Tibetan Headlines
May 27: Two Monks Detained
Lobsang Dargye and Jamyang Lodroe, both 35 and monks from Ngaba prefecture were detained separately by Chinese authorities on unknown charges. Lobsang studies in Kirti monastery and was detained on the night of May 23.Lodroe was arrested on May 13. The reason for his arrest could be the online publication of his politically sensitive writings. He is from Ngaba’s Tsinang monastery.
May 27: Sangay’s Second Term Begins
Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in exile, was sworn-in for his second term in office in the courtyard of Tsugla-khang, the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala. His Holiness the Dalai Lama graced the occasion as the chief guest along with the senior officials and staff of the CTA. Thousands of Tibetans, locals and visitors gathered to witness the event.
May 26: Dharamshala Settlement Officer
Tibetans in Dharamshala yesterday voted in the preliminary election for the Tibetan Settlement officer or Dedhoen. The result will be declared on May 28 and the final election is scheduled for June 6. The standard tenure of the elected settlement officer is three years. Dedhoen’s primary job is to look after the socio-economic welfare of Tibetans in and around Dharamshala.
May 25: 34th Kalachakra
The Cabinet of the Central Tibetan Administration announced that the 34th Kalachakra will be held from January 3 – 14, 2017 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. The Kalachakra Initiation or Wheels of Time Empowerment is considered the essence of all the Buddhist teachings. Since 1954, His Holiness has given 33 Kalachakra initiations, the last one was held in Ladakh in 2014.
May 24: A Reminder for Tibetans
More than thousand Buddhist devotees gathered to listen to HH the 17th Karmapa’s teaching in Geneva in Switzerland. Around 300 Tibetans received a special audience with him. The Karmapa advised the Tibetans not to forget the primary reason for Tibetans coming to a free country which is to preserve Tibetan culture and religion. It was his first visit to Switzerland. He will leave to France on May 30.
May 23: Tibet-Nepal Railway
Mr Zhang Yun, director of the government-run China Tibetology Research Centre in Beijing, said that China is keen for India to join the Tibetan rail network, adding that it will benefit China, Nepal and India. China is developing high-altitude railways, roads, airports as a showcase investment in Tibetan regions.
May 22: Two Earthquakes
Two 5.3 magnitude earthquakes have hit Dingri County and Shigatse city in Tibet, reports China’s Earthquake Networks Centre. According to the Chinese authorities, there was no damage or casualties. Earlier this month, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit Gyamotang village in Chamdo, injuring 60 people and causing much damage. Tibet is considered earthquake active zone.
May 22: Monks’ March
A group of 40 Thai monks have set off to walk to Leh to promote world peace on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. Their departure was blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “We are having this yatra for world peace and to share with the world about peace of mind and soul as per the teachings of our teacher, the lord Buddha,” said one of the monks.
May 21: Saka Dawa
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was in Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala, to preside over the prayers for Vesak, a day honouring the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. This day occurs on the full moon (the 15th day) of the fourth Tibetan lunar month. On this day the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied ten million times.
May 21: Health Concerns
Lobsang Choedar, a Tibetan monk who is serving a 13 year sentence in Mianyang prison in Sichuan, is said to be in poor health and his family are concerned that he may not survive his prison term. He is a monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba and was detained after calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the unrest in 2008.
May 20: Women’s Football Tournament
The Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) announced that first ever Tibetan women’s football tournament will be played in September 2016 in Dharamshala. The Secretary of TNSA said that though the Tibetan women’s football team has travelled and played in various matches, the tournament schedule to be played in September is the first fully fledged tournament with three other teams from Delhi, Amritsar, Nahan in Himachal Pradesh.
May 19: Tibet Museum
The Tibet Museum is celebrating International Museum Day, which raises awareness of the importance of museums in society’s development; this year, the 39th, has the theme “Museums and Cultural Landscapes”. The Tibet Museum’s three-day celebration includes displays of Thangka paintings, depictions of the customs of the three Tibetan provinces, talks on the history of Tibet and screening of documentary films, and was inaugurated by Sikyong Lobsang Sangay.
May 19: Tibetan Flags Raised
Two Tibetan flags were raised on the streets of Hong Kong by pro-democracy supporters during a visit by Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress Standing Committee and the chief of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. Despite tight security and heavy police presence, protestors also displayed banners demanding universal suffrage and an end to communist one-party rule.
May 17: Improving Health Services
The Department of Health of the Central Tibetan Administration is holding a special meeting in a bid to improve and strengthen public health services in the Tibetan community. 129 doctors, hospital administrators and health staff from all over India are there to formulate recommendations for the Kashag. The Kashag set up the meeting as a response to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s public rebuke in March.
May 16: Young Monk Arrested – UPDATED
Jampa Gelek, a monk aged about 23, was detained in southwestern China’s Tibetan populated Sichuan province. He had been seen carrying a Tibetan flag and it is understood that he may have been planning to self-immolate, having expressed a wish to do so last year. He was arrested while circumambulating a stupa near his monastery in Tawu county in Kardze. There is no word of his current whereabouts.