Tibetan Headlines
Jun 2: Students Meet Speaker
A group of students from Miao Sambhota Tibetan School (STS) who are participating in an education programme run by Lha Charitable Trust, met the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile Sonam Tenphel. The Speaker gave the students a detailed introduction to the evolution of democracy in the exile Tibetan community under the leadership of HH the Dalai Lama. The students, aged 13-14 years, are participating in a weeklong learning programme.
Jun 2: Best Young Scientist
Tenzin Yeshi, a Tibetan medical student studying at the Asian Medical Institute in the city of Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, has been awarded the “Best Young Scientist” of 2022. Last year he received the “Leading research Student Award” for former Soviet Union Republics. Tenzin Yeshe has won numerous other awards from the World Health Organisation and from Harvard Medical School as well as being a top academic performer.
May 30: Slap for Human Rights
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s visit to China this month has deeply disappointed human rights and Tibet support groups. It is an apparent political victory for China whose state media has reported that she had “dismissed the rampant disinformation on the Xinjiang region" and given a "slap to the US and some Western countries, their media and anti-China forces.”
May 25: Long Life Prayer
His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended Tenshug, a long life prayer, offered to him by the Sakya Tibetan Buddhist tradition in the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamshala. His Holiness briefly addressed the gathering, thanking the Tenshug organisers and saying that to meet the aspirations of the Tibetan people and to continue Buddhas’ teachings, he will pray to live to the age of at least a hundred years.
May 25: Ratoe Kyungla Rinpoche
Ratoe Kyungla Rinpoche, a Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher, has died aged 100 in Dharamshala. He was born in Tibet, recognised as the reincarnate lama of Ratoe Monastery at an early age and completed his monastic education in Tibet. He founded the Tibet Centre in New York where he was director and teacher of Buddhism for over 30 years. He also founded Ratoe Monastery in Mundgod, India.
May 24: Tibetan Monks Blamed
The Chinese authorities are forcing local monks to take responsibility for the destruction of the 99-foot-tall Buddha statue in Drago county in Kham Kardz in December last year. At the time the authorities ordered the destruction, now they are requiring the monks to sign affidavits claiming responsibility, reports Radio Free Asia. The statue and 45 prayer wheels were built and paid for by local Tibetans with official approval.
May 24: New Brussels Representative
Ms Genkhang Rigzin Choedon has been appointed as the new Representative for the Office of Tibet in Brussels, taking over from the outgoing Representative Mr Tashi Phuntsok on his retirement after 42 years service. Ms Rigzin Choedon has worked for more than 12 years in the Office of Tibet, Brussels.
May 23: Congratulations
HH the Dalai Lama has written to the new Australian Prime Minister-Elect Anthony Albanese to congratulate him on his election victory and wish him every success saying, “We Tibetans have been honoured to enjoy the support of the Australian people and their respective leaders in our effort to preserve our Buddhist cultural heritage.”
May 21: Tibetan Voices
The award winning Queens Memory Project - a community record of New York - is set to feature Tibetans in an episode of their podcast Our Major Minor Voices. Tibetans living in Queens, New York city will be featured in both Tibetan and English as part of a programme introducing Asian-American communities in Queens. The episode, Mother Tongue, was produced by filmmaker Tenzin Tsetan Choklay, co-founder of Dharamshala-based Drung Filmmakers’ Collective.
May 21: Tourism Subsidies
Coupons are being issued to tourists in a move to boost tourism in Tibet, reports Xinhua the Chinese state news agency, this despite claims by China that there are record numbers of tourists visiting Tibet. Coupons worth 30 million yuan (about US$4.4 / £3.6 million) were provided to reduce ticket prices along with subsidised fares, tariffs and fees. Subsidies are normally offered only during winter months.
May 20: Australia Tibet Council
The Australia Tibet Council launched their report Overcoming Obstacles: Protecting Tibetan Religious Identity in the New South Wales State Parliament in Sydney to mark the 27th anniversary of the forced disappearance of 11th Panchen Lama Gedun Choekyi Nyima. The report narrates China’s destruction and sinicisation of Tibetan Buddhism; it was launched by Jamie Parker, member of the NSW Legislative Assembly and local Representative of HH the Dalai Lama.
May 19: Religious Content Censored
The Tibet Autonomous Region Cyberspace Administration has announced more restrictions on the content of social media videos and live webcasts. Authorities are authorised to punish those who violate and use content deemed to be “illegal” or ``social threats.” Among many vague and broad uses of the term "punishable", included are “undermining national religious policies,” “promoting harmful information about religion" and "spreading xie jiao and feudal superstitions.”
May 19: Tibetans Evicted
Tibetans living in Atsok Gon Dechen Choekhor Ling Monastery and the nearby village in Tsolho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture are being evicted by the Chinese authorities to make way for a planned hydropower station, despite requests to reconsider the eviction, reports Radio Free Asia. It is unknown whether compensation is being paid, or whether the monastery, which was built in 1889 and is home to 157 monks, will face shutdown.
May 19: Meeting with His Holiness
The United States Under Secretary Ms Uzra Zeya, Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, met HH the Dalai Lama. She conveyed greetings from the US President and American people and expressed their gratitude for His Holiness's message of peace for the world. The US delegation briefed His Holiness on the United States continuing commitment to support the preservation of Tibetan culture, religion, language and identity.
May 18: Welcome to Dharamshala
Tibetans in Dharamshala, led by Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the Central Tibetan Administration, have welcomed the United States Under Secretary Uzra Zeya, Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues on her arrival in Dharamshala. During this official visit she will meet both Sikyong and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She will visit all departments of the CTA, education institutions and monasteries, and visit local non government institutions.