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By: Ashok Rao
The future of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in-exile is becoming bleaker by the day. Reuters news agency has confirmed that India is toning down its stance against China, in hopes of calming ties and averting stand-offs like the Doklam border crisis last year. That was an incident which almost brought India and China to the brink of war, a situation neither country ultimately wanted to undertake.
As India pushes to form stronger bilateral ties with China, the Tibetans have found themselves powerless in this new political dynamic as they become increasingly less relevant to the Indians. Former Indian Ambassador, Professor Phunchok Stobdan, has described the situation clearly, stating:
Tibet has utility to irritate China, but it is becoming costly for us now. They are punishing us.
Prof. Stobdan’s remarks are not to be taken lightly — having served as Indian Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, his comments arise from first-hand experience and knowledge of Indian diplomacy, rather than hearsay. And according to Prof. Stobdan, Tibetans have fallen in their value to the Indian government now that politics in the region have shifted.
It is about time the Tibetans face such a dramatic volte-face when it comes to their relations with India. Since they first entered exile in 1959, Tibetans in India have been given free reign and thanks to a reverence for His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a holy man, the Indian government have sought to maintain close relations with the Tibetans. However, this relationship has come at the cost of increased tensions with China, something which India is no longer willing to suffer – in Prof. Stobdan’s words, supporting the Tibetans is now a ‘costly’ endeavour for India. As a result, India is now giving Tibetans the cold shoulder to mitigate unwanted stressful situations with its neighbor. Some recent examples include:
- A leaked memo from the Indian government discouraged officials from attending events organized by the Tibetan leadership, especially related to their “Thank You India 2018” campaign. A public relations exercise intended to rejuvenate Indian support for the Tibetans, “Thank You India” is a year-long program consisting of events hosted by the Tibetan leadership to pay lip service to India for being so kind to the Tibetans during their 60 years in exile.
- The flagship event meant to launch the year-long “Thank You India” campaign was downsized from a grand venue in India’s capital city Delhi to a small, unimpressive gathering place in Dharamsala, where the Tibetan leadership is headquartered. To add salt to the wound, it was the Indian government who instructed the Tibetan government to do this.
- The Indian government banned the 2018 Tibetan Uprising Day rallies from being held in its capital city Delhi. The Uprising Day rallies are one of the most significant events in the Tibetan annual calendar, as they commemorate the 1959 uprising of Tibetans in Lhasa, Tibet who were opposing Chinese intrusion. These rallies have been held in exile every single year for the last six decades.
- A minister for the state of Himachal Pradesh, where Dharamsala is located, failed to attend a Tibetan National Uprising Day commemoration event after he confirmed his attendance, and after the Tibetan government had announced everywhere that he would be the Chief Guest. Calls placed to the minister’s office for an explanation went unanswered and to this day, the Tibetan leadership cannot offer a good reason as to why the minister was a no-show.
- The Dalai Lama cancelled his visit to the North Indian border state of Sikkim, originally scheduled for March 2018, so that China would not be offended by his presence. Sikkim borders what the Tibetans consider Tibet, and what the Chinese consider the Tibet Autonomous Region. Visits by the Dalai Lama (or any Tibetan leader) to areas like Sikkim and other Indian border states are seen by China as being deliberately provocative. China considers the Dalai Lama to be a ‘separatist’ and a destabilizing factor in the Tibet Autonomous Region. So now, even the Dalai Lama’s movements around India are being restricted due to fears that his travels will adversely affect India’s relationship with China. This is an unprecedented move and has never happened in the past six decades when India sought to provoke China and so gave the Dalai Lama total freedom to travel wherever he pleased.
As India grows more assertive and overt with her new policy of befriending China, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership based in Dharamsala) have been left floundering after being repeatedly sidelined. Having relied on India for the past 60 years, they are now trying to placate the government through mere niceties, lest they are left out in the cold completely. Imagine – we are only into the first three months of 2018 and already all of this has happened to the Tibetan leadership. What else lies in store for the CTA for the next nine months of the year?
Tibetan President Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, himself a controversial figure now facing protests from his own people, has stated that the CTA understands why the Indian government are taking measures to befriend China. According to him, the CTA are not worried and have no reason to be. But then what else can a leader without a country say? Underneath all the false bravado and posturing we have come to expect of him, everyone knows he is worried about losing Indian support as he watches the Tibetans’ main supporter moving to become bedfellows with their sworn enemy, China.
As India and China become closer, will the worst nightmare of the Tibetans in-exile come true? Will they be sidelined completely by the Indian government and lose the one thing keeping their leadership afloat, the support of a legitimate nation state? Once that support is gone, what becomes of the Tibetans? The answer is something that Reuters has made clear – on their own, without the backing of India, the Tibetan leadership wields no power and exists at the mercy of other governments’ politics. Unfortunately for the CTA, it seems their awakening to this truth has come too little, too late.
Ayana
August 9, 2018
Why doesn’t the United States and its allies end Refugee Status for the useless Tibetans? They have been refugees for 60 years now and don’t tell me they still cannot get their lives back in order?
Tibetans really know how to put on a good show and use people, take their money and do nothing in return.
Lhakpa Dhendup
August 10, 2018
What will the all the people around the world and in Tibet do now? Dalai Lama says he is happy that Tibet is a part of China and should remain a part of China. So many Tibetans self-immolated for Tibet to be independent and now Dalai Lama did a 360 degree turn and says he wants to go back to Tibet and China and Tibet should be a part of China. So unbelievable. So many are angry and disappointed.
Dalai Lama should set things right
August 12, 2018
Dear Dalai Lama,
Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.
By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.
It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.
Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.
You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.
No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.
You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.
You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.
After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.
Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.
The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.
Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.
Ojas
August 14, 2018
Supreme Court of India JUSTICE Mr. MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) writes that Tibet is much better under the Chinese than it was under the lamas who only wanted to make the populace slaves. It was feudal and it will never return to the backwardness again.
Vardaniya
August 20, 2018
The cracks in Tibetan society are starting to show, and it is now coming to the attention of local Indians who have all but identified the Tibetan leadership as the source of the divisions. According to this author, disunity amongst the Tibetans is now creating problems for Indian law enforcement agencies, and this disunity may culminate in young Tibetans holding silent grudges against their host country. It is incredible that after six decades of generosity from India, Indians are now facing the very real possibility Tibetans can be ungrateful towards India. The Tibetan leadership totally failed to impart positive values upon their exiled community, like gratitude for those kindest to them and the need to repay these kindnesses with real, tangible results. It’s also very unlikely that the Tibetan leadership will now start to do this, after six decades of failing to do so. Indians need to realise this, and see that there is no benefit for their nation to align themselves with the Tibetan leadership, and there never will be.
Maya
August 24, 2018
Although the Dalai Lama has offered an apology, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) still expressed their disappointment over his controversial comment on Nehru, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Dalai Lama called Nehru self-centred.
The Congress said Dalai Lama being a foreigner should shun and refrain from interfering in the internal as well as external affairs of India.
Tashi Wangdi
September 20, 2018
When compared to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala that does not take any responsibility for their people like any proper government normally would, China is radically different and liberal for allowing sex abuse victims to express themselves on social media, despite its heavy censorship of the Internet.
For people like Luo Xixi, whose online postings on sex abuse has garnered millions of views on Chinese social media, said that the government is gradually opening up to the #MeToo movement, a hashtag catch-phrase movement that encourages and empowers sex abuse victims to stand up against sex abuse. In China, those who are convicted of sexual abuse are severely dealt with by the law and laid off from work. The Central Tibetan Administration should take heed of how such cases are dealt with in China and not allow sex abuse perpetrators, especially Tibetan lamas to continue committing their crimes unchecked and without consequence.
Thupten Lungrig
September 20, 2018
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s speeches create headlines nowadays not because they bring wisdom and enlightening thoughts, but rather unpleasant feelings and disapprovals. From the sexist quip in 2015, his gaffe on Nehru, and his recent comment about Europe that caused him to be labelled as White Supremacist, there is now one more to add onto the list. In order to be congenial and consistent with the image of a Nobel Peace Laureate, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been issuing statements, especially about Islam, such as redefining Jihad as an interior struggle.
More and more people are expressing their doubt, with some even directly pointing out the mistakes in the Dalai Lama’s speech. This pattern of speech of strong statements that ends up in denial or apology seems consistent with his advice concerning the practice of Dorje Shugden. With the reasons behind the ban shifted so much over time, perhaps there really was never any validity behind the ban at all.
Tibetans are a burden
September 23, 2018
Tibetans are a burden to India. Sine 60years ago, Nehru welcomed them to our country and gave them free land across India. We gave them financial help, protection, assistance and resources to built their community. However, they give nothing but problems back to us. To the hands that welcomed them warmly when they are being forced out of their country.
Now that China is getting bigger and stronger. India needs to work with China to have a better future. However, having Tibetans here in India is making the situation worst and putting India in a very bad position to make friends with China. Why are we putting our future at risk by keeping them here? They are of no use to us and if we fall, they will not help us like how we helped them.
India government is stupid to keep them here thinking that they might be useful again one day. It’s just a waste of time and resources.
Ngawang Jigme
October 2, 2018
The fact that rangzen activists aim for the goal of Tibetan independence is at odds with the Dalai Lama’s goal for Tibet’s autonomy. This is nothing new but it is an undeniable fact that the Dalai Lama is the most recognisable Tibetan face and representative for the Tibetan Cause. However, for years now there has been a deficit of trust between China and the Dalai Lama, which leaves the future of Tibetan refugees in limbo.
Recently, the Dalai Lama tried to take conciliatory steps towards China by acknowledging that development in the Tibet Autonomous Region is beneficial and expressed his desire to return to China. He even said he wants to go on pilgrimage to Mount Wutai, China’s most famous Buddhist site. The fact that the Rangzen people are still protesting against China however shows their true colour. They are against the Dalai Lama and want to make sure that his efforts to help Tibetans are unsuccessful.
Palmo
October 22, 2018
The use of Tibetans for India has been diminishing over the years when China grew in its economic and influence in the world. It was kept and used by the Indian government when China and India were not on good terms last time.
Now that India sees the benefits of having China on their side, India will start to look for a way to make China happy and perhaps more benefit will follow. The effort of India trying to distance herself from Tibetans are very obvious and done in a way to make sure the Tibetans know.
India is not shy in holding back her thoughts and Tibetan will going to get it. A secret memo that is circulated among the levels of India government has been exposed that the content is India telling its government officials to not attend any event that is related to Tibetan.
Thaimonk
December 3, 2018
TIBETANS SHOULD NOT HAVE MONKS AS LEADERS, THAT IS A BIG MISTAKE
Note what Namdol Lhagyari said is progressive and unlike the usual Tibetan rhetoric:
“The problem I see right now is how reliant we are on one individual,” Namdol Lhagyari, 32, the youngest member of Tibet’s exile parliament, said. “I understand that every freedom movement requires one role model, one leader, who would push everyone in the right direction, bring everyone to one goal. But he has reached an age where we will have to prepare ourselves for a post-Dalai Lama.”
Source: https://themediaproject.org/news/2018/12/3/as-the-dalai-lama-ages-tibetan-exiles-turn-to-secular-unity-over-sacred
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These are important points to remember:
1. Tibetan lamas and monks SHOULD not enter politics. They should not hold positions of power, leadership and political roles. It will demean the Dharma. They are not trained, nor qualified nor have the credentials to be in government. They also do much damage to religion as people start to respect them less. The lines between respecting them as spiritual beings (sangha) and speaking against them when they are in government and make wrong decisions become blurred.
2. Monks and nuns should not get involved with the running of the country but should stick to education. Giving good education to the public about ethics, morality and in some cases Buddhism. No one wants to see a political monk or nun. Because it contradicts the very reason they renounced the worldly life in order to enter a life of contemplation, learning, meditation and gaining enlightenment.
3. Look at other countries where Buddhism is strong where sangha is sangha and never get involved with government or being public officials. In Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Sri Lanka etc where there are tens of thousands of sangha, you don’t see them in the government at all. Local or national governments both do not have sangha. Even in Christian countries you don’t see priests in government. That is Tibet’s big mistake to place monks/high lamas in so many government positions and as public officials. Very dangerous for the country as it has proven with Tibet and Tibetans.
4. Monks, nuns and high lamas should do dharma practice, produce books, videos, give teachings, guide the public, do funerals, blessings, be a nurturer, study dharma, build real temples, keep existing temples spiritual, animal shelters, environmentalists, be mediators, help with orphanages, shelters, the poor, half way houses, poor houses, and basically all sorts of charities that benefit the mind and body of sentient beings that is NOT GOVERNMENT BASED. If sangha gives good education, they can produce kind and good leaders to run the country.
Tibetans should never never never allow Sangha (monks, nuns and spiritual personages) to be involved with government, politics and rule of law because it ends up in disaster. That is how Tibet lost it’s country and will never get it back. There are too many monks in the Tibetan Parliament and as leaders remember Samdhong Rinpoche as the prime minister of exiles. That was very bad. The King of Tibet currently is a monk. How does that look? Very political.
Tibet made that huge mistake and Tibet will never recover from it.
Forum: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=6226.0
Drolma
August 24, 2019
Compared to Lobsang Sangay, president Xi is so effective and powerful. He has brought China to another level. The One-Belt-One-Road Initiative is the largest project president Xi has started and it will benefit many countries and people. The initiative does not give a one-sided benefit, that is why many countries want to be part of it including some western countries.
The CTA on the other hand, is losing more support every day. Many countries does not have to be associated with the CTA anymore because it will upset China and fundamentally, there is no benefit. Even Taiwan who was one of the biggest supporters of the CTA has cut its tie with the CTA.
I think more people can see the CTA is only using their refugee status to make money and Tibetans are not as pitiful as they portrayed themselves to be. Many Tibetans have moved on with their life in the western countries or they have taken choose to become Indian citizens. As the number of the population in Tibet decrease, there is really no need to support them anymore.