous ritual activities are being carried out by local Tibetans, such as going to monasteries, offering prayers and butter lamps to pay their condolences and show solidarity with the selfimmolator’s family. “Before his self-immolation, Dhamkar displayed portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the 11th Panchen Lama with offerings of butter-lamps and flowers on an altar, as well as a family photograph near his home in a village in Ngaba county” the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. In 2014 Dhamkar took an initiative not to indulge oneself in disputes amongst the Tibetans and but called for unity. He had received public recognition for his vow not to harm others in honor of all those who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of the Tibetan freedom struggle” the source added. P- 3 ...
Tibetan protesters block construction equipment in Sangchu, Amdo region of north-eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI By Yangchen Dolma April 21, 2015
Dharamshala — Tibetan villagers living in northwestern China’s Gansu province are protesting the proposed extension of a Chinese-built highway into nomadic grazing areas, blocking earth-moving equipment with their bodies and demanding that the work be stopped, sources said. Included in the protest, which began on April 10, are residents of at least one of several villages belonging to Gengya township in Gansu’s Sangchu (in Chinese, Xiahe) county in the Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a local source said. P- 3 ...
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TPI NEWS
April 30, 2015
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Genocide in the 20th Century: Massacres in Tibet and China: 1966-76 April 30, 2015
Dharamshala — Anyone who regularly observes the topsy-turvy world of Chinese politics and policies in Tibet understands that the past, even the remote past, can exert a grief impact on the present and future. Recent major historical anniversaries — like that of the 1949 Occupation or the 1966 Cultural Revolution and its Massacres or the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising Day — can send either perennial chills or doctrinal fevers through China’s political culture and media. In Tibet and China, the past is always present, even if, as in the case of occupation and massacres, it cannot be talked about, even readly in China itself. Mao Tse Tung is responsible for around 47 million deaths, including 1.2 million Tibetans. The centenary of the genocide carried out by the Chinese government against the Tibetan population in their historic homeland of Tibet, must be observed every year on August 8. The commemorations present an opportunity not only to remember the 47 million victims, including thousands of Tibetans, but also to recognize – and challenge – the Chinese government’s continued denial of the atrocities. Starting in 1949, Tibet was invaded by 35,000 Chinese troops who systematically raped, tortured and murdered estimated more than million 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the country’s population. Since, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned. According to different sources, it is estimated that up to 260,000 people died in prisons and labor camps between 1950 and 1984. Records show that between 1949 and 1979 the following deaths occurred: 173,221 Tibetans died after being tortured in prison. 156,758 Tibetans were executed by the Chinese. 432,705 Tibetans were killed while fighting Chinese occupation. 342,970 Tibetans have starved to death. 92,731 Tibetans were publicly tortured to death. 9,002 Tibetans committed suicide. The free loving world must remember and recognize the genocide of the Chinese and Tibetan people, which started in 1966 and has lasted 49 years, referred to as the cultural revolution. The international community, especially the United States and European Union must recognize the reality of the Tibetan and Chinese genocide and call upon the Chinese government to do the same—considering the monstrous threat genocide poses to the values and modern principles that those nations hold most dear. The horrors of the genocides of crimes against humanity between in 1966-1976 — committed by the government led by Mao Tse Tung— have since been rewritten, and swept under the rug has been the death of 1.5 million people. It was a period in which the nation faced famine, systematic torture, brutality, starvation, and mass peasant killings. How can they get away with it? How can they deny such events as massacres or genocide? It’s not merely that our memories are short and historical record cycles move on; it’s the political reality of the CCP’s rule during these ten years. During those 10 years, 47 million people, including 1.2 Tibetans were worked, starved or beaten to death. Members of rural families were seen by the CCP as “digits” (faceless workforce) Parents were forced to bury their children alive for any act of disobedience. Some were doused in excrement & urine, set alight, or had their nose or an ear cut off. In 1980, the party general secretary Hu Yaobang unwillingly apologized for the failed policies that made conditions in Tibet worse than in 1959 and then he accused the party leaders of throwing the money entrusted to them to help Tibet into the Yarlung Tsangpo river. The Chinese government has never made a formal apology for their atrocities in Tibet. Today in China, the authorities call for Japan to issue a formal apology on an alleged genocide issue. But the reality is that China itself does not take responsibility for its own mistakes. In fact, it took reformists in China, led by Deng Xiaoping, three full years to issue a full-fledged condemnation of the Cultural Revolution and its excesses. Deng who opened up China to the outside world, invited the elder brother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for a private visit to Beijing.
Gyalo Thondup visited Beijing in February 1979. There, he met a number of Chinese leaders, including the paramount leader Deng Xiaoping on March 12, 1979. Deng told Thondup that “apart from independence, all issues can be discussed”. He even invited the Tibetan leadership to send delegations into Tibet and see things for themselves. In 1982, Hu Yaobang‘s political report criticized the Cultural Revolution. Five years later, Zhao Ziyang spoke out the issue of political reform to the prevention of further tragedies in China like the Cultural Revolution: “We must through reforms ensure that socialist democracy gradually moves toward systemization and legalization. This is the most basic guarantee that we can prevent a replay of the Cultural Revolution and achieve long-term peace and stability.” This is not an apology, but it is still significant. It represents the first time top Chinese leaders had used such conciliatory language to discuss what happened in 1966. In 2012, former Chinese premier Wen Jiabao told a reporter from Singapore’s Straits Times that he knows only too well that resolving these issues means not just carrying out economic reforms, but also means carrying out political reforms, especially reforms to the system of Party and state leadership. Because “we have not yet fully rooted out the evil legacy of the errors of the Cultural Revolution and the influence of feudalism.” During his presidency, Hu Jintao has mentioned the errors of the Cultural Revolution on at least five occasions. One was the commemoration in 2003 of the 110-year anniversary of Mao Zedong’s birth. Many political analysts have said that these recent remarks made by top Chinese leaders are a positive sign toward economic and political reform in the regime, including Tibet. At the very least it shows a willingness to talk about the errors their formers made. It’s too soon to tell whether the statement will pave the way for an apology – something the Chinese authorities have demonstrated a capacity for in the past. The total Tibetan population in Tibet is 6 million. Of them, 2.09 million live in the so Tibet Autonous Region (TAR) and the rest in the Tibetan areas outside the TAR. In Tibet today, there is no freedom of speech, religion, or press and arbitrary detainments continue. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, fled to India in 1959. He now lives among over 100,000 other Tibetan refugees and their government in exile. Forced abortion, sterilization of Tibetan women and the transfer of low income Chinese citizens threaten the survival of Tibet’s unique culture. In some Tibetan provinces, Chinese settlers outnumber Tibetans 7 to 1. Within China itself, massive human rights abuses continue. It is estimated that there up to twenty million Chinese citizens working in prison camps. Most of the Tibetan plateau lies above 14,000 feet. Tibet is the source of five of Asia’s greatest rivers, which over 2 billion people depend upon. Since 1959, the Chinese government estimates that they have removed over $54 billion worth of timber. Over 80% of their forests have been destroyed, and large amounts of nuclear and toxic waste have been disposed of in Tibet. Despite these facts and figures, some governments, including South Africa and Norway continue to support China politically. This shows their blatant lack of respect for these critical issues of political and religious freedom and human rights. There are many other countries in which equal or worse environmental and human rights devastation has occurred. So why Tibet? Tibet can be used as the catalyst for change in human rights, women’s rights, political, religious and cultural freedom across the globe. Through a concerted effort, the people of the world can stand up against genocide and say “No!” to the corporations and governments that continue to abuse it’s people and misuse it’s resources. The struggles in Tibet are symbolic for every human rights struggle and non-violence. The world will again pause August 8 to remember the 39th anniversary of the beginning of the Tibetan genocide. On August 8, 1966, thousands of Tibetans, including intellectuals and public figures were detained and summarily executed in Tibet — the beginning of P- 3 ...
The Tibet Post International OPINION China’s white paper on Tibet is barking up the wrong tree By Sherab Woeser,: April 21, 2015
China – Losing way in the middle Dharmshala — China has set a definitive tone for this year’s commemorations of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region’s 50 years by coming out with its most exhaustive and strongest rejection yet of the Middle Way Approach. But there is a catch. China’s version of MWA finds little consonance with the Tibetan proposal for genuine autonomy. Last week, the State Council Information Office of China doled out its 13th whitepaper on Tibet, titled “Tibet’s Path of Development Is Driven by an Irresistible Historical Tide”. The 32-page document has five parts, excluding the foreword and the conclusion, and dedicates more than half of its pages in dispensing malicious rebuttals to non-existent arguments and vilifying His Holiness the Dalai Lama, using language that oscillates from the abusive to inflammatory. The entire plot of the whitepaper is simple yet deceptively evil. China not only re-writes history, describing how Tibet has been an inalienable part of China since “ancient times”, they also author a perverted version of MWA and then painstakingly go on to provide point-by-point confutations. The Chinese Communist Party persists with its policy of rejecting introspection and dialogue with stakeholders and misinterprets reality using whimsical statistics and arbitrary stories. The whitepaper supports its claims by quoting a number of statements which are either unattributed or are simply fake and cannot be traced to any independent source. For example, the whitepaper alleges that on March 10, 2008, His Holiness the Dalai Lama “made a speech urging his followers within Chinese territory to engage in violence.” Howsoever unimaginable and far-fetched even the very mention of His Holiness inciting violence may sound, for record’s sake, the entire March 10, 2008
statement of His Holiness can be found online in Chinese language for the Chinese leaders to read. Tibetans will be the first to acknowledge that the old political and social system in Tibet was in much need of change and reform. To this effect, His Holiness, at the tender age of 17 in 1952, established a Reform Committee to alleviate the burden of indigent Tibetans and poor farmers by reducing their taxes and by re-distributing land equitably. No Tibetan, least of all His Holiness, who has handed over all his political responsibilities to the elected Tibetan leadership and has stated on many occasions that he will not accept any political office upon his return to Tibet, has any intention of “restoring” the old system in Tibet. The exile Tibetan leadership on the whole, especially the Tibetan Kashag, headed by Harvard-educated Dr Lobsang Sangay, which has an average age of less than 55, were either born in exile or were too young when they escaped to exile to have any “sentimental attachment to the old theocratic feudal serfdom” as suggested in the whitepaper. China would be well advised to study the strides that the exile Tibetans under the leadership of His Holiness have made in embracing the modern and scientific values of education, democracy and development while remaining true to their unique cultural heritage. The essence of MWA, which seeks to secure genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the scope of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, has been enshrined in the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan people and the Note. Both of these documents have been presented to the Chinese government and are available online. The whitepaper alludes to frequent mentions of terms such as “greater Tibet,” “high degree of autonomy,” “international zone of peace” to misrepresent facts and drive home its disapproval of MWA. However, China has
chosen to bark up the wrong tree as these terms, in particular, and many of their alleged demands of MWA, in general, don’t find any mention in the Memorandum or in the adjoining Note. The official stance of the exile Tibetan administration, as outlined in the Memorandum, in no way challenges or brings into question the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and harbours no intention to expel the non-Tibetans who have permanently settled in Tibet. China, through its distorted interpretation of MWA, aims to alienate the exile Tibetans from Tibet while using scare tactics to create an atmosphere of mistrust and animosity between Tibetans and Chinese. Although the whitepaper squarely blames His Holiness the Dalai Lama and certain groups in exile for inciting the 2008 protests and the ongoing wave of self-immolations, the Chinese leadership, with all the state security machinery at its whim, has once again failed to provide any credible evidence to support these allegations. China’s ruse of finger-wagging and mudslinging not only dishonours the sacrifices made by the Tibetan people but also diverts attention from the real cause of the continuing unrest on the Tibetan plateau – China’s own six-and-a-half decades of misrule. Instead of forcing Tibetans to be a part of the lie that they have created, China must accept the fact that the exiled Tibetans are their biggest ally in accomplishing a peaceful resolution of the Tibetan issue. China must also realise that the aspiration for a Tibet united under a single administration is not merely an “illusion”. The maps of the 2008 Uprisings and the ongoing wave of selfimmolations lucidly demarcate the territorial contours of Tibet’s ancient precincts, nurtured for ages by the Tibetan people, who remain united by history and a common destiny. The writer is a research fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Tibet Policy Institute.
Tibetan Youth Congress refutes China’s White Paper on Tibet, seeks evidence over claims By Yangchen Dolma,: April 27, 2015
Dharamshala — In response to the White Paper released by the State Council Information office of China on April 15, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) the largest pro independence organization in exile states that this White Paper, is full of ‘White lies’ and the allegations made by Chinese government against TYC are baseless and dishonest. “Instead of trying to genuinely resolve the issue of Tibet, the Beijing Government has once again resorted to making blatant false attacks against His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the TYC,” the TYC said in a statement issued on April 24. As the Tibetan movement gains momentum and support from people all over the world, there is a growing desperation within the communist camp in China, the TYC said, adding that “Chinese propaganda attempts and disingenuous portrayal of Tibet’s historic or present situation have failed to convince the world community at large.” The youth group said that ‘Chinese charm offensive use of soft power as a strategy in international politics has failed miserably as the world continues to remain distrustful of the Beijing Government.’ “What has worked for China to date is its use of economic and military influence. On the contrary the growing popularity and global recognition of His Holiness the Dalai Lama coupled with the international support and sympathy for the Tibetan movement has only grown and intensified,” it added. “Additionally, the spirit of the Tibetan people and the work of TYC have remained steadfast, which causes China grave anxiety and paranoia,’ it said.
The president of Tibetan TibetanYouth Congress, Mr Tenzing Jigme. Photo: TPI/file
“It appears the Chinese government and their leaders are scrambling to justify their illegal occupation of Tibet”, says TYC President Tenzing Jigme. “Since its inception in 1970, TYC has been very successful in exposing the truth about China’s wrong policies, mobilizing and organizing the Tibetan freedom movement in exile - that is the reason why Beijing every now and then resorts to accusing TYC of being a terrorist organization and making false baseless accusations against the organization,” states Jigme. The White Paper states; For years, the TYC not only schemed and incited ill-informed people to engage in violence, but also actively trained armed and reserve forces. They set up military training bases in Dharamshala, India, and established the “Tibetan Freedom Fighters
Three Tibetans killed in Nepal ... It said there has been much damage to property but minimum loss of lives of Tibetans in Nepal. A CTA spokesperson told IANS that the Office of Tibet has collected information from seven Tibetan settlement offices spread across the mountainous country. It said the walls of Tibetan homes in Lo-Tserok settlement in the remote trans-Himalayan Mustang district developed cracks. Fissures in fields and agricultural lands have also been reported. A building collapsed in Kimtrol, where two Tibetan brothers were staying in a rented room. One of them died while the other received severe injuries and is currently admitted in a hospital.
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In Boudha and Jorpati areas in Kathmandu, it said a building housing 37 Tibetan families sustained severe damage and was in danger of collapsing. A 30-year-old Tibetan named Chime from Boudha died after the walls collapsed on him during the earthquake. Many people from Boudha have reported damage to their homes and rented houses. The toll in the devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake was 4,347 on Tuesday with search operations continuing for survivors under the rubble and extrication of bodies. Nepal is home to more than 20,000 Tibetan refugees who have been staying here since the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959.
Association” to carry out armed sabotage and sent people to contact international terrorist organizations to seek mutual support. TYC has had a hand in many incidents of violence and terror in Tibet and other places in China. Responding to allegations of terrorism involvement, the group said they “have consistently maintained that our organization and movement are based on the principles of non-violence. These kinds of accusations hold no grounds. We demand the Beijing government either stops making false charges or provide concrete evidence of such charges.” “China’s illegal occupation of Tibet and their current hardline and oppressive policies are also the sole reasons for the unrest inside Tibet as epitomized by the Self Immolations,” he added, saying “Since 2009, 139 Tibetans have selfimmolated inside Tibet. If China is really sincere about solving the issue of Tibet, they must make an honest evaluation of their current policies and stop making baseless attacks on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and TYC.” Jigme said “TYC is an independent and democratic organization whose activities and policies have no interference from outside.” “China continued attempts at misleading the world with the release of White Papers containing serious distortion of facts will not only cause Tibetans to endure their resistance and further intensify the struggle but also lead to further abomination of China by international community,” the group said in its concluding statement.
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Federation of Tibetan Co-operatives celebrates 10th anniversary
Observing a minute’s silence on the 10th anniversary of FTCI at Hotel Tibet, Dharamshala, India, on April 20, 2015. Photo: CTA/DIIR By Molly Lortie: April 22, 2015
Dharamshala — The Federation of Tibetan Cooperatives in India Ltd (FTCI) celebrated its 10th anniversary on Tuesday, April 21. Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay graced the event at Hotel Tibet, as chief guest. The FCTI was successfully registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act in 2005. The cooperatives have over Rs 70 crore in member deposits and grants Rs 12 crore as loan to its members every year. The event was also attended by Mr Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliamentin-Exile, Deputy Speaker, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Home Kalon, Dolma Gyari, Dr Dinesh,
Chief Executive of National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), Mr Tsewang Yeshi, TCV President along with senior officials and representatives of governmental and nongovernmental organisations. After a minute’s silence for the Tibetan martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the country, Mr. Pema Delek, president, FTCI, narrated a brief account of FTCI. Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the chief guest of the event, paid his heartiest congratulations to the FTCI members on its 10 anniversary and appreciated in ability to produce profit in the recent years. He reiterated the need to take responsibility in overall development of the country other than its concept of ‘Economic Democracy’. “Ideologically, there is capitalist economy and socialist economy, while in capitalist, the capital is owned by private, in socialist, state is in ownership of capital. However, ideology of cooperatives is based on economic democracy,” Sikyong added. Speaker Penpa Tsering stressed the need of properly utilizing staff of FTCI to achieve ultimate efficiency. He further added that the success of the co-operative should not be based only for the public but for the stability of the settlement in general as well.
Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts hosts showcase for Desmond Tutu By Yangchen Dolma: April 24, 2015
Dharamshala — The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), the premiere institute for Tibet’s cultural dance, theater and opera, yesterday organised a grand dinner reception and cultural show for Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Archbishop is currently on a visit to Dharamshala to collaborate on a book titled ‘Book of Joy’ with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan administration media reported. The Archbishop and his ‘Team Joy’ which include his daughter Mpho, was welcomed to the institute by Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, who is also the Chairman of TIPA’s governing Board of Directors. Artistes from TIPA presented numerous Tibetan folk songs and cultural dances including the famed Tibetan acrobatic dance, popularly known as Rolpa. The cultural show concluded with a special group song written in honour of the Archbishop’s second visit to Dharamshala. Visibly moved after Sikyong Dr. Sangay translated the meaning of the lyrics to him, theArchbishop went on stage to greet each one of the artistes and hugged them tightly. Wearing a traditional Tibetan hat and glowing with excitement and enthusiasm, the Archbishop also shook
a leg on stage to demonstrate his love for dancing, drawing cheerful applauses from Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay and others on the stage. Delighted by the performances, the Archbishop remarked, “it’s important to preserve your culture and tradition, and I am glad to see that you have preserved your culture so well. It’s a moment of great pride.” Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, exclaimed his pleasure at being able to host Archbishop Desmond Tutu at TIPA and present Tibet’s unique artistic heritage of songs and dances to him. “It’s a moment of great pride for us to welcome His Holiness the Dalai Lama‘s close friend and ardent Tibet supporter Archbishop Desmond Tutu to TIPA. We are glad that he enjoyed the traditional Tibetan performances. We hope he enjoys the remaining days of his visit to Dharamshala,” Sikyong said. As the Archbishop’s car left TIPA’s premise, the atmosphere of joy and merriment came to a close with a smile on everyone’s face. However, a piece of the joy-filled moment is forever etched in TIPA’s history in the form of the words written by the Archbishop in TIPA’s visitors diary. “What a wonderful experience, beautiful singing, dancing and delicious food. Super, Thank you,” he wrote.
Tibet News
By Yangchen Dolma: April 27, 2015
Dharamshala – Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has expressed its deep shock and sadness at the extensive damages to property and loss of life caused by the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit the Himalayan region of Nepal, India, Tibet and Bangladesh on Saturday. In an emergency meeting of the Tibetan cabinet held on Sunday, the CTA has expressed its deep shock and sadness at the horrific devastation to life and property caused by the massive magnitude earthquake that shook the Himalayan regions. In a statement, the CTA said it “will also donate a sum of NPR 20 Lacs to the government of Nepal as a token of contribution from the Central Tibetan Administration towards its rescue and relief efforts in the country.” The cabinet said it has instructed its Representatives abroad and the Settlement Officers to collect donations from their respective areas towards relief efforts in Nepal.” “The Kashag further instructed all Tibetan settlements, monasteries and communities in Nepal to actively engage in rescue and relief efforts in their localities,” the statement reads. While expressing his grief and sadness, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay said, “At this dark and painful time, words fail to convey how deeply we feel for the people affected in Nepal, Tibet and India.” “On behalf of the Central Tibetan Administration and the entire Tibetan people, I express my profound sympathies and condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and whose lives have been severely devastated by this horrific natural calamity.” “Our sincere prayers are with the people affected by the earthquake and the governments at this time of national tragedy,” he said. A special prayer service was held on monday evening at the main temple in Dharamshala, to mourn those who lost their lives in the Nepal tragedy. More than 3,900 people have been killed so far across Nepal and 6,833 people were injured in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake occurred on Saturday, according to the Home Ministry of Nepal on Monday. According to reports, 3,700 people were killed in Nepal, at least 70 in India, 20 in Tibet and two in Bangladesh. Two Chinese nationals reportedly died at the Nepal-Tibet border. Nepalese officials Monday said the death toll had
Archbishop Tutu joins ...
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The two great spiritual leaders then took questions from the students regarding various topics regarding violence, materialism, environmentalism and finding joy. A band on the stage led the whole crowd in singing, ‘We are the world’. Archbishop Tutu got to his feet, dancing and swaying to the music. At the end he took the microphone and led everyone in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to His Holiness as a large cake ablaze with candles was placed before them. He called for children to come and help His Holiness blow the candles out. The cake was cut and it was distributed among the children and guests. Tomorrow will see the final day of the conversations that are to become the ‘Book of Joy’. ... continued from front page
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Tibetan administration expresses grief, shock over Nepal quake
Tibetan man dies ...
Archbishop Desmond Tutu dancing in delight after seeing the Tibetan traditional performances in Dharamshala, India. Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and the Archbishop’s daughter Mpho can be seen cheering him on. Photo: CTA/DIIR
April 30, 2015
Dhamkar, who’s wife died last year, is survived by his seven children, and he was son of deceased parents Neymo and Kardrema. He was a native of Adue Yultso, Ngaba (Ch: Aba county in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), County, Amdo region of northeastern Tibet. The latest self-immolation came after Yeshe Khado, a 47-year-old Tibetan nun carried out a self-immolation protest in Karze, Eastern Tibet last week. She died after setting herself alight while shouting slogans calling for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet. Since the current wave of self-immolations began in 2009, 138 people are known to have set themselves on fire inside Tibet in protest against the repressive Chinese occupation of Tibet. Out of them, 119 have died, while the status or the physical condition of the rest remains unknown or critical. The Central Tibetan Administration repeatedly says “the main reasons listed in the report for Tibet’s fiery protests are political repression, and cultural assimilation, destruction of Tibetan Buddhism. Besides, social discrimination, strangling the Tibetan language, environment destruction, Tibetan Nomads and ending their way of life and economic marginalisation, population transfer and western China Development Programme are the other reasons
Many historic buildings have been damaged - such as Swayambhunath temple complex in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 25, 2015. Photo: TPI
risen to 3,617 people. That does not include the 22 people killed in the avalanche on Mount Everest. At least 20 were killed and 58 injured in Tibet, after a powerful earthquake struck neighboring Nepal on Saturday. “Some 24,800 people in Shigaze City have been relocated,” the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday quoting local authorities. Major historic monuments in the Nepalese capital have been destroyed in the earthquake. These include a nine-storey tower, temples and some parts of what was once a royal palace, all listed as Unesco world heritage sites, officials have said. Several buildings in Patan’s 3rd Century square
were destroyed. The Buddhist temple complex at Swayambhunath, founded in the 5th Century, has also been damaged. There have been reports that the iconic central stupa, with its gazing eyes of the Buddha and Pashupatinath Hindu temple site were damaged too. After the earthquake struck, frightened residents came out into the streets. Mobile phones and other communications have been disrupted. The US Geological Survey said the quake hit at 11:56am local time (06:11 GMT). It initially reported a magnitude 7.7 before revising the calculation to 7.5 and later upgraded to 7.9.
Tibetans block highway construction ...
The number of those involved was not immediately clear, but “construction could affect about 689 Tibetan residents and their livelihood,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They have been sitting and protesting for almost 10 days now,” the source said. So far, authorities have made no promise of
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financial compensation for those likely to be affected by the work on the road, the source said. “Instead, they called some village elders in for questioning and threatened them.” “If the authorities proceed with construction in spite of our protest, they should provide compensation for the land,” he said.
Genocide in the 20th Century: Massacres ... the systematic purge of the Tibetan population at the hands of the Chinese government. Denial, the last bastion of those who commit genocide, disrespects the victims and their communities and lays a foundation of lies for a future that is likely to be characterized by even more distrust and repression. Given this, one must ask: Is acknowledging the Tibetan genocide in China’s long-term interest? The Chinese government has been raising this mistake for nearly a half century. No apology is made, or intended to be made, for this outrage. But there is another path that China can follow, one that has been traveled by countries with historical burdens that are at least as heavy: ending the politics of denial and embracing acknowledgement, thereby opening the way for reconciliation and progress. For China, the first step would be for President Xi Jinping to apologize to these communities, including Tibetan, Eastern Turkestan and Inner Mongolian communities for the genocide. The apology would have to be straightforward and credible, unlike his recent statement, in which he effectively denied the genocide by referring vaguely to “the events of 1915” and trivialized the Armenians’ suffering by equating it with that of “every other citizen of the Ottoman Empire” at the time. Erdoğan would have to acknowledge publicly that genocide was committed, recognize the state’s failure to protect its citizens, and offer a promise that such atrocities will not happen again. Another crucial measure would be to establish a truthful and accurate historical record of what happened to the Tibetan people. To this end, an independent commission – composed of a mixture of national and international experts – should be established to build on the work of the unofficial committees in Tibet and China, as wells as other regions. China should also provide reparations for Tibetans, whose plundered property has enriched the modern Tibet state. Initiatives should aim to address the material needs and, at least symbolically, compensate the losses suffered by Tibetans inside Tibet. Monuments and memorials can also serve an important purpose in providing an enduring reminder not only of the victims, but also of the state’s promise never to allow such atrocities to happen again. In a country where perpetrators of genocide have been placed in the pantheon of national heroes, this
... continued from editorial
could send a message to people of the world, that the state takes human rights and the rule of law seriously. However this is a trivial matter: China currently unwillingly bears the dubious distinction of having the highest number of judgments for human-rights violations rendered against it by the UN Human Rights. But symbolic measures, while important, are not enough to bring about real progress. Chinese government must demonstrate its commitment to ensuring that its laws and institutions effectively protect the human rights of all of its citizens, particularly people of Tibet, Eastern Turkestan and Inner Mongolia. In doing so, it would improve its standing in the UN and beyond. China has an important role to play in its region and the world – one that is undermined by its continued denial of the Tibetan genocide. Its disingenuous approach to the genocide is inconsistent with its efforts to cultivate a reputation as an honest, reliable partner. By acknowledging the Chinese and Tibetan genocide, China would establish itself as a mature nation and reinforce its standing as a legitimate regional and world power. This would enhance geopolitical stability by strengthening Beijing’s capacity to mediate and support initiatives in occupied territorial contexts where impunity reigns, such as in Tibet, Eastern Turkestan, Mongolia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Clearly, the benefits of acknowledging the genocide are far-reaching. But perhaps most compelling are the dangers of maintaining the status quo. As the some former leaders, including Jiang Zemein put it the denial of genocide enables, while committing of new forms of genocidal violence to peoples in the future— unacceptable and out of touch with both historical facts and legal basis. But, in his own way and escorting his father, Xi Zhongxun, the President Xi needs to apologize sincerely on behalf of the CCP and declare convincingly, “never again.” — there is a clear responsibility to step up to the historical moment, call this crime by its rightful name, and declare it intolerable. Observing the 40th Anniversary on August 8, 2016, Tibetans and supporters must call on the People’s Republic of China for full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Tibetan genocide. Otherwise, each passing day is another opportunity lost for all of us to live up to the refrain of never again and to recognize the genocide.
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April 30, 2015
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LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Take part in stimulating debates that will allow you to show off your intelligence. Go out with friends and avoid the situation on the home front. You will attract new love interests. Electrical problems may be an issue. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.
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Archbishop Tutu visits His Holiness in McLeod Ganj Nobel Peace Laureates talk finding and creating more joy in the world By Yeshe Choesang: April 19, 2015
His Holiness presents a khatag to fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate, archbishop Desmond Tutu, at the Main Temple in McLeod Ganj. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala — Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Laureate from South Africa, arrived in Dharamshala Saturday afternoon who is on a week-long visit to collaborate a book titled ‘Book of Joy. He was received at the Gaggal airport by the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the political leader of the Tibetan people and Ngodup Dongchung Kalon for the Department of Security had also arrived at the airport to welcome the Archbishop. Speaking to media at the airport, His Holiness the Dalai Lama hailed the Archbishop as a ‘genuine good human being’ and His Holiness
said he was happy to have his friend with him in Dharamshala. His Holiness the Dalai Lama last visited South Africa when Nelson Mandela was the president. “I am so thrilled to be with my dear friend, often things and people try to keep us apart but the love that we have for each other and the goodness of god’s universe ensures that we will meet.” Archbishop Tutu told reporters at the Gaggal airport on his arrival from South Africa. He further denounced the current South African government for denying visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and also expressed amazement over China’s government apparent deep sense of insecurity over His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
By Molly Lortie: April 20, 2015
Gansu, Qinghai and other areas that Tibetans and people of other ethnic minorities inhabit in compact communities should be incorporated into a unified administrative region.” “Third, it demands ‘a high degree of autonomy’ that is not subject to any constraint whatsoever from the central government, denies the leadership of the central government and Tibet’s present social and political systems, and proposes to establish an ‘autonomous government’ under which ‘Tibetans’ (in truth the Dalai party) take full charge of all affairs other than diplomacy and national defense.” “Fourth, it opposes the central government to garrison troops in Tibet and, despite its superficial agreement that the central government holds the authority over national defense, it demands that the central government ‘withdraws all Chinese troops’ to turn Tibet into an ‘international zone of peace.’ “And fifth, in total disregard of the fact that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been a multi-ethnic region since ancient times, it denies the access of other ethnic groups to ‘Greater Tibet’ and drives them out of regions where they have lived for generations.” Of the five points, genuine autonomy in particular, China clearly takes issue with, as the white paper claimed that it “is a mask that conceals the true aim of realizing complete independence; and its purpose is to deny China’s sovereignty over Tibet and establish a “Greater Tibet” beyond the jurisdiction of the central government.”
“I do not know why the South African government is denying visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” he said. “I invited the Dalai Lama to be part of my birthday celebrations in South Africa. However, I was surprised to know that he had been denied visa by the government. I talked to the Dalai Lama on the phone and enquired how many divisions of the army he had because of which the Chinese government was afraid of him.” Answering the question Tutu said: “They are right; spiritual leader is something to be taken seriously.” Desmond Tutu said. To mark His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday, the two Nobel peace laureates will spend time together in Dharamshala ‘in deep dialogue and playful laughter as they share their experience of how to find joy in the face of life’s challenges.’ It acquired the pair’s collaborative “The Book of Joy” in what the bookseller described as a “very spirited” 12-way auction. Their discussion will form the basis of the text, with the pair - who call each other “spiritual brother” - also inviting members of the public to ask the questions about joy and happiness they most want answered on the authors’ Facebook pages. The most popular will be addressed during the meetings this April, according to multiple media reports. 83-year-old Archbishop Tutu, who flew to Dharamshala from Amritsar after paying obeisance at Golden Temple on Friday, would stay in the hill-town till April 26. This has been Tutu’s second visit to the CTA headquarters in since 2012.
By Yangchen Dolma: April 21, 2015
Dharamshala — A conversation was held between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to bring more joy and happiness to the troubled world. According to the information of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in their face-to-face conversation at His Holiness’s residence in Dharamshala, on Monday, April 20, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu discussed methods for creating and finding more joy or happiness in the world. The Tutus were accompanied by Doug Abrams and other members of Human Journey, a new initiative co-founded by Archbishop Tutu and Abrams committed to spreading the African understanding of ubuntu—the realization that each of us thrives only when all of us thrive. This morning, His Holiness met with Archbishop Tutu at his residence to hold the first of several conversations that Abrams plans to shape into the ‘Book of Joy’. This will be modelled on the earlier ‘Book of Forgiving’ that the Archbishop wrote with his daughter Mpho. The two spiritual leaders laughed a great deal as they explored what joy is in terms of happiness, love and compassion. Archbishop
His Holiness the the Dalai Lama and Archibishop Desmond Tutu at His Holiness’s private residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on April 20, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL
Tutu pointed out that despite the pain involved in giving birth, mothers cradle the newborn with joy. He challenged His Holiness to explain how he remains so joyful in the face of trouble and His Holiness replied by quoting the Indian philosopher who said that you need to assess the situation and if something can be done, there’s no need to worry. What you need to do is take action. and if there’s nothing to be done, worrying won’t help. On Saturday, April 18 His Holiness the Dalai Lama went to Kangra Airport to receive his old friend Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho and welcome them to Dharamshala.
Tibetans urge world action to release Tibet’s missing Panchen Lama
China says middle way feigns acceptance of sovereignty in Tibet
Dharamshala — On Wednesday, April 15th, China released the latest of a total 13 white papers since 1990 regarding Tibet. White papers are meant to address complex issues and act as an authoritative guide to a comprehensive solution. While the white paper addressed many facets of the state of Tibet, its clear that the greatest aim was to discredit His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and his Middle Way Approach. The white paper denounces the plan, summarily stating that, “Under the ‘middle way,’ the Dalai group feigns acceptance of China’s sovereignty in Tibet to seize the reins of power and set up a semi-independent political regime under the control of the ‘Tibetan independence’ forces, and ultimately seek full sovereignty and achieve ‘Tibetan independence’ when its governing power is consolidated.” Justifying this point, the white paper lays out five essential wrong doings of the Middle Way. “First, it denies the fact that Tibet has been an integral part of China since ancient times; instead it claims that Tibet was ‘an independent state’ which was ‘occupied by China in 1951,’ and that ‘Tibetans have the right to independence from a historic perspective.’” “Second, it seeks to establish a ‘Greater Tibet’ that has never existed at any time in history, claiming that the ‘Tibet issue’ concerns 6 million Tibetans and that Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan,
In contrast, the Middle Way approach, as His Holiness has defined it, “safeguards the vital interests of all concerned parties... [F]or Tibetans: the protection and preservation of their culture, religion and national identity; for the Chinese: the security and territorial integrity of the motherland; and for neighbors and other third parties: peaceful borders and international relations.” The Central Tibetan Administration clearly laid out the intended meaning of a ‘high degree of autonomy’ in a recent statement regarding the issue. The statement read, “as a part of the multi-national state of the PRC, Tibetans can benefit greatly from the rapid economic and scientific development the country is experiencing. While wanting to actively participate and contribute to this development, we want to ensure that this happens without the people losing their Tibetan identity, culture and core values and without putting the distinct and fragile environment of the Tibetan plateau, to which Tibetans are indigenous, at risk.” While China continues to claim that Tibetans are “masters of their own fate,” the demand for genuine autonomy comes from the 66 years of imprisonment for Tibetans possessing images or teachings of the Dalai Lama, the destruction of more than 6,000 monasteries and other religious symbols across Tibet, and the killing of over 1.2 million out of a total 6 Tibetans, all of which suggest the immediate and desperate need for China’s dreaded ‘genuine autonomy.’
Effects of devastating earthquake in Nepal reaches Tibet By Molly Lortie: April 27, 2015
Dharamshala – Expressing great sadness regarding the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal yesterday, including the loss of many lives and widespread damage to property, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to the Nepali Prime Minister, Sushil Koirala, on Sunday, April 26th, 2015. “The people of Nepal and Tibetans have been neighbours throughout history and many Tibetan refugees live in Nepal. I offer my condolences to you and to those who have lost members of their families, friends and their homes in this tragedy.” He added: “As a token of solidarity with the people of Nepal, I have asked the Dalai Lama Trust to make a donation towards rescue and relief efforts.” The 7.9 Richter scale tremor that struck Nepal on Saturday also affected parts of Tibet. The two border ports to Nepal were seriously affected. Reports indicate that the death toll in Tibet has reached 20. In addition to the reported deaths, a total of 58 people have been injured, four continue to be missing and 12,000 others evacuated. The quake also toppled 1,191 houses, damaged roads and cut off telecommunications in two counties in Shigaze. The massive earthquake in Nepal, the worst in over 80 years, has so far claimed over 3,600 lives and left more than 6,000 others injured. Officials
Devastating Nepal quake kills over hundred, some in Everest avalanche, Photo: TPI
have warned that the number of casualties will most likely continue to rise as rescue teams reach remote mountainous regions of western Nepal. According to reports, rescuers continued to scour Indian villages and towns bordering
Nepal as India’s death toll reached 62, including 40 in Bihar, with nearly 260 injured. In Bangladesh, four people died, two of them from heart attacks, when the quake struck, according to a report by the Daily Star.
Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Information Secretary of DIIR, during the press briefing, Dharamshala, India, on April 21, 2015. Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo By Molly Lortie,: April 22, 2015
D h a r a m s h a l a — T h e C e n t r a l Ti b e t a n Administration (CTA) held a press conference Tuesday appealing for the international community’s assistance for release of the Panchen Lama Gedhun Chokeyi Nyima who has not been seen since his disappearance in May, 1995. On May 17, 2015, which is marked as International Solidarity Day with Tibet, Tibetans and supporters will make an impassioned plea for the release of the 11th Panchen Lama and organize various initiatives surrounding the appeal. ‘’The event is to coincide with the anniversary of the disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, one of the most revered religious leaders in Tibet. The CTA calls upon the international community to join us in an appeal for his release,’’ the CTA said. “This year will mark the 20th anniversary of his disappearance at age six. Till date, his whereabouts and well-being remain unknown,” the CTA spokesperson Mr Tashi Phuntsok told reporters in his April 21 press briefing. On 14 May 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, aged six, was recognised by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. Within three days of the announcement, he was abducted, making him one of the youngest political prisoners in the world. Declaring his case an enforced disappearance in April 2 0 11 , t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s ’ Wo r k i n g Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances held China responsible for his disappearance and stated that the Chinese authorities have “continually
refused to divulge any information about him or his whereabouts, making his case an enforced disappearance”. The Panchen Lama’s disappearance has attracted international attention due to his young age. Arbitrary detention and sentencing in prison without due process is common in Tibet today. According to the Tibetan NGOs, there are currently over 2,000 Tibetan political prisoners. The Central Tibetan Administration’s appeal letter further stated that “A number of human rights bodies including the UN Committee against Torture, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, have all called for the Panchen Lama’s whereabouts to be made known. However, China has turned a deaf ear to these pleas to allow contact with the Panchen Lama and continues to detain him.” “The case of the Panchen Lama is not only the story of an innocent six-year old child disappearing for 20 years, but also a blatant symptom of political repression and lack of religious freedom. The enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama is a vivid case of China’s aggression against Tibetan people by hijacking a centuries-old traditional Buddhist practice of reincarnation for political ends.” said Tashi Phuntsok, Spokesperson of the CTA. The Central Tibetan Administration has appealed to Tibet supporters worldwide to call for the release of the Panchen Lama and all political prisoners in Tibet through different channels including social media. The campaign’s Facebook handle is “solidarity with tibet” and hashtag is #Releasepanchenlama.
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TPI NEWS
Back Page Focus Tibetan community in exile reacts to Nepali earthquake disaster April 30, 2015
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay addressing during the-prayer service held at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala, India on April 27, 2015. Photo: RFA Mandarin/Tendon By Molly Lortie: April 20, 2015
Dharamshala – Thousands of Tibetans and foreigners gathered at the main Tibetan temple on Monday, April 27, 2015 to pray for the victims of the massive earthquake that struck Nepal and parts of Tibet and northern India. Among the attendees of the service was Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected
Tibetan Prime Minister, who expressed his profound grief and condolences for those effected, saying, “The earthquake has resulted in extensive damage to life and property in Nepal and its adjoining countries including Tibet, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India... Therefore, I offer my sincere prayers for those who have lost their lives and hope that those injured recover soon.”
The Tibet Post International
T h e C e n t r a l Ti b e t a n A d m i n i s t r a t i o n has pledged to donate NPR 20 laks as contribution towards relief efforts in Nepal and has further instructed its representatives in Tibetan offices abroad and settlement officers to collect donations from their respective areas for the quake victims. Nepal has always been a neighbor to Tibetans, and is currently home to a sizable Tibetan refugee community and many Buddhist monasteries. With this in mind, the Tibetan Parliament appealed to the various Tibetan monastic institutions and the Tibetan people in Nepal to extend whatever facilities and help they may be in position to provide to the people of Nepal in this moment of great tragedy. Additionally, the Tibetan Youth Congress has expressed their condolences and pledged to start an Earthquake Relief Fund, and collaborate with all local chapters to assist in the rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts. Currently over 4,400 have been reported dead and 8,000 injured across the Himalayan nation of Nepal, however with villages in mountainous and remote areas not easily accessed, it is presumed that the death toll will rise drastically in the coming days and weeks as rescue teams make their way to these regions.
Tibetan minister attends Nobel Women’s Initiative Conference
VICTORY! China’s Confucius Institute deal terminated by Toronto District School Board as protesters declare historic campaign victory. Photo: SFT By Yangchen Dolma: April 27, 2015
Amsterdam — Top Tibetan official attended the 5th biennial Nobel Women’s Initiative
international conference ‘Defending The Defenders’ in The Netherlands, on April 26. 114 women human rights defenders and
organisations working to advance the global agenda to protect women’s human rights defenders gathered at Santpoort-Noord, The Netherlands, over the weekend. According to a report by the Tibetan administration media, Six women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the Nobel Women’s Initiative hosted this conference. The participants comprised of human rights defenders, peace activists, advocates, researchers, donors and journalist from over 20 countries gathered to brainstorm on how best to protect women human rights defenders. Past conferences took place in Guatemala, Ireland, and Canada. Kalon Dicki Chhoyang, head of the Department of Information and International Relations was invited to moderate a panel discussion on “Networks save lives: protection strategies for WHRDs (Women’s Human Rights Defenders).” She also spoke about Tibetan women as human rights defenders in Tibet. Ms Pema Chodon, Executive Member of the Tibetan Women’s Association was also present at the conference.
Students for a Free Tibet urges universities to terminate ties with Confucius Institutes By Yangchen Dolma,: April 25, 2015
New York — After an eight-month investigation into the 482 Chinese government-run Confucius Institutes (CIs) (1), Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) (2) has obtained testimony from a Canadian-Tibetan that, while a student, she was warned by Brock University in Canada not to display a Tibetan national flag, for fear of damaging their relationship with the Chinese government-backed Confucius Institute. Tenzin Dechen, now a Brock University graduate, was warned by the university’s International Student Services Manager that she would “create a problem” (3) between Brock University and the CI by bringing the Tibetan national flag to the “Celebration of Nations” event on campus in March 2014, and could also strain relations with the government of China and the Chinese market. SFT has obtained an email that was forwarded to Tenzin in which the CI Director’s email cautions against the use of the Tibetan national flag at the event. Tenzin Dechen says: “My family fled Tibet because of the Chinese government’s oppression. Never did I imagine they would find a way to silence my voice through the Confucius Institute at my own university here in Canada. I fear that countless students worldwide studying at universities hosting a Confucius Institute are being left vulnerable to a censored education system.” Students for a Free Tibet has launched a global “Say No to China’s Confucius Institutes” campaign (4) today, urging educational institutions to terminate ties to CIs in order to protect academic freedom. SFT has sent letters of concern to over 200 senior university
Essay Competition Announcement ‘Exhibition on H.H the Dalai Lama’s Body of work’ is a project that I initiated on 10th December 2012. In the past two and half years, I was able to conduct over forty-five presentations primarily in centers of learning and other places all over India. The aim of this project is to inculcate in the minds of the truth and peace-loving people, a sense of recognition and gratitude for the gift of wisdom bestowed by His Holiness on how to live a meaningful life. Moreover, it also seeks to spread words about the deeds and accomplishments of His Holiness throughout his life as a guiding light to us all.
Some of my forthcoming projects are as follow; 1) To conduct a scholar debate on His Holiness’s Thoughts & Ideas on Religion, Politics, Health, Environment, Compassion and other disciplines by a panel of experts related and intimate with His Holiness. 2) Reading comprehension contest on His Holiness’s multi-faced works in their proper disciplinary entity. 3) The ranking essays of this competition will be published in ‘Khongsa Chok-kyi khyenpa,’ which will be a journal of scholarly articles to be launched soon. Therefore, I request professional and other aspirant writers from everywhere to support me in this venture by contributing their articles on any of the following three topics.
Topics for Essay Competition; 1) Analyzing the purpose behind the Dalai Lama’s body of work and value of his ideas. 2) The Dalai Lama’s guide to an ethical way of life beyond religion. 3) The evolution and practical implementation of the Dalai Lama’s tenets of Peace & Non-violence. Essays in all kind of genre are entertained. There is no strict word limit, but try not to exceed beyond 2880 words. The deadline falls on 13th July, 2015. Submit the essays via email or post at the address mentioned below. Please make sure to leave your contact details. The essays can be written in Tibetan and English and will be judged by a penal of experts in a transparent and unbiased manner.
Awards and prizes for the top-ranking essays; • • • • VICTORY! China’s Confucius Institute deal terminated by Toronto District School Board as protesters declare historic campaign victory. Photo: SFT
administrators in 30 countries. The letters outline the threat to academic freedom and integrity posed by the CIs and urge universities to cancel their partnership. One recent response received by SFT demonstrates how willing some universities are to accept China’s undemocratic influence on students: “We accept that the Confucius institute is one of many arms of the Chinese government’s outreach to the rest of the world and, as such, is a potential source of propaganda. However, the USA is not at war with China”. Tenzin Dolkar, Students for a Free Tibet’s Executive Director says: “The Chinese government-controlled Confucius Institutes are designed to infiltrate our schools and influence
students into accepting China’s lies about Tibet, Taiwan and human rights. While hiding behind slogans promoting Chinese culture, the Chinese government is buying our schools into silence. There is a shocking number of university administrators willing to allow the Chinese government to export an education system to our campuses that is eroding democratic values, freedom of expression and academic freedom.” In light of the growing attention to the threat of academic freedom, independent inquiry, and human rights that CIs pose, in 2014 alone, numerous universities ended ties with the CIs, including the University of Chicago, Stockholm University and Pennsylvania State University.
First second Third Consolation
• • • •
50 books by H.H the Dalai Lama or 25000 Rs (Either of them) 30 books by H.H the Dalai Lama or 20000 Rs (Either of them) 20 books by H.H the Dalai Lama or 15000 Rs (Either of them) 10 books by H.H the Dalai Lama to 10 winners
The winners are allowed to making his/her own decisions regarding prize books or money.
Note:
1) On any of the topics above, it is preferable to get an insight by referring books of His Holiness. 2) Try to inject not only your own ideas, but also the opinion of others in order to add analytical value to the essay. 3) Contact for further information.
Contact;
Gonpo Gyal Phone: +918679032180 Email: donnie5908@gmail.com
(Full Address)
Gonpo Gyal (M.A Student) C.H.T.S P.O Sarah, Dharamsala Distt. Kangra -176215 (H.P) INDIA
ALL THE BEST!!