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Rs.5Vol. 01, Issue 46, 30 July 2011

Katri to Take Oath in August

www.thetibetpost.com

Obama Meets His Holiness: FruitfulDialogue on Tibet Needed

Dharamshala: US President Barack Obama receivedthe spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the DalaiLama at the White House on Saturday, and"encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue thatproduces positive results for China and Tibetans".The White House issued a statement following the45 minutes meeting between President Obama andHis Holiness the Dalai Lama."The President reiterated his strong support for thepreservation of the unique religious, cultural, andlinguistic traditions of Tibet and the Tibetan peoplethroughout the world," the statement noted."He underscored the importance of the protectionof human rights of Tibetans in China.""The President commended the Dalai Lama'scommitment to nonviolence and dialogue withChina and his pursuit of the "Middle Way"approach. Reiterating the U.S. policy that Tibet is apart of the People's Republic of China and the UnitedStates does not support independence for Tibet,the President stressed that he encourages directdialogue to resolve long-standing differences andthat a dialogue that produces results would bepositive for China and Tibetans."The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seekingindependence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with President Barack Obama during their meeting in the Map Room of the WhiteHouse in Washington DC on July 16, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Taiwanese Show Support for Tibet

The newly elected Tibetan leader, Dr. Lobsang Sangayspeaking during a panel discussion in Dharamshala,

India. Photo: TPI

By Tibetan Administration official media: Tibet Net

Dharamshala: - Taiwan Friends of Tibet, a groupof Taiwanese university students, is inDharamshala for two weeks to learn more aboutTibetan culture and issues. The group is madeup of 18 students from two different universities,two teachers, and one leader. The Tibet PostInternational on Friday spoke with the visitingdelegation at the office of the India chapter ofStudents for a Free Tibet (SFT).The group arrived on July 14, and their first weekwas spent visiting Tibetan Parliament in exile,Tibetan Administration bodies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs),monasteries, and schools. Some of these includethe Tibetan Women's Association (TWA), the

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CCP Warns Buddhist Monks and Nuns

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Sydney, AU: - Today (24th July), Tibetans, Tibetsupporters and local Vietnamese in Australia holdthe "Walk for Tibet" campaign in memory of JigmeNorbu, nephew of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,died in his participating in a "Walk For Tibet" event

Walk for Tibet in Australia

By Colleen McKown, The Tibet Post

By YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping,the second highest communist leader of the oneparty regime, is currently on a tour of Tibet. Hevisited Kongpo Nyintri region, and praised CCP'sefforts in advancing the area's development andmaintaining long-term social stability. Tibetans and

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Gender RoleOf

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White-paperFull of

Distortions..Page 02...

His Holiness' Portrait Enthroned atMonastic Ceremony in Tibet

Dharamshala: - A Buddhist prayer festival, the10-day Jang Gonchoe Chenmo, the fourth in aseries of annual regional meetings, took place atKham Lithang Gonchen Monastery (Lithang,Kham, Eastern Tibet) Tibet beginning 15 July.More than 5000 participants came from across theKham region.Chinese authorities had at first attempted to limitthe number of those attending to 1000, but finallydeclined to interfere, though security forcesreportedly remained camped nearby throughoutthe event.

The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's Portrait Enthroned at the Lithang Monasteryin eastern Tibet during a 10-day religious ceremony being held from 15th July 2011. Photo: TPI

By Tammy Winand, The Tibet Post

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Dharmashala: - In what is believed to be the firstpress conference using the video-chat programGoogle +, Tibet supporters from the InternationalTibet Network, Tibetan Women's Association, andStudents for a Free Tibet came together on July 15to discuss the current situation in Tibet.The press conference addressed the closing ofcentral Tibet (Ch: Tibet Autonomous Region) toforeign tourists to mark the 60th Anniversary ofthe 17 Point Agreement as well as recentcrackdowns on Tibetan protesters.


Dharamshala: - Elected Tibetan political leader,Kalontripa of Central Tibetan Administration, Dr.Lobsang Sangay, will take oath of office onAugust 8 at the main Tibetan temple in theHimalayan town of MecLeod Ganj, an official


Online Press Conference



between his representatives and the Chinesegovernment can soon resume," the statement noted.On his return to the hotel after the meeting, HisHoliness gave a brief reaction to some mediapersonnel waiting there. His Holiness said thatPresident Obama showed concern about basichuman values, human rights and freedom. Naturally,

His Holiness added, he showed genuine concernabout suffering in Tibet and also other places. Itwas wonderful, he added.Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari, RepresentativeKasur Lobsang Nyandak Zayul, and SecretaryTenzin N. Taklha accompanied His Holiness to theWhite House.

At the ceremonies, Tibetans violated Chinesegovernment orders and publicly enthroned aportrait of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama withfull religious ceremonial gaiety.Organisers of the religious gathering had told localChinese officials in advance of their plans toenthrone the portrait of His Holiness the DalaiLama, stating that the organisers would not beresponsible for the actions of the assembled peoplein the event of the religious procession beingobstructed.

Tibetans and supporters beginning walks for Tibet inAustralia on 24th July 2011. Photo: TPI

The Tibet Post2 TPI INTERVIEWS AND RECAP30 July, 2011 Dharamsala

Gender Roles of Tibetan SocietyChallenged on a Daily Basis Article by Cornelius Lundsgaard, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: - As Tibetan women inexile are rapidly catching up with theirmale counterparts, traditional genderroles of Tibetan society are beingchallenged on an every-day basis. AsMember of the Tibetan Parliament inexile and a Tibetan Women'sAssociation executive, Tenzin DhardonSharling stands in a unique position tocomment on this change. The TPIrecently met with her for a talk aboutthe current state of affairs in Tibetangender issues, as seen from herrespective chairs in Tibetan society.The determined and ongoingdemocratization of the Central TibetanAdministration (CTA), free access toeducation and the global nature of theTibetan disapora's settlements, are allfactors working to make gender-inequality between Tibetans a thing ofthe past. Politics, administration andother predominantly male domains nowinclude women in their ranks andTibetan women often match theirhusbands' pay checks, not to mentionuniversity diplomas.In the foreground of this developmentstands the Tibetan Women'sAssociation (TWA). Founded in 1959,in a time of great oppression, the TWA'smain goal was justice for all Tibetans,and the need of the hour was for thewomen to be able to fight with their menagainst the Chinese communists.As Tibetan refugees started escapinginto India and establishing newsettlements, the TWA essentiallyrelocated and became a vehicle forTibetan culture in general, as well as ahuman rights advocate for the womenin Tibet and a social welfareorganisation for those in exile.Now, more than half a century later, theTWA's sustained efforts to empowerand encourage Tibetan women hasbecome a solid platform for them tomake the leap from housewife toprofessional.28-year-old Tenzin Dhardon Sharling inmany ways embodies the achievementsof the TWA. As elected member ofparliament and an executive member ofthe TWA, she plays a key role inTibetan politics while paving the wayfor other women simply through theexample of her high-ranking position.The following is a select transcript froma recent interview with Tenzin DhardonSharling (TDS) by the Tibet PostInternational (TPI):TPI: As one can see on the website, theTWA undertakes a broad range ofactivities, spanning from religion topolitical affairs. Which would you sayis the most integral area for the TWA'swork?TDS: Well, if you read our missionstatement, we say that this associationis committed to represent our sistersinside Tibet who do not have a voicefor themselves. That is why our primarygoal is to advocate the right of womeninside Tibet, and also alongside engagein the parliament actions in exile. It ispractical as parliament action insideTibet is not possible now.Then alongside comes culturalpreservation, religious preservation,then health-care and education, all thatcomes very naturally.TPI: At the Tibet Post International, weoften receive news of Tibetan womenin Tibet participating in the struggle

Ms. Dadon Sharling, a researcher of TWAin Dharamshala, India. Photo: File

against China's communists. Is it yourimpression that inside Tibet the womenare as involved in the struggle for a freeTibet as the men are?TDS: Yes. But I think before 1959 I wouldsay no because it was a male dominatedsociety, but I think the circumstanceswere so grave that it kind of naturallycalled for the women to participate, andsince 1959, the upsurge of women'spresence in the struggle has beenpredominant and it has been verysuccessful, I must say, not just in Tibet.Even in exile you see now women areleading the struggle and efforts.A lot of role models are doing very well,but inside Tibet, also since 1959, womendid not take the back-seat and did notgive up, even today. At the 2008 protestyou saw equal participation by womenand by nuns, I think it all stems from thefact that women are taking theresponsibility, they are not shirkingsaying "I have to look after the family, Ihave other things to do".I think the struggle and the cause is ofprimary importance to them and theyare willing to shoulder theresponsibility and I think you will besurprised to see that they have equalparticipation, but back home you alsosee that women are doing much morethan men in the house. It's equal outsidethe house, but in the house women aredoing more.TPI: So in Tibet you are saying thatwomen are doing most of the householdwork. Is that indicative of less equalitybetween genders inside Tibet asopposed to in exile?TDS: What I would see as genderinequality is when that kind of work isimposed on women, wherein in our caseit is not. Again, our religion, our culturereally influences us to an extent. Forinstance, if my mother and my father,both of them are equally capable, and ifboth of them are just sitting idle andthen someone knocks the door and says"can I have a cup of tea?", then it isalways going to be my mother who isgoing to get up and take a flask andoffer the tea.Not that my father instructed her to dothat but I think it is part of our culture, itis out of respect for your partner orrespect for your family that you arewilling to take the punch, you are willingto make the first move.What really scares me is if this becomesa norm, and there are times when peopletake it for granted. For instance if you

go to a meeting you will see that thewomen are serving tea and men areusing the camera and setting upcomputers. It's not like women are notcapable it's just that women theyvoluntarily put themselves into thatcategory.So that's why we do this gendersensitization trainings where we tell themen it is okay for you to serve tea andtell women it's okay for you to take thecamera.So I wouldn't say there is inequality assuch but there is a difference and I thinkit is important for us to study what arethe causes for these differences, thebasic mentality, and that needs to beamended. Change is very imminent, inthe last five years things have changed,women are doing things thatpredecessors didn't do.Even the Central Tibetan Administrationthey have sensed this importance andin 2008 they formulated the 8 pointpolicy towards women's empowermentand as a consequence they set up thewomen's empowerment desk, they havea coordinator who travels across Nepal,India and Bhutan and givesempowerment trainings, I think a littlebit of sensitization training for men isimportant.But compared to the worst casescenarios, even like India, the Tibetansociety is very fortunate, especially thewomen, and today, sometimes men feeldiscriminated because there are a lot ofthings that are exclusively for womenand not for men. I think a few yearsdown the line, if this trend is continuedwomen will really excel and even surpassthe men.TPI: Do you feel that there is a greaterfreedom for Tibetan women in exilecompared to in Tibet, notwithstandingthe Chinese occupation?TDS: In exile! Primarily because we livein a free world and because we have allgot education which women in Tibetare deprived of. Even if you go to Tibettoday you still see women milking cows,taking care of the household chores,engaged in looking after the family,wherein here you see women working,making decisions and being upfrontabout everything, and, notwithstandingthe Chinese occupation, I think theTibetan women in exile are doing muchmuch better.TPI: Tibetan men have often describedfor me that there is no need for genderequality advocacy among Tibetans,because, as they say, the Tibetanwomen are already highly respected andan integral part of society. They tell me,however, that Tibetan women arenaturally very shy and that all it takes isfor them to stand up for themselves andgrab the opportunities already availableto them. How does that sound to you?TDS: I would agree, but the question iswhy they are not able to stand? Then itis going to be because of the apathy ofsome men, you know, who are veryindifferent. When a woman stands upon the stage or when she doessomething different they kind of lookdown on her.If a woman is getting elected to a higherpost, they will be like "oh she is awoman she will not be able to travelalone". They decide for us, it's been thetrend, they have been holding the mainkey, and not given it to us. That's why Iwill say, "yes, there isn't any gender


Information Secretary ThuptenSamphel: White Paper Full of

Distortions

Miss. Colleen McKown, staff writer from The Tibet Post International with Mr.Thupten Samphel, the secretary of the DIIR, Central Tibetan Administration,

Dharamshala, India on 26th July 2011. Photo: TPI


Dharamshala: China recently issued aWhite Paper entitled ‘Fifty Years ofDemocratic Reform in Tibet.' The WhitePaper is China's assessment of thehistorical relationship between Tibetand China and of the changes that havetaken place in Tibet under China's rule.Among China's claims are that Tibet ishistorically a part of China and thatChinese rule has benefited the Tibetanpeople in countless ways. The TibetPost International sat down with theInformation Secretary of the TibetanCentral Administration, ThuptenSamphel, to discuss the claims made byChina in the White Paper."A distortion of history"China's White Paper begins by statingthat China has had a claim on Tibet sincethe 13th century. "This is a distortionof history," asserted Samphel, who saidthat at that time, Tibet was a part of theMonghol Empire.When Genghis Khan came to Tibet,Tibet was a divided country whereBuddhist masters held high prestige. Atthis time Tibet decided to become partof the Monghol Empire, therebyavoiding the destruction wrought bythe Monghols elsewhere and enjoyingits own autonomous internaladministration. Tibet was part of theMonghol Empire long before China was.Therefore, Samphel asserted, "By thisorigin, Mongolia has more of a claim toTibet than China."Regarding the Chinese invasion of Tibetin 1950, the White Paper claims that theChinese government sent delegates toBeijing to negotiate "the peacefulliberation of Tibet." At this time,according to China, Tibetans put up anarmed resistance with the help of foreignforces. Samphel said that although Tibetdid appeal for the help of India, theUnited States, Britain, and Nepal, noneof these countries came to Tibet'sassistance."Tibet was compelled to deal with Chinaalone and on China's terms," he said,claiming that China's 17-PointAgreement was, from the Tibetanviewpoint, "signed under duressbecause it was a document signed bytwo unequal partners." The Chinesegovernment had given gave theTibetans two choices: sign thedocument or face force and violence.After the signing of the 17-PointAgreement, Samphel said that theTibetan people made a sincere attemptto abide by the government and dealpeacefully with China. "All of the

promises made by the Chinesecommunist party were broken one byone. This angered the Tibetan people,so resistance spread.""Statements do not conform to reality"As for the situation in Tibet today,Samphel also disputed many of theclaims China makes in the White Paper.The White Paper claims that "the fruitsof [the Tibetans'] labor belong all tothemselves.""What's happening in Tibet isundoubted economic improvement," hesaid. "But the fruits of their labor are alltaken away by the Chinese workers."He said the reforms in Tibet unsettlethe Tibetan people because they areimposed upon them, and do notconform to the Tibetan people's basicdesires and aspirations. "They'reSinicizing Tibetan culture. WhenTibetans walk down the streets ofLhasa, they think they're in anotherChinatown. They cannot identify themodern transformation with the ancient,sacred city of their ancestors."Tibetan resources, he said, are beingused and taken by China, and labor ismoved in from congested Chinese citiesin order to balance demographics inChina. He expressed agreement with thewords of the late Panchen Lama in 1989,that Tibet has lost more than it hasgained from China.He said that China's claim that it isconcerned about the ecologicalpreservation of Tibet contradictsactions in China. In 1998, the felling oftrees in northern Tibet caused manypeople to lose their lives and theirproperty. In China itself, plans are beingdiscussed to divert the Mekong Riverupstream to supply water to people innorthern China. More than elevencountries south of China would bevastly affected by this move."The focus is on development, profit,at all costs. No one bothers to thinabout the environmental cost of China'sreally amazing economic development,"Samphel said.The White Paper also states thatrespect for religious belief and practiceis a Chinese government policy. He saidthat while religious practice does occurin Tibet, many Buddhists are actuallycoming to Indian refugee settlementsto study. "Buddhism is not just aboutreciting mantras and chanting prayers.It involves a thorough, endlessinvestigation of the basic teachings ofthe Buddha."


TPI H.H THE DALAI LAMAThe Tibet Post 330 July, 2011 Dharamsala

His Holiness Sends Condo-lences to Norway Over the

Violence

His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo: file


Dharamshala: The spiritual leader ofTibet and Nobel Peace Laureate, HisHoliness the 14th Dalai Lama onSaturday (23rd July) expressed his deepcondolences to those affected by theViolence in Norway. More than 90people have been killed following twinattacks in Norway, first in the heart ofOslo and the second one at a youthcamp on a nearby island.

USAID to Support TibetanCommunity with $2 Million

President Obama's emissary, Valerie Jarrett (ctr) and US State Department UnderSecretary Maria Otero (rt) talking to HHDL. (www.dalailama.com)

Dharamshala: An Obamaadministration official has said that theUnited States Agency for InternationalDevelopment's (USAID) India Missionwill give $2 million to Tibetansettlements abroad.According to the Economic Times,Undersecretary of State for Democracyand Global Affairs Mario Otero has saidthat the money will be part of a two-

In a letter sent to the Prime Minister ofNorway, 'H.E. Jens Stoltenberg on 23July 2011, His Holiness the Dalai Lamaexpressed his sadness and shock onlearning of the tragedy that has befallenNorway with a bomb blast in the centreof Oslo as well as the shooting incidentat the youth camp, resulting in the lossof so many lives.'His Holiness conveyed 'his prayers andcondolences for those who had lost

their lives and to the members of thebereaved families as well as thoseaffected by these dastardly acts ofsenseless violence.'He expressed 'his condolences andsense of solidarity with the PrimeMinister and the people of Norway withwhom the Tibetans have a special andclose connection. However, HisHoliness stated that the people ofNorway are resilient and therefore wasconfident that they would slowlyovercome this tragedy and lookforward.'According to news reports, more thanseven people were killed in at least oneblast in the heart of Oslo. Late Friday,Another tragedy news reported that atleast 84 people were killed during aseparate shooting attack on a youthcamp just outside the capital.At least seven people were killed in thebombing and scores more are known tohave died at the camp for youngmembers of the Labour Party in Utoeya,an island outside the capital. Police havecharged a 32-year-old Norwegian man,Anders Behring Breivik, over bothattacks.Norway's Prime Minister JensStoltenberg said Saturday the "brutal"attack on "innocent youths" would nottake away Norwegians' feeling of safety.He said safety was a pillar of societythat Norwegians had taken for granted,and he stressed that the main focus ison saving the lives of those hurt in theattacks.

His Holiness Highlights Importance ofInterfaith Dialogue

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks with Rabbi Michael Lerner, activist and editor ofTikkun magazine, and Ingrid Mattson, former president of The Islamic Society of NorthAmerica, at the conclusion of Monday's event at the Harris Theatre in Chicago on July

19, 2011. Photo: Josè M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune

By Official Website of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Chicago, Illinois, 18 July 2011 - Onhis last day of this two-city current tourof the United States, on July 18, 2011morning, the spiritual leader of Tibet,His Holiness the Dalai Lamaparticipated in a dialogue with interfaithleaders in a session entitled, BuildingBridges: Religious Leaders InConversation With The Dalai Lama.Hosted by the Theosophical Societyand held at the Harris Theater for Musicand Dance in Chicago, it was attendedby a sold-out crowd of 1500 people.Theosophical Society President TimBoyd introduced His Holiness to theaudience. He recalled the visit of HisHoliness to the headquarters of theTheosophical Society in America,

located in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1981. Hesaid His Holiness had given a talk at alocal school then but not many studentsknew who he was. Since then thingshave changed greatly, Mr. Boyd saidadding that His Holiness has nowbecome one of the most recognized andthe most respected persons in theworld. Mr. Boyd said that His Holiness'scontinued call for adherence to theuniversal qualities to bring change tohuman hearts and minds have made himone of the greatest teachers in the world.Thereafter, Mr. Eboo Patel, the founderand executive director of the InterfaithYouth Core, a Chicago-basedinternational nonprofit that aims topromote interfaith cooperation,

moderated a brief session with HisHoliness alone before inviting the otherpanelists. Mr. Patel called His Holinessas probably being the world's leadingexample of religious tolerance.A short documentary on the artworkcreated by religious organizations abouttheir perception of other religions wasscreened.Mr. Patel then said that he would beasking His Holiness some questions,which have been compiled throughdifferent channels from differentindividuals. In his first question, Mr.Patel asked His Holiness the reasonsthat led to him adopting religiousharmony as one of his commitments, inaddition to the promotion of humanvalues and resolving the Tibetanproblem.His Holiness responded that if we usecommon sense then it would be clearwhy he was stressing on the need forreligious harmony. He said every daywe hear news about violence, some ofwhich are related to different religions.Having a feeling of sadness for a shortmoment in such situations was not theright approach. He said that whilepraying for the wellbeing of all sentientbeings may be seen as unrealistic therewas the need for considering thewellbeing of the nearly seven billionhuman beings on this planet. He addedthat there was the possibility of all peopleco-existing in harmony.His Holiness referred to the harmonyamong different religious practitionersin India as an example. He talked abouthow Muslims in Bodh Gaya havefriendly relationship with the Buddhiststhere despite the historical fact that theyare descendants of people who mayhave been involved in the destructionof Buddhist institutions in the past. He

made the case for the need of theexistence of the different religioustraditions to fit the different mentaldispositions of the people. He talkedabout the projection of the entireIslamic community negatively in thewake of the September 11 incident andhow he had come to defend Islam.His Holiness stressed on the need forreligious communities to be moreinvolved with society. He praised theChristian community for their involvedin the health and education sectors. Healso said that Buddhist monks inThailand and Burma were active inecological preservation.In response to a question on how theyoung interfaith leaders, who arehumanists, should play their role, HisHoliness talked about his commitmentto promote basic human values throughsecular moral ethics. He said we couldall work to cultivate warm-heartedness,which builds trusts, which in turn buildsfriendship. Saying that his concept ofpromotion of moral ethics was notbased on religion, he said this makes itpossible to easily introduce it in theeducation system. If moral ethics is tobe based on religious faith, His Holinesssaid that it couldn't become universal.Thereafter, Mr. Patel invited the otherpanelists to the stage. They were RabbiMichael Lerner, founding editor of theprogressive Jewish interfaith magazineTikkun, which is dedicated to buildingbridges between religious and secularorganizations; Dr. Ingrid Mattson,Hartford Seminary Professor of IslamicStudies and Christian-MuslimRelations; and Rev. Peg Chemberlin,executive director of the MinnesotaCouncil of Churches.Discussions touched on their personalexperience at interfaith initiatives and

the challenges they have faced. Dr.Mattson said how she was inspired byHis Holiness' outreach to scientists tohave a new perspective in her ethicalresearch in schools. Rabbi Lerner saidhow the Buddhist concept of letting goattachments enabled him to strengthenhis own faith. They also talked abouthow interfaith dialogue could bepromoted in today's world.Mr. Patel in his concluding remarkexpressed his gratitude to His Holinessfor his interfaith initiatives. He said thatHis Holiness could have chosen to livein the bubble of his Tibetan Buddhismbut he chose to learn about the best ofall religions. He thanked His Holinessfor setting an example.In his concluding remarks, His Holinesssaid that he was not saying anythingnew but only being a messenger of theancient Indian teachings. He thankedhis co-panelists for their work,including one of them for highlightingwomen's rights.TV Journalist Bill Curtis was the MC forthis session. His Holiness then hadlunch with the Reverend Jesse JacksonSr. and some guests who had attendedthe dialogue.In the afternoon, His Holinessaddressed around 300 members of theTheosophical Society. He told themabout his appreciation of the Society'smission. He then answered somequestions before departing to theairport to begin his return journey toIndia.During this tour His Holiness arrived inWashington, D.C. on July 5 and spent13 days in Washington, D.C. andChicago.


year program to support Tibetansettlements in India, Nepal, and Bhutan.Organic agriculture and vocationaltraining will be part of this new program,which, according to Otero, will"encourage youth to remain in thesettlements, strengthen community ties,and preserve cultural and linguistictraditions."A spokesperson for the ObamaAdministration said that the US willcontinue its longtime support for NGO'sthat work with Tibetans both inside andoutside of Tibet. The State Departmentand USAID support culturalpreservation, sustainable developmentand environmental preservation amongTibetan communities."USAID anticipates the program willresult in increased economicopportunities," said Otero.

The Tibet Post4 30 July, 2011 Dharamsala TPI INTERNATIONAL

Tibetan Film 'PassportPhotos' Internationally

Recognized


Dharamshala: 'Passport Photos,' aTibetan documentary film, receivedofficial selection in eight internationalfilm festivals. The 15-minute film iscomprised of conversations withyoung, urban Tibetans who all sharethe name "Tenzin." These Tibetansdiscuss their lives and dreams as exileswho have lived their entire lives asrefugees.The name "Tenzin" is significant,because, as the film explains, ageneration of Tibetans have been

Canada to Welcome 1000 TibetanRefugees from India

Dharamshala: - The Canada TibetCommittee has announced that overthe next five years the government ofCanada will accept 1,000 Tibetanrefugees from Arunachal Pradesh,India. In 2007, His Holiness the DalaiLama asked Canadian Prime MinisterStephen Harper to send these refugeesto Canada, and on December 18, 2010,Canada announced that it wasprepared to make that request a reality.The Tibet Post International recentlyspoke with Dermod Travis, theExecutive Director of the Canada TibetCommittee (CTC), about developmentswith this project.Since October 2007, the CTC hasworked very closely with thegovernment of Canada and withTibetan-Canadians and their culturalassociations. Countless meetings withCanadian government officials, theIndian government, and the CentralTibetan Administration have takenplace over the past four years. "Wewant to see the project succeed. It'sabout those individuals to have anopportunity for new life," said Travis.QualificationsAt the request of His Holiness, these1000 Tibetans will all come from theIndian state of Arunachal. Thoseeligible must have been living inArunachal Pradesh before December18, 2010, and they must havecontinued living there since. They willalso all be "displaced" Tibetans,meaning they came to India from Tibetduring their lifetime. In an effort to keepfamilies together, exceptions will bemade for children born in India whoseparents are displaced. Applicants willalso need to be able to clearbackground checks. Travis stressedthat this process would be"transparent" and that applicantsabsolutely must meet this criteria to beeligible.The 1000 immigrants will come over the


refugee reception center, and theTibetan Youth Congress (TYC).During the second week, the studentswill divide into groups of two or threeto do projects related to their personalinterests."Dharamshala is the reality of Tibetanpeople and Tibetan culture," saidstudent Ben Chai-Hsun Tsai."Someone may think corruption inTibet is the problem of the Chinesecommunist party. As a Taiwanese, thisis not my thought." He spoke aboutthe sensitive situation between Chinaand Taiwan and expressed his desirefor the Tibetan people and theTaiwanese people to work together.Pai Chao-Mez said she had a Tibetanschool friend with whom she hadspoken to about the situation in Tibetseveral times. Her family is alsoBuddhist, so they had discussedTibetan issues as well. Many of thestudents had also studied Chinesehistory, read books about Tibet, andparticipated in street protests forTibet, so they wanted to come toDharamshala to learn more.Yin wen-hui, the group's leader, saidthat many of the students haveexpressed interest in continuing theirwork for Tibet back in Taiwan throughbooks and journalistic media by, forexample, translating accounts ofTibetan prisoners into Chinese.This coming week, the students beginworking on projects with the Tibetancommunity in Dharamshala. Oneproject compares two Tibetan writers,one a political prisoner who escapedto India; the other an Indian-born

Tibetan. Another involves Tibetanfood and how the food reflects theculture.A third group will compare Tibetandancing and music in Dharamshala tothe dancing and music in Tibet,looking at how Indian culture hasinfluenced these art forms. Anotherwill study the divide between theyoung generation and the moretraditional older generations, lookingat ways the Tibetan community herecan keep their traditional culture alive.A final group will look at political andsocial issues as well as culture andlife-stories.The students expressed strongsupport for Tibet. Students hadvarious opinions regarding Tibetanfreedom; some supported a fullyindependent Tibet and somesupported the Middle Way Approachadvocated by His Holiness the 14thDalai Lama and the Central TibetanAdministration.Common sentiments among thegroup, though, were that Tibetanpeople should have the freedom tochoose how they wanted to begoverned and to retain their culture,religion, and rights. They alsoemphasized the importance of peaceand respect. "I support free Tibet, butboth ways are okay if Tibet can savetheir culture and their rights," said PaiChao-Mez.Ben Chai-Hsun Tsai expressed theopinion that China's concern is theland and the resources in Tibet; andthat they therefore would not supportthe Middle Way Approach because it

stipulates that the Tibetan peoplehave the right to that land and to thenatural resources."The Chinese government thinks theyare helping Tibetans, but China getsmore and more, and gives less andless," he said.Chen Si-Yu said that development bythe Chinese government isn'tnecessarily good for the Tibetanpeople. While they throw money intoTibet, she said, many Tibetan peopleare still in need.The group encouraged the Tibetanpeople to keep hope, reminding themthat they have supporters around theworld and encouraging them tounderstand their heritage. Liang Pei-Yu encouraged students to "learnmore about Tibet and fight for Tibet'sfuture.""No matter where you've been, don'tforget your language, religion, history,and value system. And when you arefighting for free Tibet, don't forget tomaintain peace inside," said Chu En-Cheng."Keep learning who you are, whatTibet is. Don't be afraid, don't giveup. Your Taiwanese friends willalways be with you," said Yu Wen-Hui.

Taiwanese Students Show TheirSupport for Tibet

........Continues from front Page

given the name "Tenzin" by HisHoliness the Dalai Lama.The film, produced by Black CoffeeProductions and Think TibetProductions, was first shown at theIBN Arabi Film Festival in Murcia,Spain in January 2011. Receivingpositive reviews, the film wassubsequently screened at seven other2011 international film festivals in Laos,Canada, the Netherlands, Lebanon,Itlay, and Australia.The film was directed by PreetamKoilpillai and produced by VenkateshNarayanaswamy. The AssociateProducers were Jangchup Lingpa,Lobsang Thardoe, and AravindaAnantharaman, and the camera,editing, and music were by PreetamKoilpillai.If you are interested in viewing the film,please contact [email protected] e-mail address is being protectedfrom spambots. You need JavaScriptenabled to view it , [email protected] e-mail address is being protectedfrom spambots. You need JavaScriptenabled to view it , or This e-mailaddress is being protected fromspambots. You need JavaScriptenabled to view it '; document.write( ''); document.write( addy_text31722 );document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n

course of 5 years; the CTC is lookingat 100-300 a year. The first group willcome in 2012. Travis anticipates thegroup will be a mix of single individualsover 23 and families at various stages.If there are more than 1000 applicants,a lottery system will be used to ensurefairness.According to Travis, the Tibetansettlement in Arunachal Pradesh isextremely remote and poverty-stricken,which is why His Holiness choseTibetans from this area for theresettlement project. Because theydon't have the infrastructure in placethere, children in Arunachal Pradeshtypically come to Dharamshala forbasic education. The families are sopoor they rarely see their children onholidays. "The reality for some of thesefamilies is that they will see each otherfor the first time in years when theyarrive at Delhi airport [to travel toCanada]," said Travis.Tibetan responseThe Tibetan community in Arunachalhas responded to the resettlementproject with overwhelming interest.During the Canada Tibet Committee'svisit to two settlements in ArunachalPradesh earlier this year, in onesettlement 400 people came out; in theother, 300 people. "Virtually one personfrom each family came out," saidTravis.Travis urged interested Tibetans totruly look into what a move to Canadawould mean for them and their families."One of the messages we wanted toconvey is that you know Canada fromtelevision, but that's not really Canada.Do your research. Make sure this isthe right decision for you."Those Tibetans eligible for andinterested in this project areencouraged to start the process ofobtaining an identity certificate inIndia. If they are given permanentresidency in Canada, which is possibleafter they live there for three years, thecertificate will enable them to comeback to India to visit. If they do nothave the certificate, they may be deniedthis opportunity.New life in CanadaThe CTC is working to ensure thatevery Tibetan who immigrates toCanada will be sponsored. Through theCTC's "Group of Five" program, eachrefugee will have the support of five ormore Canadian individuals. The Groupsof Five will help support the refugeesfinancially and in finding work and

housing. The groups will also help therefugees adjust to their inevitableculture shock, working with them ontheir English and French and helpingthem find schools for their children.The CTC hopes to match the Tibetanimmigrants with jobs they already havethe skills for. Agriculture, handicraft,service industry, and health care havebeen identified as potential areas ofgood matches between Tibetan skillsand Canadian need.Several larger groups, such aschurches and synagogues, haveexpressed interest in forming Groupsof Five. With potentially hundreds ofpeople in a congregation, individualswith such a group would "feel like theyhad an incredible support systembehind them," said Travis.Travis hopes that a mix of individualswill participate in the Groups of Fiveprogram, and that among these will besome who have been part of a Groupof Five in the past as well as someTibetan-Canadians who have beenthrough the immigration experience."No one is going to be abandoned inthis process," Travis assured.The CTC is committed to helping theTibetan refugees keep their culture andlanguage alive in their new life inCanada. The existing Tibetancommunity is already doing well withthis, as many Tibetan culturalassociations are thriving there. Withthe new refugees, there will be"sufficient numbers to do somedynamic things," said Travis.Canadians interested in applying to bepart of a Group of Five can do so thiscoming September, when the formsbecome available.History of Tibetan refugees in CanadaThe Tibetan community in Canadaalready numbers around 5,000, and isprimarily located in Ontario. In 1967 HisHoliness began appealing for theinternational community to acceptrefugees, and in 1971 Canada fulfilledthat request by resettling 228 refugees.The resettlement was largelysuccessful; within three years all wereemployed and self-sufficient. Thegovernment paid $558,000 to help outwith food, shelter, clothing, andtransportation, well below what theyhad budgeted.Travis anticipates that this programwill proceed in a similar manner. "A fewyears down the road we can look at1,000 Tibetans who are fullcontributors to Canadian society."

The audience was organized in part by the Canada Tibet Committee and Mr. Reid wasaccompanied by Canada Tibet Committee member Ryszard Cimek. Photo: CTC/file

The Tibet Post 530 July, 2011 DharamsalaTPI TIBETSuffering Brain Damage, Prisoner

Wangchuck Released

Protesters demonstrate in Machu (Chinese: Maqu) county town in Kanlho TibetanAutonomous Prefecture, Gansu (Amdo). As many as 19 deaths have been reported as a

result of the police crackdown on the protesters.


Dharamshala: Political prisonerWangchuck has just been released afterserving a three-year sentence in Tibet,according to information from KunsangTenzin, a Tibetan living in South India.Wangchuck's fellow prisoner Woser,arrested for the same crime, has not beenreleased.The Tibet Post International has learntthat both men were arrested on 2 August2008 for planning to demonstrate atKubom Monastery with a Tibetan flag.Seven others were preparing todemonstrate with them.Chinese authorities found out about theplan, so the demonstration was nevercarried out and the Tibetan flag wasremoved. All nine men were detained,tortured, and interrogated.Wangchuck and Woser accepted full

China Sentences a Tibetan Monkto 3-Years in Prison

Tibetan monk Donyo Dorje, age 34, KirtiMonastery, eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: - A young Tibetan monkfrom the Kirti Monastery, Ngaba regionof eastern Tibet has been sentenced tothree years in jail after tensions run deepat the monastery from April this year,where many Tibetan monks and localTibetans accuse the Chinesegovernment of trying to threaten theirtraditional way of life, and taking strongmeasures to dilute expressions of thereligious, linguistic and cultural identityof the Tibetan people.According to a Tibet source "Kirti monkDonyo Dorjee, age 34, has beensentenced to three years in prison, andis now in the Mianyang prison nearChengdu, Sichuan Province of China.In April this year, locals and armedsecurity forces clashed at the famousKirti monastery in Ngaba area of easternTibet after a monk, Phuntsok set himselfon fire and died in apparent protestagainst the Chinese rule over Tibet.We have not been able to discover thedetails of the place or time of his courthearing, and nothing has been knownof his whereabouts since he wasarrested from the monastery on April8," Ven. Losang Yeshe and KanyagTsering from the Kirti monastery in exiletold The Tibet International."He belongs to the Rawe Pelko Tsang


A member of the Chitue (TibetanParliament in Exile), Mr. Atruk Tseten,told The Tibet Post that it was anextremely joyous and emotional momentfor the Tibetans as they lined up in frontof the throne to offer khataks (Tibetanprayer scarves)."Many people told me that for the firsttime in their lives they felt as if theyreally could see His Holiness the DalaiLama in person and seek his blessings",Mr. Tseten said.Buddhist monks from the host

monastery were assigned to differentduties, including security, festivalfinances, and to enforce that attendeesfollowed the rules of the cermeonyrelated to Tibetan culture and language.Participants were told to speak only inTibetan and to wear traditional Tibetanclothing. Local authorizes were allowedto attend providing they followed thesame guidelines.Organizers discouraged civilian officialsin the Lithang county seat from enteringthe monastery grounds, saying, ‘We willbe doing some things you won't like,'Atruk Tseten said.Around 100 monasteries representing

all four schools of Tibetan Buddhismand Yungdrung Bon from eastern Tibetparticipated in the yearly congregation.The organizers defied official orders andsent an invitation to Ngaba KirtiMonastery (Amdo), which has beenunder Chinese government crackdownsince March of this year.Along with religious discussions,participants heard speeches related tosocial and cultural issues, including theimportance of preserving the Tibetanlanguage and the unity of Tibetans

living in Tibet's traditional threeprovinces of U-Tsang, Kham, andAmdo-all now ruled by China."This had a great impact on the youngerTibetans attending, and helped touphold their identity as Tibetans," AtrukTseten said, citing information gatheredfrom local officials and participants inthe meeting.The festival concluded on 25 July. Therewere no reports of any incidents ofconfrontation between local authorizesand attendants.For more details on recent pictures ofreligious festival at the LithangMonastery, please visit this link.

..........Monastic Ceremony in Tibet

Thousands of monks gathering at LithangGonchen monastery, eastern Tibet.

Photo: TPI

Thousands of lay-people gathering atLithang Gonchen monastery, eastern

Tibet. Photo: TPI

responsibility for organizing thedemonstrations; therefore, the otherseven men were released. Wangchuckand Woser were sentenced to three yearsin prison each on the charge of"seperatist activities."On 8 June 2011, Wangchuck, at 30 yearsold, was released in very poor health. Hehad suffered some brain damage, and hisfamily was therefore quite worried for hislife. Though Woser's three-year sentenceis completed, he has not been releasedfrom prison. His family still has no ideaas to his whereabouts.His arrest in 2008 was not the first timehe had faced the Chinese authorities--Woser, along with his wife and their child,had attempted an escape to India in 1997.The authorities, however, found outabout his plot, detained him in Lhasa,and forced him to return home.

house in Cha township, Ngaba county.His father's name is Pelko. He became aKirti monk at a young age. A furtherthree youths were sentenced andimprisoned at Mianyang, but theirnames and other details are not known,"said the exiled monks."These days there are over 300 officialsfrom other counties in Ngaba prefecture

staying in Kirti monastery day andnight, in addition to 300 county officialsconducting ongoing ‘Patriotic Religion're-education," they added.The monks said that "the monastery isstill occupied and under surveillance bypolice, army and special police forcesinside and out, restricting all activity andmovement of the monks."An official of the Chinese communistregimes however has claimed that thesituation at Kirti monastery is "normal"and that relations between monks andpolice are "harmonious".He claimed that the monks had"sufficient" supplies and that whilemeasures were in place to "preventunidentified people from entering",relations between the monks and policehad "always been harmonious". Thespokesman of Chinese ForeignMinistry, Mr. Hong Lei also warmed onthe United States to stop making"irresponsible remarks", following astrong concern expressed by the USState Department on 14 April this year.Mr. Hong denied reports of a militarylock-down during a regular newsbriefing to reporters in Beijing, saying,"According to our knowledge, themonks in the Kirti monastery enjoy anormal life and normal Buddhistactivities, and the local social order isalso normal."

China Sentences Two Tibetan MonksTo 3 Years Imprisonment

Two Tibetan monks sentenced 3 years in jail. Photo: TPI


Dharamshala: A local ChineseIntermediate People's Court sentencedtwo Buddhist monks from KartiMonastery of Ngaba region, easternTibet to three years imprisonment termeach in this month. In a large breachof international human rights, Chineseofficials and military forces are stillforcibly controlling the sacredBuddhist institution of over 5000monks.According to a latest report of Indiabased Tibet Human Rights watchdog,'Tibetan Center for Human Rights andDemocracy (TCHRD, a "confirmedinformation received on 19 July 2011,two Buddhist monks from themonastery; Lobsang Khedup andLobsang Gyatso of Kirti monastery,Ngaba County, were sentenced to threeyears imprisonment term each on 15July 2011."Lobsang Khedup (around 36) wasarrested on 4 May 2011 from KirtiMonastery. Son of Thoelee (father), hebelongs to Thoelee-Tsang (home) andhails from Lower Chookleh Village,Ngaba County. He began his study atthe Kirti Monastery at an early age,after being ordained and has attainedhigh level of Buddhist studies. Whilecontinuing with his studies, he alsotutors younger students at themonastery.Lobsang Gyatso (39) is from UpperChookleh Village, Ngaba County, andis son of Gyakyap (father). He wasarrested on 9 May 2011. Both monksremained incommunicado for nearly

two months and no information wasknown, except it was heard that theyboth were somewhere in MoawanCounty.The charges against both also remainunclear at the time though the reasonthat led to their arrest is apparent. On21 April 2011, when the Chinese policearrested a large number of monks fromthe monastery, these two monks, alongwith many other monks, assembled inthe monastery requesting not to arrestthe monks or else arrest them too. Atthis time, both of them are in a prisonin Mein-Yang area, Sichuan Province.Earlier in June, Chinese officials havedeclared over 1200 members of Tibet'sKirti Monastery to be expelled. in aspecially prepared register, listingaround 1200-1300 monks, that those on

the list are to be expelled from Kirtimonastery, as of that day (6th May2011). The list consists of Tibetanmonks who live at, and attend themonastery.The Chinese authorities alsoannounced several monks' names onthe list in June, which they posted onthe walls of the monastery, stating:‘you have to leave the monastery[immediately]'.Police raids carried out at theMonastery, the rooms of those listedwill be taken by the government,sources from the region state. In apeaceful response to the Chineseauthorities, the Tibetan monks deniedthe Chinese announcement,highlighting that the monastery is theirhome.

6 30 July, 2011 Dharamsala The Tibet PostTPI TIBET IN EXILEDekyiling Tibetans Honour

Kalon Tripa Prof SamdhongRinpoche

elegates from Dekyiling Tibetan Settlement at Dehradun present a thangka (scrollpainting) of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Kashag Secretariat in Dharamsala, on

Monday, 25 July 2011. Photo/Namgyal Tsewang/Tibet TV

By Central Tibetan Administration Official Media: Tibet Net

Dharamshala: - As a mark of their deepgratitude and appreciation, the Tibetancommunity based in DekyilingSettlement in northern India todayhonoured Kalon Tripa Prof SamdhongRinpoche for his remarkable service tothe Tibetan community since comingto exile.A seven-member delegation fromDekyiling Tibetan settlement met KalonTripa at the Kashag Secretariat here thismorning.They presented Kalon Tripa with a scrollpainting of His Holiness the 14th DalaiLama and a silver plated cup for butterlamp offerings. The delegationrepresents the local Tibetan assembly,Bod-Rawang Denpai Legul Tsokchung,

Organization to Reach Out toTibetan Settlements

Mr. Dennis Barbion and his wife MarijkeReynaert in Dharamshala, India in April

2011. Photo: Dennis/TPI

Dharamshala: The Tibetaanse VlaamseVriendenkring, a Tibet support groupin Belgium, has announced their 2012projects for Tibetan refugees. In theTibetan settlement in Mainpat, in theIndian state of Chattisgarh, they willinstall water filters in all of the homesthere. They will also construct amortuary for Dhonden Old People'sHome in Chauntra.This past April, the organization gavenew shoes to 426 Tibetan refugees inMcLeod Ganj. This year they havedecided to start more than one project."In this way we can suggest severalinitiatives and people can choose forwhich specific project they want to givea donation," said the press release byDennis Barbion & Marijke Reynaert."We can help more Tibetans in India, atdifferent locations and in severalways."The first project, for clean water, willtake place in Mainpat, in Chattisgarhstate. Mainpat, the first Tibetansettlement established by thegovernment of India in 1967, is one ofthe poorest Tibetan settlements inIndia.The organization, therefore, plans tosetup a 15-liter water filter in everyhouse in the settlement as well as the


Panelists included Tenzin Dorjee ofStudents for a Free Tibet, DhardonSharling of the Tibetan Women'sAssociation, and Tenzin Jigme andAllison Reynolds of the InternationalTibet Network.Speaking of the celebrationscommemorating the 60th Anniversary,Jigme said, "While Galas, exhibitionsand book launches are being held inLhasa, Tibetans from Kham and Amdoare being brutally repressed - a part oflife in occupied Tibet that China is notshowcasing in its propaganda events."To get an idea of what is reallyhappening in Tibet, he said, one mustlook in Tibetan homes and Tibetanmonasteries.Reynolds spoke about how China's"extreme mechanisms of control,"including deaths in monasteries suchas Karze, long prison sentences fordemonstrators, and the current securitysituation in Lhasa have only fueledmore protests.Strategic nonviolenceOne main topic during the pressconference was the non-violent formsof resistance that are currently takingplace among Tibetans.One of these acts of resistance involvesthe boycott of Chinese vegetable shopsin certain areas of Tibet. The boycottstarted when a small group of Tibetansin a specific area decided to stop buyingfrom Chinese vegetable shops. Themovement grew so large that someChinese shops were forced to close

down, enabling Tibetan vegetablesellers to open new shops. Themovement was so successful that it hasspread to neighboring areas.Dorjee described such tactics as using"personal and social space to makechange on the ground, at the grassrootslevel." He termed these types ofresistance "strategic nonviolence,"saying that the boycott of the vegetableshops represents a "fundamental shift"in the Tibetan struggle.Again using a peaceful strategy to keeptheir culture alive, some Tibetans havestarted making a conscious effort toread and speak only in Tibetan whenthey are among family and friends. Somegroups of Tibetans have agreed amongthemselves to start paying a voluntaryfine every time they speak a Chineseword, despite the fact that this tacticcaused trouble for some monks.Many Tibetans are starting to educatethemselves about non-violentstrategies and how they have workedfor leaders in the past such as Gandhi,according to Dorjee. Tibetans' interestin these types of movements is no doubtfueled by their devotion to His Holinessthe Dalai Lama and his firm commitmentto peace and nonviolence."It is time for the world to put theirweight behind the Tibetan peoples'nonviolent struggle for freedom,"Dorjee said.Hope for the futureSpeaking about the future of Tibet andChina, Dorjee drew on an opinion held

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. HisHoliness claims that while 60 years isthe long time in the life of a person, it isa very short amount of time in the life ofa nation.Dorjee said that things may changeeconomically for China, calling therecent economic growth in China a"miracle.""Miracles don't last," he said.He also claimed that human rights andeconomic interest are not exclusive; justbecause a country opposes rightsabuses does not mean its economy goesdown.Dorjee called on China and theinternational community to act. Heurged China to withdraw forces fromTibet and release detainees, forgovernments internationally to issuestatements of concern about thesituation in Tibet, for the media to pressfor access in Tibet, and for the nextgeneration of Chinese leadership toradically change Tibet policy.Sharling spoke of the importance ofactual action. Countless resolutionshave been passed but not implemented,she said. She spoke of the importanceof pressuring one's country toimplement resolutions related to Tibet,and also advised tourists in Tibet torequest a visit to Chinese prisons."We are not understanding humanrights and equality as much as weshould be," she said, speaking of theimportance of "continued action andconsistent action."

Tibet Activists Hold Online Press Conference ........Continues from front Page

group leaders, regional Tibetan youthcongress and Tibetan women'sAssociation, National Democratic Partyfor Tibet and the general public.Thanking the delegation Kalon Tripasaid, "I have reiterated before that I havebeen able to contribute my service forthe community because of the publicsupport.""Since we are in a democraticcommunity, one has to continue to workin the future to serve and fulfil theinterest of the general public," KalonTripa said."On behalf of Dekyiling Settlement, wemet Kalon Tripa Prof SamdhongRinpoche to express our deep gratitudeand thank him for his outstanding

service to the Tibetan people sincecoming to exile in general and his serviceas Kalon Tripa in particular," thedelegates told reporters after themeeting.

Old People's Home there. In Mainpat,2,500 people live in seven differentcamps. "Water is so important, watermeans life," the press release said.Installation of the water filters will takeplace in the spring of 2012.The second project involves building amortuary for the Dhonden Old People'sHome in Chauntra, near Bir.

Currently, after someone passes away,their body is left in their room for severaldays after death. The length of timesomeone is left there depends on bothastrology and the availability of wood.The mortuary will provide a place forthe bodies to be kept prior to cremation.If enough funds are present, theconstruction is also expected to start inthe spring of 2012.Sufficient funds will be needed for bothof these projects; each water filter costs50 euro, and in the building of themortuary, donations are needed for thestructure, excavation, slab work,roofing, and electricity.If you are interested in donating to theseprojects, please contact Dennis [email protected] This e-mailaddress is being protected fromspambots. You need JavaScript enabledto view it .

Nepal Arrests 6 Tibetans asChina Increases Pressure

Hundreds of Nepal polices deployed on 10March, the Tibetan National Uprising Day,

Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo: TPI

By Cornelius Lundsgaard,The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: On July 12, Nepal arrestedsix Tibetan men, aged 16 to 27, for illegallycrossing its borders from Tibet. Accordingto AFP, local police apprehended thembefore dawn in a village in Lamabager,Dolakha district. Deputy Superintendentof the area Umesh Raj Joshi said that theywould be handed over to the ImmigrationDepartment in Kathmandu shortly.Having crossed the Himalayan borderarea on foot, the escapees are now held incustody at the District Police Office inCharikot, with their files alreadytransferred to immigration authorities.US embassy cables, exposed byWikiLeaks last year, suggest that Chineseauthorities are paying Nepalese police todetain Tibetans, but the police declinesto reveal exact numbers of Tibetansarrested in Nepal.An estimated 2500 Tibetans flee fromChina into Nepal every year though thisis the first confirmed case in a year. Hometo around 20.000 Tibetan refugees,thousands more are believed to live thereas undocumented migrants.In March this year a Chinese armydelegation pledged $20 million in supportof Nepal's defence budget while meetingwith Nepalese border officials. Recently,on July 10, meetings were resumed whenthe Beijing Intelligence Bureau and LhasaSecurity Bureau held talks with Nepalborder authorities.Underlining the heightened border-security, local newspaper The KantipurDaily reported on July 12, that Chinaintents to ban foreigners from enteringvia the Nepalese border. A month-longprohibition is set to take effect from July25, the same week that China's VicePresident Xi Jingping is scheduled to visitTibet."The Chinese side has never sounded as

serious regarding border security", theKantipur daily quoted Bijay Poudel, theNepali head of immigration at the Tatopaniborder crossing, as saying. The move willaffect about 400 tourists who enter Tibetvia Nepal every day.Nepal has continuously been steppingup border security since the 2008 riots inTibet and the restrictions facing Tibetansin Nepal are growing. The newlyappointed Chinese Ambassador to Nepal,Yang Houlan, has recently been holdingtalks with politicians, asking them toprevent any anti-China activity in Nepal.Photographs of Tibetan religious leaders,the Tibetan anthem and flag as well asbanners with pro-Tibet slogans have allbeen banned, while Tibetan celebrationsof Buddhist holidays etc. have been keptunder strict control.On the recent birthdays, this month, ofHis Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the17th Gyalwa Karmapa, festive activitieswere clamped down on and in the lead-up, 39 Tibetans have been arrested inKathmandu in a strategy aimed to preventpublic celebrations of the Tibetan spiritualleaders.On July 10, 12 of these detainees were,however, ordered to be released by theSupreme Court of Nepal who found thattheir 20 days in detention was "withoutreasonable explanation... and that saiddetention is illegal," according to courtdocuments obtained by the InternationalCampaign for Tibet.Nepal's Supreme Court chastised the localpolice, the Chief District Officer and theprosecutor's office involved in thedetention for failing to provide a writtenexplanation to the court for the Tibetans'detention and for failing to issue arrestwarrants for the Tibetans, according tothe court documents.News site TibetCustom.com reportedMary Beth Markey, President of theInternational Campaign for Tibet, assaying that, "The Nepal Supreme Court'sruling clearly points to the political natureof these detentions, highlighting theprecarious situation Tibetans face inNepal", adding that, "This is anencouraging indication of theindependence of the judicial system inNepal despite Beijing's pressure on Nepalto crackdown on activities it deems to be'anti-China'."

30 July, 2011 DharamsalaThe Tibet Post TPI TIBET WORLD 7Criticism on Banning Budapest Tibet Protest Rejected

Mr. András Schiffer - photo: TPI/Kovács Tamás MTVA

Belgium, 17th July 2011-The banneddemonstrations in Hungary at the endof June were discussed in theHungarian Parliament on 4th July 2011.Several Tibet groups and human rightsorganisations planned demonstrationsduring the visit of the Chinese PrimeMinister Wen Jiaobao in Budapest, butthe protests were banned.Moreover, the Tibetans living inHungary were forced to go to the

inequality but there is a difference", andI think, rather than gender equality weneed more gender sensitization.TPI: As a newly elected MP, how doyou feel that the, predominantly male,parliament members are responding tothe female MPs in the parliamentsessions?TDS: For me, what was surprising wasthat the men themselves advocated formore women presence. And if you see alot of people who supported me andwho campaigned for me, they were menwho were already in the running. Thatwas very humbling for me to realize thatmen do see the potential in women andthey are willing to give way.Even today, a lot of men arecongratulating me saying, "we wantedthat change and we see that in you". Ihad more men congratulating me thanwomen which was very surprising. Idon't think we can stereotype Tibetanmen and say they are all againstwomen's success.There is a section of people who areagainst these changes happening, butthere are well educated, thoughtfulpeople with good vision, who wants tosee women come up, so I don't haveany bad experiences or feelings of beingsingled out because I am a woman.In fact I see that as a bonus, I see thatas something that boosts myconfidence. Because of the fact that Iam a woman, they listen to me more,They think we are very sharp andcapable, and also what's nice is that mycolleagues there, I think there are twelveof us, they are all very capable women.If we do well, I think there will be morewomen participation in the nextparliament. A lot is riding on ourshoulders and I think we are bound todo that given the expectations and thesupport of both women and men.TPI: Female Kalon Tripa, do you seethat happening?TDS: I think so, it has to happen,because it has been 500 years, ever sincethe Gaden Phodrang institution wasestablished, since there was a politicalgovernment to Tibet, and so far wehaven't had any women as the head ofthe state. What is interesting is that HisHoliness himself is ready to give up andhe is himself advocating for womenleaders, I think it has to happen.I don't know whether the next KalonTripa election in 2016 will see a femaleKalon Tripa, but after that, definitelyyes. I think it is our responsibility tomake an environment which isconducive for women to reach the toplevel.TPI: With Tibetan women in exileenjoying the fruits of democracy,education and globalization, the womeninside Tibet remain hard to reach and togive training such as the women'sleadership programmes that the TWAis offering in exile. How do you expectto be able to help the women in Tibet inthe future?TDS: Well, you know we really want toreach out to the women inside Tibet andI think before we actually step on todoing something called leadershiptraining or anything, there is more of aneed for basic, sustainable projects. Thebasic living conditions for women inTibet are not very good and that is whythere is a need to generate projects thatare sustainable in nature and that willkind of give them an income generationfor the next many years.That is a priority for now, though it isvery difficult for us to reach out to thegroups who are already working therebecause they are fearing reactions fromthe Chinese government. But I think

this year we will be able to do two suchkind of projects inside Tibet.And then we want to stress oneducation. There are a lot of groupswho are giving scholarships to youngwomen who are building hostels,schools and we are in touch with thesegroups, though they are very wary ofhearing from us or replying to usbecause they are being constantlywatched. But I think we will makeprogress.There is something in place and the leastwe can do is contribute financially orjust with moral support which is alsorequired. So efforts are there on our partbut we haven't as of yet reached thatstage where we can actually physicallyimpart training and programs in Tibet.But the effort is very much there and Ithink that it is like a dream goal, youknow, we don't see Rangzen [freedom]or anything as of now, but for the timebeing, the urgency of the situation callsfor help in bettering the lives of thesewomen and we are committed to doingthat, because that is achievable andthat's practical.TPI: Thank you very much for your timeand your views!

........Continues from Page No 2

Immigration Office without any reasonthe day of the visit of the Chinese PrimeMinister. That was remarkable, as theoffices in Hungary are always closedon Saturdays, and the Tibetans haveofficial permits, to stay and to work inHungary.Dr. András Schiffer, leader of the LMPparty fraction (Lehet Más a Politika,„Politics Can Be Different"), criticizedthe facts that the policemen insulted

the Tibet activists who wanted todemonstrate during the visit of theChinese Prime Minister Wen Jiaobao,and that the police has forbidden ademonstration of the Falun Gong, areligious group of which a lot of theirmembers in China are sentenced toimprisonment in labour camps.Dr. Schiffer reminded that also theformer „pseudo-left-wing"governments in Hungary prohibiteddemonstrations with invented reasonsand that the Hungarian Prime MinisterOrbán said specifically the same at theend of June, "that they will take firmsteps to eliminate the actions whichrisk the goals of the State". The LMPfraction leader asked what the realreason was for the police measures, andwhether the government issued ordersto the police.As the Prime Minister Orbán hadalready left the hall, Mr. Károly Kontrátwho is Under-Secretary of Stateanswered that the announceddemonstration was banned by thepolice because of potential trafficproblems due to the protests, and toguarantee the security and a smoothtransport of the Chinese delegation."The ethical questions are important,

but it's also not possible to disregardthe ethical responsibility of the leadersof the country" said Kontrát, whopartly repeated some former words ofMr. Orbán "that it is allowed todemonstrate but do not destroy thegoals of the State". Mr. Károly Kontrátadded "that the police acted in theinterest of the safety of the protectedpersons and the preservation of theirdignity", and furthermore that therewas an increased control in force inthe whole territory of Budapest cityduring the EU-presidency, in theframework of which the measuresagainst certain persons were taken.According to Mr. Schiffer, this replywas „scandalous and against the law",because the right of assembly hasnothing to do with goals of the stateand international relationships, andthat there is a precise description ofreasons to ban a demonstration.In the view of the leader of the LMPfraction, the government „humbles thecountry by its servility". The Parliamentaccepted the reply of the Under-Secretary with 187 votes to 73 and 10abstentions. More than 40 deputies ofFidesz party did not vote althoughthey were present.

Tibetans, Vietnamese Demonstrate Together in Munich

Demonstration against the CCP and VCP, Munich, South Germany. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: - On the occasion of the

According to a press release from theUnited Nations for a Free Tibet(UNFT), supporters rallied to raiseawareness about the recent closure ofthe Tibetan region, the protests in

events to stay away since theirpresence would represent a sickeningendorsement of China's appallinghuman rights record in Tibet."Ngaba has been a sensitive area sinceMarch, when a 20-year-old Tibetanmonk self-immolated. Monks living atKirti Monastery experienced a severecrackdown after this, with authoritiesforcibly removing and detaininghundreds. In nearby Karze, smallgroups, protesting for Tibet's freedomand for the long life of His Holinessthe Dalai Lama, have been detained inseveral different incidents within thelast month.Many Vietnamese, also feeling thatChina is a threat to their security, stoodin solidarity in protest with theTibetans. China has occupied landalong the Vietnamese-Chinese border,and they have also established controlover the Paracel Islands and SpratlyIslands."The Vietnamese GermanCommunity...is lending the fellowpeople our hands by doing anypossibility to protest the Chineseexpansion plot," said the FreeVietnamese Community in Bavaria.In regard to propaganda in Tibet,which has recently increased due tothe upcoming 60th Anniversarycelebrations, Brigitte Graefin vonBulow of the United Nations for a FreeTibet (UNFFT) said that though theChinese propaganda is largely thesame as it was many years before,Tibetans remain discontented. "China,who invaded peaceful andindependent Tibet in 1949, has had 60years to win Tibetan hearts and minds,but has utterly failed."Other such protests will take place inSydney and Melbourne, Australia, andin Washington, DC, USA at later times.During these protests, Tibetan,Vietnamese, Uyghur, and Mongolianpeople will come together todemonstrate for "Action for Tibet andVietnam."


Demonstration against the CCP and VCP, Munich, South Germany. Photo: TPI

Kardze and Ngaba, and China'sinvasion of parts of Vietnam. Protestersalso gathered at the Chinese consulateto call attention to the recentpropaganda drive in Tibet.The Chinese government has closedthe Tibetan region both because ofpreparations for the 60th Anniversaryof the signing of the 17 Point Agreementand because of celebrations relatingto the 90th Anniversary of thefounding of the Communist Party inChina. It is thought that there will bemilitary exercises during this time,which could cause tensions to runhigh.According to some reports, selectforeign guests will be invited to the60th Anniversary celebrations inLhasa. Mandie McKeown of the

International Tibet Network advisedinvitees, "while we deplore the closureof Tibetan areas to independentobservers, we call on any foreignersinvited to participate these anniversary

60th Anniversary of Tibet, Tibetansand Vietnamese living in Europe held arally in Munich, Germany on July 16.

The Tibet Post8 30 July, 2011 Dharamsala TPI TIBET IN EXILE

His Holiness the DalaiLama Arrives Back in

Dharamshala

Tibetans in Dharamshala welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet after his 11day tour to US in last two weeks, Dharamshala, India on 20th July 2011. Photo: TPI


Dharamshala: - His Holiness the DalaiLama arrived back in Dharamshalatoday after a 3-week trip to the UnitedStates. An enthusiastic crowd ofmonks, locals and tourists lined up oneither side of Temple Road, which wasdecorated with colorful banners andprayer flags, to catch a glimpse of HisHoliness as his car drove through themain square in the Himalayan town ofMcLeod Ganj.According to Tibet.net, His Holinesswas met at Kangra airport by KalonTripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche,Deputy Speaker of the TibetanParliament-in-Exile Lopon Sonam, andheads of several Tibetan non-governmental organizations.During His Holiness' time in the US, heperformed an 11-day BuddhistKalachakra ritual in capital WashingtonDC. The Kalachakra ritual includedchanting, meditation, and teachings,and taught practitioners to developmore compassion and peace. He alsospoke in Chicago, Illinois on theimportance of interfaith dialogue,saying that much unnecessary

CTA: Chinese Government CoveringUp Dark Facts


On July 18, 2001, a press conferencewas held in Dharamshala, India by theofficial of the Department of Informationand International Relations (DIIR) todiscuss the Central TibetAdministration’s (CTA) reaction toChina’s recently released White Paper.The White Paper, entitled Fifty Years ofDemocratic Reform in Tibet, defendsChina's position in regard to Tibet. Thepaper, according to China.org, claimsthat His Holiness the Dalai Lama andhis allies' interests "fundamentallycontradict those of Tibetan workingpeople."The paper states that His Holiness andhis followers aim for TibetanIndependence, and calls for them tochange their political position.The paper also claims that manyadvances have been made in Tibetunder Chinese rule, claiming that bothpolitical participation and the economyhave grown rapidly. It also asserts thatthe Chinese government is makingmany efforts to promote Tibetanlanguage, culture, and religion.In response to China's latest whitepaper on Tibet, the Department ofInformation and International Relationsof the Central Tibetan Administrationsaid in their statement that "the ultimatejudge of China's rule or misrule in Tibetshould be the Tibetan people...the grimsituation in Karze and Ngaba in easternand northeastern Tibet is a clearjudgment made by the Tibetan peopleof China's sixty years of rule in Tibet."The statement accuses the Chinesegovernment of covering up dark factsrelated to China's invasion of Tibet, suchas the fact that over 1.2 million Tibetanshave died as a result of the invasion.The White Paper, according to theCTA, is "another whitewash of anongoing and ugly reality.""Another startling fact of the nature ofChina's white papers on Tibet is theirfrequency. In an open, plural society,

statement declared.The oath taking ceremony will be heldat 8:30 am at the central courtyard ofthe main Tibetan temple, opposite theOffice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.43-year-old Lobsang succeedsSamdhong Rinpoche as Kalontripa."All these dignitaries will offer thetraditional Tibetan greeting scarves(Tib: Khatags), as a way of felicitatingDr. Lobsang Sangay on this historicday."The oath will be administered byNgawang Phelgyal, the Chief JusticeCommissioner, in the presence of thespiritual leader of Tibet, His Holinessthe 14th Dalai Lama, who will alsoaddress the official function, accoringto statement issued by the theadministration.The new Kalontripa will be the first totake charge of the office after theTibetan Parliament amended its charterto divest His Holiness the Dalai Lama

of his political role and transfer hisfunctions to the elected heads of theCentral Tibetan Administration basedin Dharamshala."On the second day, 9 August, foreigndignitaries, including members ofparliaments and other friends of Tibet,including our Chinese friends, willfelicitate Kalon Tripa, Dr. LobsangSangay at the public ceremony at 9 amat the same venue, it said.Dr. Lobsang was chosen in the thirddirect elections for the Kalontripa heldon March 20 this year. He is the firstpolitical leader to have been bornoutside Tibet, his birthplace beingDarjeeling, India. To many Tibetans Dr.Lobsang represents the youngergenerations of Tibetans with hisrhetoric of "innovation, self-relianceand equality" as well as the fact thathe himself will be among one of theyounger politicians of the CentralTibetan Administration with his 42years of age.

New Kalontripa Dr. Lobsang Sangayto Take Oath in Next Month


violence comes from people notunderstanding and accepting eachothers' beliefs.He met with several US political leadersin Washington DC, including PresidentBarack Obama. He also met withmembers of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee, members of theUS State Department and othercongressional leaders. Thesegovernment officials consistentlyexpressed support for human rights inTibet and China-Tibet dialogue. AWhite House statement said thatPresident Obama "encourages directdialogue to resolve long standingdifferences and a dialogue thatproduces positive results for China andTibetans...the President reiterated hisstrong support for the preservation ofthe unique religious, cultural, andlinguistic traditions of Tibet."

On August 13, His Holiness will travelto Toulouse, France, where he will giveteachings on Kamalashila's TheMiddling States of Meditation (gomrimbarpa) at the Zenith de Toulouse.

DIIR Secretary, Thupten Samphel (R) DIIR minister, Kelsang Yangyi Taklha (C) andTenzin Phuntsok Atisha, DIIR Secretary at a press breifing at Tibet Museum, Mcleod

Ganj, Dharamshala, India, on 3rd May 2011. Photo: TPI

no elected government is compelled toissue white papers so frequently. Aneducated electorate and free mediaenable people to make their judgmenton the performance of their electedrepresentatives during elections. Thisis not so with China. In the age of theInternet, the Chinese Communistauthorities spend enormous resourcesto keep the Chinese people ignorant andthe media muzzled," it said.The frequency of the white papersissued in China also indicates that thegovernment is covering up the truth,according to the CTA. "No amount ofcycled and recycled white papers cansilence those brave Chinese voices thatdemand democracy in China andTibetan voices that call for greaterfreedoms for the Tibetan people," thestatement asserts."Perhaps one reason for China to wasteso much ink and paper on the Tibetansis to counter the enormous and growingsympathy the Tibetan struggle attractswithin the international community,

including amongst Chinese scholars,writers, public intellectuals and humanrights activists in and outside China.The international community, as such,will not be fooled by China's whitepapers on Tibet," said the statement.The statement also says that theChinese government, realizing that theinternational community is largelysympathetic towards Tibet, feels theneed to justify their actions in Tibetagain and again. The internationalcommunity will not be fooled, says theCTA.The CTA plans to issue anotherstatement directly countering the claimsabout Tibet's history and progress thatare made in the White Paper.In closing, the statement asserts that"the Central Tibetan Administration takethis opportunity to inform Beijing thatthe day when the State Council feelsthat there is no need to issue whitepapers on Tibet is the day when thereality in Tibet conforms to officialChinese Communist rhetoric."

Young Tibetans Take A Lead in Ladakh Settlement

Dhondup Tashi in his Chief RepresentativeOffice from where he administrates the dailylife of Sonamling settlement. Photo: TPI

By Cornelius Lundsgaard, The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: - In the Tibetansettlement of Sonamling in Ladakh, lessthan 100 km from the Tibetan border inthe northernmost corner of India, theyouth is increasingly assumingleadership, making Sonamling theyoungest led Tibetan settlement underthe auspices of His Holiness the DalaiLama.For up to eight months of the year,Ladakh's desolate location in the

Himalayas, and the extreme weatherconditions there, make Sonamlingvirtually inaccessible. But despite theirpartial isolation the Tibetan refugeesin Sonamling are actually at theforefront of democracy in the Tibetanexile community.Paving the Way for a New DemocracyAs the youngest to hold the office ofChief Representative (CR) in a Tibetansettlement, Sonamling's 41-year-old

Dhondup Tashi is also the first CR tobe elected by popular vote.The Tibet Post International recentlymet him in his office, a ten minute drivefrom the Buddhist capital Leh, fromwhere he directs the approximately7300 individuals who make up theTibetan refugee population in Ladakh.A lecturer by profession, DhondupTashi has put his career on hold forthree years to serve the Office of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama. He credits theschools of the Tibetan Children'sVillage (TCV) for the unique age-shiftamongst community leaders in the area;"because of the local TCV, 90 % of theyouth are educated here, unlike otherTibetan settlements."The 21 camp leaders under hisjurisdiction are mostly youth, he saidand added, "a good number of theyouth here are contributing membersof society. There are so many of themwho are willing and able to take thechair."He is now two years into his three yeartenure, but when he is done he wouldprefer to see someone young take overagain. "New and young minds havefresh ideas", he said as he underlinedthe importance of people electing their


930 July, 2011 DharamsalaThe Tibet Post TPI 17TH KARMAPARFA Promotes Freedom ofExpression, 17th Karmapa

Ven Khenpo Sonam Tenphel (1st fromleft) addressing the meeting organised by

Italy's Nonviolent Radical Party,Transnational and Transparty General

Council in Tunis. Also seen in the pictureis Marco Pannella, member of the

European Parliament and President of theNonviolent Radical Party (1st right).

Photo: Tibet Net


Dharamshala: - The Deputy Speakerof the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exileparticipated in the meeting of Italy'sNonviolent Radical Party, Transnationaland Transparty General Council held inTunis from 22-24 July. Around 82delegates took part in the three-daymeeting to discuss issues of democracyand non-violence among others.The meeting was attended by some ofthe top Italian politicians which includeMarco Pannella, member of theEuropean Parliament and President ofthe Nonviolent Radical Party, EmmaBonino, vice president of the ItalianSenate and former Italian Minister ofEuropean Affairs and International

Trade, Perduca Marco, a member ofTransnational Radical Party.In his statement, Deputy Speaker VenKhenpo Sonam Tenphel apprised thedelegates about the His Holiness theDalai Lama's decision to devolve hisformal authority to the elected Tibetanleadership for the long-term benefit ofthe Tibetan people.The deputy speaker informed theparticipants about the deterioratingsituation inside Tibet in terms of theTibetan people's right to religious belief,use their own language, culture andtraditional lifestyles under therepressive and discriminatory policiesof the Chinese government. "The policyof Chinese government simplydeepened resentment and animositybetween the Tibetan and Chinesepeoples," the deputy speaker said."Lack of respect for the sentiments andaspirations of the people always resultsin resentments and conflicts betweenthe people and those who govern them.It is crucial for the leaders to be alwaysaccountable to the people who havereposed their trust and confidence inthem," he said."The Chinese government shouldactually resort to peaceful dialogue withtheir own people by respecting thebasic human rights, principle ofdemocracy and the rule of law. Only thenthe Chinese authorities will be able tobuild trust and confidence between thegovernment and the people," he added.

On the Sino-Tibetan dialogue process,the deputy speaker said there has beennegative response of the Chinesegovernment towards the efforts madeby the Tibetan side in resolving Tibet'sproblem through the mutually beneficialMiddle-Way policy. "His Holiness theDalai Lama and the Central TibetanAdministration presented writtenproposals for genuine autonomy for theTibetan people within the framework ofthe constitution of the People'sRepublic of China. The Chinesegovernment, however, has givennegative response and imposed furtherrestrictions on Tibetan religiousfreedom, language and fundamentalrights," he said.He underscored the strategicimportance of the Tibetan plateau as thesource of many rivers in Asia. "Thesignificance and the sensitivity of theTibet's environment have beenrecognised internationally. Asia as acontinent and in fact the world at largewill enjoy genuine peace and stabilityonly when a lasting solution is reachedto resolve the Tibetan politicalproblem," he said.The deputy speaker further said, "theTibetan people are firmly resolve tofollow the path of peace and non-violence in their struggle for freedomand human dignity."He expressed hope that the meeting willgo a long way in having meaningdiscussions and also reaching effectiveand lasting way out for resolving thecrucial problems currently faced byhumanity.He also thanked the organising partyfor their support to the Tibetan cause.

own leaders and understandingdemocratic principles.Among his constituency are 9Changthang-camps inhabited by ca.3000 "nomads and cowboys". Theyprimarily herd livestock in desolateareas of the Ladakhi mountain range

and were some of the hardest votersto reach during the recent election forthe Tibetan Parliament in Exile, withballot boxes being transported topolling booths on mule-backs, intemperatures dropping to -30 andbelow.It is therefore with considerable pridethat he has witnessed a growingdemocratic awareness among the area'sTibetans; "even the uneducatedpeople in the rural areas take interestin the election process."The Camps' Youth are Solving theProblemsIn the slightly lower lying areas nearthe Ladakhi village of Choglamsar (3500meters above sea level), most ofSonamling's inhabitants make theirliving as manual labourers while somehave petty businesses and a few arefarming alfalfa to use for animal fodder.

But with as many as 2500 studentsattending TCV schools, the settlement'syoungest generations are becomingmore capable and confident in handlingcommunity affairs.One of the young camp leaders is TashiTsering, 28, who is born in Sonamling.He went to the local TCV school andafter class 10 studied "outside", as heputs it. Tashi holds diplomas inBusiness Management and HumanResource Management and he is, in fact,the youngest camp-leader in all ofSonamling.But he is not alone in his age-group totake responsibility. "The problems I amfacing are due to my lack of experienceand also my committee members beingrather young", he said during a recentfootball match at the Sonamling TCVsportsground.The inexperience of young age,however, seem to be Tashi's biggestconcern and he has never had tomeasure out any disciplinary action,which is one of his heavierresponsibilities as elected leader ofCamp 10."I listen to their grievances and seewhat I can do to solve the problemswithin my community first, but of courseif that doesn't work we take the issue tothe CRO. So far I haven't had anyproblems like that", Tashi Tsering said.The tenure as Camp Leader only lastsone year but Tashi is willing to give itanother go when his term is up; "if theywant me to, I will", he said as histeammates called on him to join thesemi-finale match.The tournament was being held inhonour of the Tibetan martyr ThuptenNgodup who self-immolated in Delhi 10

years ago, protesting the Chineseoccupation of Tibet. Tashi's team,Friends United, deemed the favouriteto win, was founded by himself. "Weare all a circle of friends anyway and soI thought, why not play some footballtoo?", he said.Home Is Where the Heart IsTashi's "Camp 10" is one of the smallestin the area with 57 families, or about350-400 people, and he seem to knowevery single one of them. "Honestlyspeaking; I grew up here, I played here,I studied here and my family is here. Itmakes me feel very proud to be workingfor them."Because of the remoteness ofSonamling, Tashi explained, "there areless opportunities here compared to forexample Delhi, and actually here inLadakh, Tibetans live in some veryremote places so most of us stay withour families", he said.Yet for all of Tashi Tsering's engagementin his community and the fact that he isborn and raised in the settlement, he isready as ever to relocate to Tibet, "ifTibet is free one day then of course wewill move back" he said and added, "butjust because we are so close, it doesn'tnecessarily mean we will be the firstrefugees to go in, that is up to theCentral Tibetan Administration (CTA)in Dharamshala."Where and how Tibetan refugees wouldmove back into a free Tibet might be forthe CTA to decide, but perhaps TashiTsering and the other young leaders ofSonamling will be the first generationto lead the communities there, just asthey are already spearheading theSonamling settlement, only hours awayfrom their native land.

Sonamling football players playing afriendly tournament on one of the world'shighest sportsgrounds. Friends United playin blue shirts and are tipped to win. Photo:

T P I

..............Take A Lead in Ladakh Settlement ........Continues from Page No 8

supporters around the world, however,protest against Beijing for crackingdown on free speech, suppressingTibetan religion and culture, andencouraging the immigration of manyHan Chinese to the Himalayan region.Kongpo Nyintri (Ch: Nyingchiprefecture) region borders Bhutan,Myanmar and India. Xi is in Tibet onthe anniversary of what the CommunistParty of China calls its “peacefulliberation of Tibet.” His visit to Tibetprecedes his expected rise to the officeof President and head of the CommunistParty of China next year.During his time there, he went to thetown of Kongpo Nyintri region (Ch:Bagyi village) and met local people,encouraging them to “shunseparatism,” according to The Times ofIndia. He also met with top officials inthe area’s government and militaryofficials heading the Peoples’ LiberationArmy unit there, encouraging them tokeep advancing the development in theprefecture, to promote tourism, and toprotect the environment there.Before traveling to Nyintri county, Xiwas in Shigaste. Another Chineseofficial, ambassador to Nepal YangHoulan, said recently that Tibet has beentransformed from a place of feudalismand poverty to a place of civilization andprosperity.He claimed that since China’s“liberation” of Tibet, the economy andthe illiteracy rate have improved in Tibet.He also claimed the government of Chinafacilitated religious freedom and thepreservation of traditional culture, andthat environmental protection measures

had been put in place.China’s goal is to transform the nomadicland in Tibet into urbanized,industrialized land. Around 300 000families in Tibet, involving 1.43 millionnomads and farmers, were moved intonew or fixed settlement homes since2006.According to the so called regionalgovernment, another 185,000 families areexpected to move into new homes by2013. This vast initiative led by theChinese government has been criticizedby a bunch of associations as a threat tothe Tibetan nomadic culture.During his time in the capital of Tibet,Lhasa, Xi warned Buddhist monks tobreak with the so called "separatistforces." Speaking at the ancient Tibetan"Jokhang" temple in the capital -- thetemple where Buddhist monks staged aprotest in front of international reportersin 2008 -- Xi warned over a hundredmonks to stay in line with the 90-year-old communist Party."The Party and the government will notforget your positive contributions," Xi,who also ironically considers religion asa poison for social development, said,calling them to carry on the patriotic spiritand strive for Tibet's development andthe improvement of peoples' livingstandards.However, the Communist Partyleadership in Tibet has long beenchallenged with international criticisms.Many Tibetans bridle at Han Chinesecontrol and that resentment burst out inMarch 2008 with deadly crackdowns inthe capital Lhasa that spread to all otherparts of Tibet.

90-Year-Old Communist Party WarnsBuddhist Monks and Nuns


RFA Promotes Freedom ofExpression, 17th Karmapa

His Holiness the 17th Karmapa at RFAoffice on 15th July 2011. Photo: TPI

By The Tibet Post International

WASHINGTON, DC - On the heels ofthe spiritual leader of Tibet, HisHoliness the Dalai Lama's visit to RFAearlier in the week, His Holiness OgyenTrinley Dorjee, the 17th GyalwaKarmapa Rinpoche, Fridat, 15th Julyvisited RFA's headquarters inWashington, DC.During the Tibetan lama's visit, he metprivately with the news agency'sleadership, gave an interview to RFA'sTibetan service, and met with RFATibetan's language service staff. Hespoke about RFA's important role inits 15th anniversary year as abroadcaster for the Tibetan communityboth in Tibetan regions inside Chinaand around the world."It is something like a dream for me tobe physically present at Radio Free

Asia," the Karmapa said in his meetingwith RFA's Tibetan staff. "When I wasin Tibet and listened to RFA Tibetanservice programs, I wished that I couldpersonally meet you in person. I amextremely delighted to be presentamongst you in person.""Through the programs of the RFATibetan language service, theaudience both inside and outside Tibetare greatly benefited with theopportunity of receiving true storieson time for the Tibetan audience andothers who are interested, and youpromote freedom of expressionthrough your broadcasts," he said inhis address. "Your broadcasts are acrucial component for the Tibetancause."In his interview, the Karmapa said, "Iwas brought up in Tibet by listeningto RFA Tibetan programs.""You have completed 15 years of yourservice, and those 15 years signifyextremely remarkableaccomplishments," he stated.The Karmapa is the head the KarmaKagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. TheTibetan spiritual leader is inWashington with the Dalai Lama forthe 11-day Buddhist Kalachakra ritual,which concludes this week. Voice ofAmerica also interviewed the Karmapaon same day.

The Tibet Post10 30 July, 2011 Dharamsala TPI LHASA

The Tibet Post InternationalHimalayan Literacy Trust(Head Office)1st Floor, Exile HouseRoad, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, Distt.Kangra H.P 176219 India

Advicer Mr. Thomas KeimelAdvicer Dr. Vincent BrucelEditor in Chief Mr. YC. DhardhowaChinese Editor Ms. Keary HuangTibetan Editor Mr. Sangay DorjeeCircular Ven Phuntsok DhondupPublisher Mr. Tenzin KungaEditor, Tibet Post Europe Mr. James DunnReporter Ms. Pema Tso

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

E-mail: [email protected]

Contributors for this Editon

Keary Huang TaiwanCornelius Lundsgaard DenmarkMathew Singh Toor IndiaCarly Selby-James AustraliaColleen McKown USYC. Dhardhowa IndiaSangay Dorjee IndiaPema Tso India

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

Chinese Vice President Speaksin Capital of Tibet, Lhasa

Huge amount of Chinese military presencein Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Photo: File


Dharamshala: - Xi Jinping, the VicePresident of China, attended publicevents in Lhasa, the capital of TibetTuesady (19th July) to mark the socalled 60th Anniversary of the signingof the 1951 17-Point Agreement, whatChina refers to as the "peacefulliberation of Tibet."According to a statement by theInternational Tibet Network, Xi hasopened a new highway, visited TibetUniversity, and gone to a specialexhibition to meet with senior Tibetanleaders leading up to the events onTuesday.It is ironic, according to Tenzin Jigmeof the International Tibet Network,that while Xi Jinping is celebrating inLhasa, "Tibetans from Kham andAmdo, eastern Tibet are beingbrutally repressed-a part of life inoccupied Tibet that China is notshowcasing in its propagandaevents."Xi Jinping, China's heir apparent tothe presidency, indicated in a speechTuesday that he will continue withBeijing's current hardline stance onTibet.

Eight Monks Detained After RefusingCCP's 90th Anniv.

Pema Rinchen reading his book. Photo: Tibet Net

BELGIUM, 16th July 2011 - TheChinese authorities of Nangchencounty of eastern Tibet had organizedfestivities and games for July 1, inwhich virtually no-one participated. On12 July, to punish the rebellious monks,they imposed a course of "legaleducation" and immediately arrestedthe men, who refused to take part.According to Human Rights WithoutFrontiers International, a human rightsorganisation based in Brussels(Belgium), the communist authoritiesof the Autonomous Prefecture havearrested 8 Buddhist monks whorefused to participate in eventsorganized for the 90th anniversary ofthe founding of the Communist Party.Not even the local population took partin the celebrations, a sign that tensionin Tibet in on the rise.On 12th July 2011, police and somepolitical leaders in the Nangchencounty went to the monastery ofSurmang and announced to the menwere to attend a course on "LegalEducation". The "course" wasimposed after the monks' refusal toparticipate in the festivities planned on1st July, the anniversary of the CCP.Immediately after the announcement,8 monks - Karma Samten, Jigtak,Sherab, Gaya Tashi, Urgen Samten,Karma Soepa, Karma Monlam andDosam - distanced themselves,refusing to participate. For this theywere arrested and taken by force to theCounty Detention Center.These arrests demonstrate that theTibetan people will not bend to the

By The Tibet Post International

The traditional way of passing Buddhistknowledge down from teacher tostudent has been completely destroyedunder Chinese rule. He explained thathistorically, students from all over theHimalayan belt used to risk their livesto travel to Tibet to study.To illustrate the extent to which thispractice has been lost, he used theexample of the Karmapa, who came toTibetan refugee settlements in India tostudy because there were no qualifiedteachers in Tibet with whom he couldcontinue his studies.China also claims that while religiousabuses have taken place in the past inTibet, "unjust, false, and wrong caseshave been redressed in Tibet andreligious institutions have beenreinstated or established."Samphel said this claim has beenhistorically distorted. When given thefreedom to do so in 1980, he explained,Tibetans themselves spent their time,money, and resources to rebuild themonasteries. "They are taking the creditfor the Tibetan people," he said. "It ispartly true, but the interpretation istotally wrong."The system of education, historicallycentered in the Buddhist monasteriesand based on religion and culture, hasalso undergone a radical transformationunder Chinese rule. Despite China'sclaim that Tibetan is the language ofprimary instruction and the mainlanguage spoken throughout Tibet,

Samphel said that just last year, studentsin Amdo were protesting because ofincreasing restrictions on the use of theTibetan language.Citing another example, he said that onroad signs in Tibet, Chinese charactersare largely placed at the top with theTibetan smaller underneath. " So youknow which language has greaterpreference in the eyes of the Chineseauthorities," he said."Their statements do not conform to thereality seen and experienced by theTibetan people on a daily basis. Whatthey say and what they do in Tibet arevastly different," said Samphel.As for China's claims that they rescuedTibetan society from a backward,feudalistic society, he agreed that thefeudal society in Tibet was notcompletely just and perfect. However,he said, the Tibetan people did notexperience mass starvation or faminethe way other societies like China andIndia do. "The society functioned on amore egalitarian basis," he said.Drawing on a claim by His Holiness theDalai Lama, he also said that HisHoliness realized at a young age theimportance of government reform inTibet. The Central TibetanAdministration has undergone manyreforms in regard to democracy andmaking the voices of people heard. HisHoliness has said that without Chinesehelp, Tibetan society would havemoved forward.

Importance of non-censorshipReiterating the view that students aresent away from Tibet to India to learnabout Tibetan culture and language,Samphel said that much of the historythe students are taught in Tibetanschools is pure Chinese propaganda.The history textbooks, he told, tell theChinese communist perspective thatTibet has always been a part of Chinaand that the Tibetan people should begrateful to the Chinese for liberatingthem.It is not only the Tibetan children thatare taught this, he said, but children inschools throughout China. "ManyChinese scholars, after receivingeducation in China, go to the west andenjoy open, unfettered access to avariety of information and versions ofTibetan history. They are totallyshocked. They feel their governmenthas lied to them."Samphel said that His Holiness the DalaiLama has said that if governmentcensorship and distortion were to stopin China, the Chinese people would allagree that the Middle Way Approachwas reasonable.He emphasized that if the claims in theWhite Papers were true, then there wouldbe no reason for the government to issueWhite Papers claiming that they are. "Ifthings were really peaceful and bright,the whole world would acknowledge itand China would not have to waste time,energy, and resources."

Information Secretary Thupten Samphel: White Paper Full of Distortions

........Continues from Page No 2

in USA (1), to raise the awareness forthe suffering of Tibetans under Chineseoccupation, and against China's latestpropaganda drive in Tibet, so called the60th anniversary the "peacefulliberation" of Tibet (2).United Nations for a Free Tibet(UNFFT), with the participation ofAustralia Tibet Council, local Tibetcommunity and many other Tibetangroups, and even VietnameseCommunity in Qld., has organized a*Walk for Tibet in Australia* onSunday in honor of Jigme Norbu.UNFFT Campaigners said, "We* walkfor Tibet to raise awareness for thesuffering of Tibetans under Chineseoccupation. The Tibetans are beingmurdered, annihilated and their cultureand land entirely destroyed. Chinainvaded Tibet now more than 60 yearsago. Tibet never had been a part ofChina, and therefore China is unlawfullyin

Tibet.""Jigme Norbu, who had wanted to takehis Ambassadors for Peace to Australiaas he had told me, two days before hepassed away." said Brigitte Graefin vonBulow of the United Nations for a FreeTibet (UNFFT). "To keep the promisethe UNFFT made to partner with Jigmein Australia for his *walk for Tibet*, anddecided to walk for Tibet on July 24(Sunday) in the four cities in Australia,and fulfilling Jigme's wish."In Australia, Tibetans, Tibet supportersand Vietnamese Campaigners togetherhold the urgent campaign, which willtake place in Brisbane, Melbourne,Sydney, and Adelaide.Norbu, 45, was struck and killed by anSUV hours later as he walked along aFlorida highway. He had walked or biked7800 miles for Tibet on severalcontinents, and had just started his 20thwalk--and first in Florida--when he wasstruck and killed in the Hammock.

Walk for Tibet in Australia-Melbourne:A Freedom Campaign


Although His Holiness the Dalai Lamaand the Tibetan government in exilehave said that they simply want peaceand autonomy in their region, Xiviews the His Holiness the Dalai Lamaand his followers as violentseparatists, and says that Chinashould "completely smash any plot todestroy stability in Tibet andjeopardize national unity."Xi claimed that China has an ancientclaim on Tibet and that Tibetans are"part of the big family of China."According to Voice of America, Xi alsoindicated two other reasons Tibet maybe so valuable to the Chinese. Hecalled Tibet a "national securityscreen" for China, meaning that theregion is a barrier between China andpotential rival India. He said that theTibetan plateau is a major source ofresources for China.Tibet rights groups have beenscrutinizing Xi's behavior to determineif Tibet policy will change at all underhis leadership.Tuesday was the first time Xi hadspoken at legnth about Tibetanissues. Some Tibetans and Tibetactivists have hope because Xi'sfather, Xi Zhongxun, knew the 10thPanchen Lama well and also knew HisHoliness the Dalai Lama."So the big question for us is," saidReynolds, "will Ji Jinping turn out tobe his father's son? Will he show thathe has any empathy for the Tibetanpeople at all?"The International Tibet Network callson Xi to "genuinely engage with theexiled Tibetan government and allowthe people of Tibet the freedom todetermine their own future."

repression imposed by Beijing in Tibet.The central government first tried tocajole the monks, providing donationsand funds for the "faithful"monasteries, but when this move did

not work it began to arrest all thosewho oppose it. According to someestimates, from 2008 to today therehave been more than 3 thousandarrests.

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