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TPI Top Ten Highlights
of 2009 For Tibet
TPI Top Ten Highlights of 2009 Page1 Exiled Tibetan Education Policy Page 2 Spiritually Indian and Physically Tibetan Page 3 Tibet Highlights 2009 Page 4 German FM Raises Tibet Page 5
T i b e t
World
HumanRight
D h a r a a m s a l a
W e e k l yB o d - K y i - Cha- Trin
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Rs.5Vol. 01, Issue 09, 01 January 2010
The Tibet PThe Tibet PThe Tibet PThe Tibet PThe Tibet P st st st st st
T P I S h o r t s T a k e s
Back of the Gold Medal
H.H The Dalai Lama to USA Thrice in 2010
www.thetibetpost.com
Dharamshala: The year 2009 marks the 50th year of the Chinese occupation of
Tibet. The Tibetan community both inside Tibet and in exile, continues to
protest oppressive policies in Tibet. While His Holiness the Dalai Lama has
asked for human rights and autonomy for the Tibetan people under the
constitution of the People’s Republic of China, discussions with China in 2008
yielded no change in the Tibetan situation in 2009. This year was characterized
by numerous arrests of citizens in Tibet as peaceful protests continued, and
sustained efforts by Tibetan authorities and international organizations to raise
international awareness. On the international stage, the Tibet issue continues to
be pushed, but has taken a backseat to the weight of China’s influence in issues
such as global climate change and the economy.
2009 Highlights-WORLD
1. The United States waivers between support for Tibet and improving relations
with China
The United States is seeking improved relations with China, and in 2009, the
country’s foreign policy concerning economic and environmental cooperation
with China took center stage, casting a shadow on the Tibetan issue. In October
2009, President Obama took the advice of a Chinese spokeswoman, and did
not meet with the Dalai Lama on his most recent visit to the U.S.
Obama met with Hu Jintao in November, and although he spoke about the
need for human rights and individual freedom, he acknowledged Tibet as a part
of China. President Obama also encouraged the renewal of talks between Beijing
and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s envoys. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
publicly stated in February 2009 that China’s human rights abuses should not
be brought into efforts for cooperation on climate change and the global economy.
continued on page 4
continued on page 3
New Governor for Tibet Autonomous
Region, Same Old Story
The Chinese Communist Party appointed a new
governor of the so-called Tibetan Autonomous
Region (TAR) to replace Jampa Phuntsok (also
known as Qiangba Puncog), who resigned
suddenly last week, just three years short of his
retirement pension, for reasons on which neither
he nor the government will elaborate.
The newly appointed governor is none other than
Pema Thinley (also known as Padma Choling,
Pelma Chiley or Baima Chilin), the ex-military leader
and party secretary who was accused as being a
staunch supporter of the inhumane crackdowns
against the March 2008 protestors.continued on page 6
Tibetan Filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen
Sentenced To 6 Years In PrisonSee detal in page No:6
Tibetan Parliament Condemns Ban on
Annual Religious Congregation in Tibet
World Economics and China’s
Political Dramatics
Dharamshala: -China’s economic growth is notably
high. This is solidifying its political power on a global
scale, and rousing foreign politicians, governments
and societies to adopt a political stance on the Tibetan
issue. In 2008, a significant number of columnists,
analysts and activists voiced opinions regarding the
amalgamation of sports and politics. Chinese leaders
New Tibetan film: “A Precious Human Life”
to be released soon
Dharamshala: Tibetan filmmaker Tenzin Salshey and his production team held a press conference today
about their new film, “A Precious Human Life” (Melue Jhurpoche), which aims to deliver a strong message
to those Tibetans who use drugs, encouraging them to avoid such substances. Melue Jhurpoche is scheduled
to be released in Tibetan settlements across India, Nepal, and Bhutan during the Tibetan New Year (Losar)
with help of Tibetan Women’s Association during the Tibetan New Year (Losar) .
One of the main characters, Ven Golok Dhabai, a Tibetan yogi who arrived recently from eastern Tibet, said
that he was attracted and encouraged by the movie’s story. “I did not play the role for payment, neither
thinking of fame, but because of the story and benefits of the movie.” The Ven. Dhabai also wrote many
Tibetan songs when he was in Tibet.
Director Tenzin Salshey said that the new film ran a budget of over Rs 5,00000 (five lakh), and around 50
Tibetans performed the different roles. He explained that the theme of his new film was that the inner
values of love, care, compassion, affection, tolerance, expressed through calm dialogue can restore youths’
physical and mental health and lead them to a happy life.
Jamyang Sakya, the main actor, described to reporters his experience of playing the main character. “I think
that to say it is easy, but to put it into practice is difficult. I never use any drugs or alcohol, and I hope that
continued on page 2 continued on page 5
German FM raises human rights
and Tibet issues during China visit
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
arrived in Beijing on Friday. In talks with his
counterpart Yang Jiechi there, he said he raised
human rights, press freedom and freedom of
speech in China and as well as the situation in
Tibet.
Regarding the Himalayan region of Tibet, the
two foreign ministers shared their “different
views.” Yang reiterated that Beijing regards thecontinued on page 5
Dharamshala: The Tibetan Parliament-in-exile
has strongly condemned Chinese authorities’
decision to impose a ban on an annual
religious event at Gyalrong Tsodhun
Monastery, in Bharkham County of Amdo,
Tibet.
The Standing Committee of the exile
parliament today issued a press release calling
THE EDITE PAGE The Tibet Post2
Jailed and Tortured for Supporting a Tibetan
Humanitarian: An Ex-Political Prisoner’s StoryDharamshala: Tsering Dorjee is a
firm discipline of Truku Tenzin
Delek, a prominent Buddhist leader
who founded two Tibetan
schools, developed
educational programs for
impoverished nomads and
advocated environmental
conservation. Tsering
Dorjee’s backing of Tenzin
Delek Rinpoche led to a
successful teaching position
in one of Tenzin Delek’s
schools, as well as arrest, jail
time and repeated torture.
In 1996, Chinese authorities
arrested Dorjee for
supporting Tenzin Delek
Rinpoche, an alleged
terrorist, according to
Chinese officials. Although
there was no - and still isn’t
- any definable proof, the
Chinese had pegged Tenzin
Delek with unsolved
bombings in Eastern Tibet
- a statue of Chairman Mao had
been blown up, and the government
wanted “justice”.
For six months Tsering Dorjee was
detained. The beatings, he said, were
endless. The Chinese authorities
wanted him to “confess” that he
knew Tenzin Delek Rinpoche to be
a criminal. They Chinese were
fishing for an accusation.
“We were tortured to such an
extreme during those six months
that I wanted to kill myself,” Dorjee
War of Words Between Google And
China Following Internet Censorship
said through a translator.
But Dorjee wasn’t the only one.
About 150-160 other Tibetan
supporters also were jailed and
tortured for the same reason. But no
matter the number of prisoners, the
Tibetan community did not give up
Tenzin Delek as a criminal, even
when the Chinese put together a
propaganda film about the supposed
wrongdoings of Tenzin Delek.
“The film had been manipulated with
computer graphics so it looked like
Truku [Tenzin Delek] was admitting
his crimes,” Dorjee said. “But no one
in the Tibetan community believed
this. It was all false.”
After six months of torture,
Dorjee was released, bruised and
nearly broken. About a year
later, in 1998, Dorjee fled for
India.
In 2002, Tenzin Delek and his
alleged alibi were sentenced to
death. The other man who was
assumed to be Tenzin Delek’s
partner in crime, Lobsang
Dhondup, was executed almost
immediately. Thanks to
international pressure from
human rights groups and the
United Nations, Tenzin Delek’s
sentence was commuted to a life
in prison instead. His crimes
have never been proven. He
remains imprisoned.
On December 5, 2009, about
300 Tibetans from the Lithang
Region staged a peaceful protest
for the release of Tenzin Delek.
Chinese authorities responded with
force: approximately 90 protesters
were hit or even beaten, and 60 were
detained.
From his refugee camp in
Dharamsala, India, Dorjee has an
appeal:
“Support the truth,” he said. “I’m
calling on the US, the UN and the
European parliaments for
continuous support for [Tenzin
Delek’s] release, as well as aid for the
Tibetan cause. Thank you.”
The communist regime of China will
be forced to decide whether to
unshackle its binding web restraints
for over 300 million people in a
censorship clash that threatens to
redraw the boundaries of the Internet
and its technology. This “war of
words” intensified a day after the
world’s top search engine, Google,
threatened to shut down its China-
based operations alleging cyber attacks
and unfounded censorship.
“It is still hard to say whether Google
will quit China or not. Nobody
knows,” said an official of the State
Council Information Office who
asked not to be named.
Google’s complaints are overdue. The
famously righteous firm (its bumper-
sticker credo: “Don’t be Evil”) has
strained to find a path between its free-
and-open Internet and the
clampdown version practiced in
China. So far, Google has caved to
Beijing. Try Googling “Tiananmen
massacre” or “Dalai Lama” while in
China, and the search results come up
glaring – glaringly blank, that is.
Google’s demand to be allowed to
operate its Google.cn search engine
free from censorship came after what
it described as a “highly sophisticated
and targeted attack on our corporate
infrastructure originating from
China”.
Further investigation revealed that
attempts had been made to access the
Google mail accounts of Chinese
human rights activists. It said that at
least 20 other companies were also
targeted.
And this isn’t the first time. A major
coordinated assault on computers of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, foreign
embassies and even foreign ministries
was uncovered last year and traced
back to Chinese hackers. The
operation targeted computers in more
than 100 countries and was so
widespread that Western intelligence
experts believe it was organized by
the Chinese government, although
there is no definitive proof.
These alleged cyber attacks have
strained the countries’ trans-Pacific
relations, a rapport that is frayed
already over issues of trade, currency,
climate change and arms sales to
Taiwan.
In response, the US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton demanded an
explanation from China. She said the
“ability to operate with confidence in
cyberspace is critical in a modern
society and economy”.
As of yet, China has no official
response to Clinton’s – or anyone’s –
protests over its comparatively
Draconian media directives. Google
made contact with Chinese officials
yesterday though, and discussions are
understood to be underway still.
In public, Chinese authorities largely
ignored this display of defiance from
Google. Here, foreign companies
have almost invariably accepted
intrusive controls by Chinese powers
as it then allows them to tap into
China’s huge and growing market.
But not Google. It had hopes that
China would relax freedom of speech
restrictions after the 2008 Olympics,
as promised. But Internet controls
have continued to be tightened with
blocks on popular social networking
sites such as Twitter, Facebook,
YouTube and most recently IMDb,
a movie review site.
If Google pulls out, experts estimate
that the multi-billion dollar company
might relinquish about $350 million
worth of business, though Google
hasn’t divulged the exact size of its
dealings in China. Yet this represents
just two percent of its worldwide
revenues.
Google has little to lose, suggest some,
especially since Google isn’t even the
most popular search engine in China.
The market research firm, comScore,
shows that about 70 percent of
searches in China are made through
the local search engine Baidu, with
Google trailing by 15 percent.
The news was carried prominently on
websites but ignored completely by
state-run media. Dismayed web users
made their way to the company’s
Beijing offices to leave bouquets. Some
bowed before the building. One
message read: “Google: a real man”.
Exiled Tibetan Govt.’s Education Policy Aims to
“Create a Tibetan Mind”
Dharamshala: The Central Tibetan
Administration’s education
department is hosting its seventh
orientation course from 8-16 Jan,
in Sarah, near Dharamshala, in
order to reaffirm an education
program that is oriented toward
Tibetan culture.
“The policy broadly and basically
aims to create a ‘Tibetan mind’ in
the individual’s personality amidst the
growing trend toward
Westernization, especially among the
youth,” said Mr. Kalon Thubten
Lungrig, the representative from the
education department, in his
opening address to the 42
teachers attending from
10 different Tibetan
schools.
“The policy aims to
develop and incorporate
the values and culture that
define the Tibetan in an
individual’s overall
character,” he said.
The education policy,
which was approved
unanimously by the 13th
Assembly of Tibetan
People’s Deputies in 2004,
is being revamped to
include more subjects that
emphasize the traditional
Tibetan mentality,
including Tibetan calligraphy,
language and customs, as well as a
class on the concept of non-
violence. The program has been
founded on studies that are
advocated by His Holiness the Dalai
Lama, such as universal human
values and inner-science.
01 January, 2010 Dharamsala
01 january, 2010 DharamsalaTPI DALAI LAMAThe Tibet Post 3
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Vo
Visit US At Least Thrice In 2010
Tibet’s globetrotting spiritual leader
is scheduled to visit the United
States in May and October of this
year after visiting Los Angeles next
month to raise awareness of the
plight of institutionalized children,
according to his official website and
US media sources.
In addition, an empty schedule
through 28 February leaves ample
time for His Holiness the Dalai
Lama’s long anticipated meeting
with US President Barack Obama.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s
official website, dalailama.com,
shows that he will be visiting the
US Midwest and New York from
12-23 May. The tour includes a
two-day teaching on the Heart
Sutra in Bloomington, Indiana; a
public talk on “Facing Challenges
with Compassion” in Indianapolis;
a lecture on “The Power of Public
Education”, organized by the
University of Northern Iowa; and
three days of teachings and a final
public talk in New York City, the
hub for many of America’s Tibetan
Buddhist refugees.
His Holiness will return to the US
for a different kind of educational
event in October, the Oakland
Tribune reported on Monday.
According to the Tribune,
Ravenswood City School District
officials are already forming a
planning committee to prepare for
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit
to Costaño Elementary School in
East Palo Alto in October.
Ravenswood Superintendent Maria
De La Vega told the Tribune, “He
[the Dalai Lama] wants to meet with
children”.
She described, “There will be a
receiving line and there will be a small
group reception.”
At a school board meeting last
Thursday, board members Larry
Moody and Saree Mading were
appointed to help organize His
Holiness’s reception. De Vegas stated
that educators will begin preparing
the elementary students for the visit
in May.
Further details of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama’s October trip are not
yet posted on his official website.
The Tibetan leader visited the Bay
Area on his tour last March, giving a
public talk at the University of
California at Berkeley, among other
events. In October, his audience will
be much younger, but hopefully no
less captivated.
Spiritually I Am Indian And Physically
I Am Tibetan: His HolinessGiving a discourse on the importance
of promoting Ahimsa (non-
violence), compassion and religious
harmony, Tibetan spiritual leader His
Holiness the Dalai Lama on Friday
also urged Indians to
play an active role in
the heritage of
India’s ancient
tradition.
“Buddhism comes
from India. So, it is
also their religion. I
usually describe
Indian as our Guru
(Teacher). We are its
Chelas (students)”
His Holiness said,
“So, I am a student
of the India’s Guru. And all my
thoughts, my ideas, actually come
from India’s tradition. Therefore, I
consider, and I also introduce myself,
when I visit other countries, as a
messenger of India. At the level of
messenger, I am quite active
promoting Ahimsa, compassion and
religious harmony. So, now the time
comes that my boss, my Indian Guru
now must meet an active role
regarding the promotion”.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was
speaking at the international seminar
on ‘Buddhist Heritage in Gujarat’
being held at the Maharaja Sayajirao
University, in Vadodara. The seminar
was also attended by Gujarat Chief
Minister Narendra Modi who, in his
inaugural speech earlier, had said that
he wanted to build in Gujarat the
country’s biggest Buddhist temple
with a centre for studies in Buddhism.
And Tibetan spiritual leader
supported the idea strongly, sating
“That’s very very essential. In
America and also in Europe there
are some Universities where
Buddhist studies can be learned. So
why not India? It is home of
Buddhism”.
Further, the 74 year-old Nobel peace
laureate emphasized on the necessity
of having realistic methods and
holistic perspectives to challenge the
troubles in today’s’ world.
Addressing the scholars and
Buddhist leaders from Bhutan, Japan,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and
as well as India, His Holiness said
“we must make a distinction between
faith and respect. Faith goes to one’s
own religion, respect, to all
religions. That is very, very
essential. We must appreciate the
value or the immense sort of
benefit to millions of people of
other religion like Christianity,
Hinduism, Judaism or all
religions, like that”.
“Buddhist science has nothing to
do with Buddhist religion. Mainly
Buddhist science is more about
emotion, more about mind, more
about the relation between the
brain, neurons and mind”, in
terms of Buddhist science and its
potential contribution to world,
Tibetan leader said, “More
interaction with modern scientists
should bring both immense benefits.
We Buddhists get a much deeper
knowledge about the particles, quads
(subatomic sort of particles) really
useful to us. And then modern
scientists get plenty of information
about emotion, about the mind. So,
closer interaction brings mutual
benefit.”
His Holiness concludes his speech by
saying, “Spiritually I am Indian and
physically I am Tibetan”.
Tibetan Parliament Condemns Ban on
Annual Religious Congregation in Tibetupon human rights activists and
Tibet support groups to pressure
the Chinese authorities on the this
issue, which violates the Tibetan
people’s fundamental human rights
and religious freedom.
Following is the full text:
PRESS RELEASE
The Chinese authorities in Barkham
County banned the third annual
winter session of a religious
congregation, which was to be held
at Gyalrong Tsodhun Kirti
Monastery. The annual religious
event, which was first held at
Tagtsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery in
the year 2007, was subsequently
decided to be organized by the four
major Kirti monasteries: Tagtsang
Lhamo Kirti Monastery, Ngaba
Kirti Monastery, Tsodhun Kirti
Monastery and Hortsang Kirti
Monastery in yearly rotations.
According to the information
Dharamsala has received from the
Emergency Coordination
Committee of Kirti Monastery, in
addition to imposing ban on this
congregation, the local Chinese
authorities have warned the
Tsodhun monastery of closure and
the arrest of monks if they fail to
comply with the orders.
The Tsodhun Monastery has spent
close to five months seeking
permission from the local
authorities, as well as from the
county office, to organize the annual
event, but it has now been turned
down, with the authorities terming
it as “political and unlawful”. Severe
restrictions have been imposed and
the entire monastery has been put
under strict surveillance.
An annual congregation of this
magnitude, where monks from
over fifty monasteries in Kham and
Amdo participate, is an enormous
opportunity for monks to
demonstrate their knowledge on a
particular and important aspect of
Buddhist tenets called ‘Tsema’, or
valid cognition (Pramanna in
Sanskrit), and the banning of such
a religious event is a despicable
display of the lack of religious
freedom in Tibet.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-exile
strongly condemns this act, which
openly violates the fundamental
human right of religious freedom,
and calls upon the government of
China to allow the congregation to
take place. We also call upon human
rights and Tibet support groups to
take the issue up with the Chinese
authorities.
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His Holiness Dalai Lama Inaugurates
Biggest Monastery in South Asia
Orissa: Tibetan spiritual leader, His
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is in
the midst of a four-day inauguration
of what is now the biggest monastery
in South Asia: the Padmasambhava
Mahavihara Monastery, located in
Orissa.
Tucked into the Tibetan settlement of
the Gajapati district, the newly built
and blessed monastery already hosts
200 monks in the five-story structure
that overlooks 10 acres. It may seem
like a lot of space, but the acreage
was put to good use on Tuesday
when 5,000 people showed up to
hear His Holiness speak to the
backdrop of a fresh faced, 21-foot
Buddha icon.
His Holiness spoke to those attending
about the imminent importance of
cherishing and saving Tibetan religious
writings, particularly at Tibetan
monasteries outside Tibet. His pleas
were referenced by talk of religious
freedoms, or rather the lack thereof,
in Chinese-occupied Tibet, a subject
he also touched upon previously
during his teachings last week in Bodh
Gaya.
He went on to affirm India’s
approach to religious freedom: ‘’But
India, being a secular country, has
given its citizens the freedom to
practice the religion of their choice,’’
he said.
The monastery, which is named after
the guru credited with bringing
Buddhism to Tibet in the seventh
century, is focused especially on
salvaging Tibetan script.
The first Rigon Thubten Mindroling
Monastery was founded in 1966 and
the site for the new Padmasambhava
Mahavihara Monastery was given
accord by His Holiness himself in
1998. The foundation stone for the
Buddhist temple was laid in 2003 and
work was completed in 2008. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama is also
scheduled to deliver a public talk at
Bhubaneswar on January
TPI TIBET The Tibet Post4
TPI Top Ten Highlights
of 2009 For Tibet
In a 2008 report, The U.S. State
Department stated that, in Tibet, “official
repression of freedom of speech, religion,
association, and movement [has] increased
significantly,” and individual freedoms
have “deteriorated severely during the year”
after the widespread protests of March
2008. The U.S. government failed to
directly address the grave situation in Tibet
in 2009, although Mrs. Clinton did
comment this month on the need for both
China and Russia to respect the rights of
their national minority populations.
2. China-EU relations concern Tibet
Despite China’s disapproval of other
nations’ relationships with Tibet, many
European countries continued to align
with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2009.
In January 2009, the rotating EU
presidency fell in the lap of the prime
minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek
Topolanek. Even though the Czech PM
refused to attend the opening ceremony
of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China is
insistent on improving relations with the
EU. The Tibet issue could be China’s
trading card in order to move forward with
the EU.
Widespread support and praise of the
Dalai Lama was voiced by many European
nations this year. In February, Rome
announced that it would make the Dalai
Lama an honorary citizen of the city
because of “his international efforts to
bring about a peaceful solution for Tibet.”
During this month, His Holiness also
received the German Media Prize,
acknowledging his “continuing
commitment to the freedom of speech,
peace, religious harmony and his great
efforts to secure greater autonomy for Tibet
through middle-way approaches.” The
Tibetan spiritual leader reported a warm
reception during his time in Italy and
Germany in 2009.
Tibetan authorities maintained good
relations with European nations in 2009.
The special envoy of the Dalai Lama,
Kelsang Gyaltsen, formally addressed the
European Parliament in March. He said
that he was thankful for the EU’s
“consistent and principled support for His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and his efforts to
find a peaceful solution for Tibet.”
Chinese policy in Tibet was scrutinized
again when China sought to improve
relations with the UK. In April, Prince
Charles met with Hu Jintao for the first
time. The prince openly supports the
Dalai Lama, and has hesitated to develop
friendly relations with China in the past.
In this meeting, Prince Charles and the
Chinese president covered a range of issues
on which the two countries hope to
cooperate, including the situation in Tibet.
In the same month, Dutch authorities
invited His Holiness to visit their
parliament, despite warnings from China
that it would damage the relationship
between the two countries.
In September, Chinese officials invited
Mario Sepi, president of the European
Economic and Social Committee, and two
other EESC representatives-Peter Clever
from Germany, and Sukdev Sharma from
the UK-to visit Tibet for a special fact-
finding mission, the first of its kind since
the March 2008 protests. At a press
conference in Dharamsala on 14 October,
Clever spoke about his impressions of
Lhasa, stating that the Chinese are placing
a great emphasis on development and
infrastructure, but neglecting Tibetans’
social welfare and educational reform. He
stated, “We’ve seen some schools and I
think the Chinese central government is
well aware of the necessity to get
education...but I think we will have further
questions, especially after my impressions
here [in Dharamsala].” According to Clever,
the delegates also discussed with Chinese
officials ways to “make the economic
competition more fair” for Tibetans, and
were allowed to talk freely with Tibetans
on the street in Lhasa.
3. Tibetan Authorities Speak Out Against
Chinese Abuse
At the beginning of this year, His Holiness
the Dalai Lama expressed his strong hope
for a change in Chinese policy in Tibet,
while admitting that his confidence in
China’s communist regime is fading. On
January 18th, he said that “contact with
Chinese officials is becoming difficult... our
faith towards (Chinese) government now
becoming thinner and thinner. However,
our faith towards Chinese people is never
shaken.”
The Dalai Lama called China “dictatorial,”
and commented that the Tibetan
government in exile has yet to receive a
response to the Memorandum for
Genuine Autonomy that was proposed
in July 2008. Prof: Samdhong Rinpoche,
the prime minister of the government-in-
exile, said that the Chinese have spoken to
international media about the proposal,
but not directly to Tibetan authorities.
During a press conference held on March
11, 2009, Prof. Samdhoung Rinpoche,
Prime minister of the Tibetan
government-in-exile said that the Tibetan
community is “prepared for another
hundred years of struggle”. He stated, “We
will wait and continue our effort, and the
day will come when the issue is resolved.”
In April 2009, His Holiness the Dalai Lama
visited the United States, and spoke about
both China and U.S. positions on human
rights. The Dalai Lama acknowledged that
China has great political and economic
power, but stated that it needs “the world’s
trust and respect” to reach the level of a
superpower. According to His Holiness,
China must correct its policy of oppression
in Tibet in order to earn this trust and
respect.
The Tibetan government-in-exile also
confronted China in 2009. They issued a
public letter to the Chinese government
on April 28th, asking to know the
whereabouts and health of His Eminence
Panchen Rinpoche Gedhun Choekyi
Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama. Since he
was captured by the Chinese government
under Jiang Zemin in 1995, Chinese
authorities have said no more than “all is
well with H.E. Panchen Rinpoche.” The
letter stated, “we call on you to make it
clear to the whole world whether H.E.
Panchen Rinpoche is still alive or not and
if H.E. Panchen Rinpoche is alive, details
of his well being and whereabouts should
be made public. We also urge you to
reinstate H.E. Panchen Rinpoche Gedhun
Choekyi Nyima to his rightful position.”
4. Dhondup Wangchen’s detainment
provokes international outrage
On 26 March, 2008, Chinese authorities
arrested Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup
Wangchen for his documentary “Leaving
Fear Behind”, which features 25 minutes
of interviews with ordinary Tibetans
about their views on the 2008 Beijing
Olympics, the current situation in Tibet,
and their hope for the Dalai Lama’s return.
In 2009, Wangchen was nominated for
the Reporters Sans Frontier’s (RSF)
International Media Award due to his
courageous documentary.
Wangchen was charged by the Chinese in
June 2009, and RSF launched an
international petition campaign for his
release that same month. More than 13,000
people had signed the petition by the end
of July. Wangchen’s wife, Lhamo Tso,
actively supported the RSF campaign by
releasing her own press statements and
videos affirming her husband’s innocence.
Meanwhile, reports that Wangchen is
suffering from Hepatitis B and has been
denied access to his lawyer, Li Dunyong,
further infuriated activists worldwide.
Tibetan exile groups and supporters called
for a Global Day of Action for Dhondup
Wangchen on 23 September. The
international demonstrations were
scheduled to coincide with Chinese
President Hu Jintao’s address to the
United Nations General Assembly. In
Dharamsala, four NGOs conducted a day-
long signature campaign and sent 1000
postcards to President Hu demanding
Wangchen’s release.
“Free Dhondup Wangchen!” became the
international motto for resistance to China
in 2009.
5. Tibet’s significance highlighted in
debates on global climate change
“Welcome to our country, city and home,
Your Holiness,” said President Luis
Durnwalder of South Tyrol. His Holiness
the Dalai Lama in November visited
Bolzano and Trento, the capital cities of
the Regional Autonomous Governments
of South Tyrol and Trento, in northern
Italy. His Holiness expressed his
appreciation for the support of the people
and governments of the two
autonomous regions. President
Durnwalder asked about the situation in
Tibet. His Holiness replied that it has
worsened.
Delegates to the 5th World
Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet,
which took place 18-19 November in
Rome, have published a new declaration
regarding the Tibetan issue. In this
declaration, the Parliamentarians expressed
their support for the Tibetan people and
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s “middle
way” approach, decried the Chinese
government’s human rights abuses, and
pledged to take action regarding the
Tibetan issue in several different ways.
Before the UN Copenhagen summit on
climate change in December, Chinese
officials announced a plan to cut the
country’s level of greenhouse gas
emissions by 40-45% over the next ten
years. China is currently the second largest
emitter in the world, after the US.
At the summit, a Tibetan delegation led
by environmental researcher Tenzin Norbu
presented a report on how climate change-
induced glacial melting in Tibet will affect
all of Asia, and discussed strategies to
prevent further damage to the world’s
“third pole”. He emphasized that China
must change its policies, specifically its
ruthless urbanization and displacement of
Tibetan nomads, who have served as the
plateau’s environmental stewards for
centuries.
In an open letter to Copenhagen
participants entitled “Tibet’s Role in
Climate Change Solutions”, members of
the International Parliamentary Network
on Tibet affirmed that the Chinese must
allow Tibetans to play an important role
in maintaining their environment. This
letter, a part of the “Rome Declaration on
Tibet”, produced in November, was
signed by 35 Parliamentary members from
17 countries.2009 Highlights-Tibet
1. Heavy violence and Arrests are reported
in Eastern Tibet
Reports of arrest and military action against
non-violent protests in areas of eastern
Tibet trickled down the strained lines of
communication between Tibet and media
as 2009 unfolded. In February 2009,
Lobsang Lhundup, a Buddhist monk in
the Lithang district of Tibet, was arrested
for protesting the Chinese occupation of
Tibet. Twenty-one others who marched
with him were arrested the following day.
Later that month, China deployed 4,000
more military troops to the Lithang
District, after hundreds of protestors filled
the streets, yelling “Free Tibet!” There were
reports of 22 protestors being arrested,
and one source said that the leaders of the
protest, Sonam Tenpa and Lobsang
Tenzin, may be dead. It was reported that
all Tibetans in the area were forced to
attend “so-called ‘emergency meetings,’”
and that all roads in Lithang and other
districts were shut down.
In April 2009, thirteen trucks of Chinese
military police were brought into Nyakrong
County to suppress a non-violent protest
that occurred on the 5th. It was reported
that the crowds resisted arrest, and that
the Chinese authorities began to shoot at
the protestors. The incident yielded no
casualties, but many Tibetans were injured,
and nine of the protestors were arrested.
Also in April, four Tibetan monks from
Lutsang monastery in Mangra district, were
sentenced to 2 years in prison for
participating in a peace march and candle
light vigil in front of a Chinese official
building. In the Walpan township of the
Machu District, two-hundred Chinese
police also stormed into a traditional
festival at the Sarma Monastery. It was
reported that “they publicly searched,
frisked, and beat participants.” There were
also reports of the arrests of fifteen Tibetan
protestors in the Kham Tehor district.
These prisoners were loaded into military
trucks with participants of a separate
protest in which farmers in the area refused
to cultivate their land.
In December, a group of 300 Tibetans,
including some elderly and childen held a
hunger strike in front of a Chinese
government building in Thangkarma,
Othok, Lithang county. The Chinese
reportedly sent hundreds of troops to quell
the protest. The day before the hunger
strike took place, 90 Tibetans were arrested
in the Nyakchu district of Lithang county.
Witnesses claimed that over twenty of
these people were beaten and many lost
consciousness.
2. Authorities Strictly Prohibit Media
Inside Tibet
Although Chinese authorities claimed that
Tibet would be open to foreign media in
April of 2009, reports of restrictions on
media access and arrests continued to
accumulate during this year. Ironically, most
of the reports of information restrictions
became public during this month.
In March, a monk named Thuksam, from
Nurma monastery, was arrested and
accused of “sending reports about human
rights violations to organizations abroad.”
Information was never released about
where he was being held. Another monk
named Tsuiltrim, belonging to Ngaba
Gomang monastery was arrested in April
for publishing his private journal, which
Chinese authorities labeled as “anti-
government writings.” It is still unknown
where he is detained. Also during this
month, Chinese authorities limited access
to files containing the cases of Tibetans
who have been arrested.
The Tibetan government in exile
publicized footage of the torture of
Tibetans at the hand of the Chinese police
in March. The Chinese government
responded by calling the video
“fraudulent,” and blocking the YOutubet
website in China.
Restrictions of foreign television, internet,
and radio in the Machu district of Ganzu
Province were also revealed in April. A
Tibetan from this area commented,
“Chinese officials in the area give strong
warnings to Tibetans living in Machu
District, prohibiting access to internet,
radio and television such as exile Tibetan
websites including Radio Free Asia or Voice
of America.” It was also reported that
authorities installed “dozens of satellite
dishes while confiscating those belonging
to private individuals.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the
international free press
organization,reprehended China in 2009
for its restriction on information in Tibet,
and in the nation itself. Reporters Without
Borders (RSF) announced their concern
for the safety of “journalists and website
editors who have been arrested in the past
few months in Tibet and neighboring
Tibetan regions.”
continued on page 6
01 January, 2010 Dharamsala
TPI WORLDThe Tibet Post 5
The Tibet Post InternationalPress of Tibet(Head Office)1st Floor, Dolkhang House, JogiwaraRoad, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, Distt.Kangra H.P 176219 India
Advicer Mr. Thomas Keimel
Advicer Dr. Vincent Brucel
Editor Mr. Yeshe Choesang
Sub Editor Mrs. Yangyal Sham
Reporter Mr. Sangay Dorjee
Reporter Ms. Keary Huang
Circular Ven Phuntsok Dhondup
Publisher Mr. Tenzin Kunga
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
The Tibet P st
Tele: 0091-1892-224641Moble:+91-9882423566
E-mail: [email protected]
World Economics and China’s Political Dramaticsin particular stress the rift between the
two, and assert that politics and sports
should not be intertwined. But when the
Olympic torch arrived in Lhasa, the capital
of Tibet, the head of the Olympic
committee strongly criticized Chinese
leaders for using the torch as a political
platform.
The Olympic Games strive to promote
peace and freedom of expression. But
the Chinese government committed
genocide and imposed restrictions on
movement on the Tibetan people during
this time. This begs the question: what
did the Beijing Olympics represent? The
Beijing Games were a stain on human
history and the worldwide human rights
movement.
The current world economic crisis is one
of the gravest in history, surpassing the
magnitude of the 1980s crisis and
comparable to that of the 1920s. It will
take over twenty years to neutralize this
crisis, according to many analysts. In the
last forty years, The Chinese communist
regime has attempted to silence the
international community’s criticism using
the deteriorating economic situation to
influence world politics with particular
regard to various nations’ stances on the
issue of Tibetan sovereignty.
Nevertheless, international support for
the Tibetan cause has remained
unchecked. The significant question here
is: can we find a solution to the Tibetan
issue by mixing China’s political drama
with global economics? We cannot.
From the beginning of the new
millennium, China has amplified its
criticism of Tibet’s spiritual leader, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama, regarding his
visits to various foreign countries and his
meetings with their leaders. The Chinese
government has augmented its foreign
policy to include the enactment of
pressure upon activists and alleged
“separatists,” despite the fact that His
Holiness seeks only a great autonomy for
Tibet within China. “We are not
‘separatists.’ The whole world knows we
are not seeking independence,” he assured
the EU Parliament last year. China
canceled its high-level summit with the
European Union following French
president, Sarkozy’s meeting with His
Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The aforementioned President of France
held the EU presidency at the time, and
endured open criticism from the Chinese
government. China subsequently
encouraged its individual citizens to
boycott French goods; however, the vast
majority of Chinese people cannot afford
to purchase imports from France. China
expressed further disapproval of South
Africa, resulting in the country’s denial
of a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
who had planned to attend a peace
conference there. In addition, China
inflicted economic pressure upon
Denmark, Holland and Iceland to prevent
their respective governments from
interfering in China’s policy concerning
Tibet – a practicable political strategy in
the midst of a global economic crisis.
China’s economic growth is extensive,
but it is dangerous and, ultimately,
limited. Over sixty-five percent of the
Chinese population is poverty-stricken.
Plus, the level of unemployment is
steadily increasing. If the quantity of
goods imported by China’s economic
partners in Asia, Europe and North
America continues to wane, China will
face a great economic deflation. If the
Chinese government persists in using its
economic influence to conduct political
manipulation, it will lose the trust and
confidence of the international
community. I see no long-term benefits
of this strategy. As a result of the policies
inflicted during the Olympic Games,
China invited only criticism, and its
international reputation suffered.
Recently, during a conference in the
United States, Tibetan spiritual leader, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama described the
Chinese government’s propagandized
statements regarding the lives of Tibetans
in the homeland as infantile.
International support for the Tibetan
cause is essential, but Tibetans
themselves must act as the key players in
the struggle. I recently attended a press
conference with great hope of
understanding the incredible
determination of the Tibetan people in
the struggle for sovereignty and human
rights. The conference was held by
Tibetan heroes who openly protested in
front of the international media in Tibet
last year. They were heavily restricted by
the thousands of armed military forces
which China promptly deployed. One of
the speakers present, Jamyang Gyaltsen,
emphasized the importance of
international support all the while
stressing that the Tibetans’ pursuit of
freedom must remain unshakable. He
also shed light on the realities of life in
Tibet, mentioning deforestation, nuclear
waste, and Tibet’s increasing Chinese
population which may one day render
Tibetans a minority in their own land.
On the subject of China’s deadly
crackdown in all parts of Tibet last March
he stated, “When we hear a statement
made by a government leader which raises
awareness of our cause, we feel
encouraged and that we are not alone; that
there is a place where people speak the
truth.” I believe that the Tibetan issue
will be fully recognized as a matter of
human rights when the global
community comprehends the fact that
they are merely pawns in China’s political
game. People can change a government
and China will also change; it is only a
matter of will and support.
Translated and Edited by Natalia
IdŸkowski, The Tibet Post International
German FM raises hu-
man rights and Tibet is-
sues during China visitregion as a part of the territory of China. The Chinese government indirectly
warned Westerwelle not to meet with Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, the
Tibetan spiritual leader. Yang said the Chinese government was “absolutely
against” any official visits between the Dalai Lama and international
governments.
Friday’s meeting between Guido Westerwelle and Chinese Foreign Minister
Yang Jiechi was followed by a press conference. Westerwelle told jounalists
that he had used his talks with Yang to broach the subjects of human rights,
press freedom and freedom of speech in China.
The two sides exchanged their “different views” on Tibet, Westerwelle said
at a joint press conference with Yang, DPA reported. “My foreign minister
counterpart knows that a cornerstone of our foreign policy is standing up
for human rights, for the protection of minorities, freedom of opinion,
freedom of the press and freedom of religion.”
Westerwelle was expected to discuss specific cases of imprisoned dissidents
in his meetings later on Friday. The wife of Liu Xiaobo, who was sentenced
last month to 11 years in prison for “incitement to subvert state power,”
has asked Westerwelle to bring up her husband’s case with Yang and Prime
Minister Wen Jiabao. “It would be very important,” she told the German
press agency, DPA.
When asked about US internet giant Google’s threat to withdraw from
China following a “highly sophisticated and targeted” cyber attack originating
from China, Yang repeated China’s defence of its position.
He said the internet in China was “open” but all service providers must
follow the law and prevent “harm to society.”
China “opposes any cyber attacks,” Yang said. The two sides said Yang
would attend an annual international security conference in Germany next
month.to intensify cooperation on disarmament issues.
Relations between China and Germany were strained when German
Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness
the Dalai Lama in 2007.
Chinese Propaganda Magazine in
Tibet marks its 20th Anniversary
The Chinese state-controlled media,
Xinhua, reported that a seminar was
held on 18 December to celebrate
the 20th anniversary of “China’s
Tibet”, “an important Tibet-related
magazine” in the Communist’s
Tibeten Autonomous region (TAR).
But every page of the magazine is
filled with the twenty years’
propaganda and censorship put in
place by the Chinese Communist
Party.
The so-called “China’s Tibet”, a
Chinese political tool first published
in 1989, puts forth a paper edition
in Chinese, Tibetan and English, as
well as an electronic magazine in
Chinese and English. “The
magazine was issued in more than
180 countries and regions,” Xinhua
claimed.
A thorough investigation by world
media over the last 60 years has
demonstrated the news agency
Xinhua’s involvement in the Chinese
Communist Party’s system of
propaganda and censorship. There is
a Tibetan saying for the Chinese
media’s propaganda, “welcome
China and crazy world.”
The Internet is more heavily
monitored, censored and
manipulated in all parts of Tibet than
in other Chinese provinces. Several
bloggers and other Internet users
were arrested and sentenced in Tibet
in 2009, charged for posting articles
on the Internet, writing books,
looking at online photos of the
Tibetan flag and His Holiness the
Dalai Lama, inciting separatism and
“communicating outside the
country” for sending emails, photos
and SMS messages about Tibet-
related issues, including the March
2008 protests in Tibet.
Affirming its authority, the TAR
government this month celebrated
the 20th anniversary of “China’s
Tibet’s” publication with fireworks
and military parades. But there
remains a need to evaluate the past
decades of the Chinese media’s bias,
in the name of the Tibetan people’s
basic right to be truthfully informed.
01 January, 2010 Dharamsala
Printed at Imperial Printing Press, Gurudwara Road, Kotwali Bazar, Dharamshala-176215 (H.P.) Tel: - 222390/224453
TPI VARIETYThe Tibet Post6
RSF also announced that foreign press
experienced increased difficulty in attempts
to visit Tibet in 2009, and that “free speech
is suppressed even more ruthlessly there
than in the rest of China.” The
organization said that a Tibetan culture
website was also closed in 2009, and that,
in the Sichuan province, SMS services were
cut off. The silencing of free speech and all
forms of media worsened after the events
of March 2008, and Reporters Without
Borders has said that Chinese authorities
impose the official version of events,
denying the existence of Tibetan victims.”
They also said that China increased
nationalist propaganda leading up to the
50th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan
uprising on March 10th.
Foreign press was unable to visit Tibet in
2009, as has been the case for many decades,
until April 1st. The trend of guided media
tours resumed, and it is dangerous for
press officials to venture off alone. Two
Hikari journalists were detained in early
February in Xiahe, the town in Gansu
province, and forced to leave the country.
Another reporter from the New York
Times, Edward Wong, was held in
custody by Chinese police in 2009 for
investigating the military presence in the
Gansu province. The Associated Press also
announced that two of its reporters were
arrested in Tibetan regions in 2009. Chinese
authorities have made it unsafe for
foreigners as well as Tibetans to transmit
and document information.2009
Highlights-EXILE
1. Tibetan exile youth raise their voices for
human rights in Tibet
In 2009, Tibetan youth groups tried to
refocus international attention on human
rights and freedom in Tibet. The Tibetan-
Himalayan Students Association, based in
Varanasi, and the Tibetan Youth Congress
both planned public activities in place of
the Tibetan Losar, or New Year. They
referred to 2009 as a “Black Year,” during
which many Tibetans mourned the loss
of 219 citizens inside Tibet due to Chinese
brutality in 2008.
On 17 April, students from the Tibetan
Children’s Village in Bylakuppe
demonstrated in front of the Chinese
Embassy in New Dehli, decrying the recent
death sentences of two Tibetan protesters.
The performed what was referred to as a
“mock die-in,” chaining themselves to a
fence, throwing shoes, and chanting for
Tibetan freedom.
In the San Francisco bay area, Students for
a Free Tibet, SF Team Tibet, Bay Area
Friends of Tibet, the SF branch of the
Tibetan Youth Congress, and other
Tibetans and supporters conducted a
candlelight vigil on 24 October to mourn
four Tibetans who were executed by
Chinese authorities for their alleged
involvement in the 2008 protests (SF
Team Tibet stated that this was the first
known execution of Tibetans since 2003).
They demanded that China respect
international law, and its own constitution,
in granting prisoners fair and open trials.
Similar vigils and protests were held in
India, and throughout the world.
Huge protests took place in India on 1
October, the 60th Anniversary of the
People’s Republic of China, with the
Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan
Women’s Association, and two other exile
NGOs organizing demonstrations in
Dharamsala and at the Chinese embassy
in New Delhi. Over 400 monks, nuns and
laypersons marched through the streets
of Mcleod Ganj for over two hours,
carrying Tibetan flags and shouting
slogans against China. Afterwards, Ven.
Ngawang Woeber, President of the Gu
Chu Sum ex-political prisoner’s
movement, TWA President Kirti Dolkar
Lhamo, exile Parliament Speaker Pemba
Tsering, and Tibetan Youth Congress
President Tsewang Rigzin spoke out
against the Chinese occupation’s violence
and propaganda.
In the lead up to President Obama’s visit
to China, Students for a Free Tibet led a
campaign to send thousands of letters to
the White House calling for concrete action
on Tibet. The organization’s executive
director, Tenzin Dorjee, stated, “In March
2008, Tibetans rose up in a clear rejection
of Chinese rule... It is well past time for
leaders of the world’s democracies to stand
up for the Tibetan people’s right to
freedom.”
2. His Holiness continues to teach and
lecture across India and the world
During a visit to the US in March and April,
His Holiness gave teachings at top
American universities such as Harvard,
MIT and UC Berkeley. He returned to
North America in late September to receive
three prestigious awards: the International
Freedom Award, from the National Civil
Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee;
the Vancouver-based Fetzer Institute’s
$100, 000 Prize for Love and Forgiveness
(along with Desmond Tutu); and the US
Congress’s first Tom Lantos Human
Rights Prize, an award commemorating
the late Congressman, Holocaust survivor
and longtime human rights activist. He
also met with US President Obama’s new
Tibet Coordinator, Maria Otero, in place
of a cancelled meeting with the President
himself.
Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan in early
August 2009, causing massive landslides
and flooding that left 461 people dead and
almost 200 missing, in the country’s worst
natural disaster in 50 years. Exiled Tibetans
held numerous prayer ceremonies for the
victims, and His Holiness made a historic
humanitarian visit to the island on 31
August-4 September to console the
typhoon’s survivors. He was invited by
the opposition Democratic Progressive
Party, who released a statement that, “His
Holiness the Dalai Lama is not just the
Tibetan spiritual leader, not just a religious
leader, but also a universal symbol of love
and peace...We believe that his prayers and
lectures will help stabilize the minds of
those recovering from the typhoon, and
help Taiwan rise up again.” Needless to
say, China strongly opposed this
humanitarian visit, and the event severely
strained Taiwan’s relations with the
mainland.
In the face of more Chinese outrage, His
Holiness traveled to the contested Indian
border state of Arunachal Pradesh in early
November to teach before an audience of
30,000 at the 400 year-old Tawang
Monastery. Despite His Holiness’s
assurances that the teachings and public
talks at Tawang, Bomdilla, and Dirang were
socio-religious, and non-political, the visit
was controversial enough that Indian
officials banned foreign reporters from
covering the events, and requested that
Indian journalists not ask the Tibetan
leader any questions throughout his visit.
In 2009, the busy Tibetan spiritual leader
also paid visits to Japan, Australia and
New Zealand, Europe (receiving honorary
citizenship in Paris, France, and Warsaw,
Poland), and the Ladakh region of
northern India, and gave several teachings
in Dharamsala at the request of his
Korean, Taiwanese, Southeast Asian,
Russian and other Buddhist followers.
3. Exile community continues to preserve
Tibetan religion and culture, while
promoting modern education
Tibetan students at TCV schools across
India excelled in this year’s Class XII Board
Examination, a national test conducted by
the Central Board of Secondary Education
in March 2009. While the pass rate in India
is 81%, the Tibetan schools attained
92.77%, a 3.25% improvement over last
year’s scores. Students at the TCV school
in Gopalpur achieved a perfect 100% pass
rate.
On 27 July, Tibetan students from ten
colleges located throughout India gathered
at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies
(CHTS) at Sarah (near Dharamsala) to
participate in the third annual debate on
the Tibetan exile system of secular
education. Tibetan Prime Minister Prof
Samdong Rinpoche and Speaker Penpa
Tsering inaugurated the event, during
which participants discussed topics such
as exiled Tibetans’ basic approach to
education, specialization in different fields
of study, and methods to improve the
standard of education for Tibetans in exile.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama opened the
5th Tibetan Conference on Education,
organized by the Tibetan exile government,
on 27 December. 241 teachers and
principals based in India, Nepal and
Bhutan came together for three days to
discuss the basic system of education in
exile. In his opening speech, the Tibetan
leader declared, “ In the last 50 years in
exile, Tibetan education has greatly
developed, and that is our greatest
achievement.” He also stressed the role of
Buddhist philosophy as undergirding a
“culture of peace” which can help the whole
world, and the importance of teaching this
philosophy to future Tibetan generations
alongside secular subjects.
Several conferences in India this year were
focused solely on Tibet’s religious and
cultural traditions. On 3 September, the
Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
(LTWA) in Dharamsala hosted the first
International Seminar on Tibetan and
Himalayan studies, which was attended by
50 scholars from various countries both in
Asia and the West. The participants
discussed topics such as religion, history,
philological research, social studies,
traditional customs, material arts,
secularism, linguistics, and surrounding
civilizations. His Holiness delivered the
valedictory address at another three-day
conference, entitled “Exploring Tibet’s
History and Culture”, which was held at
Delhi University from 19-21 November.
40 scholars from the UK, US, Europe and
Asia attended this event.
A “Thank You India” ceremony in
Bangalore, which took place from 22-24
November, showcased Tibetans’ cultural
heritage. On the last day of the festival,
renowned translator Geshe Lhakdor gave
a speech emphasizing the continued
relevance of Buddha’s teachings in today’s
world. The 10 December celebration
marking the 20th anniversary of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace
Prize also featured traditional Tibetan
dancing and singing, as well as the release
of several new books by Tibetan authors.
Artitle by Amy and Caroline, The Tibet
Post International
TPI Top Ten Highlights of 2009 For Tibet
This now means that both the governor and the Communist Party Committee
Secretary - the most powerful position in the TAR - have military backgrounds,
which Robbie Barnett, a Tibet scholar at Columbia University in New York City,
sees as a real red flag.
“Appointing a former military officer as the figurehead leader of Tibet when the
Party Secretary, the actual leader, also has a military background suggests that China
now sees Tibet as a problem of military control,” Barnett said to Reuters news
agency.
But most Tibetans think the move is just another diplomatic puppet show staged
for the international audience with a short attention span. After all, military action
aside, it sure sounds good if both the governor and Party boss are true Tibetans by
ancestry, if not by loyalty.
But for those paying attention, it’s nothing more than “a carefully manufactured
show,” reports Bhuchung D. Sonam for Phayul.com, with the purpose of portraying
a happily-ever-after type ending in Tibet.
Backed by China, the new governor promises economic growth, but justice and fair
representation for a country cruxed on nonviolence? We don’t think so.
New Governor for Tibet Autonomous
Region, Same Old Story
Dharamshala: Dhondup Wangchen,
the famous Tibetan filmmaker who
made the documentary “Leaving Fear
Behind”, was sentenced to six years in
prison at the end of last month. His
family members were depressed by the
unfair sentence, a Tibetan blog posted
yesterday.
The Chinese Intermediate People’s
Court in Xining, the provincial capital
of so-called Qinghai province, on 28
December 2009 sentenced the 34 year-
old filmmaker, to 6 years in prison.
Dhondup Wangchen was detained on
26 March 2008, soon after completing
filming of the documentary ‘Leaving
Fear Behind.’ The film collected the
opinions of 108 Tibetans on the 2008
Beijing Olympics, the current situation
in Tibet, and their hopes for His
Holiness the Dalai Lama’s
return to Tibet. Several other people
involved with or appearing in the
documentary have also been
investigated by the Chinese
authorities.
Wangchen is reportedly suffering from
Tibetan Filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen
Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison
hepatitis B, and is not receiving proper
treatment while in prison. Li
Dunyong, a Chinese lawyer hired by
the family to defend Wangchen, was
forced to drop the case. None of his
family members were informed of the
sentence.
Wangchen’s cousin, Jamyang Tsultrim,
who fled Tibet in 2002 and received
political asylum in Switzerland, said
that he was saddened by the unjust
sentence. “This sentence for Tibetan
filmmaker by Chinese authorities is a
sign which reveals that the Tibetan
people in Tibet have no freedom of
expression. No official documents
relating to Dhondup Wangchen’s
arrest and trial were provided to his
family. Last year, even his Chinese
lawyer was denied access to his case. I
was deeply saddened by this unfair
sentence,” he said.
Wangchen’s wife, Lhamo Tso, is living
with Wangchen’s parents and four
children in the north Indian city of
Dharamshala, the residence of exiled
Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai
Lama and many other Tibetan
refugees.
New Tibetan film: “A Precious
Human Life” to be released soon
the movie will deliver an effective
message to those people who use drugs
or alcohol,” he said.
Tenzin Salshey said that he has learnt a
lot from his first film, “The Mirror”
(Melong). While watching the Milue
Shurbu Che trailers at the press
conference, he expressed his pride at the
end product. The film’s straightforward
message is: do not waste a precious
human life.
Tenzin explained that his new movie is
based on an innocent and intelligent
student named Tenzin. Tenzin became
a drug addict due to the influence of
bad friends and difficult circumstances,
exacerbated by selfish teachers and
careless, dispirited parents. Fortunately,
with the help of a compassionate and
learned Tibetan Buddhist master, he was
able to overcome his addiction.
“The message of the movie is to those
who use any drugs, minor or major, and
even to smokers and alcoholics. I made
this film especially for children and
innocent people who don’t know the
effects of drugs. It is very important to
know how they affect a person, because
drugs can kill you. Drugs endanger the
body’s main organs, the brain and the
heart,” Tenzin concluded.
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01 January, 2010 Dharamsala