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Who is lying, Samdhong or Sangay?

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Top image caption: What are these two plotting now? On the left is Lobsang Sangay, the current Prime Minister of the Tibetan people in-exile and on the right is Samdhong Rinpoche, his predecessor. Both of them were recently appointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be the Dalai Lama’s personal envoys. As the two most senior leaders in the CTA, how come they do not know CLEARLY where each other is at any given moment in time?

After 60 years of dashed hopes, the Tibetan world was recently set ablaze with news of Samdhong Rinpoche’s supposed visit to China. Word first broke in The Wire, in a report titled “The Dalai Lama wants to return home” authored by former Indian ambassador Phunchok Stobdan. This was swiftly followed by supporting reports in the Tibetan Journal, titled “Dalai Lama’s envoy Samdhong Rinpoche discreetly visited China”, published on 6th December 2017.

Since the exciting news of Samdhong Rinpoche’s trip was first released however, the Tibetans and their supporters have descended into an ever-deepening chasm of confusion. This is thanks to multiple reports by the likes of Sikyong Lobsang Sangay confirming the visit, followed by denials from none other than the man himself, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche.

Sikyong Lobsang Sangay is the current Tibetan Prime Minister, having succeeded Samdhong Rinpoche as the head of the Tibetan leadership. Both were recently appointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the Dalai Lama’s personal envoys so it is safe to say these two men are the top leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala, India). Yet, the apparent lack of coordination between the top leaders means speculation now runs rife as to the transparency of the Tibetan leadership when dealing with matters relating to the Dalai Lama and Tibetan people’s return to Tibet. To clarify matters:

 

Timeline of the Debacle

  • 4th December 2017 – The Wire first breaks the story about Samdhong Rinpoche visiting China, in an article titled “The Dalai Lama wants to return home”.
  • 6th December 2017 – Tibetan Journal publishes “Dalai Lama’s envoy Samdhong Rinpoche discreetly visited China”, confirming Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit.
  • 15th December 2017 – Phayul publishes “Cautious Sangay says Samdhong Rinpoche made a private visit to China”, with Sikyong Lobsang Sangay confirming that Samdhong Rinpoche has paid a private visit to China. He even adds the caveat that people should not read too much into the visit. Yet, the fact of the matter is, Lobsang Sangay is confirming that a trip was made and no trip to China that involves the Dalai Lama’s envoy can ever be ‘just’ a private visit.
  • 15th December 2017 – The Tribune publishes “Dalai Lama headed to China on pvt [private] visit?” Authored by Ajay Banerjee, The Tribune later amends the title of the story to “Former Tibetan government head visited China recently”, based on advice from the CTA. This correction is, in essence, another confirmation by the CTA that Samdhong Rinpoche did visit China.
  • 19th December 2017 – The Diplomat publishes “A Secret Visit and Sino-Tibetan Dialogue” confirming Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to China, claiming it to be a private trip.
  • 19th December 2017 – two weeks after the first reports of his trip, Phayul finally publishes Samdhong Rinpoche’s denial that he visited China recently, in an article titled “Samdhong Rinpoche denies visiting China, says no plans for Dalai Lama as well”.
  • 20th December 2017 – Tibetan Journal publishes an op-ed piece “Did President Sangay Misinform That Samdhong Rinpoche Visited China?” that questions whether Lobsang Sangay misinformed the world about Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit.

An earlier picture of Lobsang Sangay (left) and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Lobsang Sangay was quoted in Phayul on 15th December 2017, confirming Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit. Four days later, Samdhong Rinpoche denied visiting China. Was Lobsang Sangay lying when he confirmed Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit? Or was it just plain incompetence? Or was Samdhong Rinpoche lying when he denied his visit? Either way, one of the Dalai Lama’s two personal envoys is lying to the Tibetan public.

So who is right, and who is wrong? Who is lying? Was Lobsang Sangay lying when he corrected the media on December 15th, telling them in his correction that Samdhong Rinpoche had gone to China? Or was Samdhong Rinpoche lying on December 19th when he said he did not go? Either way, one of the Dalai Lama’s trusted envoys is lying to the Tibetan people. And when presented in this manner, a number of things become clear.

  1. There is no coordination between Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and Samdhong Rinpoche. As a result, the CTA changed their story so many times regarding the news of Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to China. After 60 years of living in exile, Tibetans are hypervigilant, looking for any sign of a potential return to Tibet. The CTA should have known that a visit to China by someone as senior as Samdhong Rinpoche would have given Tibetans hope for the potential of dialogue between the Chinese and Tibetan leaderships. Yet, on such an important topic, the most senior members of the Tibetan government presented very confusing information about the trip. In the end, it was obnoxious of them to fight back and forth on vital information that has the potential to give hope to the Tibetans.
  2. Someone is inefficient, lying and not doing their job, and this reflects the whole government that they represent. Samdhong and Lobsang Sangay are the most senior officials in the Tibetan exile government. In fact, next to the Dalai Lama, these two people would be amongst the most formidable people in the Tibetan power structure. So how can two of the highest Tibetan officials get such an important piece of news wrong? Who is lying?
  3. If the Tibetan leadership can create so much confusion when dealing with an issue of such high public interest, what else have they ruined or disrupted over the years that the public does not know about?
  4. The news was first released by a former ambassador of India, Phunchok Stobdan. For such significant news, it is highly unlikely that Stobdan, whose sensitive diplomatic work required meticulousness, would have made the announcement without double or triple-checking first. Similarly, one would also expect Stobdan to have access to information not ordinarily available to the public i.e. the confirmed movements of the Dalai Lama’s envoy, especially when he is heading for China.
  5. Samdhong Rinpoche’s denial came a full two weeks after it was first reported that he had visited China. The delayed response has fuelled suspicions and can only mean one thing – Samdhong Rinpoche was in China, behind their Internet firewall. As a result, he was unable to find out what was being said about his trip in the media, and therefore unable to issue a retraction until he was out of China.
  6. Samdhong Rinpoche’s sudden denial of his China visit two weeks after the initial news was published raises more than a few eyebrows and has had many people asking what else the Tibetan leadership might be hiding now?
    Questions have previously been already raised about the CTA’s lack of transparency and accountability, and this latest debacle only adds fuel to the fire.
  7. More interestingly, Samdhong Rinpoche’s denunciation of the said news is a slap to the face of Sangay. Sangay had confirmed to Phayul on 15th December 2017 that Samdhong did in fact made such a historic trip but cautioned that readers should not read too much into it. Bear in mind that Phayul is in effect the CTA’s mouthpiece and the source of the story is none other than the CTA. Therefore there cannot be a miscommunication or misunderstanding from Sangay’s side.
  8. This debacle simply demonstrates how disorganized the Tibetan leadership truly are, and the total lack of communication between the top members of this small exiled government. And as small as they are now, they are already so confused and inefficient, and unable to communicate clearly to their people on such an important matter. Should the Tibetan leadership ever be able to return to Tibet, how will they ever get to run their country properly when Tibet is huge and so much bigger than Dharamsala?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama recently announced that he would be indefinitely postponing his travels, and appointed Lobsang Sangay and Samdhong Rinpoche to represent him as his personal envoys. How come Sangay and Samdhong are so uncoordinated in their announcements and work? Are these men the most capable representatives of the Dalai Lama? If these two are the best that the Tibetan leadership has to offer, the Tibetan public should be extremely concerned for their own futures at a time when the Dalai Lama is no longer around to lead and coordinate the community.

There are also a number of questions that need to be raised, primarily:

  1. How was Samdhong Rinpoche, who has criticized the Chinese government for decades, granted a visa so easily, regardless of whether his visit was private or not? The Chinese leadership would be understandably paranoid about Samdhong Rinpoche; as the Dalai Lama’s envoy, his visit would invariably draw a crowd and he would therefore have the potential to encourage unrest. So how can someone who is the Dalai Lama’s envoy make it into China so easily?
  2. Non-politically involved Rinpoches and lamas are stopped at Beijing’s international airport even if they are dressed in lay clothes and despite having all the necessary visas. It would be almost impossible for someone as recognizable as Samdhong Rinpoche to go into China without the Beijing government’s knowledge and, by inference, approval. The fact he was able to receive a visa without issue, let alone enter the country without issue, and in spite of his role in actively encouraging anti-China activities, must mean that he has connections with the Chinese leadership. Alternatively, it could also mean that the Chinese leadership had a higher, political motivation for allowing Samdhong Rinpoche into the country. After all, why would an old, senior monk of his age go all the way to China just to visit his family?
  3. The Tibetan leadership act with the assumption of the stupidity of their subjects, to think that they would not be able to see the Tibetan leadership for what it is – inefficient, confused and uncoordinated. It is obvious, when Lobsang Sangay says Samdhong Rinpoche went and then Samdhong Rinpoche himself says he did not go, and the two men tussle back and forth in the media spotlight.

The Tibetan people and supporters of the Tibetan struggle should take this discrepancy seriously. All matters pertaining to the Tibetan leadership’s dealing with China directly impacts on the future of the Tibetan people and the pulse of the Tibetan struggle. So how come there is such secrecy, confusion and what seems like opposing agendas on such an important matter?

 

Possible Reasons for a Cover-up

(1) The visit was a failure and negotiations yielded nothing

Since 1959, the Tibetan leadership has made countless promises to return Tibetans to their homeland, all to no avail. Even the State Oracle Nechung, whom the Dalai Lama and CTA rely on, has made inaccurate prophecies about the success of the Tibetan struggle.

In addition, nothing became of the nine rounds of talks between the Tibetan and Chinese leaderships. All this time, the CTA blamed their failures on scapegoats such as Dorje Shugden practice. And all this while, they allowed China to grow stronger as the CTA and the Dalai Lama’s popularity in the world waned. It is possible that during this exploratory trip, Samdhong Rinpoche realized how the CTA’s best opportunities have slipped by, and the ‘Tibetan cause’ is now at best a pipe dream. It is possible that on this trip, he realized that Tibetans are no longer in possession of the moral authority to use global pressure to get what they (the CTA) want, because everyone is willing to overlook that in favour of a better relationship with China.

This would be something very difficult for the Tibetans to accept and would likely trigger heightened rejection of the leadership by the Tibetan people, at a time when the people are already more vocal about their disappointments with the CTA. Hence, it is best not to call attention how hopeless the Tibetan cause has become.

(2) Samdhong Rinpoche was negotiating an unpopular deal

The Tibetan leadership is known for harbouring interests that contradict their own people’s. For instance, in 1988 the Dalai Lama gave up the Tibetan independence fight in what was known as the Strasbourg Proposal, opting instead for autonomy (umaylam) or what he labelled the Middle Way Approach. The Tibetan people were not consulted and were not given a say in the matter.

On another occasion in 2013 when being interviewed by Jerome Cohen at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Sangay said pointedly, “democracy is what we practice in exile. We are not asking that democracy be implemented or be allowed inside Tibet…[but]that’s not part of what we’re asking to the Chinese government”.

The Sikyong stated clearly that under umaylam, he would do away with democracy. In that flippant statement, it may not have occurred to Sangay that he had traded away the freedom of the Tibetans. Worse still, he may not have cared, a characteristic that is common of Tibetan leaders. In any case, the Tibetans were again not consulted on this change in policy.

So if Samdhong Rinpoche was exploring a deal with the Chinese that may be at odds with general Tibetan interests, then it would be better to deny that no such visit took place.

The Dalai Lama with his two personal envoys who are currently in the midst of a petty public squabble over one of their whereabouts.

(3) To sidestep the hypocrisy after falsely accusing detractors of being Chinese agents.

It is common for the Tibetan leadership to accuse critics and detractors of being Chinese spies and agents. By accusing people they wish to target of having Chinese connections, the CTA has successfully marginalized many people who refuse to toe the official CTA party line, and conform with the CTA’s edicts. A very good example is Dorje Shugden practitioners whom the CTA claim to be working for the Chinese government, and therefore should be violently opposed and ostracized.

Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to China, which seems to have taken place without much obstacles, hints that he does have contacts in China which he has maintained. If Samdhong Rinpoche were to be treated in the same way the CTA treats Dorje Shugden lamas, then Samdhong Rinpoche should also be considered an anti-Tibetan traitor for having Chinese contacts and visiting China.

After all, Lama Gangchen was so labelled and pictures of Lama Gangchen with Chinese officials were offered as proof of his ‘treachery’ against the Tibetan people. This is in spite of the well-known fact that Lama Gangchen’s World Peace Foundation was working on conjunction with the United Nations to spread peace and goodwill around the world, including China.

Realizing this, perhaps Samdhong Rinpoche felt it was necessary to outrightly deny that such a visit took place.

Whatever the case may be, what began as a piece of uplifting news now ends with deception and double talk and again the Tibetan people’s dreams of going home fade. The bickering and squabbling that has come to characterise the Tibetan leadership’s dealings reflects nothing more than a deep disrespect for the people; after 60 years in exile, even in the face of such monumental news which might give the people hope of a return to their homeland, the two most senior leaders in the Tibetan government cannot even coordinate themselves to give clear facts and information to their people.

And so when witnessing the tragedy that has become the CTA and their methods of governance, why would China ever cede greater levels of autonomy to such an inefficient and disorganised administration? Lobsang Sangay’s confirmation that Samdhong Rinpoche visited China and Samdhong’s subsequent and late denial again shows how murky all the CTA’s dealings are, from whether a USD 1.5 Million taken from a Tibet Fund was a loan or a gift to whether the Dalai Lama’s emissary visited China. Ultimately it is all smoke and mirrors and the ordinary Tibetan person’s future becomes lost in the confusion.

 

The Dalai Lama Wants to Return Home

An article published by “The Wire” on 4th December 2017. Click to enlarge. (Source: https://thewire.in/201726/dalai-lama-india-china-tibet/)

Comments left by various people on “The Wire”. Click to enlarge. (Source: https://thewire.in/201726/dalai-lama-india-china-tibet/)

Comments left by various people on “The Wire”. Click to enlarge. (Source: https://thewire.in/201726/dalai-lama-india-china-tibet/)

 

Dalai Lama’s Envoy Samdhong Rinpoche Discreetly Visited China

Published 5th December 2017. The Dalai Lama’s personal envoy Samdhong Rinpoche went on a private visit to China. It was suggested in “The Wire” that while Samdhong Rinpoche was in China, it is more likely that he met up with You Quan – the newly-appointed head of the United Front Work Department that oversees Tibetan affairs. It is also said that You Quan is a close associate of President Xi. Click to enlarge. (Source: http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2017/12/05/dalai-lamas-envoy-samdhong-rinpoche-visited-china/)

 

Cautious Sangay says Samdhong Rinpoche made a “private visit” to China

Published on 15th December 2017. Phayul.com is the mouthpiece of the Tibetan government in exile otherwise known as Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). Phayul.com also picked up the news of Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to China. The news has spread throughout the Tibetan communities throughout the world giving some sort of hope to the Tibetans. The Tibet issue will not be resolved with the current policies of the CTA regime in Dharamsala. It has been nearly six decades of failure. So they will have to change their tactic to appease China. Tibet is within China and no other nation will be able to ‘rescue’ Tibet or assist in any way. Tibetans must help themselves by negotiating with China. Click to enlarge. (Source: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=39926)

 

Dalai Lama headed to China on a pvt visit?

On 15th December 2017, “The Tribune” published an article titled “Dalai Lama headed to China on pvt visit?”. But not long after that, Tibet.net had asked them to change the title to “Former Tibetan government head visited China recently”. Former head would refer to Samdhong Rinpoche of course. The title can be changed but the fact remain the same that the envoy Samdhong Rinpoche was sent to negotiate with China. The negotiations must be regarding the status of Tibet and a possible visit in the future by the Dalai Lama. For the envoy Samdhong Rinpoche to visit China he would have needed India’s permission, China’s approval and of course sent by Dalai Lama himself. After all, Samdhong Rinpoche holds a refugee passport issued by India and he will need a visa to enter China. A high profile person like him cannot just simply enter China’s immigration undetected. It would be safe to assume Samdhong Rinpoche didn’t visit China, whom he has criticized for decades, to just simply visit a Buddhist site, holiday or meet up with friends. China would not easily grant him a visa for any other purpose as he is considered a dissident. He would have a purpose and a prior agreement with the Chinese government. The fact that Samdhong Rinpoche went to China to have dialogue with the Chinese government still gives hope to an eventual positive development for both sides. Lobsang Sangay has failed miserably during his two terms as head of CTA to secure talks with China and most probably out of desperation the Dalai Lama has sent a fellow monk Samdhong Rinpoche to negotiate with China. The Dalai Lama is ageing and resolution must come about soon. The main purpose of the CTA is to resolve the Tibet issue which is now entering into nearly 60 years unresolved issue. Click to enlarge. (Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/dalai-lama-headed-to-china-on-pvt-visit/513541.html.)

 

A Secret Visit and Sino-Tibetan Dialogue

Published on 19th December 2017. The Diplomat is a reputable online news magazine that covers political and cultural issues, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. Their report opens with a strong confirmation that Samdhong Rinpoche was indeed in China. Why would The Diplomat stake their reputation on publishing false news that could be so easily disproved by Samdhong Rinpoche showing proof he was somewhere else during the time he is alleged to have been in China? They would not risk their reputation in this way so the message is clear – Samdhong Rinpoche was in China, contrary to his denials. Click to enlarge (Source: https://thediplomat.com/2017/12/a-secret-visit-and-sino-tibetan-dialogue/)

A continuation of The Diplomat article (published 19th December 2017). Click to enlarge (Source: https://thediplomat.com/2017/12/a-secret-visit-and-sino-tibetan-dialogue/)

 

Samdhong Rinpoche denies visiting China, says no plans for Dalai Lama as well

Published on 19th December 2017. A full 15 days after news first breaks that he went to China, Samdhong Rinpoche finally issues a rebuttal. How come it took him more than two weeks to say anything? Where was he during this time that he could not be informed about the news that was spreading like wildfire all around the world? Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=39941&article=Samdhong+Rinpoche+denies+visiting+China%2c+says+no+plans+for+Dalai+Lama+as+well)

 

Did President Sangay Misinform That Samdhong Rinpoche Visited China?

Published on 20th December 2017. Another article in the Tibetan Journal highlights the confusion that all Tibetans feel about this issue. This type of confusion, animosity, lack of clarity, misinformation and poor coordination is the result of dealing with the Tibetan leadership. Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2017/12/20/president-sangay-misinform-samdhong-rinpoche-visited-china/)

 

India Always Stood With Tibetans, Tibet Will Also Stay With India: Dalai Lama

Published on 20th December 2017. Again the Tibetan leadership adds to the confusion in Tibetan society. The Dalai Lama recently said that Tibet should be autonomous under Chinese leadership, and that Tibetan development will come from the Chinese. So how does it make sense to say that Tibetans will always stay with India? This actually reflects the lack of a clear strategy regarding the Tibetan situation. And such statements will only upset the Chinese leadership who will wonder what kind of games the Tibetan leadership is playing, when they continue to pledge support for their regional competitor, India. No wonder the Tibetan leadership has not made much progress with regards to the Tibetan situation over the last 60 years. There is no clear direction or message, or strategy. Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.tibetanjournal.com/index.php/2017/12/20/india-always-stood-tibetans-tibet-stay-india/)

 

Tibet Developments May Put Pressure on India

Published on 7th January 2018. Another article calls attention to Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to meet with Chinese officials in Kunming. China’s plans to securitize Tibet by building ‘well-off border villages’ along Tibet’s borders and expanding the road network are building pressure on India. Click to enlarge (Source: http://m.rediff.com/news/column/tibet-developments-may-put-pressure-on-india/20180107.htm/)

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35 Comments

35 Comments

  1. untomable

    December 23, 2017 at 10:39 pm

    Yes, This is CTA always make thing CONFUSION and COMPLICATED, if the CTA still keep doing things like this, the Tibetans will never ever have HOPE any more ……🕯

    Reply

  2. christine victor

    December 25, 2017 at 12:43 pm

    Very good article that pointed out the incident details

    It is very clear that the leadership of CTA is use to the tactic of hiding the truth and unable to tell their people what is the progress. I think this is because they have no respect to their own people. Look at how CTA treat their own refugees, low education, projection of poor images to the world to get more fund and activate Dorje Shugden’s ban to separate their people. This is what the Leaders did to their people. They do not treat their people as subject but an object that use by the leaders to get more money.

    I hopes those who support the CTA really wake up and look at their surrounding.

    Reply

  3. tsering

    December 26, 2017 at 11:31 pm

    They are going to sign another 17points agreement. Selling out Tibet.

    Reply

  4. L Lhundup

    December 26, 2017 at 11:59 pm

    The only thing consistent about the CTA is its inconsistency.

    They tie themselves to the concepts of democracy and human rights, yet they carry out policies such as denying Tibetans their rights to an Indian passport. They rig elections. They also befriend neo-fascists in Japan who happen to dislike China. They also infamously carry out a decades old ban on the Buddhist Dorje Shugden practice by cutting off work opportunities to its practitioners, treatment at hospitals, and access to other facilities and services. This is done to such an extent that Dorje Shugden practitioners are not even allowed to shop at shops in Tibetan camps in India. This discrimination is also evident overseas.

    The other glaring inconsistency with the CTA is that while professing to follow His Holiness Dalai Lama’s wishes, the CTA openly aligns themselves with the independence or “Rangzen” movement, a movement seeking a return of independence to Tibet whilst His Holiness has for a very long time ascribed autonomy for the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Hence not only are they lying, they are also throwing eggs at His Holiness’ face!

    Another dastardly inconsistency is the potrayal of self-immolators in Tibet as some sort of “heroes” when the very well known fact is that Buddhism strongly discourages such acts which bring about very heavy negative karma and a poor rebirth to say the least. Loath to act to stop this, the CTA, as the government in exile, is by default encouraging it.

    So it is not surprising at all when Samdhong Rinpoche or Lobsang Sangay says one thing and then says or does another thing the next day. They have been at it for a long time. This time however, the internet’s reach is able to call their bluff.

    Reply

  5. Dondrup Shugden

    December 28, 2017 at 1:06 am

    What a revealing article with facts and information for all Tibetans to think for themselves and do what they should and can do for themselves and the Dalai Lama whose wish is to return to China. In this context it is also the wish of all Tibetans in exile to have the choice to go home as they wish.

    This article also reveals the treachery of their foremost leaders, Lobsang Sangay and Samdhong Rinpoche, in deceiving the Tibetans and Dalai Lama.

    What else are these 2 leaders hiding and not accountable for? I imagine would be the stolen financial donations, which are not used to benefit Tibetans.

    Incompetence is one thing but lying and cheating fall into the category of treachery. APPALLING!!!!!

    Reply

  6. Ivy

    December 28, 2017 at 2:18 am

    Bottom line here is that no one is really interested in what they say anymore as whatever they say has to be taken with a pinch of salt. It gets tiring.

    Reply

  7. L Lhundup

    December 28, 2017 at 2:46 am

    Read this very matured opinion by Shenpenn Khymsar in Phayul.com

    http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=39699&t=1

    Reply

  8. Doreen Park

    December 28, 2017 at 3:43 am

    It is quite unforgivable for either one of the 2 most trusted advisers to the Dalai Lama to lie about something on which hangs the hopes and dreams of all Tibetans.When the news broke that Samdhong Rinpoche had made a covert visit to China, there was such great excitement,and raised hopes,especially coming in the wake of the news of the Dalai Lama ‘s planned visit to China. Then the next shocking thing was Samdhong Rinpoche’s vehement denial that he had ever visited China!

    If the two wish to play mind games and politics, it should never be at the expense of playing with the hopes and dreams of Tibetans who had waited for so many decades for the fulfilment of these dreams of going back to a free Tibet. Most painful of all is that 151 Tibetans (who having been misinformed and misdirected)have self-immolated in the hope of helping towards the fulfilment of these dreams.

    Please come out with the truth Samdhong Rinpoche and Lobsang Sangay ! Tibetans can still have their dreams fulfilled by following closely what the Dalai Lama has advocated and is pushing for with China.May all conducive conditions arise and all obstacles be removed for the successful visit of the Dalai Lama to China.

    Reply

  9. ren

    December 28, 2017 at 4:35 am

    Perhaps both are lying, raising hope to appease the Tibetans, to show the Tibetans CTA is doing something. 🤥

    Reply

  10. L Lhundup

    December 28, 2017 at 8:46 am

    Dear ren,

    I really do not believe that either is raising hopes but lying, just to appease the Tibetans.

    This is because The Tribune and The Diplomat are very reputable publications and both articles are written by reputable persons.

    Also, China, which would have known if Samdhong Rinpoche did visit or not, but did ask The Tribune to make any factual corrections to the article they published.

    Reply

  11. Ngodup Tsering

    December 31, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    China made another intelligent maneuver 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 astuteness. If the CTA is smart, they will start to build rapport and stop condemning China for an event that happened over 60 years ago.

    Ngodup Tsering

    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/

    Reply

  12. Sara S

    January 1, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    This is really pathetic, to say the least. One says he went, once says he did not. Quit hiding already. It is time for new leadership is what I say. Time for Tibetans to get a new leader is what I say.

    Just why are they getting their facts all wrong because maybe they do not even know what each other is doing? Perhaps HH the Dalai Lama is creating his own journey out of CTA’s corruption. Seriously, I would not be surprised if that’s what happened and would, in fact, rejoice for HH. He has the right to return home to Tibet. CTA should support HH Dalai Lama and encourage this instead of deliberately causing more friction and tension between China and HHDL.

    Reply

  13. Wangchuk

    January 4, 2018 at 11:04 am

    Very sad read this news. Don’t know who is talking truth who is lieing. I tibet want return Tibet. I pray Dalai Lama bring we home. 😠😠

    Reply

  14. Amber Sonam

    January 4, 2018 at 8:48 pm

    You can only find this kind of nonsense in the Tibetan Political scene. It is ridiculous that Sikyong has no idea what Samdhong Rinpoche was doing and even more ridiculous to be slapped in the face by Samdhong Rinpoche who later denied his trip to China. What does the Sikyong do except for dining at the expensive restaurants with Dhardon Sharling?

    Reply

  15. Sara West

    January 6, 2018 at 12:24 am

    Poor Tibetans – they are always taken for a merry go around. When will this end?

    Reply

  16. Ngodup Tsering

    January 8, 2018 at 10:25 am

    With regard to 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 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/

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  17. Thamchod Nyingma

    January 9, 2018 at 9:50 am

    China’s economic prowess is not to be underestimated. Leaders from various countries 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

    Reply

  18. Ngodup Tsering

    January 9, 2018 at 10:29 pm

    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

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  19. Dekyi Wangmo

    January 13, 2018 at 10:06 am

    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/

    Reply

  20. Torture

    January 17, 2018 at 11:25 pm

    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!!

    Reply

  21. Yodon chela

    January 18, 2018 at 11:05 am

    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 contrary, 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

    Reply

  22. Tenzin Tsomo

    January 22, 2018 at 1:10 pm

    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

    Reply

  23. Pema Wangchuk

    January 24, 2018 at 11:02 pm

    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/

    Reply

  24. Pasang Tashi

    January 29, 2018 at 12:50 pm

    Dorje Shugden practitioners have been victims of unfounded blame for more than half a decade with news reports initiated by the Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala alerting the public that Shugden fundamentalist groups posed huge security threat to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It was alleged that 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/

    Reply

  25. Tenzin Choejor

    January 30, 2018 at 5:43 pm

    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/

    Reply

  26. Tenzin Dharpo

    February 12, 2018 at 12:10 am

    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

    Reply

  27. Tashi Dolma

    February 13, 2018 at 1:47 pm

    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

    Reply

  28. Devano

    February 25, 2018 at 4:28 pm

    An article published in 1997 in the Spanish magazine “Mas Alla” stated that Kyabje 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.

    Reply

  29. Devano

    February 25, 2018 at 4:29 pm

    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.

    Reply

  30. Devano

    February 25, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    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.

    Reply

  31. Devano

    February 25, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    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.

    Reply

  32. Golog Jigme

    February 27, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    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/

    Reply

  33. Rangzen

    February 27, 2018 at 4:33 pm

    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/

    Reply

  34. Peter

    February 27, 2018 at 9:15 pm

    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.

    Reply

  35. Tsering

    March 3, 2018 at 6:09 am

    Comic drawn by Tendor, a prominent Free Tibet activist.

    Reply

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