The Oracle trail
Tibetans gather at Dharamsala to know what the future holds
Every year, at the Tenshug ceremony at the Namgyal monastery in Mcleodganj, Dharamsala, the future is summoned. The “state” oracles of the Tibetan government in exile invoke spirits and are rewarded with visions of what lie ahead. It is a ceremony packed with political portent and attended by the Dalai Lama. This year, it was a more elaborate affair as it marked 50 years of exile for the Tibetan people. Freedom or the absence of it was on many minds. “It has become more important for us to stand united, to believe in freedom, to stand by the Dalai Lama. The battle is not over yet. Fifty years is not the end of the time,” said Tenzin Thinlay, a Toronto-based Tibetan.
A huge crowd assembled to watch the ceremony last week. Many had arrived from Tibet and were in tears at the sight of the Dalai Lama. As part of the ceremony, Tsering Chenga, a woman oracle, led the other oracles into a trance. Their cryptic utterances will then be framed into predictions for the year. Amid the reaffirmation of faith, the young also spoke about their confusion. “People like me are stuck in between a belief in freedom and the lack of complete awareness. But it’s up to us. We are the future, it’s us who are the predictions. I am a musician, and for now music is what I give for my country,” said Tenzin Jigme, lead guitarist with the Tibetan rock band JJI exile brothers.
Photos and Text by Tashi Tobgyal
Tibetan exiles hold vigil against ‘Strike Hard’ Campaign
Tibetan exiles hold vigil against ‘Strike Hard’ Campaign
| Original Source : Phayul[Saturday, March 06, 2010 14:34] |
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By Karma Ösel Lhamo
Tibetans hold candle light vigil in Dharamsala, March 5, 2010. Photo : Karma Ösel Lhamo
Dharamsala, March 6, 2010 – With the launch of “Strike Hard Campaign” by China in the Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, exile Tibetans walked with candles to the Tsuglakhang temple yesterday and said prayers as they expressed their solidarity with the Tibetans inside Tibet. Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, National Democratic Party of Tibet, GuChuSum Movement of Tibet, and Students for a Free Tibet (India) jointly led the candle-light vigil here to condemn the Chinese Government’s recent partake in “Strike Hard” crackdown. With the historic March 10 uprising commemoration only four days to go and the possibility of a repeat of the nation wide uprising two years ago in Tibet, China has launched the “Strike Hard” campaign which exile Tibetans accuse is to quell political dissent through mass detention and arrests. Nearly 500 Tibetans were reportedly detained in Lhasa since the launch of the campaign and the Tibetan capital Lhasa continues to remain under huge military and police presence. Tibetans at today’s vigil also expressed their grave concern and sadness over the persecution of Tibetan political prisoners and the execution of Loyak and Kangtsuk earlier in 2009. The Kardze People’s Intermediate court recently sentenced Pema Yeshi to two year suspended death sentence on the charges of “inciting separatism” and “disturbing social order.” Tibetans and their supporters will take to the streets in the coming days to stand in solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet and to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising against China’s illegal occupation in 1959, the year that saw the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama flee into exile. Street mobilizations are planned in dozens of cities worldwide to commemorate more than five decades of Tibetans’ courageous resistance and to show support for a powerful, non-violent resistance movement being led by the younger generation of Tibetans inside Tibet to challenge China’s brutal rule of their homeland, say the organizers. |
Tibetan Parliament to begin session from Monday
Tibetan Parliament to begin session from Monday
| Original Source : Phayul[Friday, March 05, 2010 21:15] |
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By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, March 5: The ninth session of the 14th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will kick-start here from Monday. The March session is usually called the Budget Session of the Tibetan Parliament, the highest legislative organ of the exile polity, during which, among other things, the Tibetan legislators will discuss and approve the budget of the exile Tibetan government for the fiscal year 2010-2011. “As usual this March session is mainly devoted to annual budget of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile that includes administration of all the government offices, including the regional ones. Out of the 11-day session, at least 3-4 days will be devoted to the budget matters,” the Speaker of the parliament Mr Penpa Tsering told Phayul. A host of other issues, including the ones that could not be either discussed or approved during the last session held in September 2009, are also to be discussed during the 11-day session from March 8-20, the speaker said. The eighth session of the 14th Tibetan Parliament came to an end entirely short of its final concluding session after a section of MPs staged a confrontational walkout from the session after failing to come to a resolve a motion moved by a fellow MP. “Of the remaining list of motions, the more significant one is the decision to hold a second ‘Special Meeting’ following the first one that was held in November 2008,” Mr Penpa said. “The motion had already been thoroughly discussed in the last session and remains to be approved by the parliament. If approved during this session, the meeting will possibly take place in Bylakoppe Tibetan settlement (in southern Indian state of Karnataka) from August 26 to 31,” he said. Along with it, Mr Penpa said, there is also a strong suggestion to hold a more elaborate commemoration of the Tibetan Democracy Day this year on September 2. “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Tibetan democracy. So, it is suggested that a grand commemoration be held in a bigger Tibetan settlement area with a larger Tibetan populace. So there will be discussion on that and it is likely that it will again take place in Bylakoppe Tibetan settlement,” he said. Another major proposal for discussion will be, Penpa said, on the proposed amendment to the Tibetan parliamentary election. Mr Penpa said one significant motion is to increase the number of MPs by two- one additional representative from North America and another one from any other other regions other than North America, Europe, India, Nepal and Bhutan. With all these, the speaker says he is hoping to have a smooth functioning and a meaningful outcome from the upcoming session. The Tibetan Parliament is a one-house Parliament, which meets twice a year for about a fortnight each with an interval of six months. The 14th Tibetan Parliament has 43 members, who are elected representing the three traditional provinces of Tibet (U-Tsang, Do-toe and Do-med) and five major religious sects, including the traditional Bon, of Tibet. Three members are elected by Tibetans in the West – one from North America and two from Europe. The members are directly elected by Tibetan exiles above the age of 18 from their respective constituencies. The Tibetan people, both inside and outside Tibet, consider the government-in-exile to be the sole legitimate government of Tibet. An estimated 150, 000 Tibetans live in exile, the majority of them in India and Nepal. The exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama set up Tibet’s Government exile in Dharamshala after he and his followers fled to India in 1959, nine years after China occupied Tibet. The Dalai Lama declared democracy for Tibetans in 1960 and promulgated a constitution for a future Tibet, based on the principles of modern democracy. On 2nd September 1960 members of the first Tibetan parliament were sworn in, marking the first concrete step toward the democratization of the Tibetan polity. The Dalai Lama and the government in exile have in recent years been campaigning for greater autonomy for Tibet. |
First ever ‘Tibetan Women Empowerment Symposium’ held in Dharamsala
Dharamsala, March 4 (ANI): Tibetan government-in-exile held its first ever ‘Tibetan Women Empowerment Symposium’ in Dharamsala town of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday (March 04).
The two-day event, which began on March 4, is organised by a wing of Social and Resource Development fund, which is under the government-in-exile’s Department of Finance.
“We are going to have a workshop where everybody will have a say and contribute to this policy, and how to make it really work, not only in political statements but in reality, what is being done, what needs to be done, so that the women of Tibetan community can contribute more,” said B. Tsering, former President, Tibetan Women Association.
The workshop is a part of Women’s Empowerment Policy launched by the Tibetan government-in-exile in 2008. The Tibetan Women Association (TWA) discussed how to implement the policy passed by the Kashag (the governing council of Tibetan government-in-exile).
“The Kashag has passed one women’s empowerment policy on 14th October 2008 and from then onwards we are trying to implement that policy and to implement that policy properly,” said Wangdu Tsering, Joint Secretary, Department Of Finance, Tibetan government-in-exile.
The workshop aims to foster leadership skills among Tibetan women, and empowering the whole Tibetan community. (ANI)
Twitter adds to Dalai Lama’s virtual virtues
Twitter adds to Dalai Lama’s virtual virtues
By Saransh Sehgal
DHARAMSALA, India – Just a few days after the Dalai Lama met US President Barack Obama at the White House, the Tibetan leader-in-exile embraced social networking on the Internet, setting up an account on Twitter at the suggestion of one of the site’s founders.
“Met the Dalai Lama today in LA, Pitched him on using Twitter – He laughed,” Evan Williams “tweeted” following the meeting. The next day, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader’s verified account, provided especially for public figures, was visible to the world, launched with a “Welcome @DalaiLama” message.
The Dalai Lama’s Internet presence and his support groups across social networking sites have produced a growing fan base that seems to defy China’s attempts to control the medium. Within a day of the launch in mid-February of “@DalaiLama”, the Nobel Peace Prize winner had almost 50,000 Twitter followers, and the current total exceeds 1,320,000 – a phenomenal rate of growth. Almost 50 million tweets are posted on a daily basis on Twitter, an average of 600 per second, according to the site.
Young Tibetans are delighted to see their leader tweeting and hope they will be able to interact directly with their spiritual leader wherever they happen to be in the world. “His Holiness has again proved he can be a modern day teacher while retaining the essence of tradition,” said Lobsang Wangyal, a photojournalist living in Dharamsala, the de facto capital of Tibetans in exile in northern India. “This is a part of his belief that we must become 21st Century Buddhists.”
The official website of the Tibetan government-in-exile also reported the event. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama has joined the social networking line to keep in touch with his followers,” according to a post on www.tibet.net. The as-yet fledgling account is mostly being used to post content from his existing web site, but he is expected to tweet more actively and it’s only a matter of time before he addresses his Twitter audience more personally. There has so far been no reaction from Beijing over the opening of the account.
Twitter closed an account set up by an imposter which attracted tens of thousands of followers. “There may be a higher meaning if you meditate enough, but the account was suspended because it violated our Terms of Use regarding impersonation,” the site said after the account was pulled.
World religions are enthusiastically embracing technology to spread their messages. It’s on Twitter, the same social network that hosted the Passion story of Jesus Christ for a New York church, that Jews can Tweet prayers to the Western Wall; there’s even a Web service that will pray for you. The Church of England has a fully interactive website, a Twitter account, weekly podcasts and a Facebook group. The Pope issues statements via video-sharing site YouTube, which complements the Vatican Television and Vatican Radio. He is also on Facebook.
Pope Benedict XVI has recently identified the importance of the Internet, especially Google searches for church operations, according to CNN. The Holy See wrote to church leaders that he regretted not using Google before reinstating an ex-communicated priest. The Pope admitted “I have learned the lesson that in the future the Holy See will have to pay greater attention to that source of news.”
Microsoft founder Bill Gates joined Twitter late in January and announced his presence in typically businesslike fashion. “Hello World. Hard at work on my foundation letter – publishing on 1/25,” he tweeted. Since then, Gates has posted regular updates on his tete-a-tetes with world leaders.
The Dalai Lama has nurtured modernity in a tradition-driven religious order, asking his followers for a modern life. He has also called for reforms of education systems to include studies on compassion and warm-heartedness. The 74-year-old monk’s words of wisdom will not be available to more than six-million of his followers living in Tibet, ruled as an automonous region of China. Access to Twitter, like several other websites, is blocked. Nor can Chinese visitors link to any Dalai Lama related sites.
To date, none of the 23 Dalai Lama tweets touch on the deeper mysteries of life. The most recent update was his condolences to the people of Chile after the recent earthquake there. It’s clear, however, that the Dalai Lama is adept at using technology to make more people aware of the plight of Tibet under the Chinese rule.
Tenzin, a Tibetan blogger says he never dreamt the Dalai Lama would use such social networking, but sees the Twitter account as a message to the world that Buddhists are keeping up with the times, and that there is no schism between science and religion.
Internet users see the Dalai Lama’s increased Internet presence as a welcome challenge to China’s censorship. The leader has said Western search engines such as Google are important to the free flow of information within China, but noted they had ceded to pressure from the government there to limit what users can see. Google last month said it planned to stop censoring results on its China-based search engine, reversing its years-long compliance with the country’s rules. Google cited concerns over hacking and censorship.
The Chinese leadership is also keen to use the Internet to spread its message. Premier Wen Jiabao has taken time to chat online with netizens from all over China, many of whom were anonymous. The event, entitled “I have a question to ask the Premier”, was conducted jointly by the central government and Xinhua News Agency. Some of the questions revolved around thorny issues such as rising property prices, corruption, inefficient bureaucracy, the rights of workers and limited job opportunities.
Premier Wen did not insist that participants identify themselves before they asked their questions in the brief experiment on free debate. It will be interesting on how China’s leadership will finally respond when the Dalai Lama tweets for Tibet.
Saransh Sehgal is a writer based in Dharamsala, India. He can be reached at info@mcllo.com
Dharamsala welcomes Dalai Lama after high-profile US visit
| Original Source : Phayul [Saturday, February 27, 2010 15:54] |
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By Phurbu Thinley
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is being greeted at the Gaggal Airport, in Dharamsala, India, Saturday, February 27, 2010. The Tibetan leader arrived to his exile hometown in North India following a high-profile visit to US, where he met with the President Barack Obama in the White House. (Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL)
Dharamsala, Feb 27: Hundreds and hundreds of Tibetans and well-wishers holding traditional ceremonial scarves and burning incense welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama as he returned to his exile hometown here this morning, following a high-profile visit to United States. The 74-year old exiled Tibetan leader arrived from the Indian capital, New Delhi, fresh from his 10-day U.S. visit. The Dalai Lama left Dharamsala, his exile seat in the northern India, on Feb 16. The Nobel Peace Laureate appeared cheerful and constantly waved and smiled at endless queue of well-wishers who had lined up to welcome him in McLeod Ganj, in Upper Dharamsala, where his official residence is located. Many of them waited for hours before His Holiness finally arrived here. His Holiness was received at the Gaggal Airport, which is an hour drive from McLeod Ganj, by senior leaders, including Prime Minister Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, and officials of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, and heads of major Tibetan non-governmental organisations. In McLeod Ganj, Buddhist prayers flags and Tibetan National flag were put up and auspicious Buddhist symbols were drawn along the road leading to His Holiness’ residence to welcome him. Welcome gates, decked up in colourful traditional Tibetan style with auspicious greetings, and banners welcoming the Tibetan leader were also put up at different points. During the visit to U.S., despite China’s repeated and angry protests, President Barack Obama welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi also met His Holiness during the visit. 
His Holiness the Dalai Lama appeared cheerful and constantly waved and smiled at endless queue of well-wishers who had lined to welcome him in McLeod Ganj, in Upper Dharamsala, where his official residence is located. (Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL)
Not only this, one day after the meeting with Obama the National Endowment for Democracy, which is funded by the US Congress, gave the Dalai Lama its prestigious Democracy Service Medal during a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, that left China all the more fuming. Tibetans revere the Dalai Lama as their undisputed leader and a symbol of hope of their freedom in the world. The Dalai Lama normally spends several months a year travelling the world promoting human values, teaching Buddhism and, advocating for Tibetan rights and their struggle for greater freedom. Tibetans, whose spirits were somehow dampened by recent failure in talks with China on the future of their homeland, have been heartened by their leader’s latest successful visit to US. Talks with Beijing, which resumed last month after a break of more than a year, once again failed to make any breakthrough, with Tibetan side blaming Chinese Communist leadership for lack of any “political will” to resolve the Tibet issue peacefully. For Tibetans, Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama in the White House ignoring China’s protests was a symbolic victory, irrespective of its consequences or the manner in which the meeting took place. The US honouring even sparked celebrations by Tibetans inside Tibet amid increased security set up and severe restrictions on religious practice in parts of Tibet. In some areas, Tibetans reportedly welcomed the meeting with a defiant show of fireworks and auspicious prayer rituals. China had reacted angrily on the Obama-Dalai Lama meeting by accusing the US of “seriously undermining” bilateral ties by “conniving” with separatist forces. The Tibetan leader enjoys widespread support in the United States and Obama already postponed the meeting with Dalai Lama once, angering powerful U.S. lawmakers and human rights groups. Every U.S. president for the last two decades has met with the Dalai Lama, and those visits are considered by Tibetans powerful signs of the American commitment to Tibet issue and human rights in general. Obama used his first presidential meeting with the Dalai Lama on Feb 18 to press China to preserve Tibetan identity and to respect human rights in the region, which has been under brutal Chinese occupation since 1950. Dalai Lama has said he had met with the President because “it was my duty to inform or report what the situation was in the relationship with the Chinese government.” While in US, Dalai Lama also urged Americans to keep pushing for freedom and democracy in other lands. In 2007, when the Dalai Lama was presented with the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal by the U.S. President George W Bush, it had lead to unprecedented celebrations of victory by Tibetans and their supporters around the world. At the time also a grand and imposing ceremonial welcome marked the Dalai Lama’s arrival here in Dharamsala after he returned receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. |
Central Tibetan Administration Officials Meet To Set Vision 2060 For Tibet
Central Tibetan Administration Officials Meet To Set Vision 2060 For Tibet
Saturday, February 27 2010 @ 10:50 am UTC
Dharamsala: A two-day general meeting of officials of the Central Tibetan Administration is being convened to define a clear vision and approach for the coming 50 years to realise the fundamental goal of Tibetan struggle.
The Committee for the commemoration of 50 years in exile under the supervision of the Kashag is organising the meeting at Lower TCV school in Dharamsala from 26-27 February.
Nearly 400 officials are holding extensive group deliberations to explore ways to develop a sustainable education, religion, health, political and socio-economic systems in the exile community. There will be discussions on overriding issues of sustaining a cohesive Tibetan communities in India, achieving specialisation in academic fields, retaining the moral behaviour of Tibetans and developing a self reliant exile community.
Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche and the members of Kashag presided over the opening function of the meeting.
Kalon Tripa said “whatever progress and negligence made in the Tibetan community past fifty years has not occurred naturally but due to the policy and projects formulated by the Central Tibetan Administration. So, the fulfilment of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s profound visions depends solely on the Tibetan civil servants. The civil servants cannot evade the fact that responsibility for the past achievements and failures lies on them. They need to accept the responsibility for the negligence and not feel happy about the results. The civil servants are the driving force of the past and future destiny of Tibetans in exile.”
Kalon Tripa said in the meeting should come out with viable ideas and suggestions by carefully analysing the geopolitics, education and dedication of the Tibetan people, and political situation in China. He said our approach should be based on the maxim of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to “hope for the best and prepare for the worst”.
In addition to officials from all the departments and offices in Dharamsala, the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Nepal and settlement officers from 42 Tibetan settlements from across are attending the meeting.
source tibet.netTibetan exiles mark Centenary of 13th Dalai Lama’s exile to India
| Tibetan exiles mark Centenary of 13th Dalai Lama’s exile to India | ||
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Two shops set on fire near Dharamsala
Two shops set on fire near Dharamsala
Original Source : HimVani
Dharamsala: Property worth lakhs of rupees was gutted when two shops were set on fire by some unidentified miscreants who managed to flee with some valuable gift items at Chetru in Kangra district last night, police said on Thursday.
Kangra SDPO Jeet Singh Thakur told media persons that Ashish Guleria, a resident of Chetru, lodged a report with Kangra police that some miscreants had set on fire two shops housing a gift center owned by him and a chemist shop run by his tenant last night. He said that in the complaint Guleria mentioned that some valuable gift items including mobile phones and digital cameras were stolen from the shop and after the burglary the thieves set the shops on fire.
Thakur said property worth Rs 3 lakhs was destroyed in the gift center and medicines worth Rs 4 lakh were also destroyed. He said police during investigation found lock of the gift shop missing and some stolen items lying on Dharamsala road. He said a case under sections 436 and 380 of IPC was registered against unidentified burglars. No arrests have been made as yet in the case, he added.
Tibetans in Tibet welcome Obama’s Dalai Lama meeting
Tibetans in Tibet welcome Obama’s Dalai Lama meeting
| Original Source : Phayul[Thursday, February 18, 2010 16:04] |
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama (C) participates in a Tibetan New Year celebration as he arrives at the Park Hyatt hotel in Washington, DC. The 74-year-old will head Thursday to the White House for a long-awaited meeting with US President Barack Obama. (AFP/Jim Watson)
Dharamsala, Feb 18: Tibetans living near the birthplace of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in the Amdo Province of Tibet welcomed Thursday’s scheduled meeting between their exiled leader and Barack Obama with a defiant show of fireworks, according to a media report. Buddhist monks in Tongren, called Rebkong by Tibetans, said they were celebrating the meeting in Washington. The midnight display of fireworks along a valley dotted with Tibetan Buddhist monasteries was a bold and noisy reminder that, in spite of Chinese condemnation of the Dalai Lama, he remains a potent figure in his homeland, Reuters reported Wednesday. “My heart is filled with joy,” said Johkang, showing off an enormous smile, standing at his monastery in Amdo, renamed Qinghai by China after taking control of Tibet. 
Tibetan monks are seen during a religious ceremony inside a monastery in Amdo Rebkong February 17, 2010. (Photo: REUTERS/Nir Elias)
“It is so important for us that this is happening, that the U.S. has not given in to threats and will meet our leader,” added the monk. Amdo is where the Dalai Lama was born in 1935. He fled into exile from Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, and since then has campaigned for self-rule for Tibetans. “We do this whenever something big, and good happens,” said another monk Losan, standing on a hillside above a monastery where monks were lighting fireworks in the early hours of Thursday. “He’s really going to meet Obama?” interrupted a monk standing next to him, sounding somewhat incredulous. “I heard it on Voice Of America,” Losan told him confidently. 
File photo shows Chinese security forces marching in Amdo Rebkong February 26, 2009. Last year Tibetans living near the birthplace of the Dalai Lama marked their traditional New Year in quiet defiance and mourning a year after the region erupted in massive protests against Chinese rule. (Photo: REUTERS/Reinhard Krause/file)
The sound of conch shells being blown echoed around the valley as a group of monks burned an offering of flour and a ceremonial Tibetan scarf on a fire. Veneration for the Dalai Lama transcends the Buddhist clergy and extends into broader Tibetan society where many resent Chinese rule and the relative wealth of Han Chinese, Reuters reported. “I’m very excited about who the Dalai Lama is going to meet,” said one Tibetan woman, who declined to be identified citing the sensitive nature of the topic. “But I worry about what measures the government could take against us in retaliation.” Word of the Dalai Lama’s meeting with Obama has filtered through to Qinghai through Tibetan-language foreign radio broadcasts, monks told Reuters. Some spoke proudly of the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace Prize, awarded in 1989. “That the 1.3 billion Han Chinese have never had one of their number win a Nobel prize and that we have, with just 6 million people, says something powerful,” said a monk, Tedan. “Now you understand why we love him so much.” Chinese Communist government forbid pictures of Dalai Lama being displayed in monasteries and homes, but many in Amdo do. 
An altar, where a photo of the Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama is placed, is seen in a temple in Amdo Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) February 17, 2010. China urged the United States to scrap plans for President Barack Obama to meet the Dalai Lama on Thursday. The White House said that Obama would meet the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader on February 18, despite China’s repeated warnings that such talks would hurt ties. (Photo: REUTERS/Nir Elias)
A large new paramilitary police headquarters is being built outside the county seat, and monks mutter about occasional fines if their public devotion to the Dalai Lama becomes too much, the report said. The Chinese government accuses the “Dalai clique” of separatism and of stirring up 2008’s anti-China unrest that spread across Tibet. Dalai Lama has denied those accusations, saying he seeks meaningful autonomy through peaceful means. “CCTV is always saying this and that about him and about us Tibetans,” said monk Tarkey, referring to China’s main state-run television network. “The world will get a better idea about who he is once he meets Obama.” |