Tibetan Headlines
Apr 25: Sikyong in US
Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, is in New York where he has met the United States Special Coordinator for Tibet, Uzra Zeya. Accompanied by the Office of Tibet Representative Dr Namgyal Choedup and Abbot Zeekyab Rinpoche of Tashi Lhunpo monastery, he also met Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain and Kurt Campbell, Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the US National Security Council.
Apr 24: Tibetan Flag Raised
The Tibetan flag was raised for the ninth consecutive year at the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist temple in Milton Keynes which is near London in the United Kingdom. The event was instigated by a local Tibet supporter Ms Catherine Mostyn Scott and her team of volunteers and was attended by the Mayor of Milton Keynes, staff from the Office of Tibet, London, and around 80 supporters and other friends.
Apr 22: Earth Day Message
In his Earth Day 2022 message, HH the Dalai Lama has reiterated that everyone, including animals, wants to live a happy life. He spoke of collective existence, saying that the world is heavily interdependent and challenges like climate crisis affect everyone; that the planet is “our only home” and must be protected and that plans for the global economy should mean taking account of the whole of humanity.
Apr 22: Unnecessary Covid Precautions?
The authorities in Tibet are building makeshift Covid-19 isolation and care facilities in Tibet despite there being only one case of Covid-19 reported in Tibet since the pandemic began, reports the Guardian. Temporary 1,000 bed hospitals are being built in Lhasa and Shigatse by a Chinese construction firm in case of further outbreaks in the region. The firm was given less than one month to complete the work.
Apr 22: Donation from Tibet
China has been requisitioning “anti-epidemic supplies' ', including 100 tonnes of dried yak meat and 3,000 tonnes of drinking water, for Covid-19 hit Shanghai, reports Asian News International. No reimbursement was made by the authorities to the Tibetan suppliers, and no consideration was given to the cultural insult and distress to the Buddhist community who refrain from large scale killing of animals.
Apr 21: Three Tibetans Released
Sonam Gyal and two other Tibetans were released in January. They were among nine people detained in July 2018, accused of running an “illegal organisation” when they demanded the return of their land which had been requisitioned for factories. Another three men due for release in June have been given a further seven years, reports RFA. All are residents of Horgyal village in Rebgong county in Amdo.
Apr 20: TCV Spring Fete
Upper TCV School (Tibetan Children’s Village) annual spring fete has been held for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown two years ago drawing a large crowd and bringing the community together. The event also raises funds to cover the cost of the school’s sports equipment and activity expenses.
Apr 20: Wind Energy
Tibet has a wind energy potential capable of powering the United Kingdom, Germany and France reports bloomberg.com. They do, however, cite big challenges to production, including poor road transport, thin air to make turbines less efficient and the cost of power lines required in sparsely populated areas, quoting a report by China’s National Climate Centre, but suggest China is optimistic about the potential .
Apr 20: Students Protest
A student protest was held at the Central University of Tibetan Studies (CUTS) in Sarnath, Varanasi. The students are appealing to the Ministry of Culture to appoint a new Vice-Chancellor, saying the current incumbent has held the post for over 20 years and that the institute will see no development under his leadership.
Apr 19: Increased Water Volume
The total water volume of the ten major lakes across the endorheic region of the Tibetan Plateau increased by 58.5 cubic kilometers between 1979 and 2016 reports Chinese state media Xinhua. According to a research article published in Science Bulletin, rainfall, glaciers and snow meltwater, lake surface evaporation, and soil freezing-thawing are the major contributors to the increase in volume.
Apr 19: His Holiness to Visit Ladakh
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has agreed to visit Ladakh between July and August at the request of Thiksay Rinpoche of Thiksay Monastery in Ladakh, and former MP Thupten Tsewang, current President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, reports tibet.net. His Holiness visited Ladakh every year before the Covid19 pandemic, this visit to Ladakh will be his first travel since the pandemic.
Apr 19: Kirti Rinpoche’s Biography
A Tibetan translation of Kirti Rinpoche’s biography Three Lives in One Lifetime was launched at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA). Kirti Rinpoche, who is 80, was born and brought up in Amdo before coming into exile. After completing his studies, Rinpoche worked for the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in various posts and in 1992 he re-established Kirti Jepa Dratsang, a branch of Kirti Monastery, in Dharamshala.
Apr 18: Activist Targeted Again
Tashi Wangchuk, a Tibetan language activist, is again being targeted by the authorities. While visiting various schools in Golog, Rebgong and Malho to advocate use of the Tibetan language, he was denied hotel accommodation and his posts on Weibo, a Chinese social media app, deleted by the authorities. His current whereabouts are unknown. Tashi was released on January 28, 2021 after completing his prison term for advocating language rights.
Apr 15: Sentence Extended
Tashi, who has completed his 12 year prison sentence on charges of leaking state secrets, has been given three more years under the pretext of his involvement in a quarrel while in prison. The news has come from Tibet Watch, the Tibet research and advocacy group. Tashi comes from from Chogo Deysar Village, Matoe County in Golog in Amdo. He has been allowed very limited family visits.
Apr 15: Road Building
Chinese official state media chinadaily has reported that 21.6 billion yuan ($3.4 / £2.5 billion) is allocated for expenditure in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) on transport infrastructure this year. The report says that currently 94% of the TAR’s townships and 77% of its villages are now connected by roads, and that the world’s highest expressway connecting Lhasa with Nagchu was opened last year.