His Holiness Commends Courage and Sincerity of Tibetans Living Inside Tibet
[Tuesday, 2 March 2010, 5:11 p.m.]
His Holiness the Dalai Lama reads from scripture during a grand long life offering
organised by the Central Tibetan Administration and the general Tibetan populace
in Dharamsala, India, on 2 March 2010/Photos by Sangay Kyap
Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama lauded the unflinching courage and sincerity of Tibetans living inside Tibet in raising their voices for the cause of Tibet, which he described as an issue of truth and justice.
His Holiness expressed deep appreciation for the long life prayer offerings presented to him by the Central Tibetan Administration and the people of Tibet out of common reverence, bond, sincerity, aspiration and hope.
We offer prayers to those Tibetans who sacrificed their lives for Tibet under the repression of the Chinese government, His Holiness the Dalai Lama told a large Tibetan congregation at the main Buddhist temple here this morning. Thousands of Tibetans attended the official long life offering ceremony.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama prayed for the speedy recovery and long life of thousands of Tibetans who were wounded by brutal Chinese police beatings during the peaceful protests throughout Tibet since 10 March 2008.
The officials of Central Tibetan Administration wait in queue carrying auspicious offerings
for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness expressed gratitude to Tibetans living inside Tibet for keeping up their sincerity and determination. His Holiness said though Tibetans are physically living under the repression of the Chinese government, but they are very much united in their hearts to struggle for their rights and truth of Tibet’s cause.
Describing the cultural heritage of Tibet as precious gem of the world, His Holiness told Tibetans to carefully study it in order to preserve the rich tradition. His Holiness also underlined that Tibetans must excel in both traditional Tibetan studies and modern education.
His Holiness told Tibetans who are living in free world not to squander their time and opportunities in taking the responsibility as Tibetans inside Tibet pin their hopes on them.
The long life offering ceremony was the part of official commemoration of the 50th anniversaries of the Tibetan people’s peaceful uprising against the repression and occupation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China, and the exile of the Tibetan government and its people to India from 10 March 2009 to 10 March 2010.
US President Gives “Strong Support” to His Holiness the Dalai Lama
[Thursday, 18 February 2010]
President Barack Obama meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House on 18 February 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Washington, DC: US President Barack Obama met this morning at the White House with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. The President stated his “strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China”.
The President commended the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach, his commitment to nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue with the Chinese government. The President stressed that he has “consistently encouraged both sides to engage in direct dialogue to resolve differences and was pleased to hear about the recent resumption of talks”.
The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and cooperative relationship between the United States and China.
“Today’s meeting is a clear demonstration of President Obama’s support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s efforts to resolve the Tibet issue as well as of his personal respect for him,” said Lodi Gyari, the Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
US House Speaker Applauds President’s Meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
[Friday, 19 February 2010, 10:59 a.m.]
Washington, DC: Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the statement following President Obama’s meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the White House on Thursday.
“I commend the President for meeting with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, a champion of peace and non-violence, and a voice for dignity, justice, and respect for all humanity. His Holiness is a source of wisdom and compassion, a powerful spokesman for the moral duty and inherent worth of every person, and a force for human rights across the globe.
“President Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama marks another chapter in the long friendship and close ties between the United States and the people of Tibet. As Americans, we must continue to stand with His Holiness to promote, preserve, and protect the rights of all people to live in freedom worldwide.”
CHINA’S ATTEMPTS TO WIPE OUT THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE OF TIBET
Tibetan Response to China’s White Paper of 25 September 2008
[Friday, 13 November 2009, 9:52 a.m.]
FOREWORD
On 27 September 2009, the Chinese government issued a white paper on its nationalities policy. This is the third white paper on the minority nationalities. The first was issued in 1999 and the second in 2005. Meanwhile on 25 September 2008, the Chinese government issued a white paper on the protection and development of Tibetan culture.
The latest white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council, the Chinese cabinet, comes in the wake of the most sustained and widespread protests in both Tibet and Xinjiang in 2008 and 2009, respectively. These protests, growing out of economic marginalisation and racial discrimination, were mercilessly suppressed with unprecedented military force.
The latest white paper comes four days before the 60th birthday of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October. It seems that this white paper is the Chinese government’s birthday gift to the minority nationalities. Will the minority nationalities accept this official and repeated whitewashing of the atrocities they have suffered under the Communist Party for these years? During these years their identities have been undermined, in some cases, erased, their cultures broken, their languages made useless and their legitimate aspirations for greater freedoms and more civil liberties actively suppressed.
The answers to these question and the issues raised by them are explored in a specifically Tibetan context by a group of officials of the Central Tibetan Administration and the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, a human rights watchdog based in Dharamsala.
The Tibetan response is broadly divided into four chapters, which in turn are divided into many sub-headings. The four main chapters are: 1) The Status of Learning, Using and promoting Tibetan Language; 2) The Status of Tibetan Cultural Preservation in Tibet; 3) The Status of Religious Freedom in Tibet; and 4) The Status of Modern Scientific Education and Development of the Media inside Tibet.
In this rejoinder, a substantial amount of evidence has been meticulously put together to make a compelling case that the Chinese government has committed — and is committing — nothing less than cultural genocide on the world’s roof. This evidence is sourced primarily from the documents brought out by the Chinese government itself, and also from the oral and written statements, opinions or suggestions made by Tibetans inside Tibet. Viewpoints of the Tibetan exiles and foreign experts or scholars on Tibet are deliberately not included.
As the political struggle of the Tibetan people [for greater freedoms in Tibet] is increasingly being recognised on the international stage as the struggle between truth and falsehood, we hope this response will go a long way towards vindicating the truth that basically lies on the side of the Tibetans.
Independence: the Right of the Tibetan people
by Chinese writer, Cao Chang-Ching
獨立：西藏人民的權利 曹長青 1994年
西 藏問題，一直是一個爭議的話題。不僅海峽兩岸的中國政府與西藏流亡政府對此問題持截然不同的觀點，海內外的中國人，對此看法也相當不同。這種種不同，主要 源於人們對西藏歷史與現實的瞭解程度和使用的“價值尺度”。因此，討論西藏問題，不僅有助於瞭解西藏的真正歷史和現實，更促使我們重新思考人的自由意志和 國土統一；人民選擇權利和國家形式；以及民族自決權等重要的價值概念和沖突。對這些價值採取什麼樣的取捨，直接影響中國人走向自由和民主的進程。 Read the rest of this article »
Dharamshala: US President Barack Obama has been chosen for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples”, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has announced today.
The committee highlighted Mr Obama’s efforts to strengthen international bodies and promote nuclear disarmament.
“Very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the committee said in a citation.
“His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.”
There were a record 205 nominations for this year’s prize. Zimbabwe’s prime minister and a Chinese dissident had been among the favourites.
The prize worth 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.4 million) will be presented to Mr Obama in Oslo on 10 December.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Congratulates President Obama on Nobel Peace Prize
Saturday, 10 October 2009, 1:30 p.m.
Washington, DC: His Holiness the Dalai Lama has congratulated President Obama on being named the recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
In a communication sent today to the President, His Holiness, who is in Washington, D.C., said, “I am pleased that the Nobel Committee has recognized your approach towards resolving international conflicts through the wisdom and power of dialogue.”
His Holiness said: “The Committee has rightly noted your efforts towards a world without nuclear weapons and your constructive role in environmental protection. The 20th century was a century of bloodshed and all of us have the responsibility to make the 21st century, a century of dialogue and co-operation. There is thus the need for concerted efforts from all sides in this highly interdependent world to promote and adopt a more compassionate approach.”
“I have maintained that the founding fathers of the United States have made this country the greatest democracy and a champion of freedom and liberty. It is, therefore, important for today’s American leaders to adopt principled leadership based on these high ideals. Such an approach will not only enhance the reputation of the USA, but also contribute tremendously in reducing tension in the world,” His Holiness said.
