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“Time has come to exploit deeper values of compassion” Vol. 04, Issue 164, Print Issue 88, September 30, 2016 1500 gather for Tibet Solidarity Rally in Geneva
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His Holiness on dialogue in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation By Jane Cook: September 22, 2016
Tibetans and supporters march in solidarity rally, Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: CTA/DIIR By Molly Lortie: September 19, 2016
Geneva – Over 1500 Tibetans gathered for the ‘Tibet Solidarity Rally for Freedom of Religion and Human Rights’ in Geneva, Switzerland on September 16th, 2016. Local Tibetans and supporters from Tibetan advocacy groups gathered in front of the UN Building in Geneva, which coincided with the 33rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council currently in session in order to highlight the worsening situation of human rights in Tibetan and East Turkestan under the Peoples Republic of China. Speakers include the niece of a prominent Tibetan Lama, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, who died in prison last year; Uyghur leader in exile Rebiya Kadeer; European Parliamentarians, and Tibetan monk Golog Jigme, who escaped into exile after suffering torture in prison. Kai Mueller, Head of UN Advocacy for the International Campaign for Tibet, said: “Since 2008, the Chinese authorities have instilled an oppressive and totalitarian environment in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries – an approach in which the state recognizes no limits to its authority, and strives to regulate every aspect of religious life. In recent weeks, three young Tibetan nuns have committed suicide in despair at demolition of their homes at the globally renowned institute of Larung Gar in eastern Tibet. Tibetans and their supporters in Geneva are gathering for this rally to highlight this injustice, express solidarity with Tibetans, and to call for religious freedom.” Around 1500 Tibetans including Uyghur from Switzerland and Tibetans from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, UK, Netherlands participated in the rally.
Warsaw, Poland — Recalling the great violence of the 20th century, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Mayor of Wroclaw Dutkiewicz urged that if the 21st century is to be different, future solutions to problems must be sought through meaningful dialogue in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in Warsaw, Poland from Strasbourg, France on September 19, 2016. He was welcomed by Mayor of Wroclaw, Rafal Dutkiewicz, on his arrival at the airport in Wroclaw, Poland as part of an 18-day visit to European countries; Belgium, France and Poland. He met immediately with members of the Group of Polish Parliamentarians for Tibet. “Brothers and sisters, wherever I go I consider myself just a human being, one of 7 billion. We all want peace and joy, but we face a lot of problems, many of them of our own making. Where we stress differences of nationality, race, culture and religion we forget that at a deeper level we are all equally human beings. So I always emphasise our need to recognise the oneness of humanity and our need for solidarity. We need solidarity to ensure peace and freedom. “As a Buddhist monk I don’t usually pay much attention to sensory pleasures like music, but I really appreciated the performance of these singers here just now. Listening to them I felt brought about a sense of solidarity among us, reminding us of the oneness of humanity and that the message of all our religious traditions is love, tolerance, forgiveness and selfdiscipline. This is why I believe that despite differences in philosophical outlooks we are all spiritual brothers and sisters.” There followed a spellbinding performance of Chopin by noted pianist Janusz Olejniczak that was enthralling to both the eyes and ears. A short distance away from City Hall, His Holiness and the Mayor visited the City Museum of Wroclaw and viewed an exhibition, ‘Forgiveness and Reconciliation’ dedicated to Cardinal Kominek, an unrecognized father of Europe.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Wroclaw, Poland on September 20, 2016. Photo/Maciej Kulczynski
In the course of the visit His Holiness interacted with a group of schoolchildren. Among them a young boy greeted him as a recipient of the Order of Smiles, an award given by children to adults distinguished in their love, care and aid for children, which he received in 1993. Outside the museum, both His Holiness and the Mayor gave short speeches. His Holiness, recalling the great violence of the 20th century, urged that if the 21st century is to be different, future solutions to problems must be sought through meaningful
Five Tibetans jailed over alleged anti-Communist movement in Tibet
dialogue in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate repeated how impressed he was by the spirit of the European Union which places the common interest over narrower national interests. He asked his young listeners: “What do you think? It will be you young brothers and sisters who can build a more peaceful world and it will be you who benefit from it. I don’t expect to live to see it.” P-2... Justice Commissioner Tsering Dhondup Retires from Service
Kerala State BJP leader urges China to halt cultural genocide Mr Tsering Dhondup Namey Lhakang(L) Dr Ngawang Rabgyal Norpa (R). Photo: CTA By Indrani Bose: September 15, 2016
Dharamshala — Kerala State BJP leader Tuesday called on the Chinese government to end the ongoing cultural genocide in Tibet and expressed his strong support for the Tibetan struggle. As the Thank you India program was about to end in Kozhikode, leader of BJP Kerala State - put into words their immense support and solidarity for the Tibetan people and their plight in their own homeland in the hands of China. The BJP President Kumannam Rajasekharan spoke highly of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and mentioned that the latter has been awarded and honored worldwide due to his important role in nonviolence, world peace, empathy and cooperation between people following different religions. “The Tibetan nation has been deprived of its rightful freedom and dignity for half a century” he said. The President formally asked the Chinese government to engage in a non-violent dialogue with the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He also called on the Chinese government to stop the on-going cultural genocide in Tibet. According to Mr RK Khimrey (the National Convener of Core Group for the Tibetan Cause from India) – since China has occupied Tibet, the Tibetan struggle has become important for India as well as it often becomes a conflict of interest between India and China. Mr Rajasekharan also pledged to raise Tibet issue at the highest levels with the Indian leaders. “I am here to express wholehearted support and respect for the Tibetan culture, religion and the peaceful resilience which have been so brutally crushed by the Chinese government,” he said. The conflict revolving around the Indo-China border still persists today because ironically there is no existence of such a border. At the end of his talk, Mr Khimrey urged all Indians to examine the historical correspondence between India and Tibet and support the Tibetan people in their freedom struggle. The Central Tibetan Administration brought about the Thank You India program in five significant Indian cities (Nagpur, Calicut, Sonipat, Chennai and Puducherry) to show their appreciation for the steady support and encouragement from the Indians. Apart from the talk, there was a unique photo exhibition, showing of a documentary film, Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute’s free of charge medical camp, ethnic performances done by Bangalore’s college students and discussions on Tibet’s part in the Indo-Sino relations by specialists.
By Molly Lortie: September 26, 2016
Samdup and Gangkye Dubpa Kyab, both are Tibetan writers from Serta County of eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI By Yeshe Choesang: September 25, 2016
Dharamshala — A confirmed report coming out of Tibet says five Tibetans, include two writers have been sentenced to varying prison terms by the Intermediate People’s court in Nyakchukha County of (incorporated to China’s Sichuan Province) eastern Tibet. Two of them were re-arrested after briefly released from prison in this week. Gangkye Dubpa Kyab, Samdup, Yudrang, Dransal, Shelgyal were sentenced for allegedly forming an underground group called “Marshok Gol-lan Tsogpa” (Anti-Communist Party Association) and their alleged involvement in a Tibet movement against Chinese rule in Tibet. Dubpa Kyab, who had been briefly released on September 16, was re-arrested on September 17 and interrogated after his family members and fellow villagers organized a grand welcome ceremony in his hometown in Serta County on his arrival. The 37-year old Tibetan writer, poet, teacher and a father of two was sentenced to 5 years and 6 month in prison on September 1, 2016 and stripped of his political rights for 3 years,” TPI source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He was first detained by Chinese police from his home in Serta County, on February 15, 2012. His house was raided and his wife, Wangchuk Lhamo, was given no explanation despite repeated appeals at the time of detention. Since then, for 17 months, his whereabouts remained unknown to family and friends until his sentencing on August 1, 2013. Dubpa Kyab has written many essays and poems under the name of Gang Metak, poems — reveal the suffering and pain endured
by Tibetans during the deadly crackdown on 2008 protests, and the hardships faced by Tibetans trapped in the web of official corruption and profiteering. Another Tibetan wrtier, Samdup 32-year old, was also sentenced to 6 years and stripped of his political rights for 3 years. He was briefly released from prison on August 13, 2016 after serving more than four years. was re-arrested on September 18. Yudrang was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment recently and deprived of political rights for 1 years. He was arrested, along with Samdup, on June 13, 2012. His father’s name is Sonal Gyal. Dransal was sentenced to 3 years and stripped of his political rights for 2 years. Other details surrounding his arrest, detention and release are unknown. Another Tibetan called Shelgyal, was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and deprived of political rights for 1 years. Other details surrounding his arrest, detention and release are also unknown. In Tibet today, Tibetans are being arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned and tortured for merely expressing their suffering under Chinese rule. However, authorities in Beijing still claim that “China ‘peacefully liberated’ Tibet, and that the Tibetans are living in a “Maoist socialist paradise.” Tibet was invaded by Communist China, starting in 1949, Beijing calls a “peaceful liberation”. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed— the acts of murder, rape and arbitrary imprisonment, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment were inflicted on the Tibetans inside Tibet.
Dharamshala — The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) announced on September 24th that Mr Tsering Dhondup Namey Lhakang is retiring from office. Mr Tsering Dhondup has served as one of the two Justice Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission since his appointment in 2010. After a vote held on September 26th, the CTA has announced that replacing Mr. Tsering Dhondup will be Dr. Ngawang Rabgyal, formerly the Secretary of Education. Dr Ngawang Rabgyal got 24 votes against 18 for Ms Nangsa Chodon, Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations, CTA. Both their nominations were proposed by a three-member selection committee. According to information provided by the CTA, Justice Commissioner Mr Tsering Dhondup is retiring a year early; his retirement will be effective as of November 1st, 2016. Sixth International Tibet democratic conference held in Taiwan By Molly Lortie: September 27, 2016
Taipai, Taiwan — In collaboration with the Taiwan Tibetan Welfare Association, The Taiwan Office of Tibet held its sixth annual one-day international conference on Tibet on September 26th. Attended by over 50 Tibetans and Taiwanese people, the conference this year highlighted the Taiwanese democratic perspectives on various aspects of the Tibet issue. As many as 11 scholars and activists from India, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Taiwan gave presentations on various issues related with Tibet, in addition to discussing the current situation in Hong Kong as well as the policies of the Taiwanese government. The conference also launched two new books published by Snowland publications. The first book, titled Indomitable Spirit, is a biography of two former Tibetan political prisoners, Tanak Jigme Sangpo and Lobsang Tenzin, while the second, authored by Chen Zhen, is based on extensive interviews with Tibetans in exile. Taiwanese representatives recently took an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala, where they extended an invitation for him to visit Taiwan as part of Taiwan’s partnership and solidarity with Tibetan people. If the Dalai Lama did make the trip to Taiwan, it would be his first visit since 2009.
TALK ON TIBET 2 TPI NEWS In Tibet, religious freedom comes Tibetans are being excluded from Tibet tourism industry: Matteo Mecacci with Chinese characteristics The Tibet Post International
September 30, 2016
By Yeshi Choesang: September 14, 2016.
A Chinese tourist wears traditional Tibetan clothing for a picture outside Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Photo: AFP By Molly Lortie: September 30, 2016.
Ludovic Ehret, AFP-JIJI. September 22nd, 2016 The sun has yet to rise over Lhasa, but dozens of colourfully dressed pilgrims are already gathered and reciting prayers at the entrance to Jokhang, the most sacred temple in Tibetan Buddhism. Many of those gathered – Tibetans and Han Chinese visitors – say religion is flourishing under Beijing’s rule, with adherents enjoying the freedoms they need to follow their faith. But this sense of freedom does not extend to the men who live inside the monasteries, analysts and monks say. Their lives and their movements are heavily regulated by a government eager to avoid any hint of disobedience in the restive region which, although technically autonomous, is tightly controlled by Beijing. “We are not free,” said a 33-year-old monk from the neighbouring province of Sichuan, who is not being named. “To get into Tibet from another province, you need a certificate with your name, address and identity card number. “Everything has to be stamped by the monastery, the Bureau of Religious Affairs and the police,” he said outside the Jokhang monastery. Nearby, groups of policemen – some from Tibet itself – are discreetly patrolling, some holding walkie-talkies and others guns. This area of the capital is calm for now, but authorities are not taking any chances. In 2008 it was the site of deadly riots which erupted following protests by monks against Beijing’s rule in the region. The government clamped down after a period of violence against non-Tibetans, in particular the Han Chinese – who remain a minority in Tibet. Faith is an integral element of Tibetan identity and nationalism and is therefore perceived as a potential threat to the authority of the Chinese state, explained Kate Saunders of the US-based NGO International Campaign for Tibet. Some ordinary Tibetans dismiss the idea that their religious freedom is being curtailed. “I come here morning and night,” said Zangmai, a 31-yearold Tibetan taxi driver. “I have never had any problem. “I’ve been praying here since I was about five or six, and one day I’ll bring my son here too,” he said as he threw dried grass into a large incense burner, which belched out grey smoke. For Zhaxi Nima, a 37-year-old Tibetan pilgrim whose left leg is amputated below the knee, faith remains an integral part of his routine. “Why do I come to pray, despite my handicap? Tibetans are just like that, it’s our way of life,” he said. It is not so simple for religious figures and institutions, experts say. “Temples, monasteries … Of course, they are controlled,” said Jens-Uwe Hartmann, a specialist in Buddhism at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and an expert on Tibet. “What they are doing is very closely observed.” If religious leaders emerge who are not approved by the Chinese Communist Party, they simply disappear, Hartmann said, adding: “So you’d better keep your mouth shut.” Beijing says it “peacefully liberated” Tibet in 1951 and insists it has brought development to a previously backward region. But many Tibetans accuse the Chinese government of exploiting natural resources, as well as promoting Han activities and business at the expense of locals and the environment. They also accuse authorities of diluting their culture and faith as a way of exerting further influence. China recently unveiled an initiative to get tens of millions more tourists to visit the region, and many of them wander through Jokhang along with the faithful. Barkhor, the road around the temple that pilgrims walk in
a clockwise direction as a sign of respect, displays little Chinese flags on the first floor of buildings. The street is dotted with shops and restaurants to cater to visitors from other regions. “People’s faith here is very impressive. It’s not something you see anywhere else in China,” said 22-year-old Peng Meng. “In the rest of China, because of the Party, countless temples were destroyed,” said a young Han Chinese visitor, miming a fist coming down on a building. “In Tibet, Buddhism is preserved,” he said, although many religious structures were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Wang Xiaobin of the China Tibetology Research Centre, an official body based in Beijing, said monks were required to use travel certificates after a wave of self-immolations which began in 2009. A total of 145 Tibetans, the majority of them monks, set fire to themselves in the past seven years in protest against Beijing’s rule and 117 of them died, according to International Campaign for Tibet. “Most of them came from Tibet’s neighbouring provinces. And the regional government is worried that some of them are coming to self-immolate in Lhasa,” Wang said. “China recognises ‘freedom of religious belief’, not ‘religious freedom’. Those are different things,” he added. “Clearly one has the right to believe, but there are limits to religious activity.”
Tibetan Prime Minister condoles passing of Philippines Senator By Molly Lortie: September 30, 2016.
Dharamshala — Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay sent a message of condolence in regards to the demise of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago of Philippines. She passed away on Thursday, 29 September, after a brief battle with lung cancer. She was 71. Expressing his profound condolences, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay said: “On behalf of the Central Tibetan Administration, I offer my heartfelt condolences at the sad demise of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.” “Senator Santiago was a good friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a longtime supporter of the peaceful Tibetan struggle. She was also the convener of the first Tibet support group in the Philippines,” Sikyong said. “We remain deeply grateful to her for raising her vital voice in support of the Tibet issue at various platforms during her lifetime. The Tibetan people stands in solidarity with her family at this sorrowful time,” he added. Senator Santiago passed away in her sleep at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City. She is survived by her husband and son. Senator Santiago has served as a senator from 1995 to 2001, and then from 2004 to 2016. She was a contender in the 2016 Philippines presidential race. She has also served in all three branches of the Philippines government, in a public service career that spanned almost three decades.
Washington DC — Chinese government’s ambitious economic policies in Tibet, consultation on the expansion of tourism fails to engage Tibetans, who are actively excluded from opportunities in the tourism industry, said the Washington-based Tibet advocacy group. The Chinese authorities have announced a dramatic development of its tourism industry in Tibet as they showcase the city of Lhasa to an invited group of international journalists and businesses this week at a Tourism Expo. As part of its “Third China Tibet Tourism and Culture Expo” in Lhasa (September 10 - 16), the Chinese authorities have announced a dramatic increase in international brand hotels in Lhasa to boost the industry further. “Consistent with the top-down imposition of elaborate and ambitious economic policies in Tibet, consultation on the expansion of tourism fails to engage Tibetans, who are actively excluded from opportunities in the industry,” the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a statment. Tibetans are increasingly marginalised by the use of Chinese as the language of tourism in Tibet, providing employment for large numbers of Chinese immigrants in a labour-intensive industry. Matteo Mecacci, President of the ICT said: “It is only when Tibetans are fully involved in tourism that the potential to generate economic benefits, improve local living standards, and protect the environment of the plateau can be realised. Tibetans should be the primary beneficiaries of the tourism boom, the main employees of tourism enterprises, and, above all, the guides who explain Tibet’s culture and values to visitors, but they are being excluded from the industry.” In a reflection of this exclusion, in China’s new national Tourism Law, which came into force on October 1, 2013, there is almost no mention of host communities, designated in the Tourism Law not as people but as places. Article 41 states tour guides must “respect the customs and religious beliefs” not of local Tibetans, but “of the tourists”. While the Chinese authorities are marketing Tibet as a tourist destination based on the spiritual attractions of its Buddhist culture and landscape, Beijing has tightened its control over Tibetan religious expression and practice. In eastern Tibet, three nuns have recently committed suicide in their distress at demolitions of their homes at the globally renowned Buddhist institute of Larung Gar in Sichuan. Journalists were also taken to see the multi-million dollar spectacle about Chinese princess Wencheng in a fake Potala Palace in Lhasa. The drama is a state-scripted
Expo in Lhasa aims to simultaneously increase highend tourism and assert China’s propaganda message of its ownership of Tibet. This ‘commodification’ of Tibetan culture – including a ‘re-imagining’ of the deeply symbolic former home of the Dalai Lama, the Potala Palace, by InterContinental in their lobby - coincides with a trend towards increasing repression of Tibetan cultural identity, which is danderous and can lead to more instability in Tibet.”
Mr Matteo Mecacci, President of the Washington DC based International Campaign for Tibet. Photo: File
His Holiness on dialogue in ... Back in the Museum, Jacek Zakowski (Polityka) interviewed His Holiness, asking him to compare his life as a refugee to those pouring into Europe. His Holiness stressed that the long-term solution is for peace to be restored to the lands these people are fleeing. In the short term, however, they must be given shelter. The children need education and the youth training that will equip them when they eventually return home to rebuild their countries. He pointed out that the prayer and aim of Tibetan refugees has always been to return to their homeland. Asked if that was the natural feeling of a refugee, His Holiness answered, “Yes”. He talked about how problems developed in Tibet in the mid to late 1950s culminating in his escape to India and becoming a refugee. He reiterated that since 1974 Tibetans had decided not to seek independence and confirmed the support that their Middle Way Approach had received among Chinese writers and intellectuals. Zakowski took issue with His Holiness’s position that it must be possible to reach out to terrorists,
Tibetan poetry group upholds culture, celebrates 2 years
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to listen to them and reason with them, stating that many people think it’s easier to kill them. “If you kill 100,000, will that solve the problem?” His Holiness retorted. “Won’t it just stoke more ill-feeling and provoke further violence? We have to use our intelligence and find a human solution. When scientists tell us that basic human nature is compassionate, that’s a source of hope.” His Holiness visited the Depot History Centre in the afternoon, which opened just five days ago on the site of the 1980’s Solidarity protests. Of the 250 people present most were students who welcomed His Holiness and invited him to speak before putting their questions to him. “Young brothers and sisters, it’s important to remember what we have in common physically, mentally and emotionally as human beings, because today humanity is facing an array of problems. None of us want problems,” His Holiness said. “Yet we seem to bring them about through shortsightedness, focussing only on one aspect rather than looking at the whole reality. We need to use our intelligence to the full and take a wider perspective. Instead of being despondent, it’s important to keep your spirits up and work for justice and freedom.” His Holiness told them that he’d come again to Wroclaw because his friend the Mayor had invited him. Of people who have impressed him he mentioned Solidarity leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Lech Walesa, but also included scientists. He said it was scientists, for example, who warned of climate change that has become such a threat. The students and local Solidarity representatives presented him with gifts and the students requested him to write in their memorial book. His Holiness posed for photographs with the audience before returning to his hotel.
Secretary Sonam Norbu Dagpo appointed spokesperson of Tibetan government By Molly Lortie: September 30, 2016.
By Molly Lortie: September 30, 2016.
Late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago of Philippines. Photo: CTA/DIIR
narrative in which the Chinese, embodied by Princess Wencheng of the 7th century, ‘civilise’ the Tibetans and bring harmony to Tibet. The initiatives are part of China’s ambitious plans to bring large numbers of Chinese and international tourists to state-owned scenic sites and cultural icons of Tibet to receive a story scripted and delivered by the state and its state trained guides. Matteo Mecacci concluded: “Politically, the Tourism
In 2014, a group was started in WeChat by several Tibetans. Named Clearing Confusion, the group began an effort to preserve and revitalize Tibetan poetry. Each week, each group member must send a poem in an inter-group competition. This week marks the hundredth week of competition and poem sharing. Today the group is led by Sershil Rabsel and has 234 members who submit weekly poems. Members include Tibetans from inside Tibet and in exile throughout the world. The group also provides lessons and guidance for young Tibetans today who are interested in writing poetry. Through WeChat messages, poets are able to share their
art and inspire the younger generation to continue Tibet’s precious literature traditions. According to the group leader, Sershil Rabsel, in celebration of the group’s successful hundredth week and being in existence for two years, the group is revisiting famous poems and poets from Tibet’s past, both within and outside of the homeland.
Dharamshala — Mr Sonam Norbu Dagpo, Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations, has been appointed as the official spokesperson of the Central Tibetan Administration, according to a circular issued by the Kashag Secretariat. The appointment is effective from October 3rd, 2016. With over 25 years of experience, Secretary Sonam Norbu Dagpo is one of the senior most secretaries in the Central Tibetan Administration. During his long and accomplished career, he has undertaken various prominent roles in the Central Tibetan Administration including as Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Australia and as member of the Tibetan delegation that met Chinese representatives to resolve the issue of Tibet.
Newly appointed official spokesperson of the CTA, Secretary Sonam Norbu Dagpo. Photo: CTA/DIIR
Tibet & Exile News 3 TPI NEWS Tibetan language advocate im- 16th Tibetan Parliament begins its 2nd Session, discusses Tibet and Exile prisoned after NY Times interview The Tibet Post International
September 30, 2016
By Indrani Bose: Septenber 22, 2016
By Molly Lortie: September 19, 2016
New York – Following an interview with the New York Times, a Tibetan man has been imprisoned on false charges, according to his lawyer. Tashi Wangchuk, 31, has been detained by police in his home area of Jyegudo (Chinese: Yushu) in Qinghai since January 2016, following an interview with the New York Times on Tibetan culture and language, published as an article and video in November, 2015. He faces charges of ‘separatism’, although he has not advocated Tibetan independence, according to his attorney. His lawyer, Liang Xiaojun, said: “All he wants is to try to preserve Tibetan culture.” His arrest followed a video by the New York Times that documented his journey to Beijing in 2015 to try to file a lawsuit against Yushu officials for not properly supporting the Tibetan language. The Tibetan language – bedrock of Tibetan culture, religion and identity – has been steadily undermined under Chinese rule over the past six decades. Chinese authorities have marginalized Tibetan language by withdrawing it from school curriculum and instead focusing on the dominance of Chinese language. Primary reliance on the Tibetan language creates serious obstacles for Tibetans in terms of their further education, jobs and income in the Chineserun system. Research shows that children do better when the language acquired from birth is the teaching medium. While primary-level classes are still taught in Tibetan in many Tibetan areas, instruction as higher levels is in Chinese in all subjects other than Tibetan language classes,
meaning that Tibetans find themselves at an educational disadvantage. Tibetans want to learn Chinese, especially as college entrance exams are only in Chinese language, however it has come at the expense of nearly losing their mother tongue. Tashi Wangchuk told the New York Times that one of the reasons he sought to highlight the importance of language was because he could not find a place where his two teenage nieces could continue studying Tibetan, after officials forced an informal school run by monks in his area to stop offering language classes for laypeople. Officials had also ordered other monasteries and a private school in the area not to teach the language to laypeople. And public schools had dropped true bilingual education in Chinese and Tibetan, teaching Tibetan only in a single class, like a foreign language, if they taught it at all. In 2010, when proposals were introduced to increase Chinese-language medium teaching and undermine Tibetan language study, hundreds of students and schoolchildren joined protests in Qinghai. There were further demonstrations in 2012, when the proposals were adopted in the form of a teaching system that almost eliminated Tibetan as a language of instruction in primary and secondary schools. Prior to his arrest, Tashi Wangchuk sold goods in a shop in Yushu and online. According to information from his lawyer cited by the New York Times, the police concluded an additional investigation at the prosecutors’ request on August 25th, and prosecutors now have 90 days to decide whether the case should go to court.
Dharamshala — The second session of 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile commenced with the first discussion being about the present situation Tibet due to rigid Chinese policies and the role of Tibetan diaspora and the international group in looking into these issues and subsequently dealing with them. Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel started the opening speech by criticising the repressive and punitive policies of the Chinese government targeted at the freedom and self-determination of the Tibetan people. “In the light of ongoing repression of Tibetan language, identity and religion, Chinese policies on Tibet is seen to be explicitly severe and more repressive. However the courage and spirit of the Tibetan people, who are suffering the oppression inside Tibet, has not been stymied,” Speaker said, calling for revamped initiatives of the Tibetan people and support of the international communities in addressing the issues facing Tibet. Ngodup Dorjee, Secretary (SARD) – for Department of Finance said that the second session mainly deals with the accountability of each department and the subsequent annual reports, based on which amendments may be proposed. A woman member of the Parliament named Tsering Youdon, who is serving her third term, mentioned, “All the departments will provide their Annual report and based on that every department, they will have their doubts or any questions that need to be done by the department... “. Furthermore she added, “It’s department-wise, what all they have done during the year...It started with the religion department and after than all the departments will come.” Another woman member, Dolma Tsering, elected since the 13th Parliament said that, “the main focus of this sense is like the accountability of all the departments,
Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile delivering his inaugural remarks of the second session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament. Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo
how they work and looking into the loopholes, whereby they can preach better with the Tibetan diaspora”. When she was asked about Tibet attaining freedom of China, she commented that, “that big hope is still within us and the main capital for that hope is the Tibetan inside Tibet have a great hope, the flame is still burning highly in the youth of Tibet.” She also said in India, for the Tibetans the literacy rate is around 75% and in all the Tibetan schools, Tibetan is the medium of instruction. “Without knowing Tibetan, your Tibetanness doesn’t work and that Tibetans are very much rooted in their culture.”She further added that, “Dalai Lama is the symbol of Tibet, he is the symbol of our struggle and that he was very adamant, he said, we must go according to international way of administration and so to have a say of people, people’s representation is very important and thereby to have a Tibetan Parliament is important. “
Migyur Dorjee, one of the male 44 members, formerly a civil servant, who has been recently elected stated that, “September is normally meant for Annual report discussions and march is for budget..” Then, he proceeded to say that, “Seeing the next generation’s enthusiasm, their commitment to the cause, I am quite sure the Tibetan struggle will continue. Struggle has to be carried by not only His Holiness the Dalai Lama but also by the people. There are quite few Tibetans who are married to foreigners and their children, surprisingly, prefer themselves to be called not Belgian, Swedish or British but Tibetans...” The first day of the session passed three resolutions of mourning and four resolutions of solidarity with the Tibetans inside Tibet. The first day of the session also saw the approval of Kalons nominated by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay for his 15th Kashag. The second session will end on 29th September, 2016.
Tibetan lawmakers vote down nominee for a crucial position of Kashag By Molly Lortie: September 07, 2016
Tashi Wangchuk, Tibetan language advocate. Photo: NYT
Int’l seminar on damming crisis in Tibet: Threat to water security in Asia By Yangchen Dolma: September 25, 2016
New Delhi — First International Seminar on ‘Damming crisis in Tibet: Threat to Water Security In Asia’ held in New Delhi, the capital of India, on September 23, 2016. The seminar is organised by Students for a Free Tibet-India (SFT-India) at India International Center, New Delhi ahead of World Rivers Day. Over 150 Indian and Tibetan students, civil society members, and experts attended the seminar, which is part of SFT India’s campaign Tibet’s Rivers, Asia’s LifeLine. Over the last decade, Tibetan rivers have witnessed an exponential increase in hydropower projects on their water sources. China’s systematic damming of Tibet’s rivers and extensive water diversion projects have devastating consequences for Tibet and the nearly 2 billion people in Asia living downstream. “What we need is more awareness on this looming environmental disaster and trans-boundary mechanisms for accountability on water sharing. With this in mind, we are hosting an International Seminar on the ‘Damning Crisis in Tibet’ in the lead up to September 25, World Rivers Day to globalize the call for protecting Tibet’s river.” said Tenzin Tselha, National Director at Students for a Free Tibet India. “With speakers from Thailand, Bangladesh, India
and Tibet at the seminar, we aim to expose China’s act of irresponsible and dangerous dam construction and diversion projects”, said Lobsang Tseten, Program Director at Students for a Free Tibet-India. “Through this seminar our objective is to form an alliance of students, activists and environment stakeholders from the downstream countries, calling to protect Tibet’s rivers”. The group launched the campaign in March 2015 to highlight the damming crisis on Tibet’s rivers, with a particular focus on Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra. Tibet is the source of ten major river systems in Asia; nearly 2 billion people depend on the Tibetan Plateau for their water security. As China builds mega-dams and river diversion projects on Tibet’s rivers at an unprecedented rate, it has ignored all consequences of these projects on the nine downstream countries. SFT works in solidarity with the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom and independence. They campaign for Tibetans’ fundamental right to political freedom, through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action. Formed in 1994, as a chapter-based network of young people and activists around the world, they empower and train youth as leaders in the worldwide movement for social justice.
First International Seminar on ‘Damming crisis in Tibet: Threat to Water Security In Asia’ held in New Delhi, India. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala — The 16th Tibetan Parliament in Exile (TPiE) rejected on Saturday nominee for a crucial position of the Kashag (cabinet) as Sikyong tried to complete the formation of a new and inclusive administration. Dr Lobsang Sangay resubmitted to the parliament the name of former Utsang MP Dhardon Sharling as minister for the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) but rejected by the Parliament, in a floor decision held on the fifth day of the second session of 16th TPiE. As per the rules and regulations of the CTA regarding election of Kalons, if there is even a single objection to a Kalon proposed by Sikyong, a majority vote is required on the floor of the house to deliver a verdict of approval. Due to objection from two parliamentarians, including Mr Dawa Phunkyi, a floor vote was ruled to deliver a verdict of approval. The Parliament rejected the approval of DIIR Kalon nominee Dhardon by 27 votes to 14 with two abstentions and two absentees out of a total parliament strength of 45. Dadon was elected as a kalon with 25 votes in the Parliamenthe after the democratically elected political leader of the Tibetan people appointed her to lead one of his departments. She was removed from her first cabinet post as DIIR Kalon in June, due to not meeting the age qualification. However she’s the only woman nominated for a top position in Sikyong’s second-term cabinet. In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dadon said she respects the decision of the Parliament. “Today Honorable Sikyong tabled my nomination for Kalon for the second time. This comes as a huge honor. The fact that I failed to get the majority support in the Parliament is also a democratic process.” “I have always believed that holding a post in the Parliament or in the Cabinet was never a matter of career choice for me. But what remains above all is my lifelong commitment to serve His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the aspirations of Tibetans inside Tibet and the Central Tibetan Administration. These will be the core tenets of my life,” she added. In June this year, the Parliament approved all the seven nominated members of Sikyong’s proposed cabinet, after he presented 7 new appointees - six men and one women. Sikyong now needs to introduce one new face for approval to complete his cabinet but cannot nominate anyone who has already been rejected. Those approved included ministers of Religion and Culture, Home, Finance, Education, and Security.
Speaker of Tibetan Parliament Khenpo Sonam Tenphel declaring the floor decision on the fifth day of the second session of 16th Tibetan Parliament, 24 September 2016. Photo: DIIR/CTA
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Tibetan government releases resolution of solidarity By Molly Lortie,: September 29 , 2016
Dharamshala — At the close of their second session of 2016, the Tibetan Parliament in Exile has released an official resolution expressing solidarity with Tibetans remaining inside Tibet facing the everprevalent oppression of the Chinese authority. Revisiting the history of the Chinese Communist Party’s invasion of Tibet in 1949, to the Cultural Revolution through today, the Parliament recognized those who have lost their lives, saying: “Under these different campaigns, hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have been killed, thousands of places of worship which were abodes of religiously devoted monks and nuns were destroyed; many Tibetan people were forced to flee their homeland and to live in exile in other lands; and Tibetans left behind in their homeland were forced to suffer hell on earth, being subjected to constant hardship and persecution of unimaginable severity. “Responding to the series of continued campaign actions of various kinds undertaken by the Tibetan people in Tibet, the Central Tibetan Administration in exile as well as the Tibetan associations, individuals and others in exile have also continued to carry out solidarity movement actions. In this milieu, the Tibetan Parliament in Exile too has, during successive sessions, adopted official resolutions of mourning and remembrance as well as official resolutions expressing solidarity with the Tibetan people in Tibet and on that basis kept launching
appeal actions at various forums across the world.” Citing the current adversities faced by the Tibetan people, the Parliament in Exile included the current exploitation of natural resources, the seizing of traditionally nomadic land, and the continued destruction of religious property. “In admiration and praise of the Tibetan people in Tibet for their patriotism and courage in the face of the relentless pressure, harassment, and repression of the government of China, and in particular, in memory of the heroic Tibetan men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the fundamental cause of the Tibetan people, and likewise, remembering the ever greater amount of severity of the situation of the Tibetan people who currently continue to suffer in Chinese prisons, this Second Session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament in Exile sees it as vital to adopt an official resolution of expressing solidarity with these Tibetan people.” The Parliament included eight points as part of their resolution, acknowledging the strength of the Tibetan people throughout the repression, condemning the Chinese government, demanding the release of all political prisoners, and asking that the United Nations to take action in Tibet on the basis of upholding the standards of human rights. Finally, they thanked the international community and nonprofits who have contributed assistance and solidarity for the Tibetan cause. The 2016 second session of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile concluded today, September 29th.
Tibet Charity observes 10th World Rabies Day By Molly Lortie,: September 28 , 2016
Dharamshala — Tibet Charity, a local nonprofit in Dharamshala, observed the 10th World Rabies Day today, September 28, in a local and international effort to eliminate the rabies disease. In an effort to promote awareness and prevention, Tibet Charity held the event at the Tibet Welfare Society, and attending were over 80 locals,
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nation alongside Israel to his vision of a “New Middle East” — all to acknowledge the more than seven decades Peres spent in public service. Peres was the architect of the Oslo Accords, which gave the Palestinians autonomy in parts of the West Bank and Gaza. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. Peres retired from public office in 2014 after the end of his seven-year term as President. In Israeli politics for more than half a century, he held virtually every position in Cabinet, from minister of defense to Prime Minister, a position he held three times.
Peres’s political career stretched across seven decades and he was a constant presence in Israeli public life from before the founding of the Jewish state in 1948 until well into the 21st century. After leaving office in 2014 he remained in the public eye, continuing his work for peace in the Middle East. After his retirement, he devoted his time to the Peres Center for Peace, an organization that works to build better ties between Israelis and Palestinians. Born in Wisniew, Poland, in 1923, Peres moved to British-mandate Palestine in 1932, where his story became the story of modern day Israel.
His Holiness offers condolences at death of Shimon Peres By Yeshe Choesang,: September 29 , 2016
Dharamshala – In a letter to the Director of the Peres Peace House, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama expressed his sadness about the passing away of Shimon Peres, one of Israel’s best-known and lauded statesmen. The 93-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winer, passed away on September 28, 2016, two weeks after suffering a major stroke. The news of the outspoken voice for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians, prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the world. In a letter to the Director of the Peres Peace House His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote that he had been saddened to learn that Shimon Peres had passed away following a recent stroke. He added: “I offer my prayers for him and convey my condolences to the members of his family at this difficult time. “Mr. Peres and I met on several occasions in different places over the years, the last being Jordan in 2006 when we were attending a conference of Nobel Laureates and other thinkers addressing global concerns. “I admired his efforts to promote peace between Israel and Palestine, which actually did lead to the historic Oslo Peace Accords of 1993.” Noting that Peres often spoke of the importance of compromise, he quoted him once saying that as the Palestinians were Israel’s “closest neighbours” they might become its “closest friends.” The spiritual leader of Tibet concluded: “I pray that this may soon come true.” Efforts to memorialize this constantly transforming man swept across the globe, from his work in the 1990s on the Oslo peace talk meant to establish a Palestinian
Shimon Peres with the Dalai Lama at the Petra Conference in Jordan. Photo: File
Gu Chu Sum celebrates 25th anniversary, 7th general body meeting By Yeshe Choesang,: September 29 , 2016
Audience and panelists gather to observe the 10th World Rabies Day at Tibet Charity. Photo: TPI/Dawa Phurbu
Dharamshala — Gu-Chu- Sum Movement of Tibet, an organization of former political prisoners of Tibet, marked its 25th anniversary and began its 7th General Body Meeting on September 27th at Norbu Hotel in Dharamsala. The opening day included several notable guests, including Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile (TPiE) and former Kalon (Minister) Rinchen Khando. Atsok Lukar Jam, President of the organization, recalled the history of the organization and its foundation. Highlighting the current political development in China, he said: “The exercise of political clampdown and suppression in China over one political wing by another will result in revolution.” “The biggest weapon we hold against the Chinese Communist government is the unfathomable spirit
of the Tibetan self immolators and the political prisoners,” he added. “Because of the instable and shaky nature of Chinese government, we may as well see better days and the oldest political prisoner here may get to set foot on a free Tibet,” he concluded. “Among the various objectives of the organization, the prime objective is to create awareness of the plight of the political prisoners who are languishing in Chinese jails, on the global stage as well as to help rehabilitate former political prisoners who have escaped into exile.” The event also served as a book launch for a biography on Tibet’s foremost political prisoner Tanak Jigmey Sangpo, in addition to a book on peaceful protests in eastern Tibet, taking place from 2008-2016. In his address to the guests, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok drew links between the Tibetan political prisoners
and India’s Mahatma Gandhi, both of which possess great spirit of resistance. “Our political prisoners have sacrificed everything for the cause of Tibet and stood against the Chinese communist regime’s brutal and repressive policies,” he said, highlighting the indomitable spirit of resistance shown by Tibetan political prisoners. The Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet was established on September 27, 1991 in Dharamsala by former Tibetan political prisoners. The NGO works to provide support to ex-political prisoners who have escaped into exile and also to secure the release of other Tibetan political prisoners in Tibet. The Tibetan words Gu-Chu-Sum stand for the numbers 9, 10 and 3, which refers to three months in the late 1980s (September 1987, October 1987, and March 1988) when major Tibetan protests were crushed by the Chinese government in Lhasa, the traditional capital of Tibet.
H IS H OLINESS T HE D ALAI L AMA September 30, 2016 5 “Time has come to exploit deeper EU should offer ‘constructive criticism’ to China: His Holiness The Tibet Post International
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values of compassion”- His Holiness
His Holiness the Dalai Lama playfully greeting his old friend Richard Gere as he arrives for the opening session of the Seventh International Conference of Tibet Support Groups in Brussels, Belgium on September 8, 2016. Photo/Olivier Adam By Molly Lortie: September 16, 2016
Paris — The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet joined an interfaith dialogue held at the Collège des Bernadins on September 14th, 2016 as part of his six-day trip to France. Held inside the beautiful old church on campus, His Holiness was welcomed by Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, Head of Catholic Church in France. Other religious leaders joining them included Mr. Haim Korsia, Grand Rabbi of France; Mr François Clavairoly, President of the Federation Protestant in France; Mr Anouar Kbibech, Head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith; Métropolitan Emmanuel, Head of the Orthodox Church in France, and Zen Master Olivier Wang-Genh, President of the Union of Buddhists in France. Opening the gathering, His Holiness declared, “the time has come to exploit our deeper values of compassion. Mainly through education, especially secular education not based on religious belief. Unfortunately different religious faiths are causing more problems. Very unfortunate. Therefore, at this very moment we are enjoying peace and tranquility, while elsewhere people are being killed, whether it’s in Iraq, Syria or Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, all over differences of faith. We can’t ignore it, because to do so would be immoral and fellow human beings are involved. Killing is bad enough, but killing in the name of religion is terrible.” “So how do we counter such things? In order to encourage inter-religious harmony I have been following three practices since the late 1970s: meeting with religious scholars and holding discussions with them about what we have in common, where we differ and what is the purpose of that difference. I’ve also met with spiritual practitioners to learn from their experience. For example, in Montserrat I met a Catholic monk who had been in retreat in the mountains for five years with little more than tea and bread to eat. I asked about his practice and he told me he’d been meditating on love and as he did so I saw the sparkle of true happiness in his eyes. I’ve had similar meetings with wonderful Muslim practitioners too. “My third practice is to make pilgrimage to other people’s places of worship. I started this in Sarnath, Varanasi, India, where I visited a mosque, a church, temples and a gurudwara to offer prayers, one after the other.” His Holiness listened earnestly to the other leaders, through a translator, as they each spoke in French, and closed the dialogue by reminding everyone the similarities of religion; how each promotes compassion and love at it’s core. “I have lived in India for the last 57 years,” His Holiness explained. “And the Muslim population in India, which is larger even than that in Pakistan, has long lived in harmony with other religious communities. Members of all the world’s major religions Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam flourish side by side with Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. If they can do it in the world’s second most populous nation why can’t the rest of the world live that way too?” “Our common this is the practice of love. That is common. Individual practice, that is personal. But most important is to remember our common practice of love.” As the dialogue came to an end, the participants were then provided lunch. His Holiness then
boarded a plane for Strasbourg, where he is scheduled to give a one-day teaching.
By Jane Cook: September 16, 2016
Strasbourg — The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that the EU should offer “constructive criticism” to China. His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived at the European Parliament on Thursday morning and his visit began with a meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz. This was followed by discussions with Elmar Brok, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, prior to meeting with the Committee. Welcomed as an advocate of freedom, human rights and protecting the environment, His Holiness was given the floor. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate said he hoped that the Tibetan issue would be resolved. “There is hope and I think it is important that the outside world, particularly like the EU, think with sincere motivation in order to help the People’s Republic of China with some sort of constructive criticism, is sometimes necessary,” said the Dalai Lama. “As human beings there are no differences between us, we belong to one human family. It’s a great honour for me to have this opportunity. I am an admirer of the spirit of the European Union. In relation to our own problems in Tibet, we are not
His Holiness exchanges ideas about Body, Mind and Science in France By Indrani Bose: September 19, 2016
Strasbourg — The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama participated in a dialogue revolving around science and meditation at University of Strasbourg in France, where he was greeted by Michel Deneken, the University’s new President. His direct communication was with the 140 staff members who were seated in the audience. Another 1300 people, including both staff and students watched the event unfold via a live webcast in the same building, on September 16, 2016. After a brief introduction and exchange of pleasantries, the first session moderated by Michel de Mathlin took place. His Holiness the Dalai Lama was asked about how mediation influences the mind and how one’s intuition has an effect on the brain by Wolf Singer, an eminent neuroscientist. In response to Singer’s question, Dalai Lama referred to ancient India’s practice of shamatha mediation where the mind’s center of attention is one single object. While elucidating further, Dalai Lama said that, “Ordinary mental consciousness is quite coarse but during sleep, when the senses are shut down, consciousness is a little subtler. When there is no dreaming it’s subtler still and when we faint even subtler. My friend Richie Davidson is now investigating the subtlest consciousness that manifests at the time of death. There are cases, and there have been maybe 40 since 1959, when the heart has stopped, the brain has died, but the body remains fresh. My own tutor remained in this state for 13 days after clinical death.” Cornelius Weiller was the moderator in the second session and under his moderation, Jean-Gérard Bloch put a question to the Tibet leader about the differentiation between suffering and pain, to which the latter replied by saying that pain is connected to physical experience while suffering is less about physical experience and more about mental character. As regards to meditation, he threw light on the difference between analytical and concentrative meditation. Elaborating further, he said, “the difference lies in how the mind engages with the object. From a traditional point of view the four mindfulnesses are understood as follows. Mindfulness of the body relates to understanding the nature of suffering;
mindfulness of feelings relates to understanding the origin of suffering; mindfulness of the mind relates to cessation; while mindfulness of the way things are corresponds to understanding the path.” The third session was moderated by Michel Deneken and the speakers, Tania Singer and Ven Matthieu Ricard talked about empathy and compassion. Tania Singer’s investigation dealt with the outcome that steady training in meditation on empathy and fellow feeling has on the brain and it also strived towards perfectly counterbalancing the inflow of empathy often found in professions like medicine. During this session, His Holiness made a distinction between the fundamental sense of compassion that has a habit of being somewhat prejudiced and a sincere compassion founded on the belief that people want to lead a life devoid of unhappiness and want to avoid suffering, just the way he does. The other speaker, Ricard specified that a great deal of courage is required to cultivate considerable compassion. The fourth session which also happened to be the last was moderated by B Alan Wallace and the speakers who spoke during this session were Steven Laureys, a neurologist whose research circles around coma and Michel Bitbol who apart from being a polymath also performs the role of a philosopher. Laureys, who had brought along with him a brain to the talk asked His Holiness about what happens when matter turns into mind. To this, he responded by saying that, ““I really doubt that it does.” Laureys came back with another question and asked him whether one can be conscious without one’s brain. His Holiness answered, “It’s difficult to explain consciousness if you only take a materialist approach. What we can do is to employ shamatha or concentration focused on our own consciousness. This reveals its clarity of awareness and knowing.” Additionally, he said that although Hindu and Buddhist tantras have common features, what separates them from each other is the Buddhist belief in emptiness of natural existence. As the session was about to end, Michel Deneken expressed his gratitude towards the Tibetan leader for attending the talk. In response to that, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, ““I came because you invited me.” The following day, somewhere else in Strasbourg, His Holiness will teach Nagarjuna’s ‘Commentary on Bodhichitta’.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Neurologist Steven Laureys at the Body, Mind and Science Dialogue. Photo: Olivier Adam
His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, France on September 15, 2016. Photo/Olivier Adam
seeking separation from the People’s Republic of China; we are not splittists although that’s what Chinese hard-liners continue to accuse us of being. “Since 2011 I have completely retired from political responsibility, which is handled now by an elected leader. I’m 81 and some friends say I look younger and ask my secret. I think it’s to do with peace of mind and tackling any destructive emotions. Basic human nature is compassionate and all human beings have the potential to create inner peace. And I believe world peace can only be built on the basis of inner peace. “I have three commitments I’d like to tell you about. The first is to promote a sense of the oneness of humanity, that we are all equally human beings. Generally we pay too much attention to secondary differences between us, such our religious faith, nationality, whether we are rich or poor etc. and neglect what we fundamentally have in common. As I mentioned before, I admire the
spirit of the European Union and would like to see such a union in Africa and Asia.” His Holiness explained that as a Buddhist monk, a follower of the Nalanda masters, thinkers and philosophers of ancient India, his second commitment is to fostering inter-religious harmony. He remarked that all religious traditions make love their main message, supported by tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. He observed that in India all the world’s major traditions are represented and live together in harmony. He asked if India can do it, why not other countries too? On the way to a meeting with members of the Commission on Human Rights, His Holiness was surprised to come across a bust of his old friend, the late Václav Havel, and stopped to pay his respects. Mr Jagland introduced him at the meeting, but left to fulfil responsibilities in the Parliament.
Tibet is known as the Roof of the World: His Holiness
His Holiness the Dalai Lama interacting with a group from Mongolia outside of his hotel in Wroclaw, Poland on September 20, 2016. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL By Yeshe Choesang: September 22, 2016
Wroclaw, Poland — Explaining Tibetan language is the best medium for accurately explaining Buddhist teachings, the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said Tibet is known as the Roof of the World, but also as the Land of Avalokiteshvara. In Wroclaw, European Capital of Culture 2016, the Tibetan spiritual leader, spoke to Tibetans and Mongolians living or studying in Poland, on September 20, 2016. His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to them briefly, saying, “Tibet is known as the Roof of the World, but also as the Land of Avalokiteshvara. We Tibetans have our own language, with its own writing, which is the best medium for accurately explaining Buddhist teachings,” . “In the past some Tibetans were shy of saying they were from Tibet—not any more. We have every reason to be confident,” he saod, adding: “We have the seed of compassion and we need to strengthen it through reason and training.” “Our Kangyur and Tengyur collections contain a wealth of knowledge about Buddhist science, philosophy and religion. We have published a Compendium of Science in a two volume set and one abridged volume,” he said. “These books are being translated into other languages like English, Chinese and German. When you have time, try to read them and discuss among yourselves what you learn,” The Nobel Peace Prize laureate further added. Turning to the Mongolians he recalled how Buddhism had first come to Mongolia on the Silk Road. Later, in a second phase of transmission, Drogön Chögyal Phagpa brought Buddhism from Tibet. This was consolidated when the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso,
went to Mongolia. His Holiness said that he first visited Mongolia in 1979. And on that occasion the monks at Ganden Thekchenling offered him a Long-Life Prayer so fervently it brought tears to the eyes of all concerned. He observed that the 13th Dalai Lama not only spent time in Mongolia, but was also able to speak Mongolian. Relations between Tibet and Mongolia have a history of being close. His Holiness mentioned that his interest in emptiness, which he has reflected on seriously for the last 60 years, owed not a little to his Mongolian debating assistant, Ngodup Choknyi. Driving about an hour and a half out of Wroclaw through rich farmland brought His Holiness and his party to the town of Swidnica and the historic Church of Peace, named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648. Since His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled, more than 120,000 Tibetans have followed him into exile in India. Thousands more live in Europe and North America. In Tibet today, Tibetans are being arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned and tortured for merely expressing their suffering under Chinese rule. However, authorities in Beijing still claim that “China ‘peacefully liberated’ Tibet, and that the Tibetans are living in a “Maoist socialist paradise.” Tibet was invaded by Communist China, starting in 1949, Beijing calls a “peaceful liberation”. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed— the acts of murder, rape and arbitrary imprisonment, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment were inflicted on the Tibetans inside Tibet.
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Back Page Focus His Holiness calls for religious harmony on Int’l Day of Peace Two Buddhist September 30, 2016
By Yeshe Choesang: September 22, 2016
Wroclaw, Poland — Explaining all our major religious traditions convey a common message of love, His Holiness the Dalai Lama asserted that there is need for special efforts to promote harmony between traditions based on mutual respect, when there are conflicts arising in the name of religion. The spiritual leader of Tibet visited the historic Church of Peace in the town of Swidnica, named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648. This permitted Lutherans in the Roman Catholic parts of the region to build three churches from wood, loam and straw outside the city walls, without steeples and church bells. They were permitted one year to complete construction. The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October 1648 effectively ending the European wars of religion—the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648) between Spain and the Dutch Republic. The treaties did not restore peace throughout Europe, but they did create a basis for national self-determination and the concept of co-existing sovereign states, which became central to international law as it prevails today. The church is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. As he stepped out of his car, His Holiness was received by Bishop Waldemar Pytel and Mayor of Swidnica, Mrs Beata Moskal-Slaniewska. They escorted him to his seat to the music of Handel played on the organ. Mayor of Wroclaw, Rafal Dutkiewicz explained to the congregation that today, 21st September was the International Day of Peace and that the distinguished religious leaders present, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, had been invited to sign an Appeal for Peace. He mentioned a number of recent alarming circumstances that prompted the need for such an appeal. Among them he mentioned the heavy defeat of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat Party in elections in Berlin by the right-wing, anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany; North Korea’s recent conducting of a fifth nuclear test and Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Dutkiewicz also mentioned several reasons why this Church of Peace was a fitting location for such a gesture. Apart from its older history, it was here in 1989 that German Chancellor Helmut Kohl met Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Poland’s first post-Communist Prime Minister. More recently, in November 2014, Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz and German Chancellor Angela Merkel came here as part of celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the Mass of Reconciliation in Krzyzowa. Prior to the signing of the Appeal for Peace, His Holiness was invited to address the gathering. “Respected spiritual leaders and brothers and sisters,” he began. “It’s a great honour for me to come here to join in this celebration of peace. Peace is something that must arise through inner peace. It cannot be built on the basis of destructive emotions like fear and anger. “Nowadays, some scientists say that basic human nature
is compassionate. When we’re born, if our mother was full of anger, we would not survive. The way life starts is characterised by affection and it’s time we paid more attention to this. “Despite philosophical differences, all our major religious traditions convey a common message of love. Sadly however, we are seeing today conflicts arising in the name of religion. Consequently, we need to make special efforts to promote harmony between our traditions based on mutual respect. I’m a Buddhist monk, but among Buddhists are many who don’t take their practice very seriously. They may adopt a serious demeanour when they come to the temple, but this doesn’t extend into their day to day lives. Whether we are Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Hindu, if we think of ourselves as religious, we should make our faith part of our daily life. Not only should we be compassionate in our conduct, we should be happy. “I have three commitments I’d like to share with you. The first is to promoting human happiness and the sense that we are all equally human beings. The second is that, as a Buddhist, I try to encourage inter-religious harmony. I have friends who say they think of me as a good Christian or a good Muslim. Finally, I’m a Tibetan and you have already referred to the issue of Tibet—thank you.” His Holiness observed that peace will not come about as a result of prayers alone. Logically, since it’s human beings who have disrupted the peace, it’s they who have to work to restore it. And even if they do that, he said, it doesn’t mean no further problems will occur, but when they do they have to be solved in ways other than the use of force. “Yesterday, I visited the exhibition at Wroclaw Museum dedicated to Cardinal Kominek’s work to foster forgiveness and reconciliation. On the way here, as I thought about that, I looked out on the rolling fields and reflected on how the Polish people have suffered and
worked hard to rebuild their lives—wonderful.” The moderator then requested the respective spiritual leaders to come forward to sign the Appeal for Peace, which read: ‘We have gathered here in this unique place, in this truly amazing region where people of many nations and cultures have successfully co-existed despite their different beliefs and religions. To commemorate this exceptional meeting we unite in our appeal for global peace, irrespective of beliefs, origin or religions. Peace that will always prevail as long as there is understanding and love of one another.’ The signatories were Bishop Waldemar Pytel; Priest Eugeniusz Cybulski - representative of Orthodox Church; Archbishop Jozef Kupny; Bishop W?odzimierz Juszczak - Greek Catholic Church, Immam Ali Abi Issa, Rabbi David Bassok, Bishop of Swidnica Ignacy Dec, pastor Edward Paw?owski and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Having signed they lined up together as a group for photographs to be taken before filing out of the church and gathering in the Church of Peace café for lunch. During conversation in the course of the meal, His Holiness repeated the importance of religious people getting to know one another on occasions such as this. “Since there are approximately 1 billion Christians in the world, 1 billion Muslims, 600,000 Hindus, 400 million Buddhists and 14 million Jews,” he remarked, “we have to live together. We should learn to talk about what we admire in each other as well as what we might want to complain about. Now, let’s eat.” Bishop Ignacy Dec invited His Holiness to visit his church in Swidnica, which he did briefly on the way, before driving back to Wroclaw. Arriving at the hotel, His Holiness gave interviews to CBS Sunday Morning and Good Morning Britain (ITV) in connection with the forthcoming publication of ‘The Book of Joy’ based on conversations he held with his old friend Bishop Desmond Tutu.
people,” Sikyong said. “I take this opportunity to thank you and your government for being supportive to our just cause and also your unwavering reverence towards His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The people of Tibet and Tuva have religious and cultural ties from decades back.” Sikyong also acknowledged the friendship and support of the people of Tuva and affirmed his readiness to strengthen the friendship in the years to come. Tuva Republic (also spelled Tyva) is situated in the center of Asia in the south of Eastern Siberia, part of Siberian Federal District. The length of the republic territory from north to south is 420 km, from west to east - 630 km. Capital city of the region is Kyzyl.
Tuva Republic is located at Siberian region of Russia. Its civilization dates back to 2700 years, according to the recent German archaeological findings. It was independent nation till 1944, when it became a part of Soviet Union. Its people are from Turkish race, not Mongolian. The peoples of Tibet and Tuva have long historical, culture and religious contact and connection since 18th century, when the Buddhism began to spread in Tuva region. They eat Tsampa and Yak is common animal. The Russian Republic has the population of 311,000 (2012) on the land area of 168,604 sq. km. About 97% of Tuva Republic population are Tuvans. Other Tuvans are living in Mongolia and China.
Supreme Justice Commission and the parliament’s disapproval of Ms Dhardon Sharling as a Kalon of
the 15th Kashag after a majority vote on the floor of parliament.
Tibetan PM congratulates president of Tuva Republic on 3rd term win By Yeshe Choesang: September 25, 2016
Dharamshala — Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the democratically elected political head of the Tibetan people, has congratulated Sholban Kara-ool, who was elected as the President of Tuva Republic for the third consecutive term in the recently held elections in the region. “On behalf of the Tibetan people and the Central Tibetan Administration, I congratulate you on your landslide victory in the recent election and for winning the third consecutive term as the Head of the Government of Tuva Republic,” Sikyong wrote in his congratulatory note. “Your win reflects your hard work, hopes and trust of your people. I extend my prayers and best wishes to you in fulfilling the expectations and aspirations of your
16th Tibetan Parliament concludes second session By Molly Lortie: September 29, 2016
Dharamshala — The second session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament in Exile concluded today following nine days of deliberations on topics including the situation inside Tibet, the status of Tibetans in exile and the future course of the Tibetan movement led by the Central Tibetan Administration. The session also featured the presentation of annual reports by the seven departments of the Central Tibetan Administration followed by questions regarding their activities, budgets and implementation of projects. Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, delivering the concluding remarks of the session, gave a brief overview of the proceedings. He emphasised the importance of engaging in discussions based in reason and logic instead of resorting to personal attacks and filibustering during parliamentary proceedings. He further appealed all Tibetans to renew their efforts – in their own capacities – to contribute towards the preservation and promotion of the rich Tibetan linguistic heritage, beginning at home within the family to schools, institutions and organisations. This session of parliament saw the appointment of Dr Ngawang Rabgyal as Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan
monks jailed over allegedly sharing information By Yeshe Choesang: September 20, 2016
His Holiness the Dalai Lama sitting in the front row of the Church of Peace in Swidnica, Poland on September 21, 2016. Photo/Maciej Kulczynski
Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel delivering the concluding remarks of the second session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament on 29 September 2016. Photo: CTA/DIIR
The Tibet Post International
Dharamshala — The Chinese authorities in Sangchu County, north-eastern Tibet have sentenced two Tibetan monks to one year and a half each for allegedly sharing online information about events in Tibet abroad. Jinpa was arrested, along with two other Labrang monks Kalsang and Jamyang about 7 pm, June 5, 2015, while walking in the area of market street in Labrang Township, Sangchu County, and another monk Kalsang Monlam, was also detained by Chinese police separately on the same day for unknown charges. ‘The two, who are are both aged in their late 30s, were taken by Chinese authorities last year without any reason or accusation. Both Jinpa and Monlam were sentenced to serve one year and a half prison term by People’s Intermediate Court Sangchu county on September 12, for their alleged involvement in the self-immolation protest of Sangye Tso on May 27, 2015,’ a source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. According to the source, ‘with plainclothes security personnel came to the Labrang monastery for Monlam and took him away in handcuffs and the authorities also forced him to unlock his mobile phone and then searched his room.’ All four were residents of Labrang Tashikyil monastery in Sangchu County, north-eastern Tibet (Ch: Xiahe county, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, TPI source said, added that the two others, [Kalsang and Jamyang] were reportedly released after being interrogated for several days. TPI had previously reported that there was heavy security presence at Labrang and Bora areas; in particular, Labrang Monastery and Bora Monastery, teeming with armed
forces and police who closely monitor and carry out surveillance on the activities of the local Tibetans and monks in the county, a site of frequent protests against China’s rule in Tibet. Since 2009, a total of 144 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest against the Chinese government’s repressive policies in Tibet and of them 122 were reportedly passedaway while the status of the rest remains unknown or critically injured. Many such protests have taken place in Ngaba region, especially by the monks of Kirti monastery. Chinese authorities in Beijing have labeled the Tibetan self-immolators as “terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people” and have blamed His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration for “encouraging” the self-immolations in Tibet. It is a fact that the regime has also imposed severe restrictions on internet and phone connections by increasing a wider crackdown on communications across Tibet in an attempt to prevent any news reaching the outside world. In Tibet today, Tibetans are being arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned and tortured for merely expressing their suffering under Chinese rule. However, authorities in Beijing still claim that “China ‘peacefully liberated’ Tibet, and that the Tibetans are living in a “Maoist socialist paradise.” Tibet was invaded by Communist China, starting in 1949, Beijing calls a “peaceful liberation”. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed— the acts of murder, rape and arbitrary imprisonment, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment were inflicted on the Tibetans inside Tibet.
Labrang Monastery in Amdo Labrang County, north-eastern Tibet. Photo: File