Tibetan Headlines
Dec 23: Bribe Offered
The family of Karmey, 22, who was beaten to death early this month in police custody in Dharlak County, Golog, have been offered a bribe to keep quiet about the incident. Karmey’s body was released to his family with compensation of 10,000 Chinese Yuan (US $ 1,607). A further 70,000 Chinese Yuan (US $ 11,250) along with monthly payment and a promise to build them a house was offered to the family.
Dec 22: His Holiness in Karnataka
The Dalai Lama has arrived in Mungod, Karnataka where he will continue his teaching of the texts “the 18 Great Stages of the Path” (Lam Rim) Commentaries at Gaden Jangtse Monastery. Details of the teachings can be found at www.dalailama.com. On arrival there, he led the inauguration of a conference “Ethics in a New Millennium; Buddhist Perspectives”, which is part of a collaboration between Tumkur University and Sera Jey Monastic University.
Dec 19: Another Arrest
Uyak Tulku Lobsang Tenzin, 60, a native of Dzogang county in Tibet’s Chamdo prefecture, has been jailed for 10 years by Chinese authorities for urging residents of his home county to abide by the Dalai Lama’s call not to participate in a controversial form of worship deemed “divisive” by His Holiness. He is reportedly accused of “working with the Dalai clique and misleading people on the worship of Shugden”.
Dec 18: Vigil and Prayers
Tibetans and supporters held a candle-lit vigil in McLeod Ganj yesterday to pay their respects to Sangyal Khar, the latest Tibetan who died after setting himself on fire earlier in the week, and to remember the schoolchildren killed by the Taliban in Pakistan. The Central Tibetan Administration held a prayer service in the main temple, Tsuglakhan, to express solidarity with all those who have self-immolated, and those who suffer in Chinese prisons.
Dec 18: Aid for Exile Tibetans
The United States Congress has sanctioned a $3 million fund “to promote and preserve Tibetan culture and the resilience of Tibetan communities in India and Nepal, and to assist in the education and development of the next generation of Tibetan leaders from such communities”. This follows visits to the US by the elected leader of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, Dr Lobsang Sangay, to press the case for Tibet.
Dec 18: Released from Prison
Sherab Dhargay, a Tibetan monk, has been released after completing a twelve year sentence in prison in Khyungchu County, Amdo. He was arrested in 2003 along with five other monks from Khangmar monastery for carving “Free Tibet” slogans on stones, circulating a note on unity for Tibetans, displaying pictures of the Dalai Lama Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, raising the Tibetan national flag and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.
Dec 17: Dalai Lama Hits the Headlines
The Dalai Lama has hit the BBC world headlines after appearing on the BBC’s Newsnight programme where he said that he may be the last to hold the line. His Holiness also suggested that the United Kingdom had taken a soft line with China over Hong Kong's recent protests for financial reasons, and that the international community need to do more to encourage democracy in China.
Dec 16: Beaten to Death
Karmey, 22, a Tibetan living in Takthak Township in Dharlak County, Golog, was beaten to death by Chinese authorities while in detention. He, along with a dozen others, was arrested following a clash over elections for local office on December 7 when Tibetans voted for a candidate named Tashi instead of the candidate favoured by the authorities. A source said Karmey was brutally beaten in detention, and died next day in hospital.
Dec 13: Elderly Tibetan Jailed
Jamyang Tsering, 77, has been jailed for one and a half years by a court in Dzogang county in Chamdo for advising a group of Tibetan students to abide by the Dalai Lama's call not to participate in Shugden, a controversial form of worship deemed “divisive” by HH the Dalai Lama, and to always “hold to their pride in being Tibetan”. There is concern for his health.
Dec 13: Nuns Missing
107 nuns were expelled from Shar Bhumpa nunnery in Phenbo, near Lhasa, in August this year. They had distributed pamphlets saying “We have been forced to leave our quarters where we worship and study. We have nowhere to go. Please save us”. Chinese authorities bulldozed their residence quarters. A few nuns have also been reportedly missing. News has only now reached the exile community due to the communication clampdown.
Dec 12: Pope Declines Meeting
Pope Francis has decided not to meet HH the Dalai Lama during his visit to Rome for the Nobel Peace Laureates Summit. His Holiness had requested a meeting but the Vatican has declined, citing the "delicate situation" with China, and saying that although the Pope held him "in very high regard", the request had been declined "for obvious reasons".
Dec 12: Writing Competition
Students for a Free Tibet, Taiwan are holding a writing competition to increase awareness of Tibetan issues and commemorate those who have self-immolated by holding a writing contest: “the Free Tibet prize for literature”. The topic is "The Day of My Life," and entries must mention details of specific self-immolations. Entries, which must be in Chinese, are open to all and the closing date is February 22, 2015.
Dec 11: Himalayan Festival
The two-day Himalayan Festival in Dharamshala is underway, launched by the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Raja Virbhadra Singh. The Festival this year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to HH the Dalai Lama. Artists from Himalayan Buddhist countries and Indian states performed traditional dances and songs. Tibetan leader Sikyong Lobsang Sangay thanked the state of Himachal Pradesh for giving sanctuary to Tibetans in exile.
Dec 10: Human Rights Day
On Human Rights Day around the world, Students for a Free Tibet are leading a campign to call for the release of prisoners of conscience: activists who “symbolise the nonviolent movement for human rights, democracy and freedom for all those suffering under Chinese rule”. Tibetans will unite with Uyghurs, Southern Mongolians, Chinese and the people of Hong Kong for the day of action.
Dec 10: Tashi Tsering
Tashi Tsering, author of the autobiographical “The Struggle for Modern Tibet” has died in Lhasa at the age of 85. He was born a peasant, and illiterate, but later studied abroad, returning to Tibet during the Cultural Revolution, where he was imprisoned, charged as an American spy. After his release he built schools for poor children in and around Lhasa. He also compiled a Tibetan-Chinese-English dictionary.