Appeal to the UN to Intervene on Behalf of Larung Gar

By Tenzin Samten / December 7, 2016;

Photo: tibet.net

The heads of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) also known as the Tibetan government-in-exile, Sikyong (or Prime Minister) Lobsang Sangay and the Speaker, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel appealed to the United Nations(UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights for an immediate intervention to save Larung Gar, the largest Buddhist academy in the world.

In a joint press conference on December 5, Sikyong and the Speaker called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid bin Ra’adZeid al-Hussein, to take immediate action to halt the demolition of Larung Gar academy and assess the human rights situation inside Tibet. They also urged him to raise the issue during the forthcoming 34th UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva in March next year.

A seven-minute film We stand solidarity with Larung Gar was released at the press conference. The film depicts the situation at Larung Gar academy, showing the large scale of the area being demolished and the forced eviction of monks and nuns from their residencies. In the film, the CTA express its solidarity with the residents of the Larung Gar.

Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel releasing the 7-minute documentary film on Larung Gar
Photo: tibet.net

“What we see happening in the case of Larung Gar and Yachen Gar [another, nearby monastery which is also under threat] is reminiscent of the bitter experiences of the Cultural Revolution. [Then] the three great monasteries of Tibet-Sera, Drepung and Gaden were destroyed and downsized from several thousand monks to the few hundred [there are] now. The current destruction of Larung Gar indicates that the other major monasteries in Tibet could face the same tragic fate. We fear that the Cultural Revolution is reviving in Tibet,” said Dr Sangay.

“Larung Gar as a highly respected and iconic centre of Tibetan Buddhism and significant heritage centre is of great importance in terms of the Tibetan language, culture and religion and must be treasured and protected. China’s disregard for fundamental freedoms is currently demonstrated in the destruction of a large swathe of Larung Gar, where the very religious and learning centre is reduced to rubbles,” said Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

According to CTA’s latest reports, around 4,600 residents have been evicted and 1,500 dwellings have been destroyed since the start of the demolition in July this year. There is video footage showing monks and nuns helplessly watching their fellow monastics being sent home. Another video showing Tibetan nuns, believed to be evictees of Larung Gar performing dances to Chinese pop songs on stage has caused deep distress across the Tibetan community around the world.

The CTA urged Tibetans and supporters to sign the petition Stand with Larung Gar Now which calls on the UN to intervene with China and stop their demolition of Larung Gar.This petition has been initiated by the group Safeguarding Buddhism,via change.org, and now has around 150,000 supporters.

Larung Gar, the largest Buddhist academy in the world, is located in Serta county in Tibet and was home to over 10,000 residents. In July this year, the Chinese government started demolishing the dwellings and forcibly evicting monks and nuns with the aim of halving the number of residents by next year.