Why are Tibetans in India rejecting Dalai Lama's example to remain a refugee?

[daka]

The picture below shows an advertisement poster of passport application service posted in front of Nyingma House at Majnu Ka Tilla. Majnu ka tilla is a colony in Delhi, India. The land was allotted by the Government of India to the Tibetan refugees in 1960. Today, it is home to second generation of Tibet refugees and is also known as Samyeling Tibetan settlement, through colloquially as "Little-Tibet" or "Mini-Tibet". There are about 3000 Tibetans living in Samyeling.










According to some sources, advertisements like this to speed up passport application process and making the application process easy for Tibetans, are now easily seen all over Majnu Ka Tilla Delhi Tibetan settlement area. Many companies and agencies, both Indian and Tibetan are openly and boldly providing this service to the Tibetan community there.   

It shows that:
(1) There is an increasing demands of Tibetans wanting to apply for Indian passport.
(2) Tibetans want the process to be fast.
(3) Tibetans are not afraid to openly admit their wish to become Indian Citizen.
(4) Tibetan government have failed to stop their own people from pursuing Indian Citizenship.
(5) This phenomena is so common that it will soon be spreaded to all other Tibetan settlements.

Under current situation, Tibetans in India who are not Indian citizen are not allowed to own land in India, are not allowed to start their own large-scale businesses and are ineligible for jobs with the government of India. As a result, Tibetans residing in India primarily work in the fields of agriculture, animal husbandry, manufacturing and selling sweaters and other textiles, and in the service industry. Younger generation of Tibetans who graduated from colleges with professional degree were also not eligible to apply for professional jobs. 
 
Tibetan will have to obtain Indian citizenship in order to enjoy the above benefit of getting land and jobs etc. However, the process of applying for the Indian passport has never been easy for Tibetans. Part of the reason came from previous Indian policy of supporting the Tibetan cause, part came from the objection from Tibetan goverment. CTA actually said that those who apply for Indian passport are traitors of Tibetan cause.

However the scenario has started to change since last year. On 14 September 2018, High Court of Delhi issued an order to streamline processing of passport applications. On 17 September the same year, the Minister of External Affairs of India sent a directive to all the passport-issuing authorities to allow surrender of Tibetans’ Registration Certificate (RC) and Identity Certificate (IC) at their offices.

The Citizenship Law of India 1955 says that anybody born in India between 26 January 1950 and 1 July 1987 and their descendants, as per India’s citizenship law, are considered citizens of India by birth, and therefore eligible for Indian passport.

However, the MEA directive has included an old rule that said: Tibetan refugees should not be staying in any of the designated Tibetan Refugee settlements nor enjoying any CTA benefits or subsidies after receipt of an Indian passport.

Therefore, by issueing the order, India has openly said that they are no longer supporting Tibetan cause. It also means that the CTA has less influence over their Indian host.

This is not the only cause that encourage Tibetans to become Indian citizen. On one hand India has made the application process easier, on the other hand, according to some source, the Tibetan government due to their incompetence has made the process of renewing the Tibetan card extremely slow. Some even have to wait for one year before they can get the Tibetan card renewed.

At the same time, Tibetan government shows no effort in providing more opportunities and benefits to their own people in order to counter Indian's offer. They offer no solution to the above-mentioned problems. This contributes to the lost of confidence among Tibetan population in their government which further encourage them to pursuing Indian citizenship.

According to the Tibetan government’s advisor on Tibet Affairs Amitabh Mathur (September 11, 2018), a sharp decline has been recorded in the number of Tibetan refugees in India — from 1.5 lakh to 85,000 in the last seven years — with a large number either migrating to the US or returning to China/Tibet. Now with this new order to streamline processing of passport applications by the Indian government, we can foresee the numbers drop will become even more obvious.

A sharp decline of Tibetan refugees in India would mean the CTA would have less and less people under their control. And with many young educated Tibetan who chose to migrate to other countries or becoming Indian citizen, the potential candidates to make up the Tibetan government will become less too. Less population and less good leadership will bring clear negative impact to the Tibetan government and further weaken their political power. Also, with less Tibetan refugees, CTA would loss their main reason to attract international sponsorship.

Domestically, those Tibetans who are becoming Indians have two ramifications, they will have to work for their own livelihood and not ask for handouts. Because of that, the CTA can no longer ask the Indian government for further aid, handouts assistance, etc. So in that way the CTA is going to lose out even more.

For the past 60 years, Tibetans have refused Indian citizenship with the hope of going back to Tibet. They would rather endure working labour job, owning no properties, and travel nowhere. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the leader of all Tibetans in exile. He has not applied for Indian citizenship and is still a refugee. So why are Tibetans now rushing to apply Indian citizenships? By becoming naturalized Indians, they are basically saying they have given up fighting for the Tibetan cause and are now telling the world that they agree that Tibet is a part of China.                                                                                                           

As this trend continues, with no financial resources and real political power, and less and less Tibetan people to 'govern' we can foresee that CTA will gradually become even more insignificant in the world arena. Whatever policy that they implemented or trying to implement would have not much effect.

When the day comes, it will be a great news for all Dorje Shugden practitioners as the Dorje Shugden ban will bear no effect anymore.

[thaimonk]

The most famous Tibetan refugee in India is the Dalai Lama. He is not applying for Indian citizenship as a show of example to his exiled Tibetans in India. Show of what? That he is a Tibetan citizen and he wishes to return to Tibet. That he is a refugee in India. He is fighting the Tibetan cause. So why are the Tibetans in India applying for Indian citizenship? Don't they support the Dalai Lama's stance that they should remain refugees and not become Indian nationals?

Why are the Tibetans in India not supporting the Dalai Lama to remain refugees?


Photo: Dalai Lama with Panchen Lama visiting India

[vajratruth]

Therefore, by issueing the order, India has openly said that they are no longer supporting Tibetan cause. It also means that the CTA has less influence over their Indian host.

This is not the only cause that encourage Tibetans to become Indian citizen. On one hand India has made the application process easier, on the other hand, according to some source, the Tibetan government due to their incompetence has made the process of renewing the Tibetan card extremely slow. Some even have to wait for one year before they can get the Tibetan card renewed.

What is significant is this - such passport services seem to be proliferating because there is an increase demand for it. In other words, a large percentage of Tibetans no longer believe in the cause or no longer have confidence in the Dalai Lama/CTA to secure Tibetan autonomy or independence.

For the 'Tibetan cause' to survive, there must be Tibetans actually fighting for it. But the Tibetan people seems to now want to become Indian citizens. Once they become Indian citizens, it is clear they have given up the fight and have decided to move on and secure decent livelihoods which they have been denied under 60 years of CTA rule.

We already know that the number of Tibetan refugees have fallen to some 85,000 in India. And this is before an increase in Indian passports applications and before the process of becoming Indian was made easier. So in fact, we can expect the number of Tibetan refugees remaining to fall even drastically. At some point, the CTA will not be able to justify its own existence because its reason for existing is to supposedly steer the Tibetan cause and look after the Tibetan refugees. They have done neither.

That the Indian government allowing this kind of service to be widespread is also a hint that they are no longer behind the CTA and the Tibetan cause. As Tibetan refugees, the Indian government has to defer to the CTA but once the Tibetan refugees become Indian citizens, they must obey Indian laws.

What is also significant is the CTA cannot stop this. It is no longer an idea or suggestion but a process. Before the CTA made it taboo for anyone to seek an Indian passport because it means they have to relinquish their CTA 'citizenship'. But so many CTA officials secretly applied for Indian passports or secured their permanent residence with other countries. Dhardhon Sharling even boasted about getting hers and now she's off to US supposedly to study. She shows that to study and improve her own standing is more important than the Tibetan cause. So if that's the case, all Tibetan refugees should follow. Lobsang Sangay in the meantime never let go of his American residency status. It turns out those who believed the CTA are the biggest losers.

[thaimonk]

There is an interesting article on this which explains so much- http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/the-dalai-lama-remains-a-refugee-but-his-people-will-not/


The Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders (CTA) have really lost their people's trust. More Tibetans are getting Indian passports as the aged Dalai Lama cannot get anyone back to Tibet. So many promises have been made they will return to Tibet but all the promises have been not fulfilled.

[thaimonk]

The Dalai Lama's personal protector Nechung has taken trance of their official oracle in Dharamsala hundreds of times. Nechung on many occasions have promised the Dalai Lama to tell the Tibetan people they will return to Tibet. It has been 60 years of saying this in exile. Many of the older generations who came from Tibet into exile in India have died off while waiting to return to Tibet. The new generation of Tibetans born in India are more Indian than Tibetan. Many Tibetans born in foreign countries beyond India cannot speak the Tibetan language well anymore and identify with their adoptive countries more than Tibet. Clearly Nechung's prophecies do not come true for important issues such as returning to Tibet.

Tibetans in India and around the world have lost hope in Nechung protector. Therefore the Tibetans in India are not even waiting for the Dalai Lama to die but getting Indian citizenship now while Dalai Lama is alive. How can they get Indian citizenship when Dalai Lama is still on refugee status and not an Indian citizen? Simple, Tibetans quietly lost trust in him.

It's strange as Nechung also said to the Dalai Lama to ban Dorje Shugden back in 1996. If this is done, then Nechung will be pleased and trust will be repaired between him and the Tibetan people and Tibetans can get Tibet back. This has not happened still.

Photos:

1. Nechung protector in trance of the official oracle monk speaking with Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama heavily relies on this spirit who was originally evil and subdued by Padmasambhava for much of his decisions. Tibetans lost hope in Nechung.

2. Nechung protector in a painting.

3. Nechung protector statue with many offerings in front of him. In this temple of Nechung, more offerings are made to him although he is a spirit than to Lord Buddha. This is encouraged by the Tibetan leadership.

[DharmaDefender]

There is an interesting article on this which explains so much- http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/the-dalai-lama-remains-a-refugee-but-his-people-will-not/


The Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders (CTA) have really lost their people's trust. More Tibetans are getting Indian passports as the aged Dalai Lama cannot get anyone back to Tibet. So many promises have been made they will return to Tibet but all the promises have been not fulfilled.

I just read this. A real handy analysis into the situation, thanks for posting it mate. Seems things are pretty bleak for them if their willing to risk being called anti-Dalai Lama just to get an Indian passport. Wonder how the CTA is going to explain things away this time. While Sangays off gallivanting again in the States, biggin himself up about how hes such a wonderfully democratic leader, his people back home are abandoning him in droves.

Sangay, if your such a fantastic leader yeah, how come no one wants to be led by you? 

[thaimonk]

Nechung protector’s command and promise to the Dalai Lama unfulfilled. Nechung promised Dalai Lama if Dorje Shugden's practice was banned, then the he can get Tibet back and Tibetans can return to Tibet.



It’s strange as Nechung also said to the Dalai Lama to ban Dorje Shugden back in 1996. If this is done, then Nechung will be pleased and trust will be repaired between him and the Tibetan people and Tibetans can get Tibet back. This has not happened still. Nechung on many occasions make promises to the Tibetan people but it has been unfulfilled. Tibetans lost trust in Nechung.

The ban against Shugden as requested by Nechung did not fulfill it’s purpose. Many Tibetans are questioning this now. The Tibetans say no benefits have arisen from banning Dorje Shugden’s practice. Only disharmony and disunity arose from this ban. The ban was wrong. Many Tibetans in India and abroad are quietly and secretly returning to Dorje Shugden’s practice now. Many Tibetans said they have practiced Dorje Shugden for many generations and were forced to give up the practice hoping to get Tibet back as promised by Nechung. But this has not happened.



Photo:

Statue of Nechung in Nechung Monastery. Many senior Tibetan lamas question why Nechung who is a spirit originally from Persia brought to Tibet by traders get more offerings on his shrine than Lord Buddha? Why does a spirit get more offerings than Lord Buddha Himself? Dalai Lama said we should make more offerings to Buddha and not a spirit yet Nechung gets more offerings. Why does the Dalai Lama allow this as it contradicts his own advice.

[SabS]

The Dalai Lama's personal protector Nechung has taken trance of their official oracle in Dharamsala hundreds of times. Nechung on many occasions have promised the Dalai Lama to tell the Tibetan people they will return to Tibet. It has been 60 years of saying this in exile. Many of the older generations who came from Tibet into exile in India have died off while waiting to return to Tibet. The new generation of Tibetans born in India are more Indian than Tibetan. Many Tibetans born in foreign countries beyond India cannot speak the Tibetan language well anymore and identify with their adoptive countries more than Tibet. Clearly Nechung's prophecies do not come true for important issues such as returning to Tibet.

Tibetans in India and around the world have lost hope in Nechung protector. Therefore the Tibetans in India are not even waiting for the Dalai Lama to die but getting Indian citizenship now while Dalai Lama is alive. How can they get Indian citizenship when Dalai Lama is still on refugee status and not an Indian citizen? Simple, Tibetans quietly lost trust in him.

It's strange as Nechung also said to the Dalai Lama to ban Dorje Shugden back in 1996. If this is done, then Nechung will be pleased and trust will be repaired between him and the Tibetan people and Tibetans can get Tibet back. This has not happened still.

This is the saddest ever. It seems that when Nechung made that declaration and the Dalai Lama announced it, all the Tibetan refugees left their personal belongings unpacked, ready to go at the moment's notice. Five years they waited and then its seven years but until now nothing came out of it. Now new generations had grown and never having been to Tibet or understanding the need to go back to Tibet, the Tibetan cause is losing their effects. As such it is of no surprise that the notices of passport application services are cropping up so profusely in the Tibetan camps. The people are seeking to be responsible for their own lives rather than rely on unreliable Tibetan Leaders. After all, CTA only wants to keep them as refugees to be able to be sycophants on the generosity of others. CTA had never bothered about the Dalai Lama other than to use him as a money generating machine so why would they care to carry out his dream in supporting the return to Tibet? Going back to Tibet holds no interest to CTA as they will not be able to fool the Chinese government for easy money. Sikyong Lobsang Sangay himself is not even Tibetan but an American.

[KarmaRangdrol]

Tibetans in India and around the world have lost hope in Nechung protector. Therefore the Tibetans in India are not even waiting for the Dalai Lama to die but getting Indian citizenship now while Dalai Lama is alive. How can they get Indian citizenship when Dalai Lama is still on refugee status and not an Indian citizen? Simple, Tibetans quietly lost trust in him.

True. My momo la would never dream of saying it but I know in her heart thats what drove her to move to... wouldn't you like to know where She already saw years ago that it was never going to work out. She still loves His Holiness and has his photo on her chosham and all that, but going back to Tibet? Nah. She knows His Holiness isn't moving in that direction anymore and yeah, she misses it, wants to go back and all that but realises it's not the Tibet she grew up in anymore.

I guess many of our older (and now younger too) generation feel that way. They just can't find the words to articulate or bring themselves to verbalise it. You know how it goes. They think if they say it out loud, it becomes true 

[Alex]

If I am a Tibetan refugee and I have waited for 60 years to go back to Tibet, I would have lost hope by now already. The Tibetan leadership has been giving empty promises one after another and there is still no progress on the Tibet cause until now. Who in the world remains as a refugee for more than half a century?

With the current Tibetan leadership, there is no way that they can bring the Tibetans in Exile back to Tibet. There are too busy chasing after their own fantasies and selfish agendas. They do not care about the Tibetans at all and they exploit them to get what they want.

It is logical for the Tibetans in exile to move on and take on Indian citizenship to fight for a better future for themselves after 60 years of stagnant in being a refugee. Soon, the Tibetan leadership will not have any Tibetans in exile left to manipulate and they will eventually have to disband.

[Tracy]

People who are enthusiastic about the Tibet cause will be those who escaped from Tibet together with the Dalai Lama in the 50s and 60s. Most of them probably are not around anymore or they are very old now. Majority of the Tibetans are the new generations who are born and raised outside Tibet. These new generations are not sentimental about Tibet.

After 60 years of waiting, there is no result from the CTA and as usual, the CTA doesn’t give a direction to the Tibetans. The Tibetans still respect the Dalai Lama but they also know the Dalai Lama is very old now and he will not be able to bring them back to Tibet. The CTA gives them empty promise year after year, no one has the confidence that the CTA will make any difference in the future.

The Tibetans also know that the CTA is only using them to make money, the CTA does not care about their future and welfare. Anyone with sense will not rely on the CTA and gamble their future away. As more Tibetans are migrating or going back to Tibet or opt for Indian citizenship, there will be fewer Tibetans for the CTA to ‘manage’ and to ask for free money from the west. Sooner or later, the CTA will have to dissolve and there is no one for them to manage and there is no more cause to fight for.

[Alex]

Tibetans are generally fed up with waiting since they have been waiting for 60 years. Tibetan leadership had given them empty promises and excuses so many times. In the meantime, Tibetan leadership did all they can to get more donations from countries around the world.

The population of Tibetan in exile now is the generation that has not even set foot in Tibet now. They will not have the passion to fight for Tibet’s freedom, unlike the generation that actually fled Tibet 60 years ago. That is why it is not surprising to see the Tibetans now are slowly embracing the fact that they will not go back to Tibet.

Many of them had even fled India to western countries to fight for a better future. It is obvious that even in India, the Tibetan government are not taking good care of their own people which forces them to flee the place that they know so well again. That is why Tibetans are cleaver to have moved on and not wait for their government to bring them back to Tibet.

[thaimonk]

The Tibetans always say they follow the Dalai Lama in all his policies. If that is the case why does the Dalai Lama remain a refugee status and his people are becoming Indian citizens?

The only time Tibetans can become Indian citizens is if the Dalai Lama makes a public announcement about doing so and he has not so far.

So Tibetans in India becoming Indians are not supporting the Dalai Lama?

[daka]

Obviously Tibetan nowadays don't really care about the Dalai Lama's decision and direction anymore. Respect is earned if a promised is fulfilled. Since the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government and the state protector Nechung could never fulfill what they have promised and it's been 60 years, who else will keep believing in them? 60 years means a lifetime of waiting. Many have died disappointed.

[Tracy]

It's funny, the Dalai Lama wants to remain as a refugee to show his commitment to the Tibet cause but most of the CTA members have a passport of another country. So in fact, the CTA is going against the Dalai Lama, they themselves don't believe in the cause. The Dalai Lama actually doesn't get much support from the the CTA.

Tibetans have suffered much being a refugee, they don't have the basic right of a citizen, they don't have an identity. They are like living in the bardo, they cannot plan their future, they don't really see the hope. After 60 years of waiting, even if they respect and love the Dalai Lama, they just have to do something for themselves. They have to move on.

It is not fair to let the Tibetans wait forever while the members of the CTA have already had a great plan for themselves. Tibetans have finally realised that the Tibet Cause is a mission impossible. The Dalai Lama is getting very old and they have accepted the fact that Tibet will never be independent. Thus, we see many Tibetans choose to migrate to other countries, take Indian citizenship or they rather go back to Tibet.