How did it go today in NY?

[godi]

http://www.uticaod.com/multimedia/x292018964?view=pop&photo=11
http://www.uticaod.com/multimedia/x292018964?view=pop&photo=12

[godi]

http://www.uticaod.com/homepage/x170774178

[Lineageholder]

http://chinkisinha.blogspot.com/2008/04/dalai-lama-at-colgate-talks-about-inner.html

[jeff Ryan]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--dalailama-colgate0422apr22,0,1571830.story

[jeff Ryan]

here's another one:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Tibet_seeking_autonomy_not_separation_Dalai_Lama/articleshow/2974709.cms

[jeff Ryan]

http://www.oneidadispatch.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19508698&BRD=1709&PAG=461&dept_id=68844&rfi=6

http://www.uticaod.com/news/x170774178

[a friend]

Alleluia!!!
The UticaOD news reports something meaningful, congratulations to the reporter:

In the other protest, hundreds of Buddhist monks, nuns and other practitioners of Dorje Shugden called for the 72-year-old monk to stop discrimination against the Shugden believers and allow for the freedom of worship.

In 1996, the Dalai Lama said the worship of Dorje Shugden was banned because the deity was a threat to the future of Tibet.

But for the protestors, the ban is unfounded and oppressive, they said.

Ah Dhar, a Tibetan and a believer in Shugden, said the Dalai Lama is tearing the Buddhist religion into many pieces by banning the sect.

There is too much suffering among the Tibetan people because of it, he said.

“He says peace but doesn’t give us religious freedom,” said Dhar, who arrived from Tibet to participate in the protest.

These bits of good reporting work are extremely important. Even for this little piece of printed news the demo can be considered a success. Congratulations! It's important too that every time a demo takes place we send our material again and again to the desks of news media and other people. This is going to be a work of perseverance. One day a critical mass of readers will have conceived a healthy doubt and just that would be a great victory. Sorry to remind myself and others again and again. We are doing this to end the painful persecution to innocent people in the present time, and for the future, to rescue the good name of our Lamas, sacrilegeously branded evil-spirit-worshippers by the Dalai Lama. Even though our Lamas do not need our defense, sentient beings need their good name intact, if they are going to receive benefit from their teachings in the future.

[godi]

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=U82bFqYKhD4
	Small | Large

[emptymountains]

Jimmy from France reported the following in the DorjeShugden.com guestbook:

Yesterday the Western Shugden Society held a demonstration at Colgate University in Hamilton, protesting the Dalai Lama’s ban of Dorje Shugden and the persecution of followers of our lineage of Je
Tsongkhapa.

There were nearly 200 Dorje Shugden practitioners from the West (from 10 countries altogether but mainly the USA and Canada), and over 70 Tibetan monks, nuns, and lay people, including Geshes and Rinpoches.

When we demonstrated over a decade ago, the Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners were not prepared to stand with us. Having the Tibetans with us this time greatly increased the impact of the demonstration as will become clear as you read on.

The Tibetans were peaceful, composed, and courageous – their demeanor impressed me. Many of them decided to come along even though they are frightened of what might happen to them, as well as to their families back in India. We risk only having bad words spoken against us. For them, it became clear from what they were saying, they risk a great deal more than that.

The demonstration started at around 11am and finished after the Dalai Lama had finished his address at around 5:30pm. It was peaceful but very powerful. We all chanted the words: “Dalai Lama, stop lying” and “Dalai Lama, give religious freedom”. One elderly Tibetan lady held a Tibetan flag and others held placards. Booklets called “The Tibetan Situation ~ Surprising Hidden News” were distributed in the street to whoever wished to receive them.

During my lunch break I sat with Geshe Sopa and other Tibetans and found out some more sad stories. For example, Geshe Sopa is a disciple of Trijang Rinpoche, the root Guru of Venerable Geshe Kelsang, and received teachings from him directly. He has 4 brothers and 5 sisters in India, and any number of nieces and nephews, but they have not been allowed to communicate with him for years as he refused to give up his practice of Dorje Shugden. He told me: “The connection I have with my Spiritual Guide will last for lifetimes, until I attain enlightenment.
The relationship I have with my family, even though I love them, is just one life relationship. I had to choose, so I chose my Spiritual Guide.” Geshe Sopa said to me: “How can I deny the evidence of my own eyes? I know that Trijang Rinpoche practiced Dorje Shugden his whole life. How can I agree with the Dalai Lama and stop this practice, breaking my commitment to my own Spiritual Guide?”

Geshe Sopa now lives in Vermont and recently received his American citizenship. He said “Now I am free to practice openly.”

When I thanked Geshe Sopa for coming along and inspiring others to do so he told me that he and all the other Tibetan practitioners were
deeply regretful that they had not joined us in 1996. Back then, they had hoped that the problem would go away. However twelve years later the problem has only worsened. He said there would have been more Tibetans at this demonstration if they had had more notice. It was only three days ago that they had a large meeting in Queens to discuss whether or not to join us. They made their momentous decision at 3am.

The Tibetans at the demonstration had come from all over the US and Canada. When I asked if there were any more Dorje Shugden practitioners in the US or Canada other than the ones here today, he replied in surprise: “Of course. This practice is very widespread”.

Many of the Tibetans said, when asked by various Western practitioners why there were here: “We need to protect Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition.”

One of the highlights of the day happened late in the afternoon. The personal representative of the Dalai Lama came out to speak with us, carrying our booklet in his hand.

In all our previous demonstrations more than a decade ago we had never received such official acknowledgement. This was a clear sign that the combination of Western and Tibetan Shugden practitioiners, as well as the powerful rhetoric in our booklet, was having an effect. Our voices
were now being heard!

The Tibetans crowded around him, along with Kelsang Pema, the Western spokesperson.
He started off by smoothly stating words to this effect (I was right there but couldn’t get everything written down, but it is all on camera and will appear on You Tube etc later): “This use of the word “ban” is not correct. Of course the Dalai Lama has spoken up against this practice but it is just his encouragement. I spent much time in India. I can tell you there is no discrimination, you just can’t go to any of his teachings. Also you cannot live together, but you can live separately.”

Kelsang Pema calmly replied that she had just returned from a two week visit to India where she observed many things. If people did not sign to say they’d given up their practice, they were not issued ID cards.
If you have no ID card you are not a recognized citizen of any state, and you cannot shop at any stores. Others had to promise that they would not “materially or spiritually support” any Dorje Shugden practitioners. She pointed out that people were being expelled from monasteries and children were removed from schools if their parents were Dorje Shugden practitioners. Statues were being smashed. People were not allowed to see their relatives. E.g. One mother was visited by four Dalai Lama representatives and told to make her son, a monk, give up the practice of Dorje Shugden or never see him again.

All this and more she observed in India a few weeks ago. The representative replied: “Of course, if this is really happening, it is wrong. I will investigate. Put it in writing. Tell me who is saying these things.”
Then Heidi from Tibet showed a piece of paper that listed grievances.
And all the Tibetans got pretty passionate and started giving him one instance after another of abuse – all in Tibetan so I could not
understand details. However, the representative was visibly taken aback. He tried to repeat “There is no ban”. He said he wanted the names of people who had experienced these grievances. Pema then asked him to explain why, if there was no ban, the day after she had spoken with the six monks in the monastery about the situation, they had each received death threats. The spokesperson said again: “If this happened, of course it is wrong. I will investigate.” All this is on camera. He has promised to investigate all these instances of discrimination and abuse. Let’s see if he does.

By the end of the demonstration, everyone was very moved. Geshe Sopa and Atta (the spokesperson) and a Tulku (whose name I cannot recall) all said that they were so grateful to Venerable Geshe-la and the two Ani-las (nuns) for organizing these demonstrations. They told us they were very grateful to us because this wasn’t our problem, it was a Tibetan problem. They said: “In the future, you and us will be like milk and water. We will always join you now wherever you need us to do demonstrations. We are members of the Western Shugden Society. We thank you so much for helping us.”

They asked if we could finish with prayers to Dorje Shugden and then recited some of the prayers from Heart Jewel in Tibetan. I recognized it from when we used to recite it in Tibetan. It was lovely to be able to join in with them for a few of the words that I could remember.

Future demonstrations are planned in the Germany, the US, India, and elsewhere, until the need for them goes away. I sincerely believe we have turned a corner. The press (some links below) also indicate that they are beginning to understand the situation better now. There has been no mention of the NKT or Geshe Kelsang. It seems to be understood that it is Tibetans who are driving these protests as they are the ones who are being victimized and ostracized. It is becoming clearer now that what we were saying all along is true and not just the ravings of a Western breakaway cult.

Earlier in the day, I went to the Tibet Office to hand the booklet to the representatives of the Dalai Lama. I explained who the booklet was from and asked them to get it to him before the next day. They said they would but I don’t know if they did. Others also tried many methods to get the booklet into his hands before we demonstrated against him. He never replied to any letters sent to him.

Here are some press reports. Let me know if you have any questions.
But keep courage; I and others at the demonstration yesterday have great confidence that everything is going to start changing for the better very soon.

There is now a video of Kelsang Pema talking to reporters at http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/en/kelsang-pema-responds-to-comments-by-the-dalai-lamas-representative-tashi-wangdi. I hope they will be adding more videos, especially of the exchange that Jimmy describes above.

[Mohani]

Here's some photo's

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23731&l=474be&id=599553665

[Zhalmed Pawo]

All this and more she observed in India a few weeks ago. The representative replied: “Of course, if this is really happening, it is wrong. I will investigate. Put it in writing. Tell me who is saying these things.”

Then Heidi from Tibet showed a piece of paper that listed grievances. And all the Tibetans got pretty passionate and started giving him one instance after another of abuse – all in Tibetan so I could not understand details. However, the representative was visibly taken aback. He tried to repeat “There is no ban”. He said he wanted the names of people who had experienced these grievances. Pema then asked him to explain why, if there was no ban, the day after she had spoken with the six monks in the monastery about the situation, they had each received death threats. The spokesperson said again: “If this happened, of course it is wrong. I will investigate.” All this is on camera. He has promised to investigate all these instances of discrimination and abuse. Let’s see if he does.

Now, I do not wish to rain on anyone's parade, but the highlights of the above quote are scary. Very scary.

They of course could have been spoken in a good intention, by a concerned government-in-exile official, but really... who of us really believes that the spokesman of the HHDL is unaware of these abuses? Who of us really thinks that he needs more "proof"?

No. Noo. Nooo....

What he really wants, is a list of the names of those Tibetans in exile (and under the authority of the tibetan-government-in-exile in India) who dare to go against the Holy Wishes of the Holiest of the Holies.

Chairman Mao once had this same nice idea, that people could go on protesting and criticizing the Party and it's Leaders. Well, that went fine, for sure enough, people had a thing or a two to say about it all. The sad part of the story was that when the Leader had collected enough of the names of "the opposition", he started a massive "purge". And lo! There was no more critics around anymore...

  So please, if anyone has passed a list of the grievances of the Tibetans in exile to the henchmen of the Holiest of Holies, then please do make sure that you follow up the development of the situation of all those in that list. This is essential. If the Hounds of the High One think that they can sweep it all under the rug, they will do so. Really. You have to make sure that they know that you are watching. You have to protect the innocent.