Tibetan Headlines
Jul 15: Monk Sentenced
Ven Tenzin Lhundup, a scholar at Gom Gongsar Monastery has been sentenced to eight years in prison. He was detained last year while speaking in public on the “status of Tibetan language and nationality” in Shagchu, Diru County. He is accused of engaging in “anti-governmental activities” and of being one of the protesters against mining activities at Ngalha Dzamba. Lhundup’s family have only just traced him to Lhasa.
Jul 14: Demonstrators Shot
Thousands of Tibetans have gathered to demonstrate and protest about the death of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche in a Chinese prison. In Nyachuka County in Karze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Chinese police opened fire on the crowd and threw teargas shells. 15 people, five of them elderly, sustained serious gunshot wounds. Security forces are now deployed in the area and movement is restricted.
Jul 13: The Biggest Flag
A 100 foot high hot air balloon flying the largest Tibetan flag in the world has been launched and will fly around the world to raise attention and funds for Tibet support groups. It was blessed by the Most Venerable Jamyang Tashi Dorje Rinpoche, and given the Tibetan Buddhist name, Tashi Yeltsen. “Tashi” was the brainchild of two individuals who worked with British Tibetan organisations
Jul 12: Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, 65, a well respected and revered Tibetan monk who was serving a life sentence has died in prison. He was known to be in extremely poor health with a serious heart condition for which he allegedly received no treatment, and rights groups worldwide were campaigning for his release after what they believe was a wrongful conviction on a bombing charge.
Jul 12: Woman Arrested
Tashi Kyi, 20, was arrested on July 2 in Meruma Town, Ngaba County in eastern Tibet. It is suspected that her arrest is related to the celebrations last month’s for the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday. Kyi has never been to school and helps her parents, Monu and Tsering Kyi, with chores for their nomadic lifestyle. News of her arrest has only just emerged, and it is not known where she is currently being held.
Jul 11: Criminal Procedings
The Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, is to have a three-year old case against him reopened and criminal proceedings will commence against him. In 2011 a large sum of money was found in the Karmapa’s monastery, although he was cleared and the case dropped when investigation revealed that he had no control over donations received by the trust from global devotees.
Jul 10: Trulshik Rinpoche
Ngawang Tenzin Choekyi Lodoe Rabsel, a Tibetan boy born in Nepal, has been recognised by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of one of his teachers and former head of Nyingma, the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The previous Trulshik Rinpoche was born in Lho Talung, Tibet in 1923. Later, in exile, he established Nepal's largest monastery, Thupten Choling. He died in July 2011.
Jul 10: Successful Campaigning
Giant hoardings defaming the Dalai Lama that had been erected in New York City by followers of Shugden have been taken down. Tibetan groups, including Students for a Free Tibet and the Tibetan Youth Congress lobbied to get the hoardings removed from outside the Javits Convention Centre where His Holiness is due to give a talk. Shugden followers denigrate the Dalai Lama at every opportunity.
Jul 9: New Threat for Tibetans
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has expressed deep concern about the human rights implications of a new Chinese National Security law. “This law raises many concerns due to its extraordinarily broad scope coupled with the vagueness of its terminology and definitions.” Zeid said that it will lead “to even tighter control of civil society…than there is already.”
Jul 8: TYC Scholarship
The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence for Tibet organisation, has launched an annual scholarship of INR20,000. The award is dedicated to HH the Dalai Lama on his 80th birthday and to express gratitude for his leadership. The first recipient is Denzom, 22, from TCV Selakui. The TYC promotes Tibetan language education as a means of preserving the Tibetan identity.
Jul 8: US Congress Resolution
The United States Congress House of Representatives has passed a unanimous resolution calling on China “for substantive dialogue, without preconditions, in order to address Tibetan grievances and secure a negotiated agreement for the Tibetan people”. The resolution also honoured His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 80th birthday. A Congressman said the Dalai Lama has shown that democratic institutions can thrive alongside spiritual leadership.
Jul 6: Kashag Statement
On this day of worldwide celebrations of His Holiness's 80th birthday, the Kashag, or Cabinet, of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, has made a statement on behalf of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. The statement expresses deep reverence to His Holiness and prays for his long life, and reaffirms Tibetans’ unwavering loyalty and devotion to him. It pays tribute to him as “rare and esteemed leader”.
Jul 5: China’s “Panchen Lama”
Gyaltsen Norbu has made a statement from Beijing backing “national unity” and saying he will strive to meet the Communist Party's expectations. He was named by China as the Panchen Lama, to replace the incarnation of the Panchen Lama recognised by the Dalai Lama who was abducted by Chinese authorities. Gyaltsen Norbu is considered by Tibetans to be a fake who is used by China for propaganda purposes.
Jul 4: Postage Stamp
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is featured on a new postage stamp in Germany. The stamp is a product of the German Postal Services and is to honour His Holiness and to celebrate his 80th birthday. It was created by the International Campaign for Tibet and is valued at 62 cents.
Jul 3: Four Sentenced
Sonam Dharwang, Lhawang and Tsering Lhadrup, three businessmen from Kado village in Chonyi township in the restive Driru county, have been sentenced to eight years each in prison after being detained for allegedly refusing to fly the Chinese flag. Tenzin Kalsang, 25, a poet and a native of Sakar village, also in Chonyi, was sentenced to seven years in prison, he had written a book which was denied publication.