BLESSINGS OF PEACE – MY PRAYERS TO LHASA RIVER
NEW REPORT ON TIBET – ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY
NEW REPORT ON TIBET – ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY
The Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) released a new report on Tibet titled ‘Tibet Was not Part of China But Middle Way Remains a Viable Solution’.
But, we tried this Middle Way Approach on May 23, 1951, with disastrous consequences. As the saying goes, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” Tibet cannot afford to bite the Bullet twice. Communist China insists that she has the right to control the Reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. The discussion about ‘Meaningful Autonomy’ has become redundant for Chinese Colonization of Tibet includes total Subjugation of all Social and Political Institutions of Tibet that give “Meaning” to Tibetan Identity.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
https://wholedude.com/2015/06/09/the-evil-red-empire-red-china-subjugator-of-tibet/
New report on Tibet highlights self-immolations, reincarnation of Dalai Lama
Clipped from: https://www.newkerala.com/news/read/63436/new-report-on-tibet-highlights-self-immolations-reincarnation-of-dalai-lama.html
Oct 31, 2018
IANS
New Delhi, Oct 30: From incidents of self-immolations, human rights, cultural genocide to the history of Tibet’s status and reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama — a new report released on Tuesday highlights the contemporary and prevalent issues faced by Tibet.
The report titled ‘Tibet Was Never A Part Of China But The Middle Way Approach Remains a Viable Solution’ was launched by the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
The report, organized into nine chapters, covers self-immolations, human rights, cultural genocide, the history of Tibet’s status, the environment, urbanization, economic development, the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Middle Way Policy.
“The chapters aim to be comprehensive but digestible. Given that each topic could be a book of its own, the report serves as an overview of the most pressing issues in Tibet for those involved with or interested in the Tibetan cause,” DIIR’s Information Secretary Dhardon Sharling said during the launch of the report.
Published in Tibetan, English and Chinese languages, the report was unveiled by Prof. Anand Kumar and Dr Lobsang Sangay, President, Central Tibetan Administration here.
“For Tibetans, information is a precious commodity. Severe restrictions on expression accompanied by a relentless disinformation campaign engender facts, knowledge and truth to become priceless. This has long been the case with Tibet. This report marks the CTA’s current contribution to this effort,” said CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay.
COMMUNIST CHINA IS USING BUDDHISM AS A TOOL FOR HER EXPANSIONIST REGIME
COMMUNIST CHINA IS USING BUDDHISM AS A TOOL FOR HER EXPANSIONIST REGIME
During 1950-1951 Communist China took brutal control of Tibet using her hard military power. Now, the Communist Party of China is demanding Buddhists and others to subjugate their religion and culture to serve the needs of China’s Expansionist Regime.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
India, Dalai Lama blocking Beijing from using Buddhism as soft power, say Chinese scholars
Buddhist scholars had gathered this week in northwest China’s Qinghai province to discuss how to leverage Buddhism in constructing and expanding the BRI.
Sutirtho Patranobis
Hindustan Times, Beijing
His Holiness Dalai Lama addresses teachers after the inauguration of Happiness Curriculum of the Delhi government at Thyagraj Sports Complex in New Delhi, in July 2018. (Sonu Mehta/HT File Photo)
India is the biggest challenge for Beijing to use Buddhism in support of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to tackle terrorism and separatism and for strategic purposes, leading Chinese scholars have said.
For one, the Chinese Buddhist scholars argued at a recent symposium, the Dharamshala-based Dalai Lama has established a “separatist” base in India and promotes traditional religion and culture – as opposed to the Communist Party’s socialist values – to maintain his base.
India itself is a “stumbling block” as it has not joined BRI, a connectivity project worth billions of dollars, because of geopolitical reasons.
The scholars gathered this week in northwestern Qinghai province to discuss how to leverage Buddhism in constructing and expanding the BRI. The symposium was seemingly focused on “Sinicizing” – and also politicizing – Buddhism for the purpose of statecraft.
“Soft power like religion, if used properly, will convert to hard power,” one scholar said.
“Guided by the core socialist values, the symposium aims to encourage Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to the socialist society and teach the religion to serve the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative,” the sitetibet.cn news website reported.
Tibetan Buddhism can act as a bridge between BRI countries so that they can better communicate with each other since religious and cultural beliefs are similar in Central and South Asia, Qin Yongzhang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), told Global Times tabloid.
The BRI, for example, has “injected new energy into China-Nepal ties” and China has built a relationship with Mongolia through Tibetan Buddhism.
Not so the case with India.
“One immediate challenge of promoting BRI through Tibetan Buddhism comes from India, which has been holding back for geopolitical reasons,” Qin said.
“The Dalai Lama has established a separatist base in India, and has been advocating the ‘traditional culture’ as leverage to expand his influence.”
Buddhism has a significant role in curbing separatism, religious extremism and terrorism while implementing BRI because it pursues harmony and opposes violence, said Xiong Kunxin, an ethnic studies professor at Tibet University in Lhasa.
The position against India and the Dalai Lama is in line with a recent decision by a Chinese county not to allow India-trained Buddhist monks to teach in China.
In May, the county in southwestern Sichuan province banned Tibetan monks “wrongly educated” in India from teaching Buddhism to prevent the spread of “separatist” ideas.
Officials of Litang county issued the ban, the first such move outside the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
“As some monks received education overseas from the 14th Dalai Lama clique – whom China regards as separatists – it is necessary to tighten supervision so as to prevent the clique from using local Buddhists to conduct separatist activities,” Zhu Weiqun, former head of the ethnic and religious affairs committee of the national committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, had said.
First Published: Oct 18, 2018, 14:52 IST
PRAYERS FOR THE DAWN OF FREEDOM AT THE GRAND SEAT OF THE SUN
PRAYERS FOR THE DAWN OF FREEDOM AT THE GRAND SEAT OF THE SUN
“Nyingchi” means “the Grand Seat of the Sun” in the language of Tibetan. It is noted for its green mountains and clear water. The Himalaya and Tangula Mountains wind their ways from west to east like two colossal dragons and join the Henduan Mountains in the east. The city of Nyingchi, lying in the southeast of Tibet, is in the embrace of these three mountain ranges. Nyingchi is also called “the Switzerland of Tibet” and “the Jiangnan of Tibet” (Jiangnan means the fertile and prosperous area in the south of the Yangtze.)
The primitive forest of Nyingchi is well-preserved in which one can easily find the upright ancient plateau Tibetan cypress, the Himalaya cold cedar, the “living plant fossil”- the tree bracken and a vast variety of azaleas. Nyingchi is therefore entitled “the Natural Museum and “the Natural Gene Pool”. The area around the Buqun Lake is deemed to be the place where the wild man was living.
I am offering my prayers for the dawn of freedom at ‘The Grand Seat of the Sun’.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
AUTUMN SCENERY IN TIBET
Clipped from: http://www.womenofchina.cn/womenofchina/html1/culture/travel/1810/6259-1.htm
October 26, 2018
Editor: Wei Lingling
| Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2018, shows the autumn scenery in Bomi County, Nyingchi, Tibet. [Xinhua/Liu Dongjun] |
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| Photo taken on Oct. 25, 2018, shows the autumn scenery in Bomi County, Nyingchi, Tibet. [Xinhua/Liu Dongjun] |
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| Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2018, shows the autumn scenery in Baxoi County, Qamdo, Tibet. [Xinhua/Liu Dongjun] |
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| Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2018, shows the autumn scenery in Bomi County, Nyingchi, Tibet. [Xinhua/Liu Dongjun] |
(Source: Xinhua)
Whole Awareness – Colonization of Tibet poses risks to all living downstream
Colonization of Tibet poses risks to all living downstream
The major rivers of Asia take origin in Tibet. People living downstream are facing increasing risks as the rivers are drying up due to Communist China’s colonization of Tibet.
Arunachal Pradesh: Authorities warn of flash floods in East Siang as landslide blocks river in Tibet
Over 6,000 people were evacuated from Tibet’s Menling County after the landslide led to the formation of a barrier lake.
Sections of the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh dried up due to landslide upstream | HT photo
The Arunachal Pradesh government has warned of flash floods downstream of the Siang River after China informed India that a landslide has blocked a section of the river in the Tibet region, The Times of India reported on Friday.
The Yarlung Tsangpo is the upper stream of the Brahmaputra river. It is known as the Siang river once it enters Arunachal Pradesh and the Brahmaputra when it enters Assam.
The East Siang district administration has asked people not to venture near the Siang river and asked them to stay alert. The water level in the Siang river has reduced due to the landslide blocking the flow of water. The landslide has led to the formation of a lake and there are fears of large-scale floods downstream if the lake breaches, reported the Hindustan Times.
“We got a report from the Central Water Commission about the landslide in Tibet,” said Deputy Commissioner of Upper Siang district Duly Kamduk. “The water level in Siang river has gone down by around 2 meters at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh.”
A statement issued by the East Siang district administration asked people living on the banks of the river in Jarku, Paglek, SS Mission, Jarkong, Banskota, Berung, Jampani, Sigar, Ralling, Borguli, Seram, Kongkul, Namsing, Mer, Gadum not to remove driftwood, tree barks on the banks of the river as these will serve as a natural flood control mechanism, reported Northeast Today.
Meanwhile, in China, over 6,000 people were evacuated after a barrier lake was formed following the landslide in the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet’s Menling County, reported Xinhua. The amount of water in the lake is above 300 million cubic meters.
In August, several people were airlifted from Assam’s Dhemaji district as Siang river got flooded due to heavy rainfall in the Chinese portion.
Whole Colonialism – Upstream Occupation and Downstream Worries
The woes of Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River – Upstream Occupation and Downstream Worries
The woes of Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River describe the tragedy of upstream occupation causing the downstream worries. The massive landslide in Tibet blocking Yarlung Tsangpo River symbolizes the woes of military conquest of Tibet and its colonization by Communist China.
China orders evacuations after landslide blocks Tibet River
Clipped from: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-orders-evacuations-after-landslide-blocks-tibet-river/ar-BBOx93t
© Bing Maps © 2018/Microsoft Mainling County, Tibet, China BEIJING — Around 6,000 people have been evacuated following a landslide in Tibet that blocked the flow of one of the region’s key rivers, China’s emergency services said Thursday.
A barrier lake was formed on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the headwater of India’s Brahmaputra River, following the Wednesday morning collapse of a cliff in the deep valley through which the river flows, the local emergency response bureau said in a report carried by state media.
No deaths or injuries have been reported and the bureau said China has been keeping India updated on the blockage, which could potentially affect water levels in lower regions.
The landslide struck near a village in Menling County and water in the lake had risen to a height of 40 meters (131 feet) by Thursday, the bureau said.
With its towering peaks and glaciers, Tibet is the source of numerous Asian rivers, adding to China’s strategic influence over its southern neighbors. Fast-rising temperatures have caused those glaciers to melt at an increasing pace, throwing a shadow over future water resources for China and other Asian nations.
Though there were no reports of deaths or injuries after the landslide, it is the second landslide that has rocked the Tibet. A massive landslide hit Derge in the Traditional Tibetan province of Kham and completely blocked the Dri Chu river earlier this week on Oct 11.
Landslide and flooding of villages in Tibet are linked to Chinese construction projects, the London-based advocacy group Free Tibet said on Oct 15 after the landslide that cut off Drichu.
“Chinese authorities have been conducting excessive mining, development and dam construction projects in the area which, according to the local population, are directly linked to the increased occurrences of flooding, particularly in the regions of Karze and Ngawa. Chinese sources claim these incidents are natural and unrelated,” Free Tibet stated
The group further noted that of late, China’s exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources has gathered pace significantly.
The ill-advised developmental projects being carried out in Tibet by the Chinese regime at the cost of the fragile Tibetan environment.
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS MARCHING FOR PEACE IN OCCUPIED TIBET
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS MARCHING FOR PEACE IN OCCUPIED TIBET
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.” I invoke the blessings of God on Kunga Norbu and Adam Schaeuble who are walking to bring peace in Occupied Tibet by promoting the public awareness of the Great Tibet Problem.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
https://wholedude.com/2015/08/05/tibets-military-occupation-the-great-tibet-problem/
BEAM: Friends walk to bring awareness to Tibet. Opinion. Newsandtribune.com
Kunga Norbu left, and Adam Schaeuble pose for a picture on the Big Four Bridge during their multi-state walking campaign to raise awareness about Tibet. Norbu is the nephew of the Dalai Lama, who gave his blessing for the trek, and suggested that the duo “create a wave of positivity.”
As they walked across Big Four Bridge that October Sunday, Kunga Norbu and Adam Schaeuble weren’t protesting anything.
The casual observer, though, might have thought differently.
A multicolored flag rested against Kunga’s shoulder as he strolled down the ramp into Jeffersonville. The emblem on it symbolized the country of his father’s birth, a nation no longer able to control the teachings of its past let alone its own future. Emblazoned on his and Adam’s yellow shirts were the words “Team Tibet” in crimson ink.
“If you walk anywhere and you’ve got a guy with a giant flag, people are probably like eyeballing you asking what kind of a thing is this? That’s the society that we live in,” said Adam. “Is this a good march or a bad march? Is this positive or is it negative? People almost always assume that it’s negative. But when we get to tell people about it, they realize it’s a cool, positive story.”
Louisville was stop number four on the duo’s eight-day walking tour to bring awareness about issues facing Tibet while also supporting and preserving Tibetan culture. On Oct. 4, they finished their journey in Columbus, Ohio with more than 200 miles walked.
“There are six million Tibetans in Tibet now,” Kunga said when discussing the treatment of Tibetan citizens by the Chinese government, the country that invaded Tibet in the 1950s. “We have to do something. We have to do anything. Even walking. Even one-mile.”
Kunga had completed this mileage before. In March of 2013, the Tibetan-American undertook a 230-mile trek from Washington, D.C., to New York City in memory of his brother Jigme. In 2011, Jigme lost his life when a sports utility vehicle struck him on a Florida road during a similar walk for Tibetan independence. He was 45.
But circumstances have since changed for the Bloomington resident. In January of 2015, a stroke wreaked havoc on Kunga’s body. After regaining most of his physical abilities through rehab, speech difficulties are the only remnants of the illness.
“When he starts talking about Tibet, he gets clearer,” Adam said. “Like his speech is more succinct. It’s like he’s talking from his heart. It’s really cool.”
Despite his health setbacks, the 55-year-old still wanted to honor his Tibetan heritage. His father, Thubten Norbu, established the Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington and was a professor at Indiana University. Thubten, too, was a Buddhist lama, not to mention the older brother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
That’s right. Kunga is the Dalai Lama’s nephew.
Adam, on the other hand, has no Tibetan lineage. His friendship with Kunga brought him to this mission. Strangely enough, during high school, the now 38-year-old did a report on Tibet. Part of that assignment consisted of reading a book by — you guessed it — Professor Norbu, Kunga’s father.
Nine years ago, Kunga walked into the gym Adam owns. They quickly became pals. When Kunga’s brother died, Adam organized an Mt. Everest Challenge for his “gym family.” Participants climbed on an apparatus called Jacob’s Ladder in order to finish the steps Jigme wasn’t able to complete.
Knowing about his friend’s wish to do another walk that would bring awareness to Tibetan issues, Adam suggested they do a roughly week-long trek that would finish in Columbus, Ohio. Instead of traversing the whole way by foot on dangerous interstates, the pair would find trails in different Midwest cities. Kunga, Adam and anyone else who might want to come along would walk along these much safer paths to achieve their 200-mile goal.
“I’m like the big, noisy white Sherpa,” Adam said, referencing the Himalayan mountaineers who, at times, help climbers reach Mt. Everest.
Kunga liked the plan. In a March 2018 audience with the Dalai Lama, he asked for his uncle’s blessing. The Dalai Lama freely gave it and suggested to them an optimistic objective: Create a wave of positivity.
“That was his challenge for us, two people from two different cultures that are doing this because they are friends and support each other,” Adam said.
And, by just walking 200-miles with a Tibetan flag and their friendship, Kunga and Adam accomplished just this.
“The culture can’t be stamped out if people are still talking about what’s going on,” Adam said. “That’s the way we keep that culture alive. Just keep talking about it and share and share.”
— Amanda Hillard Beam is a Floyd County resident and Jeffersonville native. Contact her by email at adbeam47@aol.com.
TIBET EQUILIBRIUM IS BALANCE BETWEEN NATURE AND POLITICAL POWER
TIBET EQUILIBRIUM IS BALANCE BETWEEN NATURE AND POLITICAL POWER
In my analysis, the Tibetan Resistance Movement primarily aims at achieving the Balance between Natural Freedom and Political Power of any entity that rules over the lives of Tibetan People. For centuries, on account of Tibet Equilibrium, Tibetans enjoyed independent lifestyles despite military conquests of Tibet by Yuan and Manchu Dynasties of China. Red China’s military invasion, military occupation and colonization of Tibet impose severe strains on Nature as well as all denizens of Tibetan Plateau.
Tibetans are left with no choice other than that of Resistance for Red China rules over Tibet with Iron Fist severely undermining the experience of Natural Balance, Natural Harmony, and Natural Tranquility, the gifts of Nature and Natural Conditions presiding over Tibetan Existence from the beginning of its long History.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
https://wholedude.com/2017/07/15/Tibet-Journey-from-Natural-Freedom-to-Laogai-Prison-System/
Clipped from: https://www.tourism-review.com/tibetan-authorities-to-balance-nature-and-tourism-news10741
TIBET SEEKS BALANCE BETWEEN NATURE AND TOURISM
Nik Fes – Sep 17, 2018
The Chinese Tibet Autonomous Region wants to put environmental protection measures before the development of tourism. Nature and tourism need to coexist in balance.
The tourism industry in the region has developed rapidly in recent years and has become a growth driver, said Qizhala, the chairman of the local government.
Tourism contributes to Tibet’s GDP with at least 30%, according to him. The number of tourists from home and abroad arriving in Tibet annually is expected to reach 30 million, compared to 10 million in 2012 and 20 million in 2015.
Despite the incredible tourism book, the local government has always emphasized environmental protection. Experts have also advised balancing environmental protection, nature and tourism. Efforts are being made to prevent “blind development and overdevelopment,” as described by Qizhala.
The region plans to reduce the number of tourists who want to visit vantage points near glaciers, such as Qomolangma mountain. A cap on visits to Mount Qomolangma is set to be established and implemented in 2019.
“We always have to keep an eye on the minimum standard of environmental protection,” Qizhala said. Since 2009, a total of 9.6 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) has been invested in environmental protection in the region. Last year alone, 1.14 billion yuan was invested.
In order to protect wildlife better, a mechanism was introduced in 2015 to provide compensation to farmers and shepherds who have suffered wildlife losses. So far, 85 million yuan has been spent on it.
Regarding the future, Yao Tandong, director of the Institute for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau suggests that more national parks be built to make better use of tourism resources and protect the environment.
The region is considering setting up four national parks. These include Tibet’s largest lake, the mountain Qomolangma, the Yarlung Zangbo, and the earth forest of the Kingdom of Guge. Once these scenic national parks have been established, consistent planning for their protection can be implemented to minimize the environmental damage caused by tourism, Qizhala concluded.
THE POPE’S JUDAS KISS TO SEAL THE DEAL WITH COMMUNIST CHINA
THE POPE’S JUDAS KISS TO SEAL THE DEAL WITH COMMUNIST CHINA
In my analysis, the Vatican deal with Communist China represents an act of betrayal. Pope Francis betrayed Jesus Christ to permit Communist China a role in the selection of Archbishops for Catholic Churches in China.
The Living Tibetan Spirits would not expect His Holiness the Dalai Lama to walk in the footsteps of Pope Francis to forsake his faith to save the Dalai Lama Institution of Tibet.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
The Pope has kissed and made up with China. Can the Dalai Lama?
Pope Francis has pulled off a landmark deal by getting Beijing to recognize the Vatican’s influence – and his approach may impart valuable lessons to the Dalai Lama, should there be any hope for reconciliation with Tibet on the cards
By Sourabh Gupta
28 Sep 2018
Clipped from: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2166226/pope-has-made-china-can-dalai-lama
Pope Francis has pulled off a landmark deal by getting Beijing to recognize the Vatican’s influence – and his approach may impart valuable lessons to the Dalai Lama, should there be any hope for reconciliation with Tibet on the cards
The Dalai Lama must make his peace with an antithetical political authority and persevere in good faith. Photo: Reuters
The reigning Bishop of Rome, Francis, is not your typical stodgy pontiff. In the five short years since his elevation as the first non-European head of the Roman Catholic Church since 741 AD, he has displayed latitude of mind, the courage of conviction, and deftness of diplomatic skill that is rare even among statesmen.
In August 2014, on entering Chinese airspace during a flight to Seoul, he broke six decades of silence between the Vatican and the head of China’s government by posting a message of goodwill to President Xi Jinping. Fittingly, on his birthday later that December, talks brokered by Francis were announced that would in time lead to the normalization of ties between the Castro regime in Cuba and the Obama administration. The US-Cuba agreement was signed at the Vatican Secretariat of State. In February 2016, almost a thousand years after the rupture of the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity, Pope Francis held the first meeting with his Russian Orthodox counterpart, Patriarch Kirill, in Havana. Francis’ millennia-spanning achievements are not one for the faint-hearted.
Last week, Pope Francis registered his biggest diplomatic breakthrough yet: a landmark agreement with the government of the People’s Republic on the ordination of bishops in China. As per the agreement, Beijing – 67 years after snapping ties with the Vatican – will formally recognize the Pope’s jurisdiction as the head of the Catholic Church in China as well as the final authority in deciding on candidates for bishops in the country.
The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA), the “self-run Church” hitherto established and controlled by the state, is to be downgraded and reoriented. In exchange, Pope Francis is expected to lift the excommunications of seven CCPA-installed bishops and formally recognize them as the leaders of their dioceses. More broadly, a mechanism that enables Beijing to provide its acceptable slate of candidates and the Vatican to have a final say in selection will now be formalized.
The fate of the three dozen or so Vatican-approved prelates, some of whom are in prison, who are not recognized by the CCPA is unclear at this time. The larger hope, though, is that as the splintering of the Catholic Church in China is reversed, the churches above and underground will in time be reconciled. Perhaps, a papal visit could be on the cards, too.
Pope Francis’ list of achievements span millennia of history. Photo: AFP
Both sides stand to gain handsomely from the compromise. For the Vatican, its pre-eminence on all matters ecclesiastical in the sovereign territorial space of China has been formally confirmed for the first time by the communist government in Beijing. For the Chinese Communist Party, its overarching and “guiding” role in harnessing religious belief to “help social harmony, modernization [and a] healthy civilization” – a key principle of its post-1980s religious policy – is vindicated without having to cede (though having to share) control on key decision-making to an entity that is housed beyond its sovereign territorial space.
Now, if the Vatican can pull off a deal with Beijing, what about the Dalai Lama? As plausible as it may look in theory, the ramifications for the Tibetan Buddhist leader are more profound. And the bottom line is equally stark: while Beijing could in theory share, it will never cede control over key Tibetan Buddhism-related personnel matters, notably the recognition of tulkus (or “living Buddhas”), as long as the Dalai Lama remains in exile. And given that the Dalai Lama is double-hatted in Tibet’s theocratic political structure as its secular leader over a defined territorial space (unlike the Pope), it is all the more likely that Beijing will refuse to share – let alone cede – practical control over key personnel matters until the Dalai Lama returns to Tibet.
The failed effort in arriving at a consensual selection of a new Panchen Lama in the mid-1990s holds cautionary lessons. Following the untoward death of the revered lama in 1989, Beijing announced a search, selection and recognition process for his successor that initially ruled out a role for the Dalai Lama. Convinced otherwise by resident high lamas, Beijing reversed course in due time and accepted the involvement of the Dalai Lama in principle – if only to rubber-stamp its anointed choice.
By 1995, however, Beijing allegedly went so far as to turn a blind eye to a slate of candidates that it’s officially sanctioned search party (headed by a respected lama from Shigatse) had clandestinely submitted to the Dalai Lama for his prior approval. The process broke down in May that year, following the Dalai Lama’s fait accompli announcement of a young boy from northwest Tibet as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama.
The Vatican’s China deal has profound ramifications for the Tibetan Buddhist leader. Photo: Getty
Beijing’s essential bottom line remained consistent throughout while the prerogative of the Dalai Lama could be acknowledged and religious authority shared, akin to the China-Vatican accord, the overarching guiding role over religion in sovereign Tibetan territory rested ultimately with Beijing.
Four hundred years ago, the great Qing dynasty emperor, Kangxi – a patron of Jesuit cartography, astronomy and engineering – had insisted that Chinese rites of ancestor worship and public homage to Confucius, being civil rather than religious practices, should continue to be practiced by his converted Christian subjects. Conflating Kangxi’s injunction with an intrusion on the paramountcy of church doctrine, Pope Clement XI forbade Catholic missionaries from following the Emperor’s orders.
The episode did not end well for the Church. No less than China’s communist rulers today, the Kangxi Emperor refused to cede Beijing’s overarching guiding role over religion – and that too to an entity housed beyond its sovereign territorial space.
While one does not know if the Communist Party’s rule in Beijing will last as long the Qing dynasty’s multi-century reign, it is not about to disappear any time soon. The onus resides on the Dalai Lama’s shoulders to find a way to make peace and comity with Beijing – at least on matters that touch wholly and exclusively on Tibetan Buddhism. Dealing with the fraught issue of the limits of Tibet’s political and territorial autonomy is a different matter.
In March 2014, standing at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, President Xi Jinping extolled the profound impact of Buddhism in China. If a monotheist leader from distant Latin America carrying the Catholic Church’s dubious historical baggage can arrive at a principled compromise with the leadership in Beijing, surely the Dalai Lama could – or should – be able to do better. But for that, the Dalai Lama must heed the lessons of Francis – foremost, make one’s peace with and accommodate an antithetical political authority and, secondarily, persevere in good faith to realize this accommodation. Is his Excellency listening?
Sourabh Gupta is a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington
TIBET EQUILIBRIUM – THE BALANCE OF POWER – CHINA WANTS A PUPPET DALAI LAMA
TIBET EQUILIBRIUM – THE BALANCE OF POWER – CHINA WANTS A PUPPET DALAI LAMA
The Great Problem of Tibet cannot be resolved as Communist China demands a Dalai Lama it can control. China views Tibet as a Puppet Nation and wants the Dalai Lama to dance to the tune played in Beijing.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
https://wholedude.com/2016/06/25/future-of-tibet-hangs-in-the-balance/
Rare Tibet trip shows China only wants a Dalai Lama it can control
Clipped from: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/rare-tibet-trip-shows-china-only-wants-a-dalai-lama-it-can-control/ar-AAAEmjC?srcref=rss
Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/TNS/File
The Dalai Lama greets members of the Vietnamese American community during the opening of Chua Dieu Ngu Buddhist temple in Westminster, Calif., on Saturday, June 18, 2016.
The Dalai Lama greets members of the Vietnamese American community during the opening of Chua Dieu Ngu Buddhist temple in Westminster, Calif., on Saturday, June 18, 2016.
BEIJING For three centuries, a succession of Tibetan spiritual and political leaders known as Dalai Lama ruled from a crimson-and-white castle overlooking the city of Lhasa.
The Potala Palace as it’s known was the start of a rare tour of Tibet last month. The Chinese foreign ministry and local government hosted international journalists on a trip to the mountainous region, and I was one of them.
While the Potala Palace still dominates Lhasa’s skyline, the current Dalai Lama hasn’t lived there since 1959, when the twenty-something fled to India as the People’s Liberation Army quashed a revolt against Chinese rule. In the six decades since, the question of his return has been a persistent source of tension between China and the West.
The Chinese government says the Dalai Lama can return only if he gives up any pretensions for an independent Tibet. The Dalai Lama and his supporters say they don’t seek independence but instead greater autonomy within China’s system, including an elected legislature and independent judicial system. Beijing rejects that claim as insincere.
But with the spiritual leader now 83, his return has also become a question of succession. In a move that could rile China’s ties with Western democracies, Beijing has begun laying out the case for why it should appoint the Dalai Lama’s successor instead of his exiled supporters in northern India.
It was a topic that came up frequently on our government-organized trip, which has long been the sole way foreign journalists could travel to Tibet the only part of China where written permission is required to visit. Such trips have also become rarer after a spate of self-immolations earlier this decade prompted tightened security. Beijing blames the Dalai Lama, who it says has fomented the unrest, while his followers and human-rights activists say the cause is government oppression.
Tibet stands out as the only Chinese area where ethnic Han Chinese are a small minority. Of the 3.2 million who live in the mountainous region, more than 90 percent are ethnic Tibetan. China’s total population of 1.4 billion, by contrast, is more than 90 percent Han.
In April, the U.S. State Department blasted China for “severe” repression in Tibet, including arbitrary detention, censorship and travel restrictions. It counted five incidences of self-immolation in 2017 a drop-off from 83 in 2012 and noted the arrest of Tibetans who speak with foreigners, particularly journalists.
The Potala Palace was the first of many stops in our packed itinerary, which also included visits to businesses, holy sites, an orphanage, the home of a herdsman, a school teaching traditional Thangka painting and interviews with various local authorities. At each stop, we were able to ask whatever we wanted as officials looked on.
At the Dalai Lama’s former residence, we saw pilgrims leaving offerings of money in the room where he once received guests. On the wall was a portrait of the 13th Dalai Lama, the predecessor of the current reincarnation.
While our questions about the Dalai Lama at the palace and other stops were mostly met with polite reticence, the reverence he still commands were noticeable. Several local officials said he’s still held in esteem by many as a spiritual leader.
The Potala Palace also holds the tombs of eight past Dalai Lama. The title passes from generation to generation through a process that selects successors in their childhood as reincarnations. Supporters of the current Dalai Lama fear that upon his death, there will be two claimants to the position: one selected by them and another by the Chinese government.
A similar power struggle played out with the Panchen Lama, the second-most prominent figure in Tibetan Buddhism. After the death of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989, both the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama identified reincarnations. The man selected by Beijing is now a senior adviser to the nation’s parliament. The Dalai Lama’s choice hasn’t been seen in two decades, and his followers say he was abducted at the age of six.
His disappearance has become a political issue. In April, the U.S. State Department issued a statement marking his birthday and called on Chinese authorities to release him immediately, provoking a furious response from Beijing.
The Central Tibetan Administration, which represents the Dalai Lama’s followers in northern India, says the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should be in the hands of Tibetan Buddhist leaders. “The Chinese government should not interfere in the religious practices of Tibetan Buddhism,” said spokesman Sonam Dagpo.
When we discussed this with officials our trip, they argued that there’s precedent for Beijing to be involved. The current Dalai Lama, they say, ascended to the position in 1939 after being approved by Chiang Kai-Shek, who was president of the Republic of China before the Communist Party took power in 1949.
They also said the Communist Party has done just fine running Tibet. Some data points they reeled off: The economy has seen double-digit growth in each of the last 25 years; average life expectancy doubled to 68.2 in 2017 from 32.7 years in 1959; and literacy is now more than 99 percent, up from about 2 percent in 1951.
Central government statistics show that Tibet’s average disposable income was about $5,300 last year. That’s less than the national average but higher than several other regions including Gansu and Heilongjiang in the north.
Signs of growth were evident on the ground. In Lhasa, where we spent most of our time, scores of buildings were under construction. Traffic is bad from morning until as late as 9 p.m. A BMW dealership had opened, as has an enormous JD.com Inc. warehouse.
Tibet’s problems under the Dalai Lama’s rule went beyond economics, said Luobu Dunzhu, the most-senior official we met on our trip. The 57-year-old executive vice chairman of Tibet’s regional government told our group that his parents were slaves in the feudal system the Dalai Lama headed and had no hope for an education or better lives. Tibetans don’t want to go back, he said.
“The Dalai Lama knew about all of these problems and didn’t do anything to solve them,” Luobu Dunzhu said. “It was the Communist Party that changed Tibet and that’s why the people support the party.”
The Dalai Lama’s followers in India say that economic growth has mainly benefited ethnic Han Chinese, and deny they want to reinstate the old feudal system. What they want, spokesman Dagpo said, is for Tibetans to be able to worship and travel freely, to carry photos of the Dalai Lama and to send their children to monasteries. A key problem with Chinese rules is that any advocacy for Tibetan rights is seen as a form of intolerable separatism, he said.
While we saw no signs of unrest during our trip, the concern about separatism was clear. Travelers flying into Lhasa have their identifications checked before they can exit the airport. Roads entering the capital are manned by police checkpoints. Foreign tourists need permission to visit, one official said, to prevent “bad guys” from sneaking in.
That concern was also discernible when we visited the Sera Monastery, which dates back to the 1400s and where monks died in fighting with Chinese troops during the 1959 uprising when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet.
The monks there still practice many of its oldest traditions, including debate sessions in which participants whirl in circles and slap their hands together. But there’s also been change. In addition to Buddhist scriptures, its library also carries copies of President Xi Jinping’s book, “The Governance of China.”
Suo Lang Ci Ren, a member of the Sera monastery’s management committee, articulated a view we heard from several religious figures one that Beijing may also like to hear from the next Dalai Lama.
“Loving your country and loving your religion,” he said, “are things a monk must do in parallel.”
(Iain Marlow and Xiaoqing Pi contributed to this report.)
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