I came across this article,
Rift among Tibetans riddles security agencies' task, which i thought was interesting because of the following points. I have attached the full article below my comments:
1. "Deep divisions among Buddhist devotees over issues like succession of 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and rifts between Dalai Lama and Shugden community are perceived as potential threat perceptions,"What are "potential threat perceptions"? If it is a perception, it means that it is a view, which may or may not be true. Obviously there is NO threat from Dorje Shugden practitioners, in fact, the threats are experienced BY the Dorje Shugden practitioners as have been documented in articles and videos on this very website. This includes the tight security for HH Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche, which would not be necessary if there was no threat. The difference between the "potential threat perceptions" and threats to Dorje Shugden lamas and practitioners are the latter is VERY real.
2. "But it is almost impossible for security agencies to identify these anti-elements from Tibetan population." Perhaps because there ARE none?
3. "We cannot ignore the community's recent activities against Dalai Lama." What activities? I haven't heard of any threat to the Dalai Lama in the media or anywhere - by anyone, let alone Dorje Shugden practitioners.
4. "...We have already identified some of their places and monasteries in Tibetan settlements across India," said Ngodup Dorjee, security chief of the Tibetan exile government." Oh my goodness. Do they mean....er... Shar Ganden? Ser Pom monastery? That would be incredibly perceptive of them to have been able to identify those. Applause all round to the CTA. Ngodup Dorgee gets a medal.
5. "The Tibetan community is divided over Dorje Shugden controversy, evidently in recent days, as local police station has received an unnamed parcel from Singapore bearing the sender's name as Shugden, which contained a DVD and a letter questioning the role of Dalai Lama and the deities in the Tibetan struggle for an autonomous region within China." Wow. The fact that the community is divided over this issue is nothing new. Is receiving a DVD and a letter questioning the role of the Dalai Lama in the Tibetan struggle constitute as a threat?
6. "Shugden is a segment of Tibetan community which follows Dorje Shugden, reportedly a Dharma protector of Sakya Gelug tradition. But it has not been recognized by the Dalai Lama and had been socially boycotted. Dalai Lama had issued an explicit ban order on this section of practitioners in 1996, stating that they do not comply with the principles of Buddhism." Please let us be clear - Dorje Shugden was recognised by the Dalai Lama, after all, see the praise written to Dorje Shugden by the Dalai Lama himself. It was only later, that the Dalai Lama, for reasons of his own which have never been made clear, decided to condemn Dorje Shugden and CAUSED the boycott of this Buddha.
7. "Dorje Shugden practitioners have also been stripped off voting rights, which other Tibetans enjoy. They have also severed all connections with Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan administration." Thank you TNN for highlighting that practitioners have been stripped of their voting rights. Actually they have been stripped of so much more. Monks have been expelled from their monasteries. Children are not permitted to go to schools. Dorje Shugden practitioners are forbidden from entering shops to buy basic necessities and are often spat on. They are not given travel papers which means they cannot leave their refugee camp.
Also, it is not that they have severed all connections with the Dalai Lama and the CTA. On the contrary, it is the Dalai Lama and the CTA who have cut all ties with them.
8. ""Dorje Shugden followers are damaging the websites openly and have their people in all Tibetan settlements. We are worried about their sources of funding. It might be China or some other anti-Tibetan elements," sources in the religion and culture department of Tibetan government in exile said." Damage what websites??? Dorjeshugden.com, the largest and most popular website on Dorje Shugden in the world, even has a very public (and enforced) policy that people are respectful of and should NOT criticise the Dalai Lama.
Re having "their people in all Tibetan settlements", considering Dorje Shugden is widely practiced, of course Dorje Shugden practitioners will be in all the Tibetan settlements. And - considering that they have been part of the Tibetan settlements for so many years since the ban in 1996, what incidents have their been of Dorje Shugden practitioners being disruptive or threatening. Most commonly cited is a murder case, where the assailants are allegedly Dorje Shugden practitioners. However, there has been no case - the murderers were not arrested so everything is merely alleged.
As i have said elsewhere on the forum also, IF the murderers did HAPPEN to be Dorje Shugden practitioners, it does not mean that they represent ALL Dorje Shugden practitioners anyway. For example, just because a mass murderer is a Christian, who psychotically thinks that he is killing all non-Christians in the name of Christ, it does not mean that all Christians are bad or condone that behaviour or thought. It is so logical, i do not know why the CTA cannot see this.
9. "While they are enthroned as the 17th Karmapa by their followers and supporters, Ogyen Trinley Dorje has been accepted as the 17th Karmapa by Dalai Lama and the Chinese government."Re the Karmapa issue, this topic has been extensively addressed on this website, interestingly enough. And the interesting point is the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government actually agree on Ogyen Trinley Dorje. This is a fascinating issue which has been covered extensively already and I strongly recommend forum participants to read the articles on the main website as well as on forum and add your thoughts.
Rift among Tibetans riddles security agencies' taskS Gopal Puri, TNN | Jul 10, 2013, 05.00 AM IST
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rift-among-Tibetans-riddles-security-agencies-task/articleshow/20996330.cmsDHARAMSHALA: The headquarters of Tibetan government in exile here witnessed high alert for the third consecutive day with security tightened around Dalai Lama's exile home, the Karmapa's monastery and Kangra airport. Meanwhile, threat perceptions to Buddhist leaders from divided Tibetan groups itself is an acid-test for the security agencies here, sources said.
Deep divisions among Buddhist devotees over issues like succession of 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and rifts between Dalai Lama and Shugden community are perceived as potential threat perceptions, sources said. But it is almost impossible for security agencies to identify these anti-elements from Tibetan population. Even Tibetan security agencies find it an uphill task, they pointed out.
"We are weighing every threat perception to Buddhist leaders and Tibetan pilgrimage places. This (Dorjee Shigden) threat is also under our scanner. We cannot ignore the community's recent activities against Dalai Lama. We have already identified some of their places and monasteries in Tibetan settlements across India," said Ngodup Dorjee, security chief of the Tibetan exile government.
The Tibetan community is divided over Dorje Shugden controversy, evidently in recent days, as local police station has received an unnamed parcel from Singapore bearing the sender's name as Shugden, which contained a DVD and a letter questioning the role of Dalai Lama and the deities in the Tibetan struggle for an autonomous region within China.
Shugden is a segment of Tibetan community which follows Dorje Shugden, reportedly a Dharma protector of Sakya Gelug tradition. But it has not been recognized by the Dalai Lama and had been socially boycotted. Dalai Lama had issued an explicit ban order on this section of practitioners in 1996, stating that they do not comply with the principles of Buddhism.
Dorje Shugden practitioners have also been stripped off voting rights, which other Tibetans enjoy. They have also severed all connections with Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan administration.
"Dorje Shugden followers are damaging the websites openly and have their people in all Tibetan settlements. We are worried about their sources of funding. It might be China or some other anti-Tibetan elements," sources in the religion and culture department of Tibetan government in exile said.
On the other hand, the second most followed leader of Tibetan community -- Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa -- is also being opposed by a group of Tibetans.
Since the death of 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, in 1981, the seat of Karmapa has courted controversy as there are two claimants -- Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Trinley Thaye Dorje. While they are enthroned as the 17th Karmapa by their followers and supporters, Ogyen Trinley Dorje has been accepted as the 17th Karmapa by Dalai Lama and the Chinese government.
Karmapa is the third highest spiritual leader of the Tibetans and heads the Kagyu sect. Among Tibetan Buddhists, he is ranked only after Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama. The historical seat of the Karmapa is Tsurphu monastery in Tolung valley of Tibet, while the principal seat-in-exile is at Rumtek monastery in Sikkim.
In 1994, Trinley Thaye was enthroned by Shamar Rinpoche as the 17th Karmapa at Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi. The situation soon worsened at Rumtek monastery (the seat of the Karmapa) as it got divided into two opposing camps.
