The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to [email protected].
By: Sheeroy Desai
2018 is going to be a busy year for both the governments of China and India. From leaked memos in February instructing all Indian politicians and government officials not to participate in events organized by the Tibetan leadership, to a recent phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to work on deepening bilateral ties, it is clear where Indian interests lie and it is certainly not to the benefit of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership based in Dharamsala).
As indicated in the article below from the Hindustan Times, the Modi government has made it clear that it does not want the Tibetan administration to engage in political activities against Beijing. In fact, while this message was quietly conveyed to the CTA in the past, it is now done openly and bluntly.
And now, it looks like India’s most important ministers are being hastily deployed to China to smooth things over ahead of a bilateral informal summit between Modi and Xi. Indian Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, a seven-time Member of Parliament and named by the Wall Street Journal as India’s “best-loved politician”, together with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will both meet their Chinese counterparts on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (“SCO”) ministerial summit in Beijing, China, from 24-26 April 2018. The SCO is an important Eurasian political, economic, and security organisation, formed in 2002/2003 and includes countries like China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.
The SCO summit will be held in June this year in Qingdao, China, where the leaders of China and India are expected to next meet. As the article in the Hindustan Times states,
“South Block officials indicated that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is also expected to fly to Beijing after returning from Washington this weekend to meet his counterpart Wang, who is also the special representative for the India-China boundary dialogue. Wang was appointed state councillor by President Xi on Monday after his predecessor Yang Jiechi was elevated to the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party.”
It is clear that the top brass of both China and India are planning something big — something important — to deepen economic and political cooperation. It is also explicit that India’s policy towards China is swiftly changing to the detriment of the Tibetan leadership in exile, and it is forecasted that India will further restrict Tibetans from conducting activities on Indian soil that would offend Beijing.
All this means that it would be much more intelligent for the CTA to tone down its anti-China rhetoric, which they have generated for many decades and utilized to gain sympathy, support and garner financial aid. They have even made use of this to line their own pockets, and use it as a cover for entrenched corruption and money laundering. The CTA’s rhetoric now needs to stop and they should concentrate on finding a real solution for their people. If they do not act, they may find themselves at the mercy of these two Asian giants who are likely to give them just two options – either go back to China or become Indian citizens.
Either way, the Tibetan diaspora will have to tone down their unconstructive rhetoric, or face cultural extinction. If they become Indian citizens, they must fly the Indian flag proudly and fight for India’s benefit and not Tibet’s. If they choose to return to China, they must accept being part of the ‘motherland’ and all it entails. In China however, the Tibetans stand a better chance of ensuring the continuity of their culture and traditions as they will be reunited with their people and homeland.
In any case, both options above compare positively with emigrating to the West such as to the USA. Not only is it a difficult process, but should they choose to do so, the Tibetans can look forward to a gradual but steady degeneration of their culture. Instead of yak-riding Tibetan herdsman attuned to nature, there will only be youthful Tibetans wearing blue jeans and smoking cigarettes within a generation or two at the most.
But why are Tibetans having to make these difficult choices? The fault lies with the Tibetan leadership-in-exile, both pre and post-1959, who have failed their country and people miserably. Is this the beginning of the end for the Tibetan leadership? What is the purpose of even having elected Tibetan officials and a Tibetan parliament if India has banned the Tibetans from indulging in political activities against Beijing? Will India continue to allow this entity to operate as they have done for almost 60 years to the detriment of their host’s future? Or will India enforce further limits on the Tibetan administration as they did back in 2012 when the “Tibetan Government-in-Exile” was downgraded to the “Central Tibetan Administration”? Why can’t Tibetans in India just become Indian citizens and begin earnestly “giving back” for what they have received? All these are questions that need answers. I suspect it is going to be a busy 2018 indeed.
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.
Jampa Lhundup
August 8, 2018
The Nikkei Asian Review is a highly reputable news platform. They are not tabloid in any sense of the word. What they publish is reputable and thoroughly reliable. They mention clearly in an article published August 7, 2018 that the Dalai Lama has a terminal illness. The Prime Minister of India knowing this is now conciliatory towards China. He understands that the Dalai Lama cannot be used as a pawn in irritating China any further. Negotiations are progressing that after the passing of Dalai Lama, his government in-exile will close. The end.
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.
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.
SabrinaS
October 5, 2018
I find it amazing that after almost 60 years of living off India’s generosity, the Tibetans can be so insensitive to their sponsor’s needs. It is very obvious how exiled Tibetans in India are so attuned to their selfishness that all they care about is their own gratification. It does not matter that they view China as their enemy but should think of their host’s needs. They are after all guests of India and India had been far more generous than need be. They gave self governance to the exiled Tibetans. Can you imagine that? Any other countries would just confine them to one location and try to rid of them to other countries permanently. India gave CTA authority, travel papers and still treat them as Tibetans. So much respect that CTA does not deserve as observed through their actions. A couple of publicity stunts of Thank You events?? Urmm ya right! That’s helpful for the Indian citizens deprived of land occupied by the Tibetans, non-contribution of taxes to help the economy and no effort to help the Indians in need especially during disasters. Oh wait, maybe its not fair on the last point….even the Tibetans themselves don’t get this as all the USD billions just disappear before reaching them. No wonder the Tibetan Leaders live in such luxury. Lobsang Sangay really need a hard knock on his head to wake up to reality that they are not important and be humble to accept the Dalai Lama’s wishes. He doesn’t even have real country or land to rule over. Its all just illusion…..
CTA failed
October 21, 2018
Its about time India to wake up from the dream of having Tibetan on their side is beneficial for them. Tibetans have been staying in India for over 60 years now and they have no results on getting their country back. While China’s grip on Tibet is getting tighter, they are still flying around the globe giving useless talks on how bad China is and how glorious Tibet was as an independent country.
All those talks only garnered sympathy and some donations only. They did not help Tibetan cause at all because CTA until now still failed to fail to communicate with China. His Holiness the Dalai Lama had to send Samdhong Rinpoche quietly on a trip to China to have a private talk with China while Lobsang Sangay exposes the trip to the public. The secret trip made India felt betrayed and very angry.
Meanwhile, China’s influence and power grew exponentially and it is now beneficial to be on good terms with China instead of viewing her as an enemy. Now India will put their future as the priority over the Tibetans who proved to be useless soon. The Indian government will put more and more restriction on CTA’s activities to make sure they won’t jeopardize their relationship with China.
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
👎
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