Tenzin Choeying, 20, attempted to self-immolate at the Central University for Tibetan Studies in Varanasi in a protest calling for Tibetan freedom. He did so while the Tibetan Prime Minister Sikyong Lobsang Sangay was at the university giving a speech to the faculty and students. The young man is currently in critical condition in the hospital, with burns on over 60% of his body.
The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to [email protected].
By: Solaray Kusco
Tenzin Choeying in the hospital where he remains in critical condition. When will Sikyong Lobsang Sangay realize that such self-immolations are not the fault of the Chinese, but the responsibility of the Tibetan leadership to stop? How many more injuries and deaths are necessary before they wake up to this truth?
Sad news reached us today of yet another attempted self-immolation. This time, the victim was a 20-year-old man, Tenzin Choeying, who set himself on fire to draw attention to the so-called Tibetan cause. The protest was carried out in Varanasi, during a visit by the Prime Minister of the Tibetan people Sikyong Lobsang Sangay.
Most significant in the reports were remarks that the young man made before he self-immolated. Remarkably, Choeying thanked the Sikyong for the supposedly good job that he is doing. Choeying even had the presence of mind to state that Lobsang Sangay had nothing to do with the protest.
This last statement must surely be something that the Sikyong now takes comfort in, although he knows the failure for a so-called free Tibet and to initiate dialogue with China actually lies with him and his ineffective governance and leadership.
Instead of taking comfort from a 20-year-old’s words however, we request that for once, Lobsang Sangay shows concern for his people. We request that he does not think about assuaging his guilt, and instead focuses on why Tibetans to this day try and kill themselves. In light of this, we ask that the Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and all readers to contemplate this: if Lobsang Sangay was doing such a good job, why would a young man find that it is necessary to attempt to kill himself?Surely people only resort to such extreme measures when they feel they have no hope and this is their last resort to make themselves heard.
While 20-year-old Tenzin Choeying lay in the hospital fighting for his life, Sikyong Lobsang Sangay gave a speech to the students and faculty of the university. What right does Lobsang Sangay have to address to anyone on the topic of Tibetan cultural preservation and the so-called Tibetan cause, when his own people are killing themselves, and him and his loved ones have never been forced to make such a sacrifice themselves? How can he ask his citizens to take such drastic acts when he spends more time on photo opportunities, than he does in engaging with China?
Choeying himself said he attempted a self-immolation “only for Tibet” and that it had nothing to do with the Sikyong. But why even attempt to absolve the Sikyong of any responsibility, and why even bring up his name in connection to the incident if Lobsang Sangay was not already in some way a trigger for it? If people are not related to something, they are not related, fullstop. There would not be any need to even mention their names because it would be clear for everyone to see that there is no connection. Yet, before Choeying attempted to take his life, it was Lobsang Sangay’s name which came to his mind, and not the names of his parents or his family. Choeying bore more concern for Lobsang Sangay over and above his parents, an indication of how much Lobsang Sangay’s influence is involved in someone’s decision to self-immolate.
The fact remains that if Lobsang Sangay was doing such a good job, if his work was producing measurable results for a so-called free Tibet, then the young man would not have had cause to try and kill himself.
Lobsang Sangay needs to reevaluate the decisions he is making. A young man who is probably no older than his own children has attempted to kill himself, because the dream that was sold to him turned out to be an unfulfilled lie. As the head of the Tibetan leadership, the Sikyong Lobsang Sangay is hence singularly responsible for his potentially fatal injuries because it is he who, as the leader, is responsible for the failure of the Tibetan dream that he built and perpetuates. It is he who authorizes all marketing, promotion and encouragement of the “Free Tibet” cause. It is he who glorifies a young man’s death, by giving silent approval for the self-immolators’ actions and building memorials to glamorize and commemorate the victims of this violent form of suicide.
Meanwhile, the Tibetan leadership’s website did not even mention news of Tenzin Choeying’s self-immolation attempt. The government was more concerned about the death of a dissident from another country, rather than the attempted death of their own citizen.
What did poor Choeying’s act result in other than grieving parents, and the potential for another mark on the memorial walls dedicated to self-immolators? How many more people will need to fall in harm’s way like this before the Tibetan leadership realizes that their methods do not work, and they cannot and should not keep it up any longer? Their stubbornness and refusal to come up with a more effective solution for initiating dialogue with China will be the death of their people. It is the Tibetan leadership’s silence over self-immolations, their ineffective leadership and their declining international reputation that is killing their people. The double whammy of this combined with the rampant nepotism, corruption, embezzlement and general self-serving behaviour is being felt across their community who are seeing no other option than to burn themselves to the death.
It is stunning that poor Choeying actually thought that the Sikyong is doing a good job with his works. In fact, the news of his act barely touched the international media, such is the lack of public interest and the media’s desensitized state towards these self-immolations. If Lobsang Sangay were indeed doing a good job, the whole world would have picked up on it hours later. And so if he is to survive (which we hope he will), what will his parents tell him, that 60% burns on his body was in vain?
In this alone we can see that Lobsang Sangay’s masquerade as a leader of his people is complete. He fools people into thinking that he’s a good leader, and yet leads them to burn themselves. In any other circumstance, such behavior would be labelled cultish. A prominent example from recent history that readers may be familiar with, that mirrors this whole affair, is the example of Jim Jones and his followers. Jim Jones’ followers adoringly thought of him as a good leader, only to be compelled to commit suicide under his instruction. The only difference between Jim Jones and Sikyong Lobsang Sangay is the number of people that the Sikyong is leading to their deaths if he does not engage with China and change the situation about Tibet any time soon.
And while it is convenient to blame China for these deaths due to the lack of a so-called free Tibet, the Tibetan leadership are equally responsible for these self-immolations through their lack of effective political action for Tibet, and through their silence and failing to tell their people to stop. So although Choeying attempted to absolve Lobsang Sangay of any responsibility, if he dies, it will be yet another death on the conscience of the Sikyong Lobsang Sangay who has to bear the karma of each killing.
It is not as though the Tibetan leadership has no capacity to be more vocal. On many other issues, they have been resolute, even draconian, when it comes to implementing measures that they perceive will benefit them and silence their opponents. For example, when it comes to demonizing Lukar Jam, the Tibetan leadership has seen success in turning Tibetan public opinion against this once-popular candidate for Sikyong, to the point of his car being violently vandalized and his family feeling physically threatened.
With Dorje Shugden practitioners, they have violently imposed the ban on his practice since 1996, leading to the expulsion of thousands of monks and the split of the monasteries, along with the targeted ostracization of Shugden practitioners. And when it comes to adherents of the rangzen (full independence) movement, the Tibetan leadership have demonstrated they are very capable of branding these people as anti-Dalai Lama traitors to the so-called Tibetan cause, only because they choose rangzen over the Dalai Lama’s umaylam (meaningful autonomy).
So people who hold views that differ from the Tibetan leadership’s often find themselves demonized, marginalized and have their freedom of speech taken away from them. The leadership is not beyond harassing a newspaper to shut down its operations! So it is not as though the Tibetan leadership is a shy, docile and retiring one. Their actions in exile over the last 60 years to silence their opponents, is proof positive that they can be very vocal if they wish. So they should step up and tell their people to stop killing themselves, and be much more vocal, resolute and firm in this. If they really care about the preservation of Tibetan culture, then they should care about the preservation of Tibetan life and stop sacrificing people on their perverse altar of self-gain. Staying silent while their people kill themselves is a convenient and easy way of keeping the Tibetan dream alive, with very little effort on the leadership’s part since there will always be someone somewhere in the world who will be shocked and outraged by the loss of Tibetan life.
Thus we close the week with yet more unfortunate news and another young life wasted. Tibetans should stop taking their own lives in vain, and realize that their actions are wasted on a leadership who will not be able to engage with China effectively. And the Tibetan leadership should already make this clear to their people to stop them from committing suicide. We hope that the Sikyong will keep this in mind as more and more Tibetans find it necessary to do what is most taboo in a supposedly Buddhist society, the taking of one’s own life, and actually do something to stop all of these needless deaths before it is too late.
Update July 22, 2017
It has just been reported that Tenzin Choeying succumbed to the burn injuries sustained as a result of his self-immolation attempt on July 14. At the time of his passing, Choeying had 90% burns throughout his body. We offer our condolences to his loved ones and hope no more lives will be lost in this manner. Yet another young Tibetan life has been wasted in such a tragedy. How many more will have to lose their lives in this way before the Tibetan leaders wake up to the fact they are ineffective at accomplishing their goals?
Tibetan Student in India Self-Immolates in Protest For Tibetan Freedom
A young Tibetan studying in India set himself ablaze on Friday at the Central University for Tibetan Studies in Varanasi in a protest calling for freedom for his homeland, Tibetan sources said.
Tenzin Choeying, aged about 20, self-immolated at around 9:00 a.m. in the entrance of a residence hall after dousing himself with kerosene, witnesses told RFA’s Tibetan Service.
“He ran [a short distance] and shouted “Victory to Tibet,” said Chime Namgyal, president of the Varanasi chapter of the Tibetan Youth Congress activist group, who later visited the burned student in a nearby hospital.
Several students and Indian staff quickly ran to Choeying to put out the fire, another source said.
Choeying, who is now in critical condition with burns over 60 percent of his body, is being treated in a hospital in Varanasi, Namgyal told RFA.
“The doctor cannot guarantee his chances for survival, but he is able to speak,” Namgyal said, adding that Choeying said he had burned himself because “there are no rights for Tibetans in Tibet.”
Choeying was especially concerned that Tibetans under Chinese rule should be allowed learn their own language, Namgyal said.
Choeying launched his protest while Lobsang Sangay, president of Tibet’s India-based exile government the Central Tibetan Administration, was giving a speech to university students, but the protest was not linked to Sangay’s presence on campus, Choeying said from his hospital bed.
“The Sikyong is doing a great job, and I fully appreciate him,” Choeying said, using the Tibetan title for Sangay’s political role in exile. “I burned myself only for Tibet.”
Choeying’s parents, residents of the Kollegal Tibetan Settlement in South India, were informed of their son’s protest and condition and are expected to arrive soon to see him at the hospital in Varanasi, Namgyal said.
Whole-hearted opposition
In a statement released July 14, the London-based advocacy group Free Tibet called Choeying’s protest further evidence of the ”deep and whole-hearted opposition that Tibetans have to China’s continued occupation of their country and to the human rights abuses that prop this occupation up.”
Both inside and outside Tibet, young Tibetans “feel a sense of injustice that drives them to act and make sacrifices that many of us can barely comprehend,” Free Tibet said.
Self-immolation protests by Tibetans living outside Tibetan-populated areas of China are rare, while a total of 150 have now set themselves ablaze in Tibet and Tibetan-populated counties in western China.
Most protests feature demands for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a failed national uprising in 1959.
Source: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/india-07142017123156.html
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Sonam Wangchuk
July 15, 2017
People are brain washing these kids
Being a patriot is good
But self immolate
How’s that a solution?
susannah
July 16, 2017
People have to be more responsible for all the things that they talk, discuss or broadcasts on this topic of Free Tibet. Parents and school teachers should moderate the discussions and present different viewpoints to the school kids. There is way to many lies and politicking in this world for selfish reasons and the topic of Free Tibet is certainly not excluded from it. Foolish and naive kids who lack guidance jump into it and end up harming their own lives. Sad very sad !!
Those involved directly and indirectly please don’t deny your possibility of playing a part in causing this self immolation act to take place ! Be mindful of the consequences of all the controversy created ! Karma is not blind !
Ashok Rao
July 16, 2017
It’s really sad to see that this young boy thought that the Sikyong was doing a good job. That unfortunately is a not true. The CTA and Sikyong travel the world looking for funding for themselves and the Tibetan people in exile but when they do get the funds, there is no accountability where this money goes. So most often, this would surely get eaten up by those in power.
You hear nothing of the Sikyong being successful in his attempts to further the very cause that he receives funding for, that the Tibetans are poor exile refugees who want to get their country back somehow. There is even no dialogue with the Chinese authorities, let alone any progress in achieving either meaningful autonomy or even complete independence. But he still harps on again and again about the issue in order to raise funds which his government eats. They are ineffective, and that’s all there is to it.
Coupled with this is the governments lack of compassion for their own people. They sit by and let innocent people, like the boy above, try to kill themselves to get Tibet back. First off, the official stance of the Central Tibetan Administration is the middle way policy, so why would they not say something to stop the self-immolations by people who want a free Tibet. But on a more humane note, what sort of person would sit by and allow people to kill themselves, especially a person who is claiming to be a Buddhist? Shameful.
Christine Victor
July 17, 2017
When we study Buddhism, we know that human body is very hard to get, especially if we can meet the dharma and practice it. And it Buddhism, it is a NO NO to suiside. This young boy, because of his love for his country, he have no choice but to do self-immolates to urge something to be done to FREE TIBET. In this day, the boy needs to use such raw and aggressive acts to call out for the freedom of his country. What have their leader done to Free Tibet? For over a decade, are they seriously wanting to benefit their people or enjoy the power, influent, wealth by stepping on their on people.
From here, we could see how much suffering and frustration that the Tibetan Refugee has endure. The young heart have felt it and wanted to go home. He is weak; he can’t do anything to make his people go home. Look at their government in excile, their president Mr. Lobsang Sangay, a Harvard graduate, In his role as Sikyong, Sangay has emphasized the importance of seeking a peaceful, non-violent resolution of the Tibet issue, and now, look at what happened to this boy who did the self-immolates, this acts is not a peaceful act, in fact it is very violent. And what have Mr. Lobsang done to stopped this act, that is contradict very much with his “peaceful” solution to free Tibet and what have Mr. Lobsang done to free his own people? From the news report, rather to stop this act, the new seem encourage this kind of act.
I agreed with the writers that, if they really want to stop their peoples for killing themselves, they could , why they do not sound it, did the Government in Exile silently approve it? Encourage more people to do Self- immolate to show the world again on how pity the Tibetan in Exile? Used this excuses to get more donation?
The young Tibetan, who is very educate should be taught more knowledge than brainwash them the hatred to China. I hopes, Tibetan government in Exile sincerely will protect their people, not encourage their people to kill themselves, not splitting their people by using the issues of Dorje Shugden to blind them.
Ngawang Tsering
July 17, 2017
Loss of precious life
Chasing a dream of clouds
Fools!
Are the sheep who follow the wolves
OM MANI PADME HUM
UK Tibetan youth
July 19, 2017
This is the only website existing today that actually exposes the corruption of the CTA and their human rights abuses. While they parade around in the west looking all like poor refugees and downtrodden, actually they abuse their own people within India. Any publications or media that criticizes them, they will intimidate and shut down like Jamyang Norbu’s works in Dharamsala. No one else dares to speak up for there will be repercussions to them or their families back in India. This is the dark side of CTA aka Tibetan leadership few know about. But we Tibetans who have immigrated out of India know this and therefore we have left. My parents speak about the corruption that is rife in Dharamsala and that is why they took us to UK when we were very young. We will never move back to Tibet and have no interest in living in Tibet because we are so disconnected to Tibet.
Lobsang-ByLakuppe
July 20, 2017
We need a platform to speak out about all the problems within the Tibetan communities and about CTA.
In any Tibetan ‘official’ media/paper in Dhasa, if you speak negative or negative about CTA or parliament, they will threaten you and close you down. That’s what happened to Jamyang Norbu. I don’t agree with Dorje Shugden and I don’t practice, but I think people should be allowed to practice-FULL STOP. This website speaks against the repression of Shugden people and defy Dhasa and that is democracy.
There are many policies I don’t agree with in Dhasa for sure. We need a place to speak and talk without fear. Or even we speak anonymously, it will be published as the Tibetan medias will dare not publish for fear of CTA. I hope this website here http://www.dorjeshugden.com can provide a separate platform where many Tibetan youths around the world can connect and their foreign supporters can speak openly and without fear and without much moderation on various Tibetan issues plaguing the Tibetan communities.
J. Shri
July 20, 2017
Is CTA doing such a good job if there are still self-immolations happening? If CTA had done their jobs well, Tibet would be free and self-immolations such as this one could have been prevented.
Elibuchen
July 22, 2017
Immolation should be banned by the CTA and its prime minister Lobsang Sangay.
If CTA does not acknowledge that immolation is a useless act and an act that yields no positive results whatsoever, then CTA is responsible for the deaths from such immolations. Regardless of what the immolator says.
I hope the Tibetans will wake up and really understand there is no benefit for them to immolate at all. As the article says, this immolation is not picked up by the world’s major press at all.
Rabten
July 22, 2017
If CTA has even a little bit of compassion, they would have already asked the Tibetans to stop self immolation year ago. There are already so many self immolation incidents, but what benefit does it bring? Did the western country use these self immolation incidents to pressure China? Is it even remotely helpful? If it is not helpful, then why didn’t CTA stop it? If it is not for CTA’s selfish reasons, then what is it?
But CTA has decided to harp on the hatred of their people. And they said CTA is inspired by HHDL’s compassion.
Camillia
July 23, 2017
What leads young man like Tenzin Choeying to want to burn himself to death? Let’s take a moment to ponder this question. Is it really for the love of Tibet? Or is it because of the deadend and hopelessness he sees? I’d say for the latter.
Why is it not for the love of Tibet? It is simple. For a 20 years old boy who willingly sacrifice himself for a cause that is 60 years old, is telling the world that for the 40 years before he was born and the 20 years since he was born, no progress was made to the Tibetan cause.
On top of that, Tibetan in exile living under the mercy of India is not nor progressing as a community; as a start, the “government” is still surviving out of hands out. The status of the CTA or Tibetan in exile is getting less and less recogition by the day.
What future does a 20 years old have living in this condition? Return to China and be ready to be labelled by Dalai Lama’s supporters and CTA as a traitor. Or blend into the Indian society, take their citizenship and lose Tibetan identity.
Would you chose either one? Or self-immolation?
The sad part is, the poor young man cannot tell right from wrong because of the branwashing for he still cannot recognize the culprit who put him in the hopelessness is the CTA, the leaders of the Tibetan people in exile, including Sikyong Lobsang Sangay!
Joo Won
July 23, 2017
Seeing the picture of young Tenzin Choeing and many more Tibetans who have sacrificed their life by self immolation, suddenly I relate this act with any extremists who encourage their followers to engage in suicide attack to destroy their enemies or enemies’ facilities and to create fear.
In the case of Tibetans self immolation, the Tibetan leaders including Sikyong Lobsang, to keep silence or glorify the death of self immolates, is no difference from those encourage and train their followers to engage in suicide attack. Just the purpose is to not to create fear, but to draw a pity image of Tibetans. By this acts of their people to “condemn” cruelties of Beijing government.
The act of self immolation is not going to glorify the persons involved in the act, and not going to give goo reputation to Tibetan leaders or Sikyong. If it is something positive and receive international support, international media will highlight this, the news will be viral. But it is not, in the past and now. The sacrifice of her people like this, is only showing how incapable CTA is to the whole world. Furthermore it is against the Buddhism teachings to be compassion, to treasure the human body to do good.
Tibetans have to jump out from the myth of this is an act of a patriot. No it is not. There’s no need for a young people or any Tibetan to sacrifice for the failure of Sikyong or Tibetan leaders, to further in Tibet cause. To be a patriot who loves Tibet, is to wake up from the lie of Tibetan leadership, to question the leaders why they failed after so many years? Why they are not answerable to anyone? Why they have good life and let her people to suffer, to stay in poor state, to burn themselves alive?
Everyone of us will die one day, but we should die for a good purpose, definitely not to die for a lie, a broken dream built on lies by CTA or Sikyong.
Dondrup Shugden
July 23, 2017
Why is it that young Tibetans think that self immolation is the way to protest for a “dead” cause that had been sold to them by Lobsang Sangay and his CTA?
Obviously it is a case of hopelessness and that nothing will be done for young Tibetans like Tenzin Choeying to return to their beloved Tibet.
As Buddhists, it is wrong to commit suicide and yet nothing had been said by Lobsang Sangay, CTA or even the Dalai Lama to stop this wrong perception.
It is really interesting that Choeying would remember to mention Lobsang Sangay’s name before he set himself on fire. It must be Lobsang Sangay is the picture of hopelessness that ran through his mind at that time.
Given that Choeying did not blame Lobsang Sangay but to mention him and to self immolate himself on the campus while Lobsang Sangay was present is a sure sign of the truth that for Choeying, Lobsang Sangay is the icon of futility.
It is never too late to right the wrong, and Lobsang Sangay must put a stop to self immolation.
And while Lobsang Sangay is on the path of righting his wrongs, THE OTHER MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE IS TO LIFT THE BAN ON DORJE SHUGDEN.
bambi
August 1, 2017
What I cannot understand is why HHDL and the CTA does NOT discourage self immolation. They should say something to stop or prevent it already.
When HHDL imposed Dorje Shugden ban, all pro HHDL people followed through and even till now, they are giving a hard time to pro Dorje Shugden practitioners. So if they can respect HHDL so much on that, why don’t He say something about it and make those people stop. Those who are doing this are Tibetans, His own people, so why don’t He prevent it?
As Chenrezig, why compassion is not applied here? Tibet is gone, that doesn’t mean the Tibetans should ‘sacrifice’ themselves for the cause. The Sikyong, IMO, is not doing his job well at all. Prioritising all the wrong priorities. Nothing done about the freedom of Tibet. Instead, turning people against those who speak up for the right reasons, and not forgetting the ongoing bashing/discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners.
If HHDL and the CTA think that this is a way to capture the attention of the world, this is a very wrong thinking. Peoples’ lives are very precious as taught by Buddha.
vajra-NMD
August 1, 2017
Boy self-immolates?
Don’t understand why the boy’s did it? Who’s order? CTA or Sikyong Lobsang Sangay? In Buddhism point of view, that’s a very bad Karma.
Sad..!!
Belinda Mae
August 1, 2017
Lobsang Sangay is much terrible than an animal. Even animals have feelings. Maybe to him the boy self-immate himself is the boy’s problem and nothing got to do with him. Lobsang Sangay really has a heart of a steel. I wonder if he feels sorry for the boy’s parents. I also if he will do anything to console the boy’s parents. Lobsang Sangay must really think of the consequences that will happen to him in future when his karma ripens.
samayakeeper
August 1, 2017
The CTA leadership, under the present sikyong Lobsang Sangay, are worse than vultures, they are like hyenas. Most species of vulture eat carrion, the decaying flesh of animals, while hyenas very often eat their prey alive. Some people may say that the Tibetan leadership did not ask their people to self immolate but remaining silent after the fact points to encouraging more Tibetans to commit suicide to fight for a cause. A cause that is hopeless because the CTA failed to keep to their promise – the promise that Tibetans will return to their homeland. And to add more encouragement for self immolation, CTA laud those poor misled people and labelled them as martyrs. And to further distract Tibetans from their incompetency, they diverted the people’s attention away from their empty promises and lies by playing up on the Dorje Shugden issue. How low can CTA stoop to can be seen here in just two examples mentioned. What other underhand tactics and evil ways CTA had employed and probably still employing is anyone’s guess
Tenzin K
August 1, 2017
This boy self-immolates for Tibetan freedom. How can Sikyong don’t even said a word? At this generation how can a leader still allow such sacrifices? Why Tibetan leadership didn’t take step to educate and stop this? There is only one reason to explain this which is Tibetan leadership is using this play emotional card on China by sacrificing their people. I feel this is too much! Sikyong not only fail to look after Tibetan welfare as a governance leader but fail to protect his own people as a human.
I hope Tibetan will wake up and not to hurt themselves anymore as nothing is important than live a beneficial life. Hurting one self as such will not make any changes to Tibetan cause and with Sikyong leading the Tibetan acting like this, it is no point to keep asking for freedom as he will not do anything beneficial to Tibetan but just bring the Tibetans another level of suffering.
Geraldine Sarie
August 1, 2017
So dismal, happened to be another victim of self-immolation again. Why this Lobsang Sangay never take any action into this? Could he probably to indirectly inform people of his power, or what he think was self-immolation is a sign of showing “respect” to him of his work to the Tibetan. To me, I see it like life threatening. In those hay days, these tricks may effective but now in this new revolution, people are getting smarter and more exposed to freedom of mind thinking and choices. Still, in political way, religious is extremely sensitive issue that shouldn’t be involved. Like in this case, it’s evidence.
If there no ban of Dorje Shugden, I strongly believe, more LIVES have been saved, secured and living in peace and harmony.
Aritis Rock
August 1, 2017
It is the case again and again where people self-immolations in the name of ‘Free-Tibet’, Lobsang Sangye has get so many people to burn themselves in order to get back Tibet, but unfortunately he is now against 1 of the strongest country in the world, since Tibet has been taken by China and it is already impossible to take back, why can’t he work together with China and make Tibet better? Even if CTA were to take back Tibet, can they govern Tibet better than what China did? Instead of building a better place for their citizen, Lobsang Sangye get his people to commit suicide instead. How sad to read this.
Pema
August 1, 2017
It is tragic how such a young and healthy boy loses his life for a lost cause. Now, after nearly 60 years after losing their country, this boy kills himself. It should be the obligation of the Tibetan Administration to protect its people and give knowledge and understanding of the situation the Tibetans are in.
Instead, the CTA focusses on themselves and does not stop their people to kill themselves. If a leader such as Sikyong does not even try to educate the Tibetans and give them solutions for their problems to stop ftom killinh .
CTA, please stop the killing of Tibetans!
Richard LakTam
August 1, 2017
I find that a bit suspicious of what the boy said about Lobsang Sangay. Nobody asked him anything about Lobsang Sangay, just like the writer said, if one is free from trouble, that means free. Why his name is mentioned? Maybe the boy and the boy family is well paid off to sacrifice? And yet, as a LEADER, a SIKYONG! Wow…… he still keeps quiet on this issue. Come on, u are a Sikyong, u can enforce the rule to ban such action, not keeping quiet, like a silent approve to such actions.
Come on Tibetans, don’t be such a fool. Whatever u all do, including self immolation, suicide, even if u cut off your head in from of Lobsang Sangay, it’s not going to change anything. Wake up! And Lobsang Sangay will still remain silent, happily putting money he got from other countries in his pocket! WAke up Lobsang Sangay!. If Lobsang Sangay still in his dreamland, then wake up Tibetans!
Brian Little
August 1, 2017
As a leader, it is of utmost importance to not misguide your own people to do something that is deemed as extreme and what more endangering ones life. Self immolation not only should be prohibited but also be banned and punished if done to to protect it from happening again. Knowing that immolation will not help the cause (and yet Lobsang Sangay) keeping quiet about it would not send a good message out to the people. Has anybody actually even noticed that LS is probably using his own people to continue playing the pity me card?
Tianni
August 1, 2017
Until today, is very obvious that Tibetan self immolation still can’t change China control towards Tibet. The prisoners can be released from prison, the hunger can eat, and self-immolation who have no chance, a dead person can’t do anything anymore. If Tibetans stop self-immolation, what can they do to save their own nation? I think that they can do a lot of things, for example, do everything possible to find ways to protect the Tibetan culture and language; safeguard Tibetan interests and they can continue to take other ways to fight for the freedom. In short, only all Tibetans are brave to live, Tibet has hope. Dear Tibetan leaders, please do something to stop self immolation.
Vajra10
August 1, 2017
Someone should have done something to stop the self-immolation within the circle of Tibetans. Why remain silent and see people burning themselves?
Hope the victims were not controlled by someone who is cold blooded. Self-immolation has no result to Tibet causes. Everyday people are dying, no attention will be attracted. In fact, people who really wish to help Tibet, they should protect their lives and work all the way to gain results.
Wisdommind
August 1, 2017
There no excusses for Lobsang Sangye as PM not care about their tibetan in exile scrify their life for the tibetan freedom cause. Self immolation is not the correct way to ask for tibetan freedom. Tibetan leadership shold stop this type of cases happen again and take responsibility have sincere way having meeting with China government.
Jing Jing
August 19, 2017
Tibet will not independent. Scarifying lives for self-immolaton to free Tibet will never work because no one in CTA is planning to free Tibet. Hence no matter how many of Tibetans burt themselves for that, is just going to benefit the CTA, nothing else. This is obviously their source of income from the world pretending poor me.
CTA just want to enjoy the donation they received, taking photos and post, banning Dorje Shugden because this is also another source of income to them. Don’t forget, all CTA leaders are holding foreign passport, they are officially not Tibet citizens. Why do they have to fight so hard with China? They are going the dump everything and leave anytime they want. Why are they here but nothing accomplished? Because they do not want to, what they want is just the millions donation from the world.
Look at how their children live their lives. Any of them burn themselves and shout : Free Tibet? Tibetans have to wake up already. Why continue to let CTA used your lives to them to make money? They do not care what it takes but money.
Let me tell you, Tibetans who lives in Tibet are having much good lives in those live in India. Why? because China sees Tibetans as Chinese, took care of them, educate them, give them opportunities of jobs, to grow the cities and let them own their homes and lands. the rich Chinese donate and money goes to improve Tibetans lives and bring incomes to Tibetans.
What makes you think Lobsang Sangay can do better than Chinese government? By looking at how China has built and improve Tibet, do you think someone like CTA will be able to do so?
Pema Norbu
September 15, 2017
There is a clear video of His Holiness the Dalai Lama asking the monasteries to expel monks that practice Dorje Shugden. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTgYWidYw3U
Tsering Gonkatsang
September 30, 2017
Member of Parliament Tenpa Yarphel is a hero. He is speaking up for free speech and freedom of expression. He is exercising his rights, he is standing up for logical democracy which is the only way forward and not having to contact spirits like Nechung via oracles to make decisions that impact people’s lives. But look how people speak about him in the comments, so rude and nasty. It really represents the Dalai Lama badly as they are supporting Dalai Lama beings so rude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2dFMKIr_8
They say we need to believe in Nechung and follow what he says. But in 2009 Nechung said the Dalai Lama would go back to Tibet and that everyone would be happy. A monk from Nechung Monastery is the one that told everyone about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8. But Nechung was wrong. It has been eight years and this has not happened. The Dalai Lama did not return to Tibet. Nechung being consulted by Tibetan government in exile is backwards. No governments do this in the civilized world.
When people like Tenpa Yarphel speak up and are real patriots of the Tibetan people, they are attacked by other people. In fact people even protest like this man who shaves his hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA. People like these are actually protesting against Tenpa Yarphel’s democratic rights and freedom of speech. Tibetans by criticizing Tenpa Yarphel shows they are far from democracy. Besides many of the other Kagyu leaders such as Drigung Chetsang Rinpoche, Drukchen Rinpoche, Karmapa Thaye Dorje all did not say anything against Tenpa Yarphel that represents the Kagyus.
Dalai Lama had said that is his minister of cabinet in the government. Even though it is clear that Nechung is unreliable and a spirit, the Dalai Lama continues to rely heavily on Nechung and other oracles who take trance of spirits. He invites Nechung to all his events and allow him to take trance in centre stage always. In fact the Dalai Lama even calls the oracles to his own private bedroom: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x62ocw1.
These practices show how Tibetan government is run.
Lovett
October 14, 2017
Within the Tibetan communities in India, there is no free speech and how Tibetans insult each other and would even insult foreigners by calling them Chinese agents just because you speak up and this is suppose to silence you. All of this began with the Tibetan CTA. Nonetheless, there are a handful of Tibetans who had enough and they dare to speak the truth and in this case, Tenpa Yarphel speaks against Nechung and veiled statements about the Shugden ban – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A
And then there are people who would oppose his view by shaving his head. Very silly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
Lhakpa
October 17, 2017
Chokyong Nechung is wrong! Nechung in this video said that Dalai Lama is going back to China and that was five years ago? What happened? Why are we even listening to him ever again. He always make mistakes. 😱
🌎 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
Lobsang Sangay
October 17, 2017
Let’s face it… there is NO REAL FREEDOM of SPEECH for us Tibetans living under the ruling of the CTA and Dalai Lama. The Tibetan communities in India all sufer this fate and we live in lies and deception of a FAKE DEMOCRACY.
Just watch how Tibetans insult and backstab each other and would even dare insult people they do not know, calling them Chinese dogs/Chinese spies is the only thing they can say and the label they give you the moment you dare to speak up. This is done to shut you up and to indicate to other Tibetans to attack you because they make you sound like you are a traitor and this is how they get all to turn against you. This is how the Tibetan CTA deals with people they feel threatened. All because of power and position.
However, there are a few brave Tibetans who basically had enough of their deception and begin to speak up, to tell the truth. A good example is Tenpa Yarphel who bravely stood up and talked about Nechung and the inconsistency and FAILED prophesies… also the ridiculous heavy reliance on him for everything. Where on earth do you ever see any government relying on “mystical Gods” to help them make state decisions? Even if they did, they would not dare tell anyone because this is 2017 not the medieval times. Just watch – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A
Then you have the small-minded, sheep like followers, shaving their hair – like WOW big deal, to protest against Tenpa Yarphel. Lololol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
Jamyang
October 18, 2017
Question to Tibetan exile government, Central Tibetan Administration – CTA: Hey this Geshe Dorje interprets Nechung’s prophecy saying the Dalai Lama will go back to Tibet five years ago, but look, Dalai Lama still cannot go back. Watch… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
Not only that, there is still NO sign of even creating a good relationship for a chance to go back! So we are all stuck and still nowhere near going back to Tibet. So why on earth are we still listening to this spirit Nechung who always makes mistakes and give wrong prophecies? Nechung even killed the 13th Dalai Lama by giving him the wrong medicine. So WHY are we still listening to him for? Why are we Buddhist following what a spirit says? If we can follow Nechung spirit so why condemn Dogyal? This is weird and wrong!
Pema Schneider
October 19, 2017
Lobsang Sangay at Golden Jubilee Celebration of Tibetan Settlement Office, Dharamsala: https://youtu.be/eInTi-E9na8
Losang Sangay said recently (October, 2017) in Dharamsala that Tibetans have two enemies: the outer and inner enemy. The outer enemy is the Chinese government and Dorje Shugden people. The inner enemy is the people who speak against about our Tibetan affairs like regional differences and religious differences. (He didn’t say this directly but he means people like Tenpa Yarphel who spoke up in the Parliament). He said out of the two enemies, the worse one is the inner enemy.
Now the Tibetans have started a new Facebook page specifically against Tenpa Yarphel. Tibetans are protesting against him: http://bit.ly/2ysowTH
And there is a video of Tibetans with Tenpa Yarphel’s name on the paper against him, asking him to resign: http://bit.ly/2zAH2af
Matteo
October 19, 2017
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a a dedicated advocate for the principles of democracy. In September this year, Tibetans in India celebrated the 57th anniversary of the establishment of the democratic path in the running of the Tibetan people’s political system. Sadly, it’s all lip service.
Look at the recent incident of MP Tenpa Yarphel speaking up. Tenpa Yarphel has the right to speak and express his opinion, especially because he is a representative of the people, a Member of Parliament. He was criticized for issuing irresponsible statements. Watch this video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A
What is absurd is that there are even people protesting against his opinion, shaving their hair in protest! See this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
Tenpa Yarphel was accused of being sectarian, but the reality is that because of Nechung’s advice, Dorje Shugden practitioners were segregated, discriminated and ostracized from the Tibetan community in general all around the world. This MP is perhaps tired of seeing the separation and found the courage to speak up for the unity of the Tibetan people in exile.
Lukar Jam supporter
October 19, 2017
Everyone knows Nechung oracle is not reliable. Many times his predictions wrong.
He didn’t help when british invaded tibet in 1904. he gave wrong medicine to 13th dalai lama which caused His holiness’s death. he said in the past Tibetans going back to Tibet soon. In 2009, this Geshe Dorje read out what Nechung oracle said. How many years passed, negotiation talk never resume after Lobsang Sangay become Sikyong. That is why now Kagyu Member of Parliament Tenpa Yarphel speaking up about Nechung because so many problems caused.
Why we still believe Nechung after so many wrong predictions? Watch this short video, see how confident this Geshe was explaining, but it never came true:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
Tashi, Delhi
October 20, 2017
What is the CTA for a club? Going around pretending to be a democracy and only because of HH Dalai Lama they can make some foreign people believe it but it seems that karma is coming back.
The CTA is suppressing their own people and having a good life with the money originally meant for the Tibetan people. On top, their elections are a farce!
Listen here to Tenpa Yarphel who questions about the reliance of the Tibetan Government to Nechung, an oracle, which is understandable already but on top Nechung’s predictions seem to create more problems than anything else. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A
What happens to Tenpa Yarphel now that he speaks up? Tibetans have started a Facebook page against Tenpa Yarphel and protest against him: http://bit.ly/2ysowTH. They even ask Tenpa Yarphel to resign: http://bit.ly/2zAH2af
So much for the “Democratic” Tibetan Government!!
ashrao
October 29, 2017
Unfortunately, the dream of Tibetan democracy is nothing but that. Look at this brave Tenpa Yarphel speaking up against the spirit Nechung (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A). He brings up a good point, the Tibetans rely more on a spirit than they do on democratic principles and their own intelligence and care for their own people.
But these Tibetans themselves are so enamored with the spirit that they protest against Tenpa Yarphel, lame protests, but protests nonetheless, like this man who cut off his hair (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA). I really don’t understand how this is a protest, but each to their own I guess.
Personally, I don’t really think much of the Tibetans who follow their lame government. I’ve seen first-hand just how much the average Tibetan suffers under their current leadership and this just goes to show that their government is ineffective and schismatic. But one thing about this whole situation is somewhat promising, there is a silver lining, and that is the point was raised by a Tibetan MP within their parliament. He wouldn’t have done so if other people in the Tibetan community did not feel the same way. It is time for Tibetan to free themselves of a superstitious, money-grabbing, self-serving, and impotent government.
Dawa Lhamo
October 29, 2017
Tibetan government are useless, they rely on Nechung https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A
Any you know what, their supporters even cut their hair off because they don’t agree with MP. This guy funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
What this going to change?
ashrao
October 29, 2017
The Tibetan government keep relying on Nechung for everything, though all his predictions and advice cause more damage than harm. Is it even wise to follow his advice, I mean he was wrong about His Holiness the Dalai Lama returning to Tibet in five years https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
That was in 2009, we are now in 2017, which was 8 years ago. Is his advice really trust worthy? I wonder why the Tibetan government even continue to listen to him. Perhaps they get something out of it?
Tashi Gonkatsang
October 29, 2017
This ashrao posted this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
What he said is true. I couldn’t believe it at first, because I never heard my parents or relatives tell much such things before. But when I asked my uncle who is a monk, he told me it is true. He said that Nechung gave bad advice and has continued to give bad advice. My uncle said that even many of the monks and high lamas don’t even believe in anything Nechung says. Better to say no rather than listening to his advice from now on. My parents were shocked. They used to go and see Nechung oracle when they were in India, but luckily I was able to move them to the USA. Now we better off. I can’t believe that the government still listen to the Nechung.
Hi I'm Lobsang Sangye I'm a liar
October 29, 2017
It’s quite refreshing to have someone from the parliament speaking up and raising questions about the unjustness that’s been happening within its own “government”. Tenpa Yarphel is extremely brave to speak up like that, Tibetans HAVE TO WATCH IT! 👍
1. Tibetan shaves off his hair in protest against MP Tenpa Yarphel 2017 Sept
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
2. Tibetan Parliament member representing Kagyu School Ven. Tenpa Yarphel speaks against Nechung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2dFMKIr_8
Then of course, we have some intelligent individuals such as Geshe Dorje himself, who just wants attention, talks big but does nothing else 🙄 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
TseringD, Delhi
October 29, 2017
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
Why CTA Why
October 30, 2017
Watch when Geshe Dorje interprets Nechung’s prophecies! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
After the Nechung oracle takes trance, his answers are interpreted and explained by Geshe Dorje, a Buddhist master from Nechung Monastery.
This video from 2009 proves that Nechung is wrong again! Why rely on Nechung when all his prophecies are wrong?? Someone with a hidden agenda maybe?!!
Michaela Smith
October 30, 2017
Only the CTA relies on the Nechung and made the spirit who gave so many false advice so much privileges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIDZLzXIgW8
Namdrol
October 30, 2017
MP Tenpa Yarphel is very brave to questioned the validity and accuracy of the spirit Nechung who the Dalai Lama always consulted, apparently Nechung has been giving highly inaccurate prophecies, but people still keep using him because Dalai Lama keeps using him and nobody dare to say otherwise, although Nechung is full of mistake, no wonder Tibetans did not get back their country even after 60 years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKOjcpLH8A
Look at this guy’s way of protest against MP Tenpa Yarphel and you know why the Tibetans will never get back their country:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
Michaela Smith
October 30, 2017
I would like to share with you about this courageous Tibetan parliament MP who is speaking up against Nechung. He received a lot of backlash due to his bravery, but I hope it won’t deter him to speak up in the future. There are many people who actually agree with him
1. Tibetan Parliament member representing Kagyu School, speak up about Nechung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2dFMKIr_8
2. Tibetan shaves off his hair in protest against MP Tenpa Yarphel 2017 Sept
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30NL4hG8oA
Tenzin Ngawang
November 17, 2017
China knows how welcome President Trump… on the other hand, what happened with the CTA…
https://youtu.be/Na3lcejmqZ4
But Sharling is busy massaging Lobsang Sangay when their biggest sponsor is coming hehe
Ngodup Tsering
November 18, 2017
SANGAY and SHARLING should keep it cool!!
celia
December 16, 2017
After so many deaths through the years, isn’t it clear that self-emulation would not spur a change in China about the Tibetan cause? Yet CTA refuses to take a stronger position to curb such grisly suicides when they are clearly in position to do so. In fact, CTA only gave some half-hearted after thought plea as lip service when more and more people are questioning about CTA’s inaction.
Goes to show perhaps there is much truth in the allegations that CTA actually condones such growing trend of self-immolations. After all, if CTA truly is financially benefiting through the increased donations from foreign countries and organizations after every case of self-immolation, it is no wonder that CTA won’t call for its cessation.