Sikyong Lobsang Sangay has been accused of Machiavellian tactics to dispatch his political rival Penpa Tsering. The Kashag (Tibetan Cabinet-in-Exile) issued a statement to clarify Penpa Tsering’s sudden dismissal but it has only raised more questions.
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: Shashi Kei
The saga following the sudden sacking of Penpa Tsering as the Dalai Lama’s North American representative is far from over. Tibetan supporters of Penpa Tsering have been demanding valid explanations for his unceremonious dismissal by the Kashag (Cabinet), which is controlled by Sikyong Lobsang Sangay. Lobsang Sangay, who heads the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership) is well known to view Penpa Tsering as his most dangerous political rival.
In an attempt to allay rising discontentment over the heavy-handed treatment of Penpa Tsering, on 18th November 2017, the Kashag offered additional information to support his dismissal. It is a move they claim to be motivated by “transparency and accountability purposes”.
However, it has taken serious threats by the people to protest against the CTA, and to boycott events related to the Sikyong, before the Kashag decided to be transparent. The fact is, left on its own, neither the CTA nor the Kashag, and certainly not Lobsang Sangay, has ever operated with transparency. But pressure from the Tibetan people is something they fear and will respond to.
The Kashag’s explanation reveals a number of disturbing facts:
- That power-grabbing and political rivalry overrides everything else in Lobsang Sangay’s government. It is a growing culture that has impacted negatively on the Tibetan people’s collective objectives. The Kashag’s statement in fact confirms that there is still considerable animosity between Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering even after the 2016 Sikyong elections. Neither is willing to put aside personal feelings for the collective good of the nation and people of Tibet.
- Penpa Tsering does not view Lobsang Sangay to be a competent and trustworthy leader. It is the reason why Penpa Tsering asked so many questions of Lobsang Sangay’s intentions and his actions, and cast so much doubt. As their own statement says, there is a “trust deficit”.
- If the Kashag’s justification is to be believed at all, Lobsang Sangay is willing to gamble with the Tibetan people’s future. According to the Kashag’s statement, Penpa Tsering was incapable in his post. However, it was the Kashag who appointed him to the post so in essence, they sent an incapable representative to a crucial post. North America is the CTA’s biggest supporter and closest ally (or rather, they used to be), and yet Lobsang Sangay was willing to compromise that relationship because it got Penpa Tsering out of his way in Dharamsala, so that his hold of power in the CTA would remain unchallenged.
As the Tibetan people’s attention is increasingly trained on Lobsang Sangay, many are now beginning to doubt his integrity.
- Questions are raised about his sincerity and commitment to the Tibetan cause, which the ordinary Tibetans have staked their lives and future too. Why for instance does Sangay have an American passport and does not hold only the same Yellow Passport as all other ordinary Tibetans?
- Why does he not subject himself to the same limitations as his own people, and gives himself special exemption to hold another citizenship? This is a pertinent question especially when Sangay’s government is asking ordinary Tibetans to reject Indian passports, which many are lawfully entitled to.
- Having an Indian passport would no doubt improve the Tibetan refugee’s life. Yet, they are asked to forgo this and their efforts to get such a passport are even sabotaged by the Tibetan leadership. Meanwhile, the Sikyong and his cronies are already in possession of various foreign passports and citizenships. Why do Sangay and his cronies practice such double standards instead of leading by example?
Another one of the Kashag’s reasons for firing Penpa Tsering was his failure to take steps to protect the Dalai Lama from Dorje Shugden (Dolgyal) ‘threats’ during the Dalai Lama’s planned visit to the USA in June 2017. This is unsurprising for the CTA to cast blame away from itself; anyone can see how irrelevant the Shugden issue is in the Sangay-Penpa quarrel. In addition:
- The Kashag is implying that the USA with its very competent intelligence force such as the CIA, the FBI and Secret Service cannot capably protect the Dalai Lama whereas the CTA can. It is a rather ridiculous proposition especially given the USA’s heightened security awareness after the 9/11 incident.
- The only explanation for the Kashag to bring up the ‘Dogyal’ issue is to imply that Penpa Tsering is sympathetic to a group that Sangay has repeatedly framed as the enemy of the Tibetan people and the source of all their problems. To put it plainly, it is to make him an easier target for Tibetans to attack.
- In any case, the Kashag’s statement admits that it has a standing order for all CTA officials and related bodies to constantly victimise a segment of the Tibetan people because of their religious belief. Why is the CTA monitoring the activities of private citizens? And why is the CTA expending resources to monitor Dorje Shugden practitioners when there is no ban on the practice, as they claim?
The Kashag further accused Penpa Tsering for failing to secure meetings and appointments for Lobsang Sangay during his May 2017 visit to the USA. But we have to ask:
- What does Lobsang Sangay hope to achieve by meeting with American politicians and government officials? The USA has long subscribed to the One China policy, which essentially places Tibet under China’s sovereignty. No amount of talks with any American President, Congressman, Senator or bureaucrat can change this simple fact and the Kashag knows that.
- Therefore such meetings have only one objective – for the Sikyong to ask for more money, aid and financial assistance, which make up almost 100% of the CTA’s revenue. It is all about money, money and more money.
- The Kashag’s statement readily admits to money being the sole motivating factor, since all of their justifications for Penpa Tsering’s dismissal center on the fact he failed to secure meetings which will help them to secure money, and he asked questions about the funding too. And in this, the Kashag’s statement betrays its own incompetency to the point that it admits that even after 60 years of countless assistance, it is still relying purely on handouts.
Sikyong Lobsang Sangay (center) with Lodi Gyari (left). Lobsang Sangay dismissed Penpa Tsering from his role after too many questions were asked about financial irregularities that Sangay is involved with. Interesting, Lodi Gyari himself was recently embroiled in a money laundering scandal that saw his son-in-law’s bank accounts being frozen by Nepali authorities. They were alleged to have raised funds for Nepal earthquake victims, but these funds never actually reached the intended recipients.
Inadvertently, the Kashag’s explanation reveals that more scandals are brewing for the CTA’s Office of Tibet in the USA.
- Over the years, we have seen news about misappropriation of funds. These were committed by different Tibetan NGOs that operate under the CTA, helmed by cronies of various Tibetan leaders. Now we are hearing that the five bank accounts of the Office of Tibet, which essentially represents the Dalai Lama, were at risk of being frozen and closed by the bank. Everyone knows that this only happens when there is malpractice and financial irregularities.
- Questions must now be raised about the Office of Tibet’s financial conduct. And perhaps that was precisely what Penpa Tsering was attempting to do but in so doing, he raised issues that Sikyong Lobsang Sangay prefers to remain buried because the financial trail leads too closely to him.
- For example, Penpa Tsering raised a question about a US$1.5 million loan which has been given by the Tibet Fund to quarters associated with Lobsang Sangay. In essence, the Sikyong was caught to be using funds meant for the welfare of Tibetan refugees as his own political war chest, to boost his election campaign and performance. Penpa Tsering also refused to back down when Lobsang Sangay attempted to reassign the loan as a gift or contribution within the audited accounts of the Tibet Fund. Penpa Tsering’s poking into this irregularity meant he had to go.
There is nothing in the Kashag’s explanation that has real substance. Instead we see very embarrassing and petty bickering about ‘who said what to whom’ about a female kalon. This is not professional conduct for a government that is asking the world to support its bid to have six million Tibetan lives in its hands when it is proven to be incapable of handling a single CTA outpost. The Penpa Tsering debacle exposes the CTA to be a crude, unprofessional, narrow-minded and a nickel-and-dime outfit of self-serving politicians.
Nothing in all these proceedings benefit the Tibetan people one bit. In any progressive government, the dismissal of a civil servant, such as that of Penpa Tsering, is a common thing. But when it comes to the CTA, such a simple procedure can threaten to dismantle the CTA and fracture the community even further. This is the system of government that has developed under Lobsang Sangay’s leadership and this is his legacy. It is a legacy of excuses and alibis instead of results; it is a legacy of disunity instead of harmony, of corruption instead of integrity, and of scapegoating instead of taking responsibility for lives that depend on the role of the Sikyong.
And this debacle only goes to show one thing – that when you ask the wrong questions of the CTA, when you try to hold them accountable, you will face swift and total retribution. In the CTA, when you threaten someone’s access to money, and their position and power, well, democracy be damned. No matter who you are, no matter how high you have risen, and no matter who you are friends with, you will be gone because only one thing matters – money. It is a lesson Penpa Tsering has learned the hard way, and it is a lesson that will resonate throughout the Tibetan community for a long, long time to come.
TIBET SUN: Kashag’s clarification on decision to replace North America Representative
Click to enlarge (Source: https://www.tibetsun.com/news/2017/11/18/kashags-clarification-on-decision-to-replace-north-america-representative)
TIBET SUN: Sikyong Lobsang Sangay! Where are Office of Tibet loan records?
Click to enlarge (Source: https://www.tibetsun.com/opinions/2017/11/16/sikyong-lobsang-sangay-where-are-office-of-tibet-loan-records)
TIBET.NET: Kashag’s clarification on decision to replace North America Representative
Click to enlarge (Source: http://tibet.net/2017/11/kashags-clarification-on-decision-to-replace-the-north-america-representative/)
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Dalai Lama should set things right
August 12, 2018
Dear Dalai Lama,
Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.
By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.
It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.
Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.
You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.
No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.
You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.
You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.
After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.
Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.
The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.
Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.
ayana
August 15, 2018
Why doesn’t the United States and its allies end Refugee Status for the useless Tibetans? They have been refugees for 60 years now and don’t tell me they still cannot get their lives back in order?
Tibetans really know how to put on a good show and use people, take their money and do nothing in return.
Ojas
August 15, 2018
Supreme Court of India JUSTICE Mr. MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) writes that Tibet is much better under the Chinese than it was under the lamas who only wanted to make the populace slaves. It was feudal and it will never return to the backwardness again.
Vardaniya
August 22, 2018
The cracks in Tibetan society are starting to show, and it is now coming to the attention of local Indians who have all but identified the Tibetan leadership as the source of the divisions. According to this author, disunity amongst the Tibetans is now creating problems for Indian law enforcement agencies, and this disunity may culminate in young Tibetans holding silent grudges against their host country. It is incredible that after six decades of generosity from India, Indians are now facing the very real possibility Tibetans can be ungrateful towards India. The Tibetan leadership totally failed to impart positive values upon their exiled community, like gratitude for those kindest to them and the need to repay these kindnesses with real, tangible results. It’s also very unlikely that the Tibetan leadership will now start to do this, after six decades of failing to do so. Indians need to realise this, and see that there is no benefit for their nation to align themselves with the Tibetan leadership, and there never will be.
Maya
August 24, 2018
Although the Dalai Lama has offered an apology, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) still expressed their disappointment over his controversial comment on Nehru, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Dalai Lama called Nehru self-centred.
The Congress said Dalai Lama being a foreigner should shun and refrain from interfering in the internal as well as external affairs of India.
SabrinaS
October 15, 2018
Well, this shows clearly how un-democratic CTA is. Penpa Tsering should had known better since he was part of this unholy union. I guess he had been lulled by his comfortable position in the USA that he thought he had the clout to take down Lobsang Sangay. Apparently he thought wrong. And now he is out of the game! Even demonstrations outside the CTA’s headquarters had not helped him one bit. Instead the Sikyong challenged them to sue him. Wow! I guess he has absolute power and the people allowed him so. Now he even dares take on the Dalai Lama in his propaganda tirade against China, even though knowing this will damage the Dalai Lama’s wish to return to Tibet. Very audacious! In front of the Dalai Lama, Sikyong acts all in agreement but at the back he is the wolf that constantly seeks to fill his pockets with retirement funds taken from sponsors and meant for their refugee programmes. I must commend him though. After so many years in position and with such open corruption that he conjures, he is still so entrenched that no one dare challenge him. Even the Dalai Lama keeps quiet and the people simply do not care enough of the Dalai Lama that they allow Sikyong to do as he pleases. Such a chaotic situation that who would be surprise when China says NO! Tibetans in Tibet are better off with China’s governance than under CTA’s. At the very least they are accorded so much more rights in exchange for some rules to regulate peace within their region.
Drolma
April 3, 2019
The CTA has disappointed the Tibetans again and again. They promise to bring Tibetans back to Tibet but until today, 60 years have passed the Tibetans are still refugees. Life as a refugee is not easy, the Tibetans have had enough and many of them no longer want to pursue the Tibet cause.
It is also very clear to see that the CTA is only using the Tibetans to benefit themselves, many Tibetans see that so they are not following the direction of the CTA anymore. With so many negative news and no result from the CTA, Tibetans have given up on the Free Tibet movement. It is no surprise the people who joined the uprising anniversary event is getting fewer.
All I can say is the CTA is a failure in leading its community. The main reason is that people who are in the CTA only wants benefits for themselves, they don’t care about the Tibetans. They want money and power but they don’t want to work hard. The Tibetans have realised they have been used by the CTA for all these years and there is no point to rely on the CTA anymore.