Kirti Monastery - Happening now

[WisdomBeing]

Why should dirty politics affect innocent monks? It's so sad. However I don't think we should blame everything on the chinese soldiers, it's the government's fault, and the government did all these just because they don't have the opportunity to learn the Dharma. I'll pray for them. Hope that Buddha Dharma will flourish in China one day.

This is true too. After all, the soldiers are just obeying orders. Everyone needs our prayers - from the soldiers to the government to the monks. May ignorance be lifted and the Dharma prevail.

[WisdomBeing]

I also just read this story - aside from the monks and the soliders... there are some activists who have been undergoing a hunger strike in an attempt to influence the Chinese government. While i empathise with their effort, I fear it will not be at all effective and it is a waste of their precious human lives. Same with the monk who immolated himself. Aren't these acts contrary to Buddhism in that they are self-destructive, no matter what the reason?

Also, the Dalai Lama, the Kalon Tripa Professor Samdhong Rinpoche and the Kalon Tripa-elect Dr. Lobsang Sangay have requested these activists to stop their hunger strike yet they are continuing to a certain death.

Sad.


http://www.thetibetpost.com/en/news/exile/1702-tibet-youth-group-activists-continue-fast-unto-death

Tibet Youth Group Activists Continue Fast Unto Death

Dharamshala: - As the mercury touched 43 degrees Celsius, the three Tibetan activists continued their fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India. It has been 22 days and the activists are prepared to die for their cause. It started with an incident on the 16th of March, 2011 when Phuntsok, a 20-year-old monk living in Ngaba, Amdo, Eastern Tibet , immolated himself.

Phuntsok was protesting the forced political re-education at Kirti monastery, condemnations of the Dalai Lama, and forced impositions, whereby they were made to accept Tibet as a part of China. Jarutsang's death created a huge uproar in the Tibetan community across the world.

In retaliation, China enforced an enormous security restriction in Kriti monastery and other Tibetan areas in China, which resulted in the death of three elderly Tibetans and the injuring of more.

The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) launched an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on April,25 2011 and have put forth a set of demands, Dharamshala , home to about 15,000 Tibetans and also the refuge of His Holiness The Dalai Lama is witnessing hunger strikes on a regular basis.

Earlier, professor Samdhong Rinpoche, Kalon Tripa (current prime minister) of the Tibetan Government in Exile met with the three members of the TYC on fast at Jantar Mantar, asking them to break their fast. He said there is much work to be done and that being healthy is pertinent.

" We have not made a decision regarding the same" , Tsewang Rigzin, the President of TYC told The Tibet Post International when asked what the TYC is going to do, now that His Holiness The Dalai Lama,The Kalon Tripa Professor Samdhong Rinpoche and the Kalon Tripa-elect Dr. Lobsang Sangay have asked that the hunger strike be called off.

The TYC said that the aim of the hunger strike ( which has already lasted 22 days) to force the Chinese Government to withdraw the Patriotic re-education Campaign as well as the Chinese Troops from Kirti Monastery and finally to release everyone arrested recently from Ngaba.

Additionally , they demand that a TYC delegation is allowed to evaluate the situation of political prisoners in Tibet.

TYC said that the activists health has deteriorated over 3 weeks with each of the activists losing more than 10 kilos each.Dhondup Lhadar has lost to date 16 kgs, Tenzin Norsang 11 kgs and Konchok Yangphel 13 kgs Also, their blood pressure has consistently been below normal for the past few days.

[WisdomBeing]

Some good news to share... at least there is no waste of human life for a cause that is futile.


https://www.facebook.com/notes/tyc-centrex/the-tibetan-youth-congress-calls-off-indefinite-hunger-strike/212139272151490

The Tibetan Youth Congress calls off Indefinite Hunger Strike
by Tyc Centrex on Thursday, 19 May 2011 at 18:22

The Tibetan Youth Congress decided 25 days ago to embark on an indefinite hunger strike aimed at highlighting the grave situation in Kirti monastery and the situation of the political prisoners in Tibet. We also made specific demands in relation to the same at the time.  Our demands included:
 
Immediate withdrawal of the “patriotic re-education” campaign and Chinese troops from Kirti Monastery and to unconditionally release all political prisoners including those arrested recently from Ngaba. 
 
Access for Tibetan Youth Congress delegation to assess the situation of political prisoners inside Tibet. 
 
We appeal world governments and non-governmental organizations to recognize and support the historical status and struggle of Tibet as an Independent nation.
 
Since we began this hunger strike campaign, we have continued to receive pleas from inside Tibet, indeed from Ngaba region itself – where Kirti monastery is located - requesting us to end our hunger strike.  They convey that, “Under the Chinese occupation in Tibet, aside from ordinary Tibetans who are consistently oppressed, the intellectuals, artists and writers are equally targeted if not worse.  Given such circumstances, Tibetans in the free world should not jeopardize their lives and should stay healthy and call off this hunger strike.”   These requests – sent from our brothers and sisters inside our occupied homeland and from the Tibetans in exile all over the world– touched us deeply.
 
Twenty-five days after we began our hunger strike, our demands are not yet met. The situation continues to be grave. This is not surprising. Those who have harshly and heartlessly oppressed our people in Tibet for the last over fifty years, and continue to detain and torture anyone they suspect of supporting the just yearning for a free Tibet, cannot be expected to act otherwise.
 
Our campaign has received overwhelming support and encouragement from Tibetans, friends of Tibet and supporters all over the world particularly by various officials from Embassies and High Commission.  We had the current Kalon Tripa Professor Samdhong Rinpoche call on the hunger strikers as well as the Kalon Tripa-elect, Dr, Lobsang Sangay la and Kalon and Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, Mr. Tempa Tsering la.  A message from His Holiness conveyed by the Kalon Tripa expressed concern regarding the health of the hunger strikers and the letter from the Kashag stated that “the campaign has already generated ample attention, solidarity and support and requested the strike be called off”.
 
Today we had a prestigious visit to the site of the hunger strike headed by Ms Anne Vaughier Chatterjee, Attache, European Union Delegation to India, officials from various Embassies and High Commission such as UK, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Poland who firmly requested that this hunger strike be called off due to the deteriorating health of the executive members and .   
 
They also handed us a letter signed by members of the European Parliament including, Heidi Hautala, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Laszlo Tokes, MEP Vice-President of the EP responsible for religious dialogue, Edward McMillan-Scott, MEP Vice-President of the EP responsible for human rights and democracy and Gagriele Albertini, MEP Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
 
It said, “We the members of the European Parliament are fully committed to defending human rights in the world and understand your demands and fully support your ongoing peaceful struggle against the oppression of the Chinese government…” “…In the light of the above, we hereby reiterate our commitment to keep the issue of Tibet high on our agenda.  We also believe that it would be of vital importance to send EU delegation as well as support independent journalists enter the region…”
 
In view of staunch requests from the delegation of European Union and their assurance for a continued support for Tibet in particular the issue at Ngaba Kirti Monastery coupled with pleas from our brothers and sisters inside Tibet, we have decided to indefinitely call off the hunger strike today.  With a very heavy heart and tears in our eyes, the Tibetan Youth Congress calls off this fast however, we pledge that we will not cease to fight for a Free Tibet. If anything, our resolve today is even stronger than it was 25 days ago. We thank the many people in Tibet, in India and all over the world, who offered support to us in this hunger strike and support the just cause of Tibet.
 
Bod Rangzen!

[Vajraprotector]

The sad thing is that nobody has managed to change/improve the situation. China is very powerful hence nothing can move/threaten them.

European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy, Lady Ashton,expressed concern yesterday over the situation at Kirti Monastery but her statement was "The European Union will raise the situation at Kirti monastery in its future contacts with the Chinese authorities, and will urge them to refrain from the use of force in dealing with the situation at Kirti monastery and to allow Tibetans to exercise their cultural and religious rights without hindrance".  Future contacts, right.

On Monday, a panel of speakers, including ambassador Dalip Mehta, former ambassador to Bhutan and the Central Asian Republics of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenista, also criticised the series of severe crackdowns initiated by the Chinese authorities on Kirti Monastery , organised jointly by All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet and Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India at the India International Center Annexe, in New Delhi. I don't think this will have any huge impact also.

I feel sad for the monks. This only highlights that the Tibetan Government in Exile cannot gather enough support to stop the Chinese. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has strongly urge the international community, the governments around the world, and the international NGOs to persuade the Chinese leadership to exercise restraint in handling this situation, but so far nothing has worked.