The Chinese government-selected 11th Panchen Lama Gyaincain Norbu at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 4, 2024. 

A young Tibetan controversially appointed by China’s atheist Communist Party as the second-highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism has pledged to make the religion more Chinese. Gyaltsen Norbu was installed by Beijing as the 11th Panchen Lama in 1995 in defiance of the religion’s highest authority the Dalai Lama, whose pick for the role — a six-year-old boy — has since vanished from public view. China has yet to reveal any information on the whereabouts of the missing boy. The Beijing-appointed Panchen Lama is dismissed as an imposter by many Tibetans at home and in exile, but he is often quoted in China’s state-run media toeing the Communist Party’s line and praising its policies in Tibet.

In a rare meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, Gyaltsen Norbu vowed to make his own contributions to promoting ethnic unity and systematically advancing “the sinicization of religion,” state news agency Xinhua reported. The remarks refer to a sweeping campaign unleashed by Xi with an aim to purge religious faiths of foreign influence and align them more closely with traditional Chinese culture – and the authoritarian rule of the officially atheist Communist Party.

Gyaltsen Norbu also vowed to keep Xi’s teachings firmly in mind, resolutely support the party’s leadership and firmly safeguard national unity and ethnic solidarity, according to Xinhua.

He was told by Xi to carry forward the “patriotic and religious traditions” of Tibetan Buddhism and contribute to fostering “a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation,” Xinhua reported. The meeting comes on the 30th year of the disappearance of the Dalai Lama appointed Panchen Lama.

Following the 1989 death of the 10th Panchen Lama, the second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama named Tibetan child Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as his colleague’s reincarnation. But three days after he was chosen, according to the US government, Gedhun and his family were disappeared by the Communist Party, which then appointed an alternative Panchen Lama. Gedhun hasn’t been seen in public since.

Two women place a ceremonial scarf above a portrait showing the last know image of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, in Mcleodganj near Dharamsala, India, on April 25, 2017. 

In a statement marking that anniversary, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced Chinese authorities for “abducting” him and his family. He called on Beijing to immediately release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and “stop persecuting Tibetans for their religious beliefs.”

In 2020, the Chinese government publicly acknowledged the fate of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima for the first time, describing him as “a college graduate with a job,” and that neither he nor his family wished to be disturbed in their “current normal lives.”

Meanwhile, Gyaltsen Norbu has occupied an increasingly high-profile role since becoming an adult, joining a top Chinese political body, often appearing at important events in Beijing and meeting large crowds in the Tibetan regions of China.

Related articleLetter from Tibet: A breathtaking journey through the tightly guarded spiritual heartland

The contested appointment of the Panchen Lama is widely seen by experts and the Tibetan exile community as Beijing’s attempt to pave the way for the passing – and reincarnation – of the Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile since fleeing to India following a failed Tibetan uprising against Communist Party rule in 1959.

For decades, the Dalai Lama has been a persistent thorn in Beijing’s side as he commanded the loyalty of many Tibetan people from exile and kept their struggle for greater autonomy alive on the world stage. Chinese officials have condemned the Nobel Peace Prize laureate as a “separatist” and a “wolf in monk’s robes.” The Dalai Lama has said he will release details about his succession around his 90th birthday in July. In his latest book, “Voice for the Voiceless,” the Dalai Lama said his successor will be born in the “free world,” which he described as outside China.

Beijing has insisted it will choose his successor – as well as the reincarnation of all Tibetan Buddhist lamas, but the Dalai Lama and his supporters have said that any successor named by China would not be respected.

Dharamshala: The Scottish Government has reaffirmed its support for religious freedom and human rights for the Tibetan people, particularly on the issue of the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

During the session of the Scottish Parliament on 22 May 2025, a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Ross Greer, raised questions regarding the Scottish government’s plans to commemorate the upcoming 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with Buddhist community in Scotland and concerns around Chinese interference in the reincarnation.

In response, the Minister for Equalities, Kaukab Stewart, expressed the Scottish Government’s deep appreciation for the contributions of all faith and belief communities in Scotland, including Buddhists. She extended warm wishes to His Holiness and the Buddhist community, recognising their role in fostering peace, compassion, and cultural diversity throughout the country.

MSP Ross Greer also drew attention to the Chinese government’s abduction of the six-year-old Panchen Lama 30 years ago and the subsequent installation of another boy in in his place. MSP Greer voiced concerns widely shared among Tibetans that similar interference may be attempted in the future regarding the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. He questioned whether the Scottish Government would commit to recognising only a future Dalai Lama chosen in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist traditions and teachings, free from foreign interference.

Hon’ble Minister Kaukab Stewart stressed, “The Scottish Government supports the principals of religious freedom and human rights. It believes that the Tibetan Buddhist community should have the right to choose the next Dalai Lama without external interference.”

Department of Information and International Relations

Central Tibetan Administration

Dharamsala, Distt. Kangra (H.P.)

176215 India

CNN’s Steven Jiang in front of the Potala Palace. 

By Steven Jiang, CNN Thu May 1, 2025

A “no photograph upon landing” announcement punctured the serene silence of the cabin as I gazed at the snow-capped peaks outside our airplane window, a stark reminder that we were entering a land of profound beauty and immense political sensitivity. Our Air China flight from Beijing carried not just my cameraman and me, but also about two dozen other foreign journalists, all accompanied by a team of Chinese officials. We were headed to Tibet, a place where access is as guarded as its ancient treasures. We usually avoid government-organized media tours, wary of the predictable agendas and restrictions. Yet, for Tibet, there is no alternative. The Tibetan Autonomous Region remains the only place in China where all foreigners – especially foreign journalists – are barred entry without prior authorization. Our requests to report from the ground have mostly been met with polite, but firm denials – including in January, when a powerful earthquake struck the region, killing more than 120 people.

For centuries, Tibet was mostly independent from China – with the Tibetans possessing ethnic, linguistic and religious identities starkly different from those of the Han Chinese. On a few occasions in history, Tibet fell under the rule of emperors in Beijing, most recently during the Qing dynasty starting in the 18th Century. After the 1912 collapse of Qing, China’s last imperial dynasty, Tibet enjoyed de facto independence though it was never recognized by China or much of the international community. The Communist forces, emerging victorious from a bloody Chinese civil war, marched into Tibet in 1950 and formally annexed it into the newly founded People’s Republic of China the following year. Beijing has maintained a tight grip on the Himalayan region since the 14th Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. In the decades since, the Communist Party has swiftly cracked down on any unrest and enforced policies that critics say are intended to weaken the Tibetan identity.

Landing in late March at Gonggar Airport, one of the world’s highest at nearly 12,000 feet, just outside the Tibetan capital Lhasa, the thin air was an immediate signal to slow down as breathing grew labored and a headache began to develop. Stepping into Tibet, long known as “the roof of the world,” was an immersion into a different rhythm of life, dictated by the altitude’s power.

It had been 16 years since my last visit, a journey cut short by altitude sickness. This time, armed with ibuprofen, I was determined to document the changes that had swept through Tibet – or rather, “Xizang,” the new official English name adopted by authorities and indicated in our schedule. The moniker – transliterated from the Chinese name for the region – is a linguistic battleground reflecting deeper geopolitical tensions between Beijing and critics of its Tibet policy.

En route from the gleaming airport terminal to our hotel in Lhasa, the nearly empty freeway and unoccupied high-rise apartments spoke to China’s massive investments in developing infrastructure in Tibet. The region is still the country’s poorest with the lowest life expectancy. Imposing portraits of China’s top leader Xi Jinping, alongside another picture featuring him and his four predecessors, dotted the highway and adorned almost every public building, an omnipresent emphasis on loyalty to the ruling Communist Party.

This overt display echoed the main themes – ethnic harmony and common prosperity – reinforced on every foreign media trip to Tibet, ours included. The weeklong itinerary was a curated mix: a high-profile press conference (on human rights achievements in Tibet), economic success stories (at, among others, the “world’s highest cookware factory”), tourist hotspots (ranging from yak farms to peach blossom fields) and cultural spectacles (culminating in a lavishly produced outdoor musical retelling the saga of the most famous Chinese-Tibetan royal marriage in the 7th Century).

On the streets of Lhasa, banners and posters celebrated the 66th anniversary of the “liberation of a million Tibetans from feudal serfdom” – the official description of pre-Communist-takeover Tibet. Perhaps due to the controlled access to Tibet and China’s extensive high-tech surveillance network, I didn’t notice visible heavy security – even around temples and other sensitive sites.

A banner promoting patriotic education on the bustling Barkhor Street in Lhasa, where shops stand next to a police station. 

Huge portraits of Chinese leader Xi Jinping adorn the windows of a nursing home in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. 

Tourists flock to the bustling Barkhor Street in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. 

A spiritual destination

The region hasn’t seen any major unrest in more than a decade. The last flareup in the early 2010s involved a string of self-immolation incidents that critics called a desperate cry against the Chinese government’s ever-tightening grip on Tibetan society. Since then, Tibet has seen an unprecedented surge in tourism, predominantly from mainland China with visitors flocking to the region for spiritual exploration. A record 64 million people visited Tibet in 2024, according to government records – a more than tenfold increase from the roughly 6 million visitors in 2010. Although March wasn’t peak season for Tibet travel, domestic visitors crowded tourist attractions. Clad in traditional local costumes and posing on Lhasa’s bustling centuries-old Barkhor Street, Chinese tourists often seemed to outnumber Tibetan pilgrims, who prostrated themselves on the stone ground and walked clockwise around temples while spinning hand-held prayer wheels – under the curious gaze of selfie stick-wielding onlookers. If not for the picture-perfect backdrop of golden roofs of Buddhist temples – surrounded by majestic mountains and glistening in abundant sunshine – Lhasa could sometimes look like just another small city in China, especially outside its historical center.

Alongside gift shops and supermarkets, Sichuan restaurants dotted almost every street corner – a testament to the popularity of the Chinese cuisine as much as the main origin of Han migration from the neighboring province into Tibet – long said to be a source of tension between the two ethnic groups over perceived economic inequality. A smattering of foreign tourists had also reappeared following the post-pandemic re-opening of Tibet, including a group at our hotel, an InterContinental property. Western brands – from major hotels to fast-food chains – appear to operate in Tibet without notable protests or criticisms of the past. The undisputed top tourist attraction in Lhasa remains the Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, spiritual leaders of Tibetan Buddhism, until the current holder of that position was forced into exile.

Now living in Dharamsala, India, and revered globally as a Nobel peace laureate, the 14th Dalai Lama is labeled by the Chinese government as a “wolf in monk’s robes” and an “anti-China separatist” – despite his declaration that he seeks only genuine autonomy, not independence, for his homeland. More than two million people visited the Potala last year, paying up to $27 to tour the sprawling structure. While guides offered details on the architecture and the palace’s storied history, the current Dalai Lama was conspicuously absent from the narrative, especially his recent pronouncement that his successor, or reincarnation, must be born “in the free world” – meaning outside China.

When questioned, monks and officials in Tibet parroted Beijing’s official party line: “The reincarnation of each Dalai Lama must be approved by the central government and the search must take place within China,” Gongga Zhaxi with the Potala Palace administration told me. “That the reincarnation should be recognized by the central government has been settled for many years,” echoed La Ba, a senior monk at Jokhang Temple, the holiest in Tibetan Buddhism. Their response – in line with Xi’s increasing emphasis on “Sinicizing religions” in the country – contrasted with a memorable and unexpected moment from my 2009 trip. At Jokhang Temple, a young monk told me that, as a faithful Tibetan Buddhist, he recognized and respected the Dalai Lama – before being whisked away by officials.

The Tibetan government-in-exile in India dismissed the stance on the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation proclaimed by the officially atheist Chinese government, stressing that “His Holiness is the only legitimate soul who can decide.” The prospect of the process going smoothly seems to have all but vanished – after Beijing forced the disappearance in 1995 of a young boy recognized by the Dalai Lama as the new Panchen Lama, Tibet’s second-highest spiritual figure who traditionally plays a leading role in the search for the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. The boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who has never been seen since, is a college graduate who leads a normal life, according to a Chinese government spokesman in 2020. Despite denunciations by the Dalai Lama and his supporters, Beijing has installed its own Panchen Lama – triggering a three-decade-old dispute that continues to loom large, a sobering reminder of the stakes at play.

The only bullet train operating in Tibet runs between Lhasa, the regional capital, and the city of Nyingchi. Qingzang Railway, CNN

High in the Himalayas

Our journey continued via Tibet’s only bullet train service, a marvel of engineering designed to withstand the harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau. As the train sped through tunnels and over bridges at 10,000 feet above sea level, the landscape unfolded in breathtaking panoramas as we sat in carriages equipped with automated oxygen supply systems and special windows resistant to the area’s high UV levels. Yet, this 435-kilometer rail link between Lhasa and the eastern Tibetan city of Nyingchi is more than just a mode of transportation – it is a symbol of China’s ambition to integrate this remote region with its distinct culture into the mainstream. In Nyingchi, we visited a public boarding school – a hot topic as both the Dalai Lama and UN experts have voiced concerns over intensifying assimilation of Tibetans. About a million Tibetan children from rural areas have been reportedly sent to these government-run schools, where the language of instruction is allegedly almost exclusively Chinese, and living conditions are said to be cramped. “All of our efforts have effectively safeguarded Tibetan children’s right to receive a high-quality education,” said Xu Zhitao, vice chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, when I asked about the controversy surrounding the schools.

Tourists take in the view of blooming peach blossoms against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks at Gala Village, near the city of Nyingchi, Tibet. 

Eighth-grade students take a Tibetan-language class at Bayi District Middle School in Nyingchi, Tibet. 

The only bullet train operating in Tibet at the railway station in Nyingchi, the final stop on the service originating from Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. 

Tibetan yaks graze at a tourist farm outside the city of Nyingchi, Tibet. At Bayi District Junior High, most of the 1,200 students were Tibetan – some we talked to said they took an equal number of lessons in their native tongue and Mandarin. A group of giggling Tibetan eighth-graders spoke proudly of their culture and traditions – but when asked about Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama, they became hesitant to answer and their voices trailed off. Young or old, people showed they knew the boundaries that could not be crossed. With growing tensions between Beijing and Washington, China’s uneasy relations with its neighbor India – a key US partner – has made Tibet even more strategically important as the two Asian powers jostle for territory and influence in the far-flung area. Controversial infrastructure projects and even bloody military clashes have marred their disputed border region in recent years. But a more pressing concern for both Beijing and New Delhi is perhaps the inevitable passing of the 14th Dalai Lama, who turns 90 in July. If a scenario of “dueling Dalai Lamas” were to emerge as a result of China’s policy, it could shake the foundation of Tibetan religion and society – potentially unleashing fresh anger or even instability – in the high Himalayas.

Between 24 February 2025 and 4 April 2025, the UNPO actively engaged with the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 58th Session on behalf of its members. Over the course of the Session, the UNPO attended numerous side events focused on human rights in Iran, China, Russia and the need to preserve democracy; celebrated the Kurdish New Year with the Association for Human Rights in Kurdistan-Geneva and the Administrative Council of the City of Geneva; stood in solidarity with the Sindh defending rivers and the right to water; and reconnected with a former UNPO founding member, Palau (previous Belau).

Side Event on Human Rights in China

The UNPO was grateful to attend a side event on Human Rights in China, chaired by the Society for Threatened Peoples. The panel featured representatives from Tibet, the Dalai Lama’s Envoy in Geneva, Dolkun Isa, former President of the World Uyghur Congress, a survivor of the reeducation camps in East Turkestan, and human rights activists fighting against the persecution of the Falun Gong practitioners in China. The event served as a stark reinforcement of the continued severe human rights violations against minorities in China, highlighting the necessity of continued civil society and State action to remedy this dire situation. 

Brussels: The Dutch House of Representatives’ passage of a resolution encompassing three motions on Tibet on 15 April 2025, marks a significant development after a prolonged period. This resolution underscores the Netherland’s commitment to addressing human rights issues in Tibet.

The keys motions of the resolution are the following:

1. Noting that China commits human rights violations on a frequent basis and in particular, religious and ethnic minorities (such as Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongols and others), are subjected to discrimination, harassment, criminalisation, re-education and imprisonment.
2. Calls on the Cabinet to push for an EU Special Representative for Tibet and a joint EU-Tibet strategy, along the lines of the US “Resole Tibet Act” and to inform the Chamber about this prior to the planned EU-China Summit.
3. Noting that the Dalai Lama will celebrate his 90th birthday this year which has sparked conversation about his successor as head of the Tibetan Buddhism; whereas there are concerns among Tibetans and the Tibetan government-in-exile about the interference by the Chinese Communist Party in the appointment of a successor; believing that interference in Tibetans’ customs regarding their spiritual leader is undesirable; Speaks out that the Chinese Communist Party should not have a voice in the Dalai Lama’s succession; Requests the cabinet to express this signal in bilateral and multilateral forums.

The motions likely reflect a growing international concern over the situation in Tibet. In October 2024, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration visited the Netherlands. During the visit, he was invited to a formal hearing of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament which provided the opportunity to engage with Dutch lawmakers on important issues such as China’s ongoing repression in Tibet, Chinese interference in the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama etc. This exchange influenced the Dutch House of Representatives to take action with this resolution.

Additionally, on the margins of the “Fifth Europe Stands With Tibet” rally in The Hague on 10 March 2025, Richard Gere, Chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet, accompanied by a Tibetan delegation, including Representative Rigzin Genkhang of the Office of Tibet Brussels, also exchanged with a number of Dutch MPs.

Alongside, the Parliamentary efforts, a coalition representing Tibetan, Uyghur, Hong Kong, and Southern Mongolia communities contributed to maintaining pressure on lawmakers.

The motions, introduced by MP Jan Paternotte, Isa Kahraman, D.G. Boswijk, E.Van der Burg, S.R.T. Van Baarle, T.M.T. van der Lee, D.G.M. Cedar, Don Ceder, Chris Stoffer, Martin Oostenbrink and Joi NB received overwhelming support.

Welcoming the resolution, Representative Rigzin Genkhang of the Office of Tibet Brussels thanked the Dutch Parliament for its principled stand, stating, “this resolution offers a glimmer of hope to Tibetans everywhere, especially to those inside Tibet. We are deeply grateful to the Dutch House of Representatives for acknowledging our suffering and standing with us. The support of democratic nations like the Netherlands strengthens our resolve to continue our peaceful freedom struggle.”

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Brussels 

Statement delivered by H.E. Mr James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations

22 October 2024

I have the honour of delivering this joint statement on behalf of the following countries: Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and my own country, Australia.

These countries are all committed to universal human rights and have ongoing concerns about serious human rights violations in China.

Two years ago, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment on Xinjiang concluded that serious human rights violations had been committed in Xinjiang, and that the scale of the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other predominately Muslim minorities in Xinjiang “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity”.

Subsequently, United Nations’ Treaty Bodies have taken similar views and made similar recommendations, including: The CERD in November 2022 through its concluding observations and Urgent Action Decision on Xinjiang; and The CRPD, CESCR and CEDAW in their September 2022, March 2023 and May 2023 Concluding Observations.

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued communications concerning multiple cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, and over 20 Special Procedure Mandate Holders have expressed concern about systemic human rights violations in Xinjiang.

Relying extensively on China’s own records, these comprehensive findings and recommendations by independent human rights experts from all geographic regions detail evidence of large-scale arbitrary detention, family separation, enforced disappearances and forced labour, systematic surveillance on the basis of religion and ethnicity; severe and undue restrictions on cultural, religious, and linguistic identity and expression; torture and sexual and gender-based violence, including forced abortion and sterilisation; and the destruction of religious and cultural sites.

China has had many opportunities meaningfully to address the UN’s well-founded concerns.
Instead, China labelled the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment as ‘illegal and void during its Universal Periodic Review adoption in July.

According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ statement in August, the problematic laws and policies in Xinjiang continue to remain in place.

The statement again called on China to undertake a full review, from the human rights perspective, of the legal framework governing national security and counterterrorism.
Mr Chair, as with our concerns for the situation in Xinjiang, we are also seriously concerned about credible reports detailing human rights abuses in Tibet.

United Nations human rights treaty bodies and United Nations Special Procedures have detailed the detention of Tibetans for the peaceful expression of political views; restrictions on travel; coercive labour arrangements; separation of children from families in boarding schools; and erosion of linguistic, cultural, educational and religious rights and freedoms in Tibet.
We urge China to uphold the international human rights obligations that it has voluntarily assumed, and to fully implement all UN recommendations including from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment, Treaty Bodies and other United Nations human rights mechanisms.

This includes releasing all individuals arbitrarily detained in both Xinjiang and Tibet, and urgently clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members.
Transparency and openness are key to allaying concerns, and we call on China to allow unfettered and meaningful access to Xinjiang and Tibet for independent observers, including from the UN, to evaluate the human rights situation.

No country has a perfect human rights record, but no country is above fair scrutiny of its human rights obligations.

It is incumbent on all of us not to undermine international human rights commitments that benefit us all, and for which all states are accountable.

Thank you.

—

Mandie McKeown, Executive Director

International Tibet Neywork.

By Robin Greenberg

On 21 August afternoon, several members of Friends of Tibet-Wellington welcomed the arrival of Rep. Karma Singey and the delegation of four Tibetan Parliamentarians to Wellington Airport: Ven Khenpo Jamphal Tenzin, Mr Choedak Gyatso, Mr Tenzin Phuntsok Doring, and Ms Tsering Dolma.  Following their programme in Australia, they traveled to Aotearoa New Zealand for the first time to participate in the International Parliamentary Assembly hosted by the Asia Pacific Security Innovation Forum (APSI) on 23 August.

The delegation had a fruitful day on 22 August. Friends of Tibet (New Zealand) hosted a lunchtime Public Talk at Rutherford House, Victoria University: “Tibetan Exile – Democracy & Freedom Movement”. The Tibetan Parliamentarians gave an in-depth and inspiring presentations on the history, evolution and workings of the Government-in-Exile, as well as insights into the current situation in Tibet and challenges faced by the Tibetan diaspora. An engaging Q&A session followed. In Karma la’s closing, he paid tribute to our dear founder,  the late Thuten Kesang and his extraordinary legacy. We’re thankful to Victoria University of Wellington for providing the lovely venue. Gold-coin donations were collected towards Friends of Tibet (NZ)’s sponsorship of a Tibetan tertiary student in India. 

Later that day, the Tibetan delegation was welcomed to Parliament, hosted by MPs Dan Bidois and Ingrid Leary, to present a ‘Tibet Brief’. Other MPs in attendance included Paulo Garcia, Willie Jackson, David Parker, Laura Trask and Helen White.  

It’s hoped that the meeting will seed the formation of a new New Zealand Parliamentary Friendship Group for Tibet (a long-held wish by Thuten la). In due course, we’ll be informed of developments and how Friends of Tibet (NZ), the Auckland Tibetan Association  and Tibet supporters can get involved to support this. 

For more information about the delegation’s visit to Wellington, please see the following link:  

Tibetan Parliamentary Delegation Advocates Tibet in New Zealand

On this auspicious day to celebrate the 89th birthday of the supreme leader of the Tibetan people, His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama, the Kashag, on behalf of all the Tibetans in Tibet and exile, would like to pay our obeisance to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We also extend our heartiest greetings to our chief guest, His Excellency Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Prem Singh Tamang; Special Guest Member of Lok Sabha Arunachal Pradesh Shri Tapir Gao; His Excellency Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Shri Mingma Norbu Sherpa; Hon. Bhutila Karpoche, Deputy Speaker of Ontario State Parliament; Honourable Ministers from the State of Sikkim: Hon. Shri Bhin Hang Subba; Hon. Shri Puran Kumar Gurung; Hon. Shri Pintso Namgyal Lepcha; Hon. MLA Shri Erung Tenzing Lepcha; Hon. MLA Shri Sanjeet Kharel; Namgyal Gangshontsang, Mayor of Oetwil am See, Switzerland and all the guests from here and afar who have particularly come to attend the celebration, and to all those who are celebrating the occasion around the world.

On this momentous occasion, as we rejoice in myriad ways around the world to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, every single one of us has to remind ourselves that it is time to be proactively compassionate, in solemn gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s relentless effort in creating a compassionate global community.

In accordance with the Tibetan calendar, this year marks the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As per the modern calendar, His Holiness will turn 90 on 6 July 2025. Beginning July 2025, the Kashag will commence a diverse series of year- long events celebrating this milestone as the ‘Year of Compassion’. As a precursor to this significant event, the Kashag will briefly introduce the four principal lifelong commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in four separate official events throughout this year, including today’s occasion, as a gentle reminder to followers and friends that the best way to please your Lama is to put into practice their words of advice.

His Holiness’ first lifelong commitment is to promote the happiness of all humanity based on the concept of oneness of humanity. Here is how His Holiness have, over the years, proceeded to espouse, in slightly different approaches, the spirit of altruism, universal responsibility, advancement of human values and secular ethics. During His Holiness’ first visit to European countries in 1973, His Holiness emphasized the practice of altruism — a state of mind that abandons petty self-gain and realizes a sense of commitment to others’ well-being when met with an opportunity to help others. This concept eventually evolved into what is now known as Universal Responsibility.
In the 1990s, His Holiness began to give brief discourses on the concept of secular ethics. On May 10 1999, in his address on ‘Ethics for the New Millennium’ at the Royal Albert Hall in London, His Holiness spoke of promoting human values as a responsibility of being a human being himself. The address did not specify whether it should be based on secular and religious ethics. However, in Varanasi, in the year 2000, His Holiness publicly mooted the concept of secular ethics not dependent on any particular religion.

The concept of the oneness of humanity is based on the nature of interdependence that affects one another. His Holiness advises against discrimination based on country, national origin, race, language, colour, ideology, culture, class, religion or any other. He stresses and elaborates on the undeniable fact that individuals and societies as a whole are interdependent, among all others, in commerce and finance, politics and military, transportation and the environment.

As long as we long for a physically healthy, mentally happy, and long life free from illness, we should hold dear compassion, loving-kindness, patience, contentment, and ethical conduct. When confronted with varied challenges, one must avoid the notion of being the only victim under a sense of despair, thereby losing one’s capacity to face the challenge. Rather, one should be positively oriented to resolve obstacles in stages through cooperative effort. His Holiness believes that thinking long-term rather than short-term, prioritising others before self, and working for the common good rather than individual interests are unavoidable responsibilities of humankind. His Holiness does not say this because of his title, or because he is a Buddhist leader or as a free spokesperson for the Tibetan people, but rather as someone deeply committed to human wellbeing and respecting human values.

His Holiness keeps emphasising the importance of secular ethics. All the 8 billion human beings in this world aspire for happiness and abhor suffering. One-eighth of us are non-believers, and believers not only follow different religions, but also different traditions within those religions. His Holiness’ talks about the means for gradually extending the need for individual happiness to humanity as a whole is based on the presence of compassion that could bring true happiness and peace.

Based on innate human attitudes and feelings, His Holiness wrote hundreds of books to encourage the development and enhancement of basic human values and qualities. ‘The Power of Compassion’ in 1995, ‘The Art of Happiness’ in 1998, ‘Ethics for the New Millennium’ in 2001 and ‘Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World’ generated deep interest worldwide.

To confront the present and growing degenerative future challenges of the gap between ‘rich and poor’ and of ‘we and they’, His Holiness widely talks about the need to understand the interdependent nature of our existence for more openness and responsibility towards each other and the need for education based on compassionate living. His Holiness also stresses the need to eliminate the main cause of our suffering, the concept of ‘I and mine’ that brings about unyielding thoughts. His persistence in including compassion and wisdom as part of holistic modern education has resulted in such practices in more than 130 countries to date, over and above convening annual international discussions on it. To symbolise their respect for His Holiness’ invaluable thoughts, many Western nations have honoured him with about 300 prestigious awards and honorary doctorates.

His Holiness has visited more than 60 countries nearly 300 times and met with almost 500 political and religious figures. His public talks and visits to about 60 universities have helped open the minds of millions through the messages based on his four commitments and other invaluable insights.

Next year, as mentioned above, the Kashag has decided to celebrate, as per the Western calendar, the ninetieth birthday of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama formally and internationally throughout the year. The 90th birthday celebration organising committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, will comprise civil servants of the three pillars of democracy and the major departments. This committee will be responsible for overall coordination and support. In India, Nepal and Bhutan, each of the departments would be responsible for streamlining regular and special 90th anniversary events under their jurisdiction. Under DIIR (Department for Information and International Relations), each of the Offices of Tibet will form organising committees in each nation under their jurisdiction to develop and execute events at national and institutional levels. At an appropriate time, we shall announce a dedicated online portal for downloading materials that can be accessed by everyone. This includes films, documentaries, exhibitions, and more, and also for uploading conducted events.

Last month, after passing the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’ in both houses of the US Congress, a seven-member high-level bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Michael McCaul, purposely visited Dharamshala and presented a framed copy of the legislation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Speeches of the delegates in support of Tibet at the public event organised by the Central Tibetan Administration in their honour have moved many hearts. At the occasion, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi pronounced ‘His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with his message of knowledge, tradition, compassion, purity of soul and love, he will live forever”.

The legislation aimed at resolving the Sino-Tibet dispute recognises the Sino-Tibet dispute as unresolved and that the legal status of Tibet is as yet to be settled under international law, as the official policy of the US government. It acknowledges the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination, points out the distorted narrative of Tibetan history by the Chinese government, and urges negotiations. In all, the unprecedented support for the Tibetan people’s struggle for justice has lent solid backing to the will of the Tibetan people to one day freely preserve and protect our religion and culture, language, way of life and environment. The Kashag will strive to work towards similar policy adoption in other free democratic nations as well. Therefore, we urge every Tibetan and Tibet supporter everywhere in the world to join in this common effort.

This year, in recognition of the exiled Tibetans’ practice of democracy, the US-based National Endowment for Democracy conferred the Democracy Service Medal in the name of the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration. This is a definite recognition of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visionary leadership and encouragement in steering the Tibetan community towards democracy no sooner after coming into exile and in honour of the unstinted dedication of the previous generation of Tibetans who put it into practice.

At most of the Long life prayer offerings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, including the recent one, as per divination by Machik Palden Lhamo, the state protecting deity, His Holiness has committed to live beyond 110 years. I wish to express our appreciation and gratitude to the protecting deities for safeguarding His Holiness, the government and people of India, the US and others, and innumerable individuals for their steadfast support. Particularly at this point of time when His Holiness is recovering from a successful knee surgery, we want to thank the HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) team and every Tibetan inside and outside including non-Tibetans for their prayers under the guidance of Nechung Choegyal Chenmo, the other state protecting deity.

To conclude, Your Holiness, you are the eyes of our view and the heart of our being. Although Your Holiness could rest in the equipoise of emptiness like space, yet you choose to serve all living beings in this illusory world. May Your Holiness live long, and may all your wishes be fulfilled devoid of obstacles. May Your Holiness return to the Potala palace and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma. May the truth of our cause prevail, and may there soon be the reunion of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. May this vast world be illuminated by the light of wisdom that distinguishes what to adopt and what to abandon, and may all directions be filled with the soothing shade of compassion.

The Kashag 6 July 2024

Note: This is a translation of the Tibetan statement. Should any discrepancies arise, please treat the Tibetan version as final and authoritative.

Tibetans in Auckland and Friends of Tibet members despite being small in number were at Mount Albert’s Plant and Food Research at 11 in the morning ready for Premier Li Qiang’s engagement of the day to begin. They braved verbal and physical harassment from Chinese supporters who arrived by bus loads and were even approached with offers of money to hoist Chinese flags and banners. Tibet activists were shoved, pushed out of the way and stalked relentlessly at the protest site by the much larger pro-China group trying to tear down the Tibetan banners. Amidst the chaos and heavy rain some Tibetans were also physically assaulted. NZ police personnel on duty failed to keep the two groups apart. Yet, the Tibetan flag flew high as the Premier’s entourage arrived on site. 

Not one to be deterred, Tibetans and Friends of Tibet, NZ along with members of Chinese-Tibetan Friendship Group turned up at Cordis Hotel in Auckland Central at 4 pm. Our demands were read and slogans calling for human rights and freedom inside Tibet reverberated through the street until a group of Chinese drummers parked themselves next to the Tibetans, aggressively beating their drums and cymbals, drowning out the demonstrators. A police officer was whacked in the face by a supporter waving her Chinese flag aggressively next to the protestors and given a stern warning.

Tibetans and supporters then made their way towards the final event at Auckland War Memorial Museum where Premier Li Qiang and dignitaries were having an official dinner. Amidst a vast sea of red flags and banners, pro-Tibet slogans reverberated as the dignitaries stood for a photo-op on the Museum stairs. 

Photos can be found on the ATA Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/share/p/rKDnKfbcye4ugQ7w/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.                  Tibetan-language blog shut down

2.                  Misinformation circulates regarding alleged police killing of 20 students

3.                  China renames 30 Locations in Arunachal Pradesh to extend Tibet rule

4.                  Wang Junzheng instructs central media in Tibet to promote Tibet propaganda

5.                  New training manual for Tibetan monks in Gansu

6.                  Relocation of Atsok Monastery commences as part of Yangqu Hydropower Project

7.                  Increased traffic at Tibet-Nepal border crossing

POLITICS

1. Tibetan-language blog shut down

The Chinese government recently closed “Luktsang Palyon,” a widely read Tibetan-language blog, alleging copyright infringement, according to Radio Free Asia. The closure, announced April 2 by the blog’s administrator, adds to concerns about the suppression of Tibetan cultural and linguistic expression under the guise of legal and administrative measures. The administrator of the blog, whose request for the reinstatement of the blog appears unlikely to be granted, highlights a broader issue of language rights and cultural preservation in Tibet.

Established in March 2013, Luktsang Palyon (meaning “Tibet Sheep”) has been a vital resource for the dissemination of Tibetan culture and language, offering around 10,000 pieces of educational content including articles, stories, music lyrics and bilingual translations. This platform not only served Tibetans within the region but also those in exile, fostering a sense of community and cultural continuity. The closure of such an important cultural outlet under ambiguous legal pretexts is seen by many as part of a systematic effort by the Chinese government to marginalize the Tibetan language in favor of Mandarin, the national common language in occupied Tibet.

2. Misinformation circulates regarding alleged police killing of 20 students

New Tang Dynasty TV, affiliated with the Falun Gong group, reported that armed Chinese police killed 20 students during a crackdown on more than 500 Tibetan students demonstrating at Lhasa Normal College, a teacher training institution in Lhasa, on March 16, 2024.

However, the International Campaign for Tibet, after verifying the facts with contacts in Lhasa, determined that no such event took place. ICT considers the report to be misinformation circulating on the internet.

3. China renames 30 Locations in Arunachal Pradesh to extend Tibet rule

The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has taken another assertive step in its political agenda regarding Arunachal Pradesh, India, a region it labels as “Zangnan” or the southern part of Tibet. According to a report on April 3 in Global Times, a Chinese state-run tabloid with an international focus, Beijing issued its fourth list of standardized geographical names for 11 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, scheduled to come into effect on May 1.

This move follows previous releases of standardized names in 2017, 2021 and 2023, aimed at solidifying China’s territorial claims over the region, which it asserts as part of its own territory despite strong a Tibetan historical footprint. It forms part of a broader political strategy by Beijing to strengthen its territorial assertions, akin to its actions in the South China Sea. Tensions between India and China have escalated, notably since the violent clash at Galwan Valley in June 2020, with ongoing border disputes exacerbating the situation.

At the heart of the territorial dispute lies the McMahon Line, a boundary established during the 1914 tripartite Simla Convention involving British India, China and Tibet. This boundary delineates approximately 90,000 square kilometers of territory along India’s northeast and Tibet’s south.

4. Wang Junzheng instructs central media in Tibet to promote Tibet propaganda

On April 8, Wang Junzheng, secretary of the Party Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region, convened a meeting with the heads of Chinese central media operating in Tibet. During the session, Wang emphasized the importance of implementing CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping’s directives on the promotion of ideological work and cultivation of a favorable public opinion for a “socialist modern New Tibet.”

Throughout the discussion, representatives from the Chinese central media outlets in Tibet shared insights and exchanged practices regarding propaganda and reporting. Wang Junzheng commended the central media for its correct political direction and conducting extensive, multi-faceted propaganda campaigns.

Highlighting the significance of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 65th anniversary of Tibet’s democratic reform, Wang stressed the pivotal role of the Chinese state media in shaping public perceptions and narratives.

While the party secretary gave his political instructions to the Chinese media operating in Tibet, the Foreign Correspondent’s Club of China coincidently issued a damning report of media freedom in China on April 8. The FCCC’s report “Masks Off, Barriers Remain” states in its findings that:

·                     Almost all respondents (99%) said reporting conditions in China rarely or never met international reporting standards.

• Four out of five (81%) respondents said they had experienced interference, harassment or violence.
• 54% of respondents were obstructed at least once by police or other officials (2022: 56%), and 45% encountered obstruction at least once by persons unknown (2022: 36%).
• A majority of respondents had reason to believe the authorities had possibly or definitely compromised their WeChat (81%), their phone (72%) or placed audio recording bugs in their office or home (55%).
• Almost a third (32%) of respondents said their bureau was understaffed because they have been unable to bring in the required number of new reporters.
• 82% of respondents reported they had interviews declined by sources who stated they were not permitted to speak to foreign media or required prior permission.
• More than a third (37%) of respondents said reporting trips or interviews already confirmed were canceled last minute because of official pressure (2022: 31%).
• 49% of respondents indicated their Chinese colleague(s) had been pressured, harassed or intimidated at least once (2022: 45%; 2021: 40%).

RELIGION

5. New training manual for Tibetan monks in Gansu

Chinese authorities have distributed a stringent new training manual to Buddhist clergy in the monasteries of Kanlho (Chinese: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu province, according to Golok Jigme, a former Tibetan political prisoner from the region. This manual contains 10 rules, including a prohibition against displaying photographs of the Dalai Lama, the elderly Tibetan spiritual leader, following his eventual death. Additionally, it forbids monks from participating in the process of recognizing the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, enforcing compliance with state regulations.

The guidelines also prevent monks from engaging in activities deemed to threaten national unity or disrupt societal stability under the pretext of religious practice. This includes banning any cooperation with Tibetan religious leaders and the exiled Tibetan community, whom the government labels as external separatist groups. The manual explicitly bars “illegal organizations or institutions” from monastic settings and mandates that the education of monks should exclude “separatist ideology.” These measures are part of what is described as the “Sinicization” of religion, a policy that aligns with the Chinese Communist Party’s broader efforts to reshape Tibetan Buddhism to conform with its state doctrines.

During a March visit to two counties within the prefecture, He Moubao, secretary of China’s State Party Committee, underscored the need to Sinicize religion and implement the CCP’s religious policies to maintain national unity and social stability. This approach to religion in Tibet equates religious expression with separatism and threats to Chinese security, fostering a perilous political climate for Tibetan monks, nuns and lay Buddhists.

DEVELOPMENT

6. Relocation of Atsok Monastery commences as part of Yangqu Hydropower Project

The relocation of Atsok Monastery, located in Palkha village of Drakar (Xinghai) county in Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, has officially begun as part of the development plans for the Yangkhil (Yangqu) hydropower station, according to exile media outlet the Tibet Times on April 11 . The monastery is being relocated to a site approximately 3 to 4 kilometers away from its current location to a hill in Khyokar Naklo.

Atsok Monastery, founded in 1889, currently accommodates 157 monks after restrictions were imposed in 2021, barring novice monks from enrolling in the monastery. Prior to the commencement of the relocation process, Chinese authorities announced the removal of Atsok Monastery from the list of recognized cultural and historical sites in the county.

The Yangkhil hydropower station located at the junction of Drakar county and Mangra (Guinan) county in the Tsolho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai province, built on the Machu (Yellow) River, is designed to produce 1.2 gigawatts of power.

According to China’s National Development and Reform Commission project document dated November 2021, land acquisition covering an area of 80,691 mu (approximately 53 square kilometers) across 22 villages in three counties, including Drakar, will be undertaken, affecting 15,555 people. The project is scheduled to achieve operational readiness by the end of April 2024 and is projected to deliver over 40 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to China’s Central Plains region. The Electricity Engineering Construction Company of the Yellow River had been contracted for the construction, commencing site planning activities around Dec. 26, 2021.

7. Increased traffic at Tibet-Nepal border crossing

Chinese state media reported increased traffic at the Dram border, which connects Tibet and Nepal via the Nyalam Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station. According to reports, a total of 100,716 individuals and 4,450 vehicles have crossed the border since the beginning of the year, up to April 1, 2024.

This surge in traffic comes in the wake of the border’s reopening on September 1 last year, following pandemic-related lockdown measures. Since then, a total of 234,634 people and 12,699 vehicles have crossed the border, as reported by Chinese state media.

Authorities have attributed the increase in traffic to heightened police deployment and expedited customs clearance processes for inbound and outbound passengers. While the traffic is largely associated with trade activities, the Dram border has undergone substantial regulation and fortification in recent years to prevent any attempts by Tibetans to seek asylum abroad. As a result, the number of Tibetan refugees has drastically decreased by 99% since 2008