TIBETAN BULLETI N THE OFFICIAL JO URNAL O F T HE CEN T RAL TIBE T AN ADMINIS T RAT I O N Volume 17, Issue 4 JULY - AUGUST 2013 FOCUS Cultural Genocide on the Roof of the World P - 10 CTA BRIEFING Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay Completes Two Years in Office P -12 DOCUMENTATION The Statement of the Sikyong on the Auspicious Occasion of the Seventy-Eighth Birthday of His Holiness the Great Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet P -18 WORLD PRESS ‘Anything But Humane’: Tibetan Exposes China from the Inside P - 25 BOOK REVIEW A Walk Through the History of the Roof of the World P - 29 www.tibet.net/en/tibbul His Holiness the Dalai Lama releasing the book titled “Glimpses of the History of Tibet” on 28 July 2013. Also seen in the picture are author Claude Arpi and the director of the Tibet Museum, Tashi Phuntsok Barling Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay with a group of Taiwanese students at Department of Information and International Relations in Dharamshala on 22 July 2013. contents www.tibet.net/en/tibbul Focus 10. Cultural Genocide on the Roof of the World TIBETAN BULLETI N Cta Briefing Tibetan Bulletin is an official bi-monthly journal of the Central Tibetan Admin- 12. Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay Completes Two Years in Office, Reaffirms istration. Commitment to Seek Genuine Autonomy for Tibet 13. Ten Questions for Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay Documentation 18. The Statement of the Sikyong on the Auspicious Occasion of the Seventy- Eighth Birthday of His Holiness the Great Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet Signed articles or quotations do not nec- essarily reflect the views of the Central 20. Statement of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Administration. Contributions 78th Birthday are welcome and may be addressed to the editor, Tibetan Bulletin. However the publisher regrets its inability to return unused articles unless they are accom- World Press panied by a self-addressed envelope with adequate postage. 23. A new way forward --by Edward Lucas Tibetan Bulletin is distributed free of 23. Tibetan autonomy poses questions for Hong Kong charge. To subscribe please email the cir- culation manager or see page 2. --by Michael C. Davis Editor 24. Captives still Lobsang Choedak --by Edward Lucas Email: [email protected] 25. ‘Anything But Humane’: Tibetan Exposes China from the Inside Asst. Editor --by Andreas Lorenz Jamphel Shonu 28. Tibetan prime minister speaks of his own country’s dream Layout & Design --Tony Semerad Dorjee Tsering Circulation Manager Book Review Tenzin Choephel Email: [email protected] 29. A Walk Through the History of the Roof of the World Tibetan Bulletin is published by: Department of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala- 176 215 H.P. India Tel: +91-1892-222510 / 222457 REGULARS Vol. 17, Issue 4 NEWS FR O MG TIBE T & EXILE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _4 CO N T AC T ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 31 JULY - AUGUS T 2013 NEWS FR O M TIBE T & EXILE Dalai Lama: The Soldier of Peace passion through this comic book. rial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the speech was a His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, is a defining moment of the American civil Nobel laureate for world peace and a rights movement. messenger of social harmony. He has inspired thousands of people around the world with his message of peace 18-year-old monk dies after setting and non-violence. His story is a legacy self on fire; Toll rises to 120 that has been told and retold again and again all over the world. His message of peace, love and compassion is a global phenomena that is becoming all the more relevant in a world mired in seri- ous humanitarian conflicts. Mr Vijay Kranti is a senior journalist and a Tibetologist. He has presented over a dozen photo-exhibitions on Tibet in India and many other countries. His other books on His Holiness the Dalai ‘Dalai Lama: The Soldier of Peace‘ is Lama include a coffee table book titled a comic book chronicling the life story ‘Dalai Lama Speaks’ and the Hindi edi- of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. tion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s File photo of monk Kunchok Sonam at his mon- The comic book, retold by noted In- autobiography ‘Freedom in Exile’. astery in Ngaba dian author and journalist, Mr Vijay Kranti, was released at a small function Kunchok Sonam, an 18-year-old monk in Dharamsala on 7 August. The comic I have a dream, says His Holiness the of Thangkor Sogtsang monastery in book is suitable for readers from all age Dalai Lama Zoege county in Ngaba region in east- groups and is dedicated to the 1.2 mil- ern Tibet, has died after setting himself His Holiness the Dalai Lama today lion Tibetans who died under Chinese on fire, media reports and human rights spoke from his residence in Dharamsa- occupation and for the hard work of group say. Tibet support groups all over the la, India, on 28 August, about his hope Kunchok Sonam set himself on fire world. and dream in honour of the 50th anni- versary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I around 8:00 am (local time) Satur- The comic book depicts how the Tibetan Have a Dream” speech. day (20 July) while returning from the monks search out the reincarnation of monastery after a daily prayer service. the previous Dalai Lama, the intriguing In a video message, His Holiness the Today is a special occasion for the lo- relationship between Tibet and China; Dalai Lama said: “I always have one cal Tibetans to hold incense burning how Tibet was occupied; the thrilling dream that within this century the world ceremony (Tib: Sangsol) in the morn- escape of the Dalai Lama into exile and truly becomes a real happy human fam- ing. But on hearing reports of self-im- what makes the present Dalai Lama the ily. In order to achieve that we need to molation, thousands of Tibetans rushed most celebrated and charming personal- have a sense of oneness of human fam- towards the monastery. ily. I think through education and more ity in the present era of human history. The local Tibetans prevented the po- realistic and holistic thinking, I have lice from taking away the body, which confidence that we can develop a sense The author says that even though the one report says was then consigned to of oneness of humanity. Then the very life story of His Holiness has been told the nearby Machu river. Another re- basis of violence and war will no long numerous times, retelling this story is port says the body was taken inside the longer be there and this century will crucial as it underlines the great contri- monastery and a prayer service is being become a century of peace and non- butions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama held. towards proving the power of peace and violence.” non-violence. The situation in the region remains “I Have a Dream” is a public speech de- tense. The authorities have deployed a “The messages espoused by His Holi- livered by American civil rights activist large number of security forces at the ness the Dalai Lama has been embraced Martin Luther King, Jr. on 28 August monastery and cut off the telephone and by hundreds of communities across the 1963, in which he called for an end to Internet lines. racism in the United States. Delivered world who are struggling for justice” Over 120 Tibetans have set themselves to over 250,000 civil rights supporters he said, adding that he hopes to instil in on fire in Tibet calling for the return of from the steps of the Lincoln Memo- people the goodness of love and com- His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet 4 TIBE T AN BULLE T IN JULY - AUGUS T 2013 NEWS FR O M TIBE T & EXILE and freedom for Tibetans. Tibetan protestors. They also threatened crackdown on Tibetans protesting The Central Tibetan Administration had Tibetans with dire consequences. against illegal mining in Zatoe region of Yushul in eastern Tibet 16 August, issued a white paper on the underlying Several Tibetans were wounded in the causes of the increasing number of self- which left hundreds of Tibetans severe- crackdown, while at least eight Tibet- ly injured. immolations that are currently engulf- ans were detained and 15 others taken ing Tibet. to hospital. “We are deeply concerned over China’s “The reason lies in China’s massive systematic and rampant exploitation policy failure in Tibet over the course of A Tibetan man named Sogpo Choedrup of mineral resources and environment. more than 60 years of its rule. The revo- was grievously injured after he tried to The Chinese government completely lution that is brewing in Tibet is driven kill himself with knife cuts and was tak- tramples upon the Tibetan people’s reli- by political repression, cultural assimi- en away by police, RFA quoted a source gious sentiments and their deep respect lation, social discrimination, economic as saying. Another source said the man for environment,” the Tibetan Parlia- marginalisation and environmental de- had killed himself. ment-in-Exile said in a statement on 22 struction,” noted the white paper titled August. The security forces are planning to “Why Tibet is burning” released this crack down on those sitting in protest January. The mining operations in Tibet are be- at Chidza site. ing carried out in complete violation of the laws on environmental protection stipulated in the Chinese constitution, it said, adding that Tibet’s environment affects billions of people in Asia, in- cluding China.