Tibetan Headlines
May 8: Calligraphy Day
Tibetan Calligraphy Day, a new holiday, has been launched by students and teachers at Qinghai Minority College in Qinghai Privince, Northeastern Tibet. It was celebrated for the first time on April 30 following the first International Tibetan Calligraphy Conference held in April and aims to celebrate the different styles of Tibetan writing and celebrate Tibetan literature.
May 6: Animals Slaughtered
A group of Tibetans in Sichuan province have been briefly detained and then released after trying to prevent thousands of poultry and rabbits infected with H7N9 avian flu from being killed. The Tibetans had bought the animals as, according to Tibetan religious belief, saving animals from slaughter is a beneficial form of spiritual practice and animals that have been saved should never then be killed.
May 6: Tibetan Flag Banned
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has refused to allow the Tibetan flag to be carried in the Parade of Nations Procession during its commencement ceremony. Kalsang Nangpa, a Tibetan student at the university and SFT leader, sought permission but was turned down – as was her brother two years ago – because Tibet is not recognised as a country by the US Department of State.
May 5: Best Academic Award
Tenzin Saldon, a Tibetan girl who recently attained her bachelor's degree in dental science from ITS Dental College and Research Institute in Greater Noida, was awarded the Best Academic Award from India’s union minister for culture and tourism, Sri Mahesh Sharma. Saldon completed her degree thanks to a partial scholarship from the Central Tibetan Administration and was also a recipient of a scholarship for the Tibetan Children’s Village school.
May 5: Book Launch
Former Tibetan Prime Minister Prof Samdhong Rinpoche has launched a Tibetan translation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s autobiography, Freedom in Exile. Tenzin Sherab, the translator of the book explained that as a Tibetan, it is important to know what is written in it and secondly, it is a well-balanced book touching various topics. At the launch in Dharamsala, Rinpoche talked of HH the 14th Dalai Lama’s accomplishments, describing them as incomparable.
May 4: Protestor’s Towns Harassed
Chinese paramilitary police teams have been deployed in both Kardze and Nyagrong county in the Kardze prefecture in reaction to two recent two self-immolations. Community members have been called to attend patriotic re-education workshops, one source stating that even monks are being forced to sign promises never to take part in anti-China protests. Community member’s online communications are still being closely monitored.
May 4: Released Early
Jampal, 45, was released in poor health from Baiyin prison near China’s Gansu province on April 30. He was arrested for his role in the protests that swept across Tibetan regions in 2008, but was freed three years before the end of his 13-year prison term. Jampal comes from Nangma Tsangkor Village of Machu County’s Tserima Township. He was taken into custody on March 14, 2008 and was later sentenced.
May 3: New Term for Sikyong
The Kashag (Cabinet) of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, officially known as Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), has agreed to use the American English term “President” to describe Sikyong. The secretary of the Cabinet told Phayul news that because there is no uniformly accepted title in English for Sikyong, the matter was discussed in a cabinet meeting and the decision was made to use President.
May 2: Protestor Dies
Tsewang Kyab, an elderly man who led protests against Chinese mining operations in Amchok Sangchu county in Tibet has died, reportedly in connection with beatings he sustained at the hands of the police. He was severely beaten in June last year and then held, during which time he was rushed to hospital for treatment of his injuries. He was in poor health when released five days later.
May 2: Woman Released
Tsedrup Kyi, 32, has been released after serving a four year prison sentence for links to a self-immolation in December 2012 by Lobsang Gendun, and trying to prevent the police from seizing his remains following his protest. While in prison she spent a year in hospital and has been asked to pay back the cost of her treatment there – 30,000 yuan [$4,400 / £3,400].
May 2: Monk Rearrested
Khedrup, a monk in his 50s who is also a traditional medicine doctor, has been rearrested in Mura town in Gansu’s Machu county in the Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Khedrup was originally detained for sending videos of the self-immolation protest by Tashi Rabten to the international media in December last year. He was beaten and tortured in detention before being released in January.
May 1: Released From Prison
Choktrin Gyatso, 44, a monk from Tsang monastery, has been released a year before completing his 10-year prison term in northwestern China’s Qinghai province. He was jailed in 2008 for his role in the widespread protests that year in Tibet. The Tibetan political prisoners association, Gu Ju Sum, reported that he was released on April 15 and they have no special concerns as appears to be in good health.
Apr 27: Indian International Prize
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Professor ML Sondhi Prize for International Politics in recognition of his “an outstanding contribution, relevant to India, to the theory or practice of international politics”. Particularly noted was His Holiness’s Five Point Peace Plan and Tibet’s potential role as a buffer state, a zone of peace, between India and China.
Apr 25: Trading Vision
The Tibetan Chamber of Commerce, at its 12th Annual General Body meeting in McLeod Ganj, discussed plans to set up business ties and associations across the border with Tibet, saying it would give “an opportunity and also a path to reach out to our fellow Tibetan businessmen inside Tibet”. Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, leader of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, urged members to remember their tagline “Business with Ethics”.
Apr 25: Book Launch
A new book by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje has been launched. In the book, Interconnected: Embracing Life in Our Global Society, which is published by Simon and Schuster India/Wisdom Publications, the Karmapa outlines his vision for a global society that truly reflects the interdependence that is now becoming widely recognised, and shows a way forward to enact that vision.