Tibetan Headlines
Nov 16: Freedom and Equality
The Tibetan Writers Abroad PEN Centre has launched a bilingual book Freedom and Equality, a collection of the Tibetan writer Shokjang’s writings and poems, at an event commemorating imprisoned Tibetan writers in Tibet. Shokjang is currently serving a three-year prison term. According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, a non-government organisation, since 2008 over 70 Tibetan writers has been arrested for expressing their views.
Nov 15: Released After Four Years
Lobsang Sangye, a monk from Kirti monastery in Ngaba County in Tibet, has been released from prison. He was tortured there and now suffers from memory loss and poor health. He was detained in 2012 after selling photos of HH the Dalai Lama and videos of HH’s teachings. “He was also accused of involvement in a self-immolation protest against Chinese policy in Tibet,” reported Radio Free Asia.
Nov 13: Bank Queues
Dharamshala community, a hub for tourists from across the world and home to thousands of Tibetans, is left without cash this weekend. Locals, tourists, Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople alike stood for hours queues to banks and ATMs, often unable to get cash. Tourists and newly arrived Tibetans seemed to face the greatest hardships as they do not have Indian bank accounts, nor can they withdraw cash from ATMs.
Nov 12: Compensation for Lost Crops
The Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Home has assured Tibetan farmers at the settlements in south India that the Department will provide compensation for the loss of their crops in this season’s severe drought. Hundreds of families are affected. Mr Chemi Rigzin of the Department said, “We are faced with the most severe case of crop failure ever recorded in Tibetan exile history”. .
Nov 11: Chinese Liaison Officers
Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, head of the exile Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), inaugurated the fourth annual three-day coordination meeting of the CTA’s Chinese liaison officers. Sikyong said that the joint exercise between the Tibetan leadership and the individuals and organisations who serve as liaison between the Chinese and Tibetan people will strengthen the communication between the Chinese people and Tibetan diaspora.
Nov 10: HH Congratulates Trump
HH the Dalai Lama has congratulated the United States President-elect Donald Trump and offered prayers and good wishes for the challenges ahead. His Holiness expressed his long-time admiration for the US as the champion of democracy, freedom and rule of law and added that Tibetans have been honoured to receive the support of successive US presidents and the American people in preserving their Buddhist culture and tradition.
Nov 9: Help for Lal Qila
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) based in Dharamshala has sanctioned 15 Lakhs Indian rupees (US$22,500, £18,000) for the immediate reconstruction of Lal Qila Tibetan market in Delhi which was destroyed by fire yesterday. Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the head of the CTA, has assured that the CTA will provide support. Representatives of the CTA and the Bureau of HH the Dalai Lama visited the shopkeepers and assured them of help.
Nov 9: China Cancels Meeting
China cancelled a bilateral talks meeting between their Premier Li Kequiang and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in retaliation to the Slovakian President Andrej Kiska’s meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bratislava, the Slovak capital, last month. The Slovak Prime Minister has acknowledged that Chinese-Slovak relations had been “damaged”.
Nov 8: Burned to Ashes
At least 140 shops set up by Tibetan winter sweater sellers in Lal Qila in New Delhi were burned to ashes last night around 1 am, reports Radio Free Asia. As of now no causalities have been reported and the reason for the outbreak of the fire is yet to be confirmed. Sweater sellers have lost all their stock and have sustained devastating financial loss.
Nov 6: China Complains
China has warned Britain that relations between the two countries could be hampered by the meeting between Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and John Bercow, Speaker of Britain’s House of Commons, last week. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying that the meeting “severely damages China’s core interests”.
Nov 5: Political Re-education
Months of “political re-education” is being imposed on some monks and nuns who have been evicted from Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Tibet. Radio Free Asia reports a local source as saying that one group of about 100 people been held for two months, others for up to six months. They are said to be required to study Chinese policies and regulations during their “rehabilitation”.
Nov 4: Good News From Taiwan
In Taiwan, the Legislative Yuan has approved an amendment to the Immigration Act and can now grant residece permits to stateless Tibetans who arrived in Taiwan before June 29 this year, and “have not been forced to leave the nation, once their identities are confirmed by the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission”. At least 16 Tibetans are expected to obtain residence and work permits.
Nov 4: Larung Gar Evictions
Monks and nuns targeted for eviction from Larung Gar are being locked out of their homes and prohibited from retrieving their belongings before being sent away, reports Radio Free Asia. RFA’s source said that the doors are locked when the occupants are out and that officials say anyone tampering with the locks is breaking the law and will be “dealt with”.
Nov 3: India Idea Conclave
HH the Dalai Lama will give a video address at the India Idea Conclave to be held in Goa from November 4 – 6. Over 350 intellectuals have been invited to the conclave which is hosted by India Foundation, a right wing think tank, and will debate democracy, development and dissent in India after 70 years of independence, especially in defence, governance and education.
Nov 2: Book Launch
HH the Dalai Lama launched a revised version of the book Red flag over the Himalayas written by Shri Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and current member of Lok Sabha, together with a collection of poetry If Autumn comes written by Smt Santosh Shailja, and a biography of Shri Shanta Kumar written by Shri Hemraj Kaushik. His Holiness thanked the state of Himachal for their hospitality and support towards Tibetans.