"The atmosphere throughout the monastery is one of intimidation and repression."

[DharmaDefender]

I was just Googling for some information and came across this post written by one James Burns. Really worth your time to read as it furthers your understanding of the ban and why it is so important to speak up. James writing is an excellent account of the atmosphere that existed when the ban was first implemented. Repressive, violent and you can see that bully and intimidation were used to enforce the leaderships diktats.

Spring 1996
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Having Formally implimented the ban on Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama sets about rallying support for his ban. In Dharamsala on the 5th of April he addressed The Women's Association and Tibetan Youth Congress encouraging them to take up the task of enforcing the ban. During his address he talks in praise of people giving up there life for him in the furtherance of this cause. 

On the same day a great act of religious vandalism takes place at the Ganden Choeling Nunnery in Dharamsala. In this nunnery is a statue of Dorje Shugden which has been consecrated and blessed by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, the senior tutor of the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the junior tutor of the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Rato Rinpoche, and the Venerable Kyabje Song Rinpoche.

The statue is stolen from the cell of the abbess during her absence and dragged into the street by ropes attached to its neck. The statue is desecrated and destroyed. It is spat on , sat on, broken into pieces and thrown into the rubbish dump. The desecration is carried out by Losang Dechen, the disciplinarian of the nunnery, assisted by Tenzin Tselha and a newly arrived nun from Tibet Drolma Yangdzom.

The occupants of the local branch monastery of Ganden Shartse (Shartse Khangsar) are subject to threats and intimidation because of their devotion to Dorje Shugden. Due to the words and acts of His Holiness, most of the sponsors of the monastery feel it is best to withdraw their support.

The Dalai Lama's tactic in enforcing the ban is to ensure that as far as possible the social, religious and political systems rallied to give active support. These are the organisations over which he has economic and cultural influence and control.

At the individual level he would attempt to ensure that the various cultural organisations vetted their membership so that no Dorje Shugden devotees were present. The campaigns main tools were signature campaigns with the threat of loss of livelihood or even violence for those that did not comply. Intimidation campaigns and trickery were also employed to achieve the desired end. In some cases there were offerings of 'rewards' for those who would undertake the bidding of His Holiness.

Following the Government resolution of the 30th March banning all Dorje Shugden devotees from being government employees, a signature campaign is instituted requiring every government employee to sign a declaration saying that they do not, and will not, ever worship Dorje Shugden. By the middle of April a number of requests have arrived saying that some people require more time to think about it. These requests land on deaf ears, and the Government insists that these individuals need to choose between their religious beliefs and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Effectively what this means is that if they do not give up Dorje Shugden worship they will lose their jobs. All results and reports are sent to the Private Office of the Dalai Lama. 

Having allowed a further month for this process to become fully effective the Kashag responds to accusations of religious repression on the fourteenth of May by saying that.. 'there is not a single Government employee who follows Dorje Shugden, as such losing jobs because of this reason does not arise.'

In accord with the Dalai Lama's wishes, organisations such as the 'Tibetan Freedom Movement', the 'Guchusum Movement' and the 'Toepa Association' ban the worship of Dorje Shugden within it's membership. On the eighteenth of April a letter arrives from the Department of Health, Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, to all medical staff requiring them to make a written declaration that they do not worship Dorje Shugden.

The employees of the Tibetan Childrens Village are required to take loyalty oaths, and a door to door visitation is made in nearby Forsyth Ganj declaring that those who continue to worship Dorje Shugden are anti-Tibetan.

By the last week in April representatives from the Private Office of the Dalai Lama start arriving in the monasteries and Tibetan settlements in South India to attempt to enforce the ban. Serious friction and tension develops between sections of the population and the government officers.

At Sera Monastery Mr Losang Khendrup of the Religious Council and Mr Tenpa Zoepa from the Private Office of His Holiness meet with tha Abbot. Mr Zoepa informs the Abbot that he is just a volunteer and is present in an informal capacity. On this basis the Abbot allows Mr Zoepa to address the monks in the main prayer hall regarding the recent government policy on Dorje Shugden. During his presentation, Mr Zoepa announces that he is present on Official Business and leaves blank forms for each monk to sign. The forms require a declaration from each monk saying that they do not and will not worship Dorje Shugden. The delegation then leave to obtain signed declarations from the Government Employees in the surrounding Tibetan settlements, saying that they will return at a later date to collect the declarations from the monastery.

On the 26th April, Bari Rinpoche, a highly respected teacher, is asked to preside over a 21 day exorcism against Dorje Shugden and the practitioners of Dorje Shugden at Sera Monastery. The private office of the Dalai Lama offer Bari Rinpoche special permission to be a candidate at the following years Geshe Lharampa examinations, plus exemptions from any further examinations of the Gelugpa Cultural Society, if he complies. Bari Rinpoche finding the situation intolerable leaves for Nepal

At Drepung Monastery the principle Abbot states that everyone must abide by the ban, after the decree is officially read out. Drepung Loseling College distrubutes the forms stipulating that anyone who does not sign will immediately be expelled.  In response a number of monks, including the highly respected Buddhist master Dragpa Rinpoche, move to the nearby Indian town.

The following day at Drepung Gomang College, in the main assembly hall there is an announcement on the strict ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden. The atmosphere throughout the monastery is one of intimidation and repression. The monks are required to sign a declaration that they will stop the worship of Dorje Shugden.

In the evening the house of the well known Dorje Shugden practitioner Dagom Rinpoche is vandalised. Dagom Rinpoche is in Nepal at the time, and his disciples complain to the Abbott about the destruction. The Abbott ignores the complaints.

On the 25th of April, at Ganden Shartse Monastery the head monks convene to discuss the situation surrounding the Dorje Shugden ban. They decide that they will not do anything that will curtail the religious freedom of its monks.

On the 1st of May the administrators of the Monastery are concerned that there may be an adverse reaction to the impending visit of the government in exiles representatives to discuss the Dorje Shugden ban. The administration have no sympathy with the ban but are anxious that nothing takes place that could result in damaging the monasteries reputation. A resolution is passed that: ''If during the announcement [by representatives of the government-in-exile] there is any action on the part of anyone that will smear the reputation of Ganden Lachi, that person will be expelled from the monastery."

In a similar vein the resolution urges no one to voice an opinion or ask any questions of the delegation but to remain silent during the presentation. Likewise anyone who may have any sympathy with the ban, or supports the views of His Holiness, are asked to leave the monastery.

The representatives of His Holiness arrive the same morning accompanied by approximately thirty armed police from Karnataka State Police force and forty monks who support the Dalai Lama who are armed with clubs and metal bars. This 'delegation' surround the main prayer hall and force the resident monks to enter with their hands held up 'chinese style' as they enter. The irony of the situation is not lost on those present.

During the reading of the ban, the armed police wander amongst the monks in an intimidsating manner. Signature forms are distributed and the Abbot urges the monks to sign.

Local children are told that the declaration forms are for foreign sponsorships and are urged to sign. Not knowing any better some of them do so. Officials return to the schoolroom at lunchtime to collect the signatures.

When all the forms from Ganden Shartse are returned only 200 out of an approximate 900 are signed. All this despite armed intimidation, trickery and economic and political coercion.

May 4th:

Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche, the 13-year old reincarnation of the Dalai Lama's own Spiritual Guide, is called to the Private Office of the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. Among others, he is accompanied by Norbu Choepel and Losang Tharchin the manager of Trijang Labrang.

The Dalai Lama explains his thoughts regarding Dorje Shugden to the young Trijang Rinpoche. He further informs him that a divination by lottery (messages wrapped in balls of dough which are picked out of a vase) will be held to determine how the young monk is to proceed with regard to Dorje Shugden. The divination is to take place in front of the venerated statue called 'Kyirong Jowo' in the Dalai Lama's private chapel.

The slips of paper to be wrapped in the dough balls will have only the following options:-

1. Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche should stop worshipping Dorje Shugden;

2. Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche can worship, but only in total secret.

The boy is told that the divination will take place within the next few days 'as soon as Venerable Lati Rinpoche returns from Mundgod (south India) on the 7th'. He is told that whichever slip comes out during the divination it will be final. He is further informed that even if the dough ball containing the injunction: 'can worship, but only in total secrecy' should come out, he amongst all Tibetans will be the only exception.

During the meeting the Dalai Lama says that the 'old man' (referring to the previous Trijang Rinpoche) had a 'green brain' (a Tibetan term for senility). He also states that there is no reason for the young reincarnation to follow the activities of the previous incarnation.

A day or so after this, and before Lati Rinpoche returned to Dharamsala, the young Rinpoche and his attendants leave Dharamsala for south India.

The divination is never carried out, and the young re-incarnation does not return to Dharamsala.   

[DharmaSpace]

A chilling account of what had transpired previously.

Though the anti Dorje Shugden people have been restrained for most parts, one cannot imagine what would have happened if the courageous lamas of the Gelug tradition did not speak up or take actions, like Kundeling Rinpoche was one of the first few to speak vocally. Trijang Ladrang moved Trijang Rinpoche all the way to the Europe and US for his safety. The Dalai Lama subsequently has said Trijang Rinpoche can practice Dorje Shudgen. 

I will never believe the Dalai Lama called Trijang Rinpoche senile, he uttered it only as a smokescreen, to hide the bigger agenda. Dalai Lama would have never reached the level of attainment by being rude about Trijang one of his main teachers. Guru Devotion is the first topic covered before the start of the Small Scope, no one can get any attainments from such behaviour.

[Matibhadra]

Dalai Lama would have never reached the level of attainment by being rude about Trijang one of his main teachers.

Would never and will never.

Indeed, the evil dalie's declared disdain for his two tutors and root gurus, Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche, is a well documented and well established fact, as is his pathetic lack of attainment, or his total failure as a so-called Buddhist and human being.

For instance, as just discussed in a recent thread, he confessed the total inefficacy of his own prayers, as implied by his total disbelief in the power of prayer, while it is well known that the prayers of attained beings are fulfilled by the power of the truth.

Guru Devotion is the first topic covered before the start of the Small Scope, no one can get any attainments from such behaviour.

Which explains the evil dalie's thorough lack of any good quality, let alone “attaiment”.

[yontenjamyang]

It is indeed chilling that the ban was implemented the way it was. At the same time, I now see that there were much resistance albeit in a passive manner especially by Ganden and Sera Monasteries. I also realized that the Monasteries seems to be taken over by political view and the proof is how it was implemented by force, intimidation and repression.
It is proof that there is a ban and hence a lie. This is clear.

[grandmapele]

There are a lot of evidences of the ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden, despite the many  protests by the CTA that there is no such ban. More pertinent is the question of what the ultimate goal is. The structure of the organisation within the Tibetans is very murky with the crossover of the secular with the spiritual.  Samsara being what it is only, this conflict even if compassionate and of an ultimate truth in nature will create more negative karma for a huge percentage of the Tibetan Buddhists. Is this the age where religion is used for personal gain and human beings will be too confused to want to learn the dharma?