Tibetan Headlines
Aug 21: “Excellent Health”
A six board member contingent of the Tibetan Association of Minnesota visited His Holiness in Manali, urging HH to visit Mayo Clinic in the US for a medical check up as he used to. His Holiness reassured them that he is healthy and will live upto at least 110. Speaking about the hopes of the Tibetan people, HH said “Just as Tibetans never forget about me, I will never forget the 6 million Tibetan people”.
Aug 20: Solidarity with Hong Kong
Tibetans and supporters in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala held a candlelight vigil in solidarity with Hong Kong. They walked with carrying slogans reading “Hong Kong is NOT China”, “Tibet with Hong Kong” and “Tibet supports Hong Kong.” The vigil was organised by GuChuSum, an organisation of former Tibetan political prisoners. Tenzin Tsundue, an activist said that it is happening in Hong Kong today, and it will be China tomorrow.
Aug 20: Former Chief Minister of MP
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and National Vice President of BJP , also a current member of the Legislative Assembly of the State, and Shri Kishan Kapoor, Member of Parliament for Lok Sabha from Kangra constituency, visited the Tibetan community in Dharamshala. They visited the offices of the Central Tibetan Administration, met with the President, Dr Lobsang Sangay, and also visited the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, reports tibet.net
Aug 19: Manali Teaching Completed
His Holiness the Dalai Lama concluded his series of teachings in Manali with Geshe Langri Tangpa’s ‘Eight Verses for Training the Mind’. His Holiness wrapped up by saying “Whether the Dharma is effective or not depends on whether you manage to transform your mind. Having heard the teachings from me, it’s up to you to effect that transformation. Your neighbours should be able to see a difference in you, if you practise well.”
Aug 19: USCIRF Chair
Dr Tenzin Dorjee - the first Tibetan Buddhist elected as the Chair of the Bipartisan United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) met with staff of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) to give a special talk on International Religious Freedom and Communication. He reassured the United States’ unwavering commitment in protecting the religious freedom and expressed concern ongoing human rights situations in Tibet, particularly the lack of right to freedom of conscience.
Aug 17: Dalai Foundation Scholarship
The Dalai Lama Foundation, a foundation established by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has granted scholarships to thirty graduate and doctoral students of Tibetan origin. Tibet.net reported that the awardees are students enrolled in universities in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and Switzerland. Each yearly scholarship per student is upto $10,000 [£ 8,200] and the total amount for this year was stated to be worth US$ 239,500 [ £ 196,980].
Aug 16: Horse Race Festival
The Tibetan traditional horse race festival began this week in Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture’s Machu county, with participants from across the traditional Tibetan provinces of Kham and Amdo. Radio Free Asia reports that the over 30,000 people attending were faced with a huge presence of plain clothed Chinese police officers monitoring the crowd.Thousands of small tents are rented on the festival ground, serving as restaurants and shops.
Aug 15: Three Monks Detained
Three monks from the Ngaba region of the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo were arrested by the Chinese authorities in 2017 and 2018. The details about their sentences are only being received now due to restrictions. Lobsang Thamkhe, 37, a monk from Kirti monastery, was detained in 2018 and was sentenced to four years on July 30. Lobsang Dorjee, 36, another monk from Kirti monastery, was detained in 2018 and is yet to be sentenced. He had earlier served three years in prison for taking part in a protest. Thubpa, 32, a monk from Tutse monastery, was detained in 2017 and is reportedly still being held incommunicado and is yet to be sentenced. He had served one and a half years in prison in 2008 for burning a Chinese flag in protest against the Chinese rule. For all three of them, the reasons for their current detention, their whereabouts and their health conditions are still unknown.
Aug 14: Teaching in Manali
His Holiness the Dalai Lama begins three days of teaching in Manali to a gathered crowd of over 5,000 devotees. The teachings will be on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on The Awakening Mind (Jangchup Semdrel ), Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas (Laklen Sodunma), and Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses on Training the Mind (Lojong Tsig Gyema). On August 15, His Holiness will confer an Avalokiteshvara Initiation (Chenresig wang).
Aug 13: Welfare Charity
Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Bylakuppe carried out welfare charity and distributed food and blankets to the locals: many regions in Karnataka state in Southern India suffer from continuous rainfall and flooding of the nearby Kaveri river, which has caused havoc in the lives of the people living there. Tashi Lhunpo monastery and Tibetans living in Bylakuppe expresses their solidarity and share their suffering.
Aug 12: China Retaliates
A group of Indians planning to participate in the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage in western Tibet have been refused visas by China in retaliation for India’s reorganisation of Ladakh and Kashmir, reports the Tibetan Review. Ladakh has been separated from Jammu and Kashmir state and put under direct federal administration. China says that Aksai Chin should not be included as part of Ladakh as it belongs to China.
Aug 12: Rest for His Holiness
HH the Dalai Lama is spending at least two weeks in Manali where he will rest, staying at the Von Ngari Monastery there. He is reported as deciding to visit Manali as he was not able to go last year because of the flooding. The Long Life Prayer offering which was to take place on August 22 has been rescheduled for 13 September.
Aug 9: Youth Icon Award
Chemi Lhamo, a Toronto based student was awarded the first ever Tibetan Youth Icon Award at Dharamshala. The Education Minister of the CTA, Pema Yangchen presented the award and a cheque of Rs 100,000 [$1,400 /£1,200]. Lhamo - president of the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. The award organised by the Global Tibetan Student Union, recognises and aims to motivate youngTibetans with exceptional leadership skills.
Aug 9: Prayers
A prayer service was held to express solidarity with the 153 Tibetans who have self-immolated since 2009 in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) holds an annual service for the self-immolators in Tsuglakhan, the main temple in Dharamshala, led by Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, President of the CTA, who said, “We pray for Tibetan Heroes and Martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet”.
Aug 8: Condolences from His Holiness
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has spoken of veteran Indian politician and former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, 67, of India’s BJP party, who has died suddenly, speaking of the respect she was held in for her “compassionate concern for people and her friendly demeanor. In devoting herself to the service of others, she led a very meaningful life”. Her fellow politicians have described her as a “great statesman”.