Nobel Peace Laureates ExpressSupport For Tibet

Chicago, USA: The Kalon Tripa (Political Leader) of Tibet Dr.Lobsang Sangay and His Holiness the Dalai Lama met withseveral world leaders and Nobel Peace Laureates on the secondday of the 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.In the first meeting of the day, both the Tibetan leaders metwith the former Polish President and Nobel Peace Laureate anddiscussed an array of subjects. Among the many topics thatwere discussed in the short span were those that ranged fromthe current situation inside Tibet, the historic transfer of politicalpowers in the exile Tibetan administration to the call for therelease of Liu Xiaobo.Expressing his desire to raise a strong call for the release of LiuXiaobo, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to Lech Walesaabout taking up a joint initiative for the cause. Dr. Sangay andthe Dalai Lama then spoke with the former Soviet UnionPresident Mikhail Gorbachev for over an hour which wasfollowed by the Tibetan spiritual leader attending the finalsession of the day along with Gorbachev, Jody William andMuhammed Yunus.His Holiness the Dalai Lama elaborated of the non-violent natureof the Tibetan freedom struggle and democratization of TibetanAdministration by stressing on the transfer of Politicalleadership to the democratically elected Leader who was bornand educated in exile by expressing his trust in Sangay'scompetency and preparedness to lead the Tibetan movement.Dr. Sangay Thursady met with Nobel peace prize winners FWDClark for half an hour and Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi forforty five minutes at the ongoing 12th Noble LaureatesConference held in Chicago, United States.As the political leader of the Tibetan people, Kalon Tripainformed them the present crisis in Tibet and the ongoing self-immolations by Tibetans to resist Chinese occupation. SinceTapey’s self-immolation on 16 March 2009, thirty-six Tibetans–monks, nuns, lay Tibetans – have set themselves on fire toprotest China’s iron-grip occupation of Tibet. Of them, twenty-eight lost their lives.All the Nobel Laureates present during Wednesday sessionunequivocally expressed their admiration for the historic transferof political powers while ensuring their support to the newleadership and the Tibetan cause.As His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his happiness overthe firm stand of the new leadership on the Middle Way Policyto resolve the Tibetan Issue, Jody William focussed on theneed for de-militarization in the world.Muhammed Yunus elaborated on the ‘Grameen Bank' stressingon the thought that poor people have potential and need spaceto grow in the society whereas Mikhail Gorbachev stressed onthe need for political reforms to be introduced without

By: Rajeshwari K., The Tibet Post International

Tibetan Adm. Thanks HPGovt. For Withdrawing

Case AgainstKarmapa

Kalon Tripa At Nobel Laureates Summit

Meeting of Tibet Support Groups in Berlin

Karmapa Opens New Library atTibetan Gyuto Monastery

Dharamshala: - On April 18, His Holiness the KarmapaOgyen Trinley Dorje opened a new library at GyutoMonastery, near the Norbulingka cultural institute inDharamsala, northern India. He also presented GesheNagrampa degree certificates to four of the monastery'smonks.The ceremony was also attended by the former KalonTr ipa (po l i t i ca l l eader ) o f the T ibe tan Cent ra lAdministration, Samdhong Rinpoche, Pema Choejor,minister for religious affair s, and Tulku Tenzin Jampa

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet Post International

Middle Way Still Best for Tibet

Chicago -The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the DalaiLama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, said Wednesday, April25 he would not alter his non-violent quest for greater Tibetanautonomy, even after Beijing blamed him for inciting a waveof unrest. See Page 5...

Dr. Shirin Ebadi, left, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and MikhailGorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union, at the 12th World

Summit of Nobel Prize Laureates at the Symphony Center.

Chinese Arrest Four Monks in Eastern Tibet

China Detains A Well-known Tibetan Singer

Dharamshala: - A well-known Tibetan singer named Lolo hasbeen detained by the Chinese authorities in Yulshul county,

Tibetan singer, Lolo with his Album over of Tibet Raise Your Flag.Photo: TPI/file

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay with Nobel Peace Laureate & former President of Poland Lech Walesa

I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Bi-MonthlyB o d - K y i - Cha- Trin Rs.5Vol. 02, Issue 64, 30 April 2012 www.thetibetpost.comA Voice For Tibet

Promote Inner ValuesThrough Education:

His Holiness TheDalai Lama

See Page 5.....

See Page 2...

By: Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet Post International

Dharamsala: On the evening of April 14, Dendol, the 40-year-oldabbot of Ba Shentri monastery, Ba County, Qinghai province,eastern Tibet, was detained along with three other monks byChinese police. The reason for their arrests is unknown.The Chinese military surrounded the monastery and are keepingit under 24-hour surveillance. Around 50 Chinese police andofficials entered the monastery to conduct a ‘re-education'programme.Earlier, on March 18, around 1,000 local Tibetans protestedagainst the Chinese government and more than 50 arrests weremade. Most have now been released but 14 monks remain incustody: Tsultrim Rinchen, Yeshe Dorje, Sherib Palsang, PemaRigzin, Jamchup Norbu, Shenpen Thaye, Chogle Namgyal, TenzinRangsher, Soepa Gyaltsen, Lobsang, Jamchup Gyaltsen, GuruDorje, Jamyang Gyatso and Gedun Choepal.The monks are being held in the county court where they areundergoing a ‘re-education' programme.Five of the laypersons arrested at the same time are still beingheld at an unknown location. They are: Dorje Tsebe, Dorje Gyal,Dorje Dhundup, Pathar Gyal and Tseten Gyal.During the March protests, one male participant was injured bytear gas, and is currently being treated at an army hospital inXining city. He sustained brain damage, is in a serious conditionand is not being allowed any visitors.

By: The Tibet Post International

Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay with Nobel Laureate Jody Williamsand Shirin Ebadi at Nobel Peace Summit in Chicago. Photo: Tibet Net

By: The Tibet Post International

Chicago: The political leader (Kalon Tripa) of the Central TibetanAdministration, Dr. Lobsang Sangay is currently in Chicago cityto attend the 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates beingheld in Chicago from April 23 to 25, 2012.He will give a Public Talk to the Tibetan community of Chicago onApril 26 which coincides with the visit of His Holiness the DalaiLama in Chicago.He also had a series of meaningful meetings with Nobel PeaceLaureates such as F.W. De Klerk, Jody Williams & Shirin Ebadi atthe side of the Summit, and attended the Closed meeting of theNoble Peace Summit as a Representative of His Holiness the DalaiLama, held at J.W. Marriot Hotel. During the course of the meeting,Kalon Tripa also had a series of informal meetings with other PeaceLaureates and their Representatives.The meetings with the Nobel Peace Laureates were mainly focussedon the current situation inside Tibet, leadership changes inDharamsala and other issues relating to Tibet.The World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates comes just weeksbefore Chicago hosts President Barack Obama and numerousforeign leaders for the NATO summit. The Nobel summit has takenplace for a dozen years, but this is the first time it's been held onthis continent.

Meeting of German-speaking Tibet Support Groups in Berlin. Photo:TID

By: The Tibet Post International

Berlin, April 26th, 2012 - For the second time already Tibet InitiativeGermany (TID) had the honor of organizing the meeting of German-speaking Tibet Support Groups in Berlin.Among the participants were delegates from the Swiss-TibetanFriendship Organization (GSTF), Save Tibet Austria, Les Amis duTibet Luxembourg, the International Tibet Network, the TibetanYouth Association Europe (VTJE), the Association of Tibetans inGermany (VTD) and the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT).From 2007 onwards German-speaking TSGs have been meeting ona regular basis to exchange ideas and discuss common strategies.This year's topics ranged from the ongoing crisis in Tibet, theforced settlement of Tibetan nomads, Tibet Lobby Day to the EUSpecial Coordinator for Tibetan Affairs.Furthermore delegates seized the opportunity to interview Dr. EvaLichtenberger, MEP (The Greens, Austria), Vice-President of theTibet Intergroup in the European Parliament, during a conference-call via Skype.

bloodshed.Applauding the youth of the world who are standing up andspeaking out in protest against injustice and inequality anddefending the right to peace, social justice and a sustainablefuture The Nobel Summit's closing statement urged the youthto question leaders on the following issues -1. Abolition of nuclear arms and other indiscriminateweapons and reduction of military spending2. Bridging the divide between wealth and crushing poverty3. Saving our planet from environmental disaster4. Protection and promotion of human rights and equalitybetween women and menDr. Lobsang Sangay is scheduled to address the Tibetancommunity in Chicago at 7.30am followed by the Dalai Lama'saddress to the Tibetan community.His Holiness the Dalai Lama is also scheduled to give a publictalk on non-violence as well as on interfaith dialogue beforeaddressing an event at Loyola University.

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Choesang Rinpoche, abbott of Gyuto Monastery.Samdhong Rinpoche said that library and informationscience is becoming a popular subject of study in theWest, but that there it has only a four-hundred-yearhistory, whereas the subject originated in Tibet.He continued that India's ancient Nalanda University wasnine storeys high but that there is no record of whetherlibrary science was practiced there.He added that, in Tibet, library science developed duringthe process of categorizing Buddhist texts, including

The Tibet Post International 30 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS2 TIBET

Chinese Authorities Impose ‘MandatorySignature Campaign’ in Eastern Tibet

China Detains A Well-known TibetanSinger for Patriotic Songs

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International...From front Page

eastern Tibet (Chinese: Yushu Qinghai Province),in April 19, 2012 after he released an album titled"Raise Tibet Flags," according to information froma source in Tibet.The singer dedicated the album to Tibet, calling forfreedom and the return of His Holiness the DalaiLama to his homeland, solidarity with those Tibetanswho self-immolated for their country andreunification of the Tibetan people."He also dedicated the album to the Tibetans'struggle, called on Tibetans to keep the continuityof their sovereign tribes, loyalty to Tibet, strugglefor independence. Lolo also said "Tibet Raise YourFlags for the truthful middle-way" in his songs,"Lobsang Sangyal, a Tibetan monk living at SeraJhe Monastery in South India told The Tibet PostInternational.The 29 year-old singer, who belongsto Dhomdha town in Yulshul county, easternTibet has has bee detained by Chineseauthorities a few months after releasing his albumthat contained 14 songs. Lolo is son of fatherJamyang Choegyal and mother Choekyid Dolma.His present condition and whereabouts are notknown.On 20 March 2012, a 25-year-old singer, UgyenTenzin, was sentenced to two years imprisonmentfor singing songs calling for Tibetan unity andfreedom by Chinese court in Yulshul contuy,

eastern Tibet.Ugyen was detained last Februarysoon after the release of his album titled, "AnUnending Flow of My Heart's Blood," with songsof praise in honour of the Dalai Lama, Karmapaand Lobsang Sangay, the political leader; ofCentral Tibetan administration. He was chargedwith singing political songs.A young Tibetan female singer, Hortsang LhalungTso was detained by Chinese authorities inAugust 2011, in Tsoe-town of Sangchu county,eastern Tibet. She was supposed to perform aNight Concert Opening Song. There are no anaccountability report or information on hercondition since the arrest.Choegon, 19, a popular singer from Jomda countyin East Tibet, was reported to have been arrestedby Chinese police in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet,on 11 October 2011. His whereabout also stillunknown since following a arrest.China has jailed scores of Tibetan writers,intellectuals, spiritual leaders, artists, singers,and educators for asserting Tibetan nationalidentity and civil rights since its invasion of Tibet,particularly after widespread protests swept theHimalayan region in 2008. According to mediareports, 10 out of 27 known journalists and writersimprisoned by the Chinese regime are Tibetans,six are Uyghurs.

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

Photo: TWA lithang County. photo: Loten

Dharamshala: - On April 25, Atruk Tseten, memberof the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, passed on a reportfrom a source in eastern Tibet on Chinese humanrights abuses in the three villages that comprise theMola area of Lithang County, Kardze Prefecture,Sichuan Province.Chinese officials visited the Tibetan nomad villagesaround two months ago and started a signaturecampaign in which they tried to force villagers tosign a seven-clause document. When they refusedto sign, several villagers of all ages, male and female,were severely beaten and forced to shave theirheads.Two villagers were tricked into signing thedocument, under the misapprehension that it boundthem to behave fairly when staking areas of wildland from which to harvest the valuableOphiocordyceps sinensis (‘caterpillar fungus').However, the seven-point document actuallydenounced His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a‘splittist,' blamed him for instigating the recent wave

of self-immolations in Tibet, and bound the villagersneither to call for the return of His Holiness theDalai Lama to Tibet, nor to support statements issuedby Kalon Tripa (Tibetan political leader)Dr LobsangSangay.At some point around April 15 or 16, the villagersrealized the contents of the document, threatenedto ex-communicate the two signatories from thevillage and demanded that they pay a fine of 500yuan each, despite the signatories' protests that theywere ignorant of the document's true contents.When the local government of Lithing Countylearned of these events, 300 to 400 Chinese policeand paramilitaries in black uniforms descended onthe three villages, and called a meeting at whichthey tried to force all the villagers to sign thedocument. Those villagers who refused were forcedto beat each other.Chinese officials told the villagers that the signingof the document was obligatory, and that if theyhad any other questions or problems they mustreport them directly to the authorities, who would

address them. None of the villagers responded tothis ‘invitation'.One official approached a village grandmother andasked what problems she faced, apparently offeringto help. She replied, "My problem is I cannot get avisa to visit India. My dream is to see His Holinessthe Dalai Lama once before I die." The officialbecame angry, and asked the same question ofanother village grandmother who replied, "In mylife, the biggest problem is that I have two siblings,both of whom were killed by the Chinese government.I have no other problems."The Chinese authorities' ‘mandatory signaturecampaign' was also implemented at Thangkarmamonastery in Lithang County around ten days ago.The monks refused to sign the document and AtrukTseten described the current situation at themonastery as ‘critical'.Thangkarma is the monastery of Tenzin DelekRinpoche, who is currently serving a life sentenceafter being convicted of alleged involvement in aseries of unsolved bombings in his region.

Arrests and Harsh Beatings Increas-ing Across Eastern Tibet

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

Chinese armed police and security forces surrounding Drakgo county, Karze, eastern Tibet, in July2011. Photo:TPI/file

Dharamshala: - Reports of harsh beatings,a r res t s and monks be ing expel led f rommonas te r ies , c los ing down schools andBuddhist institutions continue to flow out ofTibet as the entire region reels under, whatHis Holiness the Dalai Lama recently hasca l led , an undec la red "semi-Cul tu ra lRevolution."On April 14, two hundred and fifty Tibetanswere detained over protest against closure ofTibetan institution in Dayul township of Karzecounty, eas te rn Tibe t , a round ten wereseriously injured.According to sources from inside Tibet, theTibe tans p ro tes ted and expressed the i rdisagreement against such is taken by theChinese authorities. Immediately, the districtpolice and armed forces started beating theTibetans. Around 10 Tibetans were seriouslyinjured and hospitalized."A Tibetan institution (Tibetan: Dayul TundrilTsokpa) in Dayul township "Unity DayulAssociation" was ordered to close-down afterarriving over three hundred Chinese armedsecurity personnel lead by the head of KarzeDis t r i c t po l ice s ta t ion , (Ganz i T ibe tanAutonomous Prefecture)," said the sources.The authorities have accused members of theassociation of organizing political events,called "it cannot be continued," according tosources . The au thor i t i es have accusedmembers of the association of organizingpol i t i ca l even ts , ca l l ed " i t cannot becont inued ," accord ing to sources . Theauthorities detained Dhontok, the head of theassociation along with 250 Tibetans.Over 2000 Tibetans gathered and continuedon April 15, to protest, demanding the releaseof those Tibetans arrested on 14 April 2012.However, most of the Tibetans arrested the

day earlier were released but 33 still remaindetained. Immediately following this incident,the au thor i t i es shu tdown a l l means ofcommunica t ion of the township andsurrounding areas.Immediately following thisincident, the authorities shutdown all meansof communica t ion of the township andsurrounding areas.Dayul Thundr i l Tsokpa i s a Tibe tanorganization set up in 2008 by thirty villagesof Dathama township, with representativesfrom all thirty villages.Two more separate incidents in eastern Tibet,over 100 Tibetans beaten harshly by Chineseauthorities in Ngaba county and sixty Tibetansarrested in Lithang county.On 14 April 2012, 100 Tibetans were injuredafter they were beaten by Chinese armed policefor protesting against the local government'smove to reward and honor officials who havebeen alleged to be corrupt in a village in theupper part of Ngaba County, eastern Tibet.Sources say around 15 to 20 people werear res ted , ou t of which three have beenidentified as Tenzin Tsering, Tsenor andTsamchen of Tsosum village. There is noinformation on their whereabouts and theirmedical condition.Around April 5, at least sixty Tibetans havebeen arrested Jalsa township in Lithangcounty, eastern Tibet after protests against apatriotic re-education programme had been stagedby Chinese authorities. "At least 60 local Tibetansarrested in Chinese police clash with villagers overForced Patriotic Re-education to denounce HisHoliness the Dalai Lama," according to informationfrom a source in Tibet. Forty of them were taken toLithang district, remaining twenty held in the village.Their present condition and whereabouts are notknown.

Arrests and Harsh Beatings Increas-ing Across Eastern Tibet

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

A Tibetan in Dharamshala, India carrying candle-light for Tibetans in Tibet. Photo: TPI/file

Dharamshala: - Two young men set themselveson fire on Thursday (Tibet t ime: around02.20pm) in northeastern Tibet, becoming thelatest Tibetans to self-immolate in protestagainst China's colonial and brutal repressionof Tibetans in Tibet.These recent immolations have reportedlybeen pro tes t s aga ins t the Chinesegovernment's repression of freedom of religionand cultural rights in Tibetan areas. However,China accused His Holiness the Dalai Lamaand his associates of planning the 35 self-immolations in Tibet and another in Indiarecently.However, China accused His Holinessthe Dalai Lama and his associates of planningthe 35 self-immolations in Tibet and anotherin India recently."Choephak Kyab, 20 years of age, and Sonamaround 20 from Zamthang county, Ngabaregion, northeastern Tibet, self-immolated inprotest of Chinese oppression," TseyangGyatso, currently based in Dharamshala toldWorld News Network."According to information from a source inTibet, they haven't been caught by Chineseauthorities, but, both of them were alreadydead after set t ing themselves on fire onThursday," Tseyang further added.Local Tibetans managed to prevent theparamilitary troops from removing the bodiesof the two Tibetans. They then took away thebodies to the monastery to carry out prayers.The s i tuat ion in the area remains tensefollowing the deployment of a large number ofmilitary troops, sources said.Tibetans living in exile and hundreds of theirsupporters from abroad on Thursday evening,Apri l 19, held a mass candlel i t vigi l inDharamshala to pay respect to the two youngTibetans who died.On April 2nd, His Holiness the Dalai Lama saidconcerned people should examine the causesof the self-immolations. "I think this problemwas no t c rea ted by. . .Tibe tan Buddhis t

culture," he told a Taiwanese news channelNext TV, "which is very peaceful , verycompassionate... This problem was started bytotalitarian, blind policy. So the people whocreated that policy must think seriously aboutthese things.""In Tibet, they are doing it because there isno room for any form of protest - hungerstrikes, rallies, demonstrations. Anything youdo, the Chinese authorities will come andarrest you, put you behind bars, Anything you

do, the Chinese authorities will come andar res t you , pu t you beh ind bars , andsometimes you'll get killed," Dr. LobsangSangay, the po l i t i ca l l eader o f Cent ra lAdministration told Next TV.Since 2009, 35 Tibetans in Tibet have setthemselves on fire calling for freedom and HisHoliness the Dalai Lama's return to hishomeland. 25 of these self-immolators havedied, and others are either critically injured ortheir status unknown.

30 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS 3EXILE

NGOs Demand China’s Divulgingof Panchen Lama’s Whereabouts

By Rajeshwari K., The Tibet Post International

members of Tibetan NGOs in Dharamshala, Indian commemorating the 23th birthday of His Holiness the PanchenLama, April, 35th 2012. Photo: TPI/Pema Tso

Dharamshala, India: On the event of the 11th PanchenLama of Tibet's 23rd birthday, Tibetan NGOs and Tibetsupporters from across the globe held campaigns anddemonstrations demanding his whereabouts from theChinese government Wednesday.Four major Tibetan NGOs based in the exile Tibetanheadquarters in Dharamsala held a day-long drivegathering petitions demanding the Panchen Lama'srelease. Petitioners were also encouraged to call theChinese embassy to inquire the whereabouts of the Lamawho was abducted in his childhood, soon after hisidentification as a reincarnated monk."Gedhun Choekyi Nyima's abduction is not only aviolation of Tibet's religious freedom but also a humanrights violation," stated Tashi Dolma, the newly electedPresident of Tibetan Women's Association."There was a report sometime back that the 11th PanchenLama had died long ago which gave reason for us to beconcerned. This is escalated by the presence of awidespread belief among Tibetans that the Chinesegovernment had a hand in the untimely death of the 10thPanchen Lama," said Lukar Jam, Vice President of Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet."China has violated The International Convention forthe Protection of All Persons from EnforcedDisappearance by abducting Gedhun Choekyi Nyima."said Dorjee Tseten, National Director of Students for aFree Tibet, India. "The International community must holdChina accountable for the abduction of the 11th PanchenLama," he added.Despite numerous requests by foreign diplomats andUnited Nations representatives for verification of his well-being and whereabouts, no tangible evidence have beenprovided by the Chinese Government on Gedhun Choekyi

Tibetan Adm. Thanks HP Govt. For With-drawing Case Against Karmapa

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

Dharamsha la : - The Cent ra l T ibe tanAdministration Thursday, April 26 thanked theGovernment o f Himacha l Pradesh forwithdrawing case against His Holiness the 17thGyalwa Karmapa Rinpoche."The Kashag of the Cent ra l T ibe tanAdministration (CTA) welcomes the HimachalPradesh Sta te government ' s decis ion towithdraw the criminal case pending against the17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee,"Secretary for Information CTA Tashi said in astatement."The Kashag would like to thank all therelevant authorit ies for making this justdecision," the secretary Tashi stated."The exile Tibetan community is a law abidingcommunity and respects the law of the countrythey are living in," Tashi further added."The Central Tibetan Administration wouldalso like to reiterate its appeal to the Tibetan

people to uphold the Ind ian law," thestatement said.According to media reports, the HimachalPradesh government had on Tuesday, April24 decided to drop the name of His HolinessKarmapa Rinpoche from the chargesheet in theforeign and Indian currency recovery case, onthe request of the Tibetan Religious head."The government, in exercise of its powerunder section 321 (withdrawal of prosecution)of CrPC, decided to delete the name ofKarmapa from the chargesheet after gettingthe matter examined by the Home and Lawdepartments," an official spokesman toldPress Trust of India Yesterday.His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen TrinleyDorjee was recognized by the spiritual leaderof Tibet, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Hehas contributed mightily to the developmentof Buddhism in Tibet in the 1990's, includingrebuilding the Tsurphu Monastery, the main

seat of the Karmapas that was completelydes t royed dur ing the 10-year Cul tu ra lRevolution in 1966, launched by Mao TseTung, the communist dictator of China.Age of 14, he was eventually forced to leaveTibet at the end of 1999, and arrived in Indiaon Jan 5, 2000. According to media reports,Born in Lhatho Township, Chamdho county,eastern Tibet, to primarily nomadic parents hadfelt that he was unable to obtain in Tibet underChinese rule the specialized instruction heneeded to complete his studies and to realizehis full spiritual authority.His Holiness is now temporarily living inGyuto Monastery, a Tibetan Tantric Universitybased near Dharamshala, where he is receivingthe full lineage transmissions and benefitinghis Buddhist followers from across the world.Thousands of Tibetans, Indians, Nepalese,Bhutanese, Asians, and westerners visit HisHoliness every year.

Nyima or his family since the Nyima's abduction as a six-year-old boy in 1995, shortly after his identification.The last known information on the abducted monk wasreceived in March 2010 when Padma Choling (PemaThinley), the Chinese-appointed Governor of the TibetAutonomous Region (TAR) stated that Gedhun ChoekyiNyima and his family were living ‘a good life' as ordinarycitizens in Tibet, evidence to the ascertain the accuracyof which has not been provided by the Government ofChina till date."The abduction and disappearance of Gedhun ChoekyiNyima, the rightful Panchen Lama, and the instalment ofGyaltsen Norbu in his place is evidence enough of thefact that Tibetans in Tibet do not enjoy any special childrights, human rights or religious freedom, and that Chineseauthorities have no regard whatsoever for these rightsand freedoms," stated the press release which was jointlyissued by the Tibetan Women's Association,Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet, Regional Tibetan YouthCongress, Dharamsala and Student's for a Free Tibet,India.OVERVIEWA resident of Tibet, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was born on25th April 1989 and went missing on 17 May 1995, justdays after his identification as the 11th Panchen Lama bythe Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the 14th DalaiLama.Following the incident, Beijing handpicked anotherTibetan boy named Gyaltsen Norbu to occupy the seatof the Panchen Lama.He and his family have not been seen for nearly 17years.Despite constant international pressure, the Chinesegovernment has refrained from disclosing thewhereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family.

Kalon Tripa Announces Extensionsto Tibetan Registration Certificates

Dharamsala: - Dr Lobsang Sangay, Kalon Tripa (politicalleader) of the Central Tibetan Administration, announcedon April 18 that the Indian government has decided tolengthen the period required for the renewal of residentialpermits for thousands of Tibetans living in exile.Addressing the Annual General Body Meeting of theTibetan Chamber of Commerce (TCC) in Dharamsala,northern India, Dr Sangay said Tibetan registrationcertificates, or RCs, will now be extended to five years, asopposed to the previous one year or six months.However, Tibetans born outside India are required tohave stayed in India for at least two decades before theycan avail the benefits of the extension.RCs are required to obtain work, rent an apartment, opena bank account, and obtain other legal documents suchas driving licenses and identity certificates, which arenecessary for international travel.Also on the subject registration certificates, Dr Sangaysaid that, when he was in Bodhgaya for the December/January Kalachakra, he was informed by TCC membersthat some Tibetans in northeast India face problems usingtheir RCs to obtain visas to enter Thailand, Singaporeand other countries. He said this is not the case, and thatRCs can be used to enter these countries, with the

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet Post International

exception of Malaysia.The chief guests at the TCC meeting were Dr Sangay andTibetan finance minister, Tsering Dhondup.Dr Sangay praised the TCC for its consistent hard work,which he related to the Kashag's (cabinet's) three guidingprinciples of unity, innovation and self-reliance.He said that unity implies that there should be nodiscrimination between members of the three regions ofTibet, between men and women, or between rich andpoor.He continued that the TCC has made importantinnovations, such as extending its networking andoperations nationally and internationally- a necessity inboth politics and business. He emphasized the importanceof information technology in business, the importance ofwomen's education and also praised the TCC for itspractice of self-reliance.Finally, Dr Sangay announced that the Kashag plans toestablish a social bank, which will benefit the TCC.On the meeting's second and final day, Tsering Dhondupspoke on the TCC's development plans, including thebuilding of trade relations with other countries.The TCC was founded in 2004 and has 150 members inIndia, Bhutan and Nepal.

Tibetan Women’s Associa-tion Elects New Executive

Committee

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

Dharamshala: On the final day of its tenthGeneral Body Meeting (GBM), April 16, theTibetan Women's Association (TWA) electedits new executive members.Tashi Dolma, former vice-president of TWA(2000-2003) was unanimously elected aspresident, while Samten Choedon was re-elected as vice president."I feel much honoured to be elected, and vowto do my best . We look forward to ful lcooperation from all of you - our regionalexecutives and members," Dolma told the 140grass-roots women leaders from 33 regionalchapters who had gathered at the meeting.Nyima Lhamo, TWA's former programmecoordinator, was elected as the new generalsecretary.After six days of debate on the meeting's 17-point agenda, TWA passed a list of resolutionstouching upon political, social and educationalissues and initiatives.The delegates also passed a new regulationbar r ing members o f the ex i le T ibe tanParliament-in-exile from serving on TWA'sexecutive board.The delegates also passed anew regulation barring members of the exileTibetan Parliament-in-exile from serving onTWA's executive board.Others elected to the eleven-member executivecommittee included Tsering Dolma, TenzinDickey, Tsering Wangmo, Tenzin Bhuti, TenzinTselha, Tsering Choedon, Tsering Dolma, andPema Choedon.The GBM convenes every three years and isTWA's highest decision-making body. On thefirst day of the meeting, TWA announced thatthe 500,000 rupees raised in the third phase ofits Suitable Development Project Inside Tibetwill be conveyed through a reliable NGO basedin Tibet to support female students fromnomadic families to attend day school and tohelp young Tibetan women complete four-yearBA degrees in Tibet and China.

140 delegates of the Tibetan Women's Association's 10th General Body Meetingpose for a picture after the inaugural ceremony in Dharamshala on April 11, 2012.

photo: TPI/Sangay

Prior to the GBM, TWA organized a four-dayWomen Empowerment Training session, ontopics including legal empowerment andhuman rights, women's health, communicationskills, team building, grants and fundraising,

and environment and climate change.TWA is today the second largest Tibetan NGOin exile and the only women's NGO in Tibetanhistory, with a global network of 56 regionalchapters spread over three continents.

The Tibet Post International 30 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS4 H.H. THE DALAI LAMA

His Holiness Tells Chinese Studentsin US that the PRC Broke His Spirit

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to a group of supporters during a luncheon in Long Beach, California, on April20, 2012. Photo: DonFarber

Dharamshala: - On April 22, the spiritual leader ofTibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived inRochester, Minneapolis. He was greeted by severalhundred members of the Tibetan AmericanFoundation of Minnesota and received by officialsand doctors of the Mayo Clinic.Later, he addressed more than 100 Chinese studentsand scholars studying in Minnesota, and told themit is in the Tibetan people's own interest to remainwithin the People's Republic of China. However, hesaid, there should be meaningful autonomy.His Holiness continued that the 17-Point AgreementTibet signed with China was in the spirit of ‘onecountry, two systems', but that some local officials

His Holiness AddressesCrowds In San Diego, Urges

Inner Peace

Photo of His Holiness speaking at the San Diego State University's Viejas Arena in San Diego, California, on April19, 2012. A capacity crowd of 13,000 listened to His Holiness talk on "Upholding Universal Ethics and Compassion

in Challenging Times". Photo/Tom Mantoani

San Diego, California, USA: - The spiritualleader of Tibet, His Holiness the 14th DalaiLama, spoke to a rapt crowd of 12,000 at SanDiego State University on Thursday morning.He stressed the importance of compassion andthe oneness of humanity."We are the same family -- now 7 billion humanbeings, actually brothers and sisters," he said."Mentally, emotionally, physically, we are thesame. Furthermore, our potential for goodthings, for constructive things -- the same.Also the potential for destructive things -- thesame."He told his listeners, many of them collegestudents, that they should make good use oftheir time on earth. "You have the opportunityto make a new world, a happy world. Mygeneration, not."His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the 1989 NobelPeace Prize laureate, was given a key to thecity of San Diego, a University of San DiegoMedal of Peace, and three colorful visors.San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders lauded HisHol iness the Dala i Lama ' s speech ."Throughout his teachings, His Holinessencourages all of us to strive for a betterfuture, through peace and compassion forothers," he said. After Thursday's event, HisHoliness headed to Los Angeles.His Holiness' visit has heightened awarenessof the struggles within Tibet, a Himalayanplateau that has sought greater autonomysince it was completely seized by China'smilitary in 1959. In response to Chineserepression of Tibetan Buddhism and culturalt rad i t ions , many young Tibe tans haveprotested recently by setting themselves onfire.In recen t months , those p ro tes t s haveintensified. More than 30 Tibetans haveengaged in self-immolation so far this year;most have died.During an interview with BBC on Wednesday,he said that the Tibetan struggle is a "verysensitive political issue. If I involve that, thenretirement from political power is meaningless.Whatever I say, the Chinese government immediatelymanipulates... they do not understand what's the realTibetan feeling."

Karmapa Opens New Library at Ti-betan Gyuto Monastery

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet.Net...From Frond Page

Kangyur and Tengyur, as they were translatedfrom other languages into Tibetan.His Holiness the Karmapa said that manyTibetans have an image of Tibetan librariesbeing full of shelves of rarely studied dustyold books with prayer offerings laid out infront of them.He continued that, during his recent teachingsin Bodhgaya, His Holiness the Dalai Lama saidhis followers always request him to giveBuddhis t t each ings , bu t don ' t t ake theinitiative to study the Buddha's teachingsmuch themselves. The Karmapa said he oftenfeels the same.Pema Choejor told the audience that, whenChina occupied Tibet, around 90% of Tibetanreligious and cultural artefacts were damaged

or destroyed, but that most were later repaired.He continued that there are now around 700Buddhist centres worldwide, some of whichare located in places where previously peoplehad never heard of Tibet.Mr Choejor said there are many refugees in theworld but that Tibetan refugees are differentbecause they have His Holiness the Dalai Lamaand are able to restore and develop their religiousculture.He joked that Mao Tse Tung used to tell HisHoliness that religion is poison but that, if hewere alive today, he would see the error of hisways.Mr Choejor concluded that, although Tibetanreligion and culture are in a process of repair anddevelopment, their future is still a major question.

had made a pledge during the Cultural Revolutionthat they would exterminate the Tibetan languagewithin 15 years. He also mentioned the Chinese PartySecretary of Tibet Autonomous Region's banningof the study of classical Tibetan texts in TibetUniversity in Lhasa.His Holiness said these were causes of the 2008protests in Tibet, but that the Chinese authoritieswanted to find a scapegoat and blamed him, addingthat his faith in the Chinese Government had grownthinner although his faith in the Chinese peopleremained strong.He told the audience that he had tried his best forthe past 30 years to work for a solution to the

Tibetan issue but that the Chinese UnitedFront has destroyed his spirit. China aspiresto be a superpower, he said, and if it did sowith joy, liberty and freedom, the Tibetanpeople would feel proud to join in.However, he concluded, China is a closed,secretive and unpredictable society whichneeds to open up, comparing it unfavourablyto other countries such as Taiwan and the USwhere politicians are accountable to the law.In the following question-and-answer session,His Holiness was asked about the spate ofself- immolat ions in Tibet . He said that ,historically, they have taken place not onlyamong Tibetans, but also among Chinese,Vie tnamese and even in the formerCzechoslovakia, and that they are the actionsof people who are in a desperate situation butdo not want to harm others.He added that the issue is politically sensitiveand so, since he has retired from politics, hedid not want to comment further.Questioned about China's attitude towards the2008 Tibetan uprising in relat ion to theOlympics, His Holiness responded that he hadactually supported the Beijing Olympics, andthat this was recognized by a member of theOlympic Committee.F ina l ly, His Hol iness sa id the People ' sRepublic of China belongs to its 1.3 billioncitizens, who have the right to know the truthin order to distinguish right from wrong. Hecalled for transparency and said censorship isimmoral.His Holiness will undergo a routine check-upa t the Mayo Cl in ic dur ing h i s s tay inRochester, and on April 24 he will join a paneldiscussion on resilience through mindfulnessthere.

By Matthew Singh Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

He set out from Dharmsala last week to begin hisinternational tour, which includes visits toHawaii, San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago andOttawa, Canada. His Holiness will speak tovarious audiences over the next few days, buthis central message is expected to remain thesame."The compassion emotion," he said Thursday,"is the most important part of l ife." HisHoliness said the seed of compassion was ineach and every individual. He said evenanimals like cats, dogs and birds respond toaffections shown to them.Explaining that compassion was somethingthat needed to be cultivated by oneself, HisHoliness talked about his growing awarenessof western societies since his first travel toEurope in 1973. His Holiness said the situationin these countries clearly indicated thatmaterial development alone cannot bring aboutinner peace.His Holiness added that physical comfortcouldn't subdue mental affliction. On the otherhand, if one is mentally calm, this can subdueany physical pain.His Holiness also talked about the situationof gap be tween the r i ch and the poorthroughout the world. He said during his visitsto Africa and Latin America, he could see thiscondition. He said one of the issues affectingthe world is corruption, which he said is thenew cancer.He said these problems come about becauseof a lack of self-discipline and training in moralethics. Although there are people who say thatmoral ethics should be based on religion, HisHoliness said such a situation would havelimited effect as no one religion can claimuniversal acceptance. Since the problem, isuniversal, he said that we need to look for auniversal solution. His suggestion was to lookfor an approach that is not grounded in religion.His Holiness said people could understand theimportance of the need to promote compassionthrough common experience, use of their commonsense and through scientific findings about theconnection between a healthy body and a healthymind. He said calm mind could only be developedthrough warm heartedness.

His Holiness Shares His Thoughts onMeaningful Life at UC San Diego

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

San Diego, California, USA, 18 April 2012 - The spiritualleader of Tibet and Nobel peace laureate, His Holinessthe 14th Dalai Lama, on the first day of a five-day visitto Southern California, urged students at UC SanDiego on Wednesday not to be distracted bymaterialism.A large house and a good salary, His Holiness told amorning gathering at the La Jolla campus, should notbe considered the "meaning of life." "No, certainlynot!" the 76-year-old spiritual leader of the Tibetanpeople said during a panel discussion on globalwarming attended by more than 4,000 persons in thecampus basketball arena.People everywhere should strive to promotetolerance, nonviolence and concern for theenvironment, His Holiness said. "This is somethingserious, very serious," he said. "This small blueplanet is our only one.... This beautiful planet (was)created by God. It is wrong just to exploit (it) as

much as possible without care."With a slight laugh, His Holiness said it is good toremember the advice of an 8th century monk: if aproblem has solutions, do not worry; if a problem hasno solutions, do not concern yourself.The Tibetan spiritual leader said that while he is not ascientist, he respects the scientific method: "Withoutskepticism there are no questions; with no questionsthere is no research; and with no research there are noanswers."At a press conference before the panel discussion,he was asked about the Los Angeles Times decisionto publish photos of American soldiers with deadAfghan insurgents: His Holiness said he wasneutral on U.S. involvement in Afghanistan butprefers a non-violent approach to resolving conflict."All violence is wrong, I abhor all violence," headded."The world belongs to humanity and each countrybelongs to its own people, not religious leaders or

kings or queens or emperors or political parties....America belongs to about 300 millions of Americanpeople, not (the) Republican or Democratic party,"His Holiness stated.The Nobel Peace Laureate also said the news media'ssniffing around is crucial to democracy. "You shouldhave long nose, like elephant nose," he said.His Holiness also addressed global warming to about4,200 students and others at the University ofCalifornia, San Diego, and during the brief newsconference, he preached compassion and fieldedquestions.His Holiness left Honolulu on April 17th morningarriving in San Diego the same evening. His Holinesswas received by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders,officials of the University of California San Diego,University of San Diego, and San Diego StateUniversity, which are hosting his programs. At thehotel, members of the small Tibetan community inSan Diego and others welcomed him.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama speaks with his interpreter at an event on the campus of UC San Diego Wednesday. Photo: NBC San Diego/Greg Stickney

30 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS 5

By Matthew Singh Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

Promote Inner Values Through Education:His Holiness The Dalai Lama

April 24: Panel Discussion from the Mayo Clinic His Holiness the Dalai Lama will join in a panel discussion on "Integrating Mindfulness in Healthcare" from the Mayo Clinic inRochester, Min...nesota, USA.

Dharamshala: - On April 24, the spiritual leader ofTibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama participated in apanel discussion on Resilience ThroughMindfulness organized by the Mayo Clinic inRochester, Minnesota, United States.Dr John Noseworthy, president and CEO of theMayo Clinic, welcomed His Holiness, after whichDr Amit Sood, chair of the Mayo Mind BodyMedicine Initiative, spoke about its resilienceeducation and training program and its positiveimpact on patients.The Mayo Mind Body Medicine team hasdeveloped innovative practice models, includingmeditation, stress management and resiliencytraining programs.In his initial remarks, His Holiness spoke of theimportance of generating compassion in order torealize the goals of the training. He said enthusiasmmust be accompanied by intelligence and not blindfaith, adding that in order to have a realistic goal,one needs to understand reality, for which the mindmust be calm.During the following discussion, His Holiness wasasked whether, during his experiences with theChinese, he was in any danger of losing hiscompassion. He replied that, following the Tibetan

INNER VALUES

demonstrations in Lhasa on March 10, 2008, he wasfilled with anxiety and, in the subsequent days andweeks, he performed the Buddhist practice of ‘givingand taking' (tong len) - visualizing the Chinese aspeople with the desire to be happy and avoidsuffering, and having a sense of concern for theirnegative actions.He added that such an approach may not be effectivein resolving the problem, but it does help to maintaina calm mind.When asked how compassion can be developed inothers, His Holiness responded that modern life andthe education system have become very materialisticand that people are more concerned about externaldevelopment.Therefore, he said, there is a need to promote innervalues through education.His Holiness expounded that compassion can workon two levels. At one level, one might become awareof another's suffering and be concerned. At anotherlevel, one might feel concern about another'ssuffering but also wants to do something toovercome it. The first level alone might lead to asense of helplessness, but practicing the secondlevel gives new energy.Summing up the discussion, His Holiness said there

was general agreement that inner values areimportant. He urged that it is our commonresponsibility to promote these values, beginningwithin the family and then expanding outwards. Heconcluded that this was the way to change thesociety.After the session, six young recipients of the MindAnd Life Institute's Francisco J Varela researchawards presented findings from their projects toHis Holiness, in a session titled Latest Findings inContemplative Neuroscience.Earlier in the day, His Holiness was interviewed byPiers Morgan of CNN, who began by asking HisHoliness about his medical check-up at the MayoClinic. His Holiness responded that for the lastseven years he has had annual check-ups thereand that his basic physical condition is good.His Holiness also answered questions about thefuture of world peace, his views on the UnitedStates and President Obama, the self-immolationsin Tibet, China's future, vegetarianism, movies andmusic.In the evening, His Holiness left Rochester forChicago, Illinois, for the next leg of his US tour, toparticipate in events connected to the Nobel PeaceLaureates' Summit on April 25.

Middle Way Still Best for Tibet: His Ho-liness The Dalai Lama

"Recently things become very, very difficult butour stand -- no change," the Dalai Lama told theWorld Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates."Independence, complete independence isunrealistic -- out of (the) question," the DalaiLama said, saying his non-violent "Middle Way"of seeking change from Beijing still has thesupport of 90 percent of Tibetans. "So we cancontinue," he said in a press conference at theconclusion of the summit.Tibet's leadership-in-exile in India remainscommitted to "meaningful talk" with the Chinesegovernment in order to establish "meaningfulautonomy" for the Tibetan minority, he said.The latest self-immolations by a pair of youngTibetan men occurred last week in the prefectureof Aba in a rugged area of Sichuan province,overseas Tibetan rights groups said."Sometimes I describe totalitarian regimes as noear, only mouth," he told the summit with a laugh.The Chinese officials "lecture us, never reallylisten" and are angry that "I am not acting like'yes minister'," he said."Our approach failed to bring some concrete orpositive result from the government, but theChinese public, or Chinese intellectuals, orstudents who study in foreign countries -- theyare beginning to know the reality," he said. "That,I think, is a positive side, a significant result."The Dalai Lama also expressed the need forpatience in the decades-long struggle."Sometimes people have the impression (this is)

some crisis very recently happened," he said."I meet some Chinese. They are frustrated. Veryhostile. Then I tell them long stories... 60 yearsof stories. Then they understand, oh -- theTibetan issue is really a very, very complicatedissue."Since 2009, 35 Tibetans in Tibet have setthemselves on fire calling for freedom and HisHoliness the Dalai Lama's return to his homeland.Atleast 25 of these self-immolators have died,and others are either critically injured or theirstatus unknown.Beijing has repeatedly accused His Holiness theDalai Lama of inciting the self-immolations in abid to split the vast Himalayan region from therest of the nation. On April 2nd, His Holiness theDalai Lama said recently concerned people shouldexamine the causes of the self-immolations."I think this problem was not created by...TibetanBuddhist culture," he told a Taiwanese newschannel Next TV, "which is very peaceful, verycompassionate... This problem was started bytotalitarian, blind policy. So the people who createdthat policy must think seriously about these things."Twelve Nobel laureates including South AfricanArchbishop Desmond Tutu recently have urgedChina's president to resume talks with the DalaiLama, but the Buddhist monk said that up untilnow, negotiations had not been productive."Recently things become very, very difficult but ourstand -- no change," the Dalai Lama told the WorldSummit of Nobel Peace Laureates.

...From front PageBy: The Tibet Post International

His Holiness Promotes Compassion andAddresses Tibet Situation

By: Rajeshwari K., The Tibet Post International

His Holiness the Dalai Lama answering questions from the audience during his talk "Advancing Peace through thePower of Aloha" at the University of Hawaii's Stan Sheriff Center on Oahu, Hawaii, on April 15, 2012. Photo: TPI

Honolulu, Hawaii: As a part of the last leg of histour to Hawaii, the Dalai Lama on 16th April promotedwarm-heartedness in his speech to a receptiveaudience of students and blessed Hokule'a, aPolynesian canoe that is scheduled to depart for avoyage around the world in 2013 to draw awarenessHawaiian culture.Thanking the State Education Department in theTibetan language, he proceeded to orate his speechtitled ‘Cultivating Unbiased Compassion,' in Englishstating that he wanted the audience to get a taste ofhis mother tongue with a trademark dimpled smile.Speaking of non-violence, the Tibetan spiritualleader stated that mere intelligence is not enoughand that man being a social animal, an individual'sfuture depends on that of the community.In the course of his interaction with the students,the Dalai Lama addressed a variety of questionsranging across topics like education systems,political promises, ethics, morality and much more.Referring to the people's states of minds during thepost-world war era, and then the fall of the BerlinWall he spoke about how people started to lookdeep inside themselves for inner peace, thus bringingabout de-militarization in many places.Advising the students to maintain a positive andoptimistic approach towards life, he concluded hisspeech and proceeded to accept the canoe paddleand a ‘peace quilt' made by the students.Following lunch, the Dalai lama progressed toKualoa Regional Park and blessed Hokulea- Thecanoe that is scheduled to embark on a voyagearound the world with a Khata (Traditional Tibetanscarf) and prayers.Also present at the ceremony were the Mayor ofHonolulu Peter Carlisle and the President of thePolynesian Voyaging Society, Nainoa Thompson.Thompson, speaking of the similarities between the

native cultures of Tibet and Hawaii as far ashow people go about their daily lives said,"The Bridge is really a kind of core universalvalue.""Hawaii is a culture of kindness and it's stillthat way, where many parts of the world it'snot," he added.In the press conference that followed theceremony, the Dalai Lama was asked about the30 self-immolations carried out by Tibetans inthe course of one year to which he respondedsay ing , "These were very, very saddevelopments.""We have to look at the causes and conditionsand these are related to the difficult experienceof the Tibetan people for the past 50 to 60years," he said as he mentioned the PanchenLama's public statement of 1989 as to how theChinese rule has brought about more damagethan development in Tibet.He also referred to the Chinese authorities asworshippers of the guns (referring to Mao Tse-tung's statement about power coming from thebarrel of the gun), he mentioned that time hadcome for the authorities to investigate the realcause of the Tibetan resentment.When asked about the situation in Tibet, theDalai Lama mentioned Chinese Prime MinisterWen Jiabao's call for political reform and hiswarning about the rise of Cultural Revolutionalong with the subsequent dismissal of BoXilai by referring to them as signs of hope.It's the Dalai Lama's fourth visit to the islandsand his first since 2008, when he went to Maui.His Holiness departed Honolulu for San Diegoin California on April 17, 2012 arriving there inthe evening. His programs will begin today asper the schedule.

His Holiness Arrives in Hawaii to BeginUnited States Visit

On his arrival at the airport, His Holiness was received by Governor of Hawaii State, Neil Abercrombie, his wife Dr. NancyCaraway; Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu Peter B. Carlisle; Kasur Lobsang Nyandak Zayul, Representative ofH.H. the Dalai Lama for the Americas, and hosts Pierre and Pam Omidyar as well as Kelvin Taketa, president and CEO of

the Hawaii Community Foundation. Photo: HHDL

Honolulu, Hawaii, 14 April 2012 (by Ben Gutierrez,HawaiiNewsNow) - Tenzin Gyatso, better known asthe 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, arrived on Oahu Fridayand quickly charmed a group of students who greetedhim with music and hula. (video of arrival at http://youtu.be/gHND6kxtsxQ)The Dalai Lama was accompanied by eBay founderand chairman Pierre Omidyar, who also accompaniedhim to the welcoming ceremony. Omidyar's foundationalso provided a lead grant to fund the visit.There was

a nervous hush in the room as the Tibetan spiritualleader first entered. But the Kamehameha Schools GleeClub and Hula Ensemble quickly caught his attention;instead of walking to the stage, he headed the studentsto shake hands, and to smell the lei that glee clubmember Jonah Ho'okano was wearing.Ho'okano was caught by surprise. "He grabbed mylei, he smelled it, and all I could utter was the word'plumeria,' because that's the lei, and I didn't knowwhat else to say," said Ho'okano.The Dalai Lama also interrupted the beginning of the

ceremony to put on an orchid lei and a maile lei. "One!,"he said as he placed the orchid lei around his ownneck, eliciting laughter from the room.He also told the students to smile. "You show mesmile," he said. "I think everybody seems to decide toshow me your teeth," he added, drawing another roundof laughter. "Some teeth seems not very good." Evenlouder laughter.The Dalai Lama last visited Hawaii in 2007. "AlthoughI have been in Hawaii on a few occasions, I think yourcustoms seem so familiar," he said.After speaking fora few minutes, the Dalai Lama took a group photowith the glee club students, and then did a traditionalHawaiian ha, or exchange of breath, with KamehamehaSchools Trustee Corbett Kalama."To share our custom of sharing our breath with oneanother, the Ha -- to allow someone in your space isvery significant," said Kalama. The Dalai Lama thenwalked back to the students and quickly exchangedanother ha with one of them before leaving.While he brought laughter to the brief meeting, theDalai Lama is still a controversial figure in the disputeover Tibetan independence or autonomy from China,and security is very tight for his visit. The media wastold not to even disclose the location of Friday'swelcoming ceremony.The Dalai Lama is scheduled to make two public talksin Honolulu, one for students on Saturday at 1:30p.m., and another on Sunday for the general public at1:45 p.m. Both events are sponsored by the HawaiiCommunity foundation and will be held at the StanSheriff Center. The University of Hawaii has alreadyissued an advisory that traffic and parking will betight, as the events will happen at the same time withathletic and other activities this weekend.The students were still in awe after the Dalai Lamaleft. "Probably the most amazing thing that I've everhad happen to me in the shortest amount of time thatI've ever experienced," said Ho'okano. "I'm still kindof -- 'he smelled my lei!'"

By: Ben Gutierrez, HawaiiNewsNow

The Tibet Post International 30 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS6

His Holiness Talks About Promoting Peace inToday’s World

By The Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama

His Holiness wearing a custom-made mahi'ole — a traditional Hawaiian helmet made out of a gourd and typically adorned with feathers - presented to him during his visit to theBishop Museum on Oahu, Hawaii, on April 14th, 2012. Photo/Brian Tseng/Civic Beat.

Honolulu, Hawaii: - On his second full day inHawaii on Sunday, April 15, the spiritual leaderof Tibet, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lamaparticipated in a panel discussion on "TheImportance of Native Intelligence in ModernTimes" with Native Hawaiian leaders andspoke about peace at a sold-out public talk.His Holiness also gave an interview to ReneeMontagne of National Public Radio (NPR). HisHoliness responded to questions about thepossibilities of bullies in schools changingthemselves, his impression about Hawaiianculture, as well as about the current situationin Tibet. This interview is being aired in NPR'sMorning Edition program on April 15, 2012.Thereafter, His Holiness went to the East WestCenter where Mr. R. Brian Tsujimura, Chairmanof the Board of Governor of the Center,received him. As His Holiness entered thevenue of the pane l d i scuss ion , he waswelcomed with traditional Hawaiian chants.His Holiness inquired about the meaning ofthe chant before going to the stage.The topic of the panel discussion was "theImportance of Native Intelligence in ModernTimes, and His Holiness' co-panelists were Dr.Pualani Kanahele , wri ter and exper t onHawaiian cultural practices and Mr. NainoaThompson, Pres ident of the Polynes ianVoyaging Soc ie ty. The d i scuss ion wasmoderated by Mr. John De Fries, president ofFriends of the Future that focuses on NativeHawaiian cultural practices. He began byreques t ing His Hol iness to share h i sexperience after a day and a half's stay inHawaii this time.His Holiness responded by saying that at thelevel of a human being, he was impressed withthe smile of the Hawaiian people, both old andyoung. He then expanded on his view onculture saying that it was an evolutionary one.In Tibet, the Tibetan culture evolved onaccount of the particular environment thereand similarly in Hawaii its culture evolvedwith its connection to the sea. He said ingeneral a small community that has not had aneasy life develops a sense of communityheritage unlike developed urban areas wherepeople are almost becoming like parts of amachine. His Holiness said that it was goodthat the Hawaiian people were able to keepalive their culture.Thereafter, the two co-panelists talked abouttheir own experience in what the Hawaiianculture meant to them and the challenges theysee their community facing. The moderatortalked about the research that Dr. PualaniKanahele had undertaken among which wasthe finding that there were more than 400names for cloud in the Hawaiian language.The moderator then requested His Holinessto explain if there was any relation betweenhis concept of a universal responsibility andthe discussion they were having. His Holinesssaid that universal responsibility was at adifferent level, at the level of humanity. He

By Matthew Singh Toor, The Tibet Post International

The special envoy of His Holiness the Dalai lama of Tibet, Mr. Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari. Photo: TPI/file

Washington: - On April 23, Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari,Executive Chairman of the Board of the InternationalCampaign for Tibet and His Holiness the DalaiLama's chief interlocutor in talks with the Chineseleadership, addressed the Council on ForeignRelations in Washington DC, United States. Below,TPI summarises the key points of his speech.China-Tibet Dialogue· Lodi Gyaltsens Gyari's last meeting with hiscounterparts in Beijing was in January 2010 and hedoes not see any prospect for an early resumption.· Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay, thedemocratically-elected Tibetan leader has expresseda strong continuing commitment to pursue theMiddle-Way approach initiated by His Holiness theDalai Lama.Misapplication of the ‘One-China' Policy· In the 1972Shanghai Communique, in deference to Beijing's‘One-China' policy, the US acknowledged that "allChinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait claimthat there is but one China and that Taiwan is partof China and the United States does not challengethat position."· Adherence to the ‘One-China' policy has beenreiterated by successive American administrations.Beijing increasingly demands that othergovernments with whom it has relations alsoendorse it.· China invokes the ‘One-China' policy to preventlegitimate inquiry or engagement by members of theinternational community on the Tibet issue.· No Tibetan government has ever claimed to be thegovernment of China, so the application of the ‘One-China' policy is irrelevant.· His Holiness the Dalai Lama's proposals andstatements concerning ways to resolve the Tibetquestion call for the exercise by Tibetans of genuineautonomy within the People's Republic of China(PRC), not for independence.· The PRC has misled a number of governments intobelieving that the ‘One-China' policy applies toTibet, and that it restricts the extent to which theirgovernment officials can interact with Tibetanleaders in exile, including His Holiness the DalaiLama.· By accepting the applicability of ‘One-China' toTibet, governments are subtly aligning themselveswith the Chinese position that the Dalai Lama istrying to ‘split' China.· Since the ‘One-China policy was developed tomake it possible for the US to continue to conductrelations with Taiwan, while recognizing the PRCgovernment as the sole government of China, if thepolicy were at all relevant to Tibet, it should enablegovernments to conduct relations with the Tibetanexile leadership without incurring Beijing'sdispleasure.· Every government has the duty to promote apeaceful solution to the Tibet issue by engagingwith both sides in the conflict.Moderation and Dialogue· His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the tenets ofTibetan Buddhism have been moderating factorsagainst the destabilizing and potentially dangerouseffects of hate propaganda, increasing tensions andeconomic inequalities between Tibetans andChinese, and other risk factors in Tibet.· Governments and world leaders seen to engagewith Tibetans, especially with His Holiness the DalaiLama, endorse the message that dialogue and non-violence is a laudable path to follow to bring aboutchange.· Fear and even refusal to meet with Tibetan leaderssends the opposite signal to those around the worldwho stand before the choice of whether to pursuetheir objectives through dialogue and democraticmeans or through the use of violence.Autonomy· A prominent member of the Chinese CommunistParty (CCP) recently published an article advocatingthe scrapping of the Chinese constitutionalprovisions on autonomy as they apply to theTibetans and other nationality minorities within the

said it meant developing a sense of onenessof humanity, without letting the difference innationality, color, race, religion, etc., divide thepeople. He said that he found this spirit ofoneness among scientists irrespective of theirbackground. Similarly, it was also present inthe religious tradition, too. His Holiness feltthat if people only thought of the "small we"then problem would arise. Instead they shouldthink about the "big we" that that is global, hesaid.His Holiness suggested that the Hawaiianpeople could preserve their culture while notlooking at modern technological developmentas totally a negative thing. Technologicaldevelopment has brought comfort while culturewas more related with the mind, he said. Hesaid certain cultural heritage were useful andneeded to be preserved. Some other culturalvalues may not be any use in daily life nowand could be put in museum.At the end of the discussion, Mr. NainoaThompson presented His Holiness with aspecially commissioned paddle. Appreciatingthe gift, His Holiness said it was symbolic as aBuddhist text compared the precious humanlife to that of a boat, which was to be used asa vehicle to cross the ocean of suffering.In the afternoon, His Holiness made briefremarks at the luncheon for dignitary andpartners. Hawaii's Governor, Neil Abercrombie,greeted His Holiness and presented him with aproclamation declaring April 15, 2012 as "DalaiLama Day." Among others present at theluncheon were Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisleand former Hawaii governor George Ariyoshi.In his remarks, His Holiness referred to thepresence of Governor Abercrombie who is aformer member of Congress and acknowledgedthe support of the United States Senate andHouse of Representatives to Tibet. He said thissupport was a source of hope to the Tibetanpeople. He then said if we look at the Tibetanproblem at a local level then the situation mayappear to be hopeless, but from a widerperspect ive there was hope. He said theTibetan Buddhist culture, which he termed aculture of peace, culture of compassion, andcul ture of non-violence , was somethingworthwhile to be preserved for the benefit ofthe world.He said the environmental aspect of theTibetan issue that needed to be paid closea t ten t ion reca l l ing tha t some Chinesescientists have termed Tibet as a Third Pole.His Holiness, therefore, suggested that hereferred to those who supported the Tibetanissue as not being "pro-Tibet" but being "pro-just ice ." He ta lked about the dif ferencebetween the power of truth and power of gun.He said the power of gun was only short termand limited whereas the power of truth wasalways there and for the long run. He talkedabout increasing interest in Tibet amongChinese people many of who were interestedin the Tibetan Buddhist culture. He said thathistorically Tibetans have our own language,script and geographically separate and racially

different (from the Chinese) . Tibet wasmaterially backward and all Tibetans wantmodernism. Therefore, he felt that the Chineseauthorities should look at the example of Indiawhere d iverse l ingu is t i c and cu l tu ra lcommunities exists in different parts of thecountry without any risk of separation. HisHoliness however blamed the narrow-mindedChinese leftist policies that were the causefor the continued problem in Tibet.His Hol iness a l so t a lked about h i sdemocratization of the Tibetan community inexile. He said that in 2001 Tibetans began aperiod of directly elected leadership with Prof.Samdhong Rinpoche being elected for twoterms. He said he had then become semi-retired. He then felt the situation encouragingand said that in 2011 he had voluntarily,happi ly and proudly handed over h i slegitimate political authority to the electedTibetan leadership. He said now the smallTibetan community in exile was more advancedthan China in t e rms of democra t icadministration and suggested that we couldbe a small example (to China.).Thereafter, His Holiness went to the StanSheriff Center, venue of his Public Talk,"Advancing Peace through the Power ofAloha." Singer songwriter Michael McDonald,former ly of The Doobie Bro thers , andHawaiian musician Henry Kapono wereperforming "What the World Needs Now IsLove Sweet Love" to the audience as HisHoliness walked on the stage. His Holinessgreeted Governor Neil Abercrombie who drewhis attention to the sister of President BarackObama, Maya Soe toro-Ng, among theaudience.A video of an especially composed music byJake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso, wasplayed. Thereafter, Mr. Kelvin Taketa of theHawaii Community Foundation welcomedeveryone and hoped that the people gatheredhere would find inspiration from the event. Mr.Pierre Omidyar then introduced His Holiness.Relating a brief biography of His Holiness, hesaid he had to flee Tibet in 1959, the sameyear as Hawaii entered into statehood. He saidHis Holiness inspires everyone through theexample of his life. He then explained thephilosophy of the spirit of Aloha as being thatof kindness, unity, joyfulness, humility andpatience. He added that those familiar withHis Hol iness ' messages would see thesimilarity. He added that for the people ofHawaii His Holiness was an embodiment ofthe spirit of Aloha.His Holiness began his talk by highlightingthe fact that everyone gathered here the samehuman being, mentally, emotionally andphysically. He said this kind of mental thinkingwas helpful in bringing together people.His Holiness said although he had been toHawaii a few times, this time he was able tospeak to a large number of people. He said hefound his program with students yesterdaymeaningful. See Page 8...

PRC. For several years, a certain academician withstrong ties to the CCP leadership has also beenadvocating this view in various forums.· His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exileadministration propose that the situation in Tibetshould be resolved by transforming what is now anominal autonomy for Tibetans into a genuine andeffective autonomy.· The international community is increasingly awareof the benefits of decentralization of power and thecontribution of autonomy arrangements in theresolution and prevention of conflicts, especially inmulti-ethnic states.· The autonomy Tibetans are asking for, as set out inthe Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for theTibetan People, respects the Chinese constitutionalframework and is in line with the best practice of statesin the area of autonomy.· Those advocates of the elimination of ethnicity andminority status for Tibetans, coupled withassimilationist policies, are negating thedistinctiveness of Tibetans and other non-Chineseand seek to hasten the serious cultural destructionalready underway in Tibet.· If the Chinese National People's Congress were totake up these suggested changes in the autonomylaws, there would be serious ramifications, because itis on the basis on a genuinely autonomous Tibet thatHis Holiness the Dalai Lama has been able to build aconsensus among Tibetans for a future of coexistencewith the Chinese.· Further, the recognition by certain governments ofChina's claim to Tibet was on the understanding thatTibet's distinctive identity would be respected as anautonomous area within the People's Republic ofChina. Perhaps most important in this regard wasIndia's demand and China's explicit assurance, givenby Prime Minister Chou Enlai to Prime Minister PanditJawaharlal Nehru in 1956.· Joint communiques between India and China makethe important distinction of referring to theautonomous status of the Tibetan region. A revocationof Tibet's autonomy by China or a further dilution ofits meaning could have serious consequences forChina and the region.· If the constitutional basis for autonomy were to beremoved from the Chinese constitution and a Middle-Way approach could no longer be accommodatedwithin the PRC constitution, Tibetans would becompelled to look for a totally different approach.The Future· The wave of self-immolations in Tibet is the directresult of Tibetans living under daily oppression. TheChinese government's failure to grasp this situationand to act responsibly is of serious concern to manygovernments.· Prospects for deepening religious repression in Tibet,continuing attacks against His Holiness the DalaiLama, constraints on culture, and escalating economicdisparities between Tibetans and Chinese all forecastan intensification and broadening of the protestmovement in Tibet.· A continuation or worsening of the current level ofrepression in Tibet will increase Tibetan resistance,as people feel they have little left to lose.· In circumstances of intense government repressionagainst its own citizens, or of open conflict, theinternational community has coalesced around theResponsibility to Protect or ‘R2P' principle, which hasbeen invoked in UN debates on Darfur, Burma, Libyaand elsewhere.· In the case of mass atrocities, the international communityhas a responsibility to intervene to assist the people andprotect them from intolerable harm.· The PRC is not immune to the will of the people it governsor to the condemnation of the international communitywhen it violates international norms of behavior.· Tibetanswill continue to appeal to the international community,despite the major obstacles they may encounter.· Unless China's leaders change their course, theinternational community must be increasingly vigilantand prepared to act in a qualitatively different manner tohelp save Tibet.

“Where is China Heading on Tibet?”- Lodi Gyaltsen Speaks In US

CHINA-TIBET TALKS

30 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS 7

Tibetan Political Leader, Dr. Sangay To VisitUS and Canada

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

Dr. Lobsang Sangay speaking to media during an event being held in Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI/file

Dharamshala: - The political leader of the CentralTibetan Administration, Dr. Lobsang Sangay willleave Dharamsala Friday to take part in theupcoming 12th World Summit of Nobel PeaceLaureates in Chicago and the 6th WorldParliamentarians' Convention on Tibet in Ottawa,the capital city of Canada.

His Holiness and Kalon Tripa Speak onTibetan Self-Immolations

By Matthew Singh Toor, The Tibet Post International

A Taiwanese reporter for the Taiwanese televison "Next TV" meeting with His Holines the Dalai Lama inDharamshala, India, on April 7 2012. Photo: TPI

Dharamsala: - The Taiwanese television channel"Next TV" broadcast two interviews with HisHoliness the Dalai Lama and Kalon Tripa (politicalleader) Dr Lobsang Sangay on April 7, during whichboth figures discussed the spate of self-immolationsby Tibetans in Tibet and India.His Holiness said concerned people should examinethe causes of the self-immolations."I think this problem [was] not created by...TibetanBuddhist culture," he said, "[which is] verypeaceful, very compassionate... This problem [was]started by totalitarian, blind policy. So the peoplewho created that policy must think seriously aboutthese things."His Holiness added that the self-immolations arethe result of the Chinese authorities' "lack of respectfor others' lives... [It is a] very short-sighted andtoo much self-centred attitude - ‘My power! I haveto control these people, even if necessary to kill!'"In the second interview, Dr Lobsang Sangaydifferentiated between self-immolations in Tibet andin exile, saying, "As a human being, life is preciousand you don't want anyone to die like that."In Tibet, they are doing it because there is noroom for any form of protest - hunger strikes, rallies,demonstrations. Anything you do, the Chinese

INTERNATIONAL

authorities will come and arrest you, put you behindbars, and sometimes you'll get killed."But outside, in the free world, you can organizeany form of demonstration, any kind of rally, anykind of hunger strike. We just had three hungerstrikers sat for 30 days in New York in front of theUnited Nations. So, when we have other avenues,we should use these avenues.He continued that the Tibetan administration hasmade several appeals discouraging drastic actions,including self-immolation, both inside Tibet andespecially by Tibetans in the free world.However, he added, "As a Buddhist, when someonepasses away, you pray for them. As a Tibetan, youshow solidarity, because [the self-immolators] diedfor Tibet and Tibetan people. They died for us,our homeland and our people. That's our stand."These self-immolations are quite extreme, butone should know the motivation. The intentionis not to harm anyone. It's a conscious, deliberateeffort not to harm anyone. The action is reallytragic."Dr Lobsang also stressed that the Central TibetanAdministration has issued directives/appealsthat any protests held in exile be peaceful, legaland dignified.

According to a report published in the official mediaof CTA "Tibet Net," at the Nobel Peace laureates'summit in Chicago from 23 - 25 April, Dr LobsangSangay will join a galaxy of Nobel laureates includingTibet's spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama,former US President Jimmy Carter, former RussianPresident Mikhail Gorbachev, former Polish

President Lech Walesa and former South AfricanPresident Frederick Willem de Clerk.The Nobel Peace Laureates will engage in a seriesof panel discussions on a wide range of issues suchas New Challenges for Peace: A Conversation AboutPromoting Peace and Justice in a MultinationStrategy; Investing in Peace: The Responsibility ofBusinesses and Governments to Build a Fair andSustainable World; Women Forging Peace; A WorldWithout Nuclear Weapons; and World Peace andNonviolence: Never Give Up. (Watch proceedingson www.nobelsummitchicago.org)The democratically elected Tibetan leader Dr.Sangay will leave Chicago for Ottawa to attend the6th World Parliamentarian's Convention on Tibetfrom 27 - 29 April. Over 100 delegates, including 50parliamentarians from 30 countries, will discussChina's policies impacting the Tibetan people,Tibet's global environmental significance, andproposals to strengthen world parliamentarians'movement to resolve problems in Tibet amongother issues. The convention will adopt OttawaDeclaration and an Action Plan.After attending the WPCT, he will preside overthe annual meeting of the representatives of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama.The political leader will return to India on 4 May.He will preside over the 50th foundinganniversary of the Central School for Tibetansin Shimla on 6 May. He will also address thegeneral Tibetan public living in Shimla. On 7 May,Kalon Tripa will pay a visit to Tibetan settlementin Dholanji near Shimla. He will be back in hisoffice on 8 May.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama TalksAbout Educating the Heart

The University of Hawalii's Stan Sheriff Center, Venue for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's talk in Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 14, 2012. Photo: Civic Beat

Honolulu, Hawaii, 14 April 2012 - The spiritualleader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lamaspoke about Educating the Heart to around 9,500students of Hawaii advising them about theimportance of inner mental development for awholesome education.As he left the hotel for his engagement, he gavea brief audience to the small Tibetan communityin Hawaii in the hotel's lobby. His Holinessinquired about the profession the people wereinvolved in and told them not to forget theirTibetan identity. He stressed on the importanceof preservation of the Tibetan culture andpointing to a person who was from Ladakh, hesaid that the Ladakhis had done much in thiseffort.Thereafter, His Holiness went to the BishopMuseum, the largest museum in the state andthe premier natural and cultural historyinstitution in the Pacific. On his arrival, he waswelcomed with a special chant. Young childrenof the ‘Aha Pu-nana Leo Honolulu, an institutionset up to promote Hawaii's culture, sang a songof welcome. Thereafter, His Holiness wentthrough the museum's exhibitions. The Museumwas established to house the collection ofHawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms ofPrincess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the lastdescendant of the royal Kamehameha family ofHawaii. It has since expanded to include artifacts,

documents and photographs about Hawai‘i andother Pacific island cultures. His Holiness askedabout possible influence from other countries inHawaii's culture.At the end of his tour, His Holiness was presentedwith a traditional ceremonial hat (which he woreon his head mentioning that it seemed similar toTibetan monastic hats), as well as a scarfspecially woven by the staff of the museum.In brief remarks at the museum, His Holinessappreciated the gifts saying he looked upon themas the Hawaii people's acceptance of him as partof their community. He said this was a great honor.He referred to the Hawaiian people as an ancientpeople with cultural heritage, including language.His Holiness said that during his travels to LatinAmerica and Europe, he noticed that theindigenous people there were very determinedto keep their culture and language. He said thatin a similar way the Tibetan people had the samespirit.His Holiness said that today the world was muchcivilized. He said most indigenous culture,including that of the Native Americans and theJapanese follower of Shintoism, had close feelingtoward nature. He said that this was importantadding that the technologically developed peopleshould learn from this tradition and know thatwe cannot control nature or that we are abovenature. He said people needed to realize that oursurvival depends on nature.His Holiness also emphasized that the

preservation of one's own language was veryessential. He said language was particularlyessential for a living culture saying that museumswere more for dead culture. His Holiness alsosaid that additionally there was the need for awritten script as mere oral linguistic tradition wasnot stable.His Holiness said that hearing aboutthe struggle of the people of Hawaii in a wayreminded him that we Tibetans also were carryingon a similar struggle.His Holiness then went to the ‘Iolani Palace, theofficial residence of King Kala-kaua and QueenLili'uokalani, who were the last in a long line ofruling Hawaiian royalty, where he was welcomedby Princess Abigail Hawananakoa. He spentsome time with the Princes inquiring about theorigin and nature of the belief traditions amongdifferent communities in Hawaii.Thereafter, His Holiness went to the East-WestCenter and was received by its President, CharlesMorrison. He had lunch together with some ofthe event organizers.His Holiness then went to the Stan Sheriff Center,a multi-purpose arena on the campus of theUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa, which is thevenue of his talk to the students. At the Center,the University's Chancellor, Virginia Hinshaw,and executive director of the Hawai'I Associationof Independent Schools, Robert Witt, receivedhim. As he entered the stage, Jack Johnson, anAmerican folk rock musician, was performing asong. His Holiness greeted the singer and patted

his knee much to the amusement of the gathering.In his welcome address, Mr. Kelvin Taketa of theHawaii Community Foundation said that therewas hope that so many students had decided tospend a Saturday afternoon to attend the event.He talked about the inspiration behind theinitiative of the event and introduced Mrs. PamOmidyar. Mrs. Omidyar gave a brief biographyof His Holiness the Dalai Lama and thanked himfor an inspiration and a role model for peace.His Holiness began his remarks by making thecase that we were all same as humans, mentally,emotionally and physically. He recalled that someof the students who welcomed him on his arrivalin Honolulu yesterday looked like Tibetans andso even physically there was the sameness.He said everyone had the desire to achieve ahappy life and that this was a basic right. He saidthe very purpose of life was to achieve happinessand joyfulness. However, happiness should notbe understood merely at the level of physicalhappiness, he said. Physical happiness mightsometimes bring about mental satisfaction, whichin turn brings inner peace. He said happiness atthe sensorial level was a physical one but mentalhappiness was superior and more effective. Heexplained this by saying that while physicalailment can be cured by mental peace, mentaldisturbance cannot be subdued at the physicallevel. He thus said there was the need to payserious attention to mental happiness. HisHoliness recalled being in the house of a richAmerican many years back and while using therest room, he happened to peep into the medicinecabinet and found some tranquilizers. He saidthat this indicate that wealth was not in itself asolution for mental happiness.However, His Holiness said that while there wasmuch research about the external material reality,modern education had not paid adequateattention to the mental, emotional developmentuntil now. He said this clearly showed thatmodern education failed to reduce the gapbetween reality and appearance in terms ofhappiness.Talking about mental happiness, His Holinesssaid the real destroyer of inner peace were thingslike fear and distrust. He said distrust leads tofear, which in turn leader to frustration and toanger. These lead to violence and applied at boththe national level as well as the family level. Hesaid trying to tackle these challenges throughviolence was not a winnable one and that onlythrough non-violence could we approach them.

His Holiness said that here he was sharing hisviews based on his experience. However,although his experience was primarily throughhis Buddhist education, His Holiness said thathe was approaching the issue at the human level,without touch the religion.His Holiness then explained his concept ofsecular ethics saying that he subscribed to thedefinition of secularism as promoted by ancientIndian thoughts, namely respect for all religions,including respect to non-believers. He saidsecular ethics should be approached throughcommon sense and common ethics and based onscientific findings. He explained research thatshowed that when people were calm the left sideof the brain was more active while the right sidebecame more active when people were filled withanger or hatred, etc.His Holiness touched on the need to have moreself-confidence with a sense of concern forother's feelings as a way to reduce fear. He alsotalked about having respect for others, includingone's enemies saying this was not submitting toinjustice. He then explained the nature ofcompassion and how it was at two levels, onebiological and limited and the otherunconditional.He called for awareness on the value of innerpositive thoughts and that this could be achievedthrough prayers but through warm-heartedness.His Holiness said that in this world some portion ofthe seven billion human beings did not practice theteachings of their religions although they considerthemselves as believers.Here he talked about the situation in India sayingthat although he love and respected India theattitude of some people who did ritual prayers butinvolved themselves in cheating in their daily lives.His Holiness said the people should either worshipgod and practice his teachings or worship moneyand do what ever they want. There was no thirdway, he added. As an aside, His Holiness mentionedhere that when he had called himself a son of Indiasome years back, some Chinese journalistsquestioned him on this thinking that he was makinga political statement. However, he had explainedhis reason saying that mentally every portion ofhis brain was filled with the ancient Indian thoughtsof the Nalanda tradition. He said physically, hisbody was sustained for more that five decadesby Indian rice and dal (lentils) and by chapatti(Indian bread). His Holiness thought the Chinesejournalists seemed to understand the contextthereafter. See Page 9...

By Officie of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Tibet Post International 30 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS8 WORLD SUMMIT ON TIBET

6th World Parliamentarians’ Conven-tion on Tibet to Be Held in Canada

By The Tibet Post International

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the Matteo Mecacci, the President of the Italian Parliamentary Inter-Group forTibet. Photo courtesy: Tibet Bureau, Geneva

Dharamsha la : - The 6 th Wor ldParliamentarians' Convention on Tibet (WPCT)will be held in Ottawa, Canada from April 26th- 29th 2012, said a statement issued by theTibetan Parliament in exile, Wednesday, April17th." In th i s upcoming convent ion , over 50parliamentarians from 30 countries and over60 Tibetans and all-together over 100 delegateswill be taking part. Besides the inaugural andconcluding sessions, there will be six plenarysessions as below:

...Talks About Promoting Peace in Today’s World

By The Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama

His Holiness said that prior to being explainedthe deeper meaning of Aloha he did not havemuch understanding of the concept. He saida l though the te rm appeared s imple thechal lenge was in implement ing the realmeaning of the concept.He said basically everyone wanted happinessand that was his or her right. He said all livingthings, including trees and plants, have theright to survive.He then said he wanted to explain his thoughtby talking about happiness and joyfulness asbeing results, which depend on certain causes.He said at the human level, joyfulness andhappiness entirely depends on ones ownaction, physical, verbal and mental. He saidthe mental action is the key factor.His Holiness said that in order to have asuccessful life, attention needed to be paid toeducation or training. But education itself isnot the goal. He said if one wanted goodhealth, taking medicine or some vitamins werecauses for positive results.Therefore, His Holiness said that generatingwrong causes and expecting positive resultswas unrea l i s t ic . Ta lk ing about h i s ownexperience, His Holiness said although hebegan his study around the age of six or seven,he had no interest in study till the age of 13.However, it was only later in his life that hefound the knowledge gained from his studyimmensely helpful for cultivating peace ofmind.His Holiness said it was essential to haverealistic goals. He recalled an event in theIndian State of Bihar where the Chief Ministersaid at a function that he was hopeful that thes ta te would deve lop on account o f theblessings of the Buddha. When the turn camefor His Holiness to speak then, he said he toldthe Chief Minister, whom he knew well, that ifthe state's success depended merely on theBuddha's blessings it should have developeda long time back as the Buddha was there morethan 2000 years back. He said it was essentialtha t the Buddha ' s b less ings should bechanneled through the action of the Chief

Minister. His Holiness said that prosperity hasto come through action, not prayers.Therefore, world peace must come throughinner peace, His Holiness said. He added thatat the individual level, a healthy body was verymuch linked to a healthy mind.His Holiness recalled a meeting with anAmerican scientist a few years in Stockholm,Sweden who told him that when we developanger, the object of anger appears verynega t ive . The sc ien t i s t had added tha tactually, 90 percent of that negativeness ismental projection. His Holiness said thatBuddhism also talked about a similar state.His Holiness said that people should try todevelop proper menta l a t t i tude throughtraining of the mind. He said any decisionunder strong emotion often becomes wrongas much emotion is actually biased.His Holiness cited the case of the globaleconomic crisis. He said he had asked somepeople to explain how things went wrongbecause people involved in the business weresupposed to be experts. His Holiness said hereceived the response that it was account oftoo much greed . Too much greed i s anunrealistic desire, he said. He was also toldthat too much speculation and lack of a holisticview were also responsible for the crisis. Thesewere all related to the mind, he added.Here His Holiness talked about PresidentGeorge W. Bush. He said he really love himand that he is a real ly nice person. HisHoliness said during the Congressional GoldMedal award ceremony, he was walking handin hand with President Bush and SpeakerNancy Pelosi. President Bush had mentionedthat they (the democrats) were always creatingproblems for him but that today they werepeaceful. His Holiness said although he lovedand respected President Bush, it did not meanthat he agreed fully with the President 'spolicies. His Holiness said he had mentionedthis to the President himself. His Holiness saidPresident Bush' motivation concerning Iraqwas very good: to bring democracy and ruleof l aw. However, the method became

...From Page 6

1. Tibet - The Third Pole: Importance ofEnvironmental Stewardship2. Challenges before the Tibetan People Today3. Discussion on China's Policies in Tibet andFuture Prospects in view of the upcomingChange in Chinese Leadership4. The Interdependence between Cultural andReligious Freedom and Social Stability5. Update on Parliamentary Initiatives on Tibetsince Rome 2009. Regional Working GroupDiscussions: Proposals to Strengthen INPaTand Action Plan6. Working Group Discussion on Action Plan

After having thorough discussions on aboveissues, the convention will adopt OttawaDeclaration and 6th WPCT Action Plan.The 1st World Parliamentarians' Conventionon Tibet was held in New Delhi in 1994, 2ndWPCT was held in Vilnius (Lithuania) in 1995,3rd WPCT was held in Washington DC in 1997,4th WPCT was held in Edinburgh in 2005 and5th WPCT was held in Rome in 2009.This upcoming 6th WPCT is being organizedjo in t ly by In te rna t iona l Network ofPar l i amenta r ians on Tibe t ( INPat ) ,Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, Canada andTibetan Parliament-in-Exile."

unrealistic and so failed to achieve that noblegoal.His Holiness said the real basis of inner peacewas warm-heartedness. Once we developwarm-heartedness, that kind of at t i tude,automatically develops respect, he said. Hesaid fear brings about distrust and that loveand compassion help dispel distrust. He saidonce anxiety is reduced and distrust reduced,one develops more compassionate feelingtoward others.He said love, compassion, affection are at twolevels. One level is biological and is biased.His Holiness said that type of compassioncould be taken as the seed and then utilizinghuman intelligence, using our common sense,and mos t impor tan t , th rough sc ien t i f i cfindings, one can work on inner peace. That isrealistic compassion and is unbiased, and alsobrings good health, he said. This can begin atthe family level and then at the level of thecommunity.His Holiness said all major religious traditionscarry this practice, but now we need to find anapproach that is universal. He talked about hisfriend, Richard Moore, who lost his sight to arubber bul le t shot by a Br i t i sh so ld ier.However, he did not have any anger or hatredtowards the perpetrator and in fact went on toestablish friendship with the soldier. HisHoliness that Richard Moore wasn't reallyreligious but had developed this kind ofattitude as a human being. His Holiness saidhe always described him as his hero. He addedthat human beings have that kind of ability.These positive mental attitudes are not basedon religious belief, he said adding that heusually called this secular ethics. He saidmany people essentially are non-believers. Hesaid therefore we need a universal way toapproach this universal value. If we rely on aparticular religious faith, it will never beuniversal, he said.His Holiness said the 20th century was awonderful century, but it was a century ofbloodshed. He said that we needed to try tobuild this century as a century of dialogue and

peace. His Holiness said that this does notmean that there would not be any problems inthis century. Touching on the back of his headwhere the brain is located, His Holiness saidas long as i t was act ive there would beproblems. He added that we must find ways totackle these problems, not through the use offorce, but through talk, with respect, listen toothers' point of view.His Holiness said Hawaii's small communitycould make a contribution through the spiritof Aloha. It could start a pilot project in oneschool to incorporate education about thevalue of non-violence in the curriculum. Hesaid then after five years, it could examine theexperiment and expand accordingly. That's theway to change the way of thinking in oursociety, he said. Through that way you canbuild a happy, peaceful society. The initiativemust come from the individual, he added.He said human beings create the problems inthis world and so human beings themselvesshould find the solution. He asked the peoplenot to feel helplessness. He asked them to helpcreate inner peace and to share the feeling withmore people, including friends and enemies.That's the way to transform our world, he said.Thereafter, His Holiness answered somequestions submitted to the organizers. To aquestion on how to handle a situation whereone is making effort for peace but others don'tseem to reciprocate. His Holiness said it wasimportant to bear in mind that the effort forpeace was there because there were problems.One should not lose hope but continue withone's efforts. That way one could influenceothers, he said. His Holiness talked about hisexperience with his gall bladder surgery wherebecause of complications it took more time thanscheduled. However, his recovery was fast andthe doctor had called him "young patient." Hesaid the doctor had told him that his physicalcondition was that of a person younger thanhis age. His Holiness felt this could be becauseof his inner mental calmness.To another question about repentance andforgiveness, His Holiness said one should noto differentiate between forgiveness and"forgetness." He said if one forgets then thereis nothing to forgive. Forgiveness, however,does no t been one should accep t thewrongdoing. Here he asked the people to make

a distinction between the action and the actor.Another question asked how indigenouscommunities who have become strangers in theirown land and are surrounded by their oppressorsact. His Holiness said people have every right topreserve their identity. But there was also theneed to take a look at the reality of the situation.In the case of Tibetans, His Holiness said wehave adopted the Middle Way, which is non-extreme, practical and realistic. He said there wasthe need to think broadly. He said today's worldhas become such that it was unrealistic to thinkof remaining isolated.When asked how happy can one be, His Holinesssaid that happiness could be at different levels,one at the level where even animals experience itand another at a higher level.He said there was a need to take a multi-dimensional look at any development to get acomplete perspective. He gave the examples ofthe Tibetan people. He said although he lost hiscountry and the people were undergoing atragedy, yet there was a positive aspect to thedevelopment. He said it opened the Tibetanpeople's eyes. Personally, too, His Holiness saidthe development led to his spending the past 53years in exile, in India, and he had got the best ofexperience in this period.Similarly, presently Tibetans are located in theTibet Autonomous Region as well as theprovinces in Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu andQinghai, he said. On account of the Chinesepolicies, Tibetans in all these regions havedeveloped a sense of unity.Fol lowing the ta lk a group of ch i ldrenperformed a graceful Hula dance, surroundingthe area where His Holiness was sitting.Thereafter, Mr. Kelvin Taketa said that in thespirit of transparency he wanted to inform thepublic that income from the event went to bearthe cost related to it. He said His Holinessdoes not take speaking fees or financiallybenefit in other waysThe event concluded with Hawaii's GovernorAbercrombie coming on stage to present asouvenir of a paddle to His Holiness on behalfof the people of Hawaii. Mr. Pierre Omidyaralso presented His Holiness with a woodendrum on behalf of the Pillars of Peace Hawaii.On April 16, 2012, His Holiness will beaddressing students in a local high school onthe subject of compassion.

His Holiness GyalwaKarmapa Addresses Tibetan

Transit School

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

Dharamsala: - His Holiness Gyalwa KarmapaOgyen Trinley Dorje visited the TibetanTransit School (TTS) in Dharamsala, northernIndia, on April 16. He inaugurated a giant maniprayer whee l and addressed s ta f f andstudents.His Hol iness to ld the audience tha t a l lTibetans who flee Tibet for India are equal,face the same problems and perhaps hold thesame hopes and dreams."I have visited TTS twice before," he said,"and the students' conditions have improved."I hear that student numbers have gone downfrom around 700 to 400, due to the reductionin new arrivals from Tibet. The number ofstudents isn't important. What should beremembered are the various reasons Tibetansleave Tibet. I hear that some come to India asa means of then moving on to other countries,many come to study Tibetan language, andmany come hoping for an audience with HisHoliness the Dalai Lama."His Holiness continued, "Every single Tibetanlife is important and should not be wasted,because Tibetans are in the minority. We arefacing the biggest ever difficulties in our

history, so to be selfish and focus on thetrivialities of life is not enough. We must avoidbeing narrow-minded, but rather take a broadperspective. You should use your lives toaffect the future of Tibet."He added that, since 2008, protests in Tibethave been continuous and many people havesacrificed their lives."When these sacrifices occur, we all feel painand sadness, and wonder what we can do. Wemust think not only in the short term aboutdemonstrations and protests, but also in thelonger term. Therefore study is important."TTS school captain, Phurbu Nyima, explainedto the audience that the giant prayer wheelwas constructed voluntarily by students, andfinanced with the surplus of funds raised lastyear for the students to attend Kalachakra inBodhgaya. Around 1.6 million rupees were donated,with over 110,000 rupees remaining after Kalachakra.Nyima said the prayer wheel is dedicated to HisHoliness the Dalai Lama's long life, to thoseTibetans who have died in the struggle for Tibet,and to those Tibetans who are buried in the oldcemetery on which the TTS building wasconstructed.

30 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS

...The Dalai Lama Talks About Educating the HeartBy The Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama

...From Page 7

His Holiness then talked about his threecommitments. He explained the first one bysaying it was for promotion of non-violence andpeace. He said this commitment was at the humanlevel and that there was the need to developpositive mental attitude. He said his secondcommitment was for promotion of religiousharmony and this was at the level of him being aBuddhist. He said all religions have the samemessage despite having philosophicaldifferences. They all aimed at making good humanbeings. His Holiness said his third commitmentwas on the Tibetan struggle. He said after havingtransferred his temporal authority to an electedTibetan leadership last year, he felt a little freeon this now.His Holiness then encouraged the students tothink about ways to make life more peaceful. Hesaid most of the students might be below the ageof 30 and so belong to the 21st century. He saidhis generation belonged to the 20th century thathad passed. He said it was up to the newgeneration to shape the 21st century into apeaceful one knowing that the 20th century wasa violent one.His Holiness explained that wanting the 21stcentury to be one of peace does not mean therewill not be any problems. However, there will bebetter ways to approach these problems, through

dialogue and mutual respect. Therefore, theyoung students should realize that they have aheavy responsibility, he concluded.His Holiness then answered some questions,selected from among 2000 that were receivedonline. To a question on what made him laugh,His Holiness responded that he did not laughwhen he was alone for that would make peoplefeel that he was mad. His laughter came throughhis interaction with people, their friendship andgesture. He said a smile has no barrier of languageor culture.When asked what he found most peaceful aboutHawaii, he said that although he had been here afew times, this time it has been just a day and ahalf. In order to understand Hawaii properly andto differentiate between appearance and realityhe would have to spend a longer period of time.Nevertheless, His Holiness said he was struckby Hawaii's culture and heritage. He said itseemed very peaceful and closely connected withnature. He said this was important because naturecreates humanity and if it is disturbed therewould be problems of ecology, drinking water,Tsunami, etc.To another question on how to approach theissue of showing compassion when there wasno reciprocity, His Holiness recalled hisexplanation of two levels of compassions. He saidin the compassion at the limited biological level,

there might be problems, but genuine compassionwas not dependent on the reaction of the otherside or the expectation of something in return.His Holiness said that human beings by naturehave the capacity to be good without anyconditions. He talked about the childhood stagewhen children interacted with each other at thesame level without any consideration ofbackground. Here he recalled the kindness of hismother, which spoiled him as a child, he said.He said among students there was the need todevelop a genuine sense of companionship. Hecompetition was good if it is at the level ofwanting to excel oneself and striving for that.However, extreme competition, which he definedas wanting to excel and in the process creatinghindrance for others, was to be avoided. Headvised the students to generate a sense ofbrotherhood and trust in their classrooms as suchattitudes as bullying and fighting creates anegative atmosphere.Following his remarks, three students sang anauspicious song. Thereafter, His Holiness waspresented with a Hawaiin conchshell.This concluded His Holiness' program for the day.On 15 April, His Holiness will participate in apanel discussion on "The Importance of NativeIntelligence in Modern Times" and give a publictalk about "Advancing Peace through the Powerof Aloha" at the University of Hawaii.

Tibetan Women’s AssociationElects New Executive Committee

140 delegates of the Tibetan Women's Association's 10th General Body Meeting pose for a picture after theinaugural ceremony in Dharamshala on April 11, 2012. photo: TPI/Sangay

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

Dharamshala: On the final day of its tenthGeneral Body Meeting (GBM), April 16, theTibetan Women's Association (TWA) electedits new executive members.Tashi Dolma, former vice-president of TWA(2000-2003) was unanimously elected aspresident, while Samten Choedon was re-elected as vice president."I feel much honoured to be elected, and vowto do my best . We look forward to ful lcooperation from all of you - our regionalexecutives and members," Dolma told the 140grass-roots women leaders from 33 regionalchapters who had gathered at the meeting.Nyima Lhamo, TWA's former programmecoordinator, was elected as the new generalsecretary.After six days of debate on the meeting's 17-point agenda, TWA passed a list of resolutionstouching upon political, social and educationalissues and initiatives.The delegates also passed a new regulationbar r ing members o f the ex i le T ibe tanParliament-in-exile from serving on TWA's

executive board.Others elected to the eleven-member executivecommittee included Tsering Dolma, TenzinDickey, Tsering Wangmo, Tenzin Bhuti, TenzinTselha, Tsering Choedon, Tsering Dolma, andPema Choedon.The GBM convenes every three years and isTWA's highest decision-making body. On thefirst day of the meeting, TWA announced thatthe 500,000 rupees raised in the third phase ofits Suitable Development Project Inside Tibetwill be conveyed through a reliable NGO basedin Tibet to support female students fromnomadic families to attend day school and tohelp young Tibetan women complete four-yearBA degrees in Tibet and China.Prior to the GBM, TWA organized a four-dayWomen Empowerment Training session, ontopics including legal empowerment andhuman rights, women's health, communicationskills, team building, grants and fundraising,and environment and climate change.TWA is today the second largest Tibetan NGOin exile and the only women's NGO in Tibetanhistory, with a global network of 56 regionalchapters spread over three continents.

When Instability Peaks: An Interview WithTibet's Political Head

By Saranch Sehgal, The Jerusalem Post

Dr Lobsang Sangay, Kalon Tripa ( Political leader ) of the Central Tibetan Administration. Photo: TPI

Series of self-immolations, mass protests byTibetan Buddhists usher hints of TibetanSpr ing . Pro tes t s by Tibe tans who defyBeijing's sovereignty have been routine for 50years. However, over the past 11 months a newtype of demonstration by Tibetan Buddhists,mostly monks and nuns, has taken place,shocking the world community. TibetanBuddhists are sacrificing their lives by settingthemselves on fire, sending the message loudand clear - the Tibet issue is alive.Close to two dozen self-immolations and massprotests have occurred in the ethnic Tibetanareas of Sichuan and Gansu provinces insideChina - the epicenter of the most violent periodfor Tibetans since 2008, when the deadlyrioting in Tibet's capital, Lhasa, extended toTibetan areas in neighboring provinces.Today, the Himalayan plateau region insideChina is causing fears the growing instabilityin a reg ion ins ide the r i s ing economicsuperpower might become a massive popularuprising.The reasons are obvious; the communistregime's despot ic cul tural and rel igiouspolicies toward Tibetans, the massive influxof Han Chinese into Tibetan-populated areasand Tibetans' frustration given the absenceof their spiritual head the Dalai Lama, whosince the failed uprising in 1959 fled to Indiaand never returned.?

The region's social unrest is such that almostevery week news emerges of another self-immolation or protest, and Chinese militaryc lampdowns on Tibe tans a re becomingwidespread. Because of these intensifiedtensions over the past year, Beij ing hasflooded the area with troops and closedTibetan regions to foreigners entirely, evenbarring the international media.According to the Chinese government, all thisis the fault of the Tibetan exiles and the 14thDalai Lama, who Beijing claims is a separatistand a wolf in monk's robes and blames for everyunrest related to Tibetans.The Dalai Lama hasn't been saying muchpublicly with regard to the recent crisis,however, Tibet's third-highest monk, the exiled17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje,who also resides in Dharamsala (the base inexile of the Dalai Lama and thousands ofTibetan exiles in India) urged Beijing to confessthe real human distress of Tibetans and takefull responsibility for what is happening inTibet.Many would say Tibet seems to have littlehistory in common with Israel. Yet much likethe Jews after the devastation of the SecondTemple , today Tibe tans face a s imi la runnerving task of conserving their religiousculture and hopes of nationalism while facingan uncertain exile.The writer focuses on the geopolitics of Tibet

and stories that touch the Himalayan region.Exclusive interview with Dr. Lobsang Sangay,Tibetan Government in ExileIn an exclusive telephone conversation withDr. Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of theself-proclaimed Tibetan Government in Exilein India, says China has made Tibetans' livesworse and the protests are calling worldattention to China's brutality inside Tibet.Sangay became prime minister last year whenthe Dalai Lama devolved his political powersas a leader of Tibet to the government in exile.Sangay heads the highest political position inthe exile community.Here are a few excerpts from the interview:How do you see the Tibet unrest which hastriggered series of self-immolations and massprotests in the Tibetan areas inside China?It's turning out to be another tragic situation,where unfortunately Tibetans are ready to dierather than live under the Chinese repressivepolicies and occupation of Tibet. The Chinesegovernment is continuing its military buildupand undeclared martial law. There were somany troops before, and with the currentunres t they a re send ing hundreds andthousands more.What is your view on Beijing's approach tothe recent unrest inside the Tibetan areas?There are now taking it seriously becauserecen t ly Chinese premier Wen J iabaocommented on the tragedy, but unfortunately

they have made it into a blame game and denial.And in fact local Chinese officials in Aba[province in China's western Sichuan region,the epicenter of recent turmoil] have declaredwar against the protesters.The po in t i s , which count ry and i t sgovernment declares war against its ownpeople? On the one hand when Chinese peopleprotest they are allowed to protest anywherethey want - be it Beijing or Lhasa - and aretreated with moderation, their voices andgrievances are addressed. On the other hand,as far as Tibetans are concerned they, in theirown place, cannot gather peacefully.Would you term the Tibet crisis a "TibetanSpring"?There was a massive uprising inside Tibet inMarch 2008, and what is now happening is thecontinuation of that with increasing Chinesecrackdown and resistance against China'srepressive policies by Tibetans.The entire thing is turning out to be a massiveprotest against Chinese policies. Now, whetherit will take nationwide or not... is in the handsof the Chinese government. If they deal withit with leniency, more moderately, we can finda peaceful solution to the issue.What do you think is the real cause of theserecent incidents?The main cause, I think, is the rejection byTibetans of the Chinese occupation of Tibet,and the question of Tibetan ethnicity. ...Fiftyyears of Beijing's policies have failed toproduce any good for Tibetans. Our religionand cultural identity is almost vanishing fromTibet.What do the Tibetan exiles fear? Is theresomething they wish for?What we are trying to do is we have urgedTibetans from the very beginning not topro tes t ins ide T ibe t , g iven the harshconsequences of getting arrested. We havealways said life is precious, and in January weurged Tibetans to refrain from taking extremesteps. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has alwaysdiscouraged such actions and we continue tomaintain that. Despite this, Tibetans insideTibet are still protesting and giving up theirlives and it becomes our sacred duty to showsolidarity and highlight the voices and criesof those Tibetans who are self-immolating asthey speak for Tibetan freedom and the returnof His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

How do you think the world should react tothis unrest?We welcome all the support from differentcountries, but what we'd like to see is concreteaction. The embassy officials could visit theseaffected areas and show concerns locally aswell, and then investigate the reality and thereason why Tibetans are protesting and whythere is a crackdown - and inform theirrespective governments.And part icularly for Asia; Tibet is veryrelevant from a geopolitical point of view, andin history it has played a great role in the centralAsian region. Tibet has 10 rivers flowing fromthe region. It is a major source of water to thesouth Asian region. But since the Chineseoccupation worse effects have been seeninside Tibet, ...directly affecting the climate inthe Asian region. All the neighboring countriesare affected by... China's rise - so the Asianorganizations such as SAARC should pressthe Chinese government as the world wishesfor a more moderate and reasonable China.theChinese government as the world wishes for amore moderate and reasonable China. Becausewhat is happening in China is detrimental toits image, and the claim of peaceful rising isnothing but a threat.There will be new leadership in China as XiJingping will succeed Hu as general secretaryand president in 2012. Do you think it will befruitful for the Tibet negotiations with theTibetan exiles?The call by Hu Jintao for harmony within Chinais not happening in Tibet. But we remaina lways hopefu l tha t any change in theleadership, with new personality and newthinking, will be productive.[For] the past 50 years , i t has not beenpossible, so we hope the new leadership willrethink Tibet policy. From our side we arealways willing to have dialogue to solve theTibet issue peaceful ly and we stand forgenuine au tonomy wi th in the People ' sRepublic of China.How do you think the conditions will changein the future?We want a peaceful situation, we do not wantanother tragedy unfolding inside Tibet. Thatis our hope, but given the military buildup, it'sa no tour i s t zone and even bar red tointernational media, so even if a tragedyunfolds inside Tibet no one will know whathappened. Such is the situation.

TIBETAN WOMEN IN EXILE

The Tibet Post International 30 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWSFinal Message of Cousin Self-Immolators

Circulates in Tibet and in Exile

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet Post International

DHARAMSHALA: - Details of a voice messagerecorded by the cousins Choephag Kyab andSonam before their self-immolations haveemerged in exile.The message, recorded on a cell phone, isreportedly being widely circulated in theZamthang region of Ngaba, the location of thetwin self-immolation protest on April 19, in protestagainst China's continued occupation of Tibet.Tsangyang Gyatso, an exile Tibetan with closecontacts in the region said, "According toinformation that I received from Tibet, ChoephagKyab and Sonam left a voice message recordedbefore burning themselves to death."The message is as fol lows: "Our self-immolations are dedicated to the Buddha

dharma, the happiness of all sentient beings andparticularly to freedom for Tibet. We are not freeto remain here with our parents and relatives onthis earth."After our self-immolations, the Chineseauthorities may take our bodies. We request ourfamily, relatives and fellow villagers not to tryto stop them."We hope this message will inspire otherTibetans to action, that local monks and villagerswill gather at the Jonang Monasteries to prayfor us, and that local laypersons will pledge tocease all infighting and theft within the Tibetancommunity.Tsangyang Gyatso reported, "As a directconsequence of the appeal to stop infighting,Tibetans in the region gathered in front of theZamthang monastery yesterday and burned all

their weapons."The gathered Tibetans pledged not to fightamong themse lves and adhe re t o t heprinciples of non-violence and truth."Choephag Kyab and Sonam self-immolatedclose to a local government office in Barmatownship, near Jonang Zamthang Gonchenmonastery in Zamthang County.Local Tibetans gathered in large numbers toprevent their bodies from being carried awayby Chinese security personnel, and carriedthe bodies to the main Jonang monastery.Later, at around midnight, and followingpressure from the Chinese authorities, thecousins were cremated nearby.According to Tsangyang Gyatso, around6,000 Tibe tans f rom around the reg ionattended the funeral.

Two Tibetans Self Immolate inZamthang, Northeastern Tibet

A Tibetan in Dharamshala, India carrying candle-light for Tibetans in Tibet. Photo: TPI/file

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

Dharamshala: - Two young men set themselveson fire on Thursday (Tibet time: around 02.20pm)in northeastern Tibet, becoming the latestTibetans to self-immolate in protest againstChina's colonial and brutal repression ofTibetans in Tibet.These recent immolations have reportedly beenprotests against the Chinese government'srepression of freedom of religion and culturalrights in Tibetan areas. However, China accusedHis Holiness the Dalai Lama and his associatesof planning the 35 self-immolations in Tibet andanother in India recently."Choephak Kyab, 20 years of age, and Sonamaround 20 from Zamthang county, Ngaba region,northeastern Tibet, self-immolated in protest ofChinese oppression," Tseyang Gyatso, currentlybased in Dharamshala told World News Network."According to information from a source in Tibet,they haven't been caught by Chinese authorities,but, both of them were already dead after settingthemselves on fire on Thursday," Tseyangfurther added.Local Tibetans managed to prevent theparamilitary troops from removing the bodiesof the two Tibetans. They then took away thebodies to the monastery to carry out prayers.The si tuat ion in the area remains tense

following the deployment of a large number ofmilitary troops, sources said.Tibetans living in exile and hundreds of theirsupporters from abroad on Thursday evening,Apri l 19 , he ld a mass candle l i t v ig i l inDharamshala to pay respect to the two youngTibetans who died.On April 2nd, His Holiness the Dalai Lama saidconcerned people should examine the causesof the self-immolations. "I think this problemwas not created by...Tibetan Buddhist culture,"he told a Taiwanese news channel Next TV,"which is very peaceful, very compassionate...This problem was started by totalitarian, blindpolicy. So the people who created that policymust think seriously about these things.""In Tibet, they are doing it because there is noroom for any form of protest - hunger strikes,rallies, demonstrations. Anything you do, theChinese authorities will come and arrest you,put you behind bars, and sometimes you'll getkilled," Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the political leaderof Central Administration told Next TV.Since 2009, 35 Tibetans in Tibet have setthemselves on fire calling for freedom and HisHol iness the Dala i Lama's re turn to h ishomeland. 25 of these self-immolators havedied, and others are either critically injured ortheir status unknown.

Tibetan Compassion School ShutDown, Two Teachers Arrested

Nyindrak and Yama Tsering. Photo: TPI

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

Dharamshala: - On April 2, the Chinese authorities shutdown a Tibetan school in Karze County, eastern Tibet(Sichuan Province). Two teachers from the school havebeen arrested, according to information from a source inTibet.The Compassion School (Tibetan: Rongpatsakhadrok Jamtse Rokten Lhodra) in Rongpatsa Khadrokwas closed following an accusation that Tibetanlanguage and cultural history were being taught there.The teachers - Nyindrak, 51, and Yama Tsering, 36 - weredetained by Chinese police for "suspected involvementin political activities".Yama Tsering previously studied Buddhist philosophyfor five years at the Seraje Monastery in South India. Healso studied English at Suja Tibetan Children's Villageschool near Dharamshala, northern India. Tseringreturned to Tibet in 2005 and has since taught a numberof English-language courses. He has also won

sponsorship to fund the Compassion School.The school was founded at the request of the people inthe township in 1989 to teach young children Tibetanlanguage and cultural history, as well as Chinese andEnglish language. It began with a single classroom andvery few students but expanded in 2005. Nyindrak servedas a public school teacher for 20 years, especially affordedby teaching the Tibetan children the language, history,religion, and culture.The family members were alsoquestioned several times, parents asked to send theirchildren aged over seven years old to the governmentschool in the township, sources said. Chinese authoritiestold their family members they did crimes, involving politicalactivities, without further explanation. The authorities alsohave ignored the urgent appeals made over recent days.Tsering and Nyindrak's location is currently unknown.In 2010, two schools in Machu County, eastern Tibet,were shut down for planning to hold an education seminar.

Disappearance of Panchen Lama:Seventeen Years and Counting

Dharamsala: Today is the 23rd birthday of the 11thPanchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, one of the mostimportant spiritual leaders of Tibet, who disappearedinto the custody of the Chinese government 17 yearsago.On 14 May 1995, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lamaannounced the then six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyimaas the incarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. Three dayslater, on 17 May 1995, the Chinese government secretlyabducted the six-year-old boy and his parents who remain‘disappeared' to this day. There is no confirmedinformation on their well-being or if they are still alive.Even after 17 years, no one - save the Chinese government- can confirm with reliable accuracy the currentwhereabouts and condition of the 11th Panchen Lamaand his parents. Despite repeated interventions from therepresentatives of the United Nations Human RightsCouncil, UN Working Group on Enforced and InvoluntaryDisappearance, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations calling on China to discloseinformation on the Panchen Lama, the Chinesegovernment has so far refused to share any detailedinformation that could shed important light on thePanchen Lama's current state. In its standard response,the Chinese government continues to maintain thatGedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family are in perfecthealth and that they do not wish to be disturbed.On 18 October 2009, Zhu Weiqun, the Vice-Minister ofthe United Front Work Department of the ChineseCommunist Party alleged in an interview with a Germanreporter that the Dalai Lama had destroyed the historicaland religious rituals of the reincarnation system and sohis recognition of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was illegaland invalid. Zhu also said, "As for the child recognized[by the Dalai Lama], he is our child, a Tibetan child andour citizen. So we will provide facilities to ensure hishealthy growth."The reporter then asked, "Where is this healthy growthof the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama happening? InTibet? Will the Tibetan devotees recognize the [Chinesegovernment] approved Panchen Lama?Zhu replied, "The Dalai Lama's illegally recognized childis of course growing up healthy in China. He will growinto a useful man to China and to the Tibetan people."Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is now 23 years old and musthave grown into a healthy young man, as Zhu Weiqunclaims. According to the Chinese law, those who are 18years old and above are considered adults, capable of

YC. Tibetan Center for Human Rights andDemocracy

making their own decisions, responsible for their ownlives. For many years, the Chinese government hasclaimed that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is in "protectivecustody" of the Chinese authorities. Now that theboy is an adult, the Chinese government, in the truespirit of the law it drafted, should allow GedhunChoekyi Nyima to exercise his right to self-determination and let him make his own decisions.Ten years after the completion of his six-year prisonsentence in May 2001, the fate of Chadrel JampaThrinley Rinpoche, the former abbot of Tashi LhunpoMonastery and the head of the Search Party toidentify the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lamaremains unknown.Chadrel Rinpoche was arrested on 14 May 1995, theday His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced thereincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. After beingdetained incommunicado for two years, on 21 April1997, the Intermediate Court of Shigatse Prefecturesentenced Rinpoche to six years' imprisonment andthree years' deprivation of political rights on chargesof "plotting to split the country" and "leaking statesecrets" during his search for the 11thPanchen Lama.

There is no information on Chadrel Rinpoche exceptfor an unconfirmed report in November 2011 that saidChadrel Rinpoche had died of poisoning. The Chinesegovernment continues to maintain a deafening silenceon Chadrel Rinpoche's whereabouts and currentcondition.On the occasion of Panchen Lama's 23rd birthday,TCHRD would like to offer our gratitude to individuals,organizations and governments who have workedtirelessly and offered their steadfast support for therelease of the 11th Panchen Lama. The Centre urgesthe Chinese government to respect and implement therights and freedoms enshrined in the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights if it wishes to be seen asa responsible, civilized world power.The Chinese government should go beyond merewords on the condition and whereabouts of the 11thPanchen Lama and provide concrete, tangible evidenceto back up its claims.Holding the Panchen Lama and his family membersincommunicado for years is a serious crime thatviolates multiple human rights enshrined in majorinternational human rights instruments.

TIBET

A portrait of His Holines the Daai Lama with traditional white scarf seen in Drakgo county, eastern Tibet recently. Photo: TPI/file

30 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS

Increasing Arrests and Beatings in NgabaCounty, Eastern Tibet

James Dunn, The Tibet Post International

Dharamshala: Chinese Security personnel fromPeople's Armed Police (PAP) have injuredaround 100 Tibetans in Ngaba county ofeastern Tibet.These beating too places on the afternoon ofthe 14th of April and were tr iggered byincreased protesting by Tibetans against thelocal government's move to honor two corruptofficials in Qiang Autonomous Prefecture inSichuan Province and Adhue village in theupper part of Ngaba County in eastern Tibet.One protestor, Lopon Kyab, was so seriouslyinjured they had to be hospitalized in theNgaba County hospital.On the day of the protests a group of officials

New recent photo shows, Tibetan harshly beaten by the armed Chinese security forces in Serta county eastern Tibet.Photo: TPI/file

from Ngaba County came and spoke in praiseof the two officials who were already suspectedby local Tibetans of embezzling local fundsmeant for housing developments for the localpeople. The officials announced that the twoofficials would be rewarded for their ‘goodwork'. This naturally led to the local Tibetansexpressing their well placed outrage.Immediately, about 10 truckloads of armedpolice who had accompanied the officials,obviously anticipating that their rewarding theofficials would cause wide spread anger, beganbeating the crowd.Sources say around 15 to 20 people werear res ted , ou t of which three have been

identified as Tenzin Tsering, Tsenor andTsamchen of Tsosum village. Currently theirwhereabouts and physical condi t ion areunknown.Elsewhere in Ngaba, the Chinese authoritieshave sentenced Tsering Tashi, aged 33 fromRongba in Adhue Thawa village, to a prisonterm of three years and 6 months after he wascaught on camera protesting in Ngaba.He was caught on camera, during the peacefulprotests that rocked Ngaba following the 16March 2011 self-immolation of PhunstokJarutsang. It appears that, Chinese securityservices filmed much of the protests, searchingfor future arrests.

Tibetans Arrested OverLand-confiscation Protest

Dharamshala: - Chinese authorities on Tuesdayconfiscated land belonging to a Tibetan businessmanin Kardze County, and later arrested him and a relativefor questioning and appealing against thegovernment move."Sonam Gonpo, a 48-year-old businessman, and hisrelative, Khedup, from Lhopa region of KardzeCounty, Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,went to question local authorities after they learnedof construction activity on land belonging to Gonpo,but police arrested them," said exile monk Pema

Tsewang, quoting contacts in the region.Fearing similar land confiscations after the incident,many local Tibetans, including Gonpo's wife, stageda protest condemning the government action andcalling for the return of the land to its owner. Theysaid their farm land is their livelihood, and without itthey may as well be dead.The protesters prostrated themselves in front of adigging machine. Chinese police threatened them withdire consequences and then arrested Gonpo's wifeand another Tibetan woman, Sangay Kelsang.

Sonam Gonpo, the son of Mr Dorje Tashi and MrsChoedon (deceased) is from Lhopa township, KardzeCounty. Tsewang reported that, on 19 March 19 2009,Gonpo was arrested in a teashop in Kardze countyand detained for almost four months, accused ofengaging in ‘pro-Tibetan discussion'. He was beatenby police and admitted to Kardze County hospital.The Chinese authorities confiscated his truck, worth150,000 yuan, and his stock of valuable cordycepssinsensis (‘caterpillar fungus' - used in Tibetan and

Chinese medicine).On 31 March 2011, when theChinese authorities released the monks TenzinNagdhup and Lobyang, of Tsetsang Monastery,Kardze County, from prison, local Tibetansgreeted them with a grand reception. Theauthorities accused Gonpo and six others oforganizing the reception and detained them forone month.After his release, Gonpo was arrested again anddetained for nearly a year.

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet Post International , The Tibet Post International

Sonam Gonpo, Photo: tibettimes.net

Tibetan Parliament and Kashagto Host 2nd Special Meeting

Deputy Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay announce Second Special Meeting ofTibetans in Dharamsala, on 16 April 2012. Photo: TPI/Sangay Dorjee

Dharamshala: - The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exileand Kashag will convene the Second SpecialMeeting of Tibetans as per Article 59 of theCharter of Tibetans in Exile. The Special Meetingwill be held in Dharamsala for four days from 25- 28 September 2012.The main agenda of the meeting is to discussways to deal with the present crisis in Tibet.During the four-day meeting, the participants willbe divided into 10 committees to deliberate onhow (1) exile Tibetans could carry out activities,(2) garner support from the internationalcommunity, India and South East Asiancountries, to deal with the tragic situation inTibet. As per guidelines issued by the TibetanParliament and the Kashag, any activities carriedout by Tibetans and Tibet supporters should bepeaceful, legal and dignified.There will be a long life prayer ceremony for HisHoliness the Dalai Lama during the specialmeeting on 28 September.

Central Tibetan Administrantion: Tibet Net

The composition of the members andrepresentatives participating in meeting includeincumbent and former Kalons (members of theKashag), present and former Members of TibetanParliament, representatives from South Asia andTibetan Associations from abroad includingthose in Europe, North America and Asia. (Clickhere for detail composition of participants inTibetan)A special arrangement is made to Tibetan youth(below 30 years) living outside of South Asia toform a separate committee with Englishtranslation.The proceedings of the meeting will be webcastlive on www.tibetonline.tv.The first special meeting was convened by HisHoliness the Dalai Lama in November 2008following the Chinese government's brutalsuppression of an unprecedented peacefulprotests against its repressive rule by Tibetansacross Tibet.

Chinese Authorities Arrest and Sentence Tibetans inEastern Tibet

Dharamshala: - Over the past month, the Chineseauthorities have made a series of arrests acrosseastern Tibet.On March 18, monks and laypersons held a protestin Ba County, Amdho, northeastern Tibet (Chinese:north Qinhai Province). Chinese police arrested 17of the protesters On April 14, including the abbotof Ba Shingtri Monastery.Recently, the Chinese authorities sentenced two ofthe protesters to prison. Dorjee Gyal received oneyear and three months, whilst Pasang, wife of thepopular musician Dorjee Tsebe, received one year.The remaining arrestees are still being held incustody in Ba County ,where they receive round-the-clock ‘re-education' sessions.Visitors are currently banned from Ba County,unless they are carrying an ID card.On April 26, the Chinese authorities sentenced 16Tibetans who took part in protests in DrakgoCounty, Karze District, in January this year.The sentences of 13 of the Tibetans are known:Wangchen Tsering (30) received nine years;Choenam (25), three years; Sonam Lundhup (30),life sentence; Aze Shopo (50), three years; Gebe(around 30), 12 years; Kuntho (around 20), 13 years;Kundhup (around 30), eleven years; Nyindak(around 30), one year and eight months; PhurpaTsering (around 30), two years; Wangtse (20), oneyear and nine months.

By Matthew Singh-Toor, The Tibet PostInternational

Advicer Mr. Thomas KeimelAdvicer Dr. Vincent BrucelEditor in Chief Mr. YC. DhardhowaChinese Editor Ms. Keary HuangProject Manager Mathew Singh ToorTibetan Editor Mr. Sangay DorjeeAssistant Editor Ms. Pema TsoCircular Ven Phuntsok DhondupPublisher Mr. Sonam SangayEditor, Tibet Post Europe Mr. James DunnDesigner Ms. Pema Tso

Contributors for this Editon

Keary Huang TaiwanMathew Singh Toor IndiaDane Holding USACarly Selby-James AustraliaSamuel Ivo UKLiz Delehant USDennis Barbion BelguimRajeshwari K IndiaGillian stewart USYC. Dhardhowa IndiaSangay Dorjee IndiaPema Tso India

I n t e r n a t i o n a l

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Tele: 0091-1892-224641Moble:+91-9882423566

E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.comwww.thetibetpost.com

The Tibet Post International 30 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWSHis Holiness Meets With Canadian PM, Says

Tibetans Remain Hopeful

Ottawa: - The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holinessthe Dalai Lama is in Canada this weekend for aconvention of world parliamentarians on Tibet. Hesaid that his people remain hopeful in the face ofincreasing oppression by Chinese authorities.His Holiness was welcomed by a crowd of Canadianpoliticians and supporters Friday that his native Tibetis at risk of cultural extinction, according to mediareports. "As fellow human brothers, sisters reallyshowing us your solidarity, and you really want to dosomething, I very much appreciate," His Holiness said,leaning over his dais to address the 6th WorldParliamentarians' Convention on Tibet."I always believe the world belongs to humanity," the1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate said. "Canada belongsto the Canadian people, not your party or otherparties."His Holiness also spoke of his confidence in the nextgeneration of Tibetans to carry on his life's politicalwork -- freeing Tibet from Chinese rule. "I really feelhappy. Now the younger generation has the ability totake full responsibility," he said.Tibet's spiritual leader, said during a visit to Ottawathat his people remain hopeful in the face of increasingoppression by Chinese authorities. "Don't feelhopeless or feel discouraged," His Holiness said."The more suppression, the stronger the Tibetanspirit.""In our own area, there are tremendous difficulties,"His Holiness said. "The situation locally is one ancientnation, with very rich ancient cultural heritage, is

Prime Minister Harper receives His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2007. Photo: File

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International actually dying."Addressing a group of MPs and senators from aroundthe world at the parliamentarians' Convention onTibet, he said Tibetan culture is at risk of culturalextinction at the hands of the Chinese.They were discussing the dire and deterioratingsituation of the Tibetans, who have witnessed theself immolation of more than three dozen monks overthe last year to protest China's oppression.The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper met withthe spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the DalaiLama Friday afternoon in his Parliament Hill office forabout 20 minutes. It was not their first meeting: Thetwo met on one of the spiritual leader's previous visitsto Canada.Conservative, Liberal and NDP parliamentarians aretaking part in the conference, along with academicsand experts on China and Tibet. Actor Richard Gere, alongtime supporter of Tibet, is also speaking at theconference. Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the political leaderof Tibet is in Ottawa this weekend for the conventionof world parliamentarians on Tibet.Official Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair also met withHis Holiness the Dalai Lama Friday afternoon, aspokesman confirmed, along with a group of MPsfrom all parties.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney reiterated hisgovernment's past support for His Holiness the DalaiLama, a Nobel Laureate on whom Canada conferredhonorary citizenship in 2006.Kenney spoke of Canada's commitment to open anoffice of religious freedom within the Foreign Affairs

Kalon Tripa Meets Canadian Minis-ter for Citizenship & Immigration

Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay with Canadian Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney. Photo:Tibet Net

Dharamshala: - Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay metwith the Canadian Minister for Citizenship and ImmigrationJason Kenney in regards to the immigration of Tibetancommunities from Arunachal Pradesh.Kalon Tripa met Jason Kenney for about 50 minutes atHotel Elgin and exchanged a frank and friendly discussionabout the Tibetan immigration project. Kalon Tripaexplained in detail about the stage of the program and

Central Tibetan Administration: Tibet Netapprised the Minister of the aspiration of the Tibetancommunity.Kalon Tripa thanked the Canadian PrimeMinister and the Minister himself who have been a longterm friend of Tibetan people for immigration programs.Minister Kenney is hopeful of executing the currentprogram successfully which will pave the way for similarprograms in the future, and also proposed that he mighttalk with his Prime Minister to talk with to undertake suchimmigration project in other countries too.

Tibetans Protest GovernmentBrutality in Derge, Eastern Tibet

Tibetans protesting in front of the police station and government center at Zogchen township in Sichuanprovince's Dege county, April 25, 2012

Dharamshala: - Many Tibetans have beenarrested, detained and severe beaten by Chinesepolice in Dzogchen township, Dege county,

YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post International

eastern Tibet during and after a large-scale protestsparked by a latest Chinese crackdown onTibetans.

Department, as well as a 2008 statement from Canadacalling on China to respect protests and enter intomeaningful dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lamaor his representatives to peacefully resolve the Tibetissue.Hollywood Star, Richard Gere, in Ottawa for HisHoliness the Dalai Lama's visit, says Harper shoulddo more. "The positive thing was that he met him.The less positive thing is that it wasn't public," Geretold reporters at the conference."I have no trouble with trade with the Chinese, but todiminish ourselves in the process is a double deathfor the Chinese people, because it perpetuates thetotalitarian state and it kills us in the core of who weare," said Gere.Gere was chairing a panel discussion at the Fridaygathering. He called this a "delicate moment" in thehistory of their movement."This convention is attended by over 50parliamentarians from 30 countries having 100delegates including 60 Tibetans," said Mr. PenpaTsering, speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exileduring the Convention's opening session. This is the6th World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet.International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet,Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, Canada and TibetanParliament-in-Exile will jointly organize thisConvention.After having thorough discussions on these issues,the convention will adopt Ottawa Declaration and 6thWorld Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet ActionPlan. The 5th World Parliamentarians' Convention onTibet in 2009 was hosted in Rome in 2009.

On April 24, around 9.30 Am (Tibet Time) over3,000 monks and laypersons gathered for a sit-inin front of the Chinese authorities' governmentoffice and police station in Derge County, Khamregion, (Chinese: Sichuan Province), easternTibet, in protest against the violent harassmentof local monks and laypersons. Later Police beatthe protesters, many of whom were admitted toKarze community hospital.The protests were in response to an unexplainedcampaign of interrogations, beatings anddetentions of local Tibetans in Dzokchen area,and raids on Dzogchen monastery.The protests were sparked by the Dzokchenmonastery being raid by hundreds of Chinesepolice on April 22, after Buddhist monks publiclyenthroning a portrait of His Holiness the 14thDalai Lama at a religious ceremony that beganon March 19, said sources. Thousands of localTibetans paid their respects to His Holiness theDalai Lama by offering traditional scarves (Khata)to His Holiness's portrait.Local sources reported that several monks werebeaten, interrogated and arrested, one of whom,Gyatso, is said to be in a critical condition.A monk from Dzogchen monastery, now living inexile, reported that, "Gyatso was beaten by theChinese for simply staring at the face of theChinese policemen." A 13-year-old monk is alsoreported to have been assaulted, according tosources.The situation remains tense in areas of Dzokchen,amid a tight security lockdown and foreignjournalists were denied access to the area.

Tibetan Home Kalon Meets ChiefMinister of Karnataka State

Kalon Gyari Dolma and Mr Tashi Phuntsok with chief minister of Karnataka D.V Sadananda Gowda. Photo: TibetNet

Bangalore: - Kalon Gyari Dolma, accompaniedby Mr.Sonam Topgyal, Secretary, DOH, andMr.TashiPhuntsok, Chief Representative,Bangalore, met with Chief Minister and formerChief Minister of Karanataka and also theChairman of Karnataka Electricity RegulatoryCommission (KERC) in Bangalore.Shri D V SadanandaGowda, Chief Minister,hosted the delegation for a breakfast meetingat Krishna - his official residence on April 23.The meeting lasted for an hour. A very fruitfuldiscussion occurred prior to the arrival of theChief Minister with Dr. S. M. Jaamdar,Principal Secretary to the Department ofHome, Karnataka. Dr.Jaamdar participated inthe meeting with the chief minister as well.Kalon Gyari Dolma thanked the Chief Ministerfor his government's recent sanction of Rs 225lakhs for water, road repair and electricityprob lem in the T ibe tan se t t l ements inKarnataka. She informed that it would go along way in alleviating the basic and urgentcivic amenities of the Tibetans. She furtherreques ted the re lease of the remainingprojected estimates as the awarded fundswould only give partial relief.The issues of assistance for increasing theagricul ture productivi ty of the farmers,ass i s tance to the Tibe tan Co-opera t iveSocieties, RTC and ration card were alsoraised. The Chief Minister was most graciousand promised to extend all the assistance forTibetans and made special commitment tosupport the establishment of milk processingunit (Dairy).In the evening, the delegation met with Mr. B.S Yeddyrappa, former Chief Minister ofKarnataka at his Race Course Road residence.

Cetnral Tibetan Administration: Tibet Net

She recalled their meeting in 2009 and thankedhim for the steps he had taken to help theTibetans during his tenure.She informed him that she had met with theChief Minister and had submitted request forfurther assistance for Tibetans. She urged himto use his good offices to bring fruition to therequest. Mr.Yeddyrappa assured her that hewould do everything possible to enableTibetans to have basic amenit ies in thesettlements.The meeting with Mr.Sreenivasa Murthy,Chairman, KERC on April 24 morning was mostfruitful. Nangsi Kalon thanked for the recentgrant of Rs 54.8 lakhs for Tibetan settlementin Mundgod and discussed about similar relieffor T ibe tan se t t l ements o f Bylakuppe ,Gurupura and Kollegal.It was informed that certain fund was alreadyin the pipe line for release of Bylakuppe andtha t Dr. Bore , Managing Di rec tor,Chamundeshwar i E lec t r ic i ty SupplyCorporation Ltd. in Mysore has kindly decidedto inspect personally Gurupura and Kollegaland do the necessary.NangsiKalon reiterated her invitation for himto visi t Tibetan sett lements to which heexpressed his happiness to accept and decidedto schedule the da tes wi th Chie fRepresentative later.NangsiKalon's short but useful meeting wasco-ord ina ted by the Off ice o f Chie fRepresentative, Bangalore. The Office alsogave ins t ruc t ions to Representa t ives inGurupura and Kollegal to liaise with Dr. Borein Mysore to schedule h is v is i t s to therespective settlements to investigate the needsfor the power supply relief.

CANADA & TIBET