In December 2012, this website published a story about how US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher had written a terse letter to the Kalon Tripa, Dr Lobsang Sangay questioning the Prime Minister about certain machinations within the CTA to stifle the voice of democracy (
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/spread-the-word/write-a-letter/letter-to-radio-free-asia-rfa/ ).The US Congress just like India have been long-time friends with the CTA and helped set and fully funded Radio Free Asia, which was to be a platform for democracy to be expressed and thrive. Instead the RFA was used for the opposite, including being abused as the forum on which the previous Prime Minister of the Tibetans in exile, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche used as a means to propagate the CTA's hate message towards Dorje Shugden practitioners. The CTA quite clearly does not appreciate help from friends as it continues to make a mockery out of the great assistance provided for by the US and India.
Recently the present Prime Minister was warned by the US Congressman for the CTA's wrongful sacking of a RFA Director who apparently refused to toe the CTA's political line, something every democratic citizen should be able to enjoy without fear. Clearly the growth of democracy and freedom is not doing very well in the exile community despite the CTA claiming to be a strong advocate of human rights and civil liberties. How can it be a champion of democracy when it is still enforcing the Dorje Shugden ban?
Anyway if the CTA thought that the Congressman's letter of rebuke was the last of it, then they are wrong. Recently the Congressman Dana Rorahbacher heated up the matter by sounding the alarm with the US, House Foreign Affairs Committee indicating the Congressman's intention to pursue this matter to its end. In the process, it is likely that the CTA's undemocratic and illegal act such as the banning of Dorje Shugden practice as a politically expedient move to divide the Tibetan people will surface as well. This will put pressure on the CTA to explain to the world their reasons for this ugly breach of human rights.
Rep. Rohrabacher Sounds Alarm Regarding U.S. Overseas Broadcasting; Radio Free Asia at Center of Controversy
Jan 16, 2013 Issues: Foreign Affairs
Today, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) sent a letter to members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Appropriations Committee regarding serious problems in the overseas broadcast services funded by the U.S. government. Cong. Rohrabacher sites evidence uncovered after conducting a two year investigation while he was Chairman of the HFAC Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation during the 112th Congress. His concerns focus on Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), both under the supervision of the Broadcast Board of Governors.
“In October of last year, Radio Free Asia President Libby Liu, precipitously fired Tibet Service Director Jigme Ngapo with no accompanying explanation,” wrote Rohrabacher. “There are indications that this was the result of foreign influence, which would be a major cause for alarm. She has repeatedly failed to respond to my letters requesting details of this unwise action.”
There is no effective counterintelligence or vetting procedure for hiring employees; nor does the structure of the BBG and its agencies allow for adequate accountability to the American taxpayer. RFA is particularly susceptible to becoming a personal fiefdom due to its structure and we may be seeing signs of that right now.
Broadcasting into Communist China and occupied Tibet is a case in point. “Jigme Ngapo needs to be reinstated as Tibetan Service Director to maintain the integrity and credibility of the RFA,” stated Rep. Rohrabacher, noting that the vast majority of RFA’s Tibet Service staff members signed a letter supporting reinstatement.
Regarding China, Rohrabacher wrote, “I have repeatedly expressed my deep concern to VOA and RFA about their failure to cover important issues such as the ghoulish crime of forced human organ harvesting of political and religious dissidents [particularly the Falun Gong] in China, which is horrific and genocidal in nature. Calling attention to this subject infuriates the Chinese Communist government and VOA and RFA leadership refuses to give it the proper attention.”
Rep. Rohrabacher is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats.
http://rohrabacher.house.gov/press-release/rep-rohrabacher-sounds-alarm-regarding-us-overseas-broadcasting-radio-free-asia-center