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By: Jangchup Wangmo
One of the most difficult aspects of life as a refugee must surely be the uncertainty that accompanies such an existence. This uncertainty reflects a lack of control over one’s life – where do I live? How will I get money? What work can I do? Who will take me in? Where will I raise my kids? Hence in most refugee communities around the world, the predominant trait that drives the life of a refugee is the determination, willingness and desire to get out of such a state.
When the Tibetan community is analyzed, it is very difficult for any honest individual to classify the community as refugees. As a result of 60 years of publicity and awareness-raising, and thanks to the reputation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan exile community is one of the most famous and most wealthy so-called refugee communities around the world.
A casual visit to any of the Tibetan settlements makes this plainly obvious. The homes are large, some with swimming pools, and in their well-manicured gardens sit large cars. Side by side to these large homes are huge golden temples filled with jewels and offerings, large statues and precious relics, and surrounding the settlements are bountiful farms to produce food for the world’s wealthiest refugees. This is in stark contrast to the hundreds of millions of Indians all around them, who struggle to get enough to eat every day.
Tibetans Today
But it is precisely this situation that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) are reluctant to leave behind, and precisely why after 60 years the CTA (the Tibetan leadership based in Dharamsala) continue to falsely refer to themselves as refugees. This life of luxury and wealth, which is not seen in any other refugee community in the world, has been funded for six decades by many countries who wanted to help them preserve their religion and unique way of life. But here are some points everyone needs to seriously consider:
- After so many years of financial and moral support, how can anyone still be a refugee? How can anyone be happy to call themselves a refugee after six decades of exploiting other people’s goodwill towards them? Perhaps 30 or 40 years ago, it would have been easy to believe the CTA kept their people as refugees and refused to allow them to become citizens of other countries because they wanted to keep alive the hope of returning to their homeland. But after so many years and so little progress on the Tibetan cause, how can the CTA continue to justify enforcing the refugee mentality on their people, instead of helping them put down roots and improve their lives?
- Today, there is definitely nothing about the Tibetan community that is actually refugee-like. Of the approximately 150,000 exiled Tibetans, a large group of them have naturalized into the USA, Europe and Australia as citizens. The remainder who live in India languish in a state of limbo – not wealthy enough to go to Western countries to seek refuge, they are also not Indian enough to access all the rights and privileges afforded to Indian citizens. What’s more, if they try to, their own Tibetan leadership sabotages their efforts to improve their lives.
- History has shown that the CTA keeps the Tibetans as refugees because it serves their own interests. In their corruptness, they became spoiled from the funding they received for free from many generous, well-meaning nations who believed their refugee sales pitch. The evidence of this? The fact that as of 2012, the CTA has received over US$2bil in funding but the settlements, while wealthier than many other refugee communities, certainly do not reflect US$2bil worth of investment. There have been accusations from long-term Tibet supporters of financial mismanagement and wasteful aid and spending.
- It is clear that the CTA fields the refugee card because it denotes poverty, separation, disease, insecurity, torture, hunger, sickness and human rights abuses. The refugee card is an easy way to tell the public, without requiring much explanation, exactly why they should give their hard-earned money to the Tibetan leadership. Tibetans however, do not fit into any of these categories because they do not face any of these problems, unlike other refugees. Tibetans have schools, hospitals, shops, restaurants, businesses, and can send their children to Western countries to further their education. They have huge tracts of land, own hotels, operate tour agencies, hire and rent cars and buses. Do the refugees of Syria, for example, all have that?
- Their actions indicate that the CTA thinks fielding the refugee card works in their favor. Once they stop being identified as refugees, and once they become citizens of any country, their Free Money Tap is switched off and the flow of easy cash into their pockets will dry up. So it is not that the CTA actually cares about their people’s welfare or the preservation of the Tibetan culture. In actuality, it would be more accurate to say that the CTA is afraid of their people naturalizing into any nation because when the number of refugees shrink, it will reduce their opportunities to exploit their people’s situation, in order to line their own pockets with more money.
Everyone Is Not Created Equal
The CTA’s reluctance for their people to take on citizenship from other countries would be easier to bear if they were reluctant towards all citizenships, but this is not the case. Shockingly, the CTA continues to have double standards towards who can naturalize as a citizen and who may not. In essence:
- The Tibetan leadership appears to be practicing race-based politics. Tibetans who wish to naturalize as American, European or Australian citizens are encouraged; Tibetans who have no way of getting to those countries and instead seek to become Indian citizens, are lambasted and accused of being traitors to Tibet. In fact, the CTA intentionally creates obstacles and difficulties for Tibetans who wish to seek Indian citizenship, but they create no such obstacles for those hoping to get to the US, Europe or Australia.
- What this highlights is the Tibetan leadership’s racist belief that it is good to be American, European and Australian, but it is bad to be Indian. And what is shocking about that is the fact that India, out of all the nations in the world, has been the kindest to the Tibetans, being the very first to take them in as refugees in 1959. Without India’s kindness, the Tibetan community would not have had safe haven when they fled into exile; without India’s kindness, the Tibetan community would not even exist today.
- How come Tibetan-Americans are considered Tibetan and they are not accused of abandoning the Tibetan cause, but Tibetan-Indians are insulted as traitors to Tibet? Why does the CTA consider Tibetan-Indians to be less “Tibetan” than Tibetan-Americans? The simple reason for this disparity is that the CTA considers Tibetan-Indians to be less desirable than Tibetan-Americans.
As the old adage goes, beggars cannot be choosers and if they were real refugees, would the CTA really care who their people gained citizenship from, as long as their people received refuge and a safe place to live and raise their kids?
And although the Tibetan leadership have been insulting India as a second-rate option for citizenship, the Indian government continues to be kind to the Tibetan community. After 60 years of generosity, the Indian government are still making it easier and easier for Tibetans to become Indians. Understanding that not all Tibetans can go to Western countries to improve their lives, but that Tibetans in India deserve opportunities too, India has been making it possible for more Tibetans to receive Indian citizenship, and therefore improving their access to greater employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
What It All Boils Down To
It is therefore a good thing that Tibetans will be participating in the upcoming Himachal Pradesh elections, and getting more involved in Indian affairs. The fact is that India has been very kind to the Tibetans and it is time for Tibetans to contribute to India through their votes. Of course the Tibetan leadership will not be happy with this and would prefer to keep their people in an insular state of blissful ignorance, focused only on Tibetan affairs. To allow their people to become aware of the workings of the wider world, is to broaden their people’s opportunities beyond the control of the leadership.
At the end of the day, it is not whether someone is Tibetan-American or Tibetan-European or Tibetan-Indian. What it really boils down to is that the Tibetan leadership are motivated by money and power, and by keeping their people as refugees, they have access to an easy income stream from the donations people funnel to Tibetan refugees. When Tibetans start becoming Indians, when they start participating in local elections and when they identify with the laws and activities of their host nations, the CTA loses control because now, their people have options. And what these options really translate to is the option not to listen to the CTA because if the Tibetan leadership is too oppressive in the future, the Tibetans now have another citizenship to fall back on.
Hence losing their refugee status which they use to get money basically means the CTA falling flat on their faces; without their refugee status, they have no money and without their refugee status, they have no Tibetans to control. What we are witnessing is, in effect, the beginning of the end of the CTA as more and more Tibetans wake up to the abuse and exploitation they have suffered under their leadership for the last 60 years.
Dekyi Wangmo
January 13, 2018
Instead of creating employment opportunities, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has nurtured a culture where Tibetans expect handouts and foreign aids to get by. As a result, they created a new generation of Tibetan refugees who are volatile and vulnerable, and always depend on others to help them out of circumstances. Now, Tibetan refugees in India do not even hesitate to compromise the security of their host country, India, who has been so kind to them, in exchange for monetary gain.
Yodon chela
January 18, 2018
China has been liberal towards Buddhist practitioners including those who are practicing Shugden deity. In fact, there are 250 million Buddhists in China currently, almost three times more than communist party members. On the contrary, the Tibetan leadership in exile continues to discriminate against Shugden practitioners and politicizes the Shugden controversy to their benefit instead of promoting harmony among Buddhist practitioners. How ironic that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) continuously criticizes China for their human rights issue, and yet the CTA fails to respect even the most basic human rights of other people, freedom of religion.
Tenzin Tsomo
January 22, 2018
Lobsang Sangay’s dismissal of Penpa Tsering with various accusations backfired, contrary to Lobsang Sangay’s expectation. Now, Tibetans are protesting and expressing their loss of trust in his leadership. Lobsang Sangay has to clarify a lot of things to the public, including the USD1.5 million loan with Tibet Fund. Tibetans are now beginning to see Lobsang Sangay’s true colours and are speaking up against him now.
Pema Wangchuk
January 24, 2018
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is again, expressing his wish to visit China. This is not the first time His Holiness mentioned about visiting or returning to China. In fact, His Holiness made a strong statement in November 2017 that he “would return to Tibet at once, if China agrees”. Could this be another sign from the Tibetan leadership that rapprochement with China is happening soon?
Pasang Tashi
January 29, 2018
Dorje Shugden practitioners have been victims of unfounded blame for more than half a decade, with news reports initiated by the Tibetan leadership, alerting the public that Shugden fundamentalist groups posed huge security threat to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as they were covertly backed up by China. The reality is that terrorists are out to harm His Holiness, with two bombs found amid His Holiness’ tight security, thanks to the intensive combing operation by Indian police. The Central Tibetan Administration should stop spreading lies that Shugden practitioners or more absurdly, Shugden practice imperil the life of the Dalai Lama, and pay more attention to real threats such as this.
Tsering
March 3, 2018
Comic drawn by Tendor, a prominent Free Tibet activist.
Tsering Kyi
April 29, 2018
Breaking news!
Well, all the people who was saying China-backed Panchen Lama is fake sure look ridiculous now. They attacked all the Tibetans and supporters who respected the China-backed Panchen Lama calling them all types of dirty and foul names in person and on social media. Calling them China stooges and China paid vulgar names for believing in the China-backed Panchen Lama. Now who looks so ridiculous? Now the Dalai Lama says the China-backed Panchen Lama is good and has a good teacher. If he has a good teacher it means he is turning into a good teacher himself. So he is qualified to teach. The end.
Dalai Lama says the China-backed Panchen Lama is an emanation of the previous Panchen Lama because high lamas can incarnate back as several lamas at the same time. So the Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama and the China-backed Panchen Lama are both good and both are incarnations of the previous Panchen Lama. How the tables have turned. Now all the people who criticized China-backed Panchen Lama can keep quiet and remember how ridiculous they look now. Listen to what the Dalai Lama says now as of April 2018 about the China-backed Panchen Rinpoche http://video.dorjeshugden.com/videos/11PanchenLamaIsAlive.mp4
The Panchen Lama recognized by Dalai Lama is alive and well also according to Dalai Lama himself.
Sonam Rinchen
May 4, 2018
Is it time to save the sinking ship that is the Tibetan cause? But wait a minute, the ship has already been sunk for the likes of Mr Ugyen Gyalpo.
Gone are the days when Tibet’s independence was possible, yet Tibetans like Mr Gyalpo are still living in a fantasy, asking the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) to go against the Dalai Lama’s goal of meaningful autonomy for Tibet, and advocate full independence instead. On top of that, he wants India to help Tibet gain its independence, disregarding how these actions would jeopardize India’s relationship with China.
This is the same kind of illogical, self-centred, wishful thinking that caused the Tibetans to lose their country to China by signing the 17-Point Agreement in 1951. Why ask someone to fight for a lost cause? Perhaps Mr Gyalpo was on holiday and did not catch the latest media flurry about the Dalai Lama stating that he is happy for Tibet to be in China. The CTA President Lobsang Sangay even urged Tibetans to make the Dalai Lama’s dream of returning to Tibet come true.
It is time for My Gyalpo and other pro-independence activists to seriously wake up from their self-imposed slumber and plan what they can actually do if and when the Dalai Lama gets the green light to go back to Tibet. Do they want to support the Dalai Lama, their spiritual leader? Or will they betray and abandon him?
UTsang Kunga
May 6, 2018
In March 2018, Tibetan protestors gathered near the Tibetan parliament, seeking to impeach Lobsang Sangay because his actions are unjust and akin to those of a dictator. Protestors also questioned his sudden termination of Penpa Tsering, the former Representative of the Office of Tibet in Washington, DC, who was his arch-rival during the 2016 Tibetan election.
But this is not all, Lobsang Sangay’s CV includes a long list of deceitful actions, such as hiding the loan trail of $1.5-million taken by his office from Tibet Fund to purchase a building to house the Office of Tibet in DC. He even ordered the Auditor General to remove any mention of the loan in various financial reports. Lobsang Sangay is also alleged to have sexually assaulted an intern of the International Campaign for Tibet advocacy group. Even before he became the Sikyong (the president of the Central Tibetan Administration), scandals surrounding his actions were rampant. Four years after buying a house near Boston, his US$227,000 mortgage disappeared overnight, one week before he became the president of the CTA. It is no wonder that Tibetans like Pelgyamo express their dissatisfaction by posting sarcastic comments on Lobsang Sangay’s Instagram page.
Yeshi Dorje
May 11, 2018
The Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) in Dharamsala refusing to accept Tibetan RCs (Registration Certificates) is yet another example of interference by the Central Tibetan Administration. Tibetans need this document to apply for an Indian passport. The CTA does not want to lose its grip on Tibetan refugees, as fewer refugees under their control means less foreign aid. That translates to less money that they can line their own pockets with.
This is not the first time that the CTA has created problems for Tibetans who wish to apply for Indian citizenship. Last July, the CTA ordered all its departments to stop issuing NOC (No Objection Certificates) to Tibetans applying for Indian passports, effectively sabotaging India’s goodwill of offering citizenship to eligible Tibetans. Perhaps that is a reason why many Tibetans are leaving their settlements in India, some of them even returning to Tibet! The CTA’s days as a ‘government’ are numbered, as more and more Tibetans apply for Indian citizenship or leave the CTA’s influence in India altogether.
Khampa Bhu
May 14, 2018
The Dalai Lama Fears that He Might be Expelled from India!
The situation in India is not getting better for the Tibetan government in-exile or the Dalai Lama. Since India is getting closer to China, this trend will not slow down. Whether it is the current Prime Minister Modi, or the next Prime Minister of India making efforts to get close to China, it does not matter because the momentum has started. It benefits both India and China tremendously to be friendly and on good terms with each other. The parasite-like Tibetans leeching off India brings no benefit whatsoever to India and India realizes this sad fact finally. The Dalai Lama and his team in the Tibetan government in-exile have created so many problems externally for India and internally within the Tibetan communities, enough is enough. Tibetans like to use India to irk China. They have done that for decades and now it’s over. The Tibetans have been put in their place. The Indian government has been snubbing the Dalai Lama this year. The Dalai Lama and his cohorts have created tremendous problems, segregation, hatred, and violence towards thousands of Dorje Shugden practitioners, now that karma is coming back. Too bad. The Tibetan leadership is losing support from India, in fact, Modi purposely humiliated the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama and cohorts have less power to create so much schism and trouble now. If you read this article carefully, the Dalai Lama himself has expressed concerns he might be kicked out of India. It has reached this level that the Dalai Lama is unsure of his footing in India now. Too bad.
Tsamduk
May 15, 2018
More and more Tibetans are expressing their dissatisfaction with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). This even extends to accusing them of ruling without legal precedence. This is a serious matter as their management of funds, administrative procedures, and even their governing constitution are all flawed. From the simple of choice of words used for the translation of a title, the CTA have exposed the way in which they run their “nationless government” in an egotistical and self-serving manner. The CTA simply do things based on their personal agendas and needs, using the title of democracy as a cover.
Clearly, there is no system of governance for what the CTA do and how they spend the money they gain from people sympathetic to the Tibetan plight, aid from their host and donors from around the world. Since law is at the core of any administration, their underhanded tactic of finding loopholes and bending the rules to suit their individual needs has failed the Tibetan people. As an ex-Senior Fellow of Harvard Law School and a self-proclaimed expert in international human rights law, Sangay deters people’s faith in the integrity of a leader and the legal system, instead of upholding the cause of justice. After the public apology during his swearing in ceremony in 2016 and his firm pledge not to repeat his misconduct, it looks like Sangay is at it again.
Thinley Woeser
June 8, 2018
Things are going to be very different for Tibetans in India from now on as Sino-Indian relations get warmer by the day. India has vowed to firmly adhere to the one-China policy and ensure Tibet-related issues are handled ‘properly’. This means India will tighten her grip on all Tibetan-related activities. So, the trouble-making Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) better watch themselves and not create further problems that may antagonise China. This is something India will no longer tolerate.
Peljor
June 14, 2018
Ex-Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche caught sleeping in a meeting
The representative of the Dalai Lama and former prime minister of the Tibetan government in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche during an important meeting having a nice sleep. The Tibetan government in-exile are run by people like this who have no control over their body and manners. They only stay awake in the meeting if there is FREE aid money coming their way to line their pockets. Shameful how Samdong Rinpoche is sleeping in the middle of a meeting and he represents the Tibetan government in-exile. This is why after 60 years Tibetan leaders have failed to get Tibet back but blame others for their failures. Shame!
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1528941530.mp4
Tsering Drolhma
July 8, 2018
UNRULY TIBETANS FIGHTING AT DALAI LAMA BIRTHDAY PARTY AGAIN
July 2018-NYC- Tibetans fighting at some birthday celebratory event for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They set up a throne in the back, place Dalai Lama’s picture, and they fight, push, shout, scream at each other right in front of the throne of Dalai Lama and it’s filmed. That is the level of the Tibetans overall. Tibetans are not gentle, Buddhist, peace-loving, tolerant people as they portray to the world. They are rough, rude, hateful, vengeful, violent, regionalistic, narrow minded and will create trouble wherever they go. Very feudal. They always resort to vulgar words and violence. There are some moderate Tibetans, but on the whole they are very violent people who do not practice Buddhism. The average Tibetan know nothing of Buddhism and do not practice. Buddhism is just a meal ticket for them to get to another country. Their support of Dalai Lama is blind and only to be politically correct and they never practice what he teaches. Disgraceful to see a group of violent Tibetans fighting at a Dalai Lama birthday event. Shameful.☹
Tibetans are not welcomed wherever they go. Bhutanese kicked them out. Nepal hates Tibetans. India has no more use for the ‘refugee’ Tibetans and their temples made of gold. After 60 years they cannot get their own country back. What a bunch of losers and useless government people they have.
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1531033672.mp4
Tsering Drolhma
July 15, 2018
The letter:
It is about the incident that happened at His Holiness’s birthday celebration in NYC recently July 6, 2018. Some members of Tibetan woman association approached to Parliamentarian Tenpa Yarphel during the ceremony and complained that his comments regarding Nechung was disrespect to the protector and His Holiness. They also said him that he made many Tibetan people sad with his comments. And told him not to do that again in the future. Then Dhondup Tseten stood up and shamelessly touched those women. That incident almost made the ceremony stopped. To keep maintaining the relationship between Tibetan Woman Association and Tibetan Parliament Representative, TWA are asking for an apology letter from Dhondup Tseten for touching their members.
(It is so sad that in the fake democracy of the Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala you cannot say anything against a leader or criticize. Too bad)
Bonnie Fider
July 12, 2018
WHY DOES RICHARD GERE AND DALAI LAMA SUPPORT SOGYAL THE DISGUSTING ABUSER?
As long as you are friends with the Dalai Lama, your actions are excusable, no matter how horrendous they may be. Even something as heinous as sexual abuse of over 60 women can be overlooked when the perpetrator is friends with the Dalai Lama namely Sogyal Rinpoche. Why rush to join the chorus of Hollywood voices condemning Harvey Weinstein’s criminality, but remain silent against Sogyal’s exploitation and abuse of women? Richard Gere was vocal in condemning against all the abuses and attacks against women by Harvey Weinstein. But silent on Sogyal Rinpoche. BBC has a full length documentary on Sogyal’s abuses as you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWhIivvmMnk. Yet Richard Gere can take photos with the disgusting and abusive Sogyal. Is it because one group of women are worth protecting and the other are not? If it is not for that reason, then it can only be because Sogyal is the Dalai Lama’s friend. The Dalai Lama’s condemnation against Sogyal is very light and it’s disappointing. I guess since Dalai Lama supported Sogyal so much, he can’t be seen as wrong in doing so. Politics is sad.
Christie Donald
July 14, 2018
Hollywood is one of the most influential groups of people who have promoted the mysticism of Buddhist Tantra to the world. Together with the media, they have packaged Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan lamas into a fantasy Utopia, filled with God-like beings who are able to lead people along the quick path to enlightenment.
This propaganda has been widely exploited by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) to garner support, especially financial aid, for the so-called Tibetan Cause and the Tibetan struggle against Chinese rule. Little does the West, including Richard Gere and the so-called Buddhist Professor Robert Thurman, know that efforts from China to improve the infrastructure and standard of living for the Tibetans in China have created opportunities for Tibetans to grow and be successful. This is something that is rarely seen in exile under the governance of the CTA.
This false image that has been promoted for the past 60 years or so is now slowly fading away as more and more victims come forward, exposing the sexual abuse they have suffered under the hands of Tibetan lamas like Sogyal Rinpoche. The root of the problem is clear, people are greedy and lazy while wanting quick success and attention. Since they get these from the Tibetan lamas like Sogyal, they are willing to accept the exploitation. This is further driven by fear that they would no longer be seen as the privileged ones in the inner circle if they do not clutch at their lamas and be seen showing tremendous devotion to their gurus. With only a superficial knowledge of Buddhism, this cult-like group of Hollywood stars and American politicians like Richard Gere continue to generate respect and love for their skewed version of the “Dharma”, while real Buddhist masters are relegated to the side lines.
Yoezer
August 8, 2018
While the government of Nepal has framed a policy to tighten the noose around non-governmental organisations, they have welcomed 30 Chinese NGOs to enter the country. These NGOs will penetrate the country’s social sector at the grassroots level. This is the first time such a large number of Chinese NGOs have entered Nepal at one time. Nepal is increasingly open to Chinese influence, a sign that ties between both countries are strengthening, while India’s influence is being reduced. The time has passed for India’s monopoly to remain uninterrupted in Nepal as opportunities to engage with China are being welcomed.
Lhakpa Dhendup
August 11, 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.
Drolma
August 12, 2018
Until today, many Tibetan in India is still stateless, all they have is a Yellow Book. It is so difficult for them to travel, nearly impossible. Besides, isn’t it unfair to ask those Tibetans who are born in India to fight for a country where they have never been before and have not idea how it looks like? Shouldn’t CTA consider that and make a better plan for the Tibetans?
The only reason why the CTA discourages Tibetans to take up Indian citizenship is that they still need sympathy from the western world so they better make sure they have a certain number of refugees who are still ‘suffering’, they want financial support from them. Just imagine, the CTA has not really run a country before, they have no idea what national debts or national GDP is, they have never made a plan for the economic development of a country, they are just some politicians managing a political party. I think they know they will not be able to run a country, so deep down inside, they don’t really wish to get their country back. The best strategy for them is to make sure the Tibetans in exile stay stateless.
The ironic thing is that many of the CTA leaders are holding a passport of another country. They have the freedom to travel, to purchase property and do what a normal citizen can do but yet the normal Tibetans are not giving access to all of these. Tibetans have to understand the CTA is not reliable at all, for the past 60 years nothing good has happened to them, so don’t think this will change. They better find ways to get their Indian passports and don’t be a money making tool for the CTA.
Anonymous
August 15, 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.
Ojas
August 15, 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 22, 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.
Pempa
September 9, 2018
The CTA is completely right to be worried. I mean who if not paid by the CTA does listen to them? Their interests lie beyond the Tibetans and the Tibetans are right to take the Indian citizenship as nothing has improved for them since so long.
I guess there is not much choice, either go back to Tibet or become an Indian citizen. Who would like to stay under the Central Tibetan Administration, who is not known to have much success in their politics…
Chodag
November 6, 2019
The obvious reason for Tibetan leadership to be worried about Tibetan taking up Indian citizenship is they will lose opportunity to use Tibetan to ask for a donation. What else expenses CTA will have since the majority already turn as Indian and this directly also affects the Tibetan leadership to put the money into their pocket. That’s why Tibetan leadership makes things very hard for the Tibetan to take up Indian citizenship.
Choekey
November 7, 2019
Tibetans are taking up the Indian citizenship because the CTA is not doing their job to try to bring the Tibetans back to Tibet. People with sense know that the CTA and the Tibetans in exile do not have anything to bargain with China, let alone a dialogue. They should really humble down and request China to kindly let them return to Tibet. But Lobsang Sangay still wants to act arrogant. He travels around the world to condemn China, trying to disturb China’s social stability.
On one hand, the CTA keeps saying they want to have a dialogue with China but on the other, they are trying to undermine China. If the CTA continues to do that, what makes the CTA think China should talk to them? The CTA is not showing sincerity in wanting to reconcile with China.
Tracy
December 11, 2019
Do Tibetans have more freedom in India than in China? As long as Tibetans are still refugees, their movements will be restricted, they will not be able to travel to many places. They will not be allowed to purchase any property or own a business, they have to rely on a proxy in order to have these things. Even though some Tibetans are born and raised in India, but they cannot enjoy the benefits and welfare provided by the Indian government unless they decide to become Indian citizens. Their future is actually very uncertain and risky. Will the CTA do something to give security to Tibetans? I doubt so.