The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication by Tenzin Monlom. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to [email protected].
By: Tenzin Monlom
It is indeed good news that many media publications have announced the ‘private visit’ to China by His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s emissary Samdhong Rinpoche. As a Tibetan who wishes for the Tibet issue to be resolved during the lifetime of the Dalai Lama, it is important for the Dalai Lama and all Tibetans this visit happened. Of course I will not read too much into this because it is just beginning stages and China is a hard nut to crack, but at least there is a beginning. Since Lobsang Sangay’s term, he has not done anything to activate the talks with China to our chagrin. This is our prime concern. This is the prime job of the so called Tibetan government in Exile or CTA (Central Tibetan Administration) in Dharamsala. Their prime job is to solve the Tibet issue during the lifetime of the Dalai Lama. If the Dalai Lama is not here, heaven forbid, no other leader can unify Tibetans into one nation because the CTA does not groom leaders of international abilities. That is just how Tibetans are. So I have listed out 12 points which I wish to share with everyone.
- We all know His Holiness the Dalai Lama wishes to return to Tibet that is why all these years he has remained as a refugee without becoming an Indian citizen. We must help him return to China/Tibet at least for a visit.
- Dalai Lama does not want to have independence and wants full Tibetan autonomy under China. So the Tibetans who protest and fight for independence are against the wishes of His Holiness. Tibetans should stop criticizing China and stop protesting against China and start reaching out to make friends. If this is done, it will make it easier for the Dalai Lama to negotiate further through his envoys.
- By Tibetans criticizing, degrading and flinging nasty words at China will not hurt China in any way but will irritate them to not negotiate with Dalai Lama regarding Tibet. If you want something from someone, you must be polite. Criticizing China is the same effect as flinging an egg at Mt Kailash to hurt Mt Kailash. No effect.
- Even if 6 million Tibetans decide to fight against China, how can they win against 1.2 billion? It is illogical and it will be massacre time. No country in the world will give finances, arms and soldiers to help Tibetans fight China. The United Nations and every country agrees Tibet is a part of China. So fighting for independence is a suicide and a waste of time.
- Even great India cannot help the Tibetans get Tibet back from China. India cannot interfere with China’s internal issues and India also agrees with the One China policy and that Tibet belongs to China. So do not pressure the Indian government to help Tibet. Be grateful the Indian government gave a home to the Tibetan refugees for the last nearly 60 years and don’t ask more of India. Tibetans must not be greedy.
- Dalai Lama is getting old and he wishes to visit Tibet and the 6 million Tibetans waiting for him. Envoy Samdhong Rinpoche has gone to China not for a holiday, pilgrimage or meeting friends. Impossible. Samdhong Rinpoche is a high profile person who has criticized China for years and there is no way he can simply just go and China wouldn’t issue a visa on his refugee passport. People who criticize China are denied a visa. For Samdhong Rinpoche to go to China must have had the Dalai Lama’s, India’s and China’s permission. The only reason Samdhong Rinpoche is going there is to negotiate a visit to China by the Dalai Lama. If the visit to China works out well, then Dalai Lama may be granted permission to visit Tibet eventually. So at this time we must make sure Dalai Lama visits China as he is ageing very much. “The Wire”, “Tibetan Journal”, “Phayul” and “The Tribune” have all reported Samdhong Rinpoche visited China. CTA’s ‘president’ Lobsang Sangay has confirmed Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit to China as the Dalai Lama’s envoy. So this fact is confirmed. CTA or Tibetan govt likes to keep all this a secret, but Tibetans are well known for not being able to keep secrets.
- For nearly 60 years the Dalai Lama cannot visit China/Tibet and all his policies, ideas and methods did not work. Dalai Lama traveled all over the west drumming up support for Tibet to gain independence and it has failed. The western leaders and Japan all are not meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama anymore as they want business with China. Business with China means billions being poured into their economies. The main concern of all governments is to improve the economies of their nations. Whether we like that or not is not the point. The countries banning the Dalai Lama are increasing. Ironically most of the Buddhist countries like Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand have banned the Dalai Lama and he cannot visit. Maybe many people do not like the fact the Dalai Lama is losing support from governments but that is just the fact. China is rising to become the number one economy and super-power of the world and this will continue till they surpass even the USA. Even the USA are clambering to make friends with China. This trend will increase. USA being friends with Tibet for the last 20-30 years was a feel good factor, but now it does not feel good anymore due to their heavy recession and economic slump. What does the US get in return for helping Tibet? Nothing. Voters want jobs, business, trade and profit and USA leadership must provide this. USA has used military intervention to fight in countries such as Panama and the Middle East where their interests lie. But USA will never use force or military intervention for Tibet and it has never since 1959. USA has provided billions in aid to the Dalai Lama and our regime in Dharamsala but even that is being threatened under the current US president. How long does the world need to assist, aid and give money to Tibetans? When do the Tibetans make our own money and stand up for ourselves as being in India for nearly 60 years? Why are there no world famous secular Tibetan doctors, entertainers, scientists, media personalities, explorers till now coming from the exiled Tibetans in India and from around the world? Because the regime in Dharamsala did not have the foresight to train our people in this but only depended on free aid. The Central Tibetan Administration or CTA as they called the regime in Dharamsala which ‘governs’ the Tibetans in India and influences the Tibetans around the world created a group of people dependent on aid and free money since 1959. Their only focus has been religion as our God-King or Head is a monk namely His Holiness the Dalai Lama. That may have worked until 1959 in Tibet but obviously it will not work now. Being a monk for a leader, he will have no knowledge of developing his nation to that of the secular status of other nations. The proof is in the pudding, hence Tibetans in India after being refugees for 60 years still depend on foreign aid to survive. The hundreds of employees of our CTA regime in Dharamsala receive their salary that comes from the billions in aid from the US government. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala has created a few generations of Tibetans who wait for handouts just like themselves. This is shameful.
- By countries being friends with the Dalai Lama and fighting the Tibetan cause will gain nothing for their people. We can talk about China’s human rights violations as much as we want, but we cannot govern our countries according to western views of human rights. Democracy is a concept that needs to be molded to suit each country’s unique situation. The democracy in India is different than that of the UK, USA and Japan. So people need to stop looking at democracy according to western standards because more of us are not westerners. Westerners need to stop imposing their value, democracy, way of life, religion, culture on the rest of the world. Colonialism should come to an end. USA should give America back to the Native American Indians. Alaska should be returned to the Eskimos. Australia should be returned to the Aborigines and so on. Western imperialism has colonized India, many countries in Africa, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, South America and the list goes on. So westerners and their values should just remain with them. China must evolve their own system of government free of outside intrusions like India did. When India finally fought and won independence from imperial Britain, the British said India cannot govern its own people without Britain. That is western arrogance again. But India did fine and will continue to do fine. India cannot govern India according to British or western standards because India is unique on its own. Same for China. To cry human rights against China is a waste of time. Let China find her own methods without outside interference. Simple.
- It is important we allow Dalai Lama’s envoy to further negotiate with China and we assist this along. We should offer words of support, prayers, pujas and good wishes. It is simple, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wishes to visit China and eventually Tibet, so let his wishes come true. He deserves this very much. With regards to the Dorje Shugden issue which needs to be resolved, I find it ironic that Tibetans are ‘not encouraged’ to have associations with China or they are labelled a traitor and therefore segregated. This is the divide and rule tactic of the CTA regime. But now that Samdhong Rinpoche is making relations with China, the rest of us can also do same and to call Dorje Shugden followers derogatory names if they are friendly with China will only jeopardize the negotiations as China is open to all religions and do not discourage Dorje Shugden. The leaders of China are atheists but do not allow religion to divide or segregate people. The CTA regime uses the Dorje Shugden issue to divide and segregate Tibetans since 1996. Furthermore the Independence (Rangzen) seekers within Tibetans have to decide if they are on the Dalai Lama’s side for autonomy (umay-lam) or against Dalai Lama and continue to pursue independence which is not viable. It is important that the Tibetan leadership will stop criticizing China to the media, on lectures and individually and encourage their people to restrain also so the negotiations can go through well.
- Lobsang Sangay likes to say that if India will not help Tibetan gain independence from China, what happened to Tibet will happen in India. That is totally impossible in a million years. India is just as powerful, large, armed and intelligent as China. India’s armed forces are just as powerful and extensive as China’s. There is no way this can happen. India’s population is as many as China’s. And India has a working, functional and powerful government. Tibet in 1959 had none of those. Tibet was lost because of bad leadership, lack of exposure, high illiteracy rate, serfdom and the corruption within the government was so deep, it sold its own country off. The Tibetans in exile are the same now. The tiny minuscule ‘government’ of Tibet in Dharamsala is beyond pathetic with their disharmony, greed and corruption. If you want to know more, read Tibetsun (dot) com for all of the Tibetan ‘government’s’ intrigues. Tibetans are disappointed.
- India and the world owes nothing to the Tibetans. Tibetans owe India and many countries in the world so much for the help, financial aid, land, safety and citizenship and refuge for nearly 60 years. Tibetans should stop making demands of India and solve their own problems. India and the world did not make Tibet lose their country because Tibetans did it themselves and so they should solve it themselves.
- It is good news Samdhong Rinpoche went to China and let’s hope his negotiations will be ongoing and succeed in bringing His Holiness the Dalai Lama to a visit to China and eventually to Tibet. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits China and eventually Tibet, this will definitely help in Sino-Indian relations because the Dalai Lama has been a thorn in the side for Sino-Indian relations if the truth is told. If China was harboring an Indian that was considered a separatist in China and giving refuge to hundreds of thousands of his supporters in China, would India be pleased with this? Never mind if Dalai Lama is actually a splittist or separatist but that is how he is viewed by China. So we have to see both sides. Of course I support the Dalai Lama but I have to be pragmatic according to world and China’s political views.
One interesting point to note is the Tibetans and their supporters within India and around the world who seek complete Independence (rangzen) of Tibet from China are silent on this recent visit of Samdhong Rinpoche to China. Dalai Lama wishes to have an autonomy of Tibet within China. There is a faction of Tibetans who claim to be not against the Dalai Lama but are overtly against his middle way policy (umay-lam) of autonomy. To speak against the Dalai Lama in Tibetan society is taboo and will invite segregation, insults and violence. No one is allowed to oppose the Dalai Lama’s views on governance, religion or culture in any way although they call themselves a democracy. So the independence seekers otherwise known as rangzen movement are silent and obviously not happy about this development. They do not agree with Dalai Lama at all. Not a word from them on social media. They have a distorted view that Tibet can be taken from China and become independent again. How is this possible? The best chance for Tibetan culture, religion and way of life to be preserved within Tibet is to become friends with China. Then China will loosen their policies on Tibet in time. The world has agreed Tibet is a part of China and it will remain this way. The rangzen people do not accept this and automatically they place themselves against the Dalai Lama. Samdhong Rinpoche famously said that the rangzen independent movement groups are very dangerous.
The Dalai Lama Wants to Return Home
Dalai Lama’s Envoy Samdhong Rinpoche Discreetly Visited China
Dalai Lama headed to China on a pvt visit?
Cautious Sangay says Samdhong Rinpoche made a “private visit” to China
Clarification posted by the CTA on their official Facebook page
‘Former Tibetan government head visited China recently’
Further developments: The Tibetan people tricked again
On 4th December 2017, The Wire, a popular Indian news website published a story that lifted the spirits of the Tibetan people around the world. The report, authored by P. Stobdan, announced that the Dalai Lama’s personal envoy, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche had visited China. This itself is a remarkable milestone given the length of time when a high Tibetan official last went to China on what can only be an official visit regardless of how dressed-down the visit was. As a personal envoy of the Dalai Lama, it would only be natural for Samdhong Rinpoche, who is also ex-Prime Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala), to be regarded by the Chinese government as a ‘de facto separatist’. This bearing in mind that the Chinese government had over the decades regarded the Dalai Lama as a dangerous ‘separatist’, and that Samdhong Rinpoche himself had spent years encouraging anti-China sentiments. And yet, Samdhong Rinpoche was allowed into China so easily which can only mean that the Chinese government approved the visit.
These factors combine to lead the Tibetan people and their global supporters to conclude that Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit was a precursor to an impending visit by the Dalai Lama. This is big news because visiting China has been a personal wish the Dalai Lama has expressed on many occasions and it would bring great joy to the Tibetan people to see the Dalai Lama fulfilling that dream. In fact, many Tibetans have self-immolated to spur this dream on.
In addition, a Dalai Lama visit would also indicate that the Tibetans in exile might once again be able to see their beloved land, a dream that has spanned more than half a century. At first, many could not believe their ears about the news of Samdhong Rinpoche going to China but then confirmation came from Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the highest-ranking political official in the Tibetan government. His confirmation, issued through Phayul (essentially the CTA’s mouthpiece), was taken as an authentication of the news. It was official and the Tibetan people’s hopes of returning to their beloved Tibet was reignited after a decade of stagnation. It would have been an opportunity for all Tibetans to unite and fall behind a common goal and for all to put differences aside to achieve the most important goal.
Sadly, on 19th December 2017, a full 15 days after news of Samdhong Rinpoche’s visit first broke, Samdhong Rinpoche crushed this new hope by announcing that he had not visited China and neither was a visit by the Dalai Lama to China likely.
Samdhong Rinpoche’s statement to Phayul.com highlights a number of very important observations:
- We see how disrespectful Samdhong Rinpoche, a very senior Tibetan leader, is towards the Tibetan people. He can so insensitively douse the hopes of the Tibetans in an instant. This is after decades of failures and countless false promises made by the Tibetan leadership to its own people. The Tibetan people have trusted the CTA and until today, most have chosen life as a poor refugee with no foreseeable future instead of taking up Indian passports (which many are entitled to), to retain more of their “Tibetaness”. Instead of recognizing that sacrifice, Samdhong led everyone to believe in this new hope for two weeks and then recklessly crushed everyone’s hopes with no explanation or apology.
- In fact, why wait for two weeks before correcting an error? One can only imagine that Samdhong Rinpoche waited two weeks because he was actually in China. With its internet firewall, he did not hear about Lobsang Sangay’s confirmation of his visit until he left China two weeks later, and that is when he issued the statement of denial that he had ever travelled there. But during the time he was supposedly not in China, or supposedly in China, how come no one else in Dharamsala noticed the absence or presence of one of the most recognizable faces in Tibetan politics? Surely someone else, for example Samdhong Rinpoche’s staff, would know his movements and also step up and either confirm or deny Samdhong’s whereabouts at the time. How come Lobsang Sangay himself can disregard his envoy counterpart’s whereabouts for such a long period of time, and not know for sure where he is? The fact only Lobsang Sangay and Samdhong Rinpoche are addressing this incident, and fueling more confusion in the Tibetan community, is incredibly suspicious.
- How trustworthy is the Tibetan government when two of the highest officials can so seriously err on such a simple matter? If Samdhong Rinpoche did not indeed visit China, how could Sikyong Lobsang Sangay have gotten such basic information wrong? On the other hand, if Lobsang Sangay was correct and Samdhong Rinpoche did visit China, then why would Samdhong Rinpoche tell such a blatant lie in denying his trip? Either Sangay is lying or Samdhong is lying. Whichever one was dishonest about the matter, it is still bad news for the Tibetan people. Either the Tibetan people’s highest elected government official, Lobsang Sangay, who is supposed to lead them into a good future is deceitful. Or Samdhong Rinpoche who is supposed to represent the Dalai Lama, is insidious and sneaky. It is impossible for both Sangay and Samdhong to be right on the same subject and so deception is confirmed.
- Both Lobsang Sangay and Samdhong Rinpoche have recently been appointed by the Dalai Lama to be his personal envoys. And this is an incredibly important role because the survival of the Tibetans in exile and the success of their struggle are heavily dependent on the credibility of the Dalai Lama and the trust that the world places on him and his representatives. Not only have we seen now how one or the other is confirmed to be deceptive, but we now also see how easily the two most important persons who represent the Dalai Lama can bungle such critical matters. And this is even before they execute highly sensitive state functions that the Dalai Lama has been performing. Instantly, there is doubt not only of the Dalai Lama’s envoys’ integrity but also their competence.
If Samdhong Rinpoche and Lobsang Sangay cannot even co-ordinate on such a trivial question – where in the world was Samdhong Rinpoche? – how can they individually and together, navigate the tricky and often stormy political oceans? As a matter of fact, how many grave mistakes have they made over the decades that would have robbed the Tibetan people of good chances to win their struggle? These will be mistakes that the Tibetan people will never know about, considering the level of deception that the CTA clearly engages in. How can the Tibetan people rely on these two to continue to win global support of the Tibetan cause and deal with a very powerful China who, over the years, has demonstrated highly sophisticated diplomacy and governance?
Finally, notice how after both Samdhong and Sangay exposed each other in public, there is no effort to repair the situation and instead, the damage has been allowed to fester and grow. Either there is an ongoing rift between the two envoys or they just could not be bothered to provide a coordinated reply to salvage the CTA and Dalai Lama’s reputations.
This bungling is characteristic of the CTA who has drawn more and more criticisms and concerns over the years. Recently we witnessed the spat between Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering, the ex-representative of the Dalai Lama in North America and ex-Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament. The two government leaders behaved like schoolboys and quarreled publicly over the pettiest things. In the process, they exposed how corrupt the CTA actually is, that the Sikyong can direct monies meant for the Tibetan refugees to be treated as he sees fit and clearly in contravention of basic accounting integrity.
If the best of the best of the Tibetan government is of this caliber, is it any wonder what those under them are like and is it any wonder why after 60 years in the wilderness, all the CTA can offer the Tibetan people are hyped up promises instead of clear policies and directions?
It is only common sense that before an investor invests any of his hard-earned money into a company, one of the basic things he must look at is the honesty and competency of the management. An astute investor would never place any money into a company where the top officers are proven to be dishonest, and the entire management have been proven to be incapable of coordinating and repairing costly mistakes and, scarily, not in possession of even the most basic business plan to go by. How much more costly do the investments of the Tibetan people have to be? It is not money that the Tibetan leadership have gambled away but their lives, and the lives and future of a few generations of Tibetans in exile. Call it by any name, Rangzen (independence) or Umaylam (autonomy), a bad investment is just a bad investment.
Report on Dalai Lama’s Possible Visit to China Mistaken: CTA Clarifies
A Secret Visit and Sino-Tibetan Dialogue
Neither Dalai Lama Nor Samdhong Have or Planning a China Visit!
Samdhong Rinpoche denies visiting China, says no plans for Dalai Lama as well
Did President Sangay Misinform That Samdhong Rinpoche Visited China?
India Always Stood With Tibetans, Tibet Will Also Stay With India: Dalai Lama
Tsering
March 3, 2018
Comic drawn by Tendor, a prominent Free Tibet activist.
Sar Lang
March 5, 2018
Lhatse Lobsang, the President of Utsang Yargay Tsokpa, warns the elected leaders including the Sikyong Lobsang Sangye/Tibetan leaders and members of the parliament of his self-immolation in protest if they don’t resolve the termination issue in the coming March parliamentary sessions. Tibetans in India are so unhappy with their Tibetan government in exile in North India, they wish to self-immolate in protest. This would spell big disaster for the corrupt Tibetan government in exile in India.
Gangchenpa
March 9, 2018
The Nepalese officials have again turned down permission for Tibetan refugees to commemorate the Tibetan uprising day in order to protect its alliance with the Chinese Communist Party, which has proven to be more beneficial to Nepal as compared to supporting the Tibetan refugees.
The Nepal Chief District Officer issued a written notice in 2005 to the Representative of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Refugees Welfare Office (TRWO) in Kathmandu to suspend both offices, ending a 45 years partnership to care for some 2,500 Tibetan refugees who would transit in Nepal from Tibet. This move was a lesson to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) for not addressing the tensions between the Tibetans and Nepalese, as well as not contributing back to Nepal for as long as they have been there. The fact that the Tibetan refugees continue to protest on March 10 is a perfect example in which they will jeopardise the relationship between Nepal and China, who is now the top assistance providers to Nepal. The Tibetan refugees are forever taking, and never reciprocating the favour has proven to be an ineffective way of dealing with the Nepalese as they feel they are taken for granted always.
ashrao
March 9, 2018
Indian and Chinese foreign ministries have both made statements thawing relations between the two Asian giants. Determined to improve ties between the countries, the Indian government is taking steps to ensure nothing jeopardizes their efforts. First, they told their officials to distance themselves from the Tibetans, and then the planned #ThankyouIndia2018 events were moved from New Delhi (India’s political capital) to the out of the way Dharamsala.
Now, even Chinese ministers are hoping for improved relations, bringing stability to the volatile region. The Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant need to dance in order to become stronger said the Chinese Foreign Minister.
Will this be the end of India’s support of the Tibetans? What will they do next?
Jampel Senge
March 10, 2018
Not only was the thankyouindia2018 forced to move back to McLeodganj, the Tibetans are warned to keep the event low key! BJP leadership, including L K Advani and Shanta Kumar, and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had been invited for the event in Delhi but none of them replied to the invitation. Apart from the change of venue now, new invitation list has to be prepared. It is clear that the Indian government is distancing itself from the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and they will do what is necessary to mend their ties with China.
SonamT
March 10, 2018
It is very clear by now that the Indian Government does not want the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)’s thank you. No matter how the CTA orchestrates the propaganda campaign to please India, it is very clear that the Indian Government had enough of the Tibetans and are making effort to distance itself from the CTA. Although India will continue to support His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his spiritual works, the distinctions between His Holiness and the CTA is made very clear. Looking at the trend, we may be able to speculate that the Indian Government’s plan for the next few years is to end decades of support to the CTA and its people, eventually clearing all Tibetan refugees from India.
sonkel
March 10, 2018
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) should really learn from Nepal. Aligning with Chinese policy is necessary if you wish for growth and economic stability. The Dalai Lama was recently quoted to say, “We want to stay with China. We want more development.”
Nepal has developed so much since collaborating with China, with China now contributing to around 58 percent of foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments received by Nepal. China has promised that areas of mutual cooperation with Nepal would be expanded in the days to come.
Lelkyi Tsho
March 13, 2018
Although both China and India are seen as giants, India has been seen submitting to China more and more. The relocation of “Thank You India” event from Delhi to Dharamsala and Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha’s note to Indian officials to not attend the event because it is a “very sensitive time” for bilateral relations with China both clearly show that India is bending backwards to please China. And they are definitely not going to entertain Lobsang Sangay anymore because the Tibet issue is no longer a trump card for India.
Lobsang Sangay said not long ago that an official usually wants to do something big in their last term of office so that people will remember them. In this case, he will forever be remembered for his incapability and his focus on building closer ties with young women, such as Dhardon Sharling, instead of significant diplomatic ties. He has done a lot of big things in his last term as the President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) but none of these shows any leadership characteristics whatsoever. These include:
1) The sacking of Penpa Tsering to evade the Tibet Fund loan scandal of US$1.5 million. He even tried to push the loan on to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to settle on his behalf.
2) Allowing a downsized, low-key #thankyouindia2018 event to celebrate 60 years of exile, something which Dhardon Sharling, the Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations, claimed to have no idea as to why the events were shifted.
3) Allowing fake monk Tenzin Dhonden to use His Holiness’ fame to conduct dubious activities including being involved in a cult and sex scandals.
4) Losing India’s half-century worth of support towards the CTA and its people for his ungrateful attitude. Instead, he focused on filling up his own pockets instead of thinking of the welfare of the Tibetans in exile.
Lobsang Sangay’s intention to take on the role as the President of the CTA is clear and his best ‘achievements’ definitely outshine his predecessors as inept failures.
Khampa Warrior
March 13, 2018
India has lost significant support from Nepal, especially since Nepal’s devastating earthquake in 2015 when China gave the country funds for aid and rebuilding infrastructure. It is now losing its grip more and more, such as in its internet monopoly, now threatened by alternatives from China. China is making inroads into Nepal aggressively. India, which originally thought of China as a friend, can only sit by and watch China exert its influence and power further, such as improving telecommunications and building railway extensions from the border with Nepal and Yadong across Sikkim, to Kathmandu and Lumbini.
Nepal and India have historically enjoyed good ties and strong trade relations and if India does not take advantage of this fast-closing window of opportunity, China will be successful in wooing Nepal. Kathmandu already signed trade and transit agreements with Beijing in March 2016. This gave Nepal an alternative route for its trade and supplies. As China builds a stronghold in Nepal, it will continue achieving its strategic objective of eliminating Indian influence and curbing the Tibetan refugee population.
Athar Migmar
March 15, 2018
By hosting the Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi when India-Pakistan ties are at an all-time low, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli is telling the world that he is not afraid of India, especially after landmark trade and transit agreements were signed with China. This seems to go well with the general sentiments of the Nepali people, as Oli’s pro-China stance is wildly popular among his core constituencies.
As mentioned in the article, New Delhi must learn to accept China’s presence in the region and to work with it. As China works on building trilateral cooperation with Nepal and India, the Tibetans will have no standing. Recently, the report that the Indian government had asked senior leaders and officials not to attend events that would mark the Tibetans’ 60 years in exile, as well as the cancellation of 2 events in Delhi, are clear signs that everyone is trying to please China. The Tibetans have no more sympathizers who will continue to support them as it risks jeopardising relations with China.
Phuntsok Palden
March 15, 2018
Look at these real tweets, Indians are not happy with Tibetans, questioning why India must support the Dalai Lama.
Phuntsok Palden
March 15, 2018
More tweets of Indians talking about the Dalai Lama.
Phuntsok Palden
March 15, 2018
More tweets of Indians not happy with the Tibetans. One even asks the Tibetans to go back to China.
Phuntsok Palden
March 15, 2018
Indians saying Dalai Lama is anti-India and pro-China.
Phuntsok Palden
March 15, 2018
Clearly the Indians are of the opinion that Dalai Lama’s pro-China stance is hurting Indians.
Phuntsok Palden
March 15, 2018
See this tweet by Savita, this may be what many Indians are thinking right now.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SHUGDEN
March 15, 2018
For years the Tibetan government in-exile has been suppressing Dorje Shugden practitioners and punishing them for practising by barring them from Tibetan hospitals, schools and communal gatherings. They have been severely segregated and pressed down and made into pariahs of society. They did this to scapegoat Shugden as the cause for them to fail in their job in getting Tibet back from China after 60 years in exile. Now the tables have turned. India is starting to change its stance toward the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leadership. The Indian government is starting to make friends with China and that means distancing themselves from the useless Tibetans. Too bad.
Now the Tibetan leadership will know what it feels like to be abandoned, abused and segregated like they did for years to Dorje Shugden practitioners. Without Indian support the Tibetan government will have less power to abuse Shugden practitioners within their communities. Finally the tables have turned against the Tibetan leadership. Now it’s time for them to humble down and shut up! They better not make further trouble. They could have had hundreds of thousands of Dorje Shugden practitioners supporting the Tibetan leadership but you alienated them with your segregation and inhumane policies of segregation and now you have less and less support. Too bad. Dorje Shugden people could have supported you all but you lost it. Too bad.
dorjeeK
March 16, 2018
What the Tibetan leadership said is clearly seen as disrespectful and ungrateful towards the kindness shown by India for hosting the Tibetans for almost six decades now. See how upset the Indians are and what they are saying now.
Kaali
March 16, 2018
More and more Indians are speaking their mind, look at this tweet below. It is true that the Tibetan leadership does not get involve or support India when India faces problems, such as during the Gorkhaland and even Doklam crisis. Instead of helping, the President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) incite more tension by saying that what happened to Tibet could happen to India as well and that India should be worried about China’s continued military build-up in Doklam.
Kaali
March 16, 2018
Indians are speaking up against Tibetans now. See what t j prasad said. Tibetans live for free for decades in India while amassing massive funds from foreign aid, claiming they are refugees.
Kaali
March 16, 2018
You cannot deny what the Indians have observed. After all, they put up with these fake refugees in their country for decades. What vikram chandra said is true, Tibetans are enjoying their good life everywhere and taking advantage of their host countries.
Senge
March 16, 2018
NorbuT
March 17, 2018
Apart from two big Tibetan events planned in Delhi being scrapped, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) can add another disgrace to the list, this time thanks to its own people, the Tibetans.
On Saturday 17th March, a large number of international protestors gathered near the Tibetan parliament, seeking the impeachment of Tibetan President Sangay, saying his actions are akin to those of a dictator. The protestors are from India, Nepal, Europe, and the US and the protest will go on until the session ends on March 24. Lobsang Sangay definitely made a mark in Tibetan history as he is the first President that Tibetans protested to impeach.
tendhar
March 17, 2018
It is understandable that national ministers refrained from attending events organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) following the leaked classified directive from the Indian Cabinet Secretary. But to have a State Minister of Himachal Pradesh (that Dharamsala falls under) skipping such an important event for the Tibetans in-exile is a clear message – India is now making ties with China, and the ‘Tibetan cause’ (Tibetan independence) is no longer useful to India.
Over the past few months, the Dalai Lama has made numerous statements that Tibet should remain part of China. He has been reaffirming his stance that he is not seeking independence for Tibet. Meanwhile, India is exercising a whole new approach – to make friends with China. After all, India’s national interest comes first.
Jigme Tsering
March 18, 2018
In response to the cancellation of the recent ‘Thank You India’ event in Delhi, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) released a video message by His Holiness the Dalai Lama saying that the Tibetans have not been seeking independence for Tibet from China since 1974. In addition, His Holiness further reiterate the mutual benefits of reconciliation between Tibetans in exile and China.
This statement was very offensive to Indians who were very kind enough to host the Tibetan refugees for the last 60 years. Not only did the Tibetan community contribute nothing to India, they have also been using India in order to further their own cause. Now that India is changing their stance towards China, Tibetans are quick to turn around in favor of China and India is quickly abandoned. What is apparent in this speech is that India remains an undesired place to be called home.
Tashi Wangchuk
March 21, 2018
I see many Indians expressing their displeasure with Tibetans on Twitter daily. Look at what they are saying now.
Chewang
March 21, 2018
Modi’s government’s direction is clear regarding the Tibetans – India wants the Tibetan government in exile to avoid indulging in any political activity against Beijing, and on the Indian side, it is stepping up its engagements with China to deepen economic and political cooperation before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in June, of which Prime Minister Modi is attending the multilateral event.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval are scheduled to meet their Chinese counterparts before the SCO summit and ministerial engagements with China is expected to translate into a bilateral informal summit between Modi and Xi.
Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha’s recent note asking all politicians and bureaucrats to refrain from participating in events organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is a huge contrast to when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in May 2014, this was when the then Prime Minister (now President) of the Tibetan government in exile Lobsang Sangay was invited for his swearing-in. As India denounce their strong support towards the Tibetans in exile, we know that the CTA’s power is dwindling down, especially when the Dalai Lama said that he wants to “voluntarily” put an end to the process of Dalai Lama succession.
dolma tso
March 22, 2018
India banning Tibetans from hosting a rally with the Dalai Lama this month for the 60th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule is a clear sign that India wants to improve ties with China.
China said that it is “willing to keep up the good momentum of two-way cooperation with India,” while the Indian side mentioned that India and China agreed to consult each other on regional and international issues.
You can’t really fault India for doing so. After all, it was His Holiness the Dalai Lama who batted for the recognition of the “Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai” (India and China are brothers) spirit to take Sino-Indian relations forward.
Dolma Khoza
March 22, 2018
The Tibetan government in exile has been dumped by the Indian government for a bigger prize: China. For years, the Tibetan government in exile would accuse Dorje Shugden people of taking money from the Chinese but everyone knows that this is not true. Now even their host, India, will be friends with China. Everyone will be friends with China sooner or later, and the Tibetan leadership beg to be as well. The Tibetan leadership shouldn’t have messed with Dorje Shugden people. Too bad for you! And when the Tibetan leadership is friends with China, what will they accuse the Dorje Shugden people of then???
gonpo Tsering
March 22, 2018
There were some speculations that India’s objectives in slighting the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) could be because of a prior agreement with China.
Coincidentally, Foreign Secretary Gokhale’s note leaked a day before the foreign secretary visited Beijing, and now we hear news that Indian ministers have scheduled to meet their Chinese counterparts to prepare for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in June.
We may never know the real reason is for India’s sudden turn around to appease China. But one thing’s for sure, India will not allow the Tibetans to engage in anti-China activities from now onwards. Like what the article said, “…for India, the Tibetan story was over.”
Thinley Woeser
March 22, 2018
India has switched its policy on Tibet in order to align itself with China and gain economic benefits. With high unemployment rate and serious poverty issues in the countryside resulted in the Kisan Long March, as well as the uncertainties of the General Elections coming up in 2019, Modi’s government need to prioritise the interest of 1.3 billion people over 95,000 Tibetan refugees.
As the largest recipient of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) under the “Belt & Road” initiative, India needs to maintain good relations with China, especially after the Doklam tension. The reality is the fact that India cannot afford to go to war with China as its army is not as well equipped and the cost of war would be astronomical. So India is now opting a conciliatory as opposed to a hardline approach in order to keep China at bay, and for PM Modi to possibly have a higher chance to succeed in the coming election.
Modi and Xi are expected to meet this year on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held in June this year at the Chinese city of Qingdao, and Modi’s congratulatory note to Xi for getting re-elected as the President on Chinese social media platform Weibo is a confirmation that further development of Sino-Indian bilateral relations is definitely under way.
Choegyal
March 23, 2018
Looks like India is taking serious measures to ensure that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala does not engage in any political activity perceived to be against Beijing.
An event to mark 60 years of the Dalai Lama’s stay in India, originally planned in Delhi, was moved back to Dharamsala in order not to create issues for India as Sino-Indian ties are very tense at the moment. As a result, organisers were forced to hold the programme in the temple complex where the Dalai Lama and his followers have been living for decades.
Many are speculating whether these cancellations and the new Indian government policy are permanent or just temporary. Looking at the series of engagements lined up between Delhi and Beijing, such as the upcoming visits to China by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, India is determine to mind Sino-Indian relations post-Doklam, which means the Tibetans should get ready for more bad news in the coming months.
Tashi Rinchen
March 25, 2018
Now that India has decided to improve her bilateral relationship with China, the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) are deprived of the honor and privileges that they have grown accustomed to. A state minister of Himachal Pradesh, invited as the Chief Guest decided not to turn up for the Tibetans’ March 10th event. Now there’s another bad news for the Tibetans. The 7th World Parliamentarian’s Convention on Tibet scheduled on April 26 – 28 in Delhi is canceled.
The last global conference was held six years ago, and it is clear that the Tibet issue has not been high on anyone’s agenda for a long time. If we look at the trend now, it is clear that the Indian government prevents any official from attending any Tibetan events, and even refuses to host any discussion on the Tibet issue. With a series of upcoming high profile meetings between Indian and China officials, it looks like India is dropping its support on the Tibet issue completely. It remains to be seen how things will become worse for the CTA. The next thing we can expect to see is perhaps Indian officials will start avoiding to be seen with Tibetan officials, and perhaps even the Dalai Lama as they are courting China?
Kelsang Rabgyal
March 25, 2018
Time for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) to wake up! CTA’s events are being rejected and postponed one by one. The CTA should realise by now that they are being strictly sidelined by India and nobody really wants to associate with them as they spell trouble. The Tibetans cannot be so oblivious, or maybe they are just too embarrassed to talk about it. Perhaps they are just too busy scrambling around to find out what event will be cancelled next from one of their insiders in the Indian government in order to save face, if there is any left to save.
Namgyal Wangchuk
March 26, 2018
Things are going from bad to worse as the Tibetan leadership has to grapple with yet another problem. Not only does the Indian leadership now refuse to be seen with them, but tourists are no longer attracted to Dharamsala, whether it’s to attend teachings by the Dalai Lama or because they want to go somewhere exotic. The region has seen a tremendous drop in tourists especially for the month of March, which used to be peak tourist season when the town would overflow with visitors.
And not only has the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) failed to host an annual summer festival that used to be a major tourist attraction, but now they are even blaming the cancellation on a lack of funds allocated by the Indian leadership. Does the CTA REALLY think this will improve their relationship with the Indian government? It is typical CTA mentality – if you don’t give things to them for free, they won’t do anything.
And just to prove everyone really has NO idea what to do to bring the tourists back, they’re thinking of requesting the Dalai Lama to give even more teachings as an attraction point. Yes, they are going to ask an 82-year old man to do even MORE work to bring in the money. When will the CTA let the Dalai Lama retire? And yes, that’s right – they don’t want to request the Dalai Lama to give teachings because they want Dharma. They want the Dharma to make MORE MONEY. That’s how it has ALWAYS been with the CTA. So maybe the real reasons tourists are avoiding Dharamsala is because they’ve figured this out, and they have had enough of giving their money to a corrupt leadership that has exploited them financially for 60 years.
Dolma Jane
March 27, 2018
The last time world parliamentarians met to discuss Tibet was in Canada in 2012. It has taken them six years to organize the same meeting, a sure sign that the world has had better things to do in the last six years than to discuss Tibet.
However the latest meeting, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, has been cancelled, the reason being it is a “sensitive time” for India-China relations. This took place after India “conveyed its concerns” to the Tibetan leadership. While it may sound like a benign reason, this is not the first incident in recent times where India has directed the CTA to stop provoking China. Very significantly, the Indian Foreign Secretary also directed Indian officials not to attend CTA events hosted as part of their “Thank You India” campaign, meant to celebrate 60 years of Indian kindness towards the Tibetans.
Apart from the cancelation of those Tibetan-related events, His Holiness the Dalai Lama also announced that he would not travel for the rest of the year. All seems to spell doom for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). It is clear that India does not want anything to do with the Tibetans, and it is only a matter of time India starts saying that Tibet is a part of China. So it seems that the only direction for the CTA now is to befriend China, just like the rest of the world is doing.
Lelkyi Tsho
March 27, 2018
After the humiliation of their Chief Guest not attending the Tibetan Uprising Day event, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has resorted to keeping their list of invitees secret for the upcoming opening ceremony of the “Thank You India” campaign. This is an unprecedented move as they are always publicising who their special guests are.
Could it be that none of the Indian dignitaries have agreed to grace the event so the CTA has no one to announce as yet? Or is it because the CTA are embarrassed and afraid that history may repeat itself, and are trying to prevent a similar incident where Chief Guest Kishan Kapoor did not show up after they had publicised he would be there? Or perhaps this is a way to go around the Indian government’s directive which discouraged Indian officials from attending Tibetan related events. Perhaps the CTA thinks that if the Indian government doesn’t know who the CTA invites, then the Indian government will not be able to contact the invitees and tell them not to go, again.
One thing’s for sure, the CTA has lost its support from the Indian government. PM Modi is scheduled to visit China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in June and India will not allow any incident that may derail the talks.
Ngawang Jigme
March 27, 2018
This is probably the biggest slap in the face for the Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala. They have been using the Dalai Lama for years now in order to garner support, and flex their authority and influence over others. But in an interview to CNN-News18 earlier this month, the Dalai Lama said he does not care about the alleged pressure from China which caused the cancellation of the high-profile ‘Thank You India’ events in Delhi. The events were supposed to mark 60 years of the Tibetan government’s exile in India. On top of that, he said that the position of the Dalai Lama was no longer relevant, and that the Tibetan people – not the leadership – must decide on whether to continue the position or not.
It seems like the Dalai Lama is leaving the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Tibetans in-exile to fend for themselves. No more spoon-feeding. Perhaps the Dalai Lama has had enough of being exploited by the Tibetan leadership and lost all hope in the Tibetan president’s paving the way for the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet or even Tibetan autonomy. In that case, isn’t the CTA comparatively more irrelevant than the Dalai Lama, since it failed to achieve what it set out to do decades ago?
Tashi Namgyal
March 29, 2018
As long as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Tibetan refugees are living on Indian soil, they will continue to be a thorn in the relationship between China and India, as China will continue to view India as harboring Tibetan separatists.
So if Dr. Lobsang Sangay is serious about not wanting to “cause inconvenience” to India, he should do MUCH MUCH more than just moving the “Thank You India” from New Delhi to Dharamsala (which he was ordered to do anyway). He should stop condemning China and stop flying the Tibetan flag, which contradicts China’s policies regarding Tibet. And he should also use donations that the CTA receives to organize the return of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees to their home in China. Otherwise, whatever he says about not wanting to “cause inconvenience” to India is just lip service, like it has been for the last 60 years.
Big Boss fan
March 29, 2018
It’s the beginning of the end for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). How can the Dalai Lama, whom Tibetans believe to be the Buddha of Compassion Chenresig, be exhausted? Lets say the Dalai Lama is just a simple monk which he often claims. Even as a simple monk, the Dalai Lama is also a seasoned tantric practitioner who has been practising tantra for decades so he should be able to easily heal himself through controlling his winds. So why is the Dalai Lama exhausted and not healing himself? The logical conclusion is that the Dalai Lama is purposely manifesting exhaustion.
Whatever the Dalai Lama’s reasons are, one thing is for sure and that is the cancelation of the Dalai Lama’s travel schedule will speed up the decline of the CTA. Everyone knows that the Dalai Lama is the breadwinner of the Tibetan refugees and the CTA because the world likes him. They give money because they want to support HIM through supporting the Tibetan people. But as the Dalai Lama reduces his visibility from travelling less, and also becomes less accessible, the world will slowly forget about him and the support, especially of a financial nature, to the Tibetan cause will weaken.
So Lobsang Sangay, the President of the CTA, has failed to perform in his role despite the support of the Dalai Lama. He’s not as well-liked or as attractive to support as the Dalai Lama. Hence in the future, without the backing of the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Sangay will never be able to sustain the CTA, and he will not be able to raise the same amount of awareness and fund as the Dalai Lama did, because no one knows who he is.
The end of the CTA draws closer every day.
Lhakpa Tsering
March 29, 2018
India has swapped its hard line approach to China. Top Indian officials distanced themselves from the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) after a directive from India’s Foreign Secretary to avoid events hosted by the Tibetan leadership, and after the enforcement of an unprecedented ban on Tibetans holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi.
Now it has been announced in Reuters that the Tibet card is no longer a strategic tool for India, and the Dalai Lama himself has said that the position of the Dalai Lama has become irrelevant now.
All of this easily leads to the conclusion that the CTA will soon be defunct. India is offering citizenship to Tibetans in India. The flow of refugees arriving in Nepal and India has been curtailed for the last decade after Nepal closed a popular route used by refugees leaving Tibet. The President of the Tibetan leadership Lobsang Sangay is plagued by various scandals on a near-daily basis, and Tibetans in exile are protesting and calling for his impeachment. Another possible leader of the Tibetans in exile, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the head of the Karma Kagyu sect has been abroad for the past year to “rest and recover” due to health concerns. With no viable leader without the Dalai Lama, and having lost their biggest supporter and ally in India, it looks like there is no light at the end of the tunnel for the CTA.
Chokphel
March 29, 2018
When Nepal said ‘no more’ to Tibetan activists protesting in Nepal, they seriously meant it. To show just how serious and efficient they are, they even took a Tibetan activist into custody after he posted a picture holding a Tibetan flag in front of the Boudhanath Stupa on Facebook.
If Tibetans really wish to continue living in peace in foreign countries, they had better follow the rules of that host country and toe the line. Overzealous activism for the Tibetan cause will no longer be tolerated in countries, such as Nepal, which are trying to improve ties with China. When will the Tibetans wake up and realise that they can no longer fight against China, a superpower with far-reaching influence in international affairs?
Jampel Senge
March 31, 2018
Tibetans throw Dalai Lama Statue into River in Tibet
Tibetans are sick and tired of the Tibetan in-exile leadership and are showing their frustration by throwing the 14th Dalai Lama’s statue into the river. What’s more shocking was that this incident happened in Amdo, the birth province of the Dalai Lama where he is highly revered.
The failure of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in advancing the Tibetan cause for six decades, combined with more recent setbacks like being snubbed by their host India, means that patience in Tibet is wearing thin. As more world leaders distance themselves from the Dalai Lama and the CTA, the chance for Tibetan autonomy or even the return of Tibetans in-exile to Tibet is bleak. The Dalai Lama is still branded a separatist with no sign of dialogue with China in sight.
For all the negative actions done to Dorje Shugden practitioners for decades, including denying their basic rights to health care, food, education etc., and encouraging ostracism and discrimination against them, the karma now returns to the CTA in manifold ways. The Tibetans now denounce their ‘God-King’, signalling that the CTA’s final end is not too far away.
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1522524193.mp4
ashrao
March 31, 2018
India is saying “no thank you” to the Tibetans, who are quickly losing their standing. India would rather make China happy for security in the region, as well as political and economic harmony.
1. “Thank you India” events held this weekend caused the Indian government apprehension as to how China is going feel, since China considers Tibetans in-exile to be separatists. On top of this, Tibetans themselves are highly embarrassed at the situation, given that their supposedly landmark events were so small.
2. Mr. Sonam Dagpo, chief organiser for the events and the Tibetan leadership’s spokesperson said that it was “futile” for Tibetans to hold such events. The Indian government had already told their officials not attend.
3. Dr. Jonathan Holslag said India giving in to China was largely symbolic. But that India needs to catch up with China. India needs to something to give them leverage in this situation, and all fingers point to distancing themselves from the Tibetans.
Go Home Tibetans!
April 2, 2018
Even the Tibetans themselves do not care about Tibet anymore 👎
Chewang Ngokhang
April 3, 2018
The formation of a new Asian golden triangle is taking place between China, India and Nepal. These three countries, strategically placed with access to ports, land and natural resources may become a central hub of trade in Asia in the future. Keen to make this golden triangle a reality is India who is shunning the Tibetans. They started with a directive from their Foreign Secretary instructing ministers and officials to avoid Tibetan events.
India is clearly serious about strengthening ties with China in this post-Doklam period but there is a stumbling block in this new relationship – the Tibetans. Instead of always being an obstacle, and since they are hosted by India, Tibetans should actually follow India’s political direction and not get in the way like they have been for decades. It is time for the Tibetans to take responsibility for their own 95,000 people in exile and not just wait for the Dalai Lama to beg for foreign aid on his international trips.
soyang
April 4, 2018
The Tibetan leadership is not as innocent as you would think. They are downright ungrateful. They have been using their freedom in India to irritate China and this has created tension between the two Asian countries. But now India is using the Tibetans, this time to improve ties with China instead.
(1) Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale met with both the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay to tell them to move their ‘Thank you India’ events out of Delhi, as India gears up to please China.
(2) Gokhale told government officials not to attend Tibetan events, but he did not have to write his instructions down. These instructions were leaked. Some think it was intentional and hints at the fact it was both a ploy to let China know that India is changing its stance towards the Tibetans, and to let Tibetans know that it was doing so.
(3) The leak was probably to slight the Tibetan leadership, who even went ahead with their smaller-scale events without coordinating with the Indian ministry.
(4) Samdhong Rinpoche’s secret visit to China last year really irritated the Indian government. If the Tibetan leadership were to accept that Tibet was always a part of China, this would jeopardise the McMahon Line, and call into question India’s entire border with China.
(5) The Tibetan leadership are not shy about stoking the fire during sensitive times. Lobsang Sangay even unfurled the Tibetan flag at Pangong Lake, near India’s border with China. He did this on Indian soil, but what made matters even worse, he did so during the Doklam standoff, when India and China were on the brink of war.
Kalsang Norbu
April 7, 2018
During the international security conference in Moscow, India’s Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with her Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe on the sidelines. Although no official details of the meeting are available, it is understood that the geopolitical security is one of the main concerns and border issues between the two countries were discussed.
With the Dalai Lama’s wish for Tibet to remain in China, the topic of Tibetan independence can no longer be used to maintain India’s geopolitical security. Hence India is now taking a more proactive approach in directly negotiating practical solutions with China.
So not only did the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) render themselves useless to the Indian government, but this was reaffirmed by the meeting between Sitharaman and Wei – China and India will now deal directly with one another, without the CTA as an interference. So once again, the CTA has proven themselves to be a failure. In publicly stating they wish to be a part of China, the CTA sent a strong message to India that they will do what it takes to become a part of China, and therefore not do anything to support their kind host of 60 years.
At this rate, it won’t be long that the Tibetans are asked to leave India.
Rinchen Nyima
April 11, 2018
The news of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley being allowed by the Central government of India to enter Sikkim is not well received by everyone.
The 3rd claimant to the Karmapa’s throne, Lama Dawa Sangpo Dorjee is challenging Karmapa Ogyen Trinley to be tested for authenticity. Karmapa Ogyen Trinley was recognised by Tai Situpa, a high lama in the Kagyu tradition while Lama Dawa Sangpo Dorjee was identified by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, another lama in the Kagyu tradition as the incarnation of the 16th Karmapa.
This adds to the messy affair and confusion in the Kagyu lineage as there are 3 Karmapas recognised by 3 different lamas in the Kagyu tradition. Which one is the real one?
Jampel
April 12, 2018
The Tibetan leadership seems determined to sabotage the union between India and China at a time when it was made known that India is trying hard to mend its relationship with China. Despite being asked to move their Thank You India event out of Delhi and a memo sent to all Indian ministers to not attend any Tibetan event, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) insisted on organising such an unnecessary event and went ahead to put up a show. Because of this, India was forced to send representatives to Dharamsala for the event, apprehensive of the potential damage and friction with China.
On top of that, the CTA’s Secretary for the Department of Information and International Relations tried to throw the responsibility of the Tibetan struggle onto India with the public statement that India is the foundation of the Tibetan cause. So, not only have they freeloaded off India for 60 years, they want to now dump their issues with China on India. This desperation must have arisen since the US no longer sees the value of the Dalai Lama and the Tibet card in their geopolitical negotiations with China.
Is that how the Tibetans “thank” someone they appreciate? Well, India’s message back cannot be any clearer, if Tibetans in exile really want to thank India, then it’s time for them to go back to Tibet.