Tibetan Headlines
May 16: Saka Dawa Prayer
HH the Dalai Lama today presides over the prayer ceremony for the month of Saka Dawa at Tsuglag Khang Temple in Dharamshala. The fourth month of Tibetan calendar is considered sacred because Buddha displayed the deeds of birth, enlightenment and Parinirvana. Tibetans observe this month as the month of merit and pay more attention to spiritual activities. Hundreds of people assembled to get a blessing from His Holiness.
May 15: Appeal for Return
The Tibetan Scholarship Program Alumni Association (TSPAA), is calling for return of alumni to contribute to their communities. TSPAA say that of the 410 TSP alumni to date, only 150 have returned. A message from HH the Dalai Lama read “I…pray that you return to serve our cause and people in whatever way you choose." TSP awards funding for a two-year Masters degree in America.
May 14: VOT Celebrates
Voice of Tibet (VOT), the independent radio station based in Norway is celebrating its 20th anniversary. VOT broadcasts daily from Dharamshala in both Tibetan and Chinese to Tibet, China, India, Bhutan and Nepal. The stations says it aims to “provide a channel for unbiased information and news to the Tibetans living under Chinese oppression in Tibet”, as well as “advancing the cause of Tibet”.
May 14: Health Concerns
There is concern over the health of Lobsang Choedhar, a Tibetan monk from Ngaba Kirti monastery, who is serving a thirteen year prison sentence. His family say his health is deteriorating following torture while in prison. Lobsang was arrested in September 2009 after leading a protest during the 2008 uprising which called for the return of the Dalai Lama and the release of the abducted Panchen Lama.
May 14: Swearing-in Ceremony
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has announced that he will grace the swearing-in ceremony for the Sikyong-Elect on May 27. The ceremony will be held in Tsuklakhang the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala. The Chief Justice Commissioner will administer the oath to Dr Lobsang Sangay who was the successful candidate for the post of Sikyong, or Prime Minister for the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, in the recent Election.
May 13: Denied Visa to China
Michal Brand, Chairman of the German Bundestag Committee on Human Rights, has been denied a visa to visit China. Xinhua, the state news agency, reports that the reason was not because of Brand’s comments on China’s human right issues but because of his position on Tibet. Brand said he has been repeatedly pressurised by China to delete comments and articles on Tibet from his website.
May 12: 60 Injured in Tibet
A 5.5 magnitude earthquake has hit Gyamotang village in Chamdo, injuring 60 people, and causing much damage, reports China’s state news agency Xinhua. Reportedly the epicentre is in Kata town, the site of two major Buddhist temples. Authorities confirmed that rescue teams are underway. The region is an earthquake active zone and an earthquake in 2010 in nearby Yushu killed almost 3,000 people.
May 11: Teaching in Japan
HH the Dalai Lama is in Japan giving a four-day teaching on Shantideva’s A Guide to the Bodhisatva’s Way of Life. Around 27,000 devotees are attending; the teaching is in Tibetan with Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Mongolian, Russian and English translations. His Holiness said “The Buddha himself has encouraged his disciples to investigate his teachings rather than accepting it out of blind faith. So we should do that,”
May 10: Tashi Phuntsok in Brussels
Mr Tashi Phuntsok, currently Secretary in the Department of Information and International Relations at the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), has been appointed as the new head at the Office of Tibet in Brussels. Offices of Tibet are the official agencies of HH the Dalai Lama and the CTA. Mr Tashi Phuntsok has served in various roles in the Tibetan community for over 35 years.
May 9: Another Writer Sentenced
Lobsang Jamyang a Tibetan writer popularly known as Lomik, aged 28, has been given a seven and a half year prison sentence by a court in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province in western China, reports Tibet Times. Lomik was accused of leaking state information to outsiders and involvement in separatist activities. He was arrested in April last year in Ngaba county, since then his whereabouts have been unknown.
May 8: Mining Protest
Tibetans have been protesting against Chinese mining operations at a sacred site Yulshok Gargye in Minyak County in Kham. The Tibet Post reports a source as saying that toxic waste dumped into the river has resulted in a large number of fish dying. About 100 people took part in the protest which was quickly stifled by police. It is not known whether any arrests were made.
May 7: New Job
Penpa Tsering, the former Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, has accepted a new appointment as the Representative of the Office of Tibet in Washington, DC in America. Runner-up in the election for Sikyong, Tsering said “I have consistently expressed my desire to continue working for the Tibetan community…I look forward to working with Tibetans and Tibetan supporters in North America.”
May 6: Teaching in Japan
HH the Dalai Lama left Dharamshala this afternoon for Gaggal airport. He is scheduled to fly to Japan from Delhi on May 8. He will give a four-day teaching based on the text by Shantideva's A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Chodjug) at Osaka International Convention Centre in Japan from May 10-13. The teaching is organised by the Liaison Office of HH the Dalai Lama (Tibet House Japan).
May 6: Kirti Monk Released
Lobsang Tenpa, 21, a monk from Ngaba Kirti monastery in eastern Tibet was released after serving two years of his prison term. He was imprisoned on November 7, 2014 for staging a solo protest against China's repressive rule in Tibet. He carried a large portrait of HH the Dalai Lama, calling for long life for His Holiness and his return to Tibet. His was welcomed home by his family.
May 5: Arrested and Tortured
Pema Wangchen, a father of three, has been arrested and tortured by Chinese officials for singing the Tibetan National anthem at a public gathering in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Pema was arrested and detained for 15 days after a recording of him singing the national anthem went viral on the social media messaging service Wechat in April. One of his fingers was paralysed during the interrogation.