CTA rejects China’s allegations, Appeals Tibetans not to self-immolate

[Ensapa]

Isnt it a bit too late for them to do this? They should have done this on the 1st self immolation. Why did they have to wait for Nechung to speak? Why did Nechung wait until so many people die before speaking up?

CTA rejects China’s allegations, Appeals Tibetans not to self-immolate
Phayul[Thursday, May 30, 2013 06:43]

DHARAMSHALA, May 30: The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration has once again categorically rejected China’s allegations of “outside forces” instigating the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests inside Tibet.

The Kashag (Cabinet) in a statement Wednesday said China’s recent claims, made in a documentary on self-immolation protests, aired on China Central Television on May 16, “don’t have a strand of truth.”

“In order to prove their accusations that the self-immolations are being instigated by outside forces, the documentary carries randomly edited and isolated portions of speeches made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and Kasur Kirti Rinpoche to serve the Chinese government’s own specific designs,” the statement reads.

“Such despicable acts are not only unlawful and cross all limits of human morality but also humiliates developed societies around the world, regarding them as blind and ignorant to facts.”

China’s official news agency Xinhua, in an earlier report had said that the documentary was “aimed at helping the international community to understand the truth of the situation” and made after “in-depth research and interviews.”

Days after the documentary was aired, on May 27, Tenzin Sherab, 31, a Tibetan nomad became the 118th Tibetan living under China’s rule to set himself on fire since 2009. Tibetan self-immolators have demanded freedom in Tibet and the return of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

In the statement, the exile Tibetan administration again expressed its readiness for a thorough investigation into the allegations made by Beijing.

“The Central Tibetan Administration’s sincere appeal to all Tibetans to refrain from drastic actions is well documented and in public knowledge,” the Kashag said in its statement.

“Well-known international groups and individuals have also acknowledged and stand witness to our efforts.”

The CTA also revealed recent divinations made by the Chief state oracle of Tibet, Nechung, who had predicted that an end to the wave of self-immolations would be for the better.

“Through this official statement, we appeal to our Tibetan brothers and sisters living inside and outside Tibet to refrain from carrying out drastic actions including self-immolations,” the CTA said.

[DS Star]

Why only NOW CTA appeal to young Tibetans not to self-immolate?

Well, I would say that CTA has no choice; they need to change their political moves... they are desperate.

When the self-immolation first started, the incidents moved many people and it managed to catch international attention, so CTA was riding on the 'emotions' and 'sympathy' of international audience, hoping that it will help their cause.

They took these issue to US & 'staged the self-immolations dramatically' in front of UN Head Office and even glorified them as heroes or martyrs.

Now CTA realised this is a lost cause; not only they are unable to put pressure on China government, it is CTA itself receiving the pressure for being labelled as the 'party' inciting these young people to sacrifice their own lives. 

I pray that all the victims in these tragedies will have a good and swift rebirth. May they find peace in their next lives.

http://youtu.be/dhx3SdqcfYo
	Small | Large

http://youtu.be/aom7bRvM9S0
	Small | Large

[Ensapa]

there are many loopholes with the self immolations. One of the most obvious one was how did the images and videos of the self immolations manage to leak out to the CTA despite China's tight control? Another is how did the people manage to take pictures of the self immolations on time as if they were waiting for it to happen? China has since pointed these inconsistencies in a documentary they did on the instigators of the self immolations which they have caught and they have also admitted to be CTA's agents, and with them were also a plethora of forbidden recording devices. The video is interesting because it says dont make the Dalai Lama cry...but the CTA is deliberately making HHDL cry by instigating the self immolations. Clearly, they do not care much about the Dalai Lama and put their political ambitions before the Dalai Lama.

[WisdomBeing]

Goodness... the CTA is only condemning the self-immolations because Nechung said so??? They couldn't see that it was a negative action before that??? I am shocked.

The Dalai Lama has said, “I have always seen myself as a spokesperson of the Tibetans, not their sovereign. These people are responsible and make their decisions independently. Unfortunately, I’m not in the position to offer them a concrete alternative.” (from http://weblog.savetibet.org/2013/05/21/dalai-lama-beijing-and-tibetan-self-immolation/)

The Dalai Lama has not been able to offer them a concrete alternative?? A concrete alternative would have been - please stop self-immolating. It doesn't achieve anything and you waste your precious human life. Isn't that what the Lamrim says? That we should not waste our precious human life but do Dharma? The Dalai Lama could ban Dorje Shugden and people would listen to him but he couldn't ban self-immolations because people make their "decisions independently"?

Sorry, i don't buy it.

[lotus1]

Self-immolation is equivalent to committing suicide. Fully agreed with WisdomBeing that it is especially not encouraged in Buddhism as it is killing one’s own life and wasting the precious human life that we have. There are so many things that we can do on this life to practice and use it to benefit others.
I just find CTA all these while has been instigating all these incidents of self-immolation for their political gain. Now, when they find that this will not lead them far, they are using Nechung’s divination as an excuse to make a stop to it.
If Nechung would only advice to stop after more than 100 self-immolation, CTA should really look into the accuracy of Nechung’s divination and effectiveness. CTA should learn from the earlier lesson that it is Dorje Shugden that helped Dalai Lama to escape from Tibet previously. In order for CTA to success, they should listen to Dorje Shugden and lift the ban for Dorje Shugden as he is the enlightened protector that will give accurate divination and will benefit many. 

[dondrup]

For a truly caring government, CTA would not have waited until after so many deaths from self-immolation to speak up against self-immolations!  Without even depending on divination, through common sense, it is sufficed to know that self-immolation is totally a waste of human lives.  How can committing suicide bring back the independence of Tibet? 

If CTA really care, why consult Nechung now and not earlier after the first immolation?  It shows the lack of concern for its citizens by CTA.  CTA only reacted after China’s allegations of “outside forces” instigating the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests inside Tibet.  How shameful CTA!

Why still rely on Nechung when Nechung’s predictions were known to be inaccurate as in the case of HH Dalai Lama’s escape from Tibet?

[Ensapa]

Goodness... the CTA is only condemning the self-immolations because Nechung said so??? They couldn't see that it was a negative action before that??? I am shocked.

The Dalai Lama has said, “I have always seen myself as a spokesperson of the Tibetans, not their sovereign. These people are responsible and make their decisions independently. Unfortunately, I’m not in the position to offer them a concrete alternative.” (from http://weblog.savetibet.org/2013/05/21/dalai-lama-beijing-and-tibetan-self-immolation/)

The Dalai Lama has not been able to offer them a concrete alternative?? A concrete alternative would have been - please stop self-immolating. It doesn't achieve anything and you waste your precious human life. Isn't that what the Lamrim says? That we should not waste our precious human life but do Dharma? The Dalai Lama could ban Dorje Shugden and people would listen to him but he couldn't ban self-immolations because people make their "decisions independently"?

Sorry, i don't buy it.

It's easiest for the Dalai Lama to just say that self immolations are wrong and they should stop, but HHDL has been quiet about it, probably because he has full knowledge that his name is being used to incite the self immolations. If he speaks out against him, he will be perceived as a liar by many more Tibetans. But well, wouldnt it be better for him to be perceived as a liar but prevent the deaths of many people? It's just a thought that I have on this issue. It is however, quite sad that the Dalai Lama has choose to passively encourage self immolations by erecting the statue of the first self immolator in Dharamsala because it is a show of his approval for self immolations. I do hope that the statue will be removed and even if they want to do prayer sessions for the self immolators that they are done in private so that they will not encourage more.

[Rinchen]

Why should the CTA even wait till Nechung say that Tibetans should not self-immolate to stop all Tibetans.

In the first place, you should not even end your life like that. What are the chances that you would be a human? What are the chances that you would be a member of sangha? This is so silly to just self-immolate.

To me, self-immolation is pointless, and silly. You would never get the your message sent out, because with these kind of actions, people would not even respect you anymore.

It is a bad way of getting things done in the way they want it to be. Adding on to that, it is also wrong to kill, what makes you think that you should even kill yourself!

[Ensapa]

Why should the CTA even wait till Nechung say that Tibetans should not self-immolate to stop all Tibetans.

In the first place, you should not even end your life like that. What are the chances that you would be a human? What are the chances that you would be a member of sangha? This is so silly to just self-immolate.

To me, self-immolation is pointless, and silly. You would never get the your message sent out, because with these kind of actions, people would not even respect you anymore.

It is a bad way of getting things done in the way they want it to be. Adding on to that, it is also wrong to kill, what makes you think that you should even kill yourself!

Because they need a scapegoat to justify their actions, every step of the way as they lack responsibility and the ability to be responsible. It is this attitude that will actually kill the whole CTA. The member of the sangha who did so definitely did not do it for Tibet although his intentions would seem like it as there are so many other initiatives that he could have took to improve the Tibetan situation. It was either that he was tricked into thinking what he was doing could help, or that he was really after the praise and fame from self immolations. Being a monk does not mean that one would automatically be free from the 8 worldly concerns.

[Rinchen]

It is true that these self-immolaters wants the recognition for the Dalai Lama and CTA, but it still does not mean that it is correct.

By being a member of the Sangha, they should know that they should practice what is being taught in the Lamrim. If they do not even follow and practice what is being taught, then what is the difference between them and lay people like us?

Yes, it does not mean that when they are a member of the Sangha they would not be attached to the 8 worldly concerns. But it would be that their attachment would be lessen, and lesser then the laymen.

[Ensapa]

It is true that these self-immolaters wants the recognition for the Dalai Lama and CTA, but it still does not mean that it is correct.

By being a member of the Sangha, they should know that they should practice what is being taught in the Lamrim. If they do not even follow and practice what is being taught, then what is the difference between them and lay people like us?

Yes, it does not mean that when they are a member of the Sangha they would not be attached to the 8 worldly concerns. But it would be that their attachment would be lessen, and lesser then the laymen.

Of course it is not correct at all, but people still do it anyway believing that it is. So it kind of makes whether or not it is correct irrelevant at all in cases like these because people are being brainwashed. What they are doing contradicts what the Buddha has taught and contradicts basic human values as well. These innocent people are being made to believe that whatever they are doing will bring them benefits when it will only bring more disbenefit in the long run. The source of the self immolations are deception...

[Rinchen]

Deceptions are just something that what people choose to believe in. How our thought are geared are all based on the choice that we make and what we choose to believe. It is just upsetting to see so many people out there that choose to believe things that are of no factual contend, instead, they think that their actions would make someone else happy. Which sometimes, these people will be forgotten in a few minutes after their death.

[Blueupali]

Isnt it a bit too late for them to do this? They should have done this on the 1st self immolation. Why did they have to wait for Nechung to speak? Why did Nechung wait until so many people die before speaking up?

CTA rejects China’s allegations, Appeals Tibetans not to self-immolate
Phayul[Thursday, May 30, 2013 06:43]



The CTA also revealed recent divinations made by the Chief state oracle of Tibet, Nechung, who had predicted that an end to the wave of self-immolations would be for the better.

While I agree that it would have been helpful to say all of this earlier, and for the CTA to make some sort of heartfelt attempt at stopping the immolations before, and although I personally have no use for the Nechung oracle, the fact is that some people do; maybe this is a good sign the self immolations will end; if people are doing it out of blind faith and the cause of Tibet (regardless of whether they were acting on their own or being encouraged by CTA associates) then maybe those who could not listen before will listen and stop harming themselves.  That would be very helpful.

[Positive Change]

Isnt it a bit too late for them to do this? They should have done this on the 1st self immolation. Why did they have to wait for Nechung to speak? Why did Nechung wait until so many people die before speaking up?

CTA rejects China’s allegations, Appeals Tibetans not to self-immolate
Phayul[Thursday, May 30, 2013 06:43]



The CTA also revealed recent divinations made by the Chief state oracle of Tibet, Nechung, who had predicted that an end to the wave of self-immolations would be for the better.

While I agree that it would have been helpful to say all of this earlier, and for the CTA to make some sort of heartfelt attempt at stopping the immolations before, and although I personally have no use for the Nechung oracle, the fact is that some people do; maybe this is a good sign the self immolations will end; if people are doing it out of blind faith and the cause of Tibet (regardless of whether they were acting on their own or being encouraged by CTA associates) then maybe those who could not listen before will listen and stop harming themselves.  That would be very helpful.

I agree with the above... I think we should look beyond whether CTA's response comes too late or whether the reason behind it is valid. There is now a response and I see it as a positive response for Tibetans in general... It will I believe help in stopping these senseless taking of one's own life. Something which is I believe done out of desperation regardless of motivation. It is a waste of one's opportune conditions and contradicts what we as Buddhist believe in - non violence.

From henceforth, I hope Tibetans will indeed take heed and stop the nonsensical taking of one's own life to make a point. One too many lives have been lost and nothing has been gained, so time to use another method.

[Rinchen]

Well said. We should not keep emphasising on the mistakes that CTA has already done. Instead what we can do is that we forgive them for their past mistakes and see how the would do now to make up for their mistakes. Since the CTA is saying no to self-immolation, I believe that it would also mean that it would help to stop actions that do not have value that is being done by the Tibetan community. When the CTA does not show them support, the Tibetans would stop as they will soon know that their actions are just pointless and no one recognises them for what they do. Thus, they would end the action of self-immolation.