Agencies have been established to ease the process of Tibetans giving up their refugee certificates in favor of an Indian passport. But what does this mean for the Tibetan leadership?
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: Alexis Trabuio
Hundreds of these signs have sprung up in Majnu-ka-tilla, the Tibetan settlement in Delhi, India. Click to enlarge.
These days, posters and signs advertising and encouraging Tibetans to give up their refugee status in order to become Indian citizens are becoming a common sight in Majnu-ka-tilla, which is the Tibetan settlement in Delhi, India. Despite the Tibetan leadership’s futile attempts to sabotage the process, it looks like there is enough interest that both Indian and Tibetan agencies are finding ways to make a quick buck from the seemingly helpless, hopeless exiled Tibetans. Such signs spell out a few eyebrow-raising conclusions, all of which points to the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA; Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala) failure in keeping their people together. These posters and signs are an indication that:
- There is a demand for Indian passports because multiple Indian and Tibetan agencies have been set up to cater to the demand. This shows a lot of Tibetans no longer find being a refugee good for their future. Even with all the perks a Tibetan would normally receive such as subsidies, free land, being exempted from paying Indian taxes, all of these are no longer enticing enough to convince them to keep their status quo.
- Once Tibetans become Indian citizens, they will no longer need to rely on the CTA for anything. They will have a passport and will be free to travel wherever they like. Everything they do will be according to Indian law. They do not need to seek permission from the CTA for anything they do.
- The CTA will lose control and power over these Tibetans. Once their people hold Indian citizenship, their allegiance will be to India and not to the Tibetan administration. The CTA will no longer be able to exploit and sell the story that they are a community of “poor refugees”. Having fewer people to parade as part of their “poor refugee” narrative, will in turn mean lesser funds coming in from generous Western donors which end up being pocketed by those in power anyway.
- As more Tibetans opt for an Indian passport, the more it jeopardizes the CTA’s rice bowl because they will have fewer people to collect taxes from – the CTA can no longer ask these Tibetans to pay taxes to the CTA because they are Indian citizens now. These Tibetan-Indians will be working and earning just like any other Indian, and they will naturally pay Indian taxes.
- Fewer people will believe that they really wish for a free Tibet. After all, if they were really committed to Tibet, why are they not staying Tibetan refugees instead of taking up an Indian passport at the first chance they get? Furthermore, as Indian citizens, they are no longer refugees and will have access to all the rights and privileges of an Indian citizen. They no longer need the financial and moral support of foreign benefactors and activists.
- There is a huge loss of confidence in the Tibetan leadership. It is a reflection of the hopelessness Tibetans feel that there will be any change in their situation. By taking on Indian citizenship, it is a direct indication that Tibetans no longer believe that the Tibetan leadership will be able to lead them back to Tibet and they truly believe the CTA is definitely incapable of making this happen.
- The CTA can no longer guilt-trip these Tibetans into remaining refugees and to follow the Dalai Lama’s footsteps. Even loyalty to the Dalai Lama is no longer a powerful enough factor to incentivize these Tibetans into staying refugees, instead of opting for an Indian passport. Even the Dalai Lama’s personal dharma protector Nechung has taken trance in their official oracle and promised many times they will return to Tibet and so far it has not been fulfilled. People have quietly lost hope in Nechung as his promises regarding returning to Tibet after 60 years in exile does not come true.
So the question is why are Tibetans not in solidarity with the Tibetan cause and following their leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama who promised them that they would return to Tibet? The Dalai Lama, who is the most famous Tibetan refugee in the world, holds a Tibetan refugee certificate and not an Indian passport. How come Tibetans are being disloyal and are not following in the Dalai Lama’s example? If Tibetans are willing to risk being called anti-Dalai Lama and disloyal because they opt for Indian passports, then this only emphasizes how much exiled Tibetans have lost hope that the Dalai Lama can return to Tibet and that they will be able to return their homeland with him. Tibetans say they are loyal to the Dalai Lama and believe in him, yet their actions show they do not have hope in returning to Tibet with the Dalai Lama at all after 60 years of waiting in exile. They have quietly lost trust in the Dalai Lama’s promises. The ageing Dalai Lama has not fulfilled his promise of bringing his exiles back to Tibet. Tibetans in India wonder what will happen to them when the Dalai Lama is no more? Hence they are preparing for that by taking Indian citizenship and not waiting for the Dalai Lama’s promise of returning to Tibet anymore.
Therefore, if there is no hope in returning to Tibet, then what is the point of the CTA existing especially when more Tibetans are becoming Indian citizens? Do the CTA need to exist when they will have no one to administrate? These Tibetan-Indians’ allegiance will be towards India and as time goes by and a new generation of Tibetans are born in exile holding Indian passports, they will slowly identify more with India than with Tibet. Just look at Ladakh and Tawang in Northern India, the Tibetans who moved there hundreds of years ago who, though ethnically Tibetan, no longer identify or think of themselves as Tibetan. It will definitely happen.
So fighting for the Tibetan cause? That will quickly become a thing of the past as more Tibetans become Indian because with time, there will no longer be anything to fight for. By opting for Indian passports over Tibetan refugee status, the message is clear – Tibetans have lost hope and no longer believe that the Tibetan leadership, and even His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will bring them home to Tibet.
The location of Majnu-ka-tilla in India. It is the Tibetan settlement and an area of Delhi, filled with Tibetan shops, guest houses, restaurants, homes and businesses.
Hundreds of Tibetans have turned Majnu-ka-tilla into the “Little Tibet” of Delhi. But with fewer Tibetans opting to remain, and choosing instead to become Indian citizens, will this moniker continue to apply in the near future?
Majnu-ka-tilla is a bustling Tibetan settlement. As more Tibetans opt for Indian passports however, by the terms of the agreement they will not be allowed to stay in the settlements as they are no longer Tibetan. Hence over time, the settlements will dwindle and grow quieter as more Tibetans move out to become Indians.
Do Tibetans who fly the Tibetan flag REALLY believe in a free Tibet, that they are willing to tolerate the difficulties of being refugees? It seems like the answer is ‘no’ because more of them, unlike the Dalai Lama who remains a refugee, are opting to become Indian. How come they are not following in their leader’s example?
Over time, as more Tibetans become Indian and are, by law, forced to move out of the settlements, places like Majnu-ka-tilla will grow quieter. This trend of becoming Indian is now seen in Majnu-ka-tilla but it is only a matter of time before the trend spreads to the other 24 settlements in India.
English
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Tibetan
Tashi Pema
February 16, 2019
It is very hard to believe what the CTA says these days and it is disappointing to hear the Dalai Lama. All the things they promise us are just lies. All the money they receive from Western donors go straight to their pockets, not the people. So why should Tibetans believe in them? Why shouldn’t Tibetans become Indian citizens and live freely and not under the CTA and be dictated by them? On top of them, we have to give them money.
Since going back to Tibet is a hopeless dream, we might as well take India as our home because it has been our home for over 59 years now. I don’t see a change in CTA but I see a degeneration. Now we need to be smart and survive so we can at least do what we can to preserve our culture and history. In India, we still have a chance.
The rich Tibetans will all migrate to the West, even Lobsang Sangay himself has an American passport, so CTA can shut up and Sangay should be the last one to open his mouth to tell us we can’t become Indian citizens or that there is hope in returning to Tibet! What a bunch of BS he is good at, maybe for the foolish injis but we educated Tibetans know better.
Tibetans lose trust in Nechung protector
February 16, 2019
The Dalai Lama’s personal protector Nechung has taken trance of their official oracle in Dharamsala hundreds of times. Nechung on many occasions have promised the Dalai Lama to tell the Tibetan people they will return to Tibet. It has been 60 years of saying this in exile. Many of the older generations who came from Tibet into exile in India have died off while waiting to return to Tibet. The new generation of Tibetans born in India are more Indian than Tibetan. Many Tibetans born in foreign countries beyond India cannot speak the Tibetan language well anymore and identify with their adoptive countries more than Tibet. Clearly Nechung’s prophecies do not come true for important issues such as returning to Tibet.
Tibetans in India and around the world have lost hope in Nechung protector. Therefore the Tibetans in India are not even waiting for the Dalai Lama to die but getting Indian citizenship now while Dalai Lama is alive. How can they get Indian citizenship when Dalai Lama is still on refugee status and not an Indian citizen? Simple, Tibetans quietly lost trust in him.
Dorje S
February 23, 2019
Nechung has given so many wrong prediction in the past, of course Tibetans lost trust in him. However if we think deeper, when Tibetans say that, they are actually saying that they also started to lose trust in the Dalai Lama because how can the Dalai Lama trust a protector who always goes wrong if he is a Buddha? Doesn’t he has clairvoyance? If he can’t even differentiate which protector can be trusted, then how can we say he is Chenrezig who is supposed to be a all-knowing Buddha?
Michaela Smith
February 16, 2019
It looks like the Tibetan refugees in India have started to see their future realistically. After so many failed promise by the CTA and the Dalai Lama, and false prediction by Nechung to bring the Tibetans back to Tibet, the refugees in India finally see the reality that the CTA tried to convince them to maintain their refugee status so the CTA can continue to exploit them to ask for more money and donations from their donors.
Who wants to remain the refugees for 60 years? Japan, and Germany suffered devastating losses after World War II. 60 years later, they have become developed countries and make up for their defeat. This just shows what a backward mentality that the CTA has, and this is exactly the reason why the Tibetans are fed up and give up their refugee status.
Nechung gets more offerings than Lord Buddha
February 16, 2019
Nechung protector’s command and promise to the Dalai Lama unfulfilled. Nechung promised Dalai Lama if Dorje Shugden’s practice was banned, then the he can get Tibet back and Tibetans can return to Tibet.
It’s strange as Nechung also said to the Dalai Lama to ban Dorje Shugden back in 1996. If this is done, then Nechung will be pleased and trust will be repaired between him and the Tibetan people and Tibetans can get Tibet back. This has not happened still. Nechung on many occasions make promises to the Tibetan people but it has been unfulfilled. Tibetans lost trust in Nechung.
The ban against Shugden as requested by Nechung did not fulfill it’s purpose. Many Tibetans are questioning this now. The Tibetans say no benefits have arisen from banning Dorje Shugden’s practice. Only disharmony and disunity arose from this ban. The ban was wrong. Many Tibetans in India and abroad are quietly and secretly returning to Dorje Shugden’s practice now. Many Tibetans said they have practiced Dorje Shugden for many generations and were forced to give up the practice hoping to get Tibet back as promised by Nechung. But this has not happened.
Photos:
1. Nechung protector in a painting.
2. Statue of Nechung in Nechung Monastery. Many senior Tibetan lamas question why Nechung who is a spirit originally from Persia brought to Tibet by traders get more offerings on his shrine than Lord Buddha? Why does a spirit get more offerings than Lord Buddha Himself? Dalai Lama said we should make more offerings to Buddha and not a spirit yet Nechung gets more offerings. Why does the Dalai Lama allow this as it contradicts his own advice.
3. Yet again Nechung in trance of the oracle monk and speaking to the Dalai Lama.
Tenzin Kelsang
February 16, 2019
If I am a Tibetan refugee and I have waited for 60 years to go back to Tibet, I would have lost hope by now already. The Tibetan leadership has been giving empty promises one after another and there is still no progress on the Tibet cause until now.
With the current Tibetan leadership, there is no way that they can bring the Tibetans in Exile back to Tibet. There are too busy chasing after their own fantasies and selfish agendas. They do not care about the Tibetans at all.
It is logical for the Tibetans in exile to move on and take on Indian citizenship to fight for a better future for themselves after 60 years of stagnant in being a refugee. Soon, the Tibetan leadership will not have any Tibetans in exile left to manipulate and they will eventually have to disband.
Bystander
February 16, 2019
60 years of hopes and disappointments are enough to make Tibetans less patriotic. They are certainly not to be blamed for giving up on the Tibetan cause. On the contrary, these Tibetans have shown their loyalty for more than half a decade despite many lies by the their own political and spiritual leaders, even their protector has lied to them.
Now, by choosing to be Indian citizen, it’s very obvious that Tibetans don’t want to wait anymore even though the Dalai Lama has repeatedly expressed his hope of going back to Tibet. It is a strong indication that the Tibetans not only lost hope in their political leaders, they also lost hope of the Dalai Lama.
I actually rejoice for their decision. Frankly speaking, no one is going to believe the CTA will fulfill their promise of bringing their people back to Tibet. It’s enough lies after so many years. It’s time for CTA to face their own karma.
Kumar Sharma
February 16, 2019
Just like anyone else in the world, Tibetans want to be free to travel and have rights just like everyone else. Due to the situation in exile, they were not able to do so. However, getting Indian passport/citizenship is a golden opportunity for them to have all that without having to move elsewhere.
The matter of the fact is that Tibetans in India have received tremendous kindness from and living under the Indian government as their incompetent leadership in Dharamsala tries to manage a non-existent ‘government’. They should grab this opportunity so that the CTA can no longer control these Tibetans into remaining refugees. Why is it that the CTA encourages Tibetans to go to Europe and USA and become citizens there, but not encourage Tibetans to become Indian citizens in India? Smart Tibetans will have the answer and they know the leadership in Dharamsala is not looking after their welfare.
Tracy
February 16, 2019
People who are enthusiastic about the Tibet cause will be those who escaped from Tibet together with the Dalai Lama in the 50s and 60s. Most of them probably are not around anymore or they are very old now. Majority of the Tibetans are the new generations who are born and raised outside Tibet. These new generations are not sentimental about Tibet.
After 60 years of waiting, there is no result from the CTA and as usual, the CTA doesn’t give a direction to the Tibetans. The Tibetans still respect the Dalai Lama but they also know the Dalai Lama is very old now and he will not be able to bring them back to Tibet. The CTA gives them empty promise year after year, no one has the confidence that the CTA will make any difference in the future.
The Tibetans also know that the CTA is only using them to make money, the CTA does not care about their future and welfare. Anyone with sense will not rely on the CTA and gamble their future away. As more Tibetans are migrating or going back to Tibet or opt for Indian citizenship, there will be fewer Tibetans for the CTA to ‘manage’ and to ask for free money from the west. Sooner or later, the CTA will have to dissolve and there is no one for them to manage and there is no more cause to fight for.
Palmo
February 17, 2019
Tibetans are generally fed up with waiting since they have been waiting for 60 years. Tibetan leadership had given them empty promises and excuses so many times. In the meantime, Tibetan leadership did all they can to get more donations from countries around the world.
The population of Tibetan in exile now is the generation that has not even set foot in Tibet now. They will not have the passion to fight for Tibet’s freedom, unlike the generation that actually fled Tibet 60 years ago. That is why it is not surprising to see the Tibetans now are slowly embracing the fact that they will not go back to Tibet.
Many of them had even fled India to western countries to fight for a better future. It is obvious that even in India, the Tibetan government are not taking good care of their own people which forces them to flee the place that they know so well again. That is why Tibetans are cleaver to have moved on and not wait for their government to bring them back to Tibet.
Dorje S
February 18, 2019
This whole incidence and trend shows that Tibetans not only don’t care about the Tibetan cause anymore, they also clearly show that they no longer believe their government can actually achieve anything for their future. If they dare to not follow the Dalai Lama’s footstep, no one can ever stop them from leaving the Tibetan settlements. Tibetans are just too tired being poor, underprivileged and disappointed for too many years already.
Pema
February 19, 2019
Again and again the CTA, the Central Tibetan Administration has disappointed the Tibetans with empty promises, lies, abuse of power and much more…
Of course the Tibetans will choose the option that brings them a future instead of endless disappointments…
Kelsang
February 20, 2019
It is about that for Tibetans to go back to Tibet under China. There is no use for them to resists and there will only be a better life waiting for them in Tibet. After 60 years of being in Tibetan settlement in India, there is obviously no chance or whatever in the for them to get back Tibet’s independence. They will have to live with the fact that Tibet is under China now.
However, it is also His Holiness’s wish to have Umaylam. Since Rangzen is not possible anymore, Umaylam is the best next thing that they can achieve. It is very important for Tibetans to return to Tibet because it is their home and only there that their identity of being a Tibetan can be preserved.
They integrate into India or a foreign country, it will be very hard for them to maintain their identity being a Tibetan. Other than that, being with China will prevent the Tibetans from being further exploited by the Tibetan government when His Holiness is not around to protect anymore.
Amber Sonam
February 20, 2019
The CTA has failed big time and they have made the Dalai Lama lose all credibilities for everything he has said to the world. All the financial support and aids from the west around the world have now proven to be poured into the sewage tank of corruptions, deceptions and crimes.
The CTA makes the Dalai Lama now living in great shame for disappointing millions of Tibetans and kind donors and supporters for the lost cause of Tibet. How will CTA explain to the world that the Dalai Lama has failed the Tibet cause and the CTA is the main culprit of it? To make things worst, the CTA cannot prove where all the donations are being distributed to and used for.
The West should stop pumping in any sum for there is no longer Tibetan refugees in India unless they wish to just support the Dalai Lama, the only Tibetan refugee in the world, whose money is handled by the CTA anyway.
Tibetans have lost total hope in the Dalai Lama and they are no longer believers of the unexisting Tibet cause. This is an undeniable fact. With more and more demand for the Indian passports, there will soon be no Tibetan refugees in India. Tibetan refugees who can afford have sought refuge in the West or return to China. So what is the function of the CTA and the Dalai Lama now?
Vivek
February 22, 2019
Contemplate this:
Indian journalists sound desperate when they talk about terrorist attacks on India. As this article correctly states, there is little that India can do to address terrorism as they seem to operate from Pakistan. To deal with the terrorists, Indians will have to literally attack Pakistan which it cannot do.
Well, there is something India can do which is to stop Dharamsala’s terrorist activities against China being executed from Indian soil. The Tibetans have been attacking China for decades, yet they say they wish to return to Tibet. How do you return to a place you constantly criticize? The Dalai Lama is literally begging China to allow him to visit the Five Peaks of Manjushri pilgrimage site in China and also his birthplace in Amdo, Tibet. But if the Dalai Lama keeps criticizing China, why would they sit at the bargaining table with him? India allows for all of this to happen on Indian soil, so that would irritate China.
Yet India wants concessions from China on the terrorist issue. Meanwhile, Beijing equates Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed to India supporting the Dalai Lama against China for five decades now. Furthermore, India wants China to speak up against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Masood Azhar. But India does not speak up against Dalai Lama. Whether the world thinks the Dalai Lama is the good guy or not, he is a thorn in China’s side so anyone that supports him is not supporting China. Similar to the situation, LeT’s Hafiz Saeed and JeM’s Masood Azhar are a thorn in India’s side but they do not bother China and her allies, so why should China do anything about them? If India does something on the Dalai Lama, then it would be fair to ask China to do something about their support of Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Masood Azhar. Simple equation.
These reports are really bare-faced hypocrisy. It implies one nation is helpless against terrorists because the terrorists camp out in another country. But that did not stop the US from heavily bombing Iraq on the basis that it was harboring terrorists. The US did not hesitate to overthrow the government and murder its leader Saddam Hussein.
It is also very hypocritical that the same journalists who are outraged at China’s annexation of Tibet are quiet about Israel’s annexation of Palestine.
It is interesting to note that most terrorist attacks are aimed at the US and her allies. Everyone conveniently forgets that the US has been throwing their weight around for decades and can even determine which leader they want in other countries.
Back to India – if China can convince North Korea to have détente with the US, China can similarly help India with the JeM. India simply has to give up the Tibet card. The article is also a one-sided opinion piece because India faces as many terrorist threats from Bangladesh, with just as many terrorist camps, but because Bangladesh is not China, their involvement is not mentioned.
India is a great country. China and India as friends will be able to influence the globe literally economically and, eventually, militarily. But India has to play fair. By supporting the Dalai Lama, India will get nothing and furthermore, it will be a stumbling block to China’s 1.4 billion people becoming friends with India’s 1.3 billion people.
The Dalai Lama has to be compassionate and stop speaking against China because he has to consider the difficulty he places India in as his host. Each time he criticizes and allows his refugees to protest against China and ask for western support, it makes China look bad. So if the Dalai Lama wants China and India to become closer and benefit each other economically then he has to be silent on this already.
The Diplomat’s Prarthana Basu sums it up very well by saying in the article below that “Now with another terrorist attack infuriating India’s populace, the mystery behind this Chinese silence remains unsolved. While most attribute China’s apparent silence as a favor to Pakistan, as both continue to maintain their “all-weather friendship,” others argue that China holds India responsible for granting political asylum to the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama, whom Beijing equates to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed.”
Anonymous
February 27, 2019
Anonymous
March 1, 2019
😀
Anonymous
March 1, 2019
F
Babu
March 11, 2019
Tibetans in exile are probably fed up with their refugee situation and decided to seek a better life elsewhere with a new government. It is sad to see they had lost hope in their own government who is supposed to protect, help and nurture them. Instead of doing all those things, CTA exploited their own people and show no care towards their well being.
After 60 years of struggle as a refugee in India, there is literally nothing that the Tibetans in Exile can do besides more waiting. Waiting to go back to their motherland which is occupied by the Chinese government with ease due to the failure of the previous Tibetan government. The corruption is so bad that the Chinese can just take over this vast piece of land without much resistance. Why Nepal or Bhutan who is much smaller in size manage to maintain their sovereignty? It is about the strength and capability of the government and it is very clear that the Tibetan government does not have both.
Now that India had made it easier for Tibetans to get their citizenship, it is a wake-up call for Tibetans to move on and not stick to the past. They are not going back to Tibet anytime soon with the same corrupted government. It is better for them to move overseas or integrate into Indian society because they will have more opportunities to succeed in life compared to being a refugee in India. They are smart to realize this and CTA is stupid to think that they can manipulate the Tibetans in exile to stay with them forever.
Jigme
March 27, 2019
Tibetans do not want to continue to be refugees because it is very obvious that they have nothing to do now in the Tibetan settlements in India. They have no chance to be successful and the Tibetan cause is not coming anytime soon. They are stuck there and all they can do is to wait for a miracle or do something to leave CTA behind.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is different than the rest of the Tibetans. He does not need to worry about this because he can go anywhere and everybody will accept him but not normal Tibetans. That is why Tibetans are afraid for their future and they are trying to fight for their future.
Many Tibetans that went overseas are doing well and they are able to live a life that is better than life in India. Soon the number of Tibetans in exile will drop so much that there is no need for CTA to exist anymore.
Roy
March 30, 2019
Refugees are people who are stateless, they live in another country without a travel document. For the Tibetan refugees, they can move around in India freely but they cannot travel to other countries. They also cannot buy properties or own any business. They have lost a lot of opportunities in life.
For Dalai Lama, it does not matter if he can travel to other countries or own property because he is a monk, these are not important to him and he is not supposed to have the attachment to these things anyway. But to the normal Tibetans, these are important to them.
It is not fair to ask the Tibetans to remain as refugees forever and not giving them a clear direction of what will happen next. The CTA is not giving Tibetans hope, they have not choice but to move on and plan for themselves. Tibetans are still very respectful to the Dalai Lama but when it comes to their future, they can only rely on themselves.
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Geraldine Sarie
April 10, 2019
What can the Tibetans do as they had been confined as refugees in India for more than 60 years with nothing benefit. If I were them, of course I leave. It’s pointless to stay in the community that no improvement, reckless commotion and is so vulnerable. Who would stay in such situation? Besides, the promises are broken between the leadership and their people. CTA is not doing anything to amend the bond with the Tibetans. So, the Tibetans have to see with their own eyes collapse of this so-call leadership. 👎
Belinda Mae
April 10, 2019
Go ask any of the Tibetans in-exiled if they are tired of waiting for 60 years and up to current moment they are still waiting for an unknown status whethet they will be able to go back to Tibet. I am sure many of them would have given up and lost hope on CTA who will never bring them back to their homeland. Hence, a decision need to be made by the Tibetans in-exiled to protect themselves and also to survive. Living under the administration of CTA is just hopeless and waste of them.
samayakeeper
April 10, 2019
Quote
“Do the CTA need to exist when they will have no one to administrate?”
Unquote
It’s not a question of need because the needs of the people were not fully fulfilled. So why has CTA existed until now? All because of the Dalai Lama.
The CTA are not doing their job to benefit Tibetans for the longest time. They are only interested to look good, fly abroad to procure money, threaten and bully their own people instead of helping them. They can get away with it because the Dalai Lama is around. What if the time comes when the Dalai Lama isn’t? Would sympathetic sponsors continue to donate their hard earned cash to a lost cause without the Dalai Lama at the helm? I wouldn’t.
tenzin
April 10, 2019
Cta do not care about Tibetans. They only care for themselves. All the lies and corruption they have been trying to dismiss will come back and haunt them for the rest of their lives. Karma does exist! Even if in this life they don’t see it, it will come back to them in their next. Pity their next generations. It will haunt them too.
Brian
April 10, 2019
Existent of CTA is redundant. They are so corrupt and look at what they have achieved even after 6 decades of looking for money to keep feeding their lavish spending lifestyle. Look at the people who are suffering out there. The plot of making Dorje Shugden a scapegoat in order to continue make Tibetans split is seen through and what bad karma CTA people are creating.
Richard Tamlak
April 10, 2019
What is more heartbreaking than loosing hope? Loosing hope on someone or something, means one has lost faith, doesn’t believe or doesn’t even want to look back at someone or something that one looked forward for. 60 years, for as long as 60 years CTA had used their Tibetans as puppets for them to get money from the west. And they didn’t do anything to improve Tibetans life, but to put the money into their own pocket. Honestly, they should have known even in the 10th years that CTA will not get Tibet to independent. Besides that, China didn’t say Tibetans in India cannot return to Tibet, it’s only The Dalai Lama can’t return to Tibet. A so called people leadership didn’t do anything to benefit their people, but always use their people as puppet to cheat money, encourage suicide to cheat money, what kind of leadership is this? CTA shouldn’t even exist in the 20th year even 10th year after they are unable to return the exiled Tibetans to Tibet. Why need to wait until now? CTA shouldn’t close down earlier.
Wangel
April 10, 2019
Finally Tibetan refugee accept the truth they will not able return to China as Tibetan independent. The most important thing to know the failure of tibetan leadership. Tibetan refugee reserve better offer becoming India citizenship after 60 year in exile. Those tibetan refugee are dreaming return to main land Tibet, China still accepting them return back. Leave the heartbreaking CTA alway cheating their refugee with the empty promises.
Vajra10
April 10, 2019
I think the CTA has never thought of fulfilling the promise which is to bring the exiled Tibetan back to Tibet. It’s obvious, see what they have been doing since the few decades?
Every thing they do is to benefit themselves instead as a whole for the exiled Tibetans.
The exiled Tibetans have to really consider & think more what will bring benefits for them. Instead of believing the CTA blindly.
Tianni
April 10, 2019
Tibetan in exile are in the dilemma, in one hand they does not want to be stateless , in another hand they have all hope to the Dalai Lama will bring them home~Tibet. I wonder what will be happen if Dalai Lama gone. After 60 years, we only see CTA has issue of corruption, lies and segregate the peoples, how to beleive CTA will bring Tibetan in exile back to Tibet. The current situration and the challenges not getting support from many countries because everyone will like to be friendly with China, it looks like no hope for Tibetans in exile.
Jing Jing
April 26, 2019
CTA never take care of their people. CTA very happy to keep all of them poor and continue to be in tibetan refugees camps so that they can use this situation to raise funds and pocketed all the money. So that CTA leaders all already holding US passports but the poor and ignorance Tibetan still hoping to see victory and returning to Tibet.
Tibetan should depend on themselves and takes up Indian citizenship so that their children can have a proper life. Think for the children and grand children.
Pema
April 26, 2019
The Tibetan is in desperate already. After 60 years as refugees in India, CTA has not improve any of their welfare and looking at CTA which has no strategy at all to bring the Tibetan back to their homeland, the Tibetans may have to act on their own to work out for their future. After 60 years, Tibetans didn’t see anything beneficial to the them and in fact Tibetans are willing to take chances to explore outside India now.
Sonam
April 26, 2019
The Tibetan government will forever rely on the sympathy and donations of another country to survive. That is how they survived all these years in the Tibetan settlements in India. For the past 60 years, the Tibetan government worked so hard to get donations and support from the western country in the name of Tibetan cause.
However, the Tibetan cause has not gained any significant progress despite millions of donation and from countries around the world, and they are still stuck in the same position as before. Where did all the funds and donations go? While Tibetan in exile is living in poverty, the leadership are travelling around the globe enjoying themselves.
I guess the Tibetan government has been using the donations for other purposes instead of benefiting their own people. That is why there is no improvement in the situation in the Tibetan settlements even after 60 years of receiving donations and aids. Tibetans will have to look for a new life elsewhere for them to escape from their current situation.
Mountains
April 27, 2019
1st Time Dalai Lama Finally Admits His Illness Was Serious
In the past it is customary to cover up the Dalai Lama’s illnesses. It could be to not worry his flock. It could also be to not show the world he is just another vulnerable human being. Or it could be he does not want to disappoint people to show he is not a god? Whatever the reasons, the Dalai Lama and regime are well known for covering up his serious illnesses. In the past few years he had cancer of the prostate and that was covered up till the press dug it up. Now with this new video just out April 2019, Dalai Lama admits he was recently very ill. It was serious.
Unfortunately the Tibetan cause will die with the Dalai Lama when he passes. He did nothing to groom up a new leader as he is a dictator. A ruler for life. He has been in power for over 60 years. He will never groom up another person to replace him because he is touted as a god.
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1556343635.mp4
Yeshe
April 30, 2019
One of the easier ways for Tibetans in exile to get out of their situation is to join India as their citizens. There nothing left for them in the Tibetan settlements except more poverty, disappointments and lies from the Tibetan government. 60 years had passed and they should have known that their government is not capable of achieving Tibetan cause.
However, I heard that the Tibetan government is making the process of converting to Indian citizen very difficult to discourage the Tibetans from doing so. They want the Tibetans to stay with them so they can further exploit them and milk them like a cash cow. If there is no more Tibetans left in the settlements, there is no reason for the western countries to give them donations.
Tibetans leadership is a group of very selfish people who only think of themselves and their own benefits. The Tibetans in exile are very unfortunate to have them as their leadership and they are destined to suffer under their guidance. If the Tibetan can’t convert to Indian citizenship, they should look into returning to Tibet as China had recently opened their doors to them.
Kelsang
May 13, 2019
CTA will never work their way to be friends with China. Just look at their attitude for the past 60 years. They have been extremely arrogant towards China and they believe that whatever they are doing which is talking bad about China and playing the victim card will work forever. However, things have changed since 1959 and their tactic is no longer working.
China is one of the superpower countries in the world now and Tibetans in exile are just nobody when compared with them. China is so powerful right now that there is no way the Tibetans can “force” China to give back Tibet to them. China has invested so much into making Tibet a better place and the Tibetans are expecting China to just hand them back their country that easily?
The Tibetan government is delusional to think like that and they are fooling themselves and also the Tibetans in exile. Tibetans in India now should learn to be smart and go back to China when they actually allows it. There is no hope in the Tibetan settlements anymore.
Ngawang Jigme
May 31, 2019
Unlike 5 years ago, Tibetan leader Lobsang Sangay is not invited to Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony this time. It is clear that PM Modi of India snubs the Tibetan leadership once again in favour of deeper ties with China. The Tibetan leadership finds itself increasingly isolated as nobody wants to offend China by lending any support to the ungrateful Tibetans.
Tracy
June 12, 2019
In old Tibet, the Tibetans were segregated into different classes, the majority of them were slaves and were exploited by their landlords or their own government. The rich always became richer and the poor always became poorer. After they escaped from Tibet, even though they are ruled by a democratic government, they are still being exploited by their own government.
The culture of exploiting their own people and taking care only about themselves is still deep-rooted in the Tibetan leadership. Even though the Tibetans in India are ruled by a democratic government now, they are still being suppressed. They have the right to vote for their government but they don’t have the right to voice out their dissatisfaction. Whoever voices out, the Tibetan leadership will find ways to get them or encourage the Tibetans to outcast the person who voices out. One very good example is Lukar Jam Atsok whose life was in danger after he exposed the evil side of the Tibetan leadership.
With so much unfairness and promises that are not fulfilled in the past 60 years, the Tibetans know the Dalai Lama will not be able to make any differences in the situation they are in. Life as a refugee is full of uncertainty and the Tibetans, especially the younger generation does not wish to live like that anymore. They may not follow the Dalai Lama but it does not mean they don’t respect the Dalai Lama anymore. What they don’t appreciate is the selfishness of the Tibetan leadership.
Chodag
September 27, 2019
At the beginning of the escape, a lot of people follow Dalai Lama travel all the way to India. They left their homes with nothing and hold on to their faith and believe in the Tibetan leadership to bring them back home and look after their welfare during the period in India. Unfortunately after 60 years, nothing changes. CTA getting so much donation but nothing has been shared to improve the Tibetan welfare. We see the Tibetan leadership would spend the fund to come up with materials to impose ban on Dorje Shugden which doesn’t harm anyone, why not use the money to help fellow Tibetans that have been refugees for the longest time?
It’s not easy to stay for 60 years and keep hoping that one day Tibetan leadership will fulfill their promises to bring them back. Tibetan has been very patient but they can’t hold on anymore because they need to think for the future of their next generation which Tibetan leadership never wants to think about.