lotusinthemud

a great responsibility

Sometimes religion becomes yet another source for more division and sometimes open conflict. Because of that situation, I feel the different religious traditions have a great responsibility to provide peace of mind and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood among humanity

~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama

anti dalai lama speech investigated

By Nick Mulvenney

BEIJING (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is investigating a speech made by Tibet's Communist Party boss at the end of last weekend's Beijing torch relay leg in Lhasa in which he denounced the Dalai Lama.

But it was not immediately clear what the IOC, which is unlikely to resort to its ultimate sanction of withdrawing the Games from China, could do. It has said before it has "no political mandate" to instruct countries how to behave.

IOC communications director Giselle Davies said Beijing organizers (BOCOG) had been asked to provide the contents of Zhang Qingli's speech and said it "would regret very much" if media reports were accurate.

::read more here

china condemns dalai lama in tibet

By Chris Buckley

LHASA, China (Reuters) - Chinese Communist Party officials in charge of restive Tibet used the passing of the Olympic torch relay through the capital Lhasa on Saturday to defend their control and denounce the exiled Dalai Lama.

The torch procession ended under tight security below the towering Potala palace after having been run for just over two hours before a carefully-selected crowd, some three months after the region was convulsed by anti-Chinese protests.

"Tibet's sky will never change and the red flag with five stars will forever flutter high above it," Tibet's hardline Communist Party boss Zhang Qingli said at a ceremony marking the end of the two-hour relay through strictly guarded streets.

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dalai lama hopes china talks will resume in july

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama hopes postponed talks between China and his envoys will resume next month, he said on Thursday, adding he supported China's desire for stability but that it must come "from the heart not the gun".

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china: 52 buddhist nuns detained for refusing to condemn the dalai lama

Radio Free Asia, 2008-05-21-

In Tibet, Chinese authorities have cracked down again on a nunnery suspected of inculcating separatism. The move highlights the quiet but pivotal role played by Tibetan Buddhist nuns.

KATHMANDU— Chinese authorities in Tibet have raided a large nunnery in Sichuan province after its leader refused to condemn the Tibetan exiled leader, the Dalai Lama, Tibetan sources say.

Security forces are surrounding the Buruna nunnery in Kardze [in Chinese, Ganzi], Sichuan province and have detained 52 of its nuns, the sources said. Security police raided the nunnery, and the 21 nuns left behind were kept inside the nunnery all day.

“They were restrained with tied hands and detained for the whole day. Then their hands were untied and they were released after being held for one day, but still they are not allowed to leave the nunnery,” one source said.

“The nunnery is surrounded. Many security officials have entered the nunnery and placed it under virtual siege.”

Buruna nunnery—destroyed in the 1959 uprising, but rebuilt in 1983 and expanded in 2000—is located on a hilltop near Kardze. Belonging to the Gelugpa sect, it usually has 89 nuns. Its leader is Tulku Phurbu Tsering, commonly called Buruna Rinpoche.

Nuns at Buruna “were forced to criticize His Holiness the Dalai Lama and their teacher, who is known as Buruna Rinpoche. He is respected and revered throughout the Kardze area. He founded both the Burunga and Lhatseg nunneries in the Kardze area,” another source said.

Another Tibetan source said Buruna Rinpoche was detained May 18 at 4 p.m., after he rejected the Chinese “patriotic education” campaign, which is aimed at stamping out suspected Tibetan separatism.

Nuns detained

“Today, Chinese officials came to our nunnery and tried to force us to condemn and sign criticisms of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and our Rinpoche, Buruna Rinpoche,” one of the nuns said on May 20.

“We refused, and 52 nuns went to Kardze town in two groups and protested, calling for the long life of Gyalwa Tenzin Gyatso [the Dalai Lama.]. They also threw protest leaflets and protested. Now, I have heard that 52 nuns who went to the protests were detained.”

“Right now, no one is being allowed in Kardze town. All shops were ordered closed. The town is full of security forces. I have only two wishes, and those are long life for Gyalwa Tenzin Gyatso and independence for Tibet.”

::read more here

the dalai lama - 'one of the most realistic, far-sighted politicians in the world'

By Pico Iyer
Washington Post, Sunday, May 25, 2008; Page B04

When most people think of the Dalai Lama, they think of his saffron and maroon robes, his shiny shaven head, the mala beads around his wrist, his puckish smile and cosmic insight. He is, after all, the incarnation of the god of compassion. Yet part of the drama and power of his life is that while his head may be in the clouds, for more than half a century his feet have been firmly planted in the unforgiving realm of realpolitik. Over the years, as I've reported from El Salvador to Lebanon, from Ethiopia to Sri Lanka, I've come to see the Dalai Lama as one of the most realistic, far-sighted politicians in the world.

Soon after violence erupted in Tibetan areas in China last March, restless young Tibetan exiles began clamoring for dramatic protests against the Chinese government. The countdown to the Beijing Olympics in August was their chance, they said, to force China to end almost 60 years of oppression in Tibet. People around the world joined in their call for action. But the Dalai Lama continued to urge patience, dialogue and tolerance. An agreement reached by people who are jealous, territorial or angry, he often says, will last only until the next fit of temper.

gordon brown meets his holiness the dalai lama

Gordon Brown has discussed relations between China and the people of Tibet in talks with the Dalai Lama.

The 30-minute private meeting was "warm and constructive", a Downing Street spokesman said.

The prime minister and Tibet's exiled spiritual leader also discussed human rights and ways to help China in the aftermath of the 12 May earthquake......

Mr Brown's spokesman said the meeting between the two leaders had included a discussion of "inter-faith issues" and "the importance of the dialogue between the Dalai Lama's representatives and the Chinese authorities".

"The PM expressed his determination to work with both sides to encourage reconciliation," he said.

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spontaneous prayer gatherings across the tibetan plateau for quake victims

Lhasa, Tibet (China) -- Spontaneous prayer gatherings have been held in monasteries across the Tibetan plateau for victims in the earthquake affected areas. The temples have also collected money and donated materials for the relief work. ::link

<< Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa

According to the British charity the Tibet Foundation, these monasteries include: Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Longwu Temple in Kumbum County, Qinghai Province, Ger Den Temple in Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Kumbum (Chinese: Ta'ersi) Monastery in Kumbum County (Chinese: Huangzhong) in Tsoshar (Chinese: Haidong) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, Lithang Monastery in Lithang County (Chinese: Litang) in Kardze (Chinese: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, Xi Busha Temple and Xia Deray Temple, both in Tsekhog County (Chinese: Zeku) in Malho (Chinese: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Qinghai Province, and Rong-an Temple in Chentsa County (Chinese: Jianzha), Malho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, as well as many monks at other temples...............

His Holiness the Dalai Lama sent a message of sympathy to the Chinese people a day after the earthquake struck Sichuan, saying: "I am deeply saddened by the loss of many lives and many more who have been injured in the catastrophic earthquake that struck Sichuan province of China. I would like to extend my deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to those families who have been directly affected by the strong earthquake on 12 May 2008. I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and those injured in the quake."

k.d. lang's statement on tibet

k.d. lang, Buddhist practitioner (and one of my favourite musicians), writes:

4.23.08

What we are seeing now in Tibet is just the tip of the iceberg. I don’t think my generation really even knows the extent of what has happened to the Tibetan people. It’s like a band-aid that has been ripped off to reveal that the wound is still raw. It’s unfortunate the Olympic Games are being impacted by this situation, but it presents a rare opportunity to bring focus to the heartbreaking situation of the Tibetan and Chinese people who have suffered serious human rights abuses. The oppression should be stopped.  

Authorities have taken Tibetans and Chinese citizens from their monasteries and homes and held them in locations without the knowledge of their families. These authorities should be held accountable.  

The genuine popular aspirations of the Tibetan people – for freedom to practice their religion and to preserve their culture – should be protected and fulfilled. An open dialog with HH Dalai Lama, without pre-conditions, should be established. International agencies and journalists should have access to Tibet. Agencies like the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders, should be allowed entry so that they can provide proper medical assistance to those who have suffered.  

The Tibetan culture is part of our global heritage. Its original personality and purity needs to be kept intact. I urge the world community to focus their efforts to protect the Tibetan culture, so that it can continue to be a source of inspiration for the rest of the world.

dalai lama calls for end to anti-olympic protests

The Dalai Lama today called for Tibetans to end protests against the Beijing Olympics, also telling MPs in London he would happily accept an invitation to attend the event if relations with China improved.

The comments by the Tibetan spiritual leader came as his government-in-exile called for a temporary halt to all protests against Chinese rule over the territory while Beijing deals with the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake.

On its website, the government, based in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala, urged Tibetans not to demonstrate for at least a month.

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