Dharamshala — The Buddhist nun, Rigzin Dolma, hanged herself on the 20th of July in protest against the destruction of the Larung Gar Institution by the Chinese Government in China’s Sichuan Province. This event is part of what the Chinese are calling ‘correction and rectification obligations.’
The Chinese Government had been disturbing the monastery some time before the demolition began. In June, the Government announced that by September 2017 the encampment’s population must be reduced by half.
Before the demolitions began, Larung Gar, one of the world’s largest monastic institutions, was home to over ten thousand Buddhists. The properties being demolished belong primarily to nuns and elderly people. To date, more than six hundred monks and nuns have been left homeless.
Rigzin Dolma was studying at the Institution when these events commenced. She left a suicide note where she wrote that she could not bear to watch the Chinese harassment of innocent Buddhists who were simply studying at the monastery.
She had some money, which she offered to the monastery. This news took almost one month to reach the outside world due to Chinese repression and inexistent freedom of speech.
The United States and the Central Tibetan Administration condemned the Chinese government for the demolition of the Buddhist institution in Serta County, Eastern Tibet.
State Department spokesperson, Elizabeth Trudeau, told reporters at her daily news conference that “[they] are concerned that Chinese authorities initiated the demolition of residences at Larung Gar Tibetan Buddhist Institute without the consent of the institute’s leaders.”
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the democratically elected political leader of Tibet claimed “the destruction of these buildings go against the basic religious freedom that the Chinese government alleges to protect and provide.”
Monks and nuns have watched helplessly as the Chinese demolition teams destroys their homes.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) have condemned the Chinese government-ordered destruction at Larung Gar and said that Beijing should allow the Tibetan people decide for themselves how best to practice their religion.
