Taktser Rinpoche, eldest brother of H.H. the Dalai Lama, passes away

Taktser Rinpoche, the eldest brother of H.H. the Dalai Lama, passed away earlier today (September 5) at home in Indiana in the United States having been ill for several years. He was 86 years old.

Taktser Rinpoche - whose given name was Thupten Jigme Norbu - was recognized at the age of three as the reincarnated abbot of Kumbum monastery in modern-day Qinghai, one of the most important monasteries in Tibet, and was therefore already a prominent figure in Tibet's religious hierarchy even before his brother the Dalai Lama was born.

In the immediate wake of the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949-1950, Taktser Rinpoche played important intermediary roles first between the Dalai Lama and Chinese Communist officials and then later, when in India, between the US State Department and the Dalai Lama during the protracted negotiations between Beijing and Lhasa surrounding signature of the controversial Seventeen Point Agreement - the document which was intended to give legitimacy to China's rule of Tibet.

Taktser Rinpoche was deeply mistrustful of the Chinese Communist Party's intentions in Tibet, and was a prominent voice advising the Dalai Lama to leave Tibet in the face of what was perceived as direct threats to his own personal safety as well as to the integrity of Tibet itself.

In 1950, when the Dalai Lama was still in Lhasa, Chinese officials attempted to persuade Taktser Rinpoche to travel to Lhasa and convince the Dalai Lama to accept the "peaceful liberation" of Tibet, even promising to make him the governor of Tibet if he succeeded, according to one account. Taktser Rinpoche eventually agreed to travel to Lhasa to see the Dalai Lama, but evaded his Chinese escorts on route and instead conveyed to the Dalai Lama his deep misgivings about China's influence in Tibet, and urging the Dalai Lama to retreat to the border with India.

Although a devout and dedicated follower of the Dalai Lama, Taktser Rinpoche nevertheless took a different stand on Tibet's status to his brother, calling instead for the complete independence of Tibet as opposed to the model of autonomy put forward by the Dalai Lama.

An extremely energetic individual, Taktser Rinpoche dedicated his life to serving the Dalai Lama, Tibet and the Tibetan people, including serving as the Dalai Lama's representative in Japan. Upon leaving Tibet in the 1950s and over a long and prolific writing career, he wrote several academic papers and books on Tibet including his own autobiography, Tibet Is My Country, one of the first books on the Tibetan experience to have scholarly credibility. He went on to serve as Professor of Tibetan Studies at Indiana University in the United States, where in 1979 he founded the Tibetan Cultural Center.

Taktser Rinpoche was a tireless advocate for the protection of Tibetan culture and the rights of the Tibetan people in Tibet. Each year - including this year prior to the Beijing Olympics - he participated in long walks and cycle rides to raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people.
He is survived by his wife Kunyang Norbu, and three sons.

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Taktser Rinpoche, eldest brother of the Dalai Lama, passes away

Taktser Rinpoche, the eldest brother of the Dalai Lama, passed away earlier today (September 5) at home in Indiana in the United States having been ill for several years. He was 86 years old.

Taktser Rinpoche - whose given name was Thupten Jigme Norbu - was recognized at the age of three as the reincarnated abbot of Kumbum monastery in modern-day Qinghai, one of the most important monasteries in Tibet, and was therefore already a prominent figure in Tibet's religious hierarchy even before his brother the Dalai Lama was born.

In the immediate wake of the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949-1950, Taktser Rinpoche played important intermediary roles first between the Dalai Lama and Chinese Communist officials and then later, when in India, between the US State Department and the Dalai Lama during the protracted negotiations between Beijing and Lhasa surrounding signature of the controversial Seventeen Point Agreement - the document which was intended to give legitimacy to China's rule of Tibet.

Taktser Rinpoche was deeply mistrustful of the Chinese Communist Party's intentions in Tibet, and was a prominent voice advising the Dalai Lama to leave Tibet in the face of what was perceived as direct threats to his own personal safety as well as to the integrity of Tibet itself.

In 1950, when the Dalai Lama was still in Lhasa, Chinese officials attempted to persuade Taktser Rinpoche to travel to Lhasa and convince the Dalai Lama to accept the "peaceful liberation" of Tibet, even promising to make him the governor of Tibet if he succeeded, according to one account. Taktser Rinpoche eventually agreed to travel to Lhasa to see the Dalai Lama, but evaded his Chinese escorts on route and instead conveyed to the Dalai Lama his deep misgivings about China's influence in Tibet, and urging the Dalai Lama to retreat to the border with India.

Although a devout and dedicated follower of the Dalai Lama, Taktser Rinpoche nevertheless took a different stand on Tibet's status to his brother, calling instead for the complete independence of Tibet as opposed to the model of autonomy put forward by the Dalai Lama.

An extremely energetic individual, Taktser Rinpoche dedicated his life to serving the Dalai Lama, Tibet and the Tibetan people, including serving as the Dalai Lama's representative in Japan. Upon leaving Tibet in the 1950s and over a long and prolific writing career, he wrote several academic papers and books on Tibet including his own autobiography, Tibet Is My Country, one of the first books on the Tibetan experience to have scholarly credibility. He went on to serve as Professor of Tibetan Studies at Indiana University in the United States, where in 1979 he founded the Tibetan Cultural Center.

Taktser Rinpoche was a tireless advocate for the protection of Tibetan culture and the rights of the Tibetan people in Tibet. Each year - including this year prior to the Beijing Olympics - he participated in long walks and cycle rides to raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people.
He is survived by his wife Kunyang Norbu, and three sons.

In

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Acrescida exploração mineira Chinesa no Tibete

A Aluminum Corporation/ China, o maior produtor na R.P.C., estabeleceu uma filial no Tibete de forma a empreender acrescida exploração mineira na região Tibetana.

Este passo, que envolveu 250 milhões de yuan (US$36.5 milhões), reflecte a vontade de acelerar a exploração dos recursos mineiros Tibetanos, e vem ao encontro dos já existentes planos de construção de mais seis linhas de caminhos de ferro no, e em torno do, Tibete.

A Aluminum Corporation, também conhecida como Chinalco, é o segundo maior produtor mundial de alumina e foi alvo de críticas por parte de activistas ambientalistas devido às descargas de uma unidade de fundição existente na região de Amdo (no Tibete) e que a afectam negativamente.

Pequim encoraja então o desenvolvimento mineiro e de outras indústrias no Tibete, devido aos abundantes depósitos de cobre, crómio, bauxite assim como outros minerais preciosos aí existentes. E fá-lo em nome da promoção do crescimento económico e da melhoria dos níveis de vida (N.T: apenas para os cidadãos Chineses Han que habitam o planalto Tibetano).

No entanto subsistem preocupações relativamente à corrida Chinesa para o Tibete, na medida em que tal danificará o delicado ecosistema Tibetano, enquanto que o afluxo de Chineses Han ao Tibete ameaça a cultura Budista e a vida tradicional Tibetana.

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Beijing's Post Olympic Shakedown in Xinjiang and Tibet

By Willy Lam

While the catchwords and slogans of the just-ended Beijing Olympics trumpeted “harmony” and “One World, One Dream,” the traditionally tense relations between Han Chinese and ethnic minorities – particularly Uyghurs and Tibetans – could worsen significantly in the foreseeable future. Four quasi-terrorist attacks in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region (XAR) in August resulted in the death of at least 22 People’s Armed Police (PAP) officers and police. This is despite the fact that since the riots that hit Tibet and four neighboring provinces in March, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) administration has tightened security in the Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions. President and Commander-in-chief Hu Jintao, the only member of the Politburo Standing Committee with personal experience in handling ethnic-minority disturbances, has so far said nothing concerning the Xinjiang attacks. Yet indications are that Beijing will amplify its two-pronged approach by employing even tougher strategies to “nip troublemaking in the bud” while at the same time earmarking more funds to win over the support particularly of needy Uyghur and Tibetans.

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Kashag's Statement on the 48th Anniversary of Tibetan Democracy Day

The Statement of the Kashag on the Forty-eighth Anniversary of the Tibetan Democracy Day

2 September 2008

On this special occasion of the 48th anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's extraordinary efforts to transform the Tibetan polity into a genuine democracy, the Kashag - as a way of expressing its immense gratitude to His Holiness - makes obeisance to him. The Kashag also extends its affectionate greetings and Tashi Deleg to all Tibetans living in and outside Tibet, as well as to the governments, parliaments, governmental and non-governmental organisations, Tibet support groups and the people of the international community who are supportive of Tibet and the Tibetans.

In our previous statements, the Kashag has dwelled - among other things - on the status of the Tibetan democratic polity and its weaknesses; the responsibilities that Tibetans in general and particularly the Tibetan exiles must shoulder; and the role of the Tibetan civil society, which is inclusive of the Tibetan NGOs. While reiterating all these points, the Kashag would like to emphatically state that all Tibetans should - at this very critical and crucial period - give more importance to their democratic duties than rights; that they should give more importance to the national and community's benefits than individual's and organisation's; and that they should, in order to challenge the forces of division, strive towards combining their collective energies.

The principal reason why the Tibetans inside Tibet have had to endure continuous sufferings for the last almost 60 years - and as a result of it the very survival of the Tibetan people is at stake today - is due to the Chinese autocratic government's ultra-leftist policies. Under these policies, the basic rights of the Tibetan people, including their political, social, religious and cultural rights are trampled upon by the Chinese government. Therefore, until and unless the nature of the People's Republic of China's polity does not become more open, free and transparent, it is difficult for China to be able to resolve the problem of Tibet. Taking cue from this fact, the Tibetan people living in the free world should also work towards cultivating a culture of openness, freedom and transparency.

In order to establish a true democratic society, it is very important to have gender equality in general, and particularly women should equally partake in the administrative and political work of a country. Since ancient times until now, no gender discriminations of any kind have taken place in our society. However, going by the ratio of the Tibetan men and women taking part in administration and politics, there is a difference with women lagging far behind men. It is very important to bridge this difference in the future. The Kashag will soon come out with a policy to strengthen women's power in our society, and we request all of you to co-operate with us in this regard.

One of the difficulties of a democratic system when it comes to implementation - and particularly a problem often faced by the Asian countries - is the inability to make a choice when differences emerge between one's political ideology and the policies adopted by the government of the day, as well as the difficulty in evolving a consensus among the contesting parties when it comes to the fundamental interest of the country and people. All these occur due to an inadequate level of education, or intellectual disposition, among the citizens. The Tibetan community is also undergoing the same kind of problems. Therefore, it is indispensable for the individuals and organisations to heed that in addition to upholding their respective ideological leanings, they should - as and when required - ensure the unity and cohesive force of the Tibetan people without letting it diminish the slightest.

For nearly 60 years, we have endured the oppression of a foreign country. Over these years, many heroic Tibetan men and women have sacrificed their every possession, including their precious lives, for the sake of Tibetan religion, culture, national identity and freedom. Paying homage to all these brave souls, the Kashag would like to request all Tibetans to learn from their sacrifices and continue the rightful and non-violent struggle of the Tibetan people until the issue of Tibet is resolved once and for all.

Finally, the Kashag prays for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the spontaneous fulfilment of all his wishes. May the truth of the issue of Tibet prevail soon!

The Kashag

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HOJE É COMEMORADO O

DIA NACIONAL DA DEMOCRACIA TIBETANO !

T-shirts FREE TIBET

O Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete dispõe de T-shirts Free Tibet

nos tamanhos S, M e L para venda.

Divulgue o Tibete e auxilie-nos a fazer mais e melhor

adquirindo uma T-shirt para si e oferecendo outra a um/a amigo/a !

Statement of the Kashag on the occasion of worldwide fasting and prayer service on 30 August 2008

Today on 30 August 2008, the last day of the sixth month of Earth-Mouse Year in Tibetan Calendar, Tibetan Solidarity Committee appealed the Tibetans, Tibet supporters and peace loving people all over the world to observe a symbolic fasting and prayer service for 12-hours. We are immensely fortunate and grateful that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consented to take part in person here, but due to a slight indisposition this could not happen. However, His Holiness is observing the fasting and prayer from Mumbai today and we convey our immense gratitude and respect to him.

The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration would like to heartily thank all the Tibetans, Tibet Supporters and those believing in non-violence who are taking part to observe this symbolic fasting and prayer service.

This activity is not a protest led by hatred, rancour and anger but by the teachings of the Lord Buddha in all the vehicles to refrain from harming others and do everything to benefit others with love and compassion, which is the essence of spiritual practice. Mahatama Gandhi has shown us with his practical demonstration that this is not only for spiritual practice but it can very well apply to the politics for the benefits of society and nations. Our effort of today symbolises that this method is effectively relevant in the post-modern world also.

Due to the consistent effort and guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to pursue non-violent methods to resolve the Tibetan issue, it has been many years that most of the Tibetan movements remained free from gross physical violence. This garnered immense support from around the world for the just cause of Tibet. Our pursuit of non-violence has not only enabled us to keep alive the Tibetan issue but also compelled the People's Republic of China to respond to our policy of rapprochement irrespective of their sincerity. However, on account of some Tibetans being not able to completely give up violence in vocal expressions and thoughts, all our efforts till today instead of achieving a genuine result, is stuck in a vicious circle. If all the Tibetans have a genuine aspiration to resolve the just cause of the Tibetan issue, we have to strengthen our commitment and reinforce the power of non-violence. It is hard to achieve any results in resolving the Tibetan cause unless anger of the Tibetans subsides. Therefore, we take this opportunity to strongly appeal to all the Tibetans and particularly to the monks and nuns to get rid of any visible hatred and anger, and make every effort to develop undiluted thought leading to the cultivation of non-violence and thereby all our physical and vocal expressions become non-violent.

By observing this symbolic fasting and prayer service if we Tibetans are able to make way to advance a step further in pursuit of our non-violent movement, it is worth observing. Otherwise, if it turns into an opportunity that arouses feelings of hatred and anger, it is then, as the saying goes, "sending ransom to the west when the demon lies in the east".

On this special occasion, we hope that the observation of fasting and prayer by numerous people around the world will help the Tibetans to do away their bad karmic action and enhance meritorious virtues. This virtue may help Tibetans to get rid of their anger and hatred towards all sentient beings, especially the PRC authorities who oppress and torture the Tibetans and instead could help us to respond to them with love and compassion. Our sincere practice of non-violence will ultimately help change the mind of the PRC authorities to more compassionate. We hope and pray that all will firmly believe in non-violence. We strongly appeal to all the Tibetans to put concerted non-violent efforts to bring natural end to the torture and persecution in Tibet.

We pay our condolence and homage to those who lost their lives and those who are imprisoned, tortured and beaten in the recent uprisings in Tibet. We pray that the lives sacrificed by the Tibetans become worthwhile and end the torture to the innocent Tibetans. We also pray and sympathise for the victims of the earthquakes in Sichuan and the one in South-western Tibet recently and the disaster caused by flood in some other part as well. We end with the prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's long life and may the just cause of Tibet prevail.

The Kashag

30 August 2008

N.B. Translated from the Tibetan original

Em Kathmandu os protestos continuam

Hoje em Kathmandu cerca de 120 manifestantes Tibetanos foram detidos, próximo do Consulado da República Popular da China.

A maioria dos manifestantes chegou num autocarro e encetou caminhada em direcção ao edifício do Consulado, onde a polícia Nepalesa já os aguardava.

No seguimento das manifestações pacíficas de Março deste ano no Tibete, o governo Chinês encetou uma política de tremenda repressão sobre os Tibetanos e ainda hoje os três principais mosteiros Tibetanos continuam fechados aos turistas e aos media. Vários são os relatos que dão conhecimento da situação de clausura vivida por vários monges Tibetanos, que vêem água, electricidade e comida lhe serem negados.

Os Jogos Olímpicos poderão ter terminado mas o assunto do Tibete ainda está por resolver.

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ACÇÃO GLOBAL PELO TIBETE - 30 Agosto

A 30 de Agosto o Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete participará na acção mundial pela paz e fim das repressões no Tibete, tendo esta iniciativa surgido do governo Tibetano no exílio.

O G.T.E. lançou um apelo a todos os Tibetanos e não-Tibetanos amantes da paz e em Nantes alguns de nós ouvimos de S.S. Dalai Lama o encorajamento para a realização de tal iniciativa.

Esta acção pacífica terá lugar entre as 7.00 e as 19h00 sendo que não serão ingeridos alimentos e bebidas, à excepção de água.

A acção decorrerá em Lisboa. Brevemente mais informações.


APELAMOS FORTEMENTE À VOSSA PARTICIPAÇÃO E MOBILIZAÇÃO !

NESTA ACÇÃO GLOBAL PELO TIBETE !


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His Holiness to join Worldwide Non-Violent Action

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will participate in a 12-hour prayer service and symbolic fasting to be observed by the Tibetans and peace-loving people around the world to reinforce their commitment to non-violence.

Dharamshala: It will be one of the most important non-violent campaign by the Tibetan Solidarity Committee to get support from the world community for world peace and fight against oppression in the world in general and particularly in Tibet.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches from the text of Nagarjuna's "Treatise on the Middle Way", in Nantes, western France, on 20 August 2008.

Around the world, the synchronized 12-hour campaign will begin at 7 a.m. and go on till 7 p.m. on 30 August.

The Tibetan Solidarity Committee - convened by the Kashag and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile - is leading exile Tibetans' activities under its unified leadership based on non-violent and Middle-Way Approach to bring an immediate end to the ongoing Chinese repression in Tibet.

The committee has appealed to the Tibetan supporters, champions of truth and non-violence around the world to join in this non-violent effort to reduce one's defilements and to create wisdom and compassion in the minds of the oppressor.

It aims to bring solace to the departed souls of all those Tibetans and who are still enduring atrocities under the brutal Chinese oppression from their sufferings, and for the truth of Tibetan issue to prevail soon.

While observing the fast, people will recite prayers to enhance the collective merits of the Tibetan and Chinese people and long and healthy life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

"We consider this as extremely important non-violent action taken by Tibetans under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a very critical period for Tibet, particularly the post-Olympic period," Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche said.

Kalon Tripa has directed the offices of representative to reach out to Tibetan people, Tibetan supporters, peace-loving people, Tibetan associations and Chinese friends to encourage them to join the non-violent action.