The Dalai Lama’s Change of Tune

Posted on December 29, 2017 in Articles, Features, Guest Writers · 3,000 Views · 126 Comments

Is the Tibetan leadership gearing up for talks with China? The Dalai Lama has recently been reinforcing his stance that Tibet should come under Chinese rule and the latest revelation that Samdhong Rinpoche is currently visiting Tibet appears to confirm this.

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

By: Shashi Kei

58 years of what has become known as the Tibetan Cause seems to be coming to an end. While the Tibetan community has long been privy to the Dalai Lama’s wish for Tibetan autonomy under Chinese rule, external observers beginning with The Economic Times (23^rd November 2017) are now witnessing what they see as the Dalai Lama’s reversal in his stance and attitude towards China.

No longer is China couched as the Tibetan people’s Enemy No. 1 that has to be opposed vehemently. Instead on November 23 this year, in speaking to The Hindustani Times, the Dalai Lama stated that China and Tibet have always been close although there were ‘occasional fights’.

China now is presented in the Dalai Lama’s new narrative as a partner who can bring ‘more development’ and progress into Tibetan lives, as opposed to the hostile destroyer of the Tibetan people’s culture, religion and way of life. In addressing the Sino-Tibetan conflict that began in 1950 and culminated in the Dalai Lama’s escape into exile in 1959, the Dalai Lama was heard saying,

The past is the past.

US President Donald Trump (right) with President Xi Jinping of China. Like most world leaders today, President Trump has shown no interest in maintaining a relationship with the Tibetan leadership, snubbing meetings with the Dalai Lama in favor of drawing a closer relationship with China.

After over half a century of rousing Tibetan and global support against China, the Dalai Lama’s turnaround is not without some serious implications and repercussions.

The most immediate intimation is that 151 Tibetans who self-immolated for a ‘free Tibet’ literally wasted their lives. Those who self-immolated did not set themselves alight so that ultimately, the Dalai Lama would accede to China’s sovereignty and acknowledge China as an ally who can bring progress to the Tibetan people.

Not only does the Dalai Lama’s renewed push for autonomy invalidate these self-immolations, but the Tibetan leadership’s silence on these self-immolations, knowing how their intent does not match the Dalai Lama’s wishes, is shocking. The Dalai Lama and Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala) must now take a stance against all future self-immolations and outlaw the act as unpatriotic because it now goes against the foreign policy goals of the Tibetan government.
The Dalai Lama and CTA should henceforth cease all anti-China rhetoric and should in no way participate in anything that is subversive to China’s stature and reputation. Instead, the Dalai Lama and CTA should openly acknowledge that China has brought progress to the Tibetan people within the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), and they can do the same for the Tibetans in exile, pending a positive relationship that is contingent on the CTA’s willingness.

In essence, this would mean the CTA should divest of all its interest and involvement in operations like Radio Free Asia, which is described in Wikipedia as “…a private, non-profit international broadcasting corporation that broadcasts and publishes online news, information, and commentary to listeners in East Asia while ‘advancing the goals of U.S. foreign policy.’” Surely in geopolitical terms, advancing the goals of U.S. foreign policy is at the expense of China’s foreign policy as both superpowers are vying for dominance in the same global market.

Therefore if the Dalai Lama and CTA are sincere about being autonomous under China, as the Tibetan spiritual leader has proclaimed, it behooves them to stop being a shill for American foreign policy and show that they have China’s interests at heart. It would also mean that the CTA must henceforth stop receiving grants and any form of funding from countries that are critical of China, for instance the United States.
As a show of its good intentions, the Dalai Lama and CTA must immediately call for a cessation of all CTA policies that have split the Tibetan communityboth within Tibet and in the diaspora. The most critical of these would be:
1. The Rangzen vs. Umaylam Split: The CTA must now make all efforts to reconcile the two groups instead of demonizing Rangzen advocates as being an ‘internal enemy’ as Sikyong Lobsang Sangay has recently claimed, and as ex-CTA Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche has announced previously.
2. The Karma Kagyu Split: The Dalai Lama should now use his influence to close ranks in the Karma Kagyu lineage. It became divided after the Dalai Lama acted beyond his mandate in the Karma Kagyu’s succession issue and endorsed a rival Karmapa to the one that the lineage chose per their centuries-old tradition.
3. The Dorje Shugden Issue: The Dalai Lama and CTA must immediately cease all victimization and persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners by labelling them traitors of the Tibetan people. This conflict that the Tibetan leadership started and sustained for the past 20 years has injuriously divided the Tibetan people and Tibetan Buddhist adherents worldwide.

Mongolian Foreign Minister Tsend Munkh-Orgil on the left. The Dalai Lama is now banned from Mongolia, after China voiced their objections to his visit. A traditionally strong supporter of Tibet, Mongolia is just one of many countries around the world who are increasingly unwilling to risk their citizens’ economic welfare for a relationship with the Tibetan leadership which brings no benefits to their population at large.

An announcement by the Dalai Lama ordering all such persecutions to stop would no doubt put an end to the infighting amongst Tibetans inside Tibet. They have been enthusiastic to violently enforce the Tibetan leadership’s diktats against Shugden practitioners, and the ensuing instability and conflict is something that has been of grave concern to the Chinese government.

In addition, the CTA must remove all anti-Dorje Shugden propaganda material on their official website and on the Dalai Lama’s page, which, as long as they are there, absolves the Tibetan people of all liabilities in persecuting their own kin based on their religion.

In the event the Tibetan leadership fails to do this, then they will be leaving it to the Chinese government to put out a fire that the CTA started and kept going.

You Lose When You Support the Tibetan Leadership

But the Dalai Lama’s change of attitude towards China also bears some serious overtones in the Sino-Indian relationship, which should worry India. After supporting, at great cost, the majority of the Tibetan exodus for almost 60 years, the Tibetan leadership might now hang their generous Indian hosts out to dry.

Anti-Tibetan sentiment, especially in India, is increasingly obvious. Earlier this year, students in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh launched an anti-Tibetan protest, highlighting the preferential treatment of Tibetan refugees over Indian citizens, and calling for the removal of Tibetan refugees from India.

Sino-Indian relationships have never been tenser. Over the decades, these two Asian giants have clashed at one time or another over Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and most recently, Doklam. India and China’s border issues remain largely unresolved and incendiary. With such sensitive issues at stake, will the Dalai Lama avail himself to stand against India in exchange for favorable terms, as he has against China for decades? The Dalai Lama remains an extremely influential and potent force on his own and we have seen how he managed to turn the world’s attention against China for decades.

Not only did India lose out by supporting the Tibetan cause, but it now stands to lose if the Tibetan leadership turns around and supports China in any Sino-Indian disputes. And there is every possibility that this might happen. On 4^th December 2017, The Wire published an article by Phunchok Stobdan, a former Indian ambassador who was commenting on the Tibetan situation. The article included a very interesting revelation – that Samdhong Rinpoche, the newly-appointed Special Representative of the Dalai Lama has been on a discreet visit to China since mid-November.

Samdhong Rinpoche is said to be visiting a part of China (Yunnan) where he has a big following. The choice of location has been viewed as a strategic move by many, as it affords the CTA a margin of deniability or ability to classify the trip as a private visit in case nothing should come of it later. Nevertheless, the previously-unreported news has sent shockwaves throughout the Tibetan community, who view it as a sign that the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leadership may be ready to relinquish a strong relationship with India, in favor of talks with China.

The fact that the Tibetan leadership may just renege on their relationship with India has not gone unnoticed by the community at large. In the comments section of The Wire article, a remark left by an ‘Alok Asthana’ sums up the situation perfectly by saying,

“Providing sanctuary to Dalai Lama and angering China has been India’s monumental blunder. Think back of the last of the 40s. What if India had snubbed this man and made friends with China. The state of India would have been quite different today. Maybe Dalai Lama’s exit provides us with that opportunity again. Make friends with China”.

Is This Another Tibetan Leadership Ruse?

Nothing the Tibetan leadership does is ever straightforward. The CTA declares itself to be a democracy and yet publishes propaganda material to deny religious freedom to a large segment of its exile population. The CTA claims not to be pushing for independence with China (Rangzen) and yet does nothing to curb Rangzen activities including self-immolations.

And now, true to form, even as the Dalai Lama seems to be extending an olive branch to China, Sikyong Lobsang Sangay is on a European tour to muster support for another 50 years of opposing China. What indeed are the Tibetan leadership’s true intentions?

Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay of the Central Tibetan Administration. In a stunning display of insensitivity for Sino-Indian politics, the Tibetan leader caused a furore when he was pictured raising the Tibetan flag at Pangong Lake, between Ladakh and Tibet. This incident took place at the height of the Doklam crisis which, at that point, was on the brink of escalating into war between China and India. The Chinese leadership viewed the Prime Minister’s actions as intentionally provocative, and they responded with strong statements of objections to the Indian leaders. There is no doubt what Lobsang Sangay did contributed to the degeneration of relations between China and India.

The reality is all this posturing by Dr Lobsang Sangay will ultimately be futile and counterproductive. The Tibetan leadership has clearly miscalculated its own significance again and is in complete denial of the fact that more and more doors are now closed to it. Over the last few years, we have seen Sweden, Switzerland, Nepal, Australia, Bhutan, Pakistan and even old friends like Mongolia rejecting the Dalai Lama. The U.S. under President Trump is clear that it prefers to make friends with China than continue to support the exile Tibetan leadership’s struggle against China. And of late, we see growing resentment of the Tibetan people in India itself. The Tibetan leadership in all its scheming and conniving is alone.

And so one has to ask, on what basis is the Tibetan leadership planning to oppose a China that is only growing stronger by the day, especially when the CTA cannot even get its own act together? Truly, it is curtains for the CTA and the Tibetan cause.

The Dalai Lama Wants to Return Home

Click to enlarge (Source: https://thewire.in/201726/dalai-lama-india-china-tibet/)

Click to enlarge and read the comments to The Wire article (Source: https://thewire.in/201726/dalai-lama-india-china-tibet/)

Dalai Lama’s Envoy Samdhong Rinpoche Discreetly Visited China

Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2017/12/05/dalai-lamas-envoy-samdhong-rinpoche-visited-china/)

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126 total comments on this postSubmit yours

Kim Hyun Jae

December 29, 2017

The whole world is literally bowing down and acknowledging China as the superpower in the world’s politics and economy and China has influenced the world in more ways than we can imagine. Most countries are dependant on China for trade, cultural exchange, technology, tourism, currency and so on. No one can ignore China now and neither can the United States President nor India in issues over trade ties and policies and borders. HH the Dalai Lama knows the CTA can’t win back Tibet and accepted that fact. It is better for HH to accept China and win their hearts back to allow him to return to visit China and Tibet to be with his people benefiting them and allowing the Tibetans to attend his teachings to spread the dharma there. 😀

L Lhundup

December 30, 2017

Given the dismal track record of the CTA to say the least, it is the last chance for His Holiness to do something beneficial for the Tibetan diaspora. May His Holiness be successful! With folded hands.

christine victor

December 30, 2017

What CTA done to their host India and their own people so far? Create Dorje Shugden’s ban, stir the relationship between China and India, goes against what the Dalai Lama said, encourage self-immolation, encourage Rangzen people. I think looking at all these actions by the CTA, they actually afraid to go back to China. Why? It is very simple, they no longer have power if they return to China, they no longer have money when they returned to China. Thus, they do many dramas, and, these dramas is just to let their people sees that they have “action” but, how long can the Tibetan in exile being fool like this?
😠

Eli Buchen

December 30, 2017

A chess game with global ramifications.

The thawing ties between India and China is good for the world. India and China, holds the two most populous country, and it is good that both this country makes peace.

I like this new direction by His Holiness.

Doreen Park

December 30, 2017

Yes from henceforth, if the CTA truly cares for the future of their fellow Tibetans, they must cease their anti -Chinese rhetoric and, in the same vein, they must now cease using their anti-China propaganda and campaign such as their labelling and attacking Dorje Shugden practitioners baselessly as “paid China spies”.
So why then is Sikyong Lobsang Sangay on a European tour to muster support for another 50 years of opposing China. Doesn’t this run counter to Dalai Lama’s wishes?

The Sikyong’s tour of Europe is unlikely to yield any positive outcome for him as the European countries, one by one, have already shown their support for and respect of China, the new economic superpower, by officially recognising Tibet as a part of China. Even the Dalai Lama now says publicly that he sees Tibet as part of China, and likewise India.

The Dalai Lama’s stance for Tibet’s autonomy is the best for the future of Tibet and Tibetans . May all Tibetans, including the CTA Leadership , support the Dalai Lama one hundred percent , going forward.May the Dalai Lama ‘s visit to China manifest. May the Dalai Lama and all Tibetans realise their 60-year dream of going home to a peaceful and stable Tibet. Tibetans in Tibet are enjoying a better standard of living and economic progress; at the same time they have the freedom to practice the religion of their choice, including the practice of Dorje Shugden, as well as preserve their culture.

Ashok Rao

December 30, 2017

Tensions against the Tibetans are definitely rising in India. Given the steady increase over the years of Sino-Indian disputes, many people on the streets are asking how to ease the conflict. And one of the main points of discussion are the Tibetans. The issues of the Tibetan exiles has long been a thorn in the foot of Sino-Indian relationships and given the rate of expansion of both countries over the past 50-60 years, it is evident that this issue will flare up. The current leadership of India is honouring the agreements and good will that was made over 50 years, and the Chinese government are trying to curb separatist sentiments within their own borders. The ‘Tibetan Cause’ has at first inadvertently, but now maybe purposefully sought to jeopardize both of these. Though no one can blame the Tibetans for wanting to go home, the manner in which they have been trying to do this has not been successful and has even created more problems than before.

Now that the Dalai Lama seems to be changing his strategy, this is good news for both the Tibetans and the Chinese, but it really flies in the face of the hospitality that India is known for. Unfortunately, the Indian government has gone even as far as giving Tibetans in exile Indian citizenship. How sad that India has been treated so badly by the Tibetans until now, and either way you look at it will be treated badly In the future, no matter how much we have done for the Tibetans.

Manjushree

December 30, 2017

Dorje Shugden practitioners have often been called derogatory terms in association with China/Chinese references, which definitely needs to cease. No Dorje Shugden practitioner wishes ill harm on Tibet, but yet, the Tibetan Leadership allows the name-calling, the jeering, the hate and the segregation. By the leadership still allowing its people to use adjectives/nouns related to China to describe DS practitioners, they are in fact condoning that Tibetans should continue their hate too, towards China, its leadership and its people.

There is no need to involve religion with politics, and yet, the Tibetan Leadership has gotten involve in the Dorje Shudgen controversy, by siding those against the practice, and scrutinising, discrimination, side-lining, and allowing violence against those who do the century old practice. The Leadership should instead focus on much more important political issues, as they are voted in to do, such as improving the lives/welfare of their citizens, getting involve in world’s political climate, putting their foot into being good allies with others, instead of dabbling and wasting their time in religious affairs such as the Dorje Shugden issue. No such leadership/government in the world does what the CTA does.

The Tibetan Leadership better get their act together, as it seems they are losing support worldwide. They have no home, and may in the future, lose their current adopted home in India, if they continue to destroy themselves from within.

KarmaGunz

December 30, 2017

The Dalai Lama is coming to his senses finally I guess. The problem is, is it too late? And the problem is we have a real troublemaker that goes around undoing all the good things that the Dalai Lama is trying create with China. WHo is this culprit, fake Doctor Lobsang Sangay! Just think, if the Dalai Lama is starting to say good hopeful things to create a relationship with the Chinese, why would his President, which was made by the Dalai Lama himself go around poking fire at the Chinese? He is going around still bad mouthing China – why? That is like the total opposit of what the Dalai Lama wants to achieve.

So we should ask CTA Lobsang Sangay why are you trying to sabotage HH the Dalai Lama’s effort in trying to create a relationship with CHina? Is Sangay doing this because he is afraid he’d basically be jobless once the Dalai Lama goes to China? I mean who needs Sangay, definitely he is going to be a nobody once the Dalai Lama goes to China, so maybe he it trying to delay it as much as possible so he can keep asking for free money, flying here and there wasting Tibetan exile funds for his lavish jet set meeting that ends up nowhere! Where is the results of it all — what do we get from your nothing!

Ngodup Tsering

December 31, 2017

China is astute in offering economic incentives in exchange for political favor. Recently, Senator Steve Daines of Montana hosted a delegation of Chinese Communist Party officials that oversee Tibet and undercut the simultaneous visit by the President of the Tibetan Government in exile in exchange for a $200 million deal with a leading Chinese retailer to export Montana’s beef to China. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is no match for China regarding political intelligence. If the CTA is smart, they will start to build rapport and stop condemning China for an event that happened over 60 years ago.

US Senator Exchanged Tibet For Economic Incentives With China?
TJ editor| December 18, 2017
A US Senator is reported to have overseen the fact that Tibet is going under a serious situation of human rights crisis for economic deals with China. According to an opinion in the Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin, China is bidding political favours in foreign countries in return for economic incentives they provide.
“In its effort to cultivate foreign influence, the Chinese Communist Party boldly mixes economic incentives with requests for political favors. Its dealings with Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) this year offer a success story for Beijing.” write Josh Rogin in The Washington Post.
The writer explains how the recent case with Senator Daines’s dealing with the China perfectly demonstrates how such an exchange took place.
“Last month Daines announced a breakthrough in his long-standing effort to win access for Montana’s beef exports to China — a $200 million deal with a leading Chinese retailer.” said the opinion “Then, on Dec. 5, the regime of Xi Jinping got something at least as valuable from Daines. The senator hosted a delegation of Chinese Communist Party officials who oversee Tibet, at the request of the Chinese Embassy — thereby undercutting a simultaneous visit to Washington by the president of the Tibetan government in exile.”
While The House Foreign Affairs Asia subcommittee held a hearing on December 6 about Chinese repression in Tibet in due consideration over China’s growing oppression in Tibet, inaccessibility of foreign media and officials into Tibet, etc., where Hollywood actor spoke as witness, Daines was reported to have praised Chinese officials in Tibet for doing “a good job in environmental protection and traditional cultural preservation.”
http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2017/12/18/us-senator-selling-tibet-economic-incentives-china/

Amber Sonam

December 31, 2017

Everyone is now confused as to where the CTA or rather His Holiness are leading the Tibetans in exile towards. The CTA existed solely and supposedly to fight for the Tibetan Cause which we have already lost track what it is. If Tibet would like to be governed by China with autonomy rights, why did the Dalai Lama flee in 1959? Wouldn’t it makes more sense that the Dalai Lama and his people remained in Tibet and work towards that? The Dalai Lama fleeing Tibet has caused so much suffering for the Tibetans who were left behind. They were forced to be under reformation and many were humiliated publicly and tortured to the unbearable state? His Holiness should have stayed on with the previous Panchen Lama to work protecting the Tibetans.

Now, after 58 years of neglecting the Tibetans in Tibet and allowing the incompetent Sikyong and kashag to manage the 150,000 Tibetans in exile, suddenly it is good to be back in Tibet and be governed by the Chinese? All these manipulative, sneaky and ineffective tricks cannot fool anyone. The CTA has to answer to fellow Tibetans in and outside of Tibet as to why they choose to neglect Tibetans and failed to bring any benefits to their lives.

Tsering

January 1, 2018

Dalai cannot make up his mind . Gaden Phodrang is filled with useless old men like Samdhong. Time for new people to come where is Lukar

Dondrup Shugden

January 1, 2018

“The Past is the Past” I will say more concretely, The Past is passed. Therefore the questions asked of the CTA leadership in this article are very relevant if they consider themselves to be democratic and elected to work for the Tibetan in exile.

Nothing said or done by leaders of CTA are consistent and that is because they are not accountable and do not care about Tibetans in general.

CTA has the knack of dividing and rule. That is only possible if at least some quarters of people benefit from their treachery. Looking at the situation, neither the donors nor the supposed Tibetan cause had any benefit. It is financial wastage and lives wasted (due to self immolation) without any results except to benefit the CTA leaders.

Even if the Dalai Lama wishes reconciliation with China, I pray that no blunders will be created by CTA that will cause disharmony to the 2 great eastern powers of China and India.

As an Asian, I wish for prosperity and harmony in Asia, and the Tibetan cause not to disturb the current “respect” in place among Asian nations.

Let not CTA create disharmony and disunity like what is done among Tibetans on issues like the discrimination against Dorje Shugden and the discord of 2 Karmapas within Karma Kagyu tradition.

Ngodup Tsering

January 8, 2018

After looking at several contradictory reports regarding the alleged Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to China, one should wonder why Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche had to deny his four-day visit to China after such visit was first confirmed by Dr. Lobsang Sangay and now by a former Indian intelligence officer. If Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche had the best intention to promote the Dalai Lama’s middle way, then why he needs to deny this visit? After all the Sino-Tibetan relationship has been stagnant since 2011, the fact that Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche was able to secure a meeting with Chinese government officials should have been a great success for him, instead of becoming another source of controversy.

Former Indian Intelligence Claims Samdhong Rinpoche Visited China
A former Indian intelligence officer claims in an article that the former Kalon Tripa or the Prime minister of Tibetan government in exile, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche had a four days China visit in November last year. The article by the former RAW officer says that Dalai Lama’s envoy would have met senior Communist party leaders during the visit.
Samdong Rimpoche’s visit to China materialised against the backdrop of strained India-China relations consequent to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam, says former RA&W officer Jayadeva Ranade according to the article in the Rediff.com.
“Samdong Rimpoche, who was nominated a month earlier as the Dalai Lama’s envoy for talks with the Chinese authorities, would certainly have met senior Communist party leaders during his four-day stay in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province.” added the report claiming that the two-term Kalon Tripa (‘prime minister’) of the Tibetan administration-in-exile and one of the Dalai Lama’s most trusted advisers had quietly travelled to China in late November 2017.
The report also suggested that the Rinpoche would have met with the You Quan, a former party secretary of Fujian province whom Chinese President Xi Jinping appointed director of the united front work department in November or Zhang Yijiong, executive vice minister of the UFWD.
As China still do not recognise the Central Tibetan Administration, functioning as the Tibetan government in exile, president Lobsang Sangay has not accompanied the Rinpoche in the China visit added the article by the former Indian intelligence.
The former prime minister of Tibetan government in exile, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche however had earlier rubbished of the China visit when asked about whether he had made a China visit as being speculated and told that the news about his visit to China has no truth and it was nothing more than just media speculations.
http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2018/01/07/former-indian-intelligence-claims-samdhong-rinpoche-visited-china/

Thamchod Nyingma

January 9, 2018

China’s economic prowess is not to be underestimated. Various countries leaders seek economic collaborations with China, who has been contributing to the world’s economic growth, especially in the past decade. The Indian Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) report highlighted the lack of opportunities in India for growth and advancement as the causes for Tibetan youth to willingly betray their host India and work as spies for China. Tibetan youth clearly have difficulties to survive in India as CTA failed to create sufficient jobs for the Tibetans in exile. This is a reality and we will see more and more trend like this and eventually Tibetans seeking improvement in their quality of life and intellectual advancement will leave India and ‘return’ to China.

China recruiting “disgruntled” Tibetan refugees to spy on India: Intelligence Bureau
Friday, January 05, 2018 19:56
By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 5: Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) has reportedly said that China is recruiting Tibetan refugee youth in the Northeastern parts of India to provide strategic information in exchange for monetary gains.
The IB, India’s internal intelligence agency, has issued a string of alerts that China is approaching Tibetan refugees settled in northeast India to provide strategic information about the area.
According to The Print, a comprehensive report submitted to the central government will include how China had been targeting “disgruntled Tibetan refugees” in the region for the past two years and how many of the recruits have already left for China.
An unnamed source from the IB was cited as saying “young Tibetan refugees” from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and other parts of northeast India have been recruited as spies. “It appears to be China’s strategy to make a base in India to create a channel, through which it can constantly receive relevant strategic information,” the source told The Print.
The same source also described the newer generations of Tibetans to be “volatile and vulnerable” whose desperation caused by unemployment and wish for a good lifestyle is tapped by China who assure money as well as job and education for their kids.
In addition to the report to be sent to Ministry of home affairs, the local police in the north east states have also been notified of the threat and may result in “scrutiny of Tibetan refugees” there soon.
There are five Tibetan refugee settlements in the Northeast India; Choepheling- Miao, Dhargyeling –Tezu, Tenzigang- Bomdila and Tuting-Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh and Kunphenling- Ravangla in Sikkim as well as smaller pockets of Tibetans in Sonada and Darjeeling area overseen by the exile Tibetan government here in Dharamshala, known as the Central Tibetan Administration.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=40007

Ngodup Tsering

January 9, 2018

Samdhong Rinpoche’s November visit to China is brought up again in this article because it may have implication to India’s politics. At the moment, it is not clear yet as to what transpired during Samdhong Rinpoche’s 4-day visit to China and how the development may impact the progress of Tibetan cause or India-China relations. The confusion and curiosity related to this visit were increased a notch recently after Samdhong Rinpoche denied that this visit even occurred. It is very likely that the public may speculate further about Samdhong Rinpoche’s real intention behind the visit and why he was hiding it, and the speculation could run wild and impose a new risk to the Tibetan cause and India China relations. Therefore, it is best for Samdhong Rinpoche to clarify this matter once and for all.

Tibet developments may put pressure on India
Samdong Rimpoche’s visit to China materialised against the backdrop of strained India-China relations consequent to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam, says former RA&W officer Jayadeva Ranade.
There have been important developments relating to Tibet since the Chinese Communist Party congress ended in Beijing on October 25, 2017 and the two months thereafter.
All of them have implications for India and some could potentially put India under sustained pressure.
The first was the indication that the Chinese Communist Party’s central committee’s united front work department, which is responsible for supervising non-Communist parties and ethnic minorities including the Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Regions, was preparing to take fresh initiatives.
This was the dramatic ‘leak’ that Samdong Rimpoche – a former two-term Kalon Tripa (‘prime minister’) of the Tibetan administration-in-exile and among the Dalai Lama’s most trusted advisers — had quietly travelled to China in late November 2017.
Samdong Rimpoche, who was nominated a month earlier as the Dalai Lama’s envoy for talks with the Chinese authorities, would certainly have met senior Communist party leaders during his four-day stay in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province.
There is speculation that Rimpoche could have met You Quan, a former party secretary of Fujian province whom Chinese President Xi Jinping appointed director of the united front work department in November or Zhang Yijiong, executive vice minister of the UFWD.
If Rimpoche met Chinese leaders, this would be the first acknowledged contact between an envoy of the Dalai Lama and Chinese Communist officials since negotiations between the two sides were suspended in 2010.
China’s official media has, however, not yet mentioned a visit by a senior leader to Kunming during this period.
Dr Lobsang Sangay, the Sikyong (head) of the Central Tibetan Administration, obliquely confirmed that Professor Rimpoche had visited China. He was replying to a question posed by former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal on the sidelines of the M L Sondhi memorial lecture in New Delhi on December 14, when he cautioned ‘Don’t read too much into it. At most it’s a private visit and it’s too early to say anything.’
It is pertinent that Lobsang Sangay — who is the other envoy nominated by the Dalai Lama for talks with the Chinese — did not accompany Samdong Rimpoche probably because China continues to adhere to its policy of not recognising the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala. No relaxation has been noticed in China’s policies towards Tibetans or Tibet so far.
Samdong Rimpoche’s visit also materialised against the backdrop of strained India-China relations consequent to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam and threats made at the time by China through its official media.
It comes too in the wake of an international conference convened by the Tibetan administration-in-exile in October 2017 to finalise a long-term action plan, including revival of Tibetan Buddhism in the Indo-Himalayan border belt.
At the same time a securitisation of Tibet is taking place. Following up on Xi Jinping’s work report to the party congress — which for the first time devoted an entire section to poverty alleviation — the Tibet Autonomous Region has launched a campaign to tackle poverty and simultaneously enhance security.
It has decided to build ‘well-off border villages’ along Tibet’s ‘borders with India, Nepal, Bhutan and other neighbouring countries to ensure the security of the borders and maintain stability’ in the region.
The State-owned Global Times newspaper on December 25, 2017 asserted that ‘confronting separatism remains a challenge for the region. Raising living standards for local residents is a fundamental way to guard against activity sabotaging China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’.
‘Tibet’s rural poverty alleviation,’ the newspaper added, will help maintain stability in the border areas’.
Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns in the TAR are being co-opted to sensitise people and ensure that Buddhism serves socialism.
Additionally, the decision to bring the people’s armed police force (PAPF) directly under the central military commission with effect from January 1, 2018 puts Tibet under the direct control of the people’s liberation army (PLA).
Xi Jinping had earlier appointed PLA officers loyal to him as the commander and political commissar of the PAPF.
Since the PAPF is deployed in strength in Tibet’s main towns, rural countryside and border areas, the PLA officers — who are now being re-inducted into the party standing committees at the provincial and county levels — will have an enhanced role.
In addition to deploying PAPF troops when civilian authorities request assistance, the PLA officers will have a greater role in military-civil coordination and be directly involved in building the ‘well-off border villages’.
Each of these villages is to be connected by road, thereby facilitating military movement along the border with India.
Finally, the TAR leadership is being encouraged to push the Belt and Road Initiative and Bangladesh China India Myanmar Corridor with Tibet’s neighbours.
To promote the BRI and BCIM, China has announced it will expand TAR’s road network from 82,000 kms to 89,000 kms by 2020.
Chinese officials have earlier pointed out that there are 70 road links between China and Nepal and there have been suggestions of a new China-Nepal-India Corridor.
The aim will be to build pressure on India by creating public opinion, including by co-opting Tibetans, to endorse the BRI and China’s plans of connectivity.
Jayadeva Ranade, a former Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, is presently President, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy.
http://m.rediff.com/news/column/tibet-developments-may-put-pressure-on-india/20180107.htm

Anonymous

January 10, 2018

Dekyi Wangmo

January 13, 2018

Instead of creating employment opportunities, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has nurtured a culture where Tibetans expect handouts and foreign aids to get by. As a result, they created a new generation of Tibetan refugees who are volatile and vulnerable, and always depend on others to help them out of circumstances. Now, Tibetan refugees in India do not even hesitate to compromise the security of their host country, India, who has been so kind to them, in exchange for monetary gain.

China luring Tibetan refugees in India to work as its spies, Intelligence Bureau warns
ANANYA BHARDWAJ | 5 January, 2018
IB issues alert that many refugees settled in northeast India are being paid and offered jobs by China in exchange for strategic information.
New Delhi: Amid rising India-China tensions along the Line of Actual Control, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has issued a string of alerts warning that Tibetan refugees settled in northeast India are being approached by China to provide strategic information about the area.
While China has reportedly managed to convince a number of young Tibetan refugees to work as its spies in exchange for money, it is aiming to recruit many more, IB sources told ThePrint.
According to the alert, based on which a detailed report will soon be submitted to the government, China had been eyeing disgruntled Tibetan refugees in the region for the past two years. Sources said that many of the refugees it has recruited have already left for China.
“We received an alert stating that young Tibetan refugees settled in areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and other parts of northeast India are moving to China. We learnt that China is trying to recruit the refugees as spies in the area,” a source said.
“It appears to be China’s strategy to make a base in India to create a channel, through which it can constantly receive relevant strategic information.”
The local police in the concerned states have also been sounded out about the alert. A report is being prepared and will be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, following which a scrutiny of Tibetan refugees in the area may start.
“The present generation of Tibetan refugees is very volatile and vulnerable. While they wish to have a good lifestyle, they do not have any job opportunities. This is what the Chinese took advantage of to plant their spies,” the source said.
“The Chinese reportedly not only promise them good money in exchange for information, but also a good job and education for their children in China. However, it is still not known as to how many refugees the Chinese have been able to mobilise.”
Asked about the IB alert, a Home ministry official said: “It may be a possibility. We will look into it.”
https://theprint.in/2018/01/05/china-luring-tibetan-refugees-india-to-spy-intelligence-bureau-warns/

Torture

January 17, 2018

This is such a torture to see what the CTA does to the Tibetans! Not only have the Tibetans lost their country for so long already, being in exile and not knowing where to go after the kind 99 years in India, the Tibetan Government in exile has only created problems for the Tibetans.

Instead of giving them the means to live their life independently and making a living, they kept them small as refugees for 60 years already.

Instead of making a good connection with the Chinese Government, they only insulted them although the conditions have drastically improved since the Chinese took over in Tibet.

Instead of helping their Tibetans, they have supported the self-immolations and burned candles instead of stopping these unnecessary and unhelpful actions!

Instead of focussing to bringing peace to the Tibetans in Tibet and in the Tibetan communities all over the world, they have incited hate against Dorje Shugden practitioners and insulted everyone who had any connection to China!

What is the CTA up to? Why are they fighting the Dorje Shugden people for so long instead of doing their work and improving the life of the Tibetans??

Everyone should be aware of this CTA!! Shame on you!!

Yodon chela

January 18, 2018

China has been liberal towards Buddhist practitioners including those who are practicing Shugden deity. In fact, there are 250 million Buddhists in China currently, almost three times more than communist party members. On the hand, the Tibetan leadership in exile continues to discriminate against Shugden practitioners and politicizes the Shugden controversy to their benefit instead of promoting harmony among Buddhist practitioners. How ironic that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) continuously criticizes China for their human rights issue and yet the CTA fails to respect even the most basic human rights of other people, freedom of religion.

Three times as many Buddhists as Communists in China: Dalai Lama’s Tibet wish may require rapprochement with former adversaries
01/16/2018 07:27 am ET
By: Martin Desai, Contributor
Journalist and financial investigator
Whilst China technically remains a communist country, it has over the last two or three decades relaxed draconian Mao-era rules, for example by opening the door to private sector capitalism and by allowing individuals to practice a religion of their choice, so long as it is not to be perceived as a potential threat to the stability of the state or of the Communist Party.
There are now almost three times as many Buddhists in China as there are Party members. An official communiqué released in July this year estimated the membership of the Communist Party of China at just under 90 million. Meanwhile, the State Bureau of Religious Affairs estimates there are some 250 million Buddhists in China, more or less evenly split between Tibetan Buddhism and Han Buddhism, and 200,000 registered Buddhist monks.
Chinese authorities monitor religious adherence closely, and are extremely sensitive to any challenge, real or imagined, that certain religions may represent. While the Chinese regime’s approach to Buddhism has been liberal – for example, no bans have been issued and open religious expression is permitted – it clearly takes the religion’s influence seriously, given its importance in Chinese society.
Above all the regime fears religious divisions or unrest, as evidenced by the swift outlawing of the Falun Gong movement and imprisonment of its leaders after a series of demonstrations by Falun Gong members prompted fears that the group’s swelling support could one day rival the Party. The regime is also acutely sensitive to the possibility of what it sees as external interference – especially on the delicate subject of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism.
A particularly divisive issue for the Buddhist community, both within Tibet and abroad is the devotion to the Dorje Shugden deity, a 400-year old practice that began in the 17th century and has become a major practice in Tibetan Buddhism. Critics of Shugden devotion say worship of the deity promotes divisions among the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, all of which share the same fundamental philosophy, and whose differences lie in their interpretation of the extensive collection of Buddhist scriptures and the emphasis they place on various aspects of Buddhist philosophy.
At the origin of the controversy lie a number of ambiguous declarations from the current (14th) Dalai Lama. On the one hand, he has appealed for non-sectarian cooperation among all branches of Tibet’s religions. However, he has also effectively excluded Shugden practitioners from such cooperation despite once regarding Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being and authoring one of the most popular liturgies to this deity. Some Shugden devotees have claimed that these ambiguous declarations amount to a de facto ban on their practice and this exclusion is tantamount to being exiled in their own communities. The Shugden de facto exclusion has already existed for two decades since it was initiated by the current Dalai Lama and has slowly stirred disunity in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China and among the exiled Tibetan communities.
In 2014 the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet, which is chaired by the actor Richard Gere, said it had obtained a ‘directive’ from the Communist Party Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in China in February 2014 whose title translates as, “Some opinions on dealing correctly with the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue”[1].
The International Campaign for Tibet’s evaluation of the directive accuses China of seeking to gain a political advantage from the controversy. Entitled “China’s new directive on (the) controversial Shugden spirit in Tibet in (a) further bid to discredit Dalai Lama”[2], even the title of the critique dispels any expectation of objectivity.
While the Chinese position is that the authorities are aiming to guarantee the right of all Tibetans to choose who and how they worship, the directive issued by the Communist Party Committee of TAR is couched in rather divisive language. It calls the Shugden controversy “an important front in our struggle with the Dalai clique” and “a deceitful ploy by the 14th Dalai’s clique to split the country…”
The Chinese directive was made in response to the de facto religious ban implemented by the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government in Exile, and to their suspected destabilizing activities inside the TAR. The directive proposes educational and law enforcement measures to be implemented inside the TAR to mitigate the risk of division and unrest that the controversy may cause. Tashi Tadchen, a representative of the European Dorje Shugden Society which was set up to create awareness of the supposed ban, says that following the exiled Tibetan leadership’s edict against the Shugden practice, there have been frequent clashes which at times have led to loss of lives between those who feel obliged to follow the Dalai Lama’s decree and adherents of the Shugden practice.
The directive mirrors Chinese fear of discord within Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhism in general. What it does not do, despite the International Campaign for Tibet’s claims, is take a specific position on Shugden devotion outside the TAR. In spite of the content of the directive, the Exiled Tibetan Government and related NGOs around the World have repeatedly used it as evidence to attest that Shugden practitioners are “spies of the Chinese Communist Party.”
A late 2015 report from the news agency Reuters looking into the Shugden controversy relied heavily on the Communist Party Committee of TAR directive, and especially the International Campaign for Tibet’s interpretation of it, as solid evidence that China is financing various Shugden groups in the West, in particular the International Shugden Community (ISC) which has seen strong support from individual members of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) and Tibetans living in the West. The NKT has meditation centres around the world and has been vocal in its public opposition to the Dalai Lama’s position.
Even so, no concrete evidence has ever been supplied. However, whilst the intended objective is unclear, the Dalai Lama’s Shugden exclusion has created unrest amongst Tibetans inside the TAR. This is precisely what China fears. China sustains a “One China” policy to maintain stability and prosperity of the state. Any divisive conflict in the TAR such as the Shugden split, does not augur well for it’s objectives. This is not an objective the exile Tibetan Government necessarily shares and its ability to influence affairs in the TAR is one of it key bargaining chips.
What we have, in effect, is both sides calling for unity while at the same time continuing to bicker. The Communist Party of TAR has certainly sought to politicise the rift, as the Dalai Lama and his supporters also appear to have done. The Dalai Lama’s comments have served to alienate Shugden devotees from other Tibetan Buddhists, and are somewhat jarring when considered alongside his calls for unity in the Tibetan diaspora. Shugden adherents have insisted that if indeed the exiled Tibetan leadership believes that the Communist Party of China is leveraging this issue, then a simple pronouncement by the Dalai Lama declaring an end to the de facto ban would have the effect of rendering it harmless.
Could the time now be ripe to call for closure of hostilities? The Dalai Lama has recently expressed a desire to return to his Tibetan homeland, a wish that would have no chance of fulfilment without a significant thawing of China’s attitude towards Tibet’s spiritual leader.
Harmony among Tibetan Buddhists is in the interests of both sides. Moreover, having said in November 2017 that “Tibetans want to stay with China” and that he would return to Tibet at once, if China agrees, the Dalai Lama has flagged a willingness to try and overcome the longstanding political impasse. In addition, a high ranking emissary of the Dalai Lama, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche – former Prime Minister of the Tibetan exile Government – was nominated in the autumn as the Dalai Lama’s envoy for talks with the Chinese authorities and is believed to have held secret meetings with senior Communist party leaders.
Given that one of His Holiness’ early reasons for his criticism of Shugden worship – that it “harms the life of the Dalai Lama” – no longer seems justified given his longevity and continuing fair health, a rapprochement with Shugden acolytes may be a good starting point if his desired return to Tibet is to be anything more than a pipe dream.
[1] http://www.savetibet.org/the-official-line-on-shugden-translation/
[2] http://www.savetibet.org/chinas-new-directive-on-controversial-shugden-spirit-in-tibet-in-bid-to-further-discredit-dalai-lama/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/three-times-as-many-buddhists-as-communists-in-china_us_5a5dedb8e4b003efadb6b0d1

Tenzin Tsomo

January 22, 2018

Lobsang Sangay’s dismissal of Penpa Tsering with various accusations backfired, contrary to Lobsang Sangay’s expectation. Now, Tibetans are protesting and expressing their loss of trust in his leadership. Lobsang Sangay has to clarify a lot of things to the public, including the USD1.5 million loan with Tibet Fund. Tibetans are now beginning to see Lobsang Sangay’s true colours and are speaking up against him now.

Sikyong Sangay, the ball is in your court now!

By Mila Rangzen
KOLLEGAL, India, 20 January 2018
On 5 December 2017 former speaker Penpa Tsering made a detailed clarification rejecting every allegation, categorically, that Sikyong Sangay lobbed on him on 6 November 2017. But to Sikyong’s shock, the 10-point grenade of accusations didn’t burst on PT. It just refused to do so. It backfired.
Sikyong’s attempt to tarnish the image of a dedicated public servant for both political and personal reasons has failed. With the vigilance and quick action from the public, the humble Tibetan people have spoken! The grenade burst back on Sikyong in the form of protest and loss of trust in his leadership.
Sikyong never imagined even in his dreams that the Tibetan public would one day rise and speak truth to power right in his face. Terminating PT is the enormous miscalculation Sikyong made after being in office for nearly two years in his second term, and he is now paying the price.
Many, including those who voted for Lobsang Sangay, are now beginning to see him as a shallow, fake, narcissistic, crooked, unreliable, cowardly, small-minded, touchy, egotistical, arrogant, greedy, deceptive, unappreciative of criticism, irresponsible, vindictive man, and also a sack full of outrageous lies. These are the characteristics of a wicked conman that HH abhors and does not wish to see in any human being, let alone Sikyong whose office is tied to the destiny of the six million Tibetan people.
1. The claim that LS gave the representative post to PT by recalling his friend Kaydor Aukatsang to Dharamshala even before his tenure was numbered is a lie. The fact is that Gaden Phodrang was not happy with Kaydor’s performance in general and his election controversy in particular, so LS had no choice but to recall Kaydor and appoint Ngodup Tsering in his spot. This decision was taken long before LS posted PT to Washington DC. Yes, LS decided to name PT to the post of representative in Brussels. But that decision had to change later, and the credit goes to Gaden Phodrang, not Lobsang Sangay.
2. What hurt Sikyong’s ego most was when PT, like an honest statesman, suggested that there should be a payable record with Office of Tibet when there exists a receivable record with the Tibet Fund regarding the $1.5-million loan. This process, he argued, sits well with both the accounting practices and the local laws. Article 6 of the exile charter states that the local laws must be respected at all cost. However, LS violated this critical article in the charter, as usual with a straight face.
3. Narcissistic. LS asked former MP Koren from Europe to submit a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for him. Remember the picture of himself with Buddha in the background on a thangka hanging on the wall beside his desk? Thangkas are usually reserved for Buddhas and bodhisattvas. He has no shame in hanging such a thangka in his office.  The irony is that he prefers to call himself Senge “Lion” instead of Sangay “Buddha.” When it was found out that his actual name is spelled Sangay in Tibetan in his Green Book, he insisted and changed to call himself Senge rather than Sangay. Also, his portrait photo lined up on par with HH during elections. His framed picture was carried by well over 60 supporters at the JFK airport recently, an act that is usually reserved for a religious figure like the Dalai Lama. This is all coming from a remote control in LS’ hand. Sangay wishes to be listed as a Nobel laureate alongside the Dalai Lama. He’s a dreamer, but that’s LS for you. How can he even think of competing with His Holiness?
4. Egoistic. LS also asked MP Pema Chazoetsang from the US to submit his name for the Templeton nomination, a prize worth around $2 million which is usually awarded to a scientist who is prepared to say something nice about religion.
5. Vindictive. LS terminated PT because PT raised questions with facts and compelling reasons whenever his duty required him to do so. You rarely see this kind of leader in our community except for MP Dolma Tsering who stands her ground and speaks up and grills powers that be. I salute her from the bottom of my heart because our community needs more leaders like her.
6. Can’t stand criticism. The fact is he is a highly vindictive person. He can’t stand criticism let alone appreciate it. That’s the height of childishness sitting in the character of a man whom we expect to lead us through these dark times.
7. About two months after the election was over on 20 March 2016, HH gave LS a dressing-down in front of the staff of Gaden Phodrang, Penpa Tsering, and the Justice Commissioners. His Holiness reminded him that he was telling everybody he met that LS was his political boss to create a decent image (but LS gets carried away as usual) of the Sikyong on both the domestic and global stages so that the Tibetan cause could benefit from it. But when LS blatantly indulged in lie after lie and falsehood after falsehood, HH asked him point-blank what was the point in HH continuing to live any longer if the man he praised publicly is full of lies.  The entire dressing-down episode took only minutes. LS was the only one who refused to keep a copy. He merely wanted to feign ignorance of the contents if people demanded a copy of the same. He wept after the Speaker and Justice Commissioners left in front of HH. He wept perhaps realizing his outrageous lies could cost him his political career any time. Had HH dressed him down in public that would be the end of LS not only as a leader but even as an individual. HH can’t keep LS at a distance because he is an elected leader and it would look bad on the Sikyong if HH did, although the nature of his personality warrants otherwise. This is the problematic position HH is in. Long ago one of my brothers was a monk, carrying Nechung in a trance, at Namgyal Dratsang, HH own monastery. And with a connection in the right place, it is not hard to find a reliable, eyewitness source of information.
8. It was LS who leaked the secret visit Samdhong Rinpoche made to China recently. Why? To put that on his list of achievements if any. To boost his political image, he makes sure the Tibetan public and the media are not left in the dark even on this secret visit of the former president! LS tipped off Indian intelligence anonymously, and Indian intelligence passed it to an Indian journalist who wrote about it first.
If the current nightmare is to end soon, then it’s time Sikyong either declares PT’s clarification a bag of lies, or answers his conscience honestly and offers an apology to PT in public. The ball has been in Sikyong’s court for more than 40 days now. But there has been no response whatsoever from Sikyong. PT did not accept even a single accusation as real, and if Sikyong continues to remain silent, then it only means the truth is on PT’s side. Sikyong should also immediately apologize for deceiving the Tibetan public and creating chaos and rift in our community.
Failing this, PT will have no choice but to leave no stone unturned in seeking justice, and that could include the taking of Sikyong to the Tibetan court and possibly the US court too on defamation charges. The clock ticks now!
PS: Two pieces of good news! LS cannot come back in 2021. To do so, he has to win 30 votes in the Parliament. Both U-Tsang and Amdo parliamentarians won’t let that happen! PT is eligible to fight in the Sikyong election in 2021!
https://www.tibetsun.com/opinions/2018/01/20/sikyong-sangay-the-ball-is-in-your-court-now

Pema Wangchuk

January 24, 2018

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is again, expressing his wish to visit China. This is not the first time His Holiness mentioned about visiting or returning to China. In fact, His Holiness made a strong statement in November 2017 that he “would return to Tibet at once, if China agrees”. Could this be another sign from the Tibetan leadership that rapprochement with China is happening soon?

Dalai Lama Waiting For A Pilgrimage Visit to China One Day
By TJ editor
January 23, 2018
The Buddhist spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the course of teaching at Bodh Gaya today told that he is praying for a pilgrimage visit China’s Mount Wutai one day. His Holiness concluded the Diamond Cutter Sutra teachings specially dedicated to the Chinese disciples presently attending in Bodh Gaya on Tuesday.
While explaining about the significance of the holy place in China, Wu Tai Shan, the five peaked mountain, His Holiness told that he is praying to have an opportunity to visit the holy place to receive the blessings of Manjushri.
“China has a special connection with Manjushri, and Wu Tai Shan—the Five Peaked Mountain is the sacred place associated with him. If you Chinese can do the practices of these two, Manjushri and Sarasvati, it will be of special benefit to you. Meanwhile, I pray that one day I may visit Wu Tai Shan to receive Manjushri’s blessings—and you can pray for that too. To make your having come to Bodhgaya worthwhile, try to develop an understanding of emptiness and cultivate a good heart.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained at the third and last day of teachings for the Chinese disciples in Bodh Gaya today.
The Tibetan spiritual leader fled from Tibet in 1959, following the military coup by the People’s Liberation Army of China and sought refuge in India since then. Over the last six decades, the Tibetan exile community thrived to rebuild a national struggle and His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been very optimistic that he will be able to return to Tibet within his life time.
Since His Holiness’s arrival to Bodh Gaya since the beginning of this month, he has conducted three series of teachings to thousands of devotees gathered at the holy place. While the first teaching was organised at the request of his Indian devotees, the third teaching was specially dedicated to the disciples from the Mainland China.
The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama is expected to stay in Bodh Gaya till the beginning of February, there will be public talk Education for Universal Ethics in Schools and Colleges to students from private and government schools at the Kalachakra ground on Thursday.
http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2018/01/23/dalai-lama-waiting-pilgrimage-visit-china-one-day/

Pasang Tashi

January 29, 2018

Dorje Shugden practitioners have been victims of unfounded blame for more than half a decade, with news reports initiated by the Tibetan leadership, alerting the public that Shugden fundamentalist groups posed huge security threat to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as they were covertly backed up by China. The reality is that terrorists are out to harm His Holiness, with two bombs found amid His Holiness’ tight security, thanks to the intensive combing operation by Indian police. The Central Tibetan Administration should stop spreading lies that Shugden practitioners or more absurdly, Shugden practice imperil the life of the Dalai Lama, and pay more attention to real threats such as this.

One Suspect of Bodhgaya Blast Appear to Be Nepali Origin, JMB the Terror Group

January 29, 2018 | By TJ editor
Five suspects in the Bodhgaya blast have been picked out from the video footage in the CCTV cameras installed around the Mahabodhi temple and the police believes one of them to be of Nepali origin. Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terror group is being suspected as the primary outfit behind the Bodh Gaya incident and less likely for the Students Islamic Movement of India or Indian Mujahideen’s hand.
Gaya police is seeking the assistance of investigating agencies across the country to find out the identity details of five suspects they have found from the CCTV video footage. While the pictures of the five suspects are being circulated among the agencies by Gaya police, an officer informed that one of the suspects appears to be of Nepali origin.
“The officer, who requested anonymity, said that one of the five suspects appeared to be of Nepali origin. Their movements have been traced with the help of CCTVs. One of the suspects abandoned a bag containing explosives near gate number four of the temple. Another bomb was planted near the Tibetan monastery.” said the report in the Telegraph.
According to the investigations, JMB could have activated a module in Bihar to carry out the attack, suggesting that the attack was controlled from West Bengal. There is a call made from Bihar to West Bengal after planting the three bombs in Bodh Gaya is what has led the investigators to believe that the JMB could be behind the incident.
“The officer said the evidence strongly indicates JMB’s involvement in the failed terror attack, which had aimed to kill Buddhist monks and foreigners present in Bodh Gaya to listen to the sermons of Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. ” said the report in Times of India.
http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2018/01/29/suspects-bodhgaya-blast-appear-nepali-origin/

Tenzin Choejor

January 30, 2018

In a letter by the Dalai Lama’s translator, Thupten Jinpa, he had said that The Dalai Lama Trust was “slowly getting caught in unnecessary distractions”. Here is an excerpt from the letter:

“For someone who have [sic] had the honor and good fortune to serve His Holiness for over three decades, it had been painful to see how His Holiness’ name and legacy was slowly getting caught in unnecessary distractions (Albany-based NXIVM) and discordant messages (of rich and celebrity orientation). Especially, for the Trust, which is effectively His Holiness’ principal charitable foundation for the outside world, the last two years’ record has been, to put it mildly, quite embarrassing. The Trust has alienated most of its inter-organizational relationships, almost destroyed its infrastructure of the Tibetan graduate scholarship program with a majority of the independent reviewers resigning, and failed to support those international organizations that were actively inspired by His Holiness’ vision for the world and were undertaking high profile initiatives furthering His Holiness’ vision. Most sadly, the Trust has unfortunately acquired a reputation of being authoritarian, confrontational, petty, and uncaring, characteristics so far removed from His Holiness’ personal ethics. In particular, for those organizations and individuals who had been the recipients of grants from the Trust, frankly, the behavior of the Trust can be best characterized as that of bullying. If ever, some of the email communications from the Trust during this period were to come to light within the public domain, it would be a source of embarrassment for everyone connected with the Trust.”

The Dalai Lama’s office had also called for investigations and the eventual of any wrong doings by the organisation.

http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2018/01/30/daily-mails-article-dalai-lama-one-short-attempt-sensationalism/

Tenzin Dharpo

February 12, 2018

The Indian police has issued a circular for Tibetan refugees who are Indian voters or Indian citizens to surrender their Tibetan refugees registration certificates (RCs). Dawa Rinchen, Tibetan settlement officer at McLeodganj, said that the matter was to be dealt by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

There are around 1,400 Tibetan voters registered in Kangra district, many of them have exercised their voting rights in the state assembly elections without surrendering their RCs.

The Tibetan and Indian authorities are in a fix over this issue as the Tibetan authorities say that they don’t have any data of such Tibetans while the Indian authorities have passed the responsibility to Tibetan authorities stating that they had not asked anyone to apply for Indian citizenship or voting cards.

The CTA has already asked the Tibetans that they cannot take the benefits of being a refugee if they are holding Indian citizenship. There are also guidelines that such Tibetans have to leave the settlements. However, it remains to be seen if such rules will affect the CTA officials, such as Dhardon Sharling, Dolma Gyari, and Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar who hold Indian passports.

Surrender RCs if registered as Indian voters, Tibetans told
Shri Puri | TNN | Updated: Feb 11, 2018, 10:02 IST
DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan refugees, who are now Indian voters, have been directed by the police headquarters to surrender their registration certificates (RCs). The certificate is the primary identity document for Tibetans living in India. While it gives them foreign status, voter ID proves their Indian identity.
Superintendent of police (SP) Santosh Patial told TOI that a circular in this regard had been issued as it was mandatory that if a Tibetan had availed Indian citizenship and voting rights he was supposed to submit his RC.
“A circular in this regard has been issued across Tibetan settlements in Kangra district,” he said, adding that directions were issued earlier this week.
Dawa Rinchen, Tibetan settlement officer at McLeodganj, said they had received the letter from the police department and other settlements as well, but the matter was to be dealt by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
“We have received the letter and it has been forwarded to the home and security department of the CTA. It is not in our purview,” he said.
The RCs would be submitted to the foreigner registration office (FRO). The SP office has sent the circulars to Tibetan settlements in McLeodganj, Bir Tibetan Society, Nangchen division, Dege division and Tashi Jong Tibetan camp, falling under Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
It was said that the issue of Tibetan refugees holding electoral card without surrendering their RCs was raised by the principal secretary, ministry of home affairs, through official channels to the Himachal government.
According to well placed sources, there are around 1,400 Tibetan voters registered in Kangra district but many of them have exercised their voting rights in the state assembly elections without surrendering their RCs.
The Tibetan and Indian authorities are in a fix over this issue. Tibetan authorities say that they don’t have any data of such Tibetans and it is the electoral office that could reveal the name of Tibetans, who voted in the assembly polls, on the other hand the Indian authorities have passed the responsibility to Tibetan authorities stating that they had not asked anyone to apply for Indian citizenship or voting cards.
“The CTA has already asked the Tibetans that they cannot take the benefits of being a refugee if they are holding Indian citizenship. There are also guidelines that such Tibetans have to leave the settlements,” said a source.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/surrender-rcs-if-registered-as-indian-voters-tibetans-told/articleshow/62867870.cms

Tashi Dolma

February 13, 2018

Tibet Autonomous Region Public Security Department issued a report on organized crime, that contains information about activities that violate the existing law and regulations. The CPC Central Committee and State Council will act to control these criminal activities to ensure social harmony and stability, and that the people live and work in peace and happiness. CPC called the ‘Middle Way’ as a narrow nationalistic idea and is trying to control any activities related to supporting the Dalai Lama.

Notice of the Tibet Autonomous Region Public Security Department on Reporting Leads on Crimes and violations by Underworld forces
Tibet Daily | 2018/02/10 | 19:18
Underworld forces are a malignant cancer of healthy economic and social development, they are chronic disease that is loathed by the people, and must be resolutely combated in accordance with law. Based on the spirit of the “Notice on Carrying out a Special Crackdown on Clearing Away Organized Crime and Eliminating Vice” issued to the entire nation January 11, 2018 by the CPC Central Committee and State Council, so as thoroughly advance the special crackdown on clearing away organized crime and eliminating vice, to ensure that the people live and work in peace and happiness, to ensure social harmony and stability, and to bring about long-term national stability, the broad masses of the people are asked to enthusiastically report leads on cases of violations or crimes by underworld forces. Notice on matters related to reporting is hereby given as follows;
I. Content of Reports
(1) Underworld forces that threaten political security, especially to regime security and institutional security, as well as those penetrating into the political sphere.
(2) Underworld forces interconnected with the Dalai clique, accepting remote control or command, or participating in separatist and disruptive activities.
(3) Underworld forces with temples as patrons; using religion to control, to confuse, to incite, or coerce the masses to resist the Party and government; or interfering in basic-level administrative, judicial, educational or other affairs.
(4) Underworld forces with close relations and interconnections to all kinds of illegal organization, instilling the masses with reactionary idea and narrow nationalistic ideas such as the ‘Middle Way’ and ‘protecting the “mother tongue”.
(5) Underworld forces holding themselves out as so-called ‘spokespersons’ for the masses, under banners such as economics, the people’s livelihood, environmental protection, folk customs and culture, that are in fact the ‘spokespersons’ of the Dalai clique and hostile foreign [non-mainland] forces.
(6) Underworld forces illegally soliciting donations, fund-raising, giving out fines, taking compulsory collection from the people, or seizing opportunities for unjust enrichment, and providing funds to the Dalai clique.
(7) Underworld forces such as black village officials with a grip on basic-level political power, monopolies on local economic resources, and misappropriating collective property.
(8) Underworld forces using of illegal means such as fraud, bribery, threats, and violence, to manipulate, disrupt, or undermine basic-level general elections.
(9) Underworld forces such as ‘village tyrants, that exploit religion or family forces to cross the countryside, play the tyrants, or bully and suppress the common people.
(10) Underworld forces that exploit religion or family forces to illegally meddle and intervene in conflicts and dispute among the people such as over boundaries, pastures, caterpillar fungus, and debts, to act as ‘underground law enforcement teams’ meddling and intervening in the basic-level administration and judiciary.
(11) Underworld forces stirring up trouble in land acquisition, leases, demolitions, engineering projects, and the like, so as to obtain unlawful benefits.
(12) Underworld forces such as all types of ‘Sand Boss’, ‘Car Boss’ , or ‘Road Boss’ that interfere with engineering and construction in industries or fields such as architectural engineering, transport, and mining, by strong arm projects, maliciously bid, illegally occupy land, excessively mine, seize resources, monopolize or compel sales, block roads to take tolls, or compelling hire of equipment and personnel.
(13) Underworld forces such as ‘Market Bosses”, “Industry Bosses”, “Produce Bosses”, and “Meat Bosses” that dominate markets, force sales, or accept protection money, in venues such as commercial trade markets, wholesale markets, bus stations, train stations, airports, and tourist destinations.
(14) Underworld forces manipulating or operating illegal and criminal activities such as ‘porn, gambling, and drugs’.
(15) Underworld forces using any kind of method of high interest lending such as “routine loans” or “campus loans’ or using violence to collect debts.
(16) Underworld forces meddling in civil disputes, serving as ‘underground law enforcement teams’.
(17) Underworld forces organizing the employment of online ‘paid trolls [or commenters]‘ to threaten, intimidate, berate, defame, make trouble.
(18) Underworld forces through connect online through means such as establishing Wechat groups, online forums, or other means, and that carry out illegal or criminal activities offline.
(19) Underworld forces that engage in unlawful or criminal activities such as illegal fundraising and operations, grabbing and holding economic interests, seriously harming the order fair competition and the environment of economic development.
(20) Personnel of State organs exploiting their position to facilitate, harbor,or abet, crimes by underworld forces, serving as their ‘protective umbrella’
(21) Forced trading, extortion and blackmail, provocation [picking quarels], gathering crowds to fight, unlawful detention, intentional destruction of property, organizing prostitution, forcing prostitution, setting up casinos, and other types of crime involving vice.
(22) Other leads as to crimes involving organized crime and vice.
II. Channels for reporting
(1) Field Reports: Tibet Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Team. Organized Crime Investigation Branch, No. 35 Lin Ju Road, Lhasa Chengguan District, Tibet Autonomous Region.
Reports may also be made directly to municipal or regional public security bureaus, of criminal forensics squads.
(2) Telephone Reports: Call the Tibet Autonomous Region Public Security Organ Public Reporting Number: 0891-12389. Note: Select the relevant public security organ for reporting based on the telephone voice prompts.
Clearing away organized crime and eliminating vice is a people’s war, and must rely on the public’s active participation. The masses’ are welcome to actively report and uncover leads on violations and crimes involving underworld forces, and to resolutely struggle against underworld forces’ illegal conduct. The public security organs are to lawfully protect the personal information and security of groups that provide leads. The legal responsibility of reporters will be pursued in accordance with law where reporting is malicious or framing others. Where the subjects of reports carry out revenge, they are to be given severe and heavy punishments in accordance with law.
Public Security Department for the Tibet Autonomous Region
2018/2/7
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1993471

Devano

February 25, 2018

An article published in 1997 in the Spanish magazine “Mas Alla” stated that Ling Rinpoche practiced Dorje Shugden. The magazine covers spiritual and metaphysical issues around the world, and doesn’t have anything to do with Tibetan Buddhism. So in that way, it has no reason to be biased in and to write articles in support of or against Dorje Shugden.

The magazine was also issued in 1997, before the height of the ban, at a time when no one was compelled to hide the truth. So we can be sure that the reporting on this matter is therefore neutral and unedited and objective.

It’s a fact that both the tutors of the 14th Dalai Lama (Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche) practiced Dorje Shugden, which was confirmed by the research conducted by the reporter JC Deus from Mas Alla. Deus clearly interviewed the right people and since the truth will always prevail, it is not surprising that an independent researcher like him with no links to Tibetan Buddhism so easily discovered and reported that Ling Rinpoche does Dorje Shugden practice. Remember that Deus was just doing his duty as a reporter, and reporting it as a neutral historical fact, not with any agenda in mind.

This is clear proof and it contradicts the false information the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) propagates that Ling Rinpoche does not practise Dorje Shugden. Lies like these will always be found out and exposed. This has been proven with the CTA who continue to make a fool out of themselves, losing trust among the Tibetans and supporters around the world.

This is PART 1, the first part of my 4-part comment. It shows the first three pages (pg 28-29) and the cover of the Mas Alla magazine, which published this report about Dorje Shugden.

Devano

February 25, 2018

This is PART 2, the second part of my 4-part comment. It shows the next three pages (pg 30-32) of the Mas Alla magazine, which published this report about Dorje Shugden.

Devano

February 25, 2018

This is PART 3, the third part of my 4-part comment. It shows the next three pages (pg 33-35) of the Mas Alla magazine, which published this report about Dorje Shugden. Please take SPECIAL NOTE to see page 33. The part where it mentions Ling Rinpoche practices Dorje Shugden has been highlighted for your reference.

Devano

February 25, 2018

This is PART 4, the final part of my 4-part comment. It shows the last two pages (pg 36-37) of the Mas Alla magazine, which published this report about Dorje Shugden.

Golog Jigme

February 27, 2018

Mr. Mila Rangzen says the head of the Tibetan exiled govt is a sexual predator

Since 2011, Lobsang Sangay’s tenure as the President of the Central Tibetan Administration has been mired with various scandals and failures, such as the election scandal and the US$1.5 million loan scandal. The 17% unemployment rate among the Tibetans in exile has also forced some Tibetans to become spies, betraying their host country India. Now, in more shocking news from Mila Rangzen, who has been proven to have access to a lot of insider news, Lobsang Sangay has been revealed to be a sexual predator who does not hesitate to risk the Dalai Lama’s reputation to satisfy his lust. More women and people are speaking up about this. This is really breaking news. These women deserve a platform to express the pain and humiliation and be open to heal.

Mila Rangzen has, on numerous occasions, shared extremely accurate and reliable news for the benefit of the Tibetan community. He has never failed us with the accuracy of the news and they have all proven to be true. Mila seems to not be afraid to tell the truth.

All the victims of the sexual predator Lobsang Sangay should not keep quiet anymore and must expose him once and for all. He should be punished for his actions and asked to step down from his position now! The victims should be empowered by this and speak up and point the finger at Lobsang Sangay if this is true. Do not stay in the dark and hide your shame because Lobsang Sangay is destroying the reputation of the Dalai Lama.

President Sangay and the sexual assault on Ms Leslie Butterfield
February 21, 2018
Just as you, the reader, I am also very concerned about the direction that LS is taking the Tibetan community towards. Just as Trump he is catering to his base of fanatic Khampa sanjor ex-monk supporters leading to disharmony and divisiveness. Let me start in 2011 during the Kalachakra in Washington DC. – During the Kalachakra from July 6-16th, LS also visited as is normal for him to bask in the glory of His Holiness. An intern, Leslie Butterfield, at the ICT was assigned to him to assist him in his meetings and moving around DC. Ms. Butterfield was in her early 20s then and a very attractive young woman who supported His Holiness and the Tibetan cause with her whole heart and being. She is known to have been a very active participant in numerous activities to further the cause of Tibet and spread the work of compassion of His Holiness.
It was the night of July 11th that LS physically assaulted her in his hotel room. The next day she reported this to Mary Beth Markey, the then President of ICT. There were others in the office who were also made aware of the incident of the previous night. Ms. Butterfield was convinced by Marybeth and others in the ICT not to file charges against LS using the name of HH as an emotional blackmail. That she would be sullying the name of His Holiness if she was to file a complaint. She was pressured into not filing a complaint which makes people at ICT complicit in a cover-up. With so many women coming out with sexual abuse charges it may be time for Ms. Butterfield to come out too.
She is now married with a child. Maura Mohinyan comes to mind as someone capable of convincing her to come forward. Maura as I know her has in-depth knowledge of LS dealings.
During his last visit to NY and DC along with Kaydor, he had a meeting with the Tibet Fund regarding the $1.5 mil loan. He is pressurizing TF to write off the loan before the parliament session begins in March so as to prove his point that it was a grant and not a loan even though existing documents show the money as a loan which I have written in depth. During the meeting, he emotionally blackmailed the TF saying that he was going to ask HH for the money so that it is paid back to the TF just to prove that it was not a loan even though paying it back means it was a loan. He explicitly asked the TF “if they were comfortable taking money from HH”. There are ongoing talks between TF and OoT, DC on his behalf about this money.
His exact words are in the minutes of the meeting at the TF which shall be released here in the next article as it pertains to the interest of the Tibetan people and political corruption. It is common knowledge in India that HH is very disappointed, to say the least, with LS and the way he is using his office for personal glorification. The only audience he got was in Gaya after months of trying to see HH. He has no shame and had the audacity to ask HH to mediate and solve the loan issue. HH’s response is one of pin-drop silence.
There are numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power in Dharamshala but all will not come out openly for fear of retribution as you and I know how the law works in India. A spark/catalyst is much needed if these women are to get justice and it is where my role begins.
https://thetibetstar.com/2018/02/21/president-sangay-and-the-sexual-assault-on-ms-leslie-butterfield/

Rangzen

February 27, 2018

President Sangay launches attacks on Mila Rangzen
February 28, 2018
Like a true citizen of Tibet, I have been critical of powers that be including LS as the president of CTA on policy, conduct, nepotism, regionalism, transparency, and accountability and the price I am paying is his personal attacks on me using his stooges today. What triggered the attacks is this informative piece https://thetibetstar.com/2018/02/21/president-sangay-and-the-sexual-assault-on-ms-leslie-butterfield/ I wasn’t surprised because I was expecting it from a touchy vindictive man like him.
However, it’s encouraging to be noticed and I will continue to speak up for our people and for our cause stronger than ever. Rights and responsibilities are not properties that belong only to the President, ministers and the parliamentarians. It also belongs to us –the people. Anyone who implies otherwise is either a fool or a threat to democracy and freedom around the world.
The details of the attacks will be released in the next article.
Till then stay strong and be determined to pay any price and when necessary make them pay a heavy price too for treading on a king cobra taking care of rats that are destroying our crops.
This too shall pass!
https://thetibetstar.com/2018/02/28/president-sangay-launches-attacks-on-mila-rangzen/

Peter

February 27, 2018

Tibetan govt in exile is corrupt, liars, segregationalists, greedy, bigots and this is what they do when Dalai Lama is alive. After Dalai Lama is no more, the whole Tibetan govt in exile will just collapse overnight.

They lost their country in 1959 because they are too corrupt to keep it. For the last 60 years they cannot get their country back. Tibetan govt is a failure whether in Tibet or in exile.

Tsering

March 3, 2018

Comic drawn by Tendor, a prominent Free Tibet activist.

Sar Lang

March 5, 2018

Lhatse Lobsang, the President of Utsang Yargay Tsokpa, warns the elected leaders including the Sikyong Lobsang Sangye/Tibetan leaders and members of the parliament of his self-immolation in protest if they don’t resolve the termination issue in the coming March parliamentary sessions. Tibetans in India are so unhappy with their Tibetan government in exile in North India, they wish to self-immolate in protest. This would spell big disaster for the corrupt Tibetan government in exile in India.

Utsang monk warrior warns President Sangay of self-immolation
March 4, 2018 | Mila Rangzen
It is no secret His Holiness the Dalai Lama was disappointed with the 2016 Sikyong election that was marked by Khampa negative regionalism that caused disharmony and division in our small community that is surviving on handouts from Indian and foreign individuals, NGOs, and governments for the past six decades.
Actually, it was the 18,000 Utsang people who voted for Khampa Lobsang Sangay that made him win but in return Khampa fanatics, to say thank you, gifted gang intimidation, criminal threats, insults, death threats and violence to the Utsang people.
As if this was not bad enough, President Sangay poured gasoline on the house on fire by terminating former speaker Penpa Tsering whose mother is Utsang from the post of Representative at Washington DC on November 6, 2017, without any valid reasons.
Lhatse Lobsang, the President of Utsang Yargay Tsokpa, warns the elected leaders including the Sikyong and members of the parliament of his self-immolation in protest if they don’t resolve the termination issue in the coming March parliamentary sessions.
https://thetibetstar.com/2018/03/04/utsang-monk-warrior-warns-president-sangay-of-self%E2%80%8B-immolation/

Gangchenpa

March 9, 2018

The Nepalese officials have again turned down permission for Tibetan refugees to commemorate the Tibetan uprising day in order to protect its alliance with the Chinese Communist Party, which has proven to be more beneficial to Nepal as compared to supporting the Tibetan refugees.

The Nepal Chief District Officer issued a written notice in 2005 to the Representative of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Refugees Welfare Office (TRWO) in Kathmandu to suspend both offices, ending a 45 years partnership to care for some 2,500 Tibetan refugees who would transit in Nepal from Tibet. This move was a lesson to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) for not addressing the tensions between the Tibetans and Nepalese, as well as not contributing back to Nepal for as long as they have been there. The fact that the Tibetan refugees continue to protest on March 10 is a perfect example in which they will jeopardise the relationship between Nepal and China, who is now the top assistance providers to Nepal. The Tibetan refugees are forever taking, and never reciprocating the favour has proven to be an ineffective way of dealing with the Nepalese as they feel they are taken for granted always.

Nepal to ban March 10 Tibetan uprising day events
Thursday, March 08, 2018 19:49 | By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Mar. 8: The Tibetan refugee community in Nepal will not be allowed to commemorate the anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising day due this Saturday, after Nepalese officials turned down the permission to hold any “protests” or “public gathering” by Tibetans on the day.
An official notice sent out by the Central Tibetan Administration’s ‘Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office’ in Kathmandu on Wednesday, appealed to Tibetans in Nepal to refrain from organizing protests or public gatherings on the day and instead pray from their homes.
The notice stated that the Nepalese officials have turned down permission to commemorate the Tibetan uprising day this year as well like the previous years in the near past and that refugee Tibetans should abide by the laws of the land.
The official appeal is most likely, in anticipation to avoid any violent interruption by Nepalese police towards Tibetan refugees, as were seen after 2008 when the tension was at its height following alliance between Beijing and Kathmandu. Over 200 peaceful Tibetan protesters were arrested on 10th March 2008 and over 1,100 Tibetans arrested prior to the Beijing Olympics for holding demonstrations the same year.
Tibetan refugees have been subjected to clampdown by Nepalese police over the years on this day, which marks the uprising of the Tibetan people in Tibet in 1959 against the colonial Chinese rule.
Nepal, a tiny Himalayan nation wedged between occupied Tibet and India was once a sanctuary for Tibetan refugees. Until the late eighties, the Nepalese government issued RC (Registration certificate) to Tibetans who came from Tibet as well as their children. A “gentlemen’s agreement” to continue allowing Tibetan refugees to cross over into India was struck between the government of Nepal and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1989 following the Kathmandu government refusal to give refugee status to Tibetans.
However, that agreement has since been pushed aside after Nepal started receiving a lucrative patronage from China. The influx of Tibetan refugees has been severely restricted with the once average of 2000 immigrants a year dropping to a lowly 200 since 2008 Uprising in Tibet. In an extreme case of heavy handedness, 18 Tibetans including some children in 2003, and 3 Tibetans in 2010 were detained by Nepalese police and handed over to Chinese authorities in Tibet.
Nepal which is home to more than 20,000 Tibetans who either came across the border or were born to settlers, are finding it hard to sustain a free and normal existence. The Nepalese government’s treatment of the Tibetan refugees has taken a turn for the worse in the last few years with China pumping in cheap interest loans and relaxed FDR (Foreign Direct Investment) schemes in exchange for its will to be imposed. China’s FDR in Nepal has shot to $128 million in 2015 up from $24 million in 2014 besides perks such as a fleet of Mercedes SUVs.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=40222

ashrao

March 9, 2018

Indian and Chinese foreign ministries have both made statements thawing relations between the two Asian giants. Determined to improve ties between the countries, the Indian government is taking steps to ensure nothing jeopardizes their efforts. First, they told their officials to distance themselves from the Tibetans, and then the planned #ThankyouIndia2018 events were moved from New Delhi (India’s political capital) to the out of the way Dharamsala.

Now, even Chinese ministers are hoping for improved relations, bringing stability to the volatile region. The Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant need to dance in order to become stronger said the Chinese Foreign Minister.

Will this be the end of India’s support of the Tibetans? What will they do next?

China’s foreign minister suggests ‘Chinese dragon’ and ‘Indian elephant’ should dance, not fight

NEW DELHI — A pair of statements from the Chinese and Indian foreign ministries this week appeared to show an opening in relations between Asia’s most powerful rivals, long competitors on trade and territory.

“The Chinese ‘dragon’ and the Indian ‘elephant’ must not fight each other, but dance with each other,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Beijing on Thursday. If the two countries joined hands, he said, “one plus one will equal not only two, but also eleven,” referring to how powerful they would be together.

On Friday, India foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that stronger ties “are a factor of stability amid today’s global uncertainties” at a meeting at Xiamen in September 2017.

“We are willing to work with the Chinese side to develop our relations based on commonalities, while dealing with differences on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s interests, concerns and aspirations,” Kumar said at a news conference in New Delhi.

Relations between the two countries have been fraught in recent months, as tensions escalated over border issues and Tibet, a semiautonomous region of China. But the statements could suggest willingness to cooperate.

“I don’t think it’s a fundamental shift in the relationship,” said Shashank Joshi, senior research fellow of the Royal United Services Institute.

“We are still looking at broad strategic competition between China and India, which stretches over the Himalayas and into the Indian Ocean. The statement doesn’t mean India is any less concerned on the Belt and Road initiative or the China-Pakistan economic corridor, but India does not want those disagreements to undermine relations,” he said, referring to China’s flagship program to increase connectivity in central, west and south Asia. New Delhi has refused to back the initiative, raising concerns it could directly link its two bordering strategic foes — China and Pakistan.

Earlier this week, Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharam said in parliament that both countries had redeployed troops at Doklam, the contested site of an intense standoff between the two countries last year.

“The strength of both sides have been reduced,” she said, adding that the Chinese army had started the construction of sentry posts, helipads and trenches in the area.

The statements came after unconfirmed reports in Indian media this week that senior government officials were asked not to attend events to mark the Dalai Lama’s 60th year in exile from China. Events for the Buddhist leader — whom China considers a dangerous separatist — were moved from New Delhi to the Himalayan city of Dharamsala, headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

“India and China recognize that they can’t afford to let these disagreements erupt into open conflict,” Joshi said. “Diffusing Tibet issue for now is one for India to signal that’s what it wants to do.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/chinas-foreign-minister-suggests-chinese-dragon-and-indian-elephant-should-dance-not-fight/2018/03/09/b27f81ac-2397-11e8-a589-763893265565_story.html

Jampel Senge

March 10, 2018

Not only was the thankyouindia2018 forced to move back to McLeodganj, the Tibetans are warned to keep the event low key! BJP leadership, including L K Advani and Shanta Kumar, and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had been invited for the event in Delhi but none of them replied to the invitation. Apart from the change of venue now, new invitation list has to be prepared. It is clear that the Indian government is distancing itself from the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and they will do what is necessary to mend their ties with China.

Post-venue shift from Delhi, Tibetans to keep event low key in McLeodganj

Shri Puri| TNN | Updated: Mar 7, 2018, 11:08 IST
DHARAMSHALA: The event cancellation in Delhi has forced a change of plans in the Tibetan administration and the shifting of venue to McLeodganj. The ‘Thank You India’ event, which was aimed to mark 60 years in-exile of the Dalai Lama, will now be organized in the hill town on March 31.
The venue was shifted to Dharamshala after the foreign secretary wrote a note to the cabinet secretary on February 22, asking government functionaries and senior leaders to skip the Tibetan event in view of “sensitive time” for India and China relations.
On Tuesday, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) president Lobsang Sangay reached here from Delhi via early morning flight but avoided the media. ‘Thank You India’ programme was the brain child of CTA. Beginning March 31 at Rajghat in New Delhi with an inter-faith meeting, this year-long event was to end on December 10, 2018.
Confirming that the event has been shifted to Dharamshala, Tibetan department of information and international relations secretary Dhardon Sharling told TOI, “We do not know the reason, but we have received information that the event has been shifted to Dharamshala from Delhi. This is a minor change, but is being interpreted wrongly. There are no differences between the Indian government and the Tibetan leadership.”
The Tibetan administration is now in talks with the HPCA to organise its event at the cricket stadium, confirmed HPCA spokesman Sanjay Sharma.
The Dalai Lama’s office, too, maintained a distance on this issue, with the Tibetan leader’s private secretary Tenzin Takla saying the CTA was managing the event. “We have not received any invitation yet. The Tibetan administration is dealing with all this, not the Dalai Lama’s office,” he said.
Sources revealed that top BJP leadership, including L K Advani and Shanta Kumar, had been invited for the event in Delhi. Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was also among those invited. However, confirmation had not come in from anyone. Now, after the change in venue, the Tibetan government is preparing a new list of invitees for the event, they added.
Asked about China’s pressure on India on this issue, CTA official spokesperson Sonam Dagpo said relations between the two neighbouring countries were important for the world, particularly for South Asian countries. “We don’t feel that the Indian government was under pressure from China,” he said. “We don’t feel this would have any kind of impact the Tibetan movement,” Dagpo added.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/post-venue-shift-from-delhi-tibetans-to-keep-event-low-key-in-mcleodganj/articleshow/63193258.cms

SonamT

March 10, 2018

It is very clear by now that the Indian Government does not want the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)’s thank you. No matter how the CTA orchestrates the propaganda campaign to please India, it is very clear that the Indian Government had enough of the Tibetans and are making effort to distance itself from the CTA. Although India will continue to support His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his spiritual works, the distinctions between His Holiness and the CTA is made very clear. Looking at the trend, we may be able to speculate that the Indian Government’s plan for the next few years is to end decades of support to the CTA and its people, eventually clearing all Tibetan refugees from India.

Why Tibetans Shouldn’t Be Offended by India’s Snub to Dalai Lama
THUBTEN SAMPHEL | 12H 00M AGO
When you thank a person for his or her hospitality or a favour done or courtesy shown to you, that person’s usual and expected response is “You are most welcome.”
In the lead-up to a major year-long Thank You India event to commemorate 60 years in exile and to take place across India and organised by the Central Tibetan Administration, the government of India’s response seems to be “We don’t want your thank you.”
As reported, the cabinet secretary of the union government issued a circular advising central and state leaders and officials not to attend any ‘Thank You, India’ event. The Central Tibetan Administration was advised to move the highlight of the event from New Delhi to Dharamsala.
India’s Diplomatic Tip-Toeing Should Not Distract the Tibetan Refugees
This is the trending topic among Tibetans on social media. Tibetans have expressed their disappointment, suspecting a shift in the attitude of the government of India to the Tibetan cause.
But they shouldn’t be disappointed, and there is no shift in the Indian government’s policy to the issue of Tibet.
In fact, India’s diplomatic tip-toeing around the issue of Tibet should not distract the Tibetan refugees from the Indian government’s massive, consistent and unstinting support to them. With India’s support and under the Dalai Lama’s guidance, the Tibetan refugees have been able to establish a productive and cohesive community serviced by schools, settlements, hospitals, clinics, old people’s homes, monasteries and higher learning centres, all centrally or autonomously supervised by the Central Tibetan Administration.
More importantly, India’s tolerance and hospitality has given space to Tibetan refugees to re-energise and revitalise the institutions, values and disciplines of Tibet’s Buddhist heritage. This ability to re-establish Tibet’s cultural and spiritual heritage in India has attracted students and scholars from areas which once came within the ambit of Tibet’s Buddhist civilisation. The Dalai Lama’s tireless travel and his message of peace and compassion have drawn new students and scholars to India from across the world.
Some scholars call the ability of Tibetan refugees to plant the roots of cultural Tibet in India “one of the miracles of the twentieth century.”
What the next generation of Tibetans does with this gift given to them by the Dalai Lama and India will test the mettle on which depends the continued survival of Tibet outside of the plateau.
As for the government of India’s policy to Tibet is concerned, that was settled in 1954. That year, India and China signed the Panchsheel agreement in which India recognised Tibet as an autonomous part of the People’s Republic of China.
Against this historical background, how the government of India will continue to view the exile community will depend on the Tibetan refugees themselves. How they conduct themselves, how they use the enormous freedom granted to them, and how they use the same energy to strengthen their cultural and community cohesion will shape the central government’s view.
As for the Indian public, there is a groundswell of sympathy and support generated by the Dalai Lama. This support and sympathy should never be squandered.
(Thubten Samphel is the director of the Tibet Policy Institute, a research centre of the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala. The opinions expressed are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)
https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/why-tibetans-shouldnt-be-upset-by-india-snub-to-dalai-lama

sonkel

March 10, 2018

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) should really learn from Nepal. Aligning with Chinese policy is necessary if you wish for growth and economic stability. The Dalai Lama was recently quoted to say, “We want to stay with China. We want more development.”

Nepal has developed so much since collaborating with China, with China now contributing to around 58 percent of foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments received by Nepal. China has promised that areas of mutual cooperation with Nepal would be expanded in the days to come.

‘Nepal committed to One-China Policy’
Published: March 08, 2018 1:01 pm | RASTRIYA SAMACHAR SAMITI
Kathmandu, March 7
Defence Minister Ishwor Pokhrel said Nepal was committed to One-China Policy.
Minister Pokhrel said this during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong at the former’s office in Singha Durbar. He also said the relations between the armies of the two countries could also be expanded.
Minister Pokhrel assured the Chinese ambassador that all agreements between the governments of the two countries would be implemented. He also hoped that the Chinese government would continue to provide support for infrastructure development in the country.
According to spokesperson for the defence ministry Rishiraj Rajbhandari, Ambassador Hong congratulated the minister and expressed belief that China’s friendly relations with Nepal would be further enhanced during the government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Areas of mutual cooperation would be expanded in the days to come, said the Chinese ambassador. The meeting was also attended by Defence Secretary Binod KC, senior Nepali Army officials and officials from the foreign ministry.
https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/nepal-committed-one-china-policy/

Lelkyi Tsho

March 13, 2018

Although both China and India are seen as giants, India has been seen submitting to China more and more. The relocation of “Thank You India” event from Delhi to Dharamsala and Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha’s note to Indian officials to not attend the event because it is a “very sensitive time” for bilateral relations with China both clearly show that India is bending backwards to please China. And they are definitely not going to entertain Lobsang Sangay anymore because the Tibet issue is no longer a trump card for India.

Lobsang Sangay said not long ago that an official usually wants to do something big in their last term of office so that people will remember them. In this case, he will forever be remembered for his incapability and his focus on building closer ties with young women, such as Dhardon Sharling, instead of significant diplomatic ties. He has done a lot of big things in his last term as the President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) but none of these shows any leadership characteristics whatsoever. These include:

1) The sacking of Penpa Tsering to evade the Tibet Fund loan scandal of US$1.5 million. He even tried to push the loan on to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to settle on his behalf.

2) Allowing a downsized, low-key #thankyouindia2018 event to celebrate 60 years of exile, something which Dhardon Sharling, the Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations, claimed to have no idea as to why the events were shifted.

3) Allowing fake monk Tenzin Dhonden to use His Holiness’ fame to conduct dubious activities including being involved in a cult and sex scandals.

4) Losing India’s half-century worth of support towards the CTA and its people for his ungrateful attitude. Instead, he focused on filling up his own pockets instead of thinking of the welfare of the Tibetans in exile.

Lobsang Sangay’s intention to take on the role as the President of the CTA is clear and his best ‘achievements’ definitely outshine his predecessors as inept failures.

No need to thank India — just grow up a little
By Lobsang Wangyal | MCLEOD GANJ, India, 13 March 2018
While the Doklam issue was heating up in June 2017, the Indian media was kept busy, and that in turn kept the public busy. I also had many discussions over this issue. I remember one with two young Indian men who were saying that India is not the same 1962 India, that it has changed and become powerful. They boasted that in case of a war India could take on China easily. So I followed that thought to its logical conclusion, saying “sure, there should be a war between India and China, then we will know for sure who is more powerful.” When it came to walking the talk, the two retreated from their strong position and changed their tone, now making it seem that I was promoting war, and was against India.
The Doklam stand-off resulted from an attempt by China to extend a road into an area claimed by both China and Bhutan. I was expecting that India would stand up for itself and launch a “surgical strike”, putting an end to the confrontation. But after a military face-off and many diplomatic engagements, going on for close to three months, it all fizzled out without coming to a military conflict, as India and China agreed to withdraw their armies. (In the meantime, Indians learned what Doklam means in Tibetan — Path of the Nomads.)
China contains India
China’s road extension is a cause of concern for India because it would shorten the distance for the Chinese army to reach India’s strategically vulnerable ‘Chicken’s Neck’ area — the Siliguri Corridor, a narrow stretch of land located in the Indian state of West Bengal that connects India’s northeastern states to the rest of India.
After the situation cooled off, reports started to emerge that China had built military facilities in the very same area. But the Government of India said that the status quo at the site of last year’s face-off still held. It dismissed reports of any Chinese activities in the area.
In the competition for global player China has succeeded in containing India through diplomacy, economically, strategically, as well as outright bullying. China takes a contrary position to India wherever possible, and blocks India’s rightful places in UN councils. It is well known that China has invested heavily in the neighbouring countries of India. India’s neighbouring countries have more Chinese influence than Indian. China flexes its muscles without resistance in places such as the South China Sea, Doklam, and Aksai Chin. It complains whenever possible about anything perceived to be “anti-China”. It goes even to the extreme that due to China’s influence, Pakistan politicians have suggested that Mandarin be taught in the schools.
So China has always created problems for India, yet somehow India seems to feel that China is its friend, and that China will benefit and support India — will give business, recognition, and support. So far nothing of this has happened — in fact, the opposite.
India submits to China
Tibet is India’s best card against China, and India plays it but in a very confusing way. By volunteering the statement that Tibet is part of China, without even any pressure from China to do so, India has wasted this trump card, and received nothing in return. Yet the boundary issues have not been solved, and China doesn’t allow India to take its position on the global stage. China has made sure that all India’s neighbours are closer to it than to India.
India seems to be submitting to China more all the time. What is India trying to achieve by this? The latest sign of submission is India’s objection to the “Thank You India” event planned in Delhi by the Central Tibetan Administration. A series of events were to follow throughout the year. First the Government of India asked its officials not to attend it, and then apparently India objected to holding the opening event in Delhi at all.
Perhaps Sangay received a dressing-down from officials of MEA, when he interrupted his schedule to hurry to Delhi after India’s objection to the event. It is unclear if he was summoned by MEA or he went voluntarily to do some damage control.
This whole incident only shows a weak India, losing the contest of superiority with China, and lowering India’s image on the global stage. And on the flip side of the coin, it showed that the Government of India is not in favour of Sangay’s moves.
Why “Thank You India” now?
In 2009, Tibetans had their “Thank You India”, a sort of “Golden Jubilee”, when Tibetans marked 50 years of life in exile. The Dalai Lama, then as both the political and spiritual leader, in his “Thank You India” address said, “Overall India has given us the greatest moral and material support. Looking back over the past 50 years, we feel confident that we made the right choice when we sought refuge in India.”
Was that “Thank you” not enough? Did India ask for more? I am lost why are we doing it again. 50 years is a milestone — to do it again 10 years later seems gratuitous.
Also there is the expense. The Tibetan administration is asking for funds for their museum project. All the money that would go for (well, be wasted on) these “Thank you” events could be used for the museum project. Although, the effectiveness of this project is debatable: Whether a museum on the premises of CTA, at some distance from McLeod Ganj where most of the tourists are, would get near as many visitors as the current conveniently-located site. This is altogether another matter for discussion.
Grow up a little
One domino effect of Sangay’s superfluous actions is that now the CTA had to indefinitely postpone the World Parliamentarian’s Convention on Tibet, which had been planned to be held at the end of April in Delhi.
The Government of India has clearly signalled that they are not in favour of Sangay’s moves. The exile Cabinet led by Sangay needs to do a retrospection and learn from this experience — that some press coverage and flowery Facebook posts for a little hype don’t help anything. CTA is the hope and heart of six million Tibetans. We need to see some maturity in it.
Didn’t Sangay himself say not long ago, that an official always wants to do something big in their last term of office that people will remember him by?
https://www.tibetsun.com/opinions/2018/03/13/no-need-to-thank-india-just-grow-up-a-little-bit

Khampa Warrior

March 13, 2018

India has lost significant support from Nepal, especially since Nepal’s devastating earthquake in 2015 when China gave the country funds for aid and rebuilding infrastructure. It is now losing its grip more and more, such as in its internet monopoly, now threatened by alternatives from China. China is making inroads into Nepal aggressively. India, which originally thought of China as a friend, can only sit by and watch China exert its influence and power further, such as improving telecommunications and building railway extensions from the border with Nepal and Yadong across Sikkim, to Kathmandu and Lumbini.

Nepal and India have historically enjoyed good ties and strong trade relations and if India does not take advantage of this fast-closing window of opportunity, China will be successful in wooing Nepal. Kathmandu already signed trade and transit agreements with Beijing in March 2016. This gave Nepal an alternative route for its trade and supplies. As China builds a stronghold in Nepal, it will continue achieving its strategic objective of eliminating Indian influence and curbing the Tibetan refugee population.

China rises in Nepal, eyes Lumbini
By JAYADEVA RANADE | NEW DELHI | 11 March, 2018
Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Oli
China’s strategic objectives include eliminating Indian influence and curbing the Tibetan refugee population.
Consequent to the expansion of Chinese influence, the delicate balance in India’s relations are now under strain and at a crucial juncture. With a new government in Kathmandu, the Prime Ministers of Nepal and India will meet to exchange views and review relations. After Prachanda broke tradition and travelled to Beijing, instead of India, on his first visit abroad as Prime Minister, the symbolism of this gesture has diminished and it is possible that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may ignore precedence to emphasise the importance of India-Nepal ties and travel to Kathmandu first. Nevertheless, it is imperative that India makes a candid, clear-eyed assessment of the extent of Chinese influence there and state of India-Nepal ties.
Shaping the background is China’s unmistakable imprimatur. Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Oli’s critical reference to India came in the midst of the political crisis in the Maldives and coincided with China’s unprovoked warnings to India against acting unilaterally in the Maldives. Just a few days ago the Pakistan Prime Minister paid a two-day visit to Kathmandu, becoming the first high level foreign leader to meet Prime Minister Oli. The visit was covered in the Chinese media. There is now no room for missteps. India should avoid accepting the sanguine argument that India and Nepal are tied by geography. Modern construction technology has unshackled the constraints of geography as amply evidenced by the transport infrastructure built by China in the inhospitable, high altitude Himalayan region.
China’s interest in Nepal is long term. It has designated Nepal a “friend”, induced it to join Chinese President Xi Jinping’s flagship “Belt and Road Initiative” and offered it financial and other assistance in addition to holding out the prospect of a security arrangement. China’s strategic objectives include eliminating Indian influence and curbing the Tibetan refugee population. Mao Zedong’s well known observation, that Tibet is the palm of the hand, while Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh are its fingers, remains relevant with attendant implications for India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Following Nepal’s distinct pro-Beijing tilt ever since Prachanda’s appointment as Prime Minister, China has cultivated the full spectrum of political parties and spread its influence among Nepal’s politicians, army, academia, media and businessmen. During the visit of Chinese PLA General Chen Bingde in March 2011, a section of Nepal’s media suggested that he be conferred the rank of honorary general of the Nepal Army—an honour thus far reserved for the Indian Army chief. Echoes of this were evident in Oli’s remarks on 22 February 2018, which pointedly excluded reference to the recruitment of Gorkhas by the British Army and ignored that over 125,000 Nepalis have direct links to the Indian Army.
China has meanwhile acquired long-term leverage in Nepal through ZTE and Huawei, both Chinese telecom companies intimately associated with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Huawei set up mobile telephone networks in Kathmandu and other cities, while ZTE upgraded Nepal Telecom’s nationwide mobile phone capacity. Earlier this month, Nepal agreed to enable use of China’s internet.
The network of 35 China Study Centres (CSC) strategically sited in southern Nepal along India’s border, ostensibly to popularise the Chinese language, also disseminate anti-India propaganda and reinforce traditional Chinese diplomacy. China’s propaganda offensive includes the China Radio International’s local FM radio station in Kathmandu and Nepal-China Mutual Cooperation Society (NCMCS), funded by the Chinese embassy in Nepal.
The game changer is, however, the Qinghai-Lhasa railway capable of carrying an estimated 7 million tonnes of cargo a year, augmented by an all-weather road network. Discussions to extend the railway, which has reached Zhangmu on the border with Nepal and Yadong across Sikkim, to Kathmandu and thence to Lumbini—barely 30 kilometres across the border from India—are fairly advanced. China’s new dual-use transportation network provides alternate routes to landlocked Nepal.
To create a belt of Chinese influence along Nepal’s border with Tibet, China agreed last year to provide annual subsidies totalling US$1.6 million for education, health, basic amenities and roads to residents of 15 border districts in northern Nepal. Twelve of these districts are densely populated by Himali people of Tibetan origin. Early this month the Nepal government instructed all government officials to learn Mandarin!
China’s specific strategic focus has also been on establishing a presence in Buddha’s birthplace of Lumbini. Chinese government-sponsored NGOs have unveiled plans estimated variously at between US$1 billion and US$3 billion for the redevelopment of Lumbini, including an airport and seminary-cum-monastery. Prominent Nepal politicians have been appointed office-bearers of Chinese NGOs. The international airport and railway in Lumbini will mean the long-term presence of Chinese military personnel, who will construct, operate and maintain them. The seminary has the potential to destabilise India’s vulnerable Indo-Tibetan Himalayan Border Belt. China’s plans to make Lumbini a China-dominated hub for the “Buddhist tourism circuit” of Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath etc., will marginalise Indian businessmen and tour operators. It could lead to the “illegal” settlement of Chinese who will inevitably migrate to the Northeast.
India needs to quickly and effectively counter this expansion of Chinese influence and power and especially prevent Chinese dominance of Lumbini. Options are available, but the window of opportunity is fast closing.
Jayadeva Ranade is a former Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India and is presently President of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy.
http://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/13054-china-rises-nepal-eyes-lumbini

Athar Migmar

March 15, 2018

By hosting the Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi when India-Pakistan ties are at an all-time low, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli is telling the world that he is not afraid of India, especially after landmark trade and transit agreements were signed with China. This seems to go well with the general sentiments of the Nepali people, as Oli’s pro-China stance is wildly popular among his core constituencies.

As mentioned in the article, New Delhi must learn to accept China’s presence in the region and to work with it. As China works on building trilateral cooperation with Nepal and India, the Tibetans will have no standing. Recently, the report that the Indian government had asked senior leaders and officials not to attend events that would mark the Tibetans’ 60 years in exile, as well as the cancellation of 2 events in Delhi, are clear signs that everyone is trying to please China. The Tibetans have no more sympathizers who will continue to support them as it risks jeopardising relations with China.

Is This the End of India’s Influence Over Nepal?
As India loses its clout, the Nepali prime minister asserts his country’s independent identity.
By Biswas Baral | March 14, 2018
KATHMANDU — There is now little doubt that India has lost strategic space to China in Nepal. Some reckon the era of “special relations” between India and Nepal is nearly over as China makes steady inroads. There has been a truly breathtaking rise in Chinese influence and a corresponding fall in Indian sway in this country of nearly 30 million. The main catalyst for the sea change? The 2015-16 India-inspired blockade of the India-Nepal border, imposed, in part, owing to India’s displeasure over the new constitution Nepal had just promulgated.
As if to rub salt into India’s wounds Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli last week hosted Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who in the process became the first foreign head of government to visit Nepal after Oli assumed office for the second time on February 15. In the words of one geopolitical commentator, Abbasi’s visit was ill-timed. With India-Pakistan ties at an all-time low, asks this commentator, “What other purpose will it [the Pakistan prime minister’s Nepal visit] serve save for antagonizing India?”
But that is not how most Nepalis see it. Oli knows that the more he tries to assert Nepal’s independent identity by distancing himself from India, the greater his popularity will be. Following the 2015-16 blockade. which brought great hardship to common people, the public pressure for closer ties with China has been steadily building, along with the demand that Nepal diversify its relations away from India, heretofore its predominant business partner. This is where Pakistan enters the picture.
By hosting his Pakistani counterpart, Oli — who crested the popularity wave as a valiant blockade-time prime minister — wanted to give a clear message that he doesn’t care what the Indians think of him. After all, his China tilt is wildly popular among his core constituencies. Moreover, the common perception is that Nepal is these days not as reliant on India as it has historically been, especially after the landmark trade and transit agreements signed with China in the wake of the blockade.
Too Little Too Late
It is true that Oli has also sought to mend his frayed ties with New Delhi following his election as prime minister. Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj visited Kathmandu on February 1 after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a clear signal from Oli that he was ready to forget past bitterness and start anew. Earlier, when Modi called Oli to congratulate him on his re-election and invited him to visit India, Oli not only accepted the invite; he replied that he was as keen to welcome Modi to Janakpur and Muktinath, the two holy sites in Nepal Modi has long wanted to visit. The inclusion of Madhesi parties in the Oli government is expected to further ease bilateral ties. Concerns over Madhesi representation were at the core of India’s concerns over the 2015 Nepali Constitution.
There has, moreover, been progress in negotiations on the revision of old Nepal-India treaties that many Nepalis consider unequal. According to recent news reports, India is now ready to discuss regulating the open border, and even considering allowing Nepal to import arms from third countries. India had otherwise treated these issues as non-negotiable. These negotiations may again come to a naught. Nonetheless, Nepali interlocutors in these dialogues sense a definite shift in India’s stand.
But current efforts to revive India-Nepal relations may be a case of too little, too late. Oli knows that for his political longevity he cannot afford an openly hostile India. But at this late stage in his political career, those close to him say, all he cares about is leaving behind a strong legacy as a statesman. With his health failing, Oli knows time is not on his side.
He seems determined to be remembered as the Nepali leader who dared to dream of a future for Nepal independently of India. But not just that. Above all, he wants to be remembered as someone who took concrete steps to turn that old Nepali dream intoa reality. This is why even before assuming office after winning recent elections, he had vowed to expedite connectivity projects with China. To show he is serious he has newly empowered the Prime Minster’s Office to personally oversee their progress.
SAARC Attack
There are other ways Oli can help China’s cause. During Abbasi’s Nepal visit, the two prime ministers agreed on reviving the moribund South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). India has in recent times made a concerted effort to isolate Pakistan, which is why the SAARC summit planned for 2016 in Islamabad had to be postponed indefinably. Abbasi came to Kathmandu to ask for Oli’s support for a prompt holding of the summit — and on Pakistani soil. Abbasi also in a roundabout way suggested that Nepal could mediate talks between India and Pakistan.
India will not be pleased. The last time Nepal and Pakistan were seriously talking was on the eve of the 2014 SAARC summit in Kathmandu. Back then, the two countries had agreed to make China a full SAARC member, which had earned them the great ire of India. India has traditionally not taken kindly to any suggestion for third-party mediation on Kashmir, for example, or for China to play a greater role in SAARC.
India nonetheless may have no option but to accept the writing on the wall. Rather than browbeat its neighbors into following its diktat, as it tried to do with the blockade — or so most Nepalis felt — New Delhi must learn to accept China’s presence in the region and to work with it. China has always supported the idea of trilateral cooperation with Nepal and India, for example with a connecting rail link via Nepal. But India has resisted the suggestion tooth and nail.
This is not to imply that closer relations with China are unquestionably in Nepal’s interest. The political systems of the two countries are polar opposites. There is also little people-to-people engagement, even though cross-border tourism and business exchanges are growing apace. Geography too makes India Nepal’s natural development partner. It would thus be unwise to write the obituary of Indian primacy in Nepal, as some have done of late.
But the Modi government would do well to learn from its mistakes. These days in Nepal, there is no shortage of advice for India on how it can mend its errant ways, or forever lose even its reduced clout. The consensus is that only through open and unconditional engagement with small countries in the region like Nepal and Bhutan can India have a peaceful neighborhood that is conducive to its continued economic rise.
Biswas Baral is the editor of The Annapurna Express, published from Kathmandu. Follow him on Twitter: @biswasktm
https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/is-this-the-end-of-nepals-special-relationship-with-india/

Phuntsok Palden

March 15, 2018

Look at these real tweets, Indians are not happy with Tibetans, questioning why India must support the Dalai Lama.

Phuntsok Palden

March 15, 2018

More tweets of Indians talking about the Dalai Lama.

Phuntsok Palden

March 15, 2018

More tweets of Indians not happy with the Tibetans. One even asks the Tibetans to go back to China.

Phuntsok Palden

March 15, 2018

Indians saying Dalai Lama is anti-India and pro-China.

Phuntsok Palden

March 15, 2018

Clearly the Indians are of the opinion that Dalai Lama’s pro-China stance is hurting Indians.

Phuntsok Palden

March 15, 2018

See this tweet by Savita, this may be what many Indians are thinking right now.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SHUGDEN

March 15, 2018

For years the Tibetan government in-exile has been suppressing Dorje Shugden practitioners and punishing them for practising by barring them from Tibetan hospitals, schools and communal gatherings. They have been severely segregated and pressed down and made into pariahs of society. They did this to scapegoat Shugden as the cause for them to fail in their job in getting Tibet back from China after 60 years in exile. Now the tables have turned. India is starting to change its stance toward the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leadership. The Indian government is starting to make friends with China and that means distancing themselves from the useless Tibetans. Too bad.

Now the Tibetan leadership will know what it feels like to be abandoned, abused and segregated like they did for years to Dorje Shugden practitioners. Without Indian support the Tibetan government will have less power to abuse Shugden practitioners within their communities. Finally the tables have turned against the Tibetan leadership. Now it’s time for them to humble down and shut up! They better not make further trouble. They could have had hundreds of thousands of Dorje Shugden practitioners supporting the Tibetan leadership but you alienated them with your segregation and inhumane policies of segregation and now you have less and less support. Too bad. Dorje Shugden people could have supported you all but you lost it. Too bad.

dorjeeK

March 16, 2018

What the Tibetan leadership said is clearly seen as disrespectful and ungrateful towards the kindness shown by India for hosting the Tibetans for almost 6 decades now. See how upset the Indians are and what they are saying now.

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The Dalai Lama’s Change of Tune

By: Shashi Kei

You Lose When You Support the Tibetan Leadership

Is This Another Tibetan Leadership Ruse?

The Dalai Lama Wants to Return Home

Dalai Lama’s Envoy Samdhong Rinpoche Discreetly Visited China

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Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende to Give Chakrasamvara Initiation and Commentary in April 2023

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Der Dalai Lama Gibt Zu Dass Er Sich In Bezug Auf Dorje Shugden Geirrt Hat

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The Dalai Lama’s Change of Tune

By: Shashi Kei

You Lose When You Support the Tibetan Leadership

Is This Another Tibetan Leadership Ruse?

The Dalai Lama Wants to Return Home

Dalai Lama’s Envoy Samdhong Rinpoche Discreetly Visited China

Share this article

Latest from this Category

Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende to Give Chakrasamvara Initiation and Commentary in April 2023

Grand Prayer Festival to celebrate 25 years of the Dorje Shugden Society

Der Dalai Lama Gibt Zu Dass Er Sich In Bezug Auf Dorje Shugden Geirrt Hat

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Dorje Shugden
The Illustrated Story