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By: Solaray Kusco
In the latest shocking incident to take place in Dharamsala, the member of parliament (MP) Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar has been filmed violently attacking an American-Chinese tourist, a Ms. Wen Qi Zhu. MP Lhagyari ignored Ms. Zhu’s protestations that she is a student of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, continuing to attack her with her fists after a disagreement arose between the two women on the topic of Tibet’s history.
MP Lhagyari has been in the news quite a lot recently, and never for good reasons. She was seen in August 2017 attending an all-expenses paid rangzen conference in Paris, where she enjoyed nice hotels, cafes and sightseeing whilst gathering with other Tibetan rangzen activists to discuss strategies for a fully independent Tibet. Their meeting was in total opposition to the Dalai Lama’s umaylam approach (meaningful autonomy) which, as everyone knows, the Dalai Lama has strongly advocated for many years.
Clearly however, MP Lhagyari has no respect for the Dalai Lama, his advice and his decisions. Her attending the conference put her squarely in the company of the rangzen people whom ex-Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche has previously said are the most dangerous in Tibetan society.
So in these shocking images and video above, as first reported by Phayul, MP Lhagyari can be seen attacking a Chinese student of the Dalai Lama. The lady, a Chinese-born American citizen by the name of Wen Qi Zhu, had just had an audience with His Holiness when she was attacked. Ms. Zhu also happens to be a sponsor of the Tibetan leadership, having made financial contributions to the recent teachings given by His Holiness. Despite these facts being made evident to MP Lhagyari, she continued to attack Ms. Zhu. Surely anyone including Ms. Zhu, would have been shocked to attend Dalai Lama’s teachings on forgiveness, tolerance and love towards all beings including enemies and their Chinese brothers and sisters. Then when she walks out, she encounters displays by MP Lhagyari that she disagrees with and MP Lhagyari became violent. Does MP Lhagyari represent the Dalai Lama’s exiled government correctly? The Dalai Lama preaches tolerance but his MP Lhagyari enacts violence on the streets outside his temple where the teachings were just given. People who disagree with exiled government of Tibet hear one thing from the Dalai Lama and experience the opposite from his government members.
Questions have been raised about MP Lhagyari’s conduct, as she appears to be against anything the Dalai Lama supports. Not only does she advocate rangzen and gather with people who are against the Dalai Lama’s meaningful autonomy, but now she has also been caught on film attacking supporters and students of the Dalai Lama. Her behavior has been widely condemned as embarrassing of the Tibetan leadership and there are now calls for her resignation.
These are the facts:
- Regardless of whatever Ms. Zhu said, and whether MP Lhagyari agreed with it, her behavior was most unbecoming as a member of parliament and representative of the Dalai Lama’s government. Is this the version of democracy that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership) espouses, one characterized by intolerance and violence?
- Whatever the disagreement between the two ladies, Ms. Zhu was in India which is a democratic nation. Hence she was well within her rights to protest the exhibition. Likewise, if MP Lhagyari was going to establish an exhibition like that, she should have been prepared for opposition and learned how to deal with it properly. Even if Ms. Zhu did not agree with her, MP Lhagyari as a government official should have remained courteous and polite to someone who is a tourist and guest of India.
- The Tibetan leadership are therefore immature, ill-informed and ill-equipped to deal with dissenting views. If anyone does not agree with the beliefs, their method of dealing with them is arrogant violence.
- For the Tibetan leaders, democratic principles are only applicable when it suits them. When they want to promote their own ideas, or when it will impress potential sponsors to give them money, then they will roll out the red carpet to show how democratic they are. But when other people have their own, different beliefs, they are not allowed to have them and in that case, there is no democracy. This has been experienced by many in the Tibetan settlements who have seen their freedom of speech stifled and freedom of movement restricted over the years.
- MP Lhagyari’s inability to control her emotions, and to get proper authorities like the police to deal with incidents like these, makes her a poor candidate for any leadership position.
- If this is the type of person who occupies a seat in parliament, as someone with so much latent violence in their character, it is therefore extremely conceivable that the CTA is very capable of organizing the same type of violence against anyone else who does not agree with their views. An example of this are Dorje Shugden practitioners who have been rioted against, stabbed, murdered and segregated against.
- The CTA have so many policies that divide and segregate their own people on the basis of religion. Now they are getting some of their own karma back, why are they upset?
It remains to be seen how China will react to this latest incident but China may just bring up this incident as yet another reason to deny dialogue with the Tibetan leadership. After all, why open dialogue with a group of people who so violently and physically attack Chinese-born individuals?
As for MP Lhagyari herself, she is now in a no-win situation. She is a very bad representative of the Tibetan government-in-exile. As a member of parliament of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, she should understand and know how to deal politely with people against her views and not retaliate in violence with any member of the public. She can easily ask for the police which are nearby to intervene. The police stations are very nearby. MP Lhagyari and some Tibetans expressed shock that even in the Dalai Lama’s headquarters of Dharamsala, someone ‘dare’ opposes their view of Tibetan history. This shows pure arrogance and ignorance which is reflective of the Tibetan leaders in Dharamsala located in Himachel Pradesh state of North India. The American-Chinese national was not happy that Tibetans paint all Chinese in the wrong light and indeed not all Chinese agreed with the policy and events in Tibet. MP Lhagyari would not hear of this. No one is allowed to question, doubt or be in opposition of MP Lhagyari’s views which represents her exiled government’s views. If they do, violence breaks out as you see here. This is the Tibetan government-in-exile’s version of democracy. It is no wonder after 60 years of being ‘refugees’ they still cannot make any headway with China regarding Tibet. Who stays refugees for 60 years anyway unless staying a ‘refugee’ brings in free sympathy money from ignorant foreigners?
Thanks to MP Lhagyari’s actions, the CTA or exiled Tibetan government is now a laughing stock of the world. The Tibetan leadership has to learn to accept that the world is not going to agree with them on everything anymore. After 60 years of playing the refugee card to gain sympathy, while living the high life in India and immigrating all over the world, there is very little sympathy left for them. MP Lhagyari should resign and or apologize if she wishes to be dignified and represent the Tibetan government-in-exile as civilized and educated.
Thinley Woeser
June 8, 2018
Things are going to be very different for Tibetans in India from now on as Sino-Indian relations get warmer by the day. India has vowed to firmly adhere to the one-China policy and ensure Tibet-related issues are handled ‘properly’. This means India will tighten her grip on all Tibetan-related activities. So, the trouble-making Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) better watch themselves and not create further problems that may antagonise China. This is something India will no longer tolerate.
Tsering Drolhma
July 8, 2018
UNRULY TIBETANS FIGHTING AT DALAI LAMA BIRTHDAY PARTY AGAIN
July 2018-NYC- Tibetans fighting at some birthday celebratory event for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They set up a throne in the back, place Dalai Lama’s picture, and they fight, push, shout, scream at each other right in front of the throne of Dalai Lama and it’s filmed. That is the level of the Tibetans overall. Tibetans are not gentle, Buddhist, peace-loving, tolerant people as they portray to the world. They are rough, rude, hateful, vengeful, violent, regionalistic, narrow minded and will create trouble wherever they go. Very feudal. They always resort to vulgar words and violence. There are some moderate Tibetans, but on the whole they are very violent people who do not practice Buddhism. The average Tibetan know nothing of Buddhism and do not practice. Buddhism is just a meal ticket for them to get to another country. Their support of Dalai Lama is blind and only to be politically correct and they never practice what he teaches. Disgraceful to see a group of violent Tibetans fighting at a Dalai Lama birthday event. Shameful.☹
Tibetans are not welcomed wherever they go. Bhutanese kicked them out. Nepal hates Tibetans. India has no more use for the ‘refugee’ Tibetans and their temples made of gold. After 60 years they cannot get their own country back. What a bunch of losers and useless government people they have.
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1531033672.mp4
Tsering Drolhma
July 15, 2018
The letter:
It is about the incident that happened at His Holiness’s birthday celebration in NYC recently July 6, 2018. Some members of Tibetan woman association approached to Parliamentarian Tenpa Yarphel during the ceremony and complained that his comments regarding Nechung was disrespect to the protector and His Holiness. They also said him that he made many Tibetan people sad with his comments. And told him not to do that again in the future. Then Dhondup Tseten stood up and shamelessly touched those women. That incident almost made the ceremony stopped. To keep maintaining the relationship between Tibetan Woman Association and Tibetan Parliament Representative, TWA are asking for an apology letter from Dhondup Tseten for touching their members.
(It is so sad that in the fake democracy of the Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala you cannot say anything against a leader or criticize. Too bad)
Bonnie Fider
July 12, 2018
WHY DOES RICHARD GERE AND DALAI LAMA SUPPORT SOGYAL THE DISGUSTING ABUSER?
As long as you are friends with the Dalai Lama, your actions are excusable, no matter how horrendous they may be. Even something as heinous as sexual abuse of over 60 women can be overlooked when the perpetrator is friends with the Dalai Lama namely Sogyal Rinpoche. Why rush to join the chorus of Hollywood voices condemning Harvey Weinstein’s criminality, but remain silent against Sogyal’s exploitation and abuse of women? Richard Gere was vocal in condemning against all the abuses and attacks against women by Harvey Weinstein. But silent on Sogyal Rinpoche. BBC has a full length documentary on Sogyal’s abuses as you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWhIivvmMnk. Yet Richard Gere can take photos with the disgusting and abusive Sogyal. Is it because one group of women are worth protecting and the other are not? If it is not for that reason, then it can only be because Sogyal is the Dalai Lama’s friend. The Dalai Lama’s condemnation against Sogyal is very light and it’s disappointing. I guess since Dalai Lama supported Sogyal so much, he can’t be seen as wrong in doing so. Politics is sad.
Christie Donald
July 14, 2018
Hollywood is one of the most influential groups of people who have promoted the mysticism of Buddhist Tantra to the world. Together with the media, they have packaged Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan lamas into a fantasy Utopia, filled with God-like beings who are able to lead people along the quick path to enlightenment.
This propaganda has been widely exploited by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) to garner support, especially financial aid, for the so-called Tibetan Cause and the Tibetan struggle against Chinese rule. Little does the West, including Richard Gere and the so-called Buddhist Professor Robert Thurman, know that efforts from China to improve the infrastructure and standard of living for the Tibetans in China have created opportunities for Tibetans to grow and be successful. This is something that is rarely seen in exile under the governance of the CTA.
This false image that has been promoted for the past 60 years or so is now slowly fading away as more and more victims come forward, exposing the sexual abuse they have suffered under the hands of Tibetan lamas like Sogyal Rinpoche. The root of the problem is clear, people are greedy and lazy while wanting quick success and attention. Since they get these from the Tibetan lamas like Sogyal, they are willing to accept the exploitation. This is further driven by fear that they would no longer be seen as the privileged ones in the inner circle if they do not clutch at their lamas and be seen showing tremendous devotion to their gurus. With only a superficial knowledge of Buddhism, this cult-like group of Hollywood stars and American politicians like Richard Gere continue to generate respect and love for their skewed version of the “Dharma”, while real Buddhist masters are relegated to the side lines.
Lhakpa Dhendup
August 11, 2018
What will the all the people around the world and in Tibet do now? Dalai Lama says he is happy that Tibet is a part of China and should remain a part of China. So many Tibetans self-immolated for Tibet to be independent and now Dalai Lama did a 360 degree turn and says he wants to go back to Tibet and China and Tibet should be a part of China. So unbelievable. So many are angry and disappointed.
Dalai Lama should set things right
August 12, 2018
Dear Dalai Lama,
Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.
By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.
It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.
Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.
You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.
No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.
You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.
You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.
After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.
Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.
The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.
Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.
ayana
August 15, 2018
Why doesn’t the United States and its allies end Refugee Status for the useless Tibetans? They have been refugees for 60 years now and don’t tell me they still cannot get their lives back in order?
Tibetans really know how to put on a good show and use people, take their money and do nothing in return.
Ojas
August 15, 2018
Supreme Court of India JUSTICE Mr. MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) writes that Tibet is much better under the Chinese than it was under the lamas who only wanted to make the populace slaves. It was feudal and it will never return to the backwardness again.
Yoezer
August 19, 2018
While the government of Nepal has framed a policy to tighten the noose around non-governmental organisations, they have welcomed 30 Chinese NGOs to enter the country. These NGOs will penetrate the country’s social sector at the grassroots level. This is the first time such a large number of Chinese NGOs have entered Nepal at one time. Nepal is increasingly open to Chinese influence, a sign that ties between both countries are strengthening, while India’s influence is being reduced. The time has passed for India’s monopoly to remain uninterrupted in Nepal as opportunities to engage with China are being welcomed.
Vardaniya
August 22, 2018
The cracks in Tibetan society are starting to show, and it is now coming to the attention of local Indians who have all but identified the Tibetan leadership as the source of the divisions. According to this author, disunity amongst the Tibetans is now creating problems for Indian law enforcement agencies, and this disunity may culminate in young Tibetans holding silent grudges against their host country. It is incredible that after six decades of generosity from India, Indians are now facing the very real possibility Tibetans can be ungrateful towards India. The Tibetan leadership totally failed to impart positive values upon their exiled community, like gratitude for those kindest to them and the need to repay these kindnesses with real, tangible results. It’s also very unlikely that the Tibetan leadership will now start to do this, after six decades of failing to do so. Indians need to realise this, and see that there is no benefit for their nation to align themselves with the Tibetan leadership, and there never will be.
Maya
August 24, 2018
Although the Dalai Lama has offered an apology, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) still expressed their disappointment over his controversial comment on Nehru, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Dalai Lama called Nehru self-centred.
The Congress said Dalai Lama being a foreigner should shun and refrain from interfering in the internal as well as external affairs of India.
Drolma
July 23, 2019
This is how Tibetans are even for those who are educated in democratic countries like India. It is a cultural thing. Tibetans use violence to deal with differences, there is no room for discussion or exchange of opinion. This is the same for Dorje Shugden issue. CTA uses violence to force Dorje Shugden followers to give up their practice. When Dorje Shugden followers request for a dialogue, CTA just refuses.
With a mentality that does not progress or improve with time, the Free Tibet movement will never succeed. We are living in a civilised world, when there is disagreement, we have to be open minded to listen to each other and find a common ground to solve the problem. It is not about winning but what is the best for everyone.
CTA does not think something is wrong when a MP attacks another person. Otherwise CTA would have penalised the MP and issue an apology statement to the victim. A government like CTA will never be successful, to support the Free Tibet movement is a waste of time and money.
Dennis
August 2, 2019
This is not the first case where Tibetans are being rude to people. Not only they are rude to non-Tibetans, but they are also rude to each other. During the Dalai Lama’s birthday celebration last year, some Tibetans had some argument. Instead of talking to each other nicely to resolve the difference, they started to scream and shout at each other, they even started to fight.
I think this is a cultural thing, the Tibetans don’t like to listen to people, they don’t like to be challenged, they don’t like people to have different views from theirs. When people have different views from theirs, they get angry and they will force their views on others using violence. This is what is happening with the Dorje Shugden ban. People who don’t want to obey CTA will be penalised, they are beaten up, threatened for what they believe in.
How to maintain a friendship with people having such a mentality? No wonder so many countries want to disassociate themselves from the CTA. Very soon CTA will lose support from most of their ‘friends’ and they will not be able to survive anymore.
John
October 27, 2019
How can a host treat the guest as such? This really put down the Dalai Lama. It’s the representative of Tibetan and this is how she behaves, really embarrassing and the CTA allow it. No public apologizing. How CTA want to really get funding with such behavior? This creates a bad reputation and does not represent Dalai Lama well.