Tibetan Headlines
Feb 7: Funding Slashed
The Indian budget for refugee rehabilitation expenses is to be cut to only a quarter of last year’s allocation. Tibetan refugees, including those in the 39 Tibetan settlements in India, are among those who benefit from this fund; the Central Tibetan Administration has also benefited from this fund in the past, in addition to foreign aid.
Feb 6: Abuse Not Tolerated
In Canada, Garnett Genuis, a Member of Parliament, has drawn attention to the case of Chemi Lhamo, a Tibetan woman activist who was verbally attacked and abused by Chinese students following her election as president of the University of Toronto Scarborough student union. This abuse was encouraged by the Chinese consulate. The MP has called for diplomats acting in this way to be removed from their official position.
Feb 6: Coronavirus Hits Tibet
Cases of Coronavirus (nCoV) have been confirmed in Kham [Ch: Sichuan] and in Lhasa; with travel restrictions and closure of tourist sites, including the Potala, reported. Tawu County People’s Hospital in Kham has asked for donations of protective clothing, disposable gowns, masks, medical-grade sanitiser, antibiotics and other supplies, while a previous announcement said the hospital was experiencing large patient volume, including people who had tested positive for nCoV.
Feb 5: Head of Nyimga Tradition
The Nyingma Monlam Organisation Committee has decided that the Committee will undertake the role of leading the Nyingma tradition. This follows the suggestion of Kyabje Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, who declined repeated requests to accept the position himself, saying that as the head of the Committee is already engaged in virtuous activities for the benefit of beings and the teaching of the Buddha, he could assume the duties of Lineage Head.
Nov 28: Trial Iminent
Anya Sengdra, a Tibetan man who was detained in Amdo [Ch: Qinghai] in September on charges of disturbing social order is now facing trial. Anya Sengdra established social media chat groups critical of China’s rule in Tibet. His case comes under Gade county court and he is reported as refusing to admit to the accusation that he is “causing trouble”. Sengdra lives in Kyangche township in Golog; he was jailed for 15 months in 2014.
Nov 26: Dr Yeshi Dhonden
Dr Yeshi Dhonden, former personal physician to HH the Dalai Lama, has passed away aged 92. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2018 - the fourth highest civilian award by the government of India. An expert in Tibetan traditional medicine, he has served patients from all over the world in his clinic in Mcleod Ganj. Dr Yeshi was the founding director of Mentsekhang, the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute.
Nov 26: Clampdown in Tibet
The Dza Mey township in Kardze in Kham [Ch: Sichuan], Tibet has been the scene of convoys of armed police arriving to clamp down on anti-China protests taking place there which were sparked by the detention of six monks in the area earlier this month. Many of the security personnel are reported to be in plain clothes and spying on citizens.
Nov 26: Call for Review
Free Tibet, the British Tibet advocacy group, has reported that a group of United Nations experts has called for a review of China's "counter-terrorism" law. They say the definitions of “terrorism” and “extremist crime” within the law are “very vague and problematic”, and could give rise to Muslim Uighurs, Buddhist Tibetans and Mongolians being criminalised for expressing their civic or religious identities.
Nov 25: Memorial Lecture
HH the Dalai Lama spoke on Universal Ethics as he delivered the 24th Sarvepali Radhakrishnan memorial lecture; Dr Sarvepali Radhakrishnan was the Philosopher President of India (1962-1967) and founder of Indian Institute of Advanced Study where the lecture took place.His Holiness spoke of the need for the revival of ancient Indian knowledge of non-violence and compassion, and stressed the relevance of that knowledge in today’s world.
Nov 22: Urging Nepal to Protect Tibetans
US Congressmen James P McGovern and Christopher H Smith, Co-chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, together with six other congressmen, have released a letter urging the government of Nepal to fully protect the human rights of Tibetans living there. The letter reported the incident which took place in September where Nepal police deported six Tibetans in breach of their international obligations.
Nov 22: Two More Arrested
Two more people have been detained in Sershul county for similar protest to that of the four monks who were detained earlier this month. Yonten and Choegyal scattered leaflets in front of a Chinese police station, posted video clips of HH the Dalai Lama on the social media platform WeChat together with the words “Independence for Tibet” as well as posting messages of support for the four monks already detained.
Nov 21: Russian Buddhist Conference
Telo Tulku Rinpoche, the Representative of HH the Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and Commonwealth of Independent States countries [former Soviet Bloc countries] has opened the first international scientific conference Buddhist civilisation and spiritual heritage of the peoples of Eurasia. The three-day conference is underway in the Central Monastery of Kalmykia “Golden abode of Buddha Shakyamuni” in Kalmykia in southern Russia.
Nov 21: Still Missing
The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) say that they have received an unsatisfactory and insufficient response from China to their recent call for information about the Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima. Gendun Choekyi Nyima was abducted by China 25 years ago at the age of six and has not been heard of since. China says he as been to University and is now working.
Nov 20: Monks Detained
Four monks from Dza Wonpo Ganden Shedrub monastery in Kardze have been arrested after distributing leaflets calling for Tibetan independence and human rights in Tibet, reports Radio Free Asia. Kunsal, 20, Tsultrim, 18, Tamey, 18, and Soeta, 18 protested outside a Chinese government office. Their religious instructor was also detained and later released, and another monk is in custody after posting messages of support for the protest.
Nov 19: Visit from the Governor
The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Bandaru Dattatreya called on HH the Dalai Lama at his residence during his visit to Dharamshala and the Kashag (Cabinet) of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. His Holiness expressed his profound gratitude to India for hosting the Tibetan people with warmth and generous hospitality. During his meeting with the Kashag Governor Dattatreya enquired about the welfare and development of Tibetan communities across India.