Tibetan Headlines
May 4: Youth Leader’s Exchange
His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to the participants of a Youth Leader’s Exchange held in Dharmshala and sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace. He spoke on developing a sense of oneness and on the importance of disarmament. The workshop was attended by 28 youth leaders from 14 countries torn by war, conflicts and violent extremism; they exchanged ideas about resolving issues of conflict in non-violent ways.
May 3: Campaign for Shokjang
Students for Free a Tibet held an impromptu mock trial of the Tibetan writer Shokjang who is currently behind bars in China. The “Malho People’s Court” was depicted as vehemently denying every aspect of the writer’s appeal and ended with the “Chinese judge” throwing him to jail and shouting “ You're a Tibetan, the law doesn't apply to you”. SFT invited onlookers to participate in their Free Shokjang campaign.
May 3: Two Monks Detained
Lakyab and Tsering Gyurme, both monks at the Palyul monastery, were detained for 10 days last month after trying to mediate between a Tibetan and a Han Chinese driver who were in a dispute following a traffic collision in Palyul county in Kardze. Radio Free Asia reports a local source as saying that the monks were severely beaten while in custody.
May 2: Solo Protest
Lobsang Thubten, believed to be in his 20s and a Tibetan monk from Kirti monastery in Sichuan, has been detained after staging a solo protest in Ngaba town. Radio Free Asia reports a local source as saying “He walked in the road with a photo of the Dalai Lama and called for his long life and for freedom for Tibet”. There is no word of his current whereabouts.
May 2: Geshema Exams
Examinations for the Geshema degree are underway at Gaden Choeling Nunnery in McLeod Ganj. The first ever batch of 20 nuns are taking the fourth and final exam. 44 nuns from four nunneries are taking part; the 12-day session includes oral (debate) and written examination. This historic examination process was initiated following His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s call in 1995 for the need for the Geshema degree to be available for nuns.
May 2: Campaign for Release
The British based Free Tibet organisation is campaigning for the release of language campaigner Tashi Wangchuk who was jailed in March this year. They have submitted a petition to the governor of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture; the United States State Department is supporting their case. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office says it intends to raise Tashi Wangchuk’s case directly with China in the forthcoming UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.
May 1: Restricted Media Access
Three-quarters of the reporters in China who are members of foreign media outlets are being denied entry into the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). A survey by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China shows very limited access to the TAR in 2015. The report claims that restrictions prevent the world from learning the real story of Tibet and fuel suspicion about government treatment of Tibetans.
Apr 30: House Arrest
Prominent Tibetan writer Tsering Woeser and her husband Wang Lixiong were placed under house arrest during the past week to prevent them from meeting Richard C Blum, the president of the American Himalayan Foundation, who was visiting Beijing. "I have no idea what is the foundation here in Beijing for" tweeted Woeser in response. She is known for her criticism of the Chinese government policies on Tibet
Apr 29: Language Manipulation
Chinese authorities have set up Tibetan night classes in “improving civility” in Driru County in Nagchu Prefecture. Voice of America reports that attendees are being taught language, but not their local Nagchu dialect, eg, they are told not to use their usual greeting Kho-re. Last year the authorities there started teaching “honorific” languages used in U-tsang, a different region of Tibet; in Nagchu this language form is not used.
Apr 28: Teachers Workshop
The Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration is running a workshop for Tibetan primary school teachers in early grade reading. Around 30 teachers from Tibetan schools across India are attending the course whose chief instructor is Ms Latika Gupta, a professor from Delhi University. The workshop will have a second phase to be held early next month; it is funded by USAID through the Tibet Fund.
Apr 27: Official Election Result
The Election Commission of the Central Tibetan Administration has announced the final result of the March 20, 2016 Tibetan election. Winner of the Sikyong which is the highest post of exile government is Dr Lobsang Sangay, the incumbent Sikyong. Members of the Parliament are also finalised. This year’s Tibetan election saw a total of 59,353 voters from 85 different locations. Click here to see the final result.
Apr 27: First MA Graduates
The first batch of 13 MA students have graduated from Sarah College in Dharamshala. His Holiness the Dalai Lama graced the ceremony with his presence, saying “Tibetan culture has much to offer. We need to find ways to share it with the world.” Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies is a branch college under the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and was established in 1973.
Apr 26: No Visa
India has reneged on its decision to issue a visa to allow Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa to visit India follwing a strong protest from China. Isa was intending to attend a US-initiated conference in India, Initiatives for China, along with other Chinese dissidents in exile, to discuss democratic transformation in China. Isa was planning to visit HH the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala.
Apr 26: Planting Trees
Tibetan monks from Dzogchen monastery in Kardze in Sichuan’s Dege county are planting more than 15,000 trees on the hillsides around their monastery. They are attempting to address the environmental damage caused by decades of indiscriminate Chinese logging which has left the once heavily-forested area stripped bare and vulnerable to soil erosion and floods.
Apr 25: Happy Birthday
The 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima turns 27 today. In 1995, HH the Dalai Lama recognised the six year old boy as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. Three days later, the Chinese authorities abducted him and since then there has been no word of his whereabouts. Tibetans all over the world are praying for his safety and freedom. The Panchen Lama is the second highest religious figurehead of Tibet.