TPI Top Ten Highlights

of 2009 For Tibet

TPI Top Ten Highlights of 2009 Page1 Exiled Tibetan Education Policy Page 2 Spiritually Indian and Physically Tibetan Page 3 Tibet Highlights 2009 Page 4 German FM Raises Tibet Page 5

T i b e t

World

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D h a r a a m s a l a

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Rs.5Vol. 01, Issue 09, 01 January 2010

The Tibet PThe Tibet PThe Tibet PThe Tibet PThe Tibet P st st st st st

T P I S h o r t s T a k e s

Back of the Gold Medal

H.H The Dalai Lama to USA Thrice in 2010

www.thetibetpost.com

Dharamshala: The year 2009 marks the 50th year of the Chinese occupation of

Tibet. The Tibetan community both inside Tibet and in exile, continues to

protest oppressive policies in Tibet. While His Holiness the Dalai Lama has

asked for human rights and autonomy for the Tibetan people under the

constitution of the People’s Republic of China, discussions with China in 2008

yielded no change in the Tibetan situation in 2009. This year was characterized

by numerous arrests of citizens in Tibet as peaceful protests continued, and

sustained efforts by Tibetan authorities and international organizations to raise

international awareness. On the international stage, the Tibet issue continues to

be pushed, but has taken a backseat to the weight of China’s influence in issues

such as global climate change and the economy.

2009 Highlights-WORLD

1. The United States waivers between support for Tibet and improving relations

with China

The United States is seeking improved relations with China, and in 2009, the

country’s foreign policy concerning economic and environmental cooperation

with China took center stage, casting a shadow on the Tibetan issue. In October

2009, President Obama took the advice of a Chinese spokeswoman, and did

not meet with the Dalai Lama on his most recent visit to the U.S.

Obama met with Hu Jintao in November, and although he spoke about the

need for human rights and individual freedom, he acknowledged Tibet as a part

of China. President Obama also encouraged the renewal of talks between Beijing

and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s envoys. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

publicly stated in February 2009 that China’s human rights abuses should not

be brought into efforts for cooperation on climate change and the global economy.

continued on page 4

continued on page 3

New Governor for Tibet Autonomous

Region, Same Old Story

The Chinese Communist Party appointed a new

governor of the so-called Tibetan Autonomous

Region (TAR) to replace Jampa Phuntsok (also

known as Qiangba Puncog), who resigned

suddenly last week, just three years short of his

retirement pension, for reasons on which neither

he nor the government will elaborate.

The newly appointed governor is none other than

Pema Thinley (also known as Padma Choling,

Pelma Chiley or Baima Chilin), the ex-military leader

and party secretary who was accused as being a

staunch supporter of the inhumane crackdowns

against the March 2008 protestors.continued on page 6

Tibetan Filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen

Sentenced To 6 Years In PrisonSee detal in page No:6

Tibetan Parliament Condemns Ban on

Annual Religious Congregation in Tibet

World Economics and China’s

Political Dramatics

Dharamshala: -China’s economic growth is notably

high. This is solidifying its political power on a global

scale, and rousing foreign politicians, governments

and societies to adopt a political stance on the Tibetan

issue. In 2008, a significant number of columnists,

analysts and activists voiced opinions regarding the

amalgamation of sports and politics. Chinese leaders

New Tibetan film: “A Precious Human Life”

to be released soon

Dharamshala: Tibetan filmmaker Tenzin Salshey and his production team held a press conference today

about their new film, “A Precious Human Life” (Melue Jhurpoche), which aims to deliver a strong message

to those Tibetans who use drugs, encouraging them to avoid such substances. Melue Jhurpoche is scheduled

to be released in Tibetan settlements across India, Nepal, and Bhutan during the Tibetan New Year (Losar)

with help of Tibetan Women’s Association during the Tibetan New Year (Losar) .

One of the main characters, Ven Golok Dhabai, a Tibetan yogi who arrived recently from eastern Tibet, said

that he was attracted and encouraged by the movie’s story. “I did not play the role for payment, neither

thinking of fame, but because of the story and benefits of the movie.” The Ven. Dhabai also wrote many

Tibetan songs when he was in Tibet.

Director Tenzin Salshey said that the new film ran a budget of over Rs 5,00000 (five lakh), and around 50

Tibetans performed the different roles. He explained that the theme of his new film was that the inner

values of love, care, compassion, affection, tolerance, expressed through calm dialogue can restore youths’

physical and mental health and lead them to a happy life.

Jamyang Sakya, the main actor, described to reporters his experience of playing the main character. “I think

that to say it is easy, but to put it into practice is difficult. I never use any drugs or alcohol, and I hope that

continued on page 2 continued on page 5

German FM raises human rights

and Tibet issues during China visit

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle

arrived in Beijing on Friday. In talks with his

counterpart Yang Jiechi there, he said he raised

human rights, press freedom and freedom of

speech in China and as well as the situation in

Tibet.

Regarding the Himalayan region of Tibet, the

two foreign ministers shared their “different

views.” Yang reiterated that Beijing regards thecontinued on page 5

Dharamshala: The Tibetan Parliament-in-exile

has strongly condemned Chinese authorities’

decision to impose a ban on an annual

religious event at Gyalrong Tsodhun

Monastery, in Bharkham County of Amdo,

Tibet.

The Standing Committee of the exile

parliament today issued a press release calling

THE EDITE PAGE The Tibet Post2

Jailed and Tortured for Supporting a Tibetan

Humanitarian: An Ex-Political Prisoner’s StoryDharamshala: Tsering Dorjee is a

firm discipline of Truku Tenzin

Delek, a prominent Buddhist leader

who founded two Tibetan

schools, developed

educational programs for

impoverished nomads and

advocated environmental

conservation. Tsering

Dorjee’s backing of Tenzin

Delek Rinpoche led to a

successful teaching position

in one of Tenzin Delek’s

schools, as well as arrest, jail

time and repeated torture.

In 1996, Chinese authorities

arrested Dorjee for

supporting Tenzin Delek

Rinpoche, an alleged

terrorist, according to

Chinese officials. Although

there was no - and still isn’t

- any definable proof, the

Chinese had pegged Tenzin

Delek with unsolved

bombings in Eastern Tibet

- a statue of Chairman Mao had

been blown up, and the government

wanted “justice”.

For six months Tsering Dorjee was

detained. The beatings, he said, were

endless. The Chinese authorities

wanted him to “confess” that he

knew Tenzin Delek Rinpoche to be

a criminal. They Chinese were

fishing for an accusation.

“We were tortured to such an

extreme during those six months

that I wanted to kill myself,” Dorjee

War of Words Between Google And

China Following Internet Censorship

said through a translator.

But Dorjee wasn’t the only one.

About 150-160 other Tibetan

supporters also were jailed and

tortured for the same reason. But no

matter the number of prisoners, the

Tibetan community did not give up

Tenzin Delek as a criminal, even

when the Chinese put together a

propaganda film about the supposed

wrongdoings of Tenzin Delek.

“The film had been manipulated with

computer graphics so it looked like

Truku [Tenzin Delek] was admitting

his crimes,” Dorjee said. “But no one

in the Tibetan community believed

this. It was all false.”

After six months of torture,

Dorjee was released, bruised and

nearly broken. About a year

later, in 1998, Dorjee fled for

India.

In 2002, Tenzin Delek and his

alleged alibi were sentenced to

death. The other man who was

assumed to be Tenzin Delek’s

partner in crime, Lobsang

Dhondup, was executed almost

immediately. Thanks to

international pressure from

human rights groups and the

United Nations, Tenzin Delek’s

sentence was commuted to a life

in prison instead. His crimes

have never been proven. He

remains imprisoned.

On December 5, 2009, about

300 Tibetans from the Lithang

Region staged a peaceful protest

for the release of Tenzin Delek.

Chinese authorities responded with

force: approximately 90 protesters

were hit or even beaten, and 60 were

detained.

From his refugee camp in

Dharamsala, India, Dorjee has an

appeal:

“Support the truth,” he said. “I’m

calling on the US, the UN and the

European parliaments for

continuous support for [Tenzin

Delek’s] release, as well as aid for the

Tibetan cause. Thank you.”

The communist regime of China will

be forced to decide whether to

unshackle its binding web restraints

for over 300 million people in a

censorship clash that threatens to

redraw the boundaries of the Internet

and its technology. This “war of

words” intensified a day after the

world’s top search engine, Google,

threatened to shut down its China-

based operations alleging cyber attacks

and unfounded censorship.

“It is still hard to say whether Google

will quit China or not. Nobody

knows,” said an official of the State

Council Information Office who

asked not to be named.

Google’s complaints are overdue. The

famously righteous firm (its bumper-

sticker credo: “Don’t be Evil”) has

strained to find a path between its free-

and-open Internet and the

clampdown version practiced in

China. So far, Google has caved to

Beijing. Try Googling “Tiananmen

massacre” or “Dalai Lama” while in

China, and the search results come up

glaring – glaringly blank, that is.

Google’s demand to be allowed to

operate its Google.cn search engine

free from censorship came after what

it described as a “highly sophisticated

and targeted attack on our corporate

infrastructure originating from

China”.

Further investigation revealed that

attempts had been made to access the

Google mail accounts of Chinese

human rights activists. It said that at

least 20 other companies were also

targeted.

And this isn’t the first time. A major

coordinated assault on computers of

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, foreign

embassies and even foreign ministries

was uncovered last year and traced

back to Chinese hackers. The

operation targeted computers in more

than 100 countries and was so

widespread that Western intelligence

experts believe it was organized by

the Chinese government, although

there is no definitive proof.

These alleged cyber attacks have

strained the countries’ trans-Pacific

relations, a rapport that is frayed

already over issues of trade, currency,

climate change and arms sales to

Taiwan.

In response, the US Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton demanded an

explanation from China. She said the

“ability to operate with confidence in

cyberspace is critical in a modern

society and economy”.

As of yet, China has no official

response to Clinton’s – or anyone’s –

protests over its comparatively

Draconian media directives. Google

made contact with Chinese officials

yesterday though, and discussions are

understood to be underway still.

In public, Chinese authorities largely

ignored this display of defiance from

Google. Here, foreign companies

have almost invariably accepted

intrusive controls by Chinese powers

as it then allows them to tap into

China’s huge and growing market.

But not Google. It had hopes that

China would relax freedom of speech

restrictions after the 2008 Olympics,

as promised. But Internet controls

have continued to be tightened with

blocks on popular social networking

sites such as Twitter, Facebook,

YouTube and most recently IMDb,

a movie review site.

If Google pulls out, experts estimate

that the multi-billion dollar company

might relinquish about $350 million

worth of business, though Google

hasn’t divulged the exact size of its

dealings in China. Yet this represents

just two percent of its worldwide

revenues.

Google has little to lose, suggest some,

especially since Google isn’t even the

most popular search engine in China.

The market research firm, comScore,

shows that about 70 percent of

searches in China are made through

the local search engine Baidu, with

Google trailing by 15 percent.

The news was carried prominently on

websites but ignored completely by

state-run media. Dismayed web users

made their way to the company’s

Beijing offices to leave bouquets. Some

bowed before the building. One

message read: “Google: a real man”.

Exiled Tibetan Govt.’s Education Policy Aims to

“Create a Tibetan Mind”

Dharamshala: The Central Tibetan

Administration’s education

department is hosting its seventh

orientation course from 8-16 Jan,

in Sarah, near Dharamshala, in

order to reaffirm an education

program that is oriented toward

Tibetan culture.

“The policy broadly and basically

aims to create a ‘Tibetan mind’ in

the individual’s personality amidst the

growing trend toward

Westernization, especially among the

youth,” said Mr. Kalon Thubten

Lungrig, the representative from the

education department, in his

opening address to the 42

teachers attending from

10 different Tibetan

schools.

“The policy aims to

develop and incorporate

the values and culture that

define the Tibetan in an

individual’s overall

character,” he said.

The education policy,

which was approved

unanimously by the 13th

Assembly of Tibetan

People’s Deputies in 2004,

is being revamped to

include more subjects that

emphasize the traditional

Tibetan mentality,

including Tibetan calligraphy,

language and customs, as well as a

class on the concept of non-

violence. The program has been

founded on studies that are

advocated by His Holiness the Dalai

Lama, such as universal human

values and inner-science.

01 January, 2010 Dharamsala

01 january, 2010 DharamsalaTPI DALAI LAMAThe Tibet Post 3

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Vo

Visit US At Least Thrice In 2010

Tibet’s globetrotting spiritual leader

is scheduled to visit the United

States in May and October of this

year after visiting Los Angeles next

month to raise awareness of the

plight of institutionalized children,

according to his official website and

US media sources.

In addition, an empty schedule

through 28 February leaves ample

time for His Holiness the Dalai

Lama’s long anticipated meeting

with US President Barack Obama.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s

official website, dalailama.com,

shows that he will be visiting the

US Midwest and New York from

12-23 May. The tour includes a

two-day teaching on the Heart

Sutra in Bloomington, Indiana; a

public talk on “Facing Challenges

with Compassion” in Indianapolis;

a lecture on “The Power of Public

Education”, organized by the

University of Northern Iowa; and

three days of teachings and a final

public talk in New York City, the

hub for many of America’s Tibetan

Buddhist refugees.

His Holiness will return to the US

for a different kind of educational

event in October, the Oakland

Tribune reported on Monday.

According to the Tribune,

Ravenswood City School District

officials are already forming a

planning committee to prepare for

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit

to Costaño Elementary School in

East Palo Alto in October.

Ravenswood Superintendent Maria

De La Vega told the Tribune, “He

[the Dalai Lama] wants to meet with

children”.

She described, “There will be a

receiving line and there will be a small

group reception.”

At a school board meeting last

Thursday, board members Larry

Moody and Saree Mading were

appointed to help organize His

Holiness’s reception. De Vegas stated

that educators will begin preparing

the elementary students for the visit

in May.

Further details of His Holiness the

Dalai Lama’s October trip are not

yet posted on his official website.

The Tibetan leader visited the Bay

Area on his tour last March, giving a

public talk at the University of

California at Berkeley, among other

events. In October, his audience will

be much younger, but hopefully no

less captivated.

Spiritually I Am Indian And Physically

I Am Tibetan: His HolinessGiving a discourse on the importance

of promoting Ahimsa (non-

violence), compassion and religious

harmony, Tibetan spiritual leader His

Holiness the Dalai Lama on Friday

also urged Indians to

play an active role in

the heritage of

India’s ancient

tradition.

“Buddhism comes

from India. So, it is

also their religion. I

usually describe

Indian as our Guru

(Teacher). We are its

Chelas (students)”

His Holiness said,

“So, I am a student

of the India’s Guru. And all my

thoughts, my ideas, actually come

from India’s tradition. Therefore, I

consider, and I also introduce myself,

when I visit other countries, as a

messenger of India. At the level of

messenger, I am quite active

promoting Ahimsa, compassion and

religious harmony. So, now the time

comes that my boss, my Indian Guru

now must meet an active role

regarding the promotion”.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was

speaking at the international seminar

on ‘Buddhist Heritage in Gujarat’

being held at the Maharaja Sayajirao

University, in Vadodara. The seminar

was also attended by Gujarat Chief

Minister Narendra Modi who, in his

inaugural speech earlier, had said that

he wanted to build in Gujarat the

country’s biggest Buddhist temple

with a centre for studies in Buddhism.

And Tibetan spiritual leader

supported the idea strongly, sating

“That’s very very essential. In

America and also in Europe there

are some Universities where

Buddhist studies can be learned. So

why not India? It is home of

Buddhism”.

Further, the 74 year-old Nobel peace

laureate emphasized on the necessity

of having realistic methods and

holistic perspectives to challenge the

troubles in today’s’ world.

Addressing the scholars and

Buddhist leaders from Bhutan, Japan,

Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and

as well as India, His Holiness said

“we must make a distinction between

faith and respect. Faith goes to one’s

own religion, respect, to all

religions. That is very, very

essential. We must appreciate the

value or the immense sort of

benefit to millions of people of

other religion like Christianity,

Hinduism, Judaism or all

religions, like that”.

“Buddhist science has nothing to

do with Buddhist religion. Mainly

Buddhist science is more about

emotion, more about mind, more

about the relation between the

brain, neurons and mind”, in

terms of Buddhist science and its

potential contribution to world,

Tibetan leader said, “More

interaction with modern scientists

should bring both immense benefits.

We Buddhists get a much deeper

knowledge about the particles, quads

(subatomic sort of particles) really

useful to us. And then modern

scientists get plenty of information

about emotion, about the mind. So,

closer interaction brings mutual

benefit.”

His Holiness concludes his speech by

saying, “Spiritually I am Indian and

physically I am Tibetan”.

Tibetan Parliament Condemns Ban on

Annual Religious Congregation in Tibetupon human rights activists and

Tibet support groups to pressure

the Chinese authorities on the this

issue, which violates the Tibetan

people’s fundamental human rights

and religious freedom.

Following is the full text:

PRESS RELEASE

The Chinese authorities in Barkham

County banned the third annual

winter session of a religious

congregation, which was to be held

at Gyalrong Tsodhun Kirti

Monastery. The annual religious

event, which was first held at

Tagtsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery in

the year 2007, was subsequently

decided to be organized by the four

major Kirti monasteries: Tagtsang

Lhamo Kirti Monastery, Ngaba

Kirti Monastery, Tsodhun Kirti

Monastery and Hortsang Kirti

Monastery in yearly rotations.

According to the information

Dharamsala has received from the

Emergency Coordination

Committee of Kirti Monastery, in

addition to imposing ban on this

congregation, the local Chinese

authorities have warned the

Tsodhun monastery of closure and

the arrest of monks if they fail to

comply with the orders.

The Tsodhun Monastery has spent

close to five months seeking

permission from the local

authorities, as well as from the

county office, to organize the annual

event, but it has now been turned

down, with the authorities terming

it as “political and unlawful”. Severe

restrictions have been imposed and

the entire monastery has been put

under strict surveillance.

An annual congregation of this

magnitude, where monks from

over fifty monasteries in Kham and

Amdo participate, is an enormous

opportunity for monks to

demonstrate their knowledge on a

particular and important aspect of

Buddhist tenets called ‘Tsema’, or

valid cognition (Pramanna in

Sanskrit), and the banning of such

a religious event is a despicable

display of the lack of religious

freedom in Tibet.

The Tibetan Parliament-in-exile

strongly condemns this act, which

openly violates the fundamental

human right of religious freedom,

and calls upon the government of

China to allow the congregation to

take place. We also call upon human

rights and Tibet support groups to

take the issue up with the Chinese

authorities.

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His Holiness Dalai Lama Inaugurates

Biggest Monastery in South Asia

Orissa: Tibetan spiritual leader, His

Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is in

the midst of a four-day inauguration

of what is now the biggest monastery

in South Asia: the Padmasambhava

Mahavihara Monastery, located in

Orissa.

Tucked into the Tibetan settlement of

the Gajapati district, the newly built

and blessed monastery already hosts

200 monks in the five-story structure

that overlooks 10 acres. It may seem

like a lot of space, but the acreage

was put to good use on Tuesday

when 5,000 people showed up to

hear His Holiness speak to the

backdrop of a fresh faced, 21-foot

Buddha icon.

His Holiness spoke to those attending

about the imminent importance of

cherishing and saving Tibetan religious

writings, particularly at Tibetan

monasteries outside Tibet. His pleas

were referenced by talk of religious

freedoms, or rather the lack thereof,

in Chinese-occupied Tibet, a subject

he also touched upon previously

during his teachings last week in Bodh

Gaya.

He went on to affirm India’s

approach to religious freedom: ‘’But

India, being a secular country, has

given its citizens the freedom to

practice the religion of their choice,’’

he said.

The monastery, which is named after

the guru credited with bringing

Buddhism to Tibet in the seventh

century, is focused especially on

salvaging Tibetan script.

The first Rigon Thubten Mindroling

Monastery was founded in 1966 and

the site for the new Padmasambhava

Mahavihara Monastery was given

accord by His Holiness himself in

1998. The foundation stone for the

Buddhist temple was laid in 2003 and

work was completed in 2008. His

Holiness the Dalai Lama is also

scheduled to deliver a public talk at

Bhubaneswar on January

TPI TIBET The Tibet Post4

TPI Top Ten Highlights

of 2009 For Tibet

In a 2008 report, The U.S. State

Department stated that, in Tibet, “official

repression of freedom of speech, religion,

association, and movement [has] increased

significantly,” and individual freedoms

have “deteriorated severely during the year”

after the widespread protests of March

2008. The U.S. government failed to

directly address the grave situation in Tibet

in 2009, although Mrs. Clinton did

comment this month on the need for both

China and Russia to respect the rights of

their national minority populations.

2. China-EU relations concern Tibet

Despite China’s disapproval of other

nations’ relationships with Tibet, many

European countries continued to align

with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2009.

In January 2009, the rotating EU

presidency fell in the lap of the prime

minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek

Topolanek. Even though the Czech PM

refused to attend the opening ceremony

of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China is

insistent on improving relations with the

EU. The Tibet issue could be China’s

trading card in order to move forward with

the EU.

Widespread support and praise of the

Dalai Lama was voiced by many European

nations this year. In February, Rome

announced that it would make the Dalai

Lama an honorary citizen of the city

because of “his international efforts to

bring about a peaceful solution for Tibet.”

During this month, His Holiness also

received the German Media Prize,

acknowledging his “continuing

commitment to the freedom of speech,

peace, religious harmony and his great

efforts to secure greater autonomy for Tibet

through middle-way approaches.” The

Tibetan spiritual leader reported a warm

reception during his time in Italy and

Germany in 2009.

Tibetan authorities maintained good

relations with European nations in 2009.

The special envoy of the Dalai Lama,

Kelsang Gyaltsen, formally addressed the

European Parliament in March. He said

that he was thankful for the EU’s

“consistent and principled support for His

Holiness the Dalai Lama and his efforts to

find a peaceful solution for Tibet.”

Chinese policy in Tibet was scrutinized

again when China sought to improve

relations with the UK. In April, Prince

Charles met with Hu Jintao for the first

time. The prince openly supports the

Dalai Lama, and has hesitated to develop

friendly relations with China in the past.

In this meeting, Prince Charles and the

Chinese president covered a range of issues

on which the two countries hope to

cooperate, including the situation in Tibet.

In the same month, Dutch authorities

invited His Holiness to visit their

parliament, despite warnings from China

that it would damage the relationship

between the two countries.

In September, Chinese officials invited

Mario Sepi, president of the European

Economic and Social Committee, and two

other EESC representatives-Peter Clever

from Germany, and Sukdev Sharma from

the UK-to visit Tibet for a special fact-

finding mission, the first of its kind since

the March 2008 protests. At a press

conference in Dharamsala on 14 October,

Clever spoke about his impressions of

Lhasa, stating that the Chinese are placing

a great emphasis on development and

infrastructure, but neglecting Tibetans’

social welfare and educational reform. He

stated, “We’ve seen some schools and I

think the Chinese central government is

well aware of the necessity to get

education...but I think we will have further

questions, especially after my impressions

here [in Dharamsala].” According to Clever,

the delegates also discussed with Chinese

officials ways to “make the economic

competition more fair” for Tibetans, and

were allowed to talk freely with Tibetans

on the street in Lhasa.

3. Tibetan Authorities Speak Out Against

Chinese Abuse

At the beginning of this year, His Holiness

the Dalai Lama expressed his strong hope

for a change in Chinese policy in Tibet,

while admitting that his confidence in

China’s communist regime is fading. On

January 18th, he said that “contact with

Chinese officials is becoming difficult... our

faith towards (Chinese) government now

becoming thinner and thinner. However,

our faith towards Chinese people is never

shaken.”

The Dalai Lama called China “dictatorial,”

and commented that the Tibetan

government in exile has yet to receive a

response to the Memorandum for

Genuine Autonomy that was proposed

in July 2008. Prof: Samdhong Rinpoche,

the prime minister of the government-in-

exile, said that the Chinese have spoken to

international media about the proposal,

but not directly to Tibetan authorities.

During a press conference held on March

11, 2009, Prof. Samdhoung Rinpoche,

Prime minister of the Tibetan

government-in-exile said that the Tibetan

community is “prepared for another

hundred years of struggle”. He stated, “We

will wait and continue our effort, and the

day will come when the issue is resolved.”

In April 2009, His Holiness the Dalai Lama

visited the United States, and spoke about

both China and U.S. positions on human

rights. The Dalai Lama acknowledged that

China has great political and economic

power, but stated that it needs “the world’s

trust and respect” to reach the level of a

superpower. According to His Holiness,

China must correct its policy of oppression

in Tibet in order to earn this trust and

respect.

The Tibetan government-in-exile also

confronted China in 2009. They issued a

public letter to the Chinese government

on April 28th, asking to know the

whereabouts and health of His Eminence

Panchen Rinpoche Gedhun Choekyi

Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama. Since he

was captured by the Chinese government

under Jiang Zemin in 1995, Chinese

authorities have said no more than “all is

well with H.E. Panchen Rinpoche.” The

letter stated, “we call on you to make it

clear to the whole world whether H.E.

Panchen Rinpoche is still alive or not and

if H.E. Panchen Rinpoche is alive, details

of his well being and whereabouts should

be made public. We also urge you to

reinstate H.E. Panchen Rinpoche Gedhun

Choekyi Nyima to his rightful position.”

4. Dhondup Wangchen’s detainment

provokes international outrage

On 26 March, 2008, Chinese authorities

arrested Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup

Wangchen for his documentary “Leaving

Fear Behind”, which features 25 minutes

of interviews with ordinary Tibetans

about their views on the 2008 Beijing

Olympics, the current situation in Tibet,

and their hope for the Dalai Lama’s return.

In 2009, Wangchen was nominated for

the Reporters Sans Frontier’s (RSF)

International Media Award due to his

courageous documentary.

Wangchen was charged by the Chinese in

June 2009, and RSF launched an

international petition campaign for his

release that same month. More than 13,000

people had signed the petition by the end

of July. Wangchen’s wife, Lhamo Tso,

actively supported the RSF campaign by

releasing her own press statements and

videos affirming her husband’s innocence.

Meanwhile, reports that Wangchen is

suffering from Hepatitis B and has been

denied access to his lawyer, Li Dunyong,

further infuriated activists worldwide.

Tibetan exile groups and supporters called

for a Global Day of Action for Dhondup

Wangchen on 23 September. The

international demonstrations were

scheduled to coincide with Chinese

President Hu Jintao’s address to the

United Nations General Assembly. In

Dharamsala, four NGOs conducted a day-

long signature campaign and sent 1000

postcards to President Hu demanding

Wangchen’s release.

“Free Dhondup Wangchen!” became the

international motto for resistance to China

in 2009.

5. Tibet’s significance highlighted in

debates on global climate change

“Welcome to our country, city and home,

Your Holiness,” said President Luis

Durnwalder of South Tyrol. His Holiness

the Dalai Lama in November visited

Bolzano and Trento, the capital cities of

the Regional Autonomous Governments

of South Tyrol and Trento, in northern

Italy. His Holiness expressed his

appreciation for the support of the people

and governments of the two

autonomous regions. President

Durnwalder asked about the situation in

Tibet. His Holiness replied that it has

worsened.

Delegates to the 5th World

Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet,

which took place 18-19 November in

Rome, have published a new declaration

regarding the Tibetan issue. In this

declaration, the Parliamentarians expressed

their support for the Tibetan people and

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s “middle

way” approach, decried the Chinese

government’s human rights abuses, and

pledged to take action regarding the

Tibetan issue in several different ways.

Before the UN Copenhagen summit on

climate change in December, Chinese

officials announced a plan to cut the

country’s level of greenhouse gas

emissions by 40-45% over the next ten

years. China is currently the second largest

emitter in the world, after the US.

At the summit, a Tibetan delegation led

by environmental researcher Tenzin Norbu

presented a report on how climate change-

induced glacial melting in Tibet will affect

all of Asia, and discussed strategies to

prevent further damage to the world’s

“third pole”. He emphasized that China

must change its policies, specifically its

ruthless urbanization and displacement of

Tibetan nomads, who have served as the

plateau’s environmental stewards for

centuries.

In an open letter to Copenhagen

participants entitled “Tibet’s Role in

Climate Change Solutions”, members of

the International Parliamentary Network

on Tibet affirmed that the Chinese must

allow Tibetans to play an important role

in maintaining their environment. This

letter, a part of the “Rome Declaration on

Tibet”, produced in November, was

signed by 35 Parliamentary members from

17 countries.2009 Highlights-Tibet

1. Heavy violence and Arrests are reported

in Eastern Tibet

Reports of arrest and military action against

non-violent protests in areas of eastern

Tibet trickled down the strained lines of

communication between Tibet and media

as 2009 unfolded. In February 2009,

Lobsang Lhundup, a Buddhist monk in

the Lithang district of Tibet, was arrested

for protesting the Chinese occupation of

Tibet. Twenty-one others who marched

with him were arrested the following day.

Later that month, China deployed 4,000

more military troops to the Lithang

District, after hundreds of protestors filled

the streets, yelling “Free Tibet!” There were

reports of 22 protestors being arrested,

and one source said that the leaders of the

protest, Sonam Tenpa and Lobsang

Tenzin, may be dead. It was reported that

all Tibetans in the area were forced to

attend “so-called ‘emergency meetings,’”

and that all roads in Lithang and other

districts were shut down.

In April 2009, thirteen trucks of Chinese

military police were brought into Nyakrong

County to suppress a non-violent protest

that occurred on the 5th. It was reported

that the crowds resisted arrest, and that

the Chinese authorities began to shoot at

the protestors. The incident yielded no

casualties, but many Tibetans were injured,

and nine of the protestors were arrested.

Also in April, four Tibetan monks from

Lutsang monastery in Mangra district, were

sentenced to 2 years in prison for

participating in a peace march and candle

light vigil in front of a Chinese official

building. In the Walpan township of the

Machu District, two-hundred Chinese

police also stormed into a traditional

festival at the Sarma Monastery. It was

reported that “they publicly searched,

frisked, and beat participants.” There were

also reports of the arrests of fifteen Tibetan

protestors in the Kham Tehor district.

These prisoners were loaded into military

trucks with participants of a separate

protest in which farmers in the area refused

to cultivate their land.

In December, a group of 300 Tibetans,

including some elderly and childen held a

hunger strike in front of a Chinese

government building in Thangkarma,

Othok, Lithang county. The Chinese

reportedly sent hundreds of troops to quell

the protest. The day before the hunger

strike took place, 90 Tibetans were arrested

in the Nyakchu district of Lithang county.

Witnesses claimed that over twenty of

these people were beaten and many lost

consciousness.

2. Authorities Strictly Prohibit Media

Inside Tibet

Although Chinese authorities claimed that

Tibet would be open to foreign media in

April of 2009, reports of restrictions on

media access and arrests continued to

accumulate during this year. Ironically, most

of the reports of information restrictions

became public during this month.

In March, a monk named Thuksam, from

Nurma monastery, was arrested and

accused of “sending reports about human

rights violations to organizations abroad.”

Information was never released about

where he was being held. Another monk

named Tsuiltrim, belonging to Ngaba

Gomang monastery was arrested in April

for publishing his private journal, which

Chinese authorities labeled as “anti-

government writings.” It is still unknown

where he is detained. Also during this

month, Chinese authorities limited access

to files containing the cases of Tibetans

who have been arrested.

The Tibetan government in exile

publicized footage of the torture of

Tibetans at the hand of the Chinese police

in March. The Chinese government

responded by calling the video

“fraudulent,” and blocking the YOutubet

website in China.

Restrictions of foreign television, internet,

and radio in the Machu district of Ganzu

Province were also revealed in April. A

Tibetan from this area commented,

“Chinese officials in the area give strong

warnings to Tibetans living in Machu

District, prohibiting access to internet,

radio and television such as exile Tibetan

websites including Radio Free Asia or Voice

of America.” It was also reported that

authorities installed “dozens of satellite

dishes while confiscating those belonging

to private individuals.”

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the

international free press

organization,reprehended China in 2009

for its restriction on information in Tibet,

and in the nation itself. Reporters Without

Borders (RSF) announced their concern

for the safety of “journalists and website

editors who have been arrested in the past

few months in Tibet and neighboring

Tibetan regions.”

continued on page 6

01 January, 2010 Dharamsala

TPI WORLDThe Tibet Post 5

The Tibet Post InternationalPress of Tibet(Head Office)1st Floor, Dolkhang House, JogiwaraRoad, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, Distt.Kangra H.P 176219 India

Advicer Mr. Thomas Keimel

Advicer Dr. Vincent Brucel

Editor Mr. Yeshe Choesang

Sub Editor Mrs. Yangyal Sham

Reporter Mr. Sangay Dorjee

Reporter Ms. Keary Huang

Circular Ven Phuntsok Dhondup

Publisher Mr. Tenzin Kunga

I n t e r n a t i o n a l

The Tibet P st

Tele: 0091-1892-224641Moble:+91-9882423566

E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.comwww.thetibetpost.com

World Economics and China’s Political Dramaticsin particular stress the rift between the

two, and assert that politics and sports

should not be intertwined. But when the

Olympic torch arrived in Lhasa, the capital

of Tibet, the head of the Olympic

committee strongly criticized Chinese

leaders for using the torch as a political

platform.

The Olympic Games strive to promote

peace and freedom of expression. But

the Chinese government committed

genocide and imposed restrictions on

movement on the Tibetan people during

this time. This begs the question: what

did the Beijing Olympics represent? The

Beijing Games were a stain on human

history and the worldwide human rights

movement.

The current world economic crisis is one

of the gravest in history, surpassing the

magnitude of the 1980s crisis and

comparable to that of the 1920s. It will

take over twenty years to neutralize this

crisis, according to many analysts. In the

last forty years, The Chinese communist

regime has attempted to silence the

international community’s criticism using

the deteriorating economic situation to

influence world politics with particular

regard to various nations’ stances on the

issue of Tibetan sovereignty.

Nevertheless, international support for

the Tibetan cause has remained

unchecked. The significant question here

is: can we find a solution to the Tibetan

issue by mixing China’s political drama

with global economics? We cannot.

From the beginning of the new

millennium, China has amplified its

criticism of Tibet’s spiritual leader, His

Holiness the Dalai Lama, regarding his

visits to various foreign countries and his

meetings with their leaders. The Chinese

government has augmented its foreign

policy to include the enactment of

pressure upon activists and alleged

“separatists,” despite the fact that His

Holiness seeks only a great autonomy for

Tibet within China. “We are not

‘separatists.’ The whole world knows we

are not seeking independence,” he assured

the EU Parliament last year. China

canceled its high-level summit with the

European Union following French

president, Sarkozy’s meeting with His

Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The aforementioned President of France

held the EU presidency at the time, and

endured open criticism from the Chinese

government. China subsequently

encouraged its individual citizens to

boycott French goods; however, the vast

majority of Chinese people cannot afford

to purchase imports from France. China

expressed further disapproval of South

Africa, resulting in the country’s denial

of a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

who had planned to attend a peace

conference there. In addition, China

inflicted economic pressure upon

Denmark, Holland and Iceland to prevent

their respective governments from

interfering in China’s policy concerning

Tibet – a practicable political strategy in

the midst of a global economic crisis.

China’s economic growth is extensive,

but it is dangerous and, ultimately,

limited. Over sixty-five percent of the

Chinese population is poverty-stricken.

Plus, the level of unemployment is

steadily increasing. If the quantity of

goods imported by China’s economic

partners in Asia, Europe and North

America continues to wane, China will

face a great economic deflation. If the

Chinese government persists in using its

economic influence to conduct political

manipulation, it will lose the trust and

confidence of the international

community. I see no long-term benefits

of this strategy. As a result of the policies

inflicted during the Olympic Games,

China invited only criticism, and its

international reputation suffered.

Recently, during a conference in the

United States, Tibetan spiritual leader, His

Holiness the Dalai Lama described the

Chinese government’s propagandized

statements regarding the lives of Tibetans

in the homeland as infantile.

International support for the Tibetan

cause is essential, but Tibetans

themselves must act as the key players in

the struggle. I recently attended a press

conference with great hope of

understanding the incredible

determination of the Tibetan people in

the struggle for sovereignty and human

rights. The conference was held by

Tibetan heroes who openly protested in

front of the international media in Tibet

last year. They were heavily restricted by

the thousands of armed military forces

which China promptly deployed. One of

the speakers present, Jamyang Gyaltsen,

emphasized the importance of

international support all the while

stressing that the Tibetans’ pursuit of

freedom must remain unshakable. He

also shed light on the realities of life in

Tibet, mentioning deforestation, nuclear

waste, and Tibet’s increasing Chinese

population which may one day render

Tibetans a minority in their own land.

On the subject of China’s deadly

crackdown in all parts of Tibet last March

he stated, “When we hear a statement

made by a government leader which raises

awareness of our cause, we feel

encouraged and that we are not alone; that

there is a place where people speak the

truth.” I believe that the Tibetan issue

will be fully recognized as a matter of

human rights when the global

community comprehends the fact that

they are merely pawns in China’s political

game. People can change a government

and China will also change; it is only a

matter of will and support.

Translated and Edited by Natalia

IdŸkowski, The Tibet Post International

German FM raises hu-

man rights and Tibet is-

sues during China visitregion as a part of the territory of China. The Chinese government indirectly

warned Westerwelle not to meet with Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, the

Tibetan spiritual leader. Yang said the Chinese government was “absolutely

against” any official visits between the Dalai Lama and international

governments.

Friday’s meeting between Guido Westerwelle and Chinese Foreign Minister

Yang Jiechi was followed by a press conference. Westerwelle told jounalists

that he had used his talks with Yang to broach the subjects of human rights,

press freedom and freedom of speech in China.

The two sides exchanged their “different views” on Tibet, Westerwelle said

at a joint press conference with Yang, DPA reported. “My foreign minister

counterpart knows that a cornerstone of our foreign policy is standing up

for human rights, for the protection of minorities, freedom of opinion,

freedom of the press and freedom of religion.”

Westerwelle was expected to discuss specific cases of imprisoned dissidents

in his meetings later on Friday. The wife of Liu Xiaobo, who was sentenced

last month to 11 years in prison for “incitement to subvert state power,”

has asked Westerwelle to bring up her husband’s case with Yang and Prime

Minister Wen Jiabao. “It would be very important,” she told the German

press agency, DPA.

When asked about US internet giant Google’s threat to withdraw from

China following a “highly sophisticated and targeted” cyber attack originating

from China, Yang repeated China’s defence of its position.

He said the internet in China was “open” but all service providers must

follow the law and prevent “harm to society.”

China “opposes any cyber attacks,” Yang said. The two sides said Yang

would attend an annual international security conference in Germany next

month.to intensify cooperation on disarmament issues.

Relations between China and Germany were strained when German

Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness

the Dalai Lama in 2007.

Chinese Propaganda Magazine in

Tibet marks its 20th Anniversary

The Chinese state-controlled media,

Xinhua, reported that a seminar was

held on 18 December to celebrate

the 20th anniversary of “China’s

Tibet”, “an important Tibet-related

magazine” in the Communist’s

Tibeten Autonomous region (TAR).

But every page of the magazine is

filled with the twenty years’

propaganda and censorship put in

place by the Chinese Communist

Party.

The so-called “China’s Tibet”, a

Chinese political tool first published

in 1989, puts forth a paper edition

in Chinese, Tibetan and English, as

well as an electronic magazine in

Chinese and English. “The

magazine was issued in more than

180 countries and regions,” Xinhua

claimed.

A thorough investigation by world

media over the last 60 years has

demonstrated the news agency

Xinhua’s involvement in the Chinese

Communist Party’s system of

propaganda and censorship. There is

a Tibetan saying for the Chinese

media’s propaganda, “welcome

China and crazy world.”

The Internet is more heavily

monitored, censored and

manipulated in all parts of Tibet than

in other Chinese provinces. Several

bloggers and other Internet users

were arrested and sentenced in Tibet

in 2009, charged for posting articles

on the Internet, writing books,

looking at online photos of the

Tibetan flag and His Holiness the

Dalai Lama, inciting separatism and

“communicating outside the

country” for sending emails, photos

and SMS messages about Tibet-

related issues, including the March

2008 protests in Tibet.

Affirming its authority, the TAR

government this month celebrated

the 20th anniversary of “China’s

Tibet’s” publication with fireworks

and military parades. But there

remains a need to evaluate the past

decades of the Chinese media’s bias,

in the name of the Tibetan people’s

basic right to be truthfully informed.

01 January, 2010 Dharamsala

Printed at Imperial Printing Press, Gurudwara Road, Kotwali Bazar, Dharamshala-176215 (H.P.) Tel: - 222390/224453

TPI VARIETYThe Tibet Post6

RSF also announced that foreign press

experienced increased difficulty in attempts

to visit Tibet in 2009, and that “free speech

is suppressed even more ruthlessly there

than in the rest of China.” The

organization said that a Tibetan culture

website was also closed in 2009, and that,

in the Sichuan province, SMS services were

cut off. The silencing of free speech and all

forms of media worsened after the events

of March 2008, and Reporters Without

Borders has said that Chinese authorities

impose the official version of events,

denying the existence of Tibetan victims.”

They also said that China increased

nationalist propaganda leading up to the

50th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan

uprising on March 10th.

Foreign press was unable to visit Tibet in

2009, as has been the case for many decades,

until April 1st. The trend of guided media

tours resumed, and it is dangerous for

press officials to venture off alone. Two

Hikari journalists were detained in early

February in Xiahe, the town in Gansu

province, and forced to leave the country.

Another reporter from the New York

Times, Edward Wong, was held in

custody by Chinese police in 2009 for

investigating the military presence in the

Gansu province. The Associated Press also

announced that two of its reporters were

arrested in Tibetan regions in 2009. Chinese

authorities have made it unsafe for

foreigners as well as Tibetans to transmit

and document information.2009

Highlights-EXILE

1. Tibetan exile youth raise their voices for

human rights in Tibet

In 2009, Tibetan youth groups tried to

refocus international attention on human

rights and freedom in Tibet. The Tibetan-

Himalayan Students Association, based in

Varanasi, and the Tibetan Youth Congress

both planned public activities in place of

the Tibetan Losar, or New Year. They

referred to 2009 as a “Black Year,” during

which many Tibetans mourned the loss

of 219 citizens inside Tibet due to Chinese

brutality in 2008.

On 17 April, students from the Tibetan

Children’s Village in Bylakuppe

demonstrated in front of the Chinese

Embassy in New Dehli, decrying the recent

death sentences of two Tibetan protesters.

The performed what was referred to as a

“mock die-in,” chaining themselves to a

fence, throwing shoes, and chanting for

Tibetan freedom.

In the San Francisco bay area, Students for

a Free Tibet, SF Team Tibet, Bay Area

Friends of Tibet, the SF branch of the

Tibetan Youth Congress, and other

Tibetans and supporters conducted a

candlelight vigil on 24 October to mourn

four Tibetans who were executed by

Chinese authorities for their alleged

involvement in the 2008 protests (SF

Team Tibet stated that this was the first

known execution of Tibetans since 2003).

They demanded that China respect

international law, and its own constitution,

in granting prisoners fair and open trials.

Similar vigils and protests were held in

India, and throughout the world.

Huge protests took place in India on 1

October, the 60th Anniversary of the

People’s Republic of China, with the

Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan

Women’s Association, and two other exile

NGOs organizing demonstrations in

Dharamsala and at the Chinese embassy

in New Delhi. Over 400 monks, nuns and

laypersons marched through the streets

of Mcleod Ganj for over two hours,

carrying Tibetan flags and shouting

slogans against China. Afterwards, Ven.

Ngawang Woeber, President of the Gu

Chu Sum ex-political prisoner’s

movement, TWA President Kirti Dolkar

Lhamo, exile Parliament Speaker Pemba

Tsering, and Tibetan Youth Congress

President Tsewang Rigzin spoke out

against the Chinese occupation’s violence

and propaganda.

In the lead up to President Obama’s visit

to China, Students for a Free Tibet led a

campaign to send thousands of letters to

the White House calling for concrete action

on Tibet. The organization’s executive

director, Tenzin Dorjee, stated, “In March

2008, Tibetans rose up in a clear rejection

of Chinese rule... It is well past time for

leaders of the world’s democracies to stand

up for the Tibetan people’s right to

freedom.”

2. His Holiness continues to teach and

lecture across India and the world

During a visit to the US in March and April,

His Holiness gave teachings at top

American universities such as Harvard,

MIT and UC Berkeley. He returned to

North America in late September to receive

three prestigious awards: the International

Freedom Award, from the National Civil

Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee;

the Vancouver-based Fetzer Institute’s

$100, 000 Prize for Love and Forgiveness

(along with Desmond Tutu); and the US

Congress’s first Tom Lantos Human

Rights Prize, an award commemorating

the late Congressman, Holocaust survivor

and longtime human rights activist. He

also met with US President Obama’s new

Tibet Coordinator, Maria Otero, in place

of a cancelled meeting with the President

himself.

Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan in early

August 2009, causing massive landslides

and flooding that left 461 people dead and

almost 200 missing, in the country’s worst

natural disaster in 50 years. Exiled Tibetans

held numerous prayer ceremonies for the

victims, and His Holiness made a historic

humanitarian visit to the island on 31

August-4 September to console the

typhoon’s survivors. He was invited by

the opposition Democratic Progressive

Party, who released a statement that, “His

Holiness the Dalai Lama is not just the

Tibetan spiritual leader, not just a religious

leader, but also a universal symbol of love

and peace...We believe that his prayers and

lectures will help stabilize the minds of

those recovering from the typhoon, and

help Taiwan rise up again.” Needless to

say, China strongly opposed this

humanitarian visit, and the event severely

strained Taiwan’s relations with the

mainland.

In the face of more Chinese outrage, His

Holiness traveled to the contested Indian

border state of Arunachal Pradesh in early

November to teach before an audience of

30,000 at the 400 year-old Tawang

Monastery. Despite His Holiness’s

assurances that the teachings and public

talks at Tawang, Bomdilla, and Dirang were

socio-religious, and non-political, the visit

was controversial enough that Indian

officials banned foreign reporters from

covering the events, and requested that

Indian journalists not ask the Tibetan

leader any questions throughout his visit.

In 2009, the busy Tibetan spiritual leader

also paid visits to Japan, Australia and

New Zealand, Europe (receiving honorary

citizenship in Paris, France, and Warsaw,

Poland), and the Ladakh region of

northern India, and gave several teachings

in Dharamsala at the request of his

Korean, Taiwanese, Southeast Asian,

Russian and other Buddhist followers.

3. Exile community continues to preserve

Tibetan religion and culture, while

promoting modern education

Tibetan students at TCV schools across

India excelled in this year’s Class XII Board

Examination, a national test conducted by

the Central Board of Secondary Education

in March 2009. While the pass rate in India

is 81%, the Tibetan schools attained

92.77%, a 3.25% improvement over last

year’s scores. Students at the TCV school

in Gopalpur achieved a perfect 100% pass

rate.

On 27 July, Tibetan students from ten

colleges located throughout India gathered

at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies

(CHTS) at Sarah (near Dharamsala) to

participate in the third annual debate on

the Tibetan exile system of secular

education. Tibetan Prime Minister Prof

Samdong Rinpoche and Speaker Penpa

Tsering inaugurated the event, during

which participants discussed topics such

as exiled Tibetans’ basic approach to

education, specialization in different fields

of study, and methods to improve the

standard of education for Tibetans in exile.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama opened the

5th Tibetan Conference on Education,

organized by the Tibetan exile government,

on 27 December. 241 teachers and

principals based in India, Nepal and

Bhutan came together for three days to

discuss the basic system of education in

exile. In his opening speech, the Tibetan

leader declared, “ In the last 50 years in

exile, Tibetan education has greatly

developed, and that is our greatest

achievement.” He also stressed the role of

Buddhist philosophy as undergirding a

“culture of peace” which can help the whole

world, and the importance of teaching this

philosophy to future Tibetan generations

alongside secular subjects.

Several conferences in India this year were

focused solely on Tibet’s religious and

cultural traditions. On 3 September, the

Library of Tibetan Works and Archives

(LTWA) in Dharamsala hosted the first

International Seminar on Tibetan and

Himalayan studies, which was attended by

50 scholars from various countries both in

Asia and the West. The participants

discussed topics such as religion, history,

philological research, social studies,

traditional customs, material arts,

secularism, linguistics, and surrounding

civilizations. His Holiness delivered the

valedictory address at another three-day

conference, entitled “Exploring Tibet’s

History and Culture”, which was held at

Delhi University from 19-21 November.

40 scholars from the UK, US, Europe and

Asia attended this event.

A “Thank You India” ceremony in

Bangalore, which took place from 22-24

November, showcased Tibetans’ cultural

heritage. On the last day of the festival,

renowned translator Geshe Lhakdor gave

a speech emphasizing the continued

relevance of Buddha’s teachings in today’s

world. The 10 December celebration

marking the 20th anniversary of His

Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace

Prize also featured traditional Tibetan

dancing and singing, as well as the release

of several new books by Tibetan authors.

Artitle by Amy and Caroline, The Tibet

Post International

TPI Top Ten Highlights of 2009 For Tibet

This now means that both the governor and the Communist Party Committee

Secretary - the most powerful position in the TAR - have military backgrounds,

which Robbie Barnett, a Tibet scholar at Columbia University in New York City,

sees as a real red flag.

“Appointing a former military officer as the figurehead leader of Tibet when the

Party Secretary, the actual leader, also has a military background suggests that China

now sees Tibet as a problem of military control,” Barnett said to Reuters news

agency.

But most Tibetans think the move is just another diplomatic puppet show staged

for the international audience with a short attention span. After all, military action

aside, it sure sounds good if both the governor and Party boss are true Tibetans by

ancestry, if not by loyalty.

But for those paying attention, it’s nothing more than “a carefully manufactured

show,” reports Bhuchung D. Sonam for Phayul.com, with the purpose of portraying

a happily-ever-after type ending in Tibet.

Backed by China, the new governor promises economic growth, but justice and fair

representation for a country cruxed on nonviolence? We don’t think so.

New Governor for Tibet Autonomous

Region, Same Old Story

Dharamshala: Dhondup Wangchen,

the famous Tibetan filmmaker who

made the documentary “Leaving Fear

Behind”, was sentenced to six years in

prison at the end of last month. His

family members were depressed by the

unfair sentence, a Tibetan blog posted

yesterday.

The Chinese Intermediate People’s

Court in Xining, the provincial capital

of so-called Qinghai province, on 28

December 2009 sentenced the 34 year-

old filmmaker, to 6 years in prison.

Dhondup Wangchen was detained on

26 March 2008, soon after completing

filming of the documentary ‘Leaving

Fear Behind.’ The film collected the

opinions of 108 Tibetans on the 2008

Beijing Olympics, the current situation

in Tibet, and their hopes for His

Holiness the Dalai Lama’s

return to Tibet. Several other people

involved with or appearing in the

documentary have also been

investigated by the Chinese

authorities.

Wangchen is reportedly suffering from

Tibetan Filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen

Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison

hepatitis B, and is not receiving proper

treatment while in prison. Li

Dunyong, a Chinese lawyer hired by

the family to defend Wangchen, was

forced to drop the case. None of his

family members were informed of the

sentence.

Wangchen’s cousin, Jamyang Tsultrim,

who fled Tibet in 2002 and received

political asylum in Switzerland, said

that he was saddened by the unjust

sentence. “This sentence for Tibetan

filmmaker by Chinese authorities is a

sign which reveals that the Tibetan

people in Tibet have no freedom of

expression. No official documents

relating to Dhondup Wangchen’s

arrest and trial were provided to his

family. Last year, even his Chinese

lawyer was denied access to his case. I

was deeply saddened by this unfair

sentence,” he said.

Wangchen’s wife, Lhamo Tso, is living

with Wangchen’s parents and four

children in the north Indian city of

Dharamshala, the residence of exiled

Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai

Lama and many other Tibetan

refugees.

New Tibetan film: “A Precious

Human Life” to be released soon

the movie will deliver an effective

message to those people who use drugs

or alcohol,” he said.

Tenzin Salshey said that he has learnt a

lot from his first film, “The Mirror”

(Melong). While watching the Milue

Shurbu Che trailers at the press

conference, he expressed his pride at the

end product. The film’s straightforward

message is: do not waste a precious

human life.

Tenzin explained that his new movie is

based on an innocent and intelligent

student named Tenzin. Tenzin became

a drug addict due to the influence of

bad friends and difficult circumstances,

exacerbated by selfish teachers and

careless, dispirited parents. Fortunately,

with the help of a compassionate and

learned Tibetan Buddhist master, he was

able to overcome his addiction.

“The message of the movie is to those

who use any drugs, minor or major, and

even to smokers and alcoholics. I made

this film especially for children and

innocent people who don’t know the

effects of drugs. It is very important to

know how they affect a person, because

drugs can kill you. Drugs endanger the

body’s main organs, the brain and the

heart,” Tenzin concluded.

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01 January, 2010 Dharamsala