Tibetan Headlines
Jun 12: Shamar Rinpoche
Shamar Rinpoche Mipham Chokyi Lodro, one of the most prominent spiritual figures and an influential personality from the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, has died in Germany. It is understood he died of a heart attack. Shamar Rinpoche was was born in Derge, Tibet. He was recognised as the 14th Shamarpa by the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpei Dorje and became one of his three main disciples.
Jun 11: Armed Security
Armed Chinese security forces are being deployed in Tsoe city in Kanlho in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture during the Kalachakra ceremony being held at the Genden Choeling Monastery there. “Armed forces and army trucks have been positioned around the city to intimidate the crowd that has gathered for the teaching,” said a local source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Jun 10: HR Education
Education materials enabling Tibetan middle schools to include Human Rights in their curriculum is now available. The Association of Human rights and Tolerance, a Non Government Organisation based in Italy has translated the materials into Tibetan - they were previously available in 18 languages. The TCV program is the beginning of a United-Tibet project with the Association of Human rights and Tolerance.
Jun 9: TYC Protest
The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) is holding a protest in New Delhi aimed at the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who is currently visiting India. The TYC is asking Indian Prime Minister Modi to talk to Yi about the Tibet situation inside Tibet. Delhi police stopped Sunday's march and have locked down the Tibetan Colony at Majnu ka Tilla.
Jun 7: Prayers Disrupted
A prayer service for the long life and welfare of jailed Tibetan spiritual leader Tulku Tenzin Delek has been prevented by Chinese authorities in Lithang. Tibetan monks and laypeople at the Nalanda Theckchen Janghub Choeling were stopped and rebuked. Tulku Tenzin Delek is in jail on charges related to bomb blasts in Kardze and is the focus of a campaign for his release.
Jun 6: World Environment Day
World Envrionment Day was observed in Dharamshala with a collaboration between Lha, the Tibetan Women's Association and the Clean Upper Dharamshala Programme. Students marched around McLeod Ganj to raise awareness, and around 150 people participated in a skit play by Arts Salad. Information on waste management was distributed and at the end of the day everybody joined in a mass clean-up in the town.
Jun 5: Dhondup Wangchen Released
Dhondup Wangchen, the imprisoned Tibetan filmmaker, was released from prison after six years. He was driven by the police to his sister’s home at around 3pm (local time), a press statement issued by Filming for Tibet said on its website. “At this moment, I feel that everything inside me is in a sea of tears. I hope to recover my health soon. I would like to express my feeling of deepest gratitude for all the support I received while in prison and I want to be reunited with my family,” Dhondup told his cousin.
Jun 5: Remembering Tiananmen
Tibetans in Dharamshala and around the world commemorated the 25th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing. His Holiness the Dalai Lama urged China to embrace democracy and offering prayers for the protest “martyrs”, saying “I offer my prayers for those who died for freedom, democracy and human rights”.
Jun 4: Indoctrination
More than a hundred Tibetan religious leaders in Kardze, a Tibetan-populated area of China’s Sichuan province, have been summoned to attend meetings aimed at gaining their political loyalty. Religious instructors and monastery heads were ordered to take “joy” in the leadership of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and were further urged to “commit” themselves to obeying Chinese law and to uphold monastic vows.
Jun 3: Pilgrimage Restrictions
The Chinese authorities are apparently attempting to restrict the number of devotees and tourists congregating at Mount Kailash, particularly during the most sacred month of Saka Dawa which falls in June this year. In addition, Government officials cannot take annual leave during April to September and any Tibetan found attending the Kalachakra teaching in India in July this year will face severe penalties.
Jun 3: Miss Tibet 2014
Lone contestant Tenzin Yangzom, 23, from Gangtok in Sikkim will be crowned the new Miss Tibet 2014 on June 8. Lobsang Wangyal, director and producer of the yearly Miss Tibet pageant made the announcement. “We received eight applications for this year’s pageant. Five were confirmed but four withdrew at the last minute expressing various personal problems,” he said.
Jun 2: Deteriorating Health
Two monks from Nyatso Zilkar monastery who are currently in prison are believed to be seriously ill following torture and deprivation of medical facilities. Tsultrim Kalsang, 27, is in Xining prison, the other is Lobsang Jinpa, 32. It is believed they are in prison because they are related to two men who self-immolated together in June 2012.
May 31: Recognising Peace
The Tibetan Government-in-Exile is organising a programme in India to mark the silver jubilee of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The event will be attended by Nobel Peace laureates and will take place simultaneously in Dharamshala and Delhi on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, to acknowledge His Holiness's commitment to non-violence.
May 30: Enforced Training
People living in Kardze are being forced to participate in training designed to counter self-immolations and other protests challenging Beijing’s rule. Kardze has seen many of the 131 self-immolations and other protests concerning Tibetan language and religious rights. Government employees, Chinese armed police, regular police, and other personnel “assigned to watch Tibetan activities", as well as residents, are all taking part.
May 30: Monk Released
Gatruk Dorje, a monk from Beri monastery in Kardze, has been released from prison after serving six of his eight-year sentence. Dorje was jailed for setting fire to a bridge to prevent Chinese security forces from approaching Beri monastery, of placing nail-studded wooden boards on a road to stop Chinese vehicles carrying police and paramilitary forces, and of distributing protest fliers, all as part of the 2008 protests.