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The clock is ticking and it does not seem like the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has a lot of time left or much administration work to perform in the very near future. This article could not have surfaced at a better time, bringing attention to a few very crucial yet sensitive points surrounding the inevitable – that the Tibetans have to face the reality of “what will happen after the Dalai Lama enters clear light?”

The future undoubtedly looks uncertain for the entire Tibetan diaspora community in India, as the number of refugees coming into India has drastically dropped. Here are some of painfully obvious facts brought forth in article, which I would like to highlight.

There was only one student in the classroom. “There were 12 or 13 students several years ago,” said the lonely-looking man in his 20s studying computer graphics in the corner.

The classroom is at a boarding school in Dharamsala, in northern India, where the Central Tibetan Administration, better known as the Tibetan government-in-exile, is located. People ages 18 to 30 who have recently fled the Tibet Autonomous Region in China receive basic education and job training here for three to eight years. The school had 700 students nine years ago, but the number has since dropped to 101. The third floor of the three-story building is vacant, many of its windows left broken.

Silence also reigns in the refugee reception center, the first stop for Tibetan exiles arriving in Dharamsala and seeking registration as refugees. The facility can accommodate 1,000 people, but recently only staff are present on many days. “Before 2008, over 3,500 refugees came here annually,” said Wangchuk, 45, a researcher at the center. “Now [the figure] hardly crosses 100.” It is especially rare to see children and women nowadays, according to Wangchuk.

The above three points informs us that the influx of Tibetan refugees coming in to India has dramatically dropped to less than 100. This does not sound good as it shows there will be less and less Tibetans in India, leading to the halt of growth of what is left of its small community. So who will the CTA lead if there is no one to lead? Will the CTA become redundant then?

But according to one monk in his 30s, “Everyone always feels anxiety about one thing,” namely, what will happen after the 14th Dalai Lama, who turned 81 in July, dies.

But people are worried. “We always fear whether we’ll be able to stay here [in India] after His Holiness passes away,” said a 20-year-old saleswoman at a mobile phone shop.

This is the inevitable and painful truth, but there is no doubt that it’s on the mind of every exiled Tibetan. It seems that the exiled Tibetans’ only hope and security is the Dalai Lama. It doesn’t say much about the CTA’s leadership qualities. Sadly, it does not look like Tibetans have a lot of confidence in their own administrative leaders guiding them. Those who have the resources would have probably prepared themselves to leave and migrate to another country as soon as the Dalai Lama passes. In fact, it has already begun as we witness many Tibetans migrating to other parts of the world such as the United States and Europe.

Sangay assumed political leadership of the exiled Tibetans in 2011. The Dalai Lama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, has influence with the leaders of many countries and is a spiritual pillar for Tibetans. “It is very difficult, almost impossible, to replace the charisma, the stature, the profile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Sangay said. “No Tibetans can.”

Yes, Lobsang Sangay is probably correct in the statement above, that no one, not even the CTA could ever replace the Dalai Lama, what he is capable of doing and what he has accomplished. This is exactly why having the CTA around after the Dalai Lama’s passing would probably be redundant. In other words, this event will also mean the end of the road for the CTA as well.

Still, he expressed confidence that there will be a 15th Dalai Lama, suggesting three ways one could be chosen: through “reincarnation,” selection by all the high lamas or designation by the current Dalai Lama. At the same time, Sangay promised that the government would take responsibility for carrying on the “Tibetan freedom struggle.”

Sangay said he will maintain the policy of direct dialogue with Beijing that the 14th Dalai Lama has pursued. To do so, the foothold of the government-in-exile in Dharamsala is essential.

The prime minister conceded that “independence is not possible for Tibetans,” but he stressed that China’s own laws make genuine autonomy a possibility. “Environmental protection, religious and cultural preservation, economic benefits for Tibetan ‘minorities’ — all this is there in Chinese law.”

There are hints that such worries may be justified. According to one highly placed source in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Organization, or RSS), a Hindu nationalist group from which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi draws support, a deal was discussed in informal talks during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in 2014 and a reciprocal visit by Modi to China last year.

Under the arrangement discussed, the source said, “China would not officially lay claim to several Indian territories, such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir state.” In exchange, “after the death of the current Dalai Lama, the Indian government would offer Tibetan exiles living in India citizenship — and literally stop new exiles coming through Nepal to India. The Tibetan government-in-exile would also have to go.”

The smart and most obvious thing to do is for Lobsang Sangay to take whatever opportunity he has left right now to create good ties with China. If Sangay hopes for direct dialogue with Beijing, it would be wise for him to stop slandering China for a start. Next would be to cease all direct and indirect propaganda against China, to advise many of their Free Tibet followers to also stop slighting China and jeopardising their every chance for dialogue or any kind of agreement. Only then, could there be a glimpse of hope for genuine autonomy, otherwise it seems like the CTA would have to pack up and draw the curtains. What will happen to the Tibetans in exile then? Hence this would also mean that whatever the CTA is doing against Dorje Shugden and imposing a ban on Dorje Shugden will become obsolete. What ban is there to enforce if there is no CTA? This is, in a way, good news for us Shugden practitioners, for all those who have been wronged by the CTA and the general population of Tibetan exile community as well.

 


 

Tibet’s Exiles in India Confront an Uncertain Future

August 18, 2016 1:06 pm JST
YUJI KURONUMA, Nikkei staff writer

McLeod Ganj, part of the Indian city of Dharamsala, is home to a large population of Tibetans. (Photo by Keiichiro Asahara)

DHARAMSALA, India — There was only one student in the classroom. “There were 12 or 13 students several years ago,” said the lonely-looking man in his 20s studying computer graphics in the corner.

The classroom is at a boarding school in Dharamsala, in northern India, where the Central Tibetan Administration, better known as the Tibetan government-in-exile, is located. People ages 18 to 30 who have recently fled the Tibet Autonomous Region in China receive basic education and job training here for three to eight years. The school had 700 students nine years ago, but the number has since dropped to 101. The third floor of the three-story building is vacant, many of its windows left broken.

Silence also reigns in the refugee reception center, the first stop for Tibetan exiles arriving in Dharamsala and seeking registration as refugees. The facility can accommodate 1,000 people, but recently only staff are present on many days. “Before 2008, over 3,500 refugees came here annually,” said Wangchuk, 45, a researcher at the center. “Now [the figure] hardly crosses 100.” It is especially rare to see children and women nowadays, according to Wangchuk.

Dalai Lama temple seen at the hilltop of Dharamsala, northern India.

The reason for the sharp drop-off in asylum seekers is that leaving China has become much more difficult.

Fleeing Tibet has always been hard. Most refugees carry the food they need for the journey on their backs and head for India via the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. Nepal borders China and recognizes Tibetans as refugees. However, even if they manage to slip past China’s guards on the frontier, they face crossing the Himalayas on foot. They are at risk of death or injury from frostbite and falls.

Moreover, border security has been tightened since 2008, when the Beijing Olympics took place. That year, “riots” or “peaceful protests” — depending on whether one is speaking to Chinese officials or Tibetan refugees — occurred around the Tibet Autonomous Region. That led to heavier surveillance, not only in cities but in villages and near the border. Around that time, “China started to give equipment to Nepalese police and train them in Tibet,” said a person with connections to the Tibetan government-in-exile. Beijing encouraged the police to arrest and forcibly repatriate refugees who had fled across the border.

 

The results were dramatic. According to refugees, guided journeys used to take 20 to 30 days from the Tibetan capital of Lhasa to Kathmandu. But, said one person who fled several years ago, “I didn’t have a guide and lost my way, so it took me a month and 20 days.”

As the number of new arrivals has dwindled, more Tibetans have committed self-immolation in Tibet and elsewhere in protest of Chinese policy. More than 140 people have burned themselves to death since 2009. “Father, being a Tibetan is so difficult,” one 23-year-old mother wrote in her suicide note. “We can’t even display the Dalai Lama’s portrait. We have no freedom at all.” At the Tibet Museum in Dharamsala, such suicide notes are exhibited, along with the photographs of about 100 people who have immolated themselves.

 

Looking back — and forward

According to “Tibetan Nation,” by U.S. historian Warren W. Smith, seventh-century Tibet was a unified, independent state that rivaled China’s Tang dynasty for influence in Inner Asia. After the 13th century, Tibet built a priest-patron relationship with the Mongols, in which Tibet relied on them for military power while the Mongols were subject to Tibet in religious matters under the Dalai Lama, the supreme leader of Tibetan Buddhism.

The body of 16-year-old Tibetan student and exile Dorjee Tsering, who died after immolating himself to protest Chinese rule in Tibet, is carried through Dharamsala, India, on March 5.

Based on diplomatic documents and other historical records, Smith argues Tibet managed to achieve de facto independence under British patronage in the early 20th century. However, China, which claimed that Tibet was part of its territory, moved troops into the area around 1950, and the 14th Dalai Lama took refuge in India in 1959.

So far, about 130,000 Tibetans fled to India, including Dharamsala, New Delhi and the southern state of Karnataka. The 10,000 or so Tibetans of Dharamsala — members of the government-in-exile, Buddhist monks and ordinary workers — say they are grateful to India for giving them a place to live and freedom. But according to one monk in his 30s, “Everyone always feels anxiety about one thing,” namely, what will happen after the 14th Dalai Lama, who turned 81 in July, dies.

The Dalai Lama “is very healthy,” Lobsang Sangay, prime minister of the government-in-exile, said in an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review. “He will live for the next five years, I am sure.”

Sangay assumed political leadership of the exiled Tibetans in 2011. The Dalai Lama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, has influence with the leaders of many countries and is a spiritual pillar for Tibetans. “It is very difficult, almost impossible, to replace the charisma, the stature, the profile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Sangay said. “No Tibetans can.”

Still, he expressed confidence that there will be a 15th Dalai Lama, suggesting three ways one could be chosen: through “reincarnation,” selection by all the high lamas or designation by the current Dalai Lama. At the same time, Sangay promised that the government would take responsibility for carrying on the “Tibetan freedom struggle.”

But people are worried. “We always fear whether we’ll be able to stay here [in India] after His Holiness passes away,” said a 20-year-old saleswoman at a mobile phone shop.

There are hints that such worries may be justified. According to one highly placed source in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Organization, or RSS), a Hindu nationalist group from which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi draws support, a deal was discussed in informal talks during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in 2014 and a reciprocal visit by Modi to China last year.

 

Under the arrangement discussed, the source said, “China would not officially lay claim to several Indian territories, such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir state.” In exchange, “after the death of the current Dalai Lama, the Indian government would offer Tibetan exiles living in India citizenship — and literally stop new exiles coming through Nepal to India. The Tibetan government-in-exile would also have to go.”

The agenda will be “advanced gradually,” the RSS official said, because the two leaders do not want to be seen as weak by their own citizens for having compromised.

Sangay has his doubts, since such an agreement would be based on a “false premise.” “The Chinese government has designs not simply on Tibet but the whole world,” he said. “That includes the South China Sea, East China Sea, ASEAN, Africa, Latin America, everywhere. Giving Tibet as a concession will not satisfy China at all.”

The prime minister conceded that “independence is not possible for Tibetans,” but he stressed that China’s own laws make genuine autonomy a possibility. “Environmental protection, religious and cultural preservation, economic benefits for Tibetan ‘minorities’ — all this is there in Chinese law.”

Sangay said he will maintain the policy of direct dialogue with Beijing that the 14th Dalai Lama has pursued. To do so, the foothold of the government-in-exile in Dharamsala is essential. In his book, Smith quotes a 1912 British diplomatic document saying Tibet “should in reality be placed in a position of absolute dependence on the Indian government.” After more than 100 years, that has not changed.

“Now, in India, we have the strong leadership of Prime Minister Modi. It is a good opportunity to help the Tibetan people,” said Manav Jain, 20, an Indian student who visited the Tibet Museum and was grieved by the photos of people who had burned themselves to death. The question is whether Modi, who hopes to remain in office until 2024, will respond positively to the gratitude of Tibetans and the expectations of young people of his own country.

Click on image to enlarge.

Click on image to enlarge

Source: http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Tibet-s-exiles-in-India-confront-an-uncertain-future?page=1

 

Interesting Development

August 30, 2016

Two days after the world learnt that India has most likely signed away the Tibetan people’s future, the Tibetan leadership held a press conference in Dharamsala to do damage control caused by the startling revelation as reported by Nikkei Asian Review on August 18, 2016. Known to be an internationally renowned media outlet and respected for their integrity in reporting, it would be illogical to assume that Nikkei would risk their reputation to report false news, especially on something so sensitive and significant, without having good proof and reliable sources. In fact, Nikkei is a much more reputable publication than any outlet the Tibetan leadership releases their news through, and the Nikkei has a much larger distribution, audience and reach too.

Following the press conference, media controlled by the Tibetan leadership reported the event. However, they failed to mention the original meetings that took place between the Indian and Chinese governments regarding the Tibetan issue. In fact it seems that they intentionally omitted this fact when reporting, where as other more reputable sources such as Nikkei clearly mentioned it. The appearance of the press conference’s venue did not create an atmosphere of august and distinguished governance to the hastily-thrown together press conference needed to cover their embarrassment. The Coke machine dispenser in the back probably drew more attention than the speakers.

In keeping with Indian political tendency to beat around the bush, those who hosted the press conference did not actually state if the news about Tibet’s future was true or not. Rather, they circumvented the real topic – that people have been discussing Tibet’s future, without the involvement and input of the Tibetan so-called leadership. This is a clear sign that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is not in control of the situation and their own future but are left to the whims of the Indian government, and used as pawns to assert the sovereignty of India towards the Chinese. While the Tibetan leadership most probably thought to downplay the initial news by hosting a press conference and failing to mention the India-China meeting in the subsequent reporting, their tactic backfired highlighting their incompetency, impotent leadership and lack of control over their own future.

It must have been somewhat humiliating to have such a reputable media outlet highlight the fact that upon the passing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the CTA will most obviously be abolished by the Indian government. Tibetan offices will be shut down, Tibetans will be made to take up Indian citizenship and the Tibetan Administration will ultimately cease to exist. Furthermore no more Tibetan refugees will be allowed into India. Everything the CTA have been supposedly working to preserve for the last 60 years will suddenly disappear overnight, with nothing left to show for their efforts. In fact, if you visit Dharamsala today, you can see many of the Tibetan denizens are leaving, moving to foreign countries or planning to move abroad. In the end, sadly, what seems to be Tibet’s real future will be nothing more than a desolate Dharamsala and an isolated Tibetan ‘leadership’, with most of the Tibetans living abroad and slowly losing their culture.

 

The CTA’s version of events

Note that this report posted on the official Central Tibetan Administration website does NOT mention the meeting between India and China, which certainly took place and was the main reason they held this press conference to begin with.

 

The rest of the world’s version of events

Note that this report, along with many others, posted on other media outlets, all clearly state and confirm that a meeting took place between between India and China. What is the CTA trying to hide by refusing to publish the entire news story on their website?

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35 Comments

35 Comments

  1. 我是Tom

    August 29, 2016 at 7:23 am

    谢谢您分享了这个讯息,

    当我阅读了这文章后,我感受到非常深的是,我与在印度的藏族同胞一样,感到前途依然是茫茫灰灰的,有着一种总是怀抱着一份酸涩的心..

    我们把一切希望都依附在达赖尊者的身上,我们当初带着一份热血,为了保护我们的血脉,我们万里千波地,一波一波地翻着,一步一脚印的来到这一个陌生的大地,只是我在想的是…..50年前我们带着傍徨的心来到这里,50年过了,随着达赖尊者年迈的身躯,这一份感觉又在悠然而生,并且如一滴墨水掉落在一张雪白的宣纸上,渲染开来,一发不可收拾。

    然而印度与中国对于在这里的藏族同胞,随着50年漫长的路,对待的方式也开始产生微妙的变化了,而中国无可否认的也开始强大并且对印度开始有着很深的影响力,而印度当初的那一份坚定仿佛也开始产生了动摇。

    达赖尊者与CTA, 在多杰雄登护法的课题上,没有退过任何的一部,并且也并没有愿意沟通,他们“用心”的在这个课题与争议上,非常努力与积极,倘若他们愿意把同样的努力与精力花在维护藏族同胞们在这里的未来,是否今天又有着一番不一样的结果….

    谢谢
    我是Tom

  2. Gypsy

    August 29, 2016 at 7:36 am

    It’s such a powerful article you posted here. Yes I agreed with Lobsang Sangye that no Tibetans could replace the current 14th Dalai Lama. His Holiness is a great being who has contributed a lot in the Buddhist world, all over the world.

    From the interviews done with random Tibetans, it seems like it’s undoubtedly many of them start to worry about their future without Dalai Lama, especially those in exile in India. It clearly shows that even the grass roots do not even want to rely their future on their government -CTA. I like how the author wrote “who will the CTA lead if there is no one to lead? “ CTA will definitely be redundant by then. It’s a clear sign of the downfall of CTA by just looking at the statistics of population of Tibetans in India now.

    Uniting own people to go against China is absolutely not wise, for the sake of Tibetans future. Tibetans’ future is at stake now. Self-immolations, segregation, separation, discrimination and violence within Tibetan society will continue to grow if CTA still remain the same policy which go against human rights and more so, on a spiritual level, they encourage their own people to commit negative actions that involve physical harm to not only Tibetan, but also non Tibetans.

  3. Galen

    August 29, 2016 at 9:54 am

    This article is powerful. It shows the two powerful nations, China and India, agreeing on a deal that will see the Tibetans in exile in India gaining citizenship in India and that China will not lay its claim on some parts of India, after the death of the Dalai Lama. The CTA will no longer have people to govern after that and will be redundant. There is no need for a CTA. With this, then the ban will no longer be enforced because they do not have any control anymore.

    Most likely the CTA does not even know or even has a say in this deal between China and India even though it involves their people. The CTA has not fought for the rights of their people but instead out them in the state of worry. Even Tibetans moving to India to seek refuge are also dwindling in numbers. In other words, the Tibetans also do not support their so called Government.

    We will see how this story unfolds in a few years time. Interesting!!!

  4. Carole McQuirre

    August 29, 2016 at 10:00 am

    Every country produces charismatic powerful leaders at one time or another. What is important is the country’s educational system and culture supports the growth of potential good leaders. In Monarchies, ordinary people have no chance to shine or be extraordinary leaders because it’s reserved for the privileged few. This is the case of Tibet and the Dalai Lama. The closest govt you can relate Dalai Lama to is a King and their system of governance is Monarchy. No one can replace the Dalai Lama is because they are not allowed to do so. In Tibetan society to say you wish to replace the Dalai Lama is tantamount to saying you can do the same or better and that is taken as an insult to the Dalai Lama himself. Remember whatever the Dalai Lama does not like, people have to follow suit, there is no freedom of thinking or action in a Dalai Lama society.

    Every country must have their presidents and Prime Ministers. Leaders must change, the country must continue and governance must be done. In the case of the Tibetans, no leader can replace the Dalai Lama is a clear indication that their leadership have failed miserably to educate and train their citizens to grow up to be leaders and keep it all going. Monarchial govts normal do not do well or flourish long term for this precise reason. The pool of leadership in which to select from is too little.

    The Tibetan government in exile and their current methods have failed miserably. Now everyone is waiting for the Dalai Lama to die and before this happens scramble and get as much money, connections and deals as they can. Many in the Dalai Lama’s leadership are moving out of India and to other countries, or hold two passports or planning to move. Once the Dalai Lama passes, everything will crumble. Tibetans outside of Tibet are doomed because of the poor and corrupt governance of CTA now.

  5. Rinchen

    August 29, 2016 at 11:03 am

    This is just so powerful. It is true in fact that the CTA is getting more and more redundant. It is like what they are doing the Tibetans themselves do not agree as well.

    What was pointed out by the monk is very true. If they truly care about the Tibetans in the future, shouldn’t they hold their refuge card everywhere for travelling? It will only make more sense in this way.

    Why is it alright for H.H. Dalai Lama to be doing that and for the CTA to preach that, but the CTA themselves do not do it.

    I just hope that the CTA is able to solve their problem with the Chinese authorities son so that H.H. Dalai Lama will be able to get his wish of going back to Tibet again before he passes away too! They should start planning for what is going to happen after the passing of H.H. Dalai Lama, and not just think about now and how much they can get out of it now.

  6. Kelsang Choney

    August 29, 2016 at 8:49 pm

    Indian government will close down CTA the minute Dalai Lama passes away. This is for sure as it says in this article. The Tibetans contribute nothing to India and the welfare of the land. They are just trouble it seems for India. CTA and Lobsang Sangye et al can talk, talk and talk more, but the Tibetans in India are escaping to the west to settle down. No hope in India for them. CTA has failed. This article by Nikko nailed it!

  7. Camilia

    August 30, 2016 at 12:59 am

    Anyone who is following closely the development of the Sino-India relationship will understand that one day, collaboration between the two giants will take place and any geo-political tensions will have to iron out along the way. The welfare of a tiny branch-out group of Tibetan people, who are progressing under the care of Beijing, will not be of any political use to the Indian government. “Free Tibet” movement, like any other movement, can hardly survive without strong financial backing and support, which is dwindling at the speed of Dalai Lama’s fading reputation. Easy money from the west will eventually be out of reach, especially when the nationalistic movement is seen fragmented without an iconic leader that has the backing of the people (when Dalai Lama enters clear light eventually). Given these insights, the proposal to halt reception of the Tibetan Refugee which is very little anyway, is the smarter and pleasing move. The nationalistic “Free Tibet” movement will be downplayed as a localized movement which no nemesis of China will be interested to be associated with after the passing of Dalai Lama.

  8. Karma Tenzin Paljor

    August 30, 2016 at 1:20 am

    India would do better making friends with her massive neighbor China. There are much benefits to be had if for both countries were closer. India is doing the right thing by getting closer to China. The Tibetan refugees in India’s time is nearly over. The Indian government are already striking deals with China and the Tibetan Government in Exile is on the losing end. It is quite obvious. Karma is returning back full steam to the Tibetan Government in Exile for all the wrongs they’ve committed.

  9. Linda Moore

    August 30, 2016 at 8:00 am

    Supporting CTA:

    1. What benefit does anyone get?
    2. What does CTA do for anybody?
    3. Why should the Tibetan refugee issue bother anyone? There are many refugees in the world. Why should Tibetans stand out?
    4. What is CTA’s goal? Tibetan Independence? Autonomy? Either way, how does that benefit any of us?
    5. Sponsoring CTA gets them nowhere and gets the sponsor nowhere. I use to donate years ago but stopped when they made Dorje Shugden a political issue.

    Linda

  10. Choki Phurbu

    August 30, 2016 at 8:09 am

    Dalai Lama and CTA should not have banned Dorje Shugden practice, you need unity among all Tibetans, you need support from all Tibetans, yet by banning and segregating your own Tibetans, when you need the support, you only have fragemented support, too bad, too bad, you could have gotten very strong support from Shugden people now when you need it most, just too bad…

  11. Carole McQuirre

    August 30, 2016 at 11:36 am

    Just ten years ago, it was around 3,500 Tibetan refugees will cross the border into India and land in Dharamsala on average per year. So Dharamsala where Dalai Lama and CTA reside was bustling with Tibetans. Now the census by Nikkei show that only around 100 Tibetans are coming from Tibet into Dharamsala per year-NEW ARRIVALS FROM TIBET HAS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY. The word on the grapevine is things in Tibet are better and there is no need to come to India. Even if they come, there is no employment opportunities except selling sweaters/blankets on the roadside of major Indian cities.

    The Tibetan TCV (Tibetan Children’s Village) in Dharamsala would be bustling with Tibetan students, but now ONLY half the school pupils are of Tibetan descent. So the CTA (exiled govt of Tibet) have to fill the schools with children from the Northern Indian Himalayan regions so the school looks full and the sponsorship will not be cut.

  12. Brian Little

    August 30, 2016 at 11:39 am

    Dorje Shugden should not be banned. CTA did not do anything to protect its people and corruption didn’t help. A lot of Tibetans are Shugden devotees and CTA harming, discriminating them does not help.

  13. Q

    August 30, 2016 at 11:44 am

    Times change, and the CTA’s demise is inevitable as new generation of Tibetans in exile become naturalized citizens of other countries and Tibetans in Tibet become accustomed to the Tibet they know of today.

    The Tibet today is totally different from Tibet 9 years ago. As China continue to pour resources to build up Tibet, there is lesser and lesser need for Tibetans to go into exile. On top of that, in recent years where communications got easier through the use of Wechat and social media, it is not surprising that Tibetans in Tibet realize they have a better chance of living a better life in China compared to the uncertainty of living in Exile.

    The Sikyong’s hope that India’s continuous support for the Tibetans in exile is nothing but self deception, and a deception they convincingly tell those in exile. The CTA is too small of a factor for India to risk conflict with China, both of which are great power houses essential for the stability of Asia.

    Saying that they will continue to have dialogue with China for genuine autonomy is a joke. As it is today, China refuses and does not recognize the CTA as a governing body. Once the DL is gone, the CTA is nothing but dirt that can be washed away with time… probably in less than a decade, there will be no trace of their cause anymore. Without the DL, their fight for autonomy will drop to zero, as China is not stupid enough to give autonomy to a group of people with an on going reputation of defaming and causing problems for China. Especially when China can easily elect more capable leaders in Tibet that share their vision.

    However, i do not think the Sikyong is stupid, but I think he already know that genuin autonomy is not going to be achieved by the CTA and he has no future with his reputation. He is just milking the situation as much as he can until the time comes when he will just disappear somewhere and live a comfortable life.

  14. Lionel Tashi

    August 30, 2016 at 12:37 pm

    流亡在印度的西藏难民已经流亡在印度接近六十年了, 他们到底得到了什么? 藏人行政中央有真正照顾过他们吗? 藏人行政中央并没有为他们谋取福利, 只是藉助在达赖喇嘛的光环下享受成为领袖的风光。反之还创造了其他课题比如雄登禁令, 藉此逃避他们在政治上的无能。

    虽然距离印度租借 藏人行政中央土地的期限还有四十年, 不过藏人行政中央的没落已经是不争的事实。 文章上所提到的就是来到印度的藏人难民已经是骤减, 学校学生人数也严重下滑。
    而且达赖喇嘛也已经渐渐老去, 当达赖喇嘛圆寂后, 在印度的西藏难民又要何去何从?

    通过印度与中国的对谈, 流亡在外的藏人怎样都比在藏人行政中央的铁腕政治之下更有保障。 在印度的藏人可以直接被印度政府收纳成为印度公民。 然后藏人行政中央则会在达赖喇嘛圆寂后而完全没有国际上的政治力量而瓦解。

    我相信这会是对西藏难民最好的安排。

  15. G

    August 30, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    So many Tibetans dare not speak up to not offend the Dalai Lama, but they are all thinking this unethical policy segregating Dorje Shugden practitioners has benefitted no one and did more harm than any good.

  16. Chodey Legung

    August 30, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    It is well known the Tibetan Government in exile especially the religious department (Chodey Legung) comes here to read daily and see what are the developments.

    Good, keep coming and keep reading. We speak the truth here.

    We wish Dalai Lama health, long life and happiness. But we don’t agree with segregation of Tibetans just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Bad policy. Change your policy.

  17. Sakya Karma Loden

    August 30, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    It would be better for the CTA to be friends with the millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners and the lamas who practice around the world than segregating them. Then you will have more support and donations. You are not very smart to segregate your own Tibetan people based on religious differences.

  18. Solomon Lang

    August 30, 2016 at 1:28 pm

    The relative income and living standards of Tibetans in the two countries would have and will continue to play a big role in determining the migration pattern.

    In 2013, India had a per capita Gross Domestic Product of USD1499 whilst
    Tibet had a per capita Gross Domestic Product of USD4630. And this is despite Tibet being among the poorest provinces in China in terms of GDP per capita.

    In Tibet, education is free from nursery school to college/university. And as we know, Tibetans are free to practise and in fact receive a lot of state support to rebuild and expand its monastic traditions.

    The gap between Tibet and India is only going to become wider in the near future and the writing is definitely on the wall for the CTA – No money, no legitimacy, all talk but no results.

    I would not be surprised if there will be a reverse emigration back to Tibet in the near future.

  19. Sascha

    August 30, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    Mankind is degenerating, dualism is increasing.

    Like indigenous people all around the world, that love nature, elements and non-duality, are confronted with these dualisitc sects that occupy almost 100% of this planet and destroy the nature and animals for impermanent luck.

    Also Tibetan people already or have to integrate into this dualistic sects that effect hell or they can go to a reservation like Dharamsala for the indigenous people of Tibet that love nature, elements and devote to non-duality to effect freedom and wellbeing by dharma study and practice.

    Within dualistic sects also tibetan people will have to learn to devote to hell or are not welcome and an enemy for the dualstic betray system of these sects, welcome to samsara.

    I pray for a place where all who study and practice dharma can live together in one place and don’t need to struggle to survive in these dualistc sects that want people to devote to hell.

    Manjushri, lord of wisdom, please destroy all illusions, please create a place on this planet for all the beings who want to study and practice dharma.

    May the wisdom of non-duality protect you all!

  20. SabrinaS

    August 31, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    Ooo, CTA must have sweated cold upon learning of the “informal” talks between India and China. Lobsang Sangay is absolutely right in saying that “It is very difficult, almost impossible, to replace the charisma, the stature, the profile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Sangay said. “No Tibetans can.” It is the Dalai Lama who is holding up the whole show and when his is gone, it will come crashing down. Time to wake up CTA! After all the years of unchecked shenanigans, reality is coming down on them fast.

    Lobsang Sangay is confident in the incarnation of the 15th Dalai Lama? Wonder how would the new incarnation be recognised? By Lamas with broken vows? CTA had “purged” all those attained Masters who kept their vows to their Gurus and Dorje Shugden, unless some are practising in secret with unbroken vows. But then they are the “enemies” of the Dalai Lama and CTA, so can their recognition be trusted. Would India and the world accept the chosen 15th Dalai Lama, with CTA’s track record of hanky panky? What a dilemma CTA will have…that is if it continues to exist.

    All the Tibetans-In-Exile have reasons to and should worry of their future. With the 14th Dalai Lama at 81 years of age and medical issues, his passing into clear light is impending (although I pray he may continue to live long). With CTA mishandling everything from monetary issues, their refugee status, the level of living standard and most of all, the separation of Tibetans-In-Exile with the illegal ban on enlightened Dorje Shugden practise, they don’t have much to look forward to. With CTA using the Dalai Lama’s name, the people are forced either by their loyalty towards the Dalai Lama or threats (some at gunpoint) into actions against Shugden practitioners, creating so much sufferings. When the Dalai Lama is no more, would the people still have that loyalty towards CTA to carry out the dastardly acts? I think many as unwilling partners in crime will just move away or ignore CTA or vote a new governing body.

    But if the agreement between India and China actualise then there will be no more Tibetans-In-Exile as they will become Indian citizens. With no one to rule, CTA will just cease to exist. So what if the 15th Dalai Lama was recognised and accepted? How many years will the recognition take? In the meantime India has the sovereignty to put their plans into action and CTA can’t do anything about it. After all it would be in the best interest of the Indian government to work with China who willing cede her claims on disputed territories and for economy posterity. The current CTA has nothing to offer. China certainly wouldn’t want them back to create unrest and trouble in Tibet, especially with their discrimination against Dorje Shugden which China accepts as an enlightened Protector. Autonomy is certainly possible but not with the current CTA and their slanderous propaganda against China. “maintain the policy of direct dialogue with Beijing”…why would China even bother with you, Mr. Lobsang Sangay? Change your politics, be nice and genuine, lift Shugden ban and reunite your people, care for your people and raise their living standard with all the monies received from the sponsors, then and only then you may have some leverage to talk to China. Maybe the Shugden Lamas will help you….Oh dear I feel so terrible for laughing. Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha!

  21. Tenzin Dolma

    August 31, 2016 at 5:47 pm

    This is so true… especially the part where we are all worried what will happened after the passing of His Holiness. Seriously we have been to dependent on His Holiness and especially the CTA… using Dalai Lama to basically connect themselves to gain for their own pockets.

    So far just what exactly have they achieved being a government in exile? WHat have they manage to do for Tibetans? NOTHING. They do not even help the India economy in any way. And instead of uniting people they tear and divide people.

    Shame on you CTA, karma is coming back now for all the lies you told and the teachers and family you’ve split a part. Now you are going to be just another nobody once the Dalai Lama past away.

    China definitely has a deal with India if not you CTA will not be so desperate to hide it. I am sure you are sweating now… time is running short. How can a small fly be compared to a giant, it does CTA and Tibetans no good to keep going against them. Better do the right thing and be smart to survive before it is too late!

  22. tenzin

    September 1, 2016 at 6:13 pm

    Since we Tibet people depend on Dalai Lama and no one can replace him, then what will happen to us in India as refugee after he passes. He is already 81 years old. We have much worry. We Tibetans in India have to must make friend with China fast.

  23. Sierra

    September 3, 2016 at 11:24 am

    Economics and politics will, at the end of the day, determine whether the Tibetan Settlement in India will disappear or remain. Should this deal between India and China go through, there will be nothing left of the settlement. There will be no more CTA and Tibetans in exile and no ban on anything.

    No wonder the CTA are grabbing money like there’s no tomorrow. I only pray that the poor, ignorant Tibetans in exile wake up and stop creating negative karma for themselves. is all these maneuvering by the 2 governments a result of the negative karma created by the followers of the Dalai Lama and the CTA with their threats and violence against the Dorje Shugden practitioners?

    They cause the Dorje Shugden practitioners to lose their family and homes, now they themselves are about to face the same consequence? Karma bites!

  24. Karma Tenzin Paljor

    September 3, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    India says after Dalai Lama passes away, CTA (exiled Tibetan govt) will completely close down. That is interesting.

  25. Karma Tenzin Paljor

    September 3, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    I am a Tibetan and I know the CTA is not doing a good job and very corrupt. I use to live in Dharamsala and we have no freedom of speech. That is why I moved to USA over ten years ago. I know that CTA will fall apart after Dalai Lama passes away. So I don’t want to suffer and better leave before it’s too late.

  26. Tenzin

    September 6, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    Don’t forget how dalai lama is imp to all tibetan people coz due to his holiness we tibetan got a chance to stay in exile n especially don’t forget that due to his holiness we get a visa due to him .so whts the problem u guys have ..u guys don’t feel any shame to tell all lies n saying bad to him …he is a non violence men n following the mid way path and also proudly got the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE..many other prizes due to his compassion ..peace…and also Dr lobsang sangay our prime minister also believes in autonomy so we believe that we will get our autonomy as soon as possible..his holiness is always in our heart n will remain forever..

  27. Sascha

    September 7, 2016 at 9:00 am

    To see a deity that is free of lastingness and non-existence and represents aspects of wisdom and compassion as evil and worship a spirit is not the middle way but a mistake. To follow that is also a mistake because it is not following the basic freedom of lastingness and non-existence that is free of good and evil or the middle way.

    And look how much problems, suffering and frustration is within mankind just because of creating illusions like this is good and that is evil, this is friend and that is enemy and so on. Justs because of ignoring that reality itself is free of lastingness and non-existence. But reality is so close, so obvious that everything is impermanent and interdependence that is non-duality.

    When we talk about deities we talk about conciousness, so we talk about wisdom and compassion and not about illusions that can be created within conciousness when you ignore non-duality/shunyata/basic freedom of lastingness and non-existence.

    And all the aspects of wisdom and compassion are represented by deities. So there is no worshiping spirits in vajrajana/dharma at all but instead of ignoring wisdom and compassion it is about to remember, study and pracitce wisdom and compassion.

    These aspects of conciousness that are represented by deites are the aspects of our own conciousness, that is and stays wisdom and compassion/enlightment. And we use these aspects of wisdom and compassion/self arising awareness to stop creating ignorance regarding non-duality, duality, harmful views of eternalism and nihilism like god and bad, god and devil, friend and enemy and so to on, harmful aspiration/motivation and harmful actions of mind, speech and body to overcome karma to live in freedom and wellbeing.

    Dharma study and practice is analytical and resting mindfulness that effects more mindfulness, calm abading and that once inherent self araising wisdom and compassion/awareness can arise in ourself to perceive and experience reality as free of lastingness and non-existence, as free of god and evil, as free of god and devil as it is by itself. That is becoming aware of non-duality and is called clear seeing and when you stabilze this, this is what is called meditation.

    Since china destroyed tibet, there is no option for tibet to recover tibet and to continue with tibet within china. Tibet is gone, there is no other option than to accept this and to continue to study and practice dharma as long as you have a human body to effect freedom and wellbeing for yourself.

    But something has begun to change this mankind, the tibetan people are now spread around the world and teach dharma and practice dharma with people around the world and sometimes i think about why did it took so long for tibetan people to travelled around the world to spread dharma because of: look how ignorant mankind is and look how much illusions and violence there is and look how much problems, suffering and frustration there is.

    Where is a place on this planet where people can just live according to space- and conciousnesscontinuum, according to wisdom and compassion and without beeing forced by violence to practice violence like in all nations that only practice ignorance/dualism/dualistic betray systems and harm themself, nature and animals? Where is that place that you can live just normal like an human being can do because we all have a conciousness, we all have wisdom and compassion? We can but we are not allowed because of law? That is stupid!

    Mankind is locked into illusions and is giving themself a very hard time since thousands of years, just because of illusions like permanent and non-existent, only this life and death, god and devil, good and evil, friend and enemy, attachment and aversion, peace and war, good bank and bad bank and so on. What a crazy nightmare!

    We have to accept that billions of beings don’t want to learn and understand non-duality/reality but want to effect ignorance, illusions (duality), violence, problems, suffering and frustration (hell) for themself, we have to learn to accept that and let billions of beings go to hell. Because we can’t change them anyway, they all only can help themself, so if buddhas come to you but you ignore this, supress and fight against, making good or evil out of peaceful and wrathful by projecting this onto non-duality/shunyata, like projecting this onto deities that represent wisdom and compassion, they can’t help you, they can’t protect you, they can’t help you to liberate yourself. That’S why samsara is possible but no need to do so, you also can stop that and become free of illusions.

    So if you wan’t to got to hell, well then just go for it.

    So what do we choose, our inherent self arising wisdom and compassion to effect freedom and wellbeing for ourself or do we continue with illusions and following others just because of whatever?

    Don’t follow that huge movement of billions of beings into illusions, violence, problems, suffering and frustration (hell) just stay with your inherent wisdom and compassion, protect yourself by dharma study and practice regardless of all these ignorant beings that have no clue at all yet.

    Life is not about god and devil, good and evil, friend and enemy, it’s a continuum and just about freedom and wellbeeing or self arising wisdom and compassion that is free of duality. Becoming aware of non-duality by once own inherent self araising awareness that can become aware of it, is what is life is about. During the process of dying your awareness will become more aware of impermenence or non-duality mor intense than before because you ignored it until that moment, so if you want to know what wil happen to you during dying process then practice mindfulness to effect calm abaiding to effect clear seeing, then you will know about your karma within your conciousness and about non-duality and what will happen when you die and so on. Freedom and wellbeing (Heaven, Paradise) or Hell is a state of conciousness and not outside of yourself.

    Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche once said to a student, that didn’t want to learn and understand, to his harmful view: “Very good, very good!” So just let beings go to hell, you can’t change them anyway, that also is letting go instead of hanging on to them and also go to hell with them that is not love because it is not helping them at all nor yourself.

    Space is government and law, dharma is law, anything else is an illusion that you can betray yourself with and will end up with violence, problems, suffering and frustration.

    If you wan’t to end up with violence, problems, suffering and frustration, well then create this is good and that is evil, this is friend and that is enemy, this is god and that is devil, just go for it, just give it to yourself, just go to hell. But don’t blame others, they can’t effect that for you within your conciousness. We can’t change because we are perfect but we can create or destroy illusions.

    Wrath is destroying ego, then you might think you are about to die and that this deity is evil because the deity wants to destroy you but the wrath of wisdom and compassion is only destroying the illusion of duality and ignorance by the wrath of wisdom and compassion. So if you invoke your wrathful aspects of your inherent self arising awareness/wisdom and compassion, please don’t make a snake out of a rope! Just use this wrath to destroy your mind/sem/ego and you become free of illusions/duality and feel well after that transformation. The more often you do, the more easier it becomes, Don’t make god out of peaceful and don’t make devil out of wrathful, don’t make duality out of non-duality. Stilness is in movement and movement is in stillness, peaceful is in wrathful and wrathful is in peaceful but don’t make duality like good and evil or god and devil out of this, this is not reality or the rope is not a snake. So just RAPA TSANA and become free and happy.

  28. Dekyi Sonam

    September 11, 2016 at 2:24 pm

    I donnt live Dharamsallah with Tibetan persons because no religious freedom for our Shguden so I move America

  29. Sherabz

    September 20, 2016 at 3:42 am

    It is sad to see the students are not paying interest to have their education in Northern India with the number dropped by around 90% significantly as compared previously. One of the reasons might due to the concerned that the Tibetans have to face the reality of “what will happen after the Dalai Lama enters clear light?” It seems to be rooted lack of confidence and insecurity towards the recent leader, CTA.

    When the people’s lives have been deeply affected by the deteriorating security, this phenomenon contributes to the fact that they would choose to leave and migrate to another country which is able to provide and fit their needs in the sense of security and guarantee of life.

    Bear in mind that if a government has a positive obligation towards the care and welfare of the people, the people are unlikely feel insecure and choose to leave the country.

  30. sushilla

    September 20, 2016 at 5:51 am

    Realistically for the new and younger generation of Tibetans, economic factors will be the main determinant on their preferences/choices in life. Their forefathers may have the inclination to being more devoted to “freeing” Tibet but the younger generation will look into their future in accordance to how the world tends to sell it – a progressive secular world concentrated on economic fulfilment with spirituality being important, but secondary only.
    They may still learn and practice the Dharma, aspire to receive initiations etc but the core will be survival and submerged in the fast pace world of materialism and technology.
    In the Buddha Dharma we term this as a degenerating world.
    Hence, in my opinion, the Dalai Lama will remain an iconic figure, even after he passes on. The new reincarnation may arise but he will not garner the same attention as that of the current. Tibet will continue to “improve” economically and socially integrated more from inter-marriages etc. Eventually being Tibetan is like being Hainanese/Cantonese/Hakka etc in China. Wounds will continue to heal and all that remains is only part of history.
    As for the CTA, they play quite an insignificant role now, so I am not surprised that they may cease operations when the 14th Dalai Lama goes into clear light. The CTA does not have a strong mandate for them to render being important to the Tibetans; plus they are weak and evasive and try to cover up their weaknesses by using the “bullying” technique like creating controversies and bans. In the long run people see thru them and karmically bad for them to do so too. For example why fan a ban on Dorje Shugden and witch hunt those who spread the teachings. So many of the DS practitioners are High Lamas who are spreading the Buddha Dharma all over the world to benefit sentient beings.

    As for India, they have been kind and accommodating for decades, but life goes on and there is really no reasons why they should sacrifice their sovereign lands just to keep CTA in office.

  31. Pushpa Kumar Rai

    September 21, 2016 at 11:49 pm

    It may b a long wait but Tibet will b free like Ukraine n Bosnia. China will b democratic country on its time like Russia n the small countries it occupies will b freed according to UN charter.

  32. Elibuchen

    October 15, 2016 at 9:36 am

    The Chinese is well aware that the Dalai Lama will not live forever.

    I think all that is stopping the Indians from making all Tibetans as Indians would be the Dalai lama and his stature. As time is on India and China’s side, they can afford to wait it out.

    Then the Chinese and Indian can work together to enrich their economies. Why stop the progress of India for development, because of the Tibetans. Without the Dalai Lama in the picture Tibetans have nothing to hold on to, especially with CTA being so inept and not strong enough, and also not able to unite the Tibetans under one banner.

  33. Sara B

    November 7, 2016 at 10:24 am

    Hey I just saw this… so I guess it is true that India is using the Dalai Lama as a pawn!

    India must use Dalai Lama’s Tawang visit to rattle China
    http://www.dailyo.in/politics/dalai-lama-arunachal-visit-india-china-cpec-free-tibet-xi-jinping-pakistan/story/1/13877.html

    “The Indian government’s announcement that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will travel to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh in March 2017 has infuriated Beijing. This will not be the Dalai Lama’s first visit to Tawang which China claims as its territory. What is different this time is the timing of the announcement.

    China’s 90-day block in the United Nations on Azhar comes to an end shortly. Beijing knows that being seen on the same side as a designated terrorist in order to protect Pakistan diminishes its international reputation. Beyond a point, such grandstanding becomes counter-productive. Beijing, with superpower ambitions, is keenly aware of this.

    The Dalai Lama’s Arunachal visit therefore comes at an awkward time for the Chinese. Tibet is one of the most sensitive international problems that Beijing wants to put a lid on. It has pressurised global leaders like former British prime minister David Cameron to boycott a meeting with the Dalai Lama by threatening to hold back Chinese investments in the UK…..

    Despite its growing economic and military strength, China today has several weaknesses which Indian policymakers can exploit. Tibet is one of the biggest. The Dalai Lama makes no political statements on Indian soil but there is a vibrant community of Free Tibet Chinese activists in India. Give them untrammelled freedom to press their case with seminars and peaceful protests. Global celebrities will join the cause. Many have expressed open support for the Free Tibet movement.”

    Well, this certain does not going to go down well with the Chinese and certainly not going to improve ties. Why would the Dalai Lama allow India to use him like this and not get anything in return and actually pushes himself, his chance of dialogue and autonomy for Tibet? Has the Dalai Lama himself given up on returning to India?

    It is very obvious today that there are two sides of the camp when it comes to Tibetans for Tibet. One is the Dalai Lama’s umaylam camp and the other rangzen which is actually against Dalai Lama, so why hasn’t the CTA put a cap on this instead of focusing and targeting Shugden people? And would it not be smarter for them to unite Tibetans so they would have more people on the Dalai Lama’s camp? Basically what I am witnessing is Tibetans are tearing each other a part, no need China to do anything, they are doing a great job with their disunity.

  34. Dondrup Shugden

    July 3, 2017 at 8:45 am

    When Rene Muller wrote this article on 28 August 2016, the deal between India and China on the Tibetan issue seem to be something to look into when the Dalai Lama enters clear light.

    Now in mid 2017, the Tibetans in exile in India are already offered Indian passports. So it is not just speculated news but the actual event is in execution.

    “Environmental protection, religious and cultural preservation, economic benefits for Tibetan ‘minorities’ — all this is there in Chinese law.” Said CTA Prime Minister, Lobsang Sangyal. And also that like the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Sangyal will negotiate with China for the Tibetans. If Chinese laws will protect the Tibetans, how come nothing comes out of it.

    So far nothing is happening. Being inept at this crucial time is the sign of the futile cause and existence of CTA. Time is over even for any remedial work.

  35. TseringD, Delhi

    October 29, 2017 at 8:38 pm

    Nechung is ZUMA 👎 before I m think he is one of d best when I m watch dis video By Geshe Dorjee la but now I m think is not d truth n he is lie to Tibet people we r not back to Tibet yt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8 Chithue Tenpa Yarphel la tq for talk about truth of Nechung . I m watch to this video many time la https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2dFMKIr_8 n after I hear you talk I m not belief to Nechung

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