Tibetan Headlines
May 20: Karmapa in UK
Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, the 17th Karmapa, is in the United Kingdom for the first time, giving a series of teachings in London. The Karmapa, who fled Tibet in 2000, said “We have had a strong Dharma connection with Britain from the time of the 16th Karmapa”. His predecessor, the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, was one of the first Tibetan religious teachers to propagate Buddhism in the west.
May 19: Tibet Museum Day
To celebrate International Museum Day, the Tibet Museum, a department of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) based in Dharamshala, organised a two-day event inaugurated by Dr Lobsang Sangye, the President of the CTA. The event included a tour of the museum, talks and lectures on Tibetan history, culture, the global significance of the Tibetan plateau, gender equality, the 11th Panchen Rinpoche and movie screenings on Tibet.
May 19: Detained Again
Soepa and Drolma Tso, who are the parents of Chagdor Kyab, the 16 year old student who self-immolated at Bora Monastery in Gansu on May 2, have again been detained. Along with their daughter they were detained, questioned and then released following their son’s protest. Kyab's sister was ill in bed and was not taken this time. There is concern about how Soepa and Drolma Tso are being treated.
May 18: Polygraph tests
The Chinese state media has reported that in eastern Tibet officials are required to undergo a polygraph test as part of an evaluation of their political loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This is interpreted as part of the stepping-up of surveillance and restrictions, and comes on the heels of the recent revelation that some CCP officials are donating money to HH the Dalai Lama.
May 18: Abduction Remembered
People in Dharamshala have been marking the anniversary of the abduction of the six year old 11th Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, in Tibet 22 years ago by Chinese authorities. The event included performance of a skit and a peace march and vigil. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy released a report Inevitable Imprisonment: Arbitrary Detention and its Effects on the Exercise of Universal Rights in Tibet.
May 17: US Support
The United States congressional leaders who have just visited India and Nepal held a press conference on their return to Washington DC, and spoke of their support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his work. Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke of “the brutal conduct of the Chinese government” and said “The situation in Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world”.
May 16: Health Initiative
A six-day training programme for health workers based at branch clinics in Tibetan settlements in north and northeast India and Delhi is underway. The programme is an initiative of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile’s Department of Health and includes training in field visits, data recording and reporting. The programme is funded by USAID through the New York based Tibet Fund.
May 15: Congratulations From His Holiness
His Holiness the Dalai Lama congratulated President elect Moon Jae-in of South Korea for his victory in the election. HH wrote that today world is going through a challenging time and, “peace and security seem under threat in many places. We take courage from the strength of democracy in the Republic of Korea.” HH wished President-elect every success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead.
May 13: Buddha’s Teachings
Prakash Javadekar, the Indian Minister for Human Resource Development announced that the Buddha’s teachings will be included in all the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks. “Teachings of Gautama Buddha are ideas of life (Jeevan ke Vichar). We will definitely include Buddha in our curriculum, as his teachings give a right direction to life,” he said.
May 12: Meeting the PM
The United State House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who led an American Bipartisan Congressional Delegation visit to Dharamshala earlier this week, has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said they “expressed our gratitude to…India for hosting HH the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, and for the support of Tibetans living in India”.
May 11: Parents Targeted
The parents of Chagdor Kyab, the boy who self-immolated in Bora township in Gansu on May 2, are reported as having restrictions imposed on them by the authorities. They are not allowed to invite monks to the house to hold prayer services for their son, nor to have visits from relatives and friends, reports Radio Free Asia.
May 11: Tibetan Flag Removed
The University of East Anglia in England removed the Tibetan Flag from a display at an event to promote global diversity. When Chinese students complained that both the Tibetan and Taiwanese flags were undermining China’s sovereignty the student union apologised and removed the Tibetan flag. The Taiwan flag was not taken down as there were Taiwanese students to lobby for it to remain.
May 10: US Delegation in Dhasa
An eight member delegation from the United States Congress, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has arrived for a two day visit to Dharamshala. They have met HH the Dalai Lama and visited Tibetan Children’s Village school. Meetings with leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration and other civic leaders from the Tibetan community are lined up as well as a public event in the presence of His Holiness.
May 10: Self-Immolator Released
Lobsang Gyatso, 24, a monk who self-immolated five years ago in Sichuan has been released after serving his full prison term. He staged his protest in February 2012 in Ngaba; he survived but was taken into custody and beaten. Radio Free Asia reports a local source as saying he had been “subjected to extreme torture and harassment”. There is no news of Gyatso’s health at the moment.
May 9: Monk Detained
Gonpo, a Tibetan monk in his early forties has been detained on suspicion of spreading news of the recent self-immolation to the outside world. Gonpo is a monk at Oephung monastery in Kardze prefecture’s Nyagrong county in Sichuan. Radio Free Asia reports that he is known for his patriotism and dedication. There is no news of his whereabouts or wellbeing.