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: Ringzin Tsomo
DELHI – There is more disappointment in store for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), who are the Tibetan leadership based in Dharamsala. It comes in the wake of Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale’s memo discouraging Indian officials from attending events hosted by the CTA. It has now come to light that the main event of the CTA’s year-long #thankyouindia2018 campaign has been moved from Delhi to Dharamsala.
Planned for 1st April 2018, the event was due to be held in Thyagaraj Sports Complex, a 5600-capacity stadium. When news first broke about the Honorable Gokhale’s note, it was speculated that the CTA shifted the event from high-profile Delhi to low-profile Dharamsala for fear of a spectacularly bad turnout by the Indian ministers. After all, no one would cancel a major event just three weeks before it is due to be held, solely on the basis of newspaper reports and without first corroborating with the ministers’ personal assistants.
Yet, we now know that the event was moved from Delhi to Dharamsala at the behest of the Indian government, known colloquially as “The Centre”. Why would the Tibetan refugees’ biggest sponsor, who has given them millions of dollars in tax-free aid as well as rent-free land for 60 years, suddenly make such a request? The only logical conclusion is that this is a clear sign of their eagerness to mend their relationship with China. As a consequence of this move:
- The Chinese leadership in Beijing now knows Delhi is serious about mending their relationship, which severely deteriorated over the course of 2017 to the point it nearly culminated in conflict. In Beijing’s eyes, this incident will reflect diminishing Indian support for the Tibetan leadership and if they so request, Delhi will in the future continue to respond with pressure on the CTA.
- To a lesser extent, Delhi also knows the CTA will be cooperative towards any future requests and will continue to expect such cooperation from them. Any resistance or hesitation will be viewed as the Tibetans’ reluctance to support Indian foreign policy.
- For the arrogant Tibetan officials who act with impunity, sometimes even getting into street brawls with people who do not share their views, this incident will show all Tibetans that in the face of a real administration, their own government is impotent and without any actual power. They exist on the basis of another party allowing them to exist and when push comes to shove, they have many masters to answer to. The CTA has no power over their own future – living in India, they are allowed to operate thanks to the kindness of India. In attempting to fulfil their political aspirations, their success rests in the hands of China. In trying to improve the Tibetan standard of living in exile, their abilities are controlled by the generosity of sponsors (whether governmental or private individuals).
- The news of the CTA being compelled to move their event from Delhi to Dharamsala will hurt Tibetan morale greatly. This is especially true of the Tibetans who live in Tibet, who rely on the CTA to express and act upon their aspirations for independence or an autonomous state. It is inevitable that this news will cause many people to lose hope and confidence in their leadership.
- The loss of hope, combined with the knowledge that their own leaders are powerless, will encourage more people to protest against Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and his government. Already Tibetans in exile are unhappy with Lobsang Sangay’s leadership, protesting him wherever he travels to. In recent times, two people have threatened to self-immolate against the CTA, as a result of his poor leadership. This added embarrassment and loss of morale may encourage others to speak up against Lobsang Sangay and his government.
- On the topic of poor leadership, the #thankyouindia2018 campaign was the brainchild of Dhardon Sharling, the secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations, who took great pride when announcing this campaign. No doubt her office will be blamed for the execution of this poorly-planned campaign that has met with nothing but embarrassment after embarrassment.
- In defending herself against these criticisms of her successive failures, Dhardon Sharling will invariably have less time to attack groups she perceives do not support the CTA, like Dorje Shugden practitioners whom she was very proud to release a video and book against. She will no longer have the political clout necessary to be so brazen in attacking other people.
- Dhardon Sharling is not the only one who will have to deal with a decline in political support. In seeing India rescind their support for the Tibetans, it may embolden other countries to deny them too. After all, India has been the Tibetans’ biggest sponsor for the last 60 years. Not only have the Tibetans received huge tracts of rent-free land, but they have not paid taxes for the millions of dollars in aid they have received. If India will rescind their support for the Tibetans in favor of a better relationship with China, it may encourage other nations to do the same because a precedent has already been set by the country from whom no one would have expected this.
- The incident will also inspire more media to report the truth about the CTA, which papers like The Guardian have been doing in recent times. The CTA and His Holiness the Dalai Lama are no longer the untouchable darlings of the media, as they have become embroiled in scandal after scandal related to everything from money laundering, to sexual assault, to embezzlement, to suppression of religious and media freedoms.
- No longer will people believe in the sincerity of the CTA. If the CTA were genuine in wanting to thank India, they would have gone ahead with the event at its planned venue, regardless of the turnout by the Indian ministers. In moving it to a location that bears no significance to the actual Indian population (Dharamsala is not an economic or political center for them), it reflects their real motivation for organizing the event to begin with. In actuality, the #thankyouindia2018 campaign was only organized in response to accusations of Tibetan ingratitude, which has been on the rise since the 2016 sweater market fire at Lal Qilla, Delhi. The whole campaign was intended to paint the Tibetans as having attributes such as gratitude, and therefore being deserving of more aid and assistance.
- If Tibetans are not interested in events that celebrate and commemorate their own significant history, they will not be interested in events celebrating others. Now that it is known the CTA were told to move to Dharamsala, it seems certain that had it continued in Delhi, the event would have been very poorly-attended. However, the situation will not improve by moving it to Dharamsala – for their own events which hold significance to the Tibetans themselves, fewer people are turning up each year. For example, during the Democracy Day celebrations in 2016, only 200 people turned up.
- The unparalleled prestige of holding an event in Delhi cannot be matched by an event held in Dharamsala. Unlike Dharamsala, the city of Delhi is a world capital, a global economic powerhouse and the administrative seat of the world’s largest democracy where the highest-level government decisions are made. Dharamsala, of course, bears nowhere near the same level of prestige.
- Allowing the event to take place in Delhi would have been the Indian government’s indirect support for the CTA. A Delhi-based event would have been very high profile and required security clearance, permits, etc. from the authorities. At this “sensitive time” in Sino-Indian relations, there is no way the Indian leadership would have allowed the CTA to host such a big event in the administrative capital of India at the cost of Indian foreign relations.
- The CTA has to remember the Indian government has already issued a memo against attending any CTA-hosted events. If their event had continued in Delhi and no one turned up, it would have been even more glaringly obvious that the ministers did not want to go or could not go, because they are all located just around the corner in the same city. In fact, prior to the news that the event had been moved to Dharamsala, it was revealed that former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declined to attend. Many other ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister, did not RSVP.
- By telling the CTA to move it to a more controllable location like Dharamsala, the Indian government essentially saved the Tibetans from potential embarrassment. If the Chinese leadership continues to protest against the event, it will be much easier now for the Indian government to respond by saying Dharamsala is the CTA’s own territory, so they cannot do much to stop them.
- This is not the first time that Tibetans have been forced to downgrade. Most significantly, they were previously known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (TGiE). After the Chinese lodged complaints about the illogical nature of two governments operating in one country, the TGiE were forced to downgrade to “Central Tibetan Administration”, certainly less prestigious and powerful-sounding when compared to having ‘government’ in one’s title. This downgrade was very painful to the Tibetans, and something that Tibetan thinkers and essayists like Jamyang Norbu complained about.
- The CTA needs to stop living in the past when they still commanded the world’s sympathy. This fiasco clearly shows they are not respected, and no longer have the sympathy and attention of the many countries who have supported them financially throughout the years. All it took was one memo from one minister to another, which was followed by a note to all officials, to send their year-long campaign into a tailspin.
It has been speculated that the Indian government themselves leaked the Foreign Secretary’s memo to discourage other people, such as Bollywood stars and Indian entrepreneurs, from attending CTA events in lieu of the ministers. If that is indeed the case, the CTA can look forward to even more poorly-attended events for the rest of the year. Interestingly, the memo and cancellation of the event was widely covered by the Indian press, but not by the Tibetan ones. Clearly the Tibetan papers are embarrassed by what most have correctly perceived as declining Indian support for the Tibetan leadership.
The Tibetan media have correctly appraised the situation but the same cannot be said of the CTA, who have demonstrated in the past that their normal reaction is to blame someone else. Given the CTA’s history, there is therefore the very real possibility that attacks against Dorje Shugden people will temporarily increase, since the Tibetan leadership need to retaliate and have to find a scapegoat for their failures. They need some means of redirecting their people’s anger and frustration against them, towards an easy target that has been unfairly vilified for 20 years.
Over time however, as more and more people join the Indian government in disassociating with the Tibetan leadership in favor of a relationship with China, the CTA will have no choice but to humble down. It has been 60 years of unchecked spending and unaccounted-for donations, and 60 years of everyone lauding them as paragons of the non-violent model of political struggle. These past six decades have led to a government that is arrogant, overreaching and overestimating their own influence and power.
Unfortunately, all of this news will only serve to disappoint His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who truly loves the Tibetan people and will perceive this incident as a loss of support for the Tibetan cause, and conclude that his people are not doing their job. This will not be the first time that the Tibetan leadership have disappointed His Holiness the Dalai Lama who has given his life to his people and unfortunately, because the CTA are driven by greed and self-gain, it will not be the last. Over and over again, they have embarrassed the Tibetan people and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to the point one has to wonder if it is intentional or something else. Because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result and given the CTA has spent 60 years antagonizing the Chinese, and has no results to show for it, perhaps it is finally time they try a friendlier approach to Beijing before it is too late.
The below screenshots display the calendar and schedule that was planned for the #thankyouindia2018 event in Delhi which were later removed due to the changing of venue.
The Thank You India 2018 page on the Central Tibetan Administration’s official website, which has since been removed. Source: http://tibet.net/thankyouindia2018/. Click to enlarge.
News from the Central Tibetan Administration’s official website, announcing the Thank You India campaign. Source: http://tibet.net/2018/01/tibetans-launch-thank-you-india-campaign/. Click to enlarge
News from the Central Tibetan Administration’s official website, announcing the calendar of events for the Thank You India campaign. Source: http://tibet.net/2018/01/cta-announces-calendar-of-events-to-observe-thank-you-india-2018/ Click to enlarge
At the time of writing, the Thank You India 2018 page on the Central Tibetan Administration’s website has been removed. Source: http://tibet.net/thankyouindia2018//. Click to enlarge
THE HINDU: Government’s discomfort was ‘conveyed’ to Tibetan leadership on Dalai Lama events in Delhi
Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/governments-discomfort-was-conveyed-to-tibetan-leadership-on-dalai-lama-events-in-delhi/article22940334.ece)
SCROLL.IN: Tibetan administration calls off one Dalai Lama event in Delhi, shifts another to Dharamsala
Click to enlarge (Source: https://scroll.in/latest/870935/tibetan-administration-cancels-two-dalai-lama-events-in-delhi-the-indian-express)
OUTLOOKINDIA.COM: Dalai Lama’s Mega Events Cancelled After Government Asks Leaders, Officials To Keep Away To Please China
Click to enlarge (Source: https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/dalai-lamas-mega-events-cancelled-after-government-asks-leaders-officials-to-kee/309145)
THE INDIAN EXPRESS: Dalai Lama events in Delhi cancelled, Tibetans shift ‘Thank You India’ function to Dharamsala
Click to enlarge (Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/dalai-lama-events-in-delhi-scrapped-tibetans-shift-thank-you-india-function-to-dharamsala-5087375/)
FIRSTPOST: After controversial Cabinet note, Tibet’s govt-in-exile shifts event marking Dalai Lama’s 60th year in exile to Dharamsala
Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.firstpost.com/india/after-controversial-cabinet-note-tibets-govt-in-exile-shifts-event-marking-dalai-lamas-60th-year-in-exile-to-dharamsala-4378039.html)
FINANCIAL EXPRESS: Dalai Lama event in Delhi cancelled, ‘Thank You India’ programme shifted to Dharamsala, here is why
Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/dalai-lama-event-in-delhi-cancelled-thank-you-india-programme-shifted-to-dharamsala-here-is-why-india-china-tibet/1088630/)
Addendum: Dalai Lama snubs Indian leaders as he is perhaps upset they snubbed him
Following on with the story that Indian officials asked the Central Tibetan Administration to move their celebrations away from Delhi, the Dalai Lama is reported to be be upset that the incident took place. In return, he has rejected attending an event which the President of India, Narendra Modi will be attending, showing his dissatisfaction.
Click to enlarge. (Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/dalai-rejects-invite-215327)
Addendum: Indian minister rejects Central Tibetan Administration
Indian minister Kishan Kapoor did not turn up to an official Tibetan function to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day. As a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Dharamsala constituency and State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Kishan Kapoor was originally announced as the Chief Guest for the event. In light of recent events, with the leak of an official Indian government memo directing ministers and officials not to attend Tibetan-related activities, it is clear that Kishan Kapoor was towing the line.
Following the cancelation of “Thank You India” events in Delhi and the banning of the Tibetan Uprising Day rallies in the India’s capital, it is clear that the Indian government think attending such events may harm Sino-Indian ties. Kishan Kapoor’s absence is a clear indication that the Indian government is now placing more importance on pleasing China than worrying about Tibetan sentiments. After all, it is in global interest that India and China mend their relationship. No one wants to see another Doklam standoff.
Click to enlarge. (Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/himachal-minister-skips-dharamsala-tibetan-function/articleshow/63249334.cms)
Addendum: Not Delhi or Dharamsala stadium, but a temple compound
After Indian ministers refused to attend the “Thank You India” events organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), officials have even asked the Tibetan leadership to move the event to Dharamsala instead of Delhi. The Indian officials did not want to jeopardize improving relations with China. Unfortunately, the venue of the event was re-located to a temple compound in Dharamsala, rather than a stadium. These incidents are clear signs that India is starting to abandon the Tibetans to get on China’s good side. Any country would do the same when it comes to the welfare of its citizens. This is even more so for India, because the Tibetans have never repaid India’s kindness. It does not make sense for India to continue to protect the Tibetans and jeopardize India-China relations. 1.3 billion Indians are definitely more important than a handful of Tibetans.
Click to enlarge. (Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/dalai-lama-event-not-delhi-or-dharamsala-stadium-but-temple-zone/articleshow/63324851.cms)
English
Indonesia
Tibetan
CTA will lose
March 7, 2018
THIS IS AWESOMELY EMBARRASSING NEWS FOR TIBETAN GOVT IN EXILE OF DHARAMSALA.
1. Every country can abandon you Tibetan govt people, but when the very country you live in (India) abandons you after 60 years, you will have nowhere to go. No Indian ministers will join your celebrations because they are busy inviting high level Chinese leaders to India. How do you like that? 😖
2. Tibetan govt in exile has been disparaging China for years and now even India which is your host country becoming friends with your sworn enemy. You should have been humble and become friends with China long ago to save Tibet. Too bad.
3. Sharling Dhardon failed miserably in her job in ‘organizing’ this event. You thought you can impress India and get more free handouts and support, but your plan backfired. Remember how you were so proud of the books and videos you made against Dorje Shugden and his followers? How you proudly distributed the false books and videos and got many Dorje Shugden people hurt, segregated and attacked? How you spread lies about Dorje Shugden? How does it feel now when you are abandoned by India. Sharling Dhardon, for the rest of your life you will not have peace or happiness for all the negative things you have done to others in order to climb the ladder to success in fact turned to failure. Too very bad for you. You should quit now and leave before Tibetan govt. falls completely flat on their faces. India is NOT supporting you all anymore. This is the beginning of the end of Tibetan govt in exile and to all your corruptness.
4. Lobsang Sangye the so-called Sikyong has failed in his job and exposed as a money-grabbing, womanizing failure of a ‘leader’ who has so many scandals revealed in the Tibetan press. Shame on you. Even your own Tibetan people can see this failure along with your many other scandals. You are finished now. You will not be respected. Your own citizens are sadly threatening self-immolation against your corrupt rule. You know you only want money.
5. Tibetan govt in exile spends millions to pay people in India and around the world to smear China on social media and in newspapers. It didn’t work. You have spent millions to smear Dorje Shugden people and practice and have them alienated and hated, but guess what? It backfired. Now you will be alienated. You cannot destroy a Dharma protector as you are a mere human with bad motivation and negative deeds. How can you defeat the protector of His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang?
6. Now Dalai Lama is 84 and towards the end of his life, there is nothing but disappointments and failed policies by his underlings. It is too bad. The Tibetan people in exile will have nowhere to go.
Dalai Lama should have not listened to all of Nechung’s wrong predictions because things are not turning out not well. We are sorry about that. We are sorry for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
7. Tibetan govt in exile do not allow Dorje Shugden people to enter Tibetan hospitals, schools and monasteries nor Dalai Lama’s talks and accuse them of eating Chinese money. Now India will ‘eat’ Chinese money. What do you have to say now? Now your karma is coming back. India will invite high level Chinese officials. PM Modi will visit China and the relationship will get stronger and the citizens of both countries will benefit. Tibetan govt in exile have nothing to offer China. India allow Tibetans and Dalai Lama to carry on living in India and doing their religious events, but nothing more. Sad.
9. All the countries in the world are one by one joining to be friends with China, including India. Tibetan exiles and Tibetan govt will be left alone and behind. Bad planning.
10. Tibetan govt in exile n the last 60 years have achieved nothing. Nothing at all. You lost Tibet in 1959 because you are incapable of holding on to your country. Even small poor countries like Nepal and Bhutan never lost their countries to China. Until now, you cannot get your country back, because your policies and methods ARE WRONG. Totally wrong.
11. Tibetans in Tibet are getting better whereas Tibetan in India have no future and no hope.
Now you see the Indian govt will support the Tibetan govt in exile less and less. The Indian govt will become friends with China and the bond will grow.
CTA will lose. 😖😖😖😖
Carole McQuirre
March 8, 2018
I am really disappointed with the Tibetan leadership. I have supported them for many years and defended them and now I am left in the lurch. I guess many supporters of the Tibetan cause around the world will feel deflated or just quit.
I don’t think I will encourage others to support the Tibetan leadership and all their ’causes’. It seems all they want is money.
Vajra10
March 14, 2018
Exactly, doing bad with the good name! Fight for human rights and freedom are great, but when it comes to acting it out to fill up our own wallet..what goes around comes around…
Pema
March 8, 2018
Another huge setback for the Tibetan Government who for many years did not care about their generous host India but only was interested in their own cause, which in the end, up till now, did not show any results.
Well the ThankyouIndia idea anyway was for self-promotion and India has more important things to do and .
Obviously, nothing works for the CTA, and this is the result of their bad karma!!
Thondrup Tsering
March 8, 2018
CTA (Tibetan leadership) was losing grip with many countries who rather be friends with China. Many leaders refuse to meet with Dalai Lama unlike in the past. True to the Tibetan leadership’s fears, India is now focusing more on making friends with China too. The Tibetan leadership’s THANK YOU INDIA event in Delhi was not so much to thank India, but to grasp at a last chance to keep India in supporting the Tibetan leadership by doing this. It was to use this event to highlight how ‘good’ CTA is and for India to keep supporting them. That didn’t work out. The Indian leaders not only was not going to attend the event but ask for the event not to be India’s capital of India but move it to a much smaller place such as Dharamsala where the impact would be tiny. The silly Tibetan leadership had to oblige. Their plans ruined. Their future unsure and their dastardly plot spoiled. Too bad for Tibetan leadership. Tricks are for kids. Karma is coming back full steam ahead for you.
Tibetan in USA
March 8, 2018
I use to work for Tibetan govt in exile in Dhasa short for Dharamsala in North India. I enjoyed the cafes in McLeod Ganj for tea time with associates in the evenings and once a week we would go to lower Dharamsala to browse in the Indian shops (further down from Gangkyi). Sometimes we would go make offerings of butterlamps in the Ganden Choling Nunnery and life was easy, busy but satisfying.
Since the ban against Dorje Shugden in Dharamsala in 1996 which I saw first hand as an employee of the Tibetan leadership. Everyone was put under the radar and was accused of all types of things the worse being a believer in full freedom for Tibet (rangzen) and believer in the deity Dorje Shugden taught to my parents by Kyabje Rato Rinpoche who has a house in Gangchen Kyishong. Rangzen people were against the Middle Way policy so therefore you don’t have freedom to believe in what you want but you must follow the status quo or be witch-hunted. If you believe in Dorje Shugden, without any logic or evidence or meaning, you are against the Dalai Lama even if you are not. You are forced and brow-beaten into giving up your spiritual practice of Dorje Shugden given by your personal gurus. So these two groups were targeted. Many Tibetans left India because of this. I left because of this. I was happy in Dharamsala till this happened and destroyed the peace in our community.
To this day, these two groups of people are still brutally targeted by the Tibetan leaders and their cronies for their political scapegoating purposes. I quit my job. I left Dharamsala and friends and immigrated to the US. My kids barely speak Tibetan now know very little of their country as all their friends are American. My wife is homesick. My relatives are in distant India and Tibet and I am in fear my children will forget about Tibet and the homeland and who they are. Immigrating to the US was the worst and best thing to do. Worst because we are losing our culture. Best because we are not persecuted for our religion and beliefs like in Dharamsala. People do not know the brutality of the Tibetan leadership. What they show foreigners is a friendly happy ‘Shangri-la’ smile but to their own, they are brutal and downright cruel.
My advice for the Tibetan leaders is stop the segregation, regionalism and hatred of Dorje Shugden people. Unite all Tibetans to preserve our culture and way of life before it’s too late. Accept all of us for who we are and not what we believe in as a religion or philosophy.
Anonymous
March 20, 2018
Thanks for sharing brother. I’m glad you took the right step and moving out of CTA radar..
China was being protected as a bad bad guy when HHDL and thousands have to leave Llasa to India. For the last 60 years HHDL went around the world promoting Tibet as a Shangrila that blessed with wonderful people who valued their spiritual practice highly or I would say above everything, manage by a compassionate wise and democratic government. But no one question what happened in Tibet before 1959.
Today, As we can all see how CTA ruining the Tibetan culture, belief and dignity. Miss treated their own people. Abused and cruel to their own people. Cruelty Took advantage at those who BURN THEMSELVES TO DEATH for their own benefit. In order to gain more they even encourage self immolation by heroing them instead of stop them to harm their lives.
All the down fall, failure and embarrassment made up by their own hands. No one to blame. They split and segregated their own the people using Dorje Shugden Ban. The whole CTA is corrupted, on top of that, they get the monasteries and abbots to get involved to do the evil things together. Not only they lost the unity of people but the highly valued spiritual culture such as Guru samaya among the people.
What else Tibetan left?
Gangchenpa
March 8, 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.
Govinda Ram
March 9, 2018
I am Indian and this is my first time to this website. It is truly an interesting website and will read more here and suggest to my journalist friends.
India is definitely going to make friends with China whether the Tibetans in India like it or not. It is time Tibetans in India contribute to India and do not make obstacles to the friendship between China and India.
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?
sonkel
March 9, 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.
Jampel Senge
March 9, 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 9, 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.
Dondrup Shugden
March 10, 2018
WAKE UP CTA, don’t continue being the pariah the International stage knows about NOW.
For the sake of Tibetans, wake up and amend your inherent arrogance due to your ignorance.
Realise that karma is returning. Lift the ban on DorjeShugden, to amend your negativities for all the disunity, disharmony and sufferings inflicted by you on Dorje Shugden devotees.
celia
March 10, 2018
Hardly surprising considering the memo discouraging Indian officials from attending events hosted by the CTA from Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. After all, it is obvious that the Indian Government is looking at their long-term future goals and it will be detrimental for India to antagonise China with more open support for CTA. Then again, with the track record of CTA’s events being failures including poor turnout at CTA’s own Tibetan Democracy day or ‘mangtso duechen’ ( http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/tibetans-reject-tibetan-leadership/ ), it is no guarantee that #thankyouindia2018 event will be a success even in the absence of such memo anyway.
CTA will lose
March 11, 2018
You support Tibetan govt in exile you get NOTHING.
You become friends with China, you get everything.
Every govt in the world knows this now and India realizes this too.
Goodbye to Tibetan govt in exile!!😟
Lelkyi Tsho
March 12, 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.
Tenzin K
March 14, 2018
The scariest moment has come for CTA!
India which has been so kind to the Tibetan has come to the point to realise the important of being friend with China. CTA should reflect after so long using India without giving back or supporting India, this is what will happen. When you being ungrateful this is what will happen.
Kaori
March 14, 2018
The ThankyouIndia event is a celebration of appreciation to India by the Tibetan. Even India is not keen for such celebration and instead asking their people not to attend. This show enough the direction of where is India heading to. CTA has lost their last card and it’s a bad news and in a bad situation now.
BambI
March 14, 2018
How shameful CTA!Karma definitely working its way back.For all the cruel segregation & discrimination this is what you get.Cant wait for the day India & whatever sponsors they have finally say ENOUGH. Nothing more for the ungrateful CTA.I wonder what will the CTA do once there are no more sponsors,no more kindness,no more CTA.I guess they wouldn’t be worried as most of them have 2passports or a citizen of some country.Whether CTA fail I am sure they already have a backup plan to leave for somewhere else.Dear India,is this how you let the CTA use you.
Samayakeeper
March 14, 2018
This heralds the beginning of Tibetan events organised by CTA being down graded in India, serves them right.
Serves Dhardon Sharling right for being so arrogant when she took pride for the #thankyouindia2018. I wonder if she will release a video and book about why this event is being relegated from Delhi to Dharamsala to boost the morale of and restore the faith of Tibetans. After all, CTA spent a lot on money to put down Dorje Shugden.
Serves Lobsang Sangay right for continuing to take swipes at China instead of quietly working to mend the rifts. But I guess he’s too busy chasing skirts and filling his pockets with money from sponsors meant for Tibetan people.
I would not make the long trip up the narrow road leading to the mountain just to attend an event that Indian ministers are shying away from.
Brian Little
March 14, 2018
Fully agreed with the article. Just grow up, don’t need to thank India for their kindness given to Tibetans in exile. CTA getting desperate for money and asylum? The writing is already on the wall I am afraid.
Ryan TashiRyan
March 14, 2018
Bad karma for CTA. Event rejected by even India. Sikyong facing sex scandal. We Tibet people don’t trust CTA anymore. Top many lies and corrupt leaders. Shame!
Pema
March 14, 2018
The reputation of the CTA goes from one low point to the next! When do they have the strength to face it and resign! Enough is enough! After 60 years there should be another outcome than that even India, who was so kind all these years, does not want to show up at their India event!
Geraldine Sarie
March 14, 2018
All bounced back to CTA. 60 years enjoyment of cruel and uncontrolled colony which had caused so much despaired, heartbroken to Tibetans. Hence, whatever action the CTA had created and the caused they had to take. Moreover, corruptions in the management were widely shared on worldwide and the worst was recently threatening to an ordain monk into self harm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUG7RswSHyk
CTA have fabricated so much negative activities, how will they gain back trust from sponsors especially India? As long as CTA keeping up with their ARROGANCE and IGNORANCE, there will NO WAY they will get fund!
Tianni
March 14, 2018
CTA, your thankyouindia2018 may be appreciated by India but Government of India need to care of its people. India economic need to grow well so that the people can live better, and for this, India needs support from China. You thankyouindia does not contribute to India but will make China not happy. Please wake up and look seriously into tibetan refugees’ future in the situation that most of the countries in the world is being making good connection with China.
Tenzin Sangye
March 14, 2018
The thank India celebration 2018 is just like the show to the world how CTA appriciate India kindness. If Tibet in exile ready appriciated India how you can help India enonomic grow. It’s clear people can see how CTA true cover. Stop lying and treat your own Tibetan well, bring peace and don’t create separation between Tibetan. Bring hormony don’t suppress Dorje Shugden practitioner. Create real democracy for Tibet in exile.Make good connection with China. Even India government is try to make good relationship with China. Wake up CTAand face the reality.
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.
ashrao
March 15, 2018
Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet!Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet!Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet! Tibetans in India go home!! Go back to Tibet!
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.
Dakanapa
March 15, 2018
Dakanapa
March 15, 2018
Not only the Indian government says NO to the Tibetans, the Tibetan citizen from India itself say NO to Tibetans. No need to say ‘thank you’ but prove you are here to contribute. Tibetans in India should really go along with the Indian government policies, no matter is pro-China or not, because the Tibetans should show at least some support to India after 59 years of kindness given to the Tibetans by the Indian government and Indian citizen. Don’t always be a taker and expect for more and more! I agree very much with what were saying in those tweets
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.
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.
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.
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.
CTA will lose
March 17, 2018
Tibetan govt in exile was stupid to push Dorje Shugden people down and discriminate against them since 1996. Dorje Shugden people for the last 400 hundred years practiced their protector peacefully and for spiritual purposes. Tibetan govt in exiled FAILED in securing Tibet back from China for the last 60 years and they needed a scapegoat to distract their failures away and blamed it on Dorje Shugden instead of admitting to their mistake. Most dictator regimes like Tibetan govt fail and distract their public from failure so they are not protested against. Now the tables have turned. The world is abandoning the Tibetan govt and cause. Tibetans themselves are protesting against Tibetan govt. Dalai Lama is old and slowed down. Even Himachel Pradesh state govt and Indian national govt is abandoning Tibetan govt and making friends with China. Everyone is abandoning the Tibetan govt in exile and all the hundreds of thousands of Dorje Shugden people could have been your friend but you alienated and segregated them. Too bad. You are left alone. You should have been nice to the peaceful Dorje Shugden people in and out of Tibet and NOW YOUR KARMA IS COMING BACK. TOO BAD!!! Down with Tibetan govt!!! 👍
CTA will lose
March 17, 2018
😖Sharling Dhardon and her partner Lobsang Sangye have failed and should quit and go away and let the Tibetan people recover. Your karma has caught up.
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.
Alex Tibet
March 20, 2018
His Eminence Kundeling Rinpoche was asked to shed some light on the Tibetans’ reactions towards the “Thank You India” campaign being moved to Dharamsala. Below is Kundeling Rinpoche’s response:
****************
The Tibetan leadership as such, has been tight lipped and unresponsive to questions put forth to it, on the affair of the change of venue, to its grand celebrations for, ‘thank you India.’
The ATPD or Tibetan Parliament on the other hand has had one of its deputies expressing regret on the floor. But there has not been any forceful argument as to bringing the venue back to Delhi. As for the common masses, there will be mixed responses, but to no avail. As, there has never been a history of any public opinion, in exile, ever having been taken into consideration, with exception to certain referendums held—that too, to merely impress its western donors !
It is probably known to the leadership, if not the largesse of the exiled community, that the GOI is currently bent on normalisation of its relationship with the Chinese and any camaraderie with exiled Tibetans—at least for now—may send the wrong signals across. Some Tibetans, view the shifting trends of Sino-Indian bonhomie, as a pendulum. There are those, who will also predict, that it is only a matter of time, before GOI reverts back to status quo.
A wave of discussions had erupted recently, amongst Tibetans worldwide, arising from President Trump’s decision, to cut down on Tibetan funds, that has been part of the on going American proxy, to tame the Chinese ! It did not however, go unnoticed, that while Penpa Tshering’s presence in New York, could not evoke any special attention to the Tibet lobby, the Taiwanese lobby on the other hand had gained some considerable boost.
Amongst a host of incompetency charges on Penpa, this has been one amongst his Tibetan detractors, in other words, they have accused him for not having lobbied enough. Lobsang Sangye’s supporters, have voiced this insinuation. These detractors claimed amongst a host of others complaints directed at, that he Penpa did not have the sophistication as required of a Tibetan head posted at a strategic place like New York City, to cater to the international community, for the Tibet lobby. Even so, Penpa Tshering, as is now widely known, was booted out from his post on flimsy charges. And, that is attributed to the fact, that he had fallen out of favour with his boss the Tibetan Supremo and Samdong.
Yet, the Tibetan gossip column is rife with, many a Tibetan from within the diaspora, who are more than confident, that Trump cannot wish away or undo the work of all of his illustrious predecessors, for whom the Tibet lobby had served as an important tool in neutralising the Chinese. Some have even gone far as saying, that the Tibetan lobby is like an addiction, that many an American congressmen or woman cannot overcome !
In summary, the Tibetan commentary to the aftermath of American or Indian overtures to the Chinese is this. It is like in the springtime when romance is in the air. With time the love affair will go awry, when realpolitik and proxies prove diehard. So these Tibetans say, the Tibet card is too precious to discard for either. Some have even gone further to speculate that, the Indians will therefore never allow the Dalai Lama to go back into the Chinese embrace, without its border imbroglio settled once and for all. And, no one knows, if that takes decades, so say these Tibetans !
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.