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By: Ringzin Tsomo

DHARAMSALA, INDIA – The past few months have not been easy for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has had to cancel a number of meetings and appearances citing exhaustion. Today, His Holiness announced an indefinite leave of absence from his public engagements.

Since the news broke in 2016 that the Dalai Lama was receiving treatment in the famed Mayo Clinic in the United States, observers around the world have taken a keen interest in the Dalai Lama’s health. With this latest news, Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhists everywhere are understandably worried for the aging Tibetan leader and the state of his health, and questions are invariably being asked as to what could have been done to prevent this.

What people want to know is if His Holiness’ cited fatigue is the result of years of abuse, neglect and exploitation from Dharamsala. For 82 years, they have relied on His Holiness for spiritual and secular guidance, and to see them through their darkest and most difficult days.

When His Holiness went into exile in 1959, he was just a few months shy of his 23^rd birthday yet was carrying the burden of the entire Tibetan nation on his young shoulders. The succeeding years did not become easier, as the young ruler had to re-establish his people in exile, and make all efforts to secure their welfare. He was also responsible for initiating negotiations for their future and a possible return to their homeland. How many other young adults in the world can say they have been thrust into such a position, to bear so much responsibility at such an age?

As decades in exile passed by, the Tibetan leadership flat-out refused to take up the mantle of responsibility and to grow into a mature, transparent and effective democratic government. Instead, they chose to leave His Holiness traversing the course of the globe for six decades, to raise funds and awareness for his people. Meanwhile, Tibetan elected officials stayed comfortable at home, choosing to descend into the swamp of politicking, constant infighting and petty bickering.

The news of His Holiness relinquishing his public appearances will no doubt greatly worry the Tibetan public, as they too have pinned their hopes on the Dalai Lama since entering into exile. That they will be worried is extremely telling, not just because they love the Dalai Lama but also because it expresses their lack of confidence in the CTA to replace him.

No doubt we wish His Holiness well and a speedy recovery. But even more than that, we wish that the Tibetan leadership would stop being so reliant on the Dalai Lama who, after eight decades of serving sentient beings, should now be given time to rest. A leader of the Dalai Lama’s secular and spiritual caliber should not be traveling the world begging for funds. A leader of His Holiness’s stature should be in Dharamsala, comfortable and in retreats, receiving audiences with world leaders who come to see him while his government takes care of everything else.

But centuries of blind obedience to a singular ruler has created an unthinking, unexposed leadership who become paralyzed at the thought of having to do anything for themselves, and having to make any decisions on their own. Instead, whenever it is inconvenient for them to decide for themselves, they fall back on centuries’ old habits – to consult with the Nechung Oracle, or to defer to the Dalai Lama’s decisions.

But now that the Dalai Lama will no longer be as accessible, what will the Tibetan leadership do? Now that His Holiness is resting and will no longer travel to drum up support for the Tibetans in the foreseeable future, everything will hinge on the Tibetan leadership. Whether they make it or not, and whether they keep up the momentum and support for their works in His Holiness’ absence will be entirely up to them. Whether or not they succeed will be entirely up to them. All of it lies in the hands of the CTA now, all of it.

The Original Article

Source: https://www.voanews.com/a/dalai-lama-appoints-personal-emissaries/4118315.html. Click to read the full report.

As they queue to vote, these women proudly brandish their green tax receipt books which identify them as being eligible to vote in the elections. But with so few choices of candidates who are always the same year after year, and are always plucked from the establishment, are they really participating in any kind of real democratic process?

It has been a turbulent few years for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership), fraught which many exposes about their behavior and lack of concern for their own population. It is a view that is rapidly picking up steam amongst the Tibetan community

These are the facts:

• There are never any new viable candidates in the elections. It is always the same names who sit in the positions of donjo (His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s representative), chithue (parliamentarian), kalon (cabinet minister) or Sikyong (Prime Minister). What is more shocking is that even though they serve the people, their appointment into many of these positions is never put to a vote nor does it ever require the approval of the populace.
• What is more sad is that they rotate amongst themselves. When Penpa Tsering, an alleged murderer, was done being Speaker of the Parliament and lost in the Sikyong campaign to Lobsang Sangay, he was assigned to become the donjo of North America (His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s representative of North America)

Penpa Tsering (left) and Lobsang Sangay (right).Both were forced to apologize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for a ‘decline in morality’ after they engaged in mud-slinging and dirty tactics during the 2016 Sikyong elections. If these are the two only viable candidates for the leader of the Tibetan people, what does it say for the community’s future?

• How come there is such a dearth of leaders within the Tibetan community? Is it because the population is not capable of producing or nurturing more leaders? Or is it because the leadership stifles growth and does not want to allow new people to rise as leaders, because it will hamper the lucrative potential to line their own pockets as a result of holding their positions? In the case of the 2016 Sikyong race, there was a new candidate, the popular Lukar Jam Atsock. He was however, quickly dispatched by a mid-election manipulation of the rules
• Whatever the real reason, it is sad that even when incumbents run in the competition, they have to mud-sling to win. It got so bad that even the Dalai Lama showed his displeasure by ignoring the candidates at the airport when he arrived back from his travels, and the gods chastized them in public
• You never see people rushing to work in the CTA. With the exception of perhaps Dhardon Sharling, the Tibetan leadership is populated by the establishment who have been in politics for decades. You never hear kids saying they grow up dreaming to work in their government in the same way American kids say “when I grow up, I want to be President of the United States”

Kaydor Aukatsang

• Is it because the CTA is essentially an old boys’ club with only aristocratic families allowed to join? Kaydor Aukatsang, for example, the former North American representative of the Dalai Lama, comes from a prominent family which has spawned many other politicians in the Tibetan leadership
• Or perhaps it is because no one actually wants to work in the CTA. While you often see young Tibetans rushing to the West or trying to establish some sort of hip hop career for themselves, you will not see people within the Tibetan community saying they want to work for the Tibetan leadership. Again, while you will see young Tibetans joining international NGOs fighting for the so-called Tibetan cause, you will not see young Tibetans flocking to join the CTA itself. But if they were really passionate about the Tibetan community and their people, would it not be logical for them to want to work at the center of it all i.e. at Gangchen Kyishong in Dharamsala where the Parliament and government is based? Why join an outside group to work for Tibet when the CTA should be the one applying sufficient pressure on foreign governments to support them?
• Maybe subconsciously Tibetan youth realize there is not much there in Dharamsala for them so why waste their time?

In which case, if even the youth of Tibet do not clamor to work for the CTA, it does not say much for the future of Tibetan democracy. If no one says they want to be a leader, and the establishment does not encourage leadership qualities, what will happen when the Tibetans no longer have His Holiness the Dalai Lama to rely on? When Lobsang Sangay completes his term, what lies in store for the Tibetan people? Will Lobsang Sangay be the leader in perpetuity, or will a new face be allowed to rise? Or will the Tibetans have Penpa Tsering to fall back on?

The fact choices and options for leaders are so limited within the Tibetan community is the antithesis of what it means to be a democracy. But is it any surprise when everyone knows that the CTA has never really been a democracy? What we now know for sure is that it will never be a democracy and whatever they say about being one is a pipe dream they have and will never come to realize. Scariest still is the uncertain future that lies ahead for the community which at the end of the day, is being left to the whims and fancies of a leadership who never has (and never will) care about them.

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

Yet another life has been tragically lost in the name of the Tibetan cause. This latest casualty came in the wake of the Swiss government’s recent rejection of 300 Tibetan asylum seekers and dictum for them to leave the country.

In a grisly act of protest, 32-year-old Tashi Namgyal lay down on the railway track between Lucerne’s Emmenbrücke and Olten stations in the early hours of 7^th September 2017, willing himself to be fatally run over by an oncoming train. He reportedly left behind two letters, one addressed to the United Nations and the other to the Swiss government. Not only did both letters specifically carry his appeals for the plight of Tibetans in exile, but they also conveyed his overwhelming sense of helplessness, disappointment and frustration for his fellow countrymen.

The scene of Tashi Namgyal’s unfortunate suicide

Some might single out the Swiss government as the culprit, claiming that this tragedy could have been averted if they had been more compassionate and more accommodating to Tibetan asylum seekers. However, blaming the Swiss government is oversimplifying the problem and overlooking its root cause.

First of all, the Swiss government does not owe anything to the Tibetans refugees in exile. It has every right to decide whom to allow into its borders and whom to reject. It has acted within its own laws and to condemn them for rejecting Tibetan asylum seekers is to allow the real culprit, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), to yet again, cop out of its responsibilities.

In truth, this drastic form of protest is the result of the mounting frustration and desperation of Tibetans refugees caused by the broken promises of the CTA. From the ultimate promise of a return to their homeland to the interim assurances of improving the welfare of Tibetans in exile, CTA has clearly delivered none.

Negotiations with China have been at a stalemate for quite a while, with minimum traction to date. Instead of working hard to bring China back to the negotiation table, the CTA is more interested in explaining the lack of progress by conveniently blaming it all on China’s policies. This approach not only reflects the CTA’s typical irresponsible nature, but is also an insult to the people’s intelligence as there are many more avenues which the CTA can explore.

For instance, the CTA has done nothing to address China’s lack of trust in their sincerity in relations to the negotiations. This is obviously a major stumbling block, yet the CTA has illogically been making the situation worse by antagonising China, constantly painting it to the world at large as a sinister government abusing its power and using its money unscrupulously to get what it wants.

There has also been no proper post mortem to explore more effective ways to engage China nor any proper re-evaluation of the CTA’s strategy in dealing with the Chinese government. In other words, the Tibetan leadership is more preoccupied with justifying its ineffective policies and dealings with Chinese leaders rather than addressing them.

The sad truth is that, as long as there are Tibetans who keep sacrificing their lives for the Tibetan cause, the CTA will continue to have a convenient excuse to deflect attention away from their incompetence.

Another crucial factor prompting great frustration for the Tibetans in exile is their economic hardship. In this regard, saying that the CTA fail to pass muster is clearly an understatement. After all these years, not only has the Tibetan leadership failed to steer the Tibetan refugee community into self-sustainability, they have also failed to create tangible improvements in their social and economic welfare to date. Exile Tibetans living in Dharamsala are pretty much no better off now than how they were when they first fled Tibet, despite decades of generous donations and monetary aid channelled to the CTA for the Tibetan people.

Tashi Namgyal (front, center) during happier days

Thus, for many exile Tibetans, applying for asylum overseas becomes their only shot at building a better life and escaping the mire that is the Tibetan refugee community. As such, it is not difficult to see why even Tibetan youths such as the late Tashi Namgyal and the late Tenzin Choeying would feel dejected and disheartened to the point of employing extreme measures as a last resort to draw attention to the plight of Tibetans in exile.

Perhaps they were hoping to emulate the success of Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian street vendor whose self-immolation culminated in the end of dictatorship in Tunisia. Or perhaps they were trying to follow in the footsteps of Thich Quang Duc, the Vietnamese monk whose self-immolation eventually stopped the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government and toppled their rule.

Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that these self-inflicted Tibetan deaths have failed to effectuate any geopolitical changes. In fact, the ineffectiveness of the self-immolations as a means to advance the Tibetan cause is painfully obvious yet, for some reason, the CTA has elected not to condemn or speak against these sacrificial acts to prevent future incidents.

If the CTA truly cared for its people, why would they allow these rising suicides to be left unchecked? Clearly, the Tibetan leadership is in a position to curtail them, given their ability to browbeat Dorje Shugden practitioners into giving up their religious beliefs, turning those who refuse into social pariahs, turning the tables on Rangzen supporters and causing the violent ostracization of Lukar Jam. Given their influence and sway on their people, the CTA is more than able to bring an end to future suicides, if they wanted to.

Driven by an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and frustration, the late Tashi Namgyal undertook the most drastic form of individual protest to draw attention to the plight of his fellow Tibetans.

The hard truth is that the Tibetan leadership’s non-action has resulted in yet another loss of a young Tibetan life, and this time not under the so-called “oppression” of China but in the peaceful and democratic environs of Switzerland. Blame for the anguish and loss suffered by Tashi Namgyal’s family lies directly at the CTA’s doorstep.

Furthermore, the CTA’s on-going refusal to curb the rising spate of suicides in the name of the Tibetan cause will not only affect the reputation of Tibetans refugees around the world, but possibly spur even more countries to think twice before letting another Tibetan asylum seeker into their borders.

Given these circumstances, it logically goes to say that there must be truth in the allegations that the CTA actually condones these sacrifices. After all, since they are financially benefitting from increased foreign aid after every case of self-immolation, it is not a stretch to conclude that the Tibetan leaders are incentivised to remain quiet.

At the end of the day, the shock and outrage which ensues with each loss of Tibetan life conveniently allows the CTA to keep the Tibetan dream alive with very little effort on their part. From this perspective, it is no wonder that the Tibetan leadership is more interested in glorifying Tibetans who self-immolate by holding memorial services, lighting candles, calling them martyrs of the Tibetan cause and erecting statues to commemorate past self-immolations than to call for a cessation of such grisly suicides. Why? Because it would mean that they would actually have to put time and effort into doing what they were elected to do – to give the Tibetan people a better life.

The Original Article

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The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Ashok Rao

R K Sinha, Member of Parliament representing Bihar

After having received the kindness of India for over six decades, there is still no sign of reciprocity from the Tibetans. This fact is now being highlighted by the Indians themselves from the highest level, from members of the Indian Parliament, and the article below is strong evidence of this. It was authored by RK Sinha, journalist and member for the Indian parliament representing Bihar, a state in northern India with a sizable Tibetan population. Mr Sinha’s article reflects the growing frustration of the Indians who are now speaking up and asking tough but fair questions – why aren’t the Tibetans or the Dalai Lama speaking up over matters relating to India? Originally published on the website of the English-language Indian newspaper, The Statesman, it was also reposted on the Tibetan news site Tibet Sun. The questions Sinha raised therefore are not just limited to Tibetophiles, but are ones that are being raised on a national level in India, amongst Indians themselves.

Under specific scrutiny is the current border dispute between China and India. On this topic, Sinha asks the obvious question: why is the Dalai Lama not saying anything about the situation, given that the Tibetans lost their country to the very nation that now stands armed at India’s very doorstep? This doorstep is the area of Doklam lying between China and India, an area contested by both countries. Tensions have been rising in the area as both countries have sent their armed forces to patrol their borders.

Having been welcomed into India with open arms, the Tibetans have been markedly absent in aiding their host country. Compounding the issue is the fact that the Tibetan leadership are particularly at fault for the current situation between India and China, as another point of contention between the two countries. First the Tibetans sought refuge in India and did not remain in Tibet, and secondly they have since campaigned for a free Tibet, much to the ire of the Chinese who claim Tibet is an integral part of China.

Thus China has views the Tibetans in exile as dissidents, and this has caused tension between the two world superpowers of India and China. Given this history it is fair that the Indians would be asking a genuine question – why aren’t the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans speaking up about the issue, or helping in any way, given all the help and aid afforded to them by India over the years? Why are the Tibetan leadership staying silent, when the Indian government have stuck their neck out for the Tibetans time and time again, thus risking their own people.

The Tibetans should really take note of such sentiment from the Indians and be wary. Their silence surrounding Indian issues is not going unnoticed, quite the opposite in fact. Since more Indians are becoming aware of this, the Tibetans should be doing their all to keep India on their good side, otherwise their generous hosts may just turn around and become unfriendly. If the Tibetans continue to be so arrogant in their relationship with China, they may find themselves with fewer supporters for their cause, fewer supporters in parliament, and a less glowing public opinion of Tibetans. Once that happens the Tibetans will really be in a quandary, their refugee status could be revoked or heavy sanctions could be imposed on them. At the moment, all that is asked of them is simple support for India, the country that took them in when they had nothing.

Why is the Dalai Lama silent?

Click on image to read the full report

Source: https://www.tibetsun.com/elsewhere/2017/07/25/why-is-the-dalai-lama-silent

The original article from The Statesman

Click on image to read the full report

Source: http://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/why-is-the-dalai-lama-silent-1500930385.html

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Jangchup Wangmo

On July 14, 2017, the Tibetan Prime Minister Sikyong Lobsang Sangay visited the Central University of Tibetan Studies (CUTS) in Varanasi, India. Varanasi is known throughout the world to be an intellectual powerhouse; many of India’s political and philosophical greats spent time there studying or teaching.

For many students, this visit has become memorable and regardless of who you ask, it is mostly for the wrong reasons. The Sikyong’s visit to the university was marked by two incidents. The first was news that a 20-year-old CUTS student, Tenzin Choeying, had attempted to self-immolate. Saying that it was for the Tibetan cause, he also made it a point to state it was not the Prime Minister’s fault and that he was doing a good job. This statement however, has drawn doubt and ire from many quarters of the Tibetan community, who question why he even felt the need to utter a statement like that. If someone is doing a good job, if there is no possibility of them being blamed for it, then there would be no reason to bring it up at all. Sadly, the Tibetan community lost another brother when Choeyingla finally succumbed to his injuries six days later, with 90% burns all over his body.

This young man asked three questions of the Sikyong. It was a very brave move considering students at the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) School in Dharamsala had previously suffered an interrogation session after they questioned their Prime Minister too. Or perhaps being young and not an adult protects him to a certain degree, since Tibetan adults who have spoken their minds have frequently found themselves on the receiving end of violent repercussions for doing so.

The second incident that has been said to have marred Sikyongla’s visit is when students had an opportunity to question their Prime Minister. One young man in particular, stepped up to the podium and asked the Prime Minister some tough but fair questions. This is not the first time the Sikyong has had to field such questions from the youth. In 2014, while visiting the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) in Dharamsala, teenagers questioned the Sikyong’s policies and actions towards Dorje Shugden worship.

Instead of being rewarded for fair and open-minded thinking, the TCV students were hauled up in front of the authorities and interrogated as to why they had questioned the Sikyong in such a manner. Imagine if the leader of any other democratic nation did that to their children, and the kind of uproar that would ensue. Imagine the uproar that would ensue if former US President Barack Obama arranged for students to be interrogated each time they asked him difficult questions at town hall meetings. In a real democratic country, bullying and intimidating the youth would never be accepted. Yet, under the Tibetan regime, this is commonplace to the point it takes place without question.

How the Tibetan leadership trains their people to treat freedom of speech. Instead of respecting the rights of Dorje Shugden protesters to campaign against the ban, the Tibetan leadership tries to keep them out of sight with large black banners. Whether or not you agree with the practice is not the point. The point here is that if the Tibetan leadership was really a democratic government, they would encourage all forms of free speech, regardless of whether the content is flattering for them or if the views do not match theirs.

This latest incident at CUTS however, proves that when exposed to more and different sources of information, Tibetan youths are just as capable as any other nation’s youths in arriving at logical conclusions and asking the right questions. They just need to be given a chance to learn about everything and anything without repercussions, and not be penalized each time they want to explore other avenues of thought or viewpoints, as their elders so often experience. For Tibetan adults like Lukar Jam and Jamyang Norbu, they know all too well the price a Tibetan pays for speaking their mind, and for speaking the truth, especially if that truth has not been sanctioned by the leadership. Vandalized property, being run out of the settlements, being dangerously labelled as anti-Dalai Lama and anti-Tibet, and having a smear campaign launched against you is just a start.

Translation

That student says that “I have many questions but I am going to ask my three main questions to Sikyong. With great respect, my first question is to Sikyong that a few years ago, I think I heard from Radio Free Asia that you said, “I went to all the [Tibetan] settlements, to all the universities but I’ve never been to Varanasi [University].” So, today you are here. Are you complete now?

My second question is that it seems like you [Sikyong] are interested in external territories more than internal territories. You go abroad to many places for Tibet’s projects and therefore you are like Samdhong Rinpoche, and that is affecting and harming our internal territory. So what I wanted to tell you is, a few months ago, there was a meeting between the Parliament and the Sikyong and many other members about the serious topic of Tibet. All the members and you yourself are chosen by the public.

The public has hopes in and believes all of you to be good members of parliament. That is why the public voted for you and put you all in this position. So the public were watching that meeting but in the meeting, members of Parliament were so disrespectful to each other. Some were sleeping while others were speaking. Some people just walked away. Even you walked away during meeting and I saw that in the video. That’s what I found is very disrespectful to others as well as to the public, who support you to be their leader.

Third, in brief, you previously said that you will invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Potala Palace. Now you have four years left [to the end of your term]. When will you invite His Holiness to the Potala Palace? Do you have any plans for this?”

For those who are familiar with the Tibetan language, they will immediately recognize the humor present in the young man’s style of questioning the Sikyong. While he is using very honorific words and phrases to address the Prime Minister, his questions themselves are very direct and tough, to the point of almost being rude. But because the young man makes light of his three questions in order to lift the mood, he is able to continue asking them although viewers can see clearly that the man behind him is uncomfortable. So while the boy’s words are polite, his questions are quite tough and embarrassing for the Tibetan Prime Minister.

The fact that the Sikyong may be embarrassed by such questions from a young man points to an issue which is endemic within Tibetan society – the leaders in this so-called democracy are not used to being questioned or held accountable for their actions.

But the fact that the Sikyong might be embarrassed by these questions is reflective of a much larger problem in Tibetan society. It is almost as though he is embarrassed because he is not used to being asked such difficult questions, and he does not know quite what to make of it. In actuality, as the leader of a so-called democracy, he should be embarrassed that he is not used to being held accountable! It means that he has not been leading his people well, because the culture of speaking up and being engaged in the political process has not yet filtered through the community after 60 years in exile. That being said, as the leader of a so-called democracy, his people do have every right to hold him accountable and ask him to explain the government’s behavior. Why should members of the public like this young man not be allowed to hold their leaders accountable? As the boy himself says, it was the public who voted the Sikyong and his cohorts into power, and so the public should be able to hold them accountable for their actions too.

The future of the Tibetan people, and the welfare of the community depends on open-thinking individuals like this brave young gentleman. When the stalwarts of the Tibetan political establishment are gone, who will stand at the helm of the community, to lead and guide everybody? It is time that the Tibetan leadership start nurturing people like this man, and harness his clearly analytical thinking towards the benefit of the Tibetan people. So instead of penalizing the youth for their curiosity and open minds, adults like the Prime Minister should actually nurture and foster this curiosity. Curiosity leads to innovation; innovation leads to initiative, and initiative leads to activities which will help to preserve, protect and promote Tibetan culture, religion and history long after the Prime Minister is no longer in power.

As more Tibetans in Tibet take their lives in an attempt to pressure dialogue between the Tibetan exiled leadership and the Chinese, leaders like Sikyong Lobsang Sangay continue to be relaxed and refuse to do whatever it takes to get these discussions started. In the meantime, more Tibetans will continue to die, thanks to the Sikyong’s lack of creativity and innovation when it comes to initiating the dialogue. (Credit: www.tibettruth.com)

And if the Prime Minister does not find this logic appealing, then consider this – what kind of older, supposedly Harvard educated man, is intimidated by the questions of teenagers? What kind of adult needs to bully a child? From where we stand, to be intimidated by children does not speak well of one’s own qualities and intellectual abilities. It in fact suggests a huge amount of hidden insecurities when a person can be so easily unsettled by the questions of teenagers. Why does the Tibetan Prime Minister want to be surrounded by Yes Men who do not challenge him to improve the welfare of the people? It is sad indeed when the Tibetan Prime Minister so deathly afraid of questions, that he has to intimidate his own people into not asking anything. So instead of learning, instead of forcing oneself to think about the welfare of the community, the Sikyong would rather suppress all forms of free speech and thought, so he can experience the final years of office in comfort, ease and complacency, as he has been doing.

Sikyong Lobsang Sangayla, it is time to start being accountable to your people and letting them get involved in the democratic process without backbites, harassment and violent repercussions. It is time you started respecting your people’s intellect and stop stamping down on their ability to form incisive, analytical questions about your leadership and works. Just because many of them do not ask it, does not mean that many of them are not thinking it. After some time, when they cannot say what they truly feel, the pressure inside will build up until people start to think that they have no choice but to resort to drastic, extreme actions. Just like Choeyingla, the 20-year old who felt that no one was hearing his voice and his suffering, and he needed to do the biggest thing he can – give up his life – to get your attention. In his last moments, this young man did not think about his mother or father; he chose to dedicate his last words to talking about you. Sikyongla, it really is time to get your head out of the sand and realize Tibetans are not going to stay silent about you and your lackeys anymore.

Addendum

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s autobiography ‘A Tulku’s Journey from Tibet to Canada’, published in 2016, provides historical evidence and irrefutable proof that the Central Tibetan Administration is falsifying the facts when it comes to the practice of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden.

The autobiography of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, a high lama of the Gelug lineage, provides accurate historical accounts of the Dorje Shugden practice. Click to enlarge.

The back cover of the book, click to enlarge.

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Historical accounts show that prior to the politicization of the Dorje Shugden practice by the Central Tibetan Administration, this popular deity was relied upon by Dharma practitioners to help in their spiritual practice. Contrary to detractors’ claims about Dorje Shugden being ‘anti-Dharma’, this Dharma Protector practice was traditionally deemed to be suitable to be practiced alongside the Highest Yoga Tantras.

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Zasep Rinpoche and his family were able to escape to safety prior to the events of 1959 through the clairvoyance and prophetic advice of Dorje Shugden through one of his oracles, Lama Gelong Chojor Gyamtso.

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Oracles of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden were known for the accuracy of their prophecies due to Dorje Shugden being a fully enlightened deity with perfect clairvoyance. As stated clearly by Zasep Rinpoche in his autobiography ‘A Tulku’s Journey from Tibet to Canada’, Dorje Shugden warned the Tibetans of the impending loss of their homeland but his advice was mostly ignored by the Tibetan government.

The Tibetan government chose to consult the worldly state protector Nechung, and Nechung advised that the Dalai Lama should remain in Tibet where he would be safe. This was mistaken advice, as historical events would later show. Fortunately for Tibetan Buddhists all around the world, Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang had great faith in Dorje Shugden and consulted the protector for advice on the Dalai Lama’s safety. Dorje Shugden via the Panglung Oracle urgently adviced the Dalai Lama to leave for India immediately and gave the exact escape route. In saving the Dalai Lama from certain harm, Dorje Shugden prevented the destruction of Tibetan Buddhism and preserved the future of the Tibetan culture and people.

Zasep Rinpoche’s account of events concur with monastic records that it was indeed Dorje Shugden who saved the Dalai Lama instead of Nechung, contrary to the claims of the Tibetan leadership.

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Dorje Shugden’s practice was first established within the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sakya Throneholders regarded this Dharma Protector as an enlightened being and Dorje Shugden, together with Dorje Setrab and Tsiu Marpo formed the triune of Sakya Protectors known as Gyalpo Sum. Today, Sakya practitioners claim that Dorje Shugden was never widely practiced by their lineage but history proves otherwise. The undeniable fact is that before the CTA’s religious ban, Dorje Shugden was practiced first by the Sakyas and was later transmitted to the Gelug school where it was practiced by the majority of the Gelugpas.

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Contrary to the CTA’s claims that Dorje Shugden’s practice is sectarian, Zasep Rinpoche’s autobiography shows how practitioners of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism lived and practiced together in harmony, especially during the early years of exile in India. It was only when the CTA launched a virulent smear campaign against Dorje Shugden that the general public began to label Dorje Shugden a sectarian practice. In truth, Dorje Shugden’s practice is no more sectarian than the practices of other Dharma Protectors such as Mahakala Bernagchen, Achi Chokyi Drolma or Dorje Legpa, who protect the Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu and Nyingma schools respectively.

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By the 1980s, the Tibetan government had failed to fulfil multiple promises to return the Tibetan people to their homeland. A scapegoat was needed and they made one out of an ancient Buddhist practice, pinning the loss of Tibet and the failure of the Tibetan cause on Dorje Shugden. In his autobiography, Zasep Rinpoche is of the same opinion, stating that “…the [Dorje Shugden] controversy was orchestrated by the Tibetan Central Administration…”

The Tibetan leadership effectively sanctioned witch-hunts on Dorje Shugden practitioners and persecuted them using government instruments, declaring that simply by being a Shugden worshipper, one was effectively an enemy of the Tibetan nation.

As a result of the hatred against Dorje Shugden practitioners instigated by the Tibetan leadership, virtually all Shugden Buddhists had to fear for their lives, or at least for their safety.

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Dorje Shugden’s beneficial practice has continued to thrive due to the courage and commitment of high lamas such as Zasep Tulku Rinpoche.

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For centuries, Dorje Shugden has been practiced alongside the highest practices of the Gelug and Sakya lineages. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s list of transmission is an indication that the highest scholars viewed the Protector as an enlightened being compatible with their yidam practices.

He used various means within his power to wipe out the worshipers from his group of followers including the use of secret police and assassinations. The Dalai Lama and his group in India have an unofficial status of regional government where they control the education, monasteries, police and even employment.

The Nobel peace prize winner – the Dalai Lama – orders the persecution of Dorje Shugden worshipers even when he is in exile. Imagine what he would do if he had control over the entire Tibetan Autonomous Region?

Do you need proof? Here is an appeal letter written by the followers of Dorje Shugden to the Prime Minister of India at that time. It is a scanned image with certified stamps so you know that no one has fabricated it.

I didn’t even know this matter existed until it resurfaced recently. In fact, the followers of Dorje Shugden will stage a protest against Dalai Lama when the Olympic torch passes through India. How ironic!

Due to the on-going persecution of Buddhist adherents of the four centuries-old practice of the protective Buddha Dorje Shugden by Tenzin Gyatso, aka the 14th Dalai Lama, and his “Central Tibetan Administration” (CTA), following a ban of that religious practice, the Dorje Shugden Devotees’ Charitable and Religious Society took the brave step of filing a Petition to the Delhi High Court, New Delhi, India in 2008.

On 5 April 2010, after more than two years of struggle, the Petition was finally dismissed by Justice S. Muralidhar on technical grounds.

The major reason cited for denying jurisdiction was location. The government of India pointed out that this court has no territorial jurisdiction over a dispute. As the defendants are located in Dharamsala, the state government is to investigate the allegations against the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government in exile. The Indian government does not recognize the so-called Tibetan government in exile.

Justice Muralidhar pointed out:

It is however clarified that the dismissal of this petition will not preclude any individual member or members of the [Dorje Shugden Society] to seek appropriate remedies as may be available to them in law” before the police in Karnataka and its state government.

It was further stated that worshippers of Dorje Shugden have a right to freedom of religion as enshrined under Article 25 of the Constitution.

Predictably, the website of the Central Tibetan Administration on April 20 claimed this as a victory for them, falsely stating on their website that “Justice Muralidhar’s decision had the effect of closing the doors on the possibility of similar complaints in the future.”

In fact, Justice Muralidhar clearly stated that by dismissing the case in its present form he would not express any opinion on the merits or demerits of the case, and he clearly pointed out in paragraph 12 of the Order (as mentioned above):

It is however clarified that the dismissal of this petition will not preclude any individual member or member of the Petitioner No. 1 Society to seek appropriate remedies as may be available to them in law before the appropriate forum”.

The court noted that the Shugden Society’s harassment and maltreatment accusations had not yet been lodged in a formal complaint to the local police authorities. This has led the CTA to take the Justice’s comments out of context, stating that the Petition had been dismissed due to ‘vague averments’ regarding cases of harassment and persecution against Shugden devotees.

The actual order in fact reads that they were vague statements because “the criminal law remedies available to the Petitioners has not been availed of by them” (para 8), i.e. the victims. This of course is likely due to intimidation and fear of further persecution.

Despite the CTA propaganda, it is clear from studying the judgment that there was no victory, but nor was there a defeat. The dismissal was mainly for two reasons.

1. The Justice did not see a territorial jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court pointing towards the law and order institutions of the States of Himachal Pradesh (the seat of the Tibetan leader) and Karnataka (the site of the large Tibetan settlements Mundgod and Bylakuppe).
2. He mentioned the lack of records in the local police files due to the absence of complaints by victims of the Dalai Lama’s actions.

This ruling in fact lights the way for future court cases in the coming years to be tried in the appropriate state forums, especially as and when individual victims garner the courage to make official complaints to the local police and the records of those complaints pile up. As the persecution continues and monks are still expelled en masse from their monasteries, there is sadly no shortage of evidence to bring against the Dalai Lama and his CTA.

As the Dorje Shugden Society said on April 22:

There is no question of win – lose here. The dismissal of the case is disappointing. On the other hand, this experience has given us a second chance to approach it in a better and more efficient way. Moreover, it also implies that collaboration and fraternity are priorities.

Also, our lawyer said that the Society can file a Suit and individuals who are affected can file individual Petitions. The society tried its best according to its ability. Of course the society is poorly funded. But this is not end of our struggle for religious freedom, human dignity and equality, since our cause is just.

And it goes without saying that those who walk on the path of truth often face challenges. Despite hindrances we ought to make an effort that no one should live through the deprivation of their basic rights, and pledge to promote love, compassion and tolerance in lieu of merely preaching them.

I hope you are in good health. I am writing to bring your attention to an important issue within the Tibetan Buddhist community today and hope you will join us to make a change for real religious freedom.

While Buddhism is a very open religion which encourages tolerance and harmony between all people, there is now a big division within the Tibetan Buddhist community. This is because of an instruction that the Dalai Lama issued to stop the practice of the Protector Deity Dorje Shuden. People are now not permitted to practice this Protector or associate with anyone who does. If they do, they are expelled from monasteries, excluded from all Tibetan communities, refused access to welfare and suffer verbal and physical attacks.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the governing body of the Tibetan exile community living mainly in India, have been very aggressive in maintaining this ban. They exert a tremendous amount of pressure on Dorje Shugden devotees, accusing them of being traitors to the Tibetan cause and being Chinese spies.

This is contradictory to the practices of Buddhism as a whole. Buddhists are encouraged to be kind to all beings, including animals and even spirits! Anyone of any religion and culture is permitted to attend Dharma teachings and the Dalai Lama’s talks – except for Shugden practitioners. For anyone to associate with Shugden practitioners is considered a very bad traitorous act and they risk being completely excluded from their community. Should this be the behavior of a culture and people who are most famous the world over for their spirituality?

It seems to us that it is because the CTA failed to obtain independence and freedom for Tibet that they have turned their attention to Dorje Shugden instead. Because of their failed policies and their inability to get their country back, they have lost much respect in the eyes of their own people. So they have placed the “blame” onto Shugden instead, declaring that this practice threatens the Tibetan independence cause. Naturally, while everyone got caught up in the “excitement” of the Shugden ban, everyone forgot about the Tibetan freedom cause for a while and the attention moved away from the CTA to Shugden. Was this just a convenient action for the CTA, to distract the public’s attention and blame away from them?

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, there are many groups engaged in practices that are questionable or which appear to move away from the established lineages and practices. An example currently being discussed online is an organisation in Australia called Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism – Holy Tantra Jin-Gang-Dhyana Buddhism: www.jingangdhyanaincnet.org (Photos and extracts of the discussion are attached below). We are not in a position to judge all religious groups but this clearly does not seem to be in accordance with traditional Vajrayana practices. Even the shape of their hats have never been seen or recognised in any established Vajrayana or Tantric schools.

Our question is this: Why don’t the CTA examine groups like this further? They are using the sacred name of Tibetan tantra but not following the established practices – shouldn’t this be under investigation? The CTA speak openly and issue public statements about the need to preserve the purity of Buddhism; this is their reason for stopping Dorje Shugden’s practice because they claim it is not a pure practice. If this was really the case, then why do the CTA put so much effort, time and money into stopping the practice of Dorje Shugden, but allow all these other strange practices and groups to continue everywhere else? If they want to protect the purity of the Buddhadharma, then they should monitor all such strange groups that use the name of tantra so casually.

The CTA cannot claim to be a secular government but issue orders and instructions only for selected religious issues. On the other hand, IF they are going to start commenting on religion and establishing themselves as a religious authority or monitor, then they should also do this fully and investigate all questionable tantric groups. To focus only on Shugden practitioners is very selective and makes the CTA seem very biased against a minority group. Is this a fair way for a democratic government in the modern world to treat their own people?

We do not mean disrespect towards anyone, but we call for fairness and equality. If Shugden practitioners are being constantly questioned and examined, then other unconventional groups also should be. To act in any other way reflects on the CTA badly and shows them to be biased, undemocratic, intolerant and not progressive. We hope you will heed our advice and create a better religious future for all Buddhists.

Best wishes,
dorjeshugden.com
dorjeshugden.net
xiongdeng.com

Topic: Maybe CTA should look into this Chinese Tantra Buddhism Organisation?

Discussions on the dorjeshugden.com forum:
www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1734
Topic started by “namdrol”

I don’t know how to begin, but I just found this in some Chinese forum, it is an organization in Australia called Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism – Holy Tantra Jin-Gang-Dhyana Buddhism…something like, even the name is confusing, but looks like it has something to do with Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism.

I am not in a position to judge another guru/organization so I will not comment on their authenticity, but from the physical outlook, it is quite unorthodox if it is a Vajrayana group.

Since it could be Vajrayana, then perhaps the CTA should look into it? Didn’t CTA persecute Geshe Michael Roach for his long hair and other stuff a few years ago? And I think this Chinese Tantra Organization surpasses Geshe Michael Roach’s “weird look” by miles?

And what about the Tsongkhapa-hat-look-alike thingy? Can CTA please kindly write to them and ask them not use a hat similar to Gelugpa’s yellow hat because it may create confusion to the public? Please help us to protect the purity of Gelugpa’s image will you CTA since you are the Vajrayana’s highest authority.

Since CTA is so engrossed to be a religious police in Vajrayana, can CTA pls go check this organization out? Give the Shugden monks a break will you? At least Shugden monks still wear proper monks’ robes, hold their vows, do their pujas, serve their gurus…

I will keep looking out for organizations like this for CTA to keep them busy, so that they can leave Shugden monks alone for a while…

Other comments and responses:

“samayakeeper”

Why is the CTA so selective and target only the Dorje Shugden practitioners? Why the selective witch hunts targeted at only Dorje Shugden practitioners? Well, the CTA may say they have the right only over Tibetans who are Dorje Shugden practitioners, so should not CTA also ban Tibetans who are practitioners of Bon or other religions and deprive them of their basic human rights?

It is time already for CTA to focus and help Tibetans in their daily needs and lives and STOP playing being the highest governing spiritual body for Tibetan people!

“Dorjedakini”

in response to samayakeeper

It is what they should do and focus on since day one. They just hide behind Shugden issue and did not do their best to improve the living quality of their citizen, worse is that they create disharmony and doubt between their people.

“Triesa”

I am hopeful Dr Lobsang Sangay, the present Kolan Tripa of CTA, will slowly relax the pressure for DS practitioners, after all this is the 21st century, how he runs CTA is being watched and observed by heads of other countries. And the language spoken in the 21st century is freedom of religion, freedom of human rights. Why prosecute your own people because of a difference in belief in one dharma protector and accept all the other religions with even more differences in the whole context of the spiritual practices?

“dsiluvu”

I remember when I was holidaying in Singapore one time, there was this YELLOW BOOK that were placed in several strategic center around Singapore… they even got it translated in to Chinese! Well this is the kind of ways that the CTA poke their noses and centres that like to rub shoulder with His Holiness to get fame and sponsorships do, could do to make other people’s life difficult even though it is not in their jurisdiction to do so. Many accounts of such negative experiences, really you cannot even practice Dorje Shugden freely even though you are outside of Dharamsala. There are many centers who will judge, ban and condemned you, sometimes even smear your name to others saying you worship a “demon” hence you cannot even enter their center or events! Down right religious discrimination!

Basically a statement was put out in every forms of Amitabha Buddhist Center, Singapore (http://www.fpmtabc.org/), whether it is a trip to attend Dalai Lama’s teaching in South East Asia, Kalachakra, or a trip to Dharamsala. On top of name, passpost number, addresses etc. personal details, you need to declare that you do not practice Dorje Shugden first.

So yeah, not only our dear sanghas in Dharamsala are going through injustice, we outside of India and Nepal are also going through such ridiculousness which why it is high time we put a stop to such injustice. And we shall do so by working harder to educated anyone who crosses our path on Dorje Shugden.

Thank you Namdrol for saying it! CTA why don’t you look at those who are more weird then the Shugden practitioners?

“Aurore”

CTA may not have the authority over others outside of Tibetan community of India, however they have done a lot to destroy reputations of certain lamas which creates a rippling effect to other mindless Vajrayana/Buddhist councils around the world.

There are politics involved everywhere and not only within the Indian community. CTA … please focus on organizations that looks weird rather than lamas which are proven authentic already. If this will get them off their case, then I support Namdrol to continue scouting.

Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism group

Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism group

Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism group

As a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and holder of multiple honorary doctorates for law and international relations, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has worked tirelessly for decades to promote peace and harmony in the world. Thus he is rightly celebrated as a proponent of human rights, and has become renowned for his compassion for all who suffer.

Unlike most other world leaders, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is unique in the way that, for millions of people, he is not just a secular leader but their spiritual guide too. United by their belief in his wisdom, the Dalai Lama’s devotees work together to promote their teacher’s message. It is therefore only reasonable and logical to expect His Holiness’s followers to represent his teachings well.

As a spiritual guide to millions, the Dalai Lama should be patient, wise, and practice loving-kindness and indeed, he is all of that. These students therefore may find that it benefits them to listen to His Holiness’ advice again, from a different perspective. Disturbingly however, there have been reports that some students have failed to reflect their teacher’s true teachings and compassionate motivation.

A certain video has come to our attention, which shows some nuns from a monastery in Dharamsala, North India, acting in the most unsightly ways. They are reported to have dragged a Buddha statue out from a monastery and then desecrated it with the utmost disrespect – by stepping, smashing, burning and spitting on the statue. This kind of action is terrible for anyone who calls themselves a spiritual practitioner, least of all a nun who has taken vows.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)

This video is in relations to the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, which the Dalai Lama has banned in recent years. So much suffering has arisen out of this ban. People who have continued this practice suffer this kind of terrible abuse – where their personal items of worship are forcibly removed and destroyed. Families are now separated; the sacred bond between Buddhist teachers and their students are severed. Shugden practitioners are even denied the most basic welfare of education and medical aid from the government. Is any of this reflective of the qualities of kindness and compassion that the Dalai Lama has promoted for so many decades? Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be so.

It is one thing to think Dorje Shugden is negative and to destroy his statue, but we must remember what was inside the statue. Tibetans normally fill their statues with mantras, relics, Mani pills, tsatsas, scriptures, hair or nails of high lamas, pieces of robes belonging to high lamas, and many other holy items. When the nuns destroyed and pounced on the Dorje Shugden statue, they also stepped on all the holy items contained within the statue. How can fully ordained Buddhist nuns be so violent and also step on scriptures, mantras, relics, robes and precious items contained within this statue, which were given by high lamas and the Sangha.

These acts are desecration and very negative deeds. So much negative karma would have been accumulated. In their fanaticism to please the then Tibetan Government-in-exile, they went too far. What kind of Government would encourage and thank their people for desecrating objects of people’s religious faith and symbols of their divine? This is wrong. Freedom of worship should protect from desecration and such brutal displays of disrespect of another person’s symbol of the holy and divine.

This letter is not intended to provoke nor antagonise, but to prompt contemplation from a different point of view – as followers of the Dalai Lama, are these students showing patience when attacking the monastery of another school of thought? Is it showing wisdom to accuse Lamas from other traditions of sectarianism? Is it a practice of kindness to destroy the statue of a deity others revere?

These actions do not match His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message of acceptance and harmony, nor serves to unite the Tibetan people towards other collective causes such as their fight for independence. Instead, such behavior drives the wedge of disharmony in the population, weakening an already diluted community which is struggling to survive in a foreign land. That is precisely what we do not wish to happen, because losing the ancient Tibetan traditions of respect, religion and acceptance would be a loss for the world.

As global citizens, we each have the right to choose our spiritual beliefs. Whether one chooses to engage in the practice of Shugden is the individual’s choice and dependent upon the individual relationship that one has with his Buddhist community and teachers. However, what we most strongly wish for people to consider is how they are treating others when they make their choices. Just because you decide not to pray to this Dharma Protector, it does not mean you need to act in such cruel, unkindly ways to people who do. In doing so, you reflect badly upon your own practice, your teachers and the religion as a whole. Do we really want the world to look upon us and wonder why Buddhists behave in such unkindly, intolerant ways, so opposite to what the Dalai Lama teaches?

We invite you to watch this video and read the many discussions on this issue on our websites listed below. Then make a difference to the lives of thousands by carrying a positive and beneficial image of Buddhism within your own actions. The wave of change can start with you.

Thank you,
DorjeShugden.com
DorjeShugden.net
XiongDeng.net

Kalon Tripa Lobsang Sangay
Kashag
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamshala – 176215
H.P.,
India
September 10, 2011

Dear Katri,

First, Congratulations to you for becoming new Kalon Tripa. I wish you good luck and hope you can do a lot of good things for the Tibetan people. I pray His Holiness Dalai Lama bless you and all of us for success.

Many Tibetans living in exile in India and also all around the world have a lot of hopes with you. For so many years since we left Tibet, there is still so much difficulty for Tibetans. For example travel is so difficult. Nobody recognize or accept Tibetan travel papers like the way they respect other country. Nobody respect us because nobody respect where we are coming from. How come no one respect us? How come Tibetan government doesn’t work on infrastructure or methods to make us respected so people don’t put us down in every place we go. Why Tibetan government doesn’t do more things on a world level to bring up reputation.

Now in modern world, there is no really famous Tibetan. Apart from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, no Tibetan has become world famous for anything like science, writing, music, art, business, medicine etc. Why? Why Tibetan have nobody famous except religious people. For last 50 years, Tibetan government in Dharmasala focus too much on religion issue, lamas, practice, protectors and sects. This focus on religion does not help us to get our country back, also does not help Tibetan cause in the world. You must stop talking so much religion things. Actually, whatever religion, practice, lama, sect, Buddha or protector that Tibetans choose, the government must give freedom. Government must not interfere in this kind of private things. Tibetan government should never talk about religion like all other government in the world don’t talk about religion and have focus on religion all the time.

The Tibetan government never provide any good opportunity for after education. There is no help for Tibetans to have good career and good work life and chances for growing. The government never help to produce any world-class Tibetans. If you can promote us to be successful in different area, then we will be more famous in the world and have more respect. Then if Tibetans talk about Tibetan cause, it will be more powerful and more people will listen to help us. But Tibetan government never help Tibetans to be successful. We cannot even travel so how we can achieve more bigger things?

Instead of trying to do more bigger things for your people, the CTA spend so much time talking about small, religion things. This issue about the Dorje Shugden, I am not interested in this. Most people in the world is not interested. Even my friends asking me why Tibetan government always talking about this things and put down people because of religion. I heard these people cannot get medicine help or education. It looks very behind and for Tibetans, it is embarrassing. There is not progression or democratic action. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is so big and famous and good but why on his website, there is these things on Dholgyal and Dorje Shugden? (dalailama.com/messages/dolgyal-shugden). This thing make Dalai Lama image go down. No big famous religion leader or nobel prize people putting things on their website talking bad about religion. This things makes Dalai Lama and Tibetans look like very not compassion and very small mind. Writing this thing does not look like give advice but make His Holiness look like suppressing religion freedom and religious practice. You must remove this section on Dalai Lama website please!

The Dalai Lama always say that everybody is welcome to go to his dharma talks. Anybody from every religion can go, except Dorje Shugden people. This is not fair. Why Dalai Lama have no compassion and love for Dorje Shugden people? If Dorje Shugden people so bad, Dalai Lama must accept them for his talk and help them to change to be good. If he don’t let them come in, how to help them? How can religious teachers stop anybody to join them for prayers and good religion talks? No religion leader today stop people to come and see them and help them. This kind of message make Dalai Lama look very small mind and not kind and have bias. We all know Dalai Lama is very kind and have a lot of love. But this things on website make him look opposite and make him look like bad although it is not true. The Dalai Lama is the doctor, dharma is medicine. Samsara people is all sick. Even Dorje Shugden people is sick and all need help like all of us. So why Dalai Lama don’t let them come to his talk to help them and give them healing? All people deserve to have this medicine and dharma. How can the Tibetan government support something like this? It makes Tibetans very old-fashioned. It is not modern and no democracy. There is no human rights and it will make the world have no more respect for Tibetan policy and ideas. Please do not mix up religion things and politics anymore.

Now it is so difficult for Tibetans. Later, when His Holiness Dalai Lama pass away, what will be the future for the rest of Tibetans? The rest of the world will respect us less when there is no more Dalai Lama. Until now, the Tibetan government did not create any respect for itself or its people. Without Dalai Lama, it will be even more difficult to make other people to listen to us.

Dr Lobsang Sangay, I really hope that you can improve condition for the Tibetan people. Many of us still having so many problems now because the government did not fight enough for Tibetans, always focus on small things and religion things instead of development. Now the world is getting smaller but Tibetan people still have so much trouble to be respected because we don’t have good opportunities for working life or for politics. Actually, it is very sad Tibetan government name already change to CTA. It shows that government reputation and name and honour already go down in the world. The CTA need to catch up to rest of the world and have progress. I hope very much you can achieve this progress.

I wish you many Tashi Deleks and I am sorry maybe my words hurt you. Also, I am sorry have to writing to you in English. My Tibetan writing is not so good, so I ask my friend to help me with writing this letter. I hope it is okay.

YOUR NAME