Lobsang Sangay: Tibetans Have 'Sacred Duty' To Support Self-Immolations

[Ensapa]

This is an interesting read. And at the same time, it confirms our suspicions that the self immolations were encouraged by the CTA all along, even if nothing comes out from it.

Lobsang Sangay: Tibetans Have 'Sacred Duty' To Support Self-Immolations

NEW DELHI (RNS) As the 18th congress of China's Communist Party began in Beijing this week, six more Tibetans set themselves on fire as Tibetan leaders say they are powerless to stop a growing wave of self-immolations.

In fact, exiled Tibetan political leader Lobsang Sangay said that while he highly discourages the drastic action, it is the "sacred duty" of the exiled community to support it.

"We have made so many appeals (to stop self-immolations), but they are still doing it," said Sangay, the political successor of the Dalai Lama, as the number of self-immolations by monks, nuns and others swelled to 68 since March 2011.

The day before Beijing opened its party conference on Thursday (Nov. to choose new leaders, three monks, a man, a woman and a teenager drank gasoline and set themselves ablaze, according to tibet.net.

Sangay, a former scholar at Harvard Law School, said he has always maintained that Tibetans inside Tibet should not protest because of harsh consequences. Exiles, however, are a different story.

"But once a protest takes place, it becomes our sacred duty to support it," he recalled saying when he was sworn in as the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharmsala, India, on Aug. 8, 2011. "I take the same stand on self-immolations."

The Tibetan leader said the world needs to focus on the cause behind the act, not just the act itself.


"Self-immolators are telling the Chinese government that repression is unbearable. They are saying,'We grew up under under your system, we are supposedly the primary beneficiaries of whatever you are doing in Tibet, and it's not good; it's not worth living under the system.'"

Sangay added he does not try to "venture into Buddhist philosophy" to explain self-immolation, but views it as "a form of protest ... like the monks who self-immolated during the Vietnam war, and the self-immolation in Tunisia that was the catalyst for the Arab Spring."

However, there is a religious element, he agreed. "They have not harmed Chinese people, offices or shops because they are Buddhist and part of a non-violent movement."

Beijing, which has claimed Tibet as part of China since it overtook the country in 1959, has accused Tibetan exiles and the "Dalai clique" of encouraging self-immolations.

"These Tibetans have not met the Dalai Lama, they have never met me. To accuse us of promoting it is unimaginable," Sangay said, adding that self-immolations might continue "until the situation improves."

Surprising words from LS to make him look good in huffington post when there are 0 news of him releasing press statements denouncing the self immolations.

There are many waggling tongues in Dharamsala, singling out lobsang sanggay as the person encouraging the self immolations.

[jessicajameson]

Good thing Dr Lobsang Sangay is the political "head" of Tibet, and not the spiritual head.

It's true that most Tibetans follow suit under their country's non-violent movement. Those who self-immolated didn't harm the Chinese people, offices or shops... but Dr Lobsang Sangay can't use the reason that it's because "they are Buddhists".

It almost implies that it's OK to harm themselves, but not anyone else, because they are Buddhists. How can burning oneself be supported? Not only supported, but to be reasoned by a religion where being born with the perfect human body is the best state to be in, as you can practice the Buddha Dharma?

As the Prime Minister of a country (albeit in exile), it's distasteful to not endlessly and untiringly plead your fellow people not to LIGHT THEMSELVES ON FIRE WHILST ALIVE. It's his "sacred duty" as the Prime Minister to be concern about the welfare of his fellow people. If they're self-immolating, how sacred of a duty is it to support their actions? Very sick, and weird.

[Ensapa]

Good thing Dr Lobsang Sangay is the political "head" of Tibet, and not the spiritual head.

It's true that most Tibetans follow suit under their country's non-violent movement. Those who self-immolated didn't harm the Chinese people, offices or shops... but Dr Lobsang Sangay can't use the reason that it's because "they are Buddhists".

It almost implies that it's OK to harm themselves, but not anyone else, because they are Buddhists. How can burning oneself be supported? Not only supported, but to be reasoned by a religion where being born with the perfect human body is the best state to be in, as you can practice the Buddha Dharma?

As the Prime Minister of a country (albeit in exile), it's distasteful to not endlessly and untiringly plead your fellow people not to LIGHT THEMSELVES ON FIRE WHILST ALIVE. It's his "sacred duty" as the Prime Minister to be concern about the welfare of his fellow people. If they're self-immolating, how sacred of a duty is it to support their actions? Very sick, and weird.

He keeps saying that the CTA has tirelessly plead to the people of Tibet to not set themselves on fire but you never see such announcements anywhere. It is not on phayul or any of the Tibetan news sites. But what I do find interesting is exactly like what you have said: lobsang sanggay said or implied that it is okay to kill yourself because you're not hurting others. That's some kind of really twisted logic that doesnt make sense as by committing suicide one hurts even more people.

[Gabby Potter]

Oh wow, I can't believe this came out from the mouth of a leader of the country. He should instead encourage his people to stop self-immolations, what kind of leader that encourages his people to hurt themselves? I don't understand, what happened to Mr Lobsang? He is not speaking with logic.

[Pema8]

The leader of a lost country supports the suicide of his own people!
It would be more helpful to find a way to support his community inside and outside of Tibet / China. Suicide will not change the situation - it hasn't now for so long.

May the ban end swiftly and smoothly!

[eyesoftara]

I empathize with the people of Tibet especially those in exile for there have really weak leadership. These leaders grabs on to every little "big new' and try to make a cause for Tibet without realizing the consequence of the world view and most importantly the effectiveness to their cause.
No wonder, they have not be successful after 56 years and far more unlikely to succeed now that China is must more powerful and the Dalai Lama's ascendency has tapered.

[Dondrup Shugden]

I agree with eyesoftara, that it is the lack of wisdom and compassion from the CTA leadership that Tibetans in China (out of sheer desperation) seeks self immolation for the cause of "Free Tibet".

Buddhism is not about doing harm and is not specific that it is alright to harm self if others are not harmed.

Legal systems of any country can be subject to interpretation, but sorry to say, Lobsang Sangay, not the Buddha's teachings.  The Dharma cannot be twisted to suit anyone. 

[kelly]

The CTA really not protecting the tibetan people they should not let their own people to give away their life because human rebirth is very precious this very much not a dharmic act but yet CTA is suppose to run by a very dharmic people so how can this kind of act can happen.
May the ban lift as soon as possible to release the suffering of all these Tibetan people.