Brief Highlights - Tibet Post International

Tibet Support Groups in Taiwan Raise issue of Ngaba Crisis

TAIPEI: A Parliament member of Taiwan and a long time Tibetan supporter, Ms Tian Qui Jin, organised a meeting between a delegation of Taipei-based Tibet support groups and a top Taiwanese official on 4 May.

The delegation, which includes members of Tibetan NGOs, raised the issue of Chinese government's repression on Kirti Monastery in northeastern Tibet during their meeting with Mr Zhao Jian Min, vice-president of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council.

In a letter submitted to Mr Zhao, the delegation urged the Taiwanese government to persuade the Chinese authorities to lift the military blockade of Kirti monastery, which has left 2 Tibetans dead and over 300 monks detained so far.

They also called for the immediate release of 300 detained monks and to allow the media to report the real situation in the region.

“As the Dalai Lama, as well as many governments around the world have demanded, China must show more restrain when handling the Kirti Monastery incident to avoid more casualties and to respect freedom of religion and it must stop illegally arresting monks,” TFOT president Chow Mei-li said in a statement after the meeting.

Tibetan Govt. Deeply Saddened by Demise of Arunachal CM

Dharamshala: - The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration on Wednesday condoled the sad demise of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who died in a helicopter crash in Lobothang near Tawang District.

In a condolence message, Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche expressed "deep sadness and worry about the tragic demise of a young, honest and one of the best chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh Dorjee Khandu."

"Moreover, he has brought immense development and improvement in the lives of the people of Arunachal Pradesh and the Tibetans living there in peace and harmony," Kalon Tripa said.

"Since his death is a great loss to both the Tibetans and the people of Arunachal Pradesh, I, along with my cabinet colleagues offer our prayers and heartfelt condolences to the people of the state and his family members," Kalon Tripa said.

A special prayer service will be organised by the Department of Religion and Culture at the Tsuglagkhang, the main temple in Dharamsala on 5 May, Kalon Tripa said.

UNPO Congratulates Newly Elected Tibetan Prime Minister

Dharamshala: - The General Secretary of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) has on May 2nd issued a statement welcoming the election of Dr. Lobsang Sangay to the Tibetan Premiership and saying that "the UNPO wishes Dr. Sangay every success in the many challenges that will lie ahead and readily offers its support to help realize the goals and ambitions of the Tibetan people which he and the CTA represent."

During the election, the UNPO joined the International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT) election observation mission that monitored the election process across the world. This participation "represented the latest in two decades of collaboration" as Tibet had a founding role when the UNPO was established in 1991.

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is an international, nonviolent, and democratic membership organisation. Its members are indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories who have joined together to protect and promote their human and cultural rights, to preserve their environments, and to find nonviolent solutions to conflicts which affect them. Among its members are minorities like the Kurds of Iran and Iraq, the Hmong people of SE Asia and Taiwan.

His Holiness Prays for Safe Return of Arunachal CM

Dharamshala: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is concerned about Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu after the helicopter carrying him went missing, his aide said on Sunday.

"His Holiness is deeply concerned about the situation and is praying for the safe return of Dorjee Khandu and others," Tenzin Taklha, joint secretary at His Holiness the Dalai Lama's office, told IANS.

The Nobel laureate is now in Japan, where he offered prayers and provided solace to the survivors of the devastating March 11 earthquake.

Tibetan leader had visited Arunachal Pradesh on the invitation of Khandu in November 2009. His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurated a hospital there for which he contributed Rs 2 million.

It was through Tawang that in 1959 His Holiness the Dalai Lama escaped the Chinese authorities to enter India. The sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was born in the Tawang region in 1682.

World Champion Surfer, Women's Activist Boycotts China

Dharamshala: - In an effort to raise awareness about human rights issues in China, the reigning Women's World Longboard Surfing Champion Cori Schumacher recently took a drastic step in deciding to boycott the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Longboard Tour this year.

One of the events will be taking place on Hainan Island in China and when Schumacher, an avid women's rights activist, received the invitation for the event, which would be subsidised by the Chinese government she was faced with a dilemma, "I felt like I had two choices: I could go with my reservations and wear a 'Free Tibet' shirt. Or, I could stand up for what I believe in and hopefully call more attention to these issues through a boycott," she told the Del Mar Times.

Schumacher pointed out that the decision to host the 2011 World Tour in China, "followed an important US congressional hearing on China's 'One Child Policy,' a policy sanctioned by the Chinese government that is implicated in gendercide, sexual slavery, forced sterilization and forced abortions." wrote lifesitenews.com.

In her much lauded career as a long-board surfer Schumacher has chosen not to be sponsored but rather work a regular 9-5 job to support herself in order to be able to speak her mind without contractual restrictions. Women's Rights Without Frontiers (WRWF), a human rights group that focuses on China, applauded Schumacher for her decision, calling her a woman of "tremendous courage, conviction and backbone - a shining light not only to female athletes, but to all women who are struggling for basic human dignity, all over the world."

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Arrives in Tokyo

Tokyo: - After a brief rest His Holiness offered special prayers in private at Gokokuji, a Japanese Buddhist temple in Tokyo for an hour. The prayer is dedicated to help prevent recurrence of disasters like the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived at Tokyo Narita Airport this morning. Today there will be a public memorial prayer service in remembrance of the victims of the tragic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last month. Coincidentally this mass prayer meeting happens to be on the 49th day, which according to Buddhist tradition is the end of formal mourning period.

On 30 April, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave for the United States on a two-week visit.

-Report filed by Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, Office of Tibet, Japan

His Holiness Mourns the Demise of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Dharamshala: - Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has condoled the demise of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who is revered by millions of followers in India and abroad as a living god.

In his condolence message issued today (25 April), His Holiness the Dalai Lama said: "I am saddened by the passing away of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the respected spiritual leader. I would like to convey my condolences and prayers to all the followers, devotees and admirers of the late spiritual leader."

He was hospitalized on March 28 with respiratory problems and passed away on Sunday around 7.40am following multiple medical complications.

The spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba, 85, had millions of followers around the world. Sri Sathya Sai Baba and his organisations support a variety of free educational institutions, hospitals, and other charitable works in India and abroad.