TIBETAN BULLETIN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CENTRAL TIBETAN ADMINISTRATION VOLUME 23 - ISSUE 6 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2019 Focus 14th Tibetan Religious Conference affirms the Dalai Lama’s sole authority in his reincarnation, illegitimizes China’s meddling in religious affairs **** Feature Urge your members of Congress and Senate to co-sponsor the Tibetan Policy Act 2019: Sikyong appeals Tibetans in US **** World Press Interview: Beijing should respect human rights of Tibetans and democracy in Hong Kong, says exiled leader Lobsang Sangay **** www.tibet.net www.tibet.net/en/tibbul TIBETAN FOCUS BULLETIN 17 As the 1990s era of people’s resistance returns, Tibet will be at Tibetan Bulletin is an official bi-monthly forefront once again: Sikyong at the 8th International TSG conference journal of the Central Tibetan Administration. 20 His Holiness the Dalai Lama graces the 14th Tibetan Religious Conference 22 14th Tibetan Religious Conference affirms the Dalai Lama’s sole authority in his reincarnation, illegitimizes China’s meddling in religious affairs 23 US hits back at China for protesting US Envoy’s meeting with the Signed articles or quotations do not Dalai Lama; Praises India’s “Extraordinary Generosity” necessarily reflect the views of the Central Tibetan Administration. 24 34 Chinese scholars, democratic leaders issue joint statement rejecting Chinese government’s claims in the Dalai Lama’s Contributions are welcome and may be reincarnation addressed to the editor, Tibetan Bulletin. However the publisher regrets its inability to return unused articles unless they are FEATURE accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with adequate postage. 25 Urge your members of Congress and Senate to co-sponsor the Tibetan Policy Act 2019: Sikyong appeals Tibetans in US Tibetan Bulletin is distributed free of charge. To subscribe please email the circulation manager or see back cover. 26 Tibetan Policy and Support Act passes through US House Foreign Affairs Committee with strong bipartisan support Editor Tenzin Saldon 27 Sikyong garners support for Tibet Policy Act 2019 at both Congress Email: [email protected] and Senate Asst. Editor 28 Canadian MPP urges the Parliament to support the restoration of Tenzin Phende peace and human rights in Tibet Layout & Design Tenzin Phende WORLD PRESS Circulation Manager Norbu Wangdue 29 Interview: Beijing should respect human rights of Tibetans and Email: [email protected] democracy in Hong Kong, says exiled leader Lobsang Sangay Tibetan Bulletin is published by: Department of Information and By Shri Ram Shaw, Hong Kong Free Press International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala - 176 215 H.P. India Tel: +91-1892-222510 / 222457 Vol. 23, Issue 6 REGULARS NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2019 News From Tibet & Exile ......4 Contact ................................. 31 Quotes ............................32 NEWS FROM TIBET & EXILE A Tibetan youth in on communication over the phone and surveillance technologies monitoring the internet. residents, the Chinese police, “disguised Ngaba dies after as businessmen, beggars and ordinary setting himself on Over the years, the Chinese government people,” are making rounds to spy on has implemented a total crackdown the local Tibetans. fire to protest against on Tibetan self-immolation protests, labelling the protests as an “act of Due to the proximity of Dza Wonpo Chinese rule terrorism” and criminalizing family Monastery and the town-level members of the self-immolators who authorities’ location, the intensified were reprimanded with arrests and heavy security measures in the area have sentences. Yonten’s self-immolation affected the daily routines and livelihood protest is the first one recorded this year. of the Tibetans in the region. There are several towns under Dza Mey township China crackdowns namely: Wonpo, Trom-Dza, Arig-Dza, Washul, Troshul Upper (Tib: Gongma) on Tibetans in and Troshul Lower (Tib: Ghapma). Sershul, Karze after Chinese Policy and the Degrading Independence protests Nomadic Lives of Local Tibetans. File photo of Yonten/Courtesy of Kanyag Tsering and Lobsang Yeshi A large number of Chinese forces have A young Tibetan nomad from the nearby arrived in Dza Wonpo town, Sershul nomadic township of Meruma in Ngaba county in Tibet’s Karze (Ch: Ganzi (Ch: Aba) county in Tibet’s traditional Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture) in province of Amdo died on 26 November the aftermath of the recent protests last after setting himself on fire to protest week. Scores of security forces from Chinese rule of Tibet and its hardline Sershul county arrived in a large convoy policies against the Tibetans. and have swarmed the streets of the township of Dza Mey (lower Dzachukha Yonten, aged around 24, set himself area). The armed security forces are ablaze in the center of town nearby patrolling the area that is now under Meruma at around 4 pm local time on constant and heightened surveillance. 26 November 2019. He is identified as son of Sodhon (father) and Tsekho Kyi Last week, on 21 November, two (mother), residents of Meruma’s Unit 2. Tibetan youngsters, Choegyal and Yonten staged a protest in Dza Wonpo According to a reliable source, Yonten town calling for independence, human became a monk and joined Ngaba rights and freedom while they scattered Kirti Monastery at a young age but he hundreds of leaflets with message of later disrobed for reasons unidentified. Tibet’s independence in front of the local In recent years, several reports were government office and police station in An undated image of Dza Wonpo town, Sershul received of Chinese authorities in Tibet the area. “The two were immediately county in Tibet’s Karze (Ch: Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture). forcing young Tibetan monks out of arrested and detained during which they their monasteries, at times ordering were severely beaten by police for two The Tibetans in Dzachukha’s Wonpo them to join Communist schools. After days before they were taken to Sershul town has traditionally led a nomadic leaving his monastery, Yonten then led a county on 23 November,” said our livelihood. Each of its 1500-2000 life of a nomad in the area. source citing contacts in the region. households owned and reared large number of livestock, including yak, Ngaba is a heavily-monitored Tibetan Following the recent pro-independence sheep, horses, etc. for their daily needs. region with intense surveillance demonstrations in Karze’s Dza Wonpo, However, the Chinese government’s measures implemented regularly where which resulted in the arbitrary arrests of policy of “resettling” or “relocating” police can reach a protest site within a eight Tibetans, the Chinese authorities the Tibetan nomads which continue to few steps or minutes, stated our source. have put the Dza Mey area, including date have had a massive adverse impact Currently, details on whether Yonten’s Dza Wonpo town, under severe on their livelihood. “In the last decade, body was returned to his parents and restrictions and surveillance to keep a almost complete disappearance of the extent of restrictions following the close watch on the activities of the local sheep is seen while the number of other self-immolation protest in the area is not residents, shared our source. In addition livestock has decreased dramatically,” known at the moment due to clampdown to the multiple CC cameras and other stated the source. NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2019 TIBETAN BULLETIN 3 NEWS FROM TIBET & EXILE The Chinese authorities claim of Six Tibetan Monks and Two Youth Arrested investments and development in the region and that they gave houses and for Pro-independence Leaflets in Dza Wonpo, subsidies to the “resettled” nomads but Sershul, Tibet in reality, most of these benefits don’t even reach down to the local Tibetans. According to our source, local Chinese authorities order the Tibetans to appear in “good dresses” and borrow things from others that they don’t have as a show. The local authorities will then take photos and videos of these Tibetans to prove how well-off and happy the residents are living because of the Chinese government. The houses allocated to the “relocated” nomads come with their own restrictive conditions such as banning the display of His Holiness the Dalai Lamas portraits and instead Chinese authorities arrested six Tibetan youth from the town totaling the known forced the display of pictures of Chinese monks and two youth from Dza Wonpo arrests of Tibetans in Sershul, Karze to leaders. The local authorities would town in Sershul county, Karze (Ch: eight so far. warn the Tibetans of subsidy benefits cut Ganzi) Prefecture in Tibet’s traditional and even detention if they don’t comply. Kham province after leaflets calling Himachal Pradesh These kinds of practices and policies for Tibet’s independence appeared implemented against the Tibetans in the premises of the local Chinese Governor Bandaru are the main reasons for the tension, government office. The arrests were discontentment and disappointment in made during three different incidents in Dattatreya calls on His the community, leading to these protests November. Holiness the Dalai against Chinese authority. Earlier this month, on 7 November, Lama Prior to the 21 November arrest, two other hundreds of hand-written leaflets H. E. Governor of Himachal Pradesh, incidents of Tibetans monks arrested by calling for Tibet’s independence were Bandaru Dattatreya called on His Chinese authorities were reported: a found in the courtyard of the county’s Holiness the Dalai Lama for an teenage monk from Dza