WHEN THE SKY FELL TO EARTH WHEN THE SKY The New Crackdown on Buddhism in Tibet WHEN THE SKY FELL TO EARTH THE NEW CRACKDOWN ON BUDDHISM IN TIBET Includes Sourcebook of Current Chinese Documents on Religious Policy International Campaign for Tibet A report by the International Campaign for Tibet A report by the International Campaign for Tibet Washington, DC||||| Amsterdam Berlin Washington, DC||||| Amsterdam Berlin www.savetibet.org ISBN 1-879245-25-6 www.savetibet.org Tibetans sometimes refer to the Cultural Revolution as a time ‘when the sky fell to earth’. The legacy of the Cultural Revolu- tion still affects religious life in Tibet today. COMPANION FILM – THE INTERNATIONAL DEVOTION AND DEFIANCE CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET A companion film to this report, “Devotion and Defiance: The International Campaign for Tibet works to promote Buddhism and the Struggle for Religious Freedom in human rights and democratic freedoms in Tibet. ICT mon- Tibet,” (USA, 2004, 35 minutes). The film examines the itors conditions in Tibet, advocates for Tibetans imprisoned recent growth of, and crackdowns on, religious institutions for their political and religious beliefs, works with governments in Tibet and the complex struggle of monks and nuns who to help Tibetans, provides for humanitarian assistance to defy the Chinese government’s heavy-handed control. Tibetans in exile and promotes a peaceful resolution of Contains rare footage from inside Tibet shot in the last the occupation of Tibet through negotiations between the three years. The film was produced by the International Chinese government and the Dalai Lama. Founded in 1988, Campaign for Tibet and is available in DVD, PAL and VHS. ICT is a non-profit membership organization with offices in Washington, Amsterdam and Berlin. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was written by ICT staff and Kate Saunders. International Campaign for Tibet The report is based on interviews, primary material and 1825 K Street NW, Suite 520 documents collected from 2001 - 2004. Thanks to Robbie Washington, DC 20006 Barnett, Jane Caple, Dorjee Damdul, Antonio Terrone, Phone: 202.785.1515 Gabriel Lafitte, Chonpel Tsering, Joe Hipgrave, TIN field Fax: 202.785.4343 staff and to many individual in Nepal and Tibet who cannot E-mail: [email protected] be named. Matthew Akester translated Documents 1, 3 and 4 from Tibetan. International Campaign for Tibet Europe Keizersgracht 302 Cover Photo: P.O. Box 3337 Jokhang Temple, Lhasa 1001 AC Amsterdam © 2001 Ron Lussier / Lenscraft.com The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0) 20 3308265 When the Sky Fell to Earth: Fax: +31 (0) 20 3308266 The New Crackdown in Buddhism in Tibet E-mail: [email protected] ©2004 by the International Campaign for Tibet ISBN: 1-879245-25-6 International Campaign for Tibet Deutschland e.V. Marienstr. 30 10117 Berlin Germany Phone: +49 (0) 30 27879086 Fax: +49 (0) 30 27879087 E-mail: [email protected] WWW.SAVETIBET.ORG INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET CONTENTS Executive Summary . 1 Sourcebook of Current Chinese Documents on Religious Policy 1. Rules for monks and nuns in monasteries Introduction . 3 by the Lhasa City Municipal Government, 1997 . 89 Chapter 1: The Politics of religion . 5 2. A Reader for Advocating Science and Technology China’s current policy of ‘religious freedom’ . 7 and Doing Away with Superstition The 1990s – Tightening control through ‘legal management’ . 8 by the Propaganda Department of the Committee of the Religious policy in Tibet – Buddhism and identify . 9 Communist Party of the Tibet Autonomous Region (2002) . .91 Chapter 2: The Main Struggle in Tibet – 3. HANDBOOK FOR EDUCATION IN ANTI-SPLITTISM: TAR Patriotic the Anti-Dalai Lama Campaign . 15 Education for Monasteries Propaganda Book no. 2 Images of the Dalai Lama . 15 by the TAR Leading Committee for Patriotic Education Campaign against Dalai Lama’s Internationalization in Monasteries (May 2002) . 103 of the Tibet Issue . .16 Dalai Lama Birthday celebrations Illegal . .18 4. HANDBOOK FOR EDUCATION IN (PARTY) POLICY ON RELIGION: TAR Patriotic Education for Monasteries Propaganda Book no. 4 Chapter 3: A Religious Education in Tibet . 21 by the TAR Leading Committee for Patriotic Education Obstacles to obtaining a religious education . 21 in Monasteries (May 2002) . 108 Freedom of movement . 22 Chapter 4: Reincarnation and an Atheist State . .29 Incarnate lamas and the Chinese state . 30 The 14th Dalai Lama and the reincarnation process . 32 Institution of the Panchen Lama . 34 The 10th Panchen Lama . 34 The 11th Panchen Lama . 36 The Chinese appointed ‘Panchen Lama’ . 38 Agya Rinpoche . 39 Reting Rinpoche . 40 Escape of the Karmapa . .41 Pawo Rinpoche . 43 Gen Lamrim Ngawang Phuntsok . 44 Chapter 5: The Apparatus of Control . 47 Patriotic Education & the Management of Monasteries . 47 Promotion of Atheism . 53 Democratic Management Committees . 55 Financial Management of Monasteries . 58 Restrictions on Pilgrimage . 59 Chapter 6: Destruction of Monasteries & Persecution of Leaders . 63 Demolitions and Expulsions at Larung and Yachen Monastic Encampments . 64 Destruction and Displacement at Yachen . 69 Chinese Devotees at Larung and Yachen . 71 Persecution of Buddhist Leaders in Kham . 75 Sonam Phuntsok . 75 Tenzin Delek Rinpoche . 76 Crackdowns in Kardze . 77 Long Life Ceremonies for Dalai Lama Trigger Arrests . 77 Chapter 7: The Consequences of Dissent . 81 Conditions in Tibetan prisons . 82 INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Religious policy in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) This report documents the following trends in Tibet: and Tibet is shaped by the ideology of the ruling Com- • From the mid-1990s onwards, China’s position towards the munist Party and its political imperative of maintaining Dalai Lama, Tibet’s leader in exile, has become more hostile. power. Although China’s Constitution states that citi- • A wide-ranging patriotic education campaign has been zens of the PRC have ‘freedom of religious belief ’, the carried out in monasteries and nunneries throughout Ti- Communist Party defines what is ‘acceptable’ religious betan areas with the aim of undermining the Dalai Lama’s behavior and religion is only tolerated as long as it does influence, indoctrinating monks and nuns in Party policy not interfere with or challenge the legitimacy and status and ideology and identifying defiant monks and nuns. of the Party. Over the past 50 years, practical measures • Democratic Management Committees established in large to handle religion in China have varied from a pragmatic monasteries are now being strengthened, and set up in all tolerance to complete repression and persecution. Current monasteries, in order to assert greater state control and policy dictates that religion should be accommodated and surveillance over the daily life of monks and nuns. utilized, but kept firmly under Party control. This has led, • Limitations imposed on the numbers of monks and nuns during the past 10 years, to the development of adminis- in each religious institution remain in place and are selec- trative and legal mechanisms that enable the authorities to tively being enforced more than they were a decade ago. clamp down on any religious activities viewed as a threat • Beijing is more aggressively asserting control over the to social stability and national unity, while claiming they search and identification of Tibetan reincarnate lamas. are operating according to a ‘rule of law’. • The demolitions of homes and expulsion of monks and nuns in the religious institutes of Larung Gar and Yachen The measures used to implement state religious policy Gar show a new determination to enforce state-specified have been particularly harsh in Tibet because of the close limitations on monastic life and control the activity of link between religion and Tibetan identity. Tibetan Bud- influential and charismatic spiritual leaders like the late dhism continues to be an integral element of Tibetan Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, the founder of Larung Gar. identity, and is therefore perceived as a threat to the • Obtaining a complete religious education remains ex- authority of the state and unity of the PRC. The Chinese tremely difficult or impossible in Tibet. leadership views the Dalai Lama as the main obstacle to • Imprisonment for terms of 5 – 10 years or more, and bru- political stability in Tibet, a ‘wolf in lama’s clothing.’ The tal torture continues to be a likely consequence of dissent very practice of Buddhism and the display of a picture of for monks and nuns in Tibet. the Dalai Lama have become, for many Tibetans, a means of expressing their Tibetan identity, and in some cases, This report also documents factors that have contributed their opposition to the Chinese Communist Party. Hence to a situation in which many Tibetans feel they have no issues relating to religion are perceived as being highly rel- choice but to escape into exile if they are to pursue their evant to political control and the suppression of ‘separat- religious vocation. These factors include the decimation of ism’ in Tibet – both factors underpinning China’s strategic the older generation of senior teachers and scholars inside concerns and development aims in Tibetan areas of the Tibet and the generation gap between older and younger PRC. generations due to death, exile or the absence of opportu- nity; the material devastation of the network of monaster- A new low point was reached in the last few years with ies, Buddhist libraries, texts and artifacts, and pilgrimage the imprisonment of several senior religious figures known sites; the systems in place to control and manage religious for their loyalty to the Dalai Lama and their religious and institutions; the political campaigns, obligatory politi- social activism - one of whom, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, is cal study sessions and forced denunciations of the Dalai serving a commuted death sentence. The Chinese authori- Lama; and restrictions on pilgrimage imposed in various ties’ control over religious expression has been extended areas by PRC authorities. to control over monastic influence in general and local community leadership by respected religious teachers.