The Tibet Post International Online Newspaper

Kalon Tripa Meets Japanese Leaders,Receives Support on Tibet Issue

Tokyo: - Kalon Tripa or the political leader of the Central TibetanAdministratioon, Dr Lobsang Sangay met two former Japaneseprime ministers and Tokyo Governor during the second day ofhis five-day visit to Japan.During his meeting with Shinzo Abe and Taro Aso, two formerministers, and Tokyo mayor Shintaro Ishihara, Kalon Tripaapprised them about the critical situation in Tibet in view of thetragic self-immolations of Tibetans due to the repressive policiesof the Chinese government. He appealed to the Japanese leadersto lend their continued support towards resolving the issue ofTibet.The Japanese leaders expressed their deep concern over thetense situation in Tibet, and said they stand by the Tibetanpeople.Responsibility and solution to end self-Immolations lie with ChinaKalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay on the same day told reportersin Tokyo that the tragic self-immolations of Tibetans will endonce the Chinese government stops its repressive policies inTibet."The responsibility for the tragic self-immolations of Tibetanslies solely with the Chinese government and so does thesolution," Kalon Tripa Dr Sangay said at a press conference inTokyo in response to a question on whether the self-immolationsin Tibet could be stopped.Dr Sangay said: "Tibetans inside Tibet do not have any spaceand opportunity to express their aspirations and grievances.Even peaceful demonstrations by Tibetans are not allowed.""Even if the Tibetans held peaceful protests they are bound tosuffer harsh consequences at the Chinese authorities' hands.Eight Tibetans were shot dead by security forces for taking partin a peaceful protest earlier this year. Under such desperatecircumstances, Tibetans are forced to take drastic actions likesetting themselves on fire," Kalon Tripa said."Hence, the responsibility lies solely with the Chinesegovernment, so does the solution," he added."We have repeatedly appealed to the Tibetans inside Tibet notto take drastic actions. Unfortunately, they might not havereceived our appeals due to blockade of phones and othercommunication lines by the Chinese government," Kalon Tripasaid.Kalon Tripa briefed the journalists on the evolution of democracyin the exile Tibetan community, the democratic election of KalonTripa, and the complete devolution of His Holiness the Dalai

By: Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Ne

Tibetan youthjumps from bridgeinto Ganga riverfor a free Tibet

Tibetans in Europe Exercise their Freedom

Nobel Laureates Petition President Hu

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China Sentences Eleven Tibetansfor Protests In Eastern Tibet

Dharamshala: - Eleven Tibetans who participated in peacefulprotest marches in January 2012 in Drakgo (Chinese: Luhuo/Chaggo) and Sertha (Chinese: Seda) have been sentenced tothree to 13 years in prison.Reporting on the heavy prison terms, the official Chinesegovernment news agency Xinhua on 22 March 2012 said theTibetans were sentenced for ‘inciting social disorder' anddestroying public properties.The 23 and 24 January 2012 protests in Drakgo and Sertacounties were brutally suppressed by security officers whofired upon hundreds of unarmed protesters. At least four

Chinese paramilitary police in the streets of Aba, in China's Sichuan provincePhilippe Lopez / AFP / Getty Images

By Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy

Tibetan Refugees’ Problems Will Be Solved

Dharamshala: - To solve the long-term problems being facedand currently facing by Tibetan refugees in Nepal, the UnitedStates has urged Nepal government to ensure that Tibetansrefugees taking shelter in the Himalayan nation are dealt as perthe international refugee laws, according to media reports.Visiting US Department of State Under Secretary for PoliticalAffairs, Wendy R Sherman, on Thursday, April 5 asked PrimeMinister Dr Baburam Bhattarai to provide necessary documentsto Tibetan refugees to help them lead a "life of dignity andpurpose" and provide ‘safe passage' to those who want to go toIndia and elsewhere as per the ‘gentleman agreement' reachedin the past.Every year, hundreds of Tibetans arrive in Nepal sneaking acrossthe hilly trails of the northern border mainly to go to India to

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US Department of State Under Secretary for Political Affairs WendyR. Sherman (left) and US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H. DeLisi during

a press meet in the Capital on Thursday. Photo: AP

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Global Signature Campaign for Tenzin Delek

Two More Tibetans Self-Immolate in Tibet

Dharamshala: - Reports coming out of Tibet say two moreTibetans have set themselves on fire in protest against theChinese government’s repressive policies in Tibet.The two Tibetans – Tenpa Dargey, 22, and Chimey Palden, 21,monks from the Tsodun Kirti monastery in Gyalrong – setthemselves outside the prefectural government offices inBarkham on 30 March. Both Tenpa Dargey and Chimey Paldenare from Kholachang village in Tsodun town, Barkham.Both the monks had been taken to a government hospitalimmediately following the incident. Monks from Tsodunmonastery rushed towards Barkham to take the two monks intotheir custody. But they were stopped 32 km from the monastery,at a place called Dzeto, by armed police and special police forces,who sent them back to the monastery. Their present conditionremains unknown.

By: Tibetan Oficial Media: Tibet Net

Tenpa Darjee (Left) and chimey paldan (Right). Photo: TPI

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Kalon Tripa during his meeting with Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara in Tokyo on 2 April 2012. Photo: Tibet Office In Tokyo, Japan

I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Bi-MonthlyB o d - K y i - Cha- Trin Rs.5Vol. 02, Issue 63, 15 April 2012 www.thetibetpost.comA Message For The Voiceless

Central Tibetan Administration Mourns

Demise of SonamChoedonSee Page 3 .....

Lama's political authority to Kalon Tripa, the democratically-elected head of the Tibetan people. He also spoke in detail onthe critical situation prevailing inside Tibet.Kalon Tripa also answered questions on the status of thedialogue process between the Chinese government and envoysof His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and why he chose Japan for hisfirst visit in Asia.The press conference was organised the ForeignCorrespondents' Club of Japan, which also hosted a luncheonreception in honour of Kalon Tripa's visit.Earlier in the morning, Kalon Tripa had a dialogue with notedjournalist Ms Yoshiko Sakurai on the situation in Tibet, for theChichi magazine.

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known Tibetans diedand many got injuredin the firing in Drakgo.In Serta, two knownTibetans died, manywere injured and anunknown numberwere arrested.The county court atDrakgo sentencedseven Tibetans to 10to 13 yearsimprisonment inaddition to imposingfines. Our sourcesidentified thosesentenced as Peldor,Dugyal Nyima, Jhipey,Gyaltho, GyalrongTsetan, TseringDhargyal and SherabRongpo.In Sertha, the countycourt sentenced fourTibetans - Tseyang,Khechung, Tsering

a n d Lenchung - to three toseven years in prison for 'obstructing government activities'.The dates on which the 11 Tibetans were arrested are notknown.The Tibetans in Drakgo and Serta had staged peaceful protestmarches against repressive official policies. Not surprisingly,by labeling these legitimate forms of protests as ‘anti-government, vandalism, and violence', the Chinesegovernment has criminalized all peaceful ways of expressingones opinions and thoughts.The fact that heavy sentences were meted out to 11 Tibetansin less than two months after the protests shows the way inwhich proper judicial procedure had likely been hijacked.

By: YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

A Signature Campaigns launched SFT-INdia calling for Release of theBuddhist Leader, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Dharamshala, India, 7th

April 2012. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: - A worldwide signature campaign launchedby Students for a Free Tibet-India on Saturday, April 7, iscalling on China to release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, theimprisoned Buddhist leader of Tibet. Over 45,000 signatureswere already registered on websites such aswww.freetenzin.org, according to campaigners who have saidthe Buddhist leader is innocent."Today, April 7, 2012, marks the 10th year of injustice of Tenzin

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By: YC. Dhardhowa, The Tibet Post

Tibetans from all over Europe have gathered in Switzerland to takepart in the Second European Tibetan Youth Parliament, in Zuerich,

Swiss, April 6, 2012. Photo: TPI

By: James Dunn, The Tibet Post

London: Tibetans from all over Europe have gathered inSwitzerland to take part in the Second European Tibetan YouthParliament. They aim to address the pressing issues effectingnot only Tibetans in Europe but all Tibetans.The opening ceremony took place yesterday, Friday, followedby the keynote address by Members of Tibetan Parliament inExile, Ven. Thubten Wangchen and Chungdak Koren.The Tibetan Youth Association in Europe (TYAE) was foundedin 1970. In the last four decades, the TYAE has become one ofthe most active and well-known Tibetan organisation in Europe.TYAE has a long tradition of providing a platform for active

world-nobel-laureates-tibet

By: Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

Dharamshala: - A group of 12 Nobel Peace Laureates - includingArchbishop Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, andPresident Jose Ramos Horta - today sent a letter to ChinesePresident Hu Jintao urging him to "respect the dignity of theTibetan people" and open "meaningful dialogue" with HisHoliness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders. The letter isin response to the recent spate of self-immolations of Tibetansprotesting the repression of the Tibetan people.Full text of letter:President Hu Jintao,The People's Republic of ChinaBejiing, ChinaDear Mr. President:The people of Tibet wish to be heard. They have long sought

The Tibet Post International 15 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS2 PRESS & STATEMENTS

Exile Women's Group Hots A Crucial PanelDiscussion On Tibet

By Tibetan women's association (TWA)

March 25, 2012 -- TWA to organize Crucial Panel Discussion on India-China-Tibet relations on the eve of ChinesePresident Hu Jintao’s India visit. Photo: TWA

New Delhi: - In the wake of heightening Tibetanresistance and desperation, intensifying Chinesemilitary response, and Asia's looming water crisisthreatening the future of regional stability, there isno doubt that the global eye has shifted east.In preparation for Chinese President Hu Jintao's visitto the Indian capital New Delhi, the Tibetan Women'sAssociation (TWA) hosted an "Academic Dialogue"March 27, 2012 to present imperative viewpoints todecision-makers and the public regarding Sino-Indian-Tibetan affairs. Four speakers debated"What the Tibetan Leverage Means for IndiaToday," and engaged in a question-and- answersession after their individual 15-minute statements.The event, held at the Casuriana Hall of New Delhi'sIndia Habitat Center, commenced with a moment ofsilence to respect those who are contributing to thepeaceful resolution for Tibet crisis - "Tibetan,Chinese, or other, alive or passed on." Specialrecognition was made to yesterday's self-immolationby Jamphel Yeshi (27) in New Delhi on March 26.Following the introduction, four speakers offeredinsight into Sino-India-Tibet realities: Mr. TempaTsering, Special Representative for the Delhi BureauOffice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Dr. MohanGuruswamy, Chairman and Founder of the Centrefor Policy Alternatives and author of ‘Chasing theDragon: Will India Catch Up with China?'; FormerMajor General Vinod Saighal, internationallyacclaimed political author and Executive Director ofEco Monitors Society (EMS); and Tenzin Tsundue,writer, 2001 winner of the Outlook-Picador Awardfor Non-Fiction, and renowned Tibetan activist.Tempa Tsering began the discussion with anoverview of past and present Tibetan history,relating notable events to a declining trust amongAsian neighbors today. Tsering highlighted sourcesof Tibetan inspiration for nonviolent resistance andinsisted that military might is not a sole source ofpower. He called on other countries to representtheir stated principles, and suggested that India cancontribute to progress in Sino-Tibet affairs underthe Middle Way Policy, a path continuouslyencouraged by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.Mohan Guruswamy followed Tsering with acompelling assessment of Indian and Chinesemilitary positioning, the statehood of Tibet, and areview of the Indian policy of compassion towardtroubled governments and citizens. "When theTibetans threw out the Chinese in 1913, they cameto India: we are a place of refuge. We are home toAfghans, Ugyurs, Burmese, Pakistanis, Tamils... itis the nature of India." Dr. Guruswamy insisted thatthough Tibetan activities have a strong impact onthe Indian community, India would not go to warover Tibetan issues-India can only continue topressure for the resumption of dialogues.Tenzin Tsundue started off by acknowledgingUnited States and India's inability to assist Tibet-country efforts that are thwarted by businessinterests. Tsundue recognized India's particularlyimmense desire to lessen neighborly tensions and

claimed that "India gives us [Tibetans] our strength,our confidence-India is our guru." Tsundue pointedto Tibetan unity on the boycott of Losar in honor ofself-immolations, defining the "Tibetan Leverage"to be the Tibetan freedom struggle itself. "If there isany leverage India seeks-it's the Tibetan people-they make the Tibetan freedom struggle a threat toChina." He warned of an impending Chinese collapsethat will drastically damage the western corporateinvestment that has propped China up. "We arealready free and have nothing to lose aside fromChinese insecurity." Tsundue asserted that if Chinahas any fear, it is of the unity and the spiritualstrength of the Tibetan people. He affirmed that ‘thisis the leverage Tibetans have to offer.'Major General Vinod Saighal contended that‘dialogues' are among equals, and the westernrecession has eliminated the ability of manygovernments continue respectable dialogue withChina. "Money talks... the day that India can ‘talk'will be the day India tells China to talk to arepresentative of His Holiness." Until then, GeneralSaighal suggested Tibetan nonviolence itself to bethe ‘Tibetan Leverage," as a force the world hasnever seen before.An audience of students of various levels, newsmedia, concerned citizens, and intellectualsresponded to the statements with follow-upquestions and requests for elaboration during thepreliminary question an answer session, held beforea break for hi-tea.In response to a question requesting concreteexamples of potential Indian action, Tempa Tseringclaimed that India had already done everythingwithin its political limitations, and Guruswamy agreedand said that ‘Freedom is something people mustearn themselves." Tenzin Tsundue pointed to the

many political calculations that failed to predict theArab Spring or the fall of the USSR-human efforts.He suggested that India recognize historical Tibetanindependence in order to claim their right toArunachal Pradesh under the bilateral treaty signedbetween Tibet and British India in 1914.The panelists also responded to inquiries regardingforeign response to self-immolation and mediacoverage of Tibetan events. Guruswamy said thatwhile India is ‘unhappy to see people immolating, ithas a responsibility as a rising power.' Tsundueasserted that ‘Tibetans will fight and win ourfreedom, but we will not kill ourselves - we may setourselves on fire, but we will not hurt the other.This is our spirit'.Upon breaking for hi-tea, approximately tenpolicemen in plain-clothes, led by the DeputyCommissioner of Police, ambushed Tenzin Tsunduewhile he was speaking with guests and"preventatively arrested" him around 5:30 p.m. TWAofficials pleaded with the authorities to let Tsunduecomplete his commitment, but were met with violentshoves. Tsundue was dragged to his feet and forcedout the back door, and his whereabouts remainunknown.Tenzin Tsundue's unexpected detainment proved astark reminder of the reality -‘Tibet's leverage'-thatspawned today's panel discussion.TWA was founded in 1959 in Lhasa, Tibet, and isthe second-largest Tibetan non-governmentalorganization in exile. TWA is committed to theMiddle Way Policy seeking genuine autonomywithin the framework of PRC, and believes thatthought-provoking discussion is one of the effectiveways to mark President Hu Jintao's visit to Indiaand suggest the continuation of dialogues amonggovernment representatives.

Tibetan NGOs Lobby Indian MPs To EndThe Current Crackdowns In Tibet

By The Tibet Post International

Lobbying Indian Parliamentarians in New Delhi. Photo: TPI/file

New Delhi, India: Mr. Chime Youngdung, thePresident of National Democratic Party of Tibet(NDPT) with his team members were arrested andimprisoned for 4 days in Tihar Jail and released on30th March 2012, according a statement issued byNDPT."The arrest took place on 27th March afternoonwhile on their way to MP flats in South Avenue ofNew Delhi for lobbying Indian Parliamentarian. MrYoungdung was arrested along with Ven GendunGyatso, Rigzin Dorjee, and Ms. Tenzin Nordhey.NGO supporting the Tibet issue has initiated a lobbycampaign to gather the support of IndianParliamentarians against the Chinese crackdowninside Tibet and to end the current critical situationin Tibet.Tibetan NGO Lobbies Indian Parliamentarians -Requests Support To Pressurize China to EndCrackdown in Tibet.Mr. Chime Youngdung, the President of NationalDemocratic Party of Tibet (NDPT) with his team wasarrested and imprisoned for 4 days in Tihar Jail andreleased on 30th March 2012. The arrest took placeon 27th March afternoon while on their way to MPflats in South Avenue of New Delhi for lobbyingIndian Parliamentarian. Mr Youngdung was arrested

along with Ven Gendun Gyatso, Rigzin Dorjee, andMs. Tenzin Nordhey.The lobbying program were initiated aftermath ofMr. Inder Singh Namdari, Member of Parliament,raised a question on ongoing self immolations inTibet during Stared Question hour at Indian LokSabha. Another member of parliament, Mr.Shivanand Tiwari had also stated in parliament thatTibet with whom Indians shares strong cultural andspiritual relationship is now facing critical time withmany monks and nuns self immolating themselveswhich is not a suicide case at all. We have not takenany reaction regarding this critical issue in Tibet.Prior to the arrest, the team headed by President ofNDPT and Mr. Lukar Jam, the Vice-president of Gu-Chu-Sum, had lobbied many eminent IndianParliamentarian who are in the Committee of ExternalAffairs of Parliament to raise the Tibet issue and theurgent crisis in Tibet during the ongoing Parliamentsession, such as, Shri. Anand Kumar, Shri. PardeepKumar Singh and Shri. Rajendrasinh Rana ofBhartiya Janata Party, Shri.K.S. Alagiri of CongressParty and Shri.T.K.S.Elangovan of DMK Party. Allthe Indian Members of Parliament assured their fullsupport to the Tibetan cause and pledge to raisethe Tibet issue in parliament session."

International CollaborationSaves the Memories of Tibet’s

Elders

By The Tibet Post International

Dharamshala: - March 30, 2012 - The Tibet OralHistory Project and Memoro-The Bank ofMemories are working together to share theunique culture and history of Tibet with the world.The Tibet Oral History Project documents theextraordinary lives of exiled Tibetan elders-the lastgeneration to live in a free, unoccupied Tibet-and preserves memories of their homeland forfuture generations. The Project has alreadyvideotaped the eyewitness accounts of 120 elderlyTibetan refugees and this May, their oral historyteam of Tibetans and Americans will meet inDharamsala, India, home of the Tibetangovernment in exile, to videotape 50 more oralhistories with the oldest surviving Tibetan elders.When the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet in1959, an estimated 80,000 Tibetans followed theirspiritual leader into exile in India where most nowlive. The Tibet Oral History Project (TOHP)(www.TibetOralHistory.org) documents therefugees' early peaceful life in Tibet and thedevastating impact of the Chinese invasion and

occupation on their families, livelihood, socialstructure and religious practices. Now at the agesof 70, 80 or 90, these refugees are the lastgeneration who can describe the rich and ancienttraditions of Tibet as an independent country.Now these important stories will reach an evenwider audience with the help of Memoro-TheBank of Memories (www.memoro.org), also a non-profit organization, dedicated to collecting theexperiences and life stories of people born before1950. The Memoro website enables the public toupload short audio or video clips of elders' lifestories and provides free distribution of thiscollection on an international scale.Not only will memories and life stories bepreserved, but more importantly they are beingshared on a medium, the Internet, that is able toreach young people. Memoro aims to be a bridgebetween generations, in which they ask to theyounger technology savvy generations tobecome "Memory Hunters", active listeners andsharers of memories from the elderly. This project

enables the elders to return to the role of "wisdomholders", which they held just few decades ago.Memoro is also a place where people ororganizations already collecting oral histories ofelders can easily publish and share all or part oftheir work and invite visitors to their own websiteor physical exposition, such as the collaborationnow established with the Tibet Oral HistoryProject.Memoro recently archived of TOHP's 22 shortvideos from the Tibetan elders' eyewitnessaccounts with many more to be added in thefuture. The special section of Memoro devotedto Tibet will be translated into seven languagesfor Memoro websites hosted on each continent.TOHP is also making video footage and Englishtranscripts of the oral history interviews availablethrough their own website, the United StateLibrary of Congress and several universities andarchives.Memoro invites everyone to help preserve thewisdom culture of Tibet. Anyone living near acommunity of Tibetan refugees can easily recorda Tibetan elder's story with an iPhone, iPad orAndroid App and upload the stories directly toMemoro's website. Visit Memoro's Tibetansection for more information: http://www.memoro.org/us-en/tibet/.About the Tibet Oral History Project:At the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,the Tibet Oral History Project was initiated in 2003by Marcella Adamski, Ph.D to record the earlylife experiences of Tibetan elders, who were forcedto flee their homeland in 1959 following theChinese invasion and subsequent occupation.The Tibet Oral History Project is a non-profitorganization committed to making the elders' oralhistory interviews accessible via the Internet inorder to share with the world the culture andhistory of Tibet.About Memoro-The Bank of Memories:

Memoro-The Bank of Memories is a non-profitorganization, dedicated to collecting theexperiences and life stories of people born before1950. Established in Turin, Italy, in August 2007,the first website was launched in June 2008 andnow the project is active in 14 countries on fourcontinents. Videos on the Memoro website havebeen viewed more than eight million times sincethe website launched in 2008.

politically interested young Tibetans and trainingthem to become future leaders for the Tibetmovement. Besides the political freedom strugglefor the future of Tibet, this organisation has aimedat building awareness of and preserving our distinctidentity, culture, religion and language. Today theTYAE has over 400 members Europe-wide.Over the next two days, around 120 participantsfrom 9 European countries will debate on diversesubjects regarding the Tibetan movement. The YouthParliament's primary aim is to take action and tostrengthen the network among the Tibetan youthin Europe.During the opening ceremony, Norzin-LhamoDotschung, Member of the Organising Committeeand President of the Tibetan Youth Association inEurope, highlighted the importance of theParliamentary meeting during this troubling year

for Tibet, "What we have in common and whatconnects us is the will and motivation to work hardfor our homeland and to affect change".The recent string of self-immolations will no doubtbe at the forefront of discussions throughout thetwo-day program with an additional discussiongroup organised even after the end of theParliament. This open talk, entitled ‘Reflections onthe Self-Immolations in Tibet', will pose questionssuch as, "in exile, do we even have any influenceover these developments?" and "What should webe preparing ourselves for?".The importance these self-immolations are playingin the future of Tibet was highlighted in thekeynote address by Ven. Thubten Wangchen,"Unfortunately, this tragic and dramatic action ofself-immolations inside Tibet and India is beingrepeated. Therefore, the United Nations andleaders of international communities must intervenenow to stop Chinese extreme and violent attacksagainst Tibetans who are simply advocating ourbasic human rights and freedom"Norzin added in his opening speech that, "Theatmosphere is clearly very positive regarding thepower of Tibetan Youth to take action".The TYAE hopes to encourage the youth toactively take part and educate themselves throughpolitical debates on the future of Tibet and earlyindicators from the Parliamentary meeting are verypositive.

..... Tibetans in Europe Exercisetheir Freedom, 2nd youth

Parliament...... Continues From front Page

15 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS 3EXILE

Tibetan parliament thank US Senatefor 6-Point Tibet Resolution

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet.Net

Mr. Penpa Tsering, the speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exile delivering his opening speech at the first day ofsecond session of the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, being held in Dharamshala, India, 16th September 2011.

Photo: TPI

Dharamsala: The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile hasexpressed its deep appreciation to US Senators forunanimously passing a resolution on Tibet lastmonth in view of spate of tragic self-immolations ofTibetans.The six-point resolution, introduced by SenatorsDianne Feinstein and Joseph Lieberman, mournsthe death of Tibetans who have self-immolated anddeplores the repressive policies targeting Tibetans".The resolution calls on the Chinese government tosuspend implementation of religious controlregulations, reassess religious and security policiesimplemented in Tibet, and resume a dialogue withTibetan Buddhist leaders, including the Dalai Lama.It urges the Chinese government to release allpersons that have been arbitrarily detained; tocease the intimidation, harassment and detentionof peaceful protestors; and to allow unrestrictedaccess to journalists, foreign diplomats, andinternational organizations to Tibet.It commends His Holiness the Dalai Lama for hisdecision to devolve his political power in favorof a democratic system.It congratulates Tibetans living in exile for

Tibetan youth jumped from the bridge intothe Ganga rive for a free Tibet

By RTYC Dharamsala.

Dhondup Phuntsok. Photo: RTYC, Dhasa.

Dharamsala: Tibetan Youth, Dhondup PhuntsokJumped from Howrah Bridge into Ganga River inKolkotta in an attempt to Free Tibet.As the world grieves in horror by repeated newsof Tibetan self-immolations from Tibet, martyrJamphel Yeshi's self-immolation in Delhi shockedthe world as he set himself ablaze and burn todeath in front of the world media. And now, thenews of Tibetan youth giving his life by jumpingfrom a bridge and drowning in a river in Calcuttahas gripped the Tibetan world.According to various sources in Calcutta,Dhendup Phuntsok Jumped from the GiganticHowrah Bridge into Ganga river and died. Beforehis final act of sacrifice left text messages withsome of his friends and a suicide note which isat the moment with the police who areinvestigating into the case of his death.On the night of 3rd April, deeply disturbed byJamphel Yeshi's self-immolation in Delhi he sentthis last text message to Ruby Mukherjee a longtime Tibet supporter he said: " I want to do itmyself n it is my personal decision whatsoeverd consequences maybe tonite, u dont worry I mnot associating any 1 in this act as this is justme n myself, I will delete all the phone numberfrom my cell so that no one gets disturbed if I mcaught in this act okay plz dont mind n dontworry coz you can count on my words..FreeTibet ".Since 3rd April night his mother Dechen Dolmaand Dhendup's friends and went looking for him,and found no until 6th April morning when hisbody was finished out of the Ganga. He wasfound wearing a FREE TIBET T-shirt.Dhendup Phuntsok was studying in the ScottishChurch College in Calcutta. Born in Darjeelingand attended school in the hill station Dhenduplater moved to Calcutta with his family. A Tibetanresident of calcutta Mr Yeshi said "His familyhad always been in India, his grand father wholives at the ripe age of 83 recounts their livesDarjeeling even from the British Raj. They callthemselves the Bhutais. But its amazing how ason of old Tibetans gave his life for Tibet whenTibetans are suffering so much under China today."Dhendup came across to me as a spirited youngman who was willing to do anything for Tibet.Though I never met him, he used to often message

The Chinese government has imposed securityblockade around the prefectural governmentheadquarters by deploying a large number of specialarmed police.Tenpa Dargey studied philosphy at Kirti monasteryin Ngaba from 2003-2009. While studying in Tsodunmonastery, he was regarded as one of the beststudents in the logical debate class. He was theyoungest of four brothers and sisters.Chimey Palden joined Kirti monastery as aphilosophy student in 2009, but stayed only for afew months. During a visit to Lhasa in 2010, hewas arbitrarily detained by public security bureaufor keeping His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s photo,the Tibetan national flag and a nationalist song inhis mobile phone.The Tsodun Kirti monastery is located 82 km fromBarkham town. The formal name of the monasteryis Ganden Tashi Choeling. The monastery hascurrently at least 300 monks. It is one of the largest

Gelugpa monasteries in Gyalrong.Since 2009, 34 Tibetans have set themselves onfire calling for freedom and His Holiness the DalaiLama’s return to his homeland. 23 of these self-immolators have died, and others are eithercritically injured or remain unaccounted for. (ReadFact Sheet)Reiterating the US government’s deep concernover the tense situation in Tibet, State DepartmentSpokeperson Victoria Nuland on Wednesday said:“We remain deeply concerned about the tensionsand the human rights violations in the Tibetanareas.”“China’s own continuing vilification of the DalaiLama and repeated accusations with regard to theDalai Lama and saying that he’s directly involvedadds to the Tibetan grievances and just makes thesituation worse. So we continue to call on Chinato respect the human rights of Tibetans and toallow journalists in, et cetera,” Nuland said.

..........Two More Tibetans Self-Immolatein Barkham, Eastern Tibet

...... Continues From front Page

holding, on 20 March 2011, a competitive, multi-candidate election that was free, fair, and metinternational electoral standards.It reaffirms the unwavering friendship betweenthe people of the United States and the people ofTibet.The resolution was co-sponsored by SenatorsMarco Rubio (R-Fla.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), DickDurbin (D-Ill.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jim Webb(D-Va.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.),Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.)and Tom Udall (D-N.M.)."We express our deep appreciation and gratituteto US Senators Dianne Feinstein and JosephLieberman and others for their support in passinga six-point resolution for the end to repression inTibet," the Tibetan Parliament wrote in its 4th April2012 letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein and others."This resolution has exposed the Chinesegovernment's repressive policies in Tibet and wehope it will help in resolving the issue of Tibet,"the letter noted."We always remain deeply grateful for the steadfastsupport of the US Senators," it noted.

Kalon Tripa Opens Conference on Tibet’sGlobal Significance


Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay and Mr Dalip Mehta, a former Indian Ambassador.Photo: Tibetan Official Media: Tibet.Net

Dharamsala: Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangaytoday inaugurated ‘Tibet: The Third Pole & ItsGlobal Significance', a one-day conferenceorganised by the Tibet Policy Institute atGangchen Kyishong.The chief guest at the inaugural session was MrDalip Mehta, a former Indian ambassador toBhutan and various other Central Asian Republicsof Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.Thanking Mr Dalip Mehta for gracing theconference with his presence, Kalon Tripa saidthe idea behind the formation of the Tibet PolicyInstitute (TPI) is to create an intellectual hub herein Dharamshala where experts will be invited tospeak on a weekly or monthly basis."Since it's launch, TPI has organised manyseminars but this is the first conference where apanel discussion is being held. Soon, we will havetwo panel discussions a year, a day-longconference and another major conference whichcould be two-three days long," he said.

Speaking on the topic of the conference, he saidTibet is accurately called the Third Pole by somescientists as it has the third highest concentrationof ice and snow after the Antartic and the Arctic."Unlike the Antartic and the Arctic, Tibet hasmajor global significance because when Tibet'sice melts, it converts into fresh water andcontributes to about 10 major rivers of the worldincluding the Brahmaputra, Indus, Mekong,Yangtze and the Yellow river which is the basis ofChina's civilization," he said."Wars have been fought over land before, warsare being fought for energy now and very soonwars will be fought over water," he said.He also questioned the benefits and the riskfactors associated with the damming of many ofthe Tibetan rivers by the Chinese government.He concluded by saying the significance ofTibet's environment transcends much beyond ournational borders and added that saving Tibet issaving yourself.

Dr Dalip Mehta, the chief guest, spoke about therelevance of Tibet from the point of view ofregional security."It is unacceptable to say that peace in Asia, to avery large extent, depends on the relationshipbetween India and China," he said.‘Until China invaded Tibet in 1949, Tibetthroughout its independent existence, had beena zone of peace and a source for regional stabilitybeing an effective space between Asia's twolargest and most populous nations namely Chinaand India.'"The geopolitical reality changed after Tibet'soccupation by China. India and China now sharesa long and dangerously militarised border of over4500 kms with claims and counter claims, andwhich had led to a war between these two nationsin 1962," he said."Today, India and China are both nuclear powerswith regional and global aspirations with Tibetno longer as the buffer state. And herein lies thesignificance of Tibet in India's relation withChina," he said.He also raised issues regarding the dumping ofnuclear waste in Tibet, the heavy militarisation ofthe region and the 1,100 kms rail link betweenLhasa and Golmud which was aimed to enable arapid transport of troops and military hardware."China can now deploy 12 PLA divisions in Tibetagainst India at a very short notice, courtesy thisrail link," he asserted.He said the implications of the Chinese activitiesin Tibet are irreversible and that India shouldstrongly support His Holiness the Dalai Lama'smiddle way approach as it is the only workableway to bring about a reconciliation between theTibetans and the Chinese.He concluded his indictment by asserting that asafe Tibet is fundamentally about securing Asia'sfuture.The conference also featured other speakers likeMr Matthew Akester, an independent researcherwho spoke about the rampant mining in Tibet, MrTsering Dhondup and Mr Tenzin Norbu,researchers from the Central TibetanAdministration's Environment Desk as well as MrThinley Jigme, Mr Tenzin Dheden and Prof.Ngawang Phuntsok.

me or call me discussing with me how to betterspread the word about Tibet among Indiancommunity" said Tenzin Tsundue, President ofRegional Tibetan youth Congress.After 33 cases of self immolations, Dhendup

Phuntsok sacrificed his life by drowning into theGanga river. Though we are grieved by his death,his sacrifice for the country's freedom make all ofus proud said Tsering Yangchen vice Presidentof regional Tibetan youth Congress.

Central Tibetan AdministrationCondoles Demise of Sonam Choedon


Late Sonam Choedon, former servent of CTA who passed in US recently. Photo: File

Dharamshala: - The Central Tibetan Administrationtoday mourned the death of Sonam Choedon, a civilservant, who was killed in a shooting rampage inCalifornia Monday.Sonam Choedon and six other people were killedafter a man opened fire at Oikos University, a Korean-American Christian University, in Oakland, Californiayesterday. Oikos University founder, Pastor JongKim, tells the Oakland Tribune newspaper that theshooter is a former nursing student. Kim said he didnot know whether the suspect was expelled fromthe school or dropped out. The gunman surrenderedshortly after the shooting.In a statement, the Kashag said today it was deeply

saddened on hearing the tragic news of SonamChoedon's demise.All the officials of the administration attended aprayer service at the staff auditorium at 3:30 pm,following which all the offices remained closed as amark of respect.Kashag Secretary Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok read outa brief biography of late Sonam Choedon at theprayer service.Sonam Choedon joined the Central TibetanAdministrative service on 7 September 2005. Sheserved in the Kashag Secretariat, Home Departmentand Education Department till 6 June 2010, afterwhich she left for the US on leave.

The Tibet Post International 15 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS4 H.H. THE DALAI LAMA

Thousands attend the Dalai Lama’steachings at Chime

Gatsal Ling

By Dalailama.com

His Holiness the Dalai Lama greeting many of the thousands that came to listen to his teachings Chime Gatsal Lingin Sidhbari, HP, India, on April 4, 2012. Photo: TPI/ Sangay

Sidhbari, HP, India, 4 April 2012- Thousands ofdevotees, including new arrivals from Tibet andforeigners, are attending a three-day teachingsby His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Chime GatsalLing Monastery in Sidhbari, near Dharamshala.The Dalai Lama is conferring the KagyaeInitiations at the request of H.E. Garje Khamtrul

US Senate Urges China toEnd Repressive Policies in

Tibet

By Tibetan Official Media: Tibet Net

From left: Senator Barasso, Senator Liberman, Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Senator McCain and Senator TomUdall on November 3, 2011. Photo: TPI/file

Dharamshala: - The US Senate unanimouslypassed a resolution introduced by Senators DianneFeinstein (D-Calif.) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.)on Friday urging the Chinese government to endits repressive policies in Tibet.Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay, during his meetingwith members of US Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee in the presence of His Holiness theDalai Lama in Washington DC last July, urged theSenate to pass a resolution in light of the tensesituation in Tibet. Dr Sangay informed SenatorJohn Kerry, Chairman of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee and its members of thesituation in Tibet and how there was a form ofundeclared martial law in Tibet. Senator John Kerryand other Senators agreed to consider theresolution.Kalon Tripa also laid emphasis on the need tosupport education of the Tibetan people and tohelp them have economic sustenance. Thesenators and the Tibetan leaders discussed whatthe Senate could do to help the Tibetan people.During his subsequent to Washington DC inNovember that year after formally assuming thecharge of Kalon Tripa, Dr Lobsang Sangayreceived assurance of continued strong supportfrom Senators Dianne Feinstein, Joseph Lieberman,John McCain, Tom Udall, John Barrasso, MarcoRubio among others.On the unanimous passage of the resolution onTibet in the Senate, Senator Dianne Feinstein said:"The Senate has sent a clear message to theTibetan people: we stand in solidarity with you asyou strive to preserve your culture and practiceyour faith freely.""The time has come for China to heed this messageand end its repressive policies in Tibet. HisHoliness has consistently made it clear that he doesnot support independence for Tibet, but rather ameaningful cultural and religious autonomy withinthe People's Republic of China," said SenatorFeinstein."It is my fervent hope that passage of thisresolution will convince China to engage the DalaiLama through dialogue and negotiation onaddressing the legitimate grievances of allTibetans," Senator Feinstein added.Senator Joseph Lieberman said: "This resolution

Delek Rinpoche's imprisonment, Students for afree Tibet network everywhere, we're launching apetition campaign to highlight his cause. So far,website such as http://freetenzin.org, we havemanaged to collect over 45,000 signatures andwe will be forward more signatures, all will bedeliver to Mr. Zhou Yongkhang, who was Sichuanparty secretary when Rinpoche was arrested onfalse allegation in 2002," said Tenzin Jigdal,program director for Students for a Free Tibet-India."10 years too long; Tibetans escalate campaignfor release of innocent Buddhist leader onanniversary of his arrest. Top Chinese officialZhou Yongkhang targeted for his rile in TenzinDelek Rinpoche's imprisonment," said in astatement released by Student for a Free Tibet-India."On the 10th- year anniversary of this arrest,Tibetans and their supporters worldwide havewowed to escalate the campaign for the releaseof Tenzin Deleks Rinpoche, a highly reveredBuddhist leader framed and subsequentlyimprisoned by Chinese authorities for crimes hedid not commit. This week thousands of lettersappealing for his release have sent to Zhou

Yongkhang, the politburo Standing Committeemember who is currently facing speculation of aconnection to the Bo Xilai scandal that rockedChina last month. Zhou was Sichuan Partysecretary in 2002 when Tenzin Delek Rinpochewas arrested for this alleged involvement in aseries of explosions in Chengdu; allegations thatare unproven to this day," the statement added.In a global campaign effort today, students for afree Tibet-India is gathering signatures inMcLeod Gan and several other Indian cities for aworldwide petition demanding Rinpoche'simmediate and unconditional release."On this day 10 yeast ago, Chinese authoritiesarrested Tenzin Delek Rinpoche for the simple factthat he was a Tibetans whose influence wasgrowing because of this social work andcommunity leadership. Rinpoche was since beena prisoner of the Chinese state, and every day hespends in prison is one day too many," saidTenzin Dolkar, Grassroots Coordinator of Studentsfor a free Tibet-India.Zhuo Yongkhang served as the party secretaryof Sichuan from 1999 to 2002, during which timeTenzin Delek Rinpoche was arrested andsentenced to death in a closed-door trial on

bombing charges. After a high-profile globalcampaign to save this life, China commuted hisdeath sentence to life imprisonment in 2004.Shortly after Tenzin Delek's conviction Zhou waspromoted as Minister of Public Security. In hiscurrent position head of the powerful CentralPolitical and Legislative Committee, Zhouoversees China's security forces and lawenforcement institutions and has the authority toorder Tenzin Delek's release."Zhou boosted his career by overseeing thepolitically motivated arrest and imprisonment ofTenzin Delek Rinpoche, a strong advocate ofTibetan cultural and religious rights. Zhou maysit at the top of China's authoritarian hierarchybut he will face escalating global pressure andscrutiny until he orders the release of TenzinDelek. This innocent monk should suffer one moreday in prison," said Tenzin Jigdal. Tenzin Delek isinnocent, Zhou Yongkhang is the real criminalresponsible for the outright repression of aninnocent Tibetan monk, we demand this injusticeimmediately rectified.Due to the torture and abuse Tenzin Deleks hassuffered in prison, his health has deteriorated inthe past ten years. He suffers from a heat

..... Global Signature Campaigns Calling for Release of Tenzin Delek...... Continues From front Page

Rinpoche.Speaking at the beginning of the teachings, the76-year old Tibetan spiritual leader reiterated thathis decision to devolve his political authoritiesto the elected Tibetan leadership last year is forthe benefit of the Tibetan people in the long run."The situation prior to 300 years is different from

now," the Dalai Lama said. "This is the 21stcentury and the age of the people, the public."In his message to the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exilein March last year, the Dalai Lama had made clearthat his intention to devolve political authority is"solely for the benefit of the Tibetan people inthe long run.""No system of governance can ensure stabilityand progress if it depends solely on one personwithout the support and participation of thepeople in the political process," His Holiness hadsaid. "One man rule is both anachronistic andundesirable. We have made great efforts tostrengthen our democratic institutions to servethe long-term interests of the six million Tibetans,not out of a wish to copy others, but becausedemocracy is the most representative system ofgovernance."According to the organisers, a special prayersession for the Tibetans who have lost their livesin the ongoing wave of self-immolations and massprotests in Tibet will also be organised along withthe teachings.Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche Jamyang Dondrub, ahighly respected teacher and master and a formercivil servant of the Tibetan exile administrationestablished the Chime Gatsal Ling, in 1991 inMcleod Ganj.His Holiness the Dalai Lama formally inauguratedand consecrated the new monastery in April 2010.On Friday, the last day of the teachings, a long-life offering ceremony for the Dalai Lama will beheld.

Tibetan arrested for sighting His Holiness’vision in moon


Dharamsala: The Chinese government hasforbidden Tibetans living in Tibet from keeping theirmost-revered spiritual leader His Holiness the DalaiLama's photos in homes, monasteries, to name afew. An act of defiance from Tibetans definitely leavethem in facing the inevitable consequences.But now, for Tibetans, even seeking just a vision ofHis Holiness the Dalai Lama in the moon has becomean punishable act.A report coming out of Tibet say Phurbu Namgyal,a 20-year-old youth from Lhundup district nearTibet's capital Lhasa, saw reflection of His Holinessthe Dalai Lama in the moon recently.He confided his experience to his friends whileworking together at a club house in Lhasa. He toldthem that if someone gazes at the night sky one cansee His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the moon. All ofthem then started looking at the sky to see the visionoutside the club. The police from the public securitybureau knew about this and arbitrarily picked upPhurbu Namgyal alleging him for committing anillegal act.His whereabouts and well-being remain unknown.

conditions and high blood pressure for which heis not receiving medical attention. Rinpoche'srelatives, students, and local Tibetans are activelypetitioning for the release of their beloved andrespected Buddhist leader. In 2009, in a remarkableact of support and bravery, 40,000 Tibetans insideTibet signed petitions demanding justice for theirBuddhist leader."The global petition for the release of Tenzin DelekRinpoche comes as protests inside Tibet areintensifying with thousands of Tibetans takingto the streets since January 2012. Thesedemonstrations are part of an unprecedentedwave of political protests, including 33 Tibetanswho self-immolated since 2009 in an effort to bringinternational attention tot the oppressive realitiesinside Tibet," it further stated."Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is known for hisdedication to preserving Tibetan religion andculture and protecting the environment. He builtmany schools, monasteries, and orphanages inhis area, and is an advocate of the Dalai Lama'sphilosophy of nonviolence. Because of TenzinDelek Rinpoche's influence in his community andhis efforts to preserve Tibetan identity, he was

recognizes the importance of this historic vote,which resulted in the election of an exceptionallytalented and impressive new Prime Minister orKalon Tripa, Dr. Lobsang Sangay.""Unfortunately, at the same time that Tibetansoutside China have been making inspiring progresstowards democracy, Tibetans inside China aresuffering from increased repression andpersecution - causing Tibetans to immolatethemselves in protest. This is a critical moment forthe Senate to reaffirm that the treatment of Tibetansin China and denial of fundamental human rightsthere is a source of deep concern for the UnitedStates," Senator Lieberman added.In addition to Senators Feinstein and Lieberman,the resolution was cosponsored by Marco Rubio(R-Fla.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jim Webb (D-Va.), MarkUdall (D-Colo.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Patrick Leahy(D-Vt.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Tom Udall(D-N.M.).

The resolution:

· Mourns the death of Tibetans who have self-immolated and deplores the repressive policiestargeting Tibetans;· Calls on the People's Republic of China to suspendimplementation of religious control regulations,reassess religious and security policiesimplemented in Tibet, and resume a dialogue withTibetan Buddhist leaders, including the DalaiLama;· Calls on the People's Republic of China to releaseall persons that have been arbitrarily detained; tocease the intimidation, harassment and detentionof peaceful protestors; and to allow unrestrictedaccess to journalists, foreign diplomats, andinternational organizations to Tibet;· Commends His Holiness the Dalai Lama for hisdecision to devolve his political power in favor ofa democratic system;· Congratulates Tibetans living in exile for holding,on March 20, 2011, a competitive, multi-candidateelection that was free, fair, and met internationalelectoral standards; and· Reaffirms the unwavering friendship between thepeople of the United States and the people of Tibet.

an obstacle to the Chinese authorities' control inthe region. Over the course of a decade, he wasthe target of harassment, intimidation, and controlby Chinese officials."OverviewTrulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a highly respectedBuddhist spiritual leader from Lithang county,eastern Tibet, was sentenced to death onDecember 2nd, 2002 on charges of involvementin a series of unsolved explosions. His co-defendant, Lobsang Dhondup, was executedshortly after. Thousands of people around theworld advocated for the release of Tenzin Delekand after years of intense campaigning, hissentence was finally commuted to life imprisonmentin 2005.Human rights organizations around the worldbelieve he was framed because he is viewed by theChinese government as a threat to their control ofTibet. The Chinese government did not presentcredible evidence against Tenzin Delek Rinpocheor any of the Tibetans detained in connection withthis case. They were denied access to independentlawyers and did not have a fair trial. Now, ten yearsafter his arrest, he is still serving a life sentence forcrimes he did not commit.

15 April, 2012 Dharamshala The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWS 5

Japanese Think-tank Hosts Int’l SymposiumOn Kalon Tripa’s Visit


Symposium at Kensei Kinen Kaikan organized by Japan Institute for National fundamentals (JINF).Photo: Tibet Net

Tokyo: - Speaking at a conference organised by aleading Japanese think-tank, Japan Institute ForNational Fundamentals in Tokyo, Kalon Tripa DrLobsang Sangay said the Central TibetanAdministration has worked tirelessly for thedevelopment of democracy for the past 50 yearsand will continue to put greater efforts in itsendeavour.

Tibetan Health Kalon Meets Taiwan’sTop Health Officials


Health Kalon Dr Tsering Wangchuk (3rd left) with Taiwan’s minister of Health Mr Wen-Ta Chiu (4th left) in Taipeion 11 April 2012

Taipei: - Kalon Dr. Tsering Wangchuk have met topTaiwanese health offices to garner their supporttowards the health care system in the exile Tibetancommunity.The Health Kalon raised the exiled Tibetancommunity's health care system during his meetingwith Taiwanese health minister, Wen-Ta Chiu andDirector of Bureau of International Cooperation,Department of Health, Mr Hsu Min Hu on 11 April.Dr. Ming-Liang Lee former Taiwan's Minister ofhealth was also present in the meeting.Given Taiwan's advancement in public health caresystem, Kalon Dr. Tsering Wangchuk urged forsupport and co-operation from Taiwan in varioushealth education and training programmes inTibetan community.They also discussed future co-operation in termsof both short- and long-term exchange and trainingprogrammes for students.Kalon Dr Wangchuk also visited Taipei City Hospital

INTERNATIONAL

In his speech, Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangaytalked about the growth of Tibetan democracy aswell as about the urgent situation prevailing insideTibet currently.Due to the severe repression in Tibet by theChinese government, 33 Tibetans have setthemselves on fire in protest against the policiesadopted by the Chinese government in Tibet, he

said."We are all humans and life is precious to us.Nobody wants to die. So how does such asituation arise? The only reason is that they wantto highlight the grim situation inside Tibet to theoutside world, he asserted."The world community has extended their fullsupport when a Tunisian set himself on fire. Butwhat has happened with the crisis in Tibet. Thelives of the Tibetan people are as precious asevery one else," Dr Lobsang Sangay said."Due to the severe restrictions imposed by theChinese government, the Tibetan people have noopportunity to practice their religion freely norwere they given equal rights when it comes tolanguage and individual liberties," he said.The Tibetan people inside Tibet have protestedtime and again, calling for the return of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and the right tosafeguard their religion and culture."And I am here to convey the aspirations andsufferings to the outside world on behalf of theTibetans in Tibet," Kalon Tripa added.The conference was attended by variousintellectuals and professors including the formerprime minister of Japan.Earlier, Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay hasaddressed a group of overseas Chinese mediabased in Tokyo and answered questions rangingfrom the grim situation prevailing inside Tibet tothe growth of Tibetan democracy and the needfor the resumption of dialogue between theChinese leadership and the envoys of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama.

Japan Resolution Urges China to EndRepression in Tibet


Sixty parliamentarians from five political parties of Japan met at the parliament to discussed and pass a resolutionon the situation in Tibet. Photo: tibet.net

Tokyo: On the final day of Kalon Tripa's visit toJapan yesterday, sixty Japanese Parliamentariansfrom five political parties of Japan passed aresolution expressing their grave concern overtragic self-immolation of Tibetans in Tibet andurging the Chinese government to end its decadesof repressive policies by addressing the Tibetans'grievances."We call on the Chinese government to respondpositively to outstanding visit request from theSpecial Rapporteur on the freedom of religion orbelief and halt the repression of human rightsimmediately," the resolution said."Years of restrictions on Tibetans' rights are the

underlying causes of the protests by way of self-immolation. It is clearly time for the Chinesegovernment to fundamentally rethink its approachby listening to and addressing the Tibetans'grievances," it said."We believe that if China realizes a truly"harmonious society" by respecting Tibetans'rights, then Japan and China will be able to a trulymeaningful strategic benefit," it said.The resolution expresses the Japanese ParliamentMembers' serious concern over the unending self-immolation of Tibetans since March 2012.It calls on the Chinese government to end thesuppression of Tibetans' fundamental human

rights by removing restrictions from themonasteries and patriotic re-education tactics.It further urge the Chinese government to giveclear information on the whereabouts and well-being of Tibetan monks and laymen arrested inconnection with the self-immolation incidents.The media and foreign tourists must be givenfreedom to visit the Tibetan areas, it said.It underlined that there should be direct andresult-oriented dialogue between the Chinesegovernment and the Central TibetanAdministration.Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay briefed theparliamentarians in detail about the situation inTibet and answered their questions.Mr Lhakpa Tshoko, the Representative of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama in Japan, who waspresented at the meeting of Japaneseparliamentarians, said: "It is unprecedented in thehistory of Japan that such a large number of itsparliamentarians met to deliberate the urgentsituation in Tibet with great concern and evenpassed a resolution. They have sown a seed forthe future good of the issue of Tibet."Later in the evening, Kalon Tripa delivered a talkon "Global warming with special emphasis on thefragile Tibetan environment".Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay, during hismaiden five-day visit to Japan, met two formerJapanese prime minister, Tokyo Governor,Parliamentarians, journalists and general publicto apprise them on the critical situation in Tibetand appealed to the Japanese people for theircontinued support on Tibet.Kalon Tripa visited Japan at the invitation fromformer prime minister Shinzo Abe. Mr Abe, onaccount of his busy schedule during a visit toIndia last year, sent his representatives toDharamsala to convey his greetings to Kalon Tripaand invited him to Japan.

meaningful autonomy, and chosen negotiation andfriendly help as their means of attaining it. Theynow turn to protest. The international community isconcerned by the drastic expressions of resentmentby the people of Tibet through self-immolation. TheChinese government should hear their voices,understand their grievances and find a non-violentsolution.That solution is offered by our friend and brotherHis Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has never soughtseparatism, and has always chosen a peaceful path.We strongly urge the Chinese government to seizethe opportunity he provides for a meaningfuldialogue. Once formed, this channel should remain

open, active and productive. It should addressissues that are at the heart of the current tension,respecting the dignity of the Tibetan people andthe integrity of China.Specifically, we are respectfully requesting that theChinese government release all those who have beenarbitrarily detained; cease the intimidation,harassment and detention of peaceful protestors;allow unrestricted access for journalists, foreigndiplomats, and international organizations to Tibet;and respect religious freedom.It is especially important to understand that theinternational community will be reassured if yourgovernment would allow members of the press andUnited Nations Human Rights investigators full

... World Nobel Laureates Urge President Hu for Dialogue on Tibet...... Continues From front Page

access within Tibet. Without that access, progressis unlikely and an opportunity may be lost.Sincerely,Desmond TutuJody WilliamsRigoberta Menchu TumJose Ramos HortaLeymah GboweeAdolfo Perez EsquivelShirin EbadiLech WalesaMairead Corrigan MaguireJon HumeBetty WilliamsCarlos Belo

(TCH) and met with Medical Deputy Affair DrChung-Hua Hsu and other medical staff of thehospital. TCH is one of the top hospital practicingboth traditional Chinese and western medicalsystem. It shares similarity with the Tibetan medicalsystem in terms of its focus on research.Dr Wangchuk visited Centers for Disease Control,where he watched a short film about the Preventionand Control of Hepatitis B in Taiwan. Dr. Carol, Ju-sin, Chen, Medical officer of the Centers for DiseaseControl, briefed him on prevention and control ofHepatitis B in Taiwan. They exchanged views onthe treatment, public education and ways to controlHepatitis B and C.Earlier on 10 April, Health Kalon met with vice-president of County Health Department in Hualien,located in eastern part of Taiwan. He was also invitedto visit two hospitals which mainly looks after thehealth care of aboriginal people of the county. Healso visited Hualein Tzu Chi Hospital.

meet their spiritual leader, His Holiness the DalaiLama and to hope for a better educationalopportunities. Nepal has also been hosting some20,000 Tibetan refugees who fled Tibet after theirnational uprising against Chinese occupation ofTibet in 1959.Addressing a press meet before wrapping up hertwo-day visit to Nepal on Thursday, Sherman saidshe discussed with Prime Minister Bhattarai aboutthe concerns of Tibetan refugees to ensure that theyhave proper identifications so that they can lead alife of dignity and purpose here in Nepal. "We alsodiscussed making sure that documents are quicklyput together to support refugees who arelegitimately visiting United States."Sherman said that lack of proper documents hadmade Tibetan refugees living here face problemswhile trying to find job or higher education or travelabroad. "We did talk with the prime minister aboutidentity cards and documentations for Tibetanrefugees," she added.Sherman had held a meeting with the representativesof Tibetan refugees living here in Kathmandu on

Wednesday and listened to their concerns. "I reallyfelt that the prime minister understood the issue. Iam sure the issues will get resolved," she furthersaid.The issue of Tibetan refugees has come into thelime light lately after the refugees started stagingdemonstration in the Himalayan region since March,2008, marking 50th anniversary of their nationaluprising against Chinese invasion of Tibet.Concerned over the so called security stability inthe Tibet due to activities of Tibetan refugees, Thecommunist regime has been exerting a heavypressure on Nepal to effectively crackdown on theactivities of Tibetan refugees and treat the Tibetanrefugees sneak into Nepal illegally as ‘illegalimmigrants'.Sherman arrived in Kathmandu on second leg ofher tour of South Asian countries after India. Thevisit of Sherman marks the highest political visitfrom Washington since the visit of then Secretaryof State Colin Powell to Nepal in January 2002. Sheis the third highest-ranking official at the USDepartment of State.

... Tibetan Refugees' Problems Will Be Solved: Senior US Official...... Continues From front Page

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Contributors for this Editon

Keary Huang TaiwanMathew Singh Toor IndiaDane Holding USACarly Selby-James AustraliaSamuel Ivo UKLiz Delehant USDennis Barbion BelguimRajeshwari K IndiaGillian stewart USYC. Dhardhowa IndiaSangay Dorjee IndiaPema Tso India

I n t e r n a t i o n a l

The Tibet Post International 15 April, 2012 DharamshalaTPI NEWS6

TOP TEN CLICHES ABOUTENVIRONMENT IN TIBET

By Gabriel lafitte, Outlook Tibet

This is the reason why the yellow river has for somany generations been called “China’s sorrow”,because wherever it slows, it drops its sediment,and the river bed rises above the level of thesurrounding plain, and massive floods spread out.This is what prompted successive Chinese emperorsto prove their power over nature by taming theyellow river, building up its s banks, building damsand many other hydraulic engineering works. It haslong been proof of the legitimacy of an emperor (orCommunist party leader) that he has hydraulicpower over nature; and a sign that he is losinglegitimacy (the mandate of heaven) if he fails tocontrol floods. All of these deep cultural meaningsare due to the erosion of Tibet.

When Chinese scientists speak of desertificationand degradation in the grasslands of Tibet,especially in the region they focus on most, theprefectures of Yushu and Golok, where both the MaChu/Huang he/Yellow River and the Dri Chu/ChangJiang/ Yangtze rise, they assume all degradation tobe unnatural, and problematic. But no-one hasadequately studied the erosion of the Tibetan Plateauwell enough to be able to distinguish clearly howmuch erosion is natural and how much is due tohuman causes, whether the anthropogenic cause isglobal climate change or overgrazing by drogpanomads.

The metaphor of the fragility of life on the TibetanPlateau is appropriate. Encoded in this singe term isthe suggestion that life, especially plant life biomassstruggles to establish itself in such a highly erosive,frigid, windblown, blizzard-prone landscape. Theplant species indigenous to Tibet, both the forestsat lower altitudes and the grasses and sedges ofhigher and drier areas, are a miracle. They adaptedto their circumstances. The kobresia sedges areamazing. They keep most of their biomass, theirliving tissue, below the surface, in a dense rootball,which is protected from gales, blizzards, extremetemperatures and the grazing pressure of yaks,sheep and goats. This in turn protects the soil frombeing eroded away.

When the living turf of the pastures is cut or dug,this exposes the soil to the full force of all the erosivepowers of the earth gods of Tibet. Bare black earthsoon becomes what Chinese scientists call “blackbeach”, the start of uncontrollable, ongoing erosion.There are good reasons for the traditional Tibetanprohibitions on cutting the earth unless necessary,in sheltered valleys, for farming.

Chinese scientists have at most 50 years ofmeasurements taken over a huge area, not a longenough time to have much idea of what is normal orabnormal. There is plenty of evidence that themonsoon itself has changed dramatically over thepast 100,000 years, and even over the past 10,000years which scientists call the Holocene, the recentpast, that includes human use of the Tibetan Plateau.The general trend seems to be that the monsoon isweakening, which may be a major reason whyTibetans have, for thousands of years, been slowlymigrating eastwards, since western or upper Tibet,once suitable for irrigated farming villages thousandsof years ago is now a stony alpine desert.

This means Tibet was much wetter, and the erosivepower of the rivers much greater, in the past, a pastwhich, in geological terms is quite recent. Thismakes it even harder to be sure that the erosion inTibet at present has a human cause, or is natural.China has rushed to blame the nomads,impoverished by being fenced in and restricted intheir mobility, as the primary cause of rangelanddegradation. Evidence for this is at best unclear.The concept of “fragility” is problematic. Aroundthe world, wherever environmentalists campaign tosave a local area from development, they alwayssay what they are they seeking to protect is a fragile(and unique) ecosystem. Of course this is true, inthe sense that all ecosystems are local, and different.All are easily disturbed by human interventions.But if everywhere is fragile, the concept of “fragile”loses meaning.

ECOLOGICAL MIGRATION, GRAIN TO GREEN:CHINA’S SEDUCTIVE BUZZWORDS

The other clichés of today’s Tibet are entirely aChinese choice of seemingly positive phrases tomask socially destructive practices. Grazing ban,ecological migration, leap-style development,comfortable housing, grain to green, are the keyphrases used over and over in Chinese propaganda,on the principle of telling people something theywill be pleased to hear, even if it has little to do withground reality.

Although Tibetans have tried hard to expose the

REPRESENTING TIBETAN ENVIRONMENT ANDDEVELOPMENT:

What do we mean by our ten top key phrases?A presentation to a TIBET POLICY INSTITUTEseminar 29 March 2012So many people speak of Tibet, or for Tibet, with variousagendas. The language used to represent today’s Tibetinevitably settles on metaphors which do a lot of work,which pack in many meanings. Each of the metaphorsin common use comes with multiple associations. Ifwe identify those echoes and amplifications, whicharise in the minds of those who hear them when weuse these words, we may notice some are helpful, someare not. So this is an attempt to pull apart the bundle ofideas and images wrapped up in those familiar phraseswhich have become so naturalised we often forgetthey are an invented short cut.Some of the common metaphors are old:1. Shangri-la, roof of the world,2. Land of snows.Some are much more recent:3. third pole,4. Asia’s water tower.Some terms remind us of the problems of Tibet, suchas5. rangeland degradation,6. grazing ban,7. ecological migration.Some are phrases which sound positive but actuallyhave questionable meaning, such as8. leap-style development,9. comfortable housing,10. grain to green.

These are among the many terms in use describingenvironment and development in Tibet. They are over-used. The more familiar they become, the more meaningis packed into them, the more their usefulness fades,becoming another well-known, naturalised fact whichhas lost its original vibrant complexity andcontradictions. Such terms become clichés, throughover-use. The greatest cliché of Tibet is Shangri-la,which needs no deconstruction, since it is apparent toeveryone except Chinese tourism entrepreneurs thatthere never was such a timeless paradise hidden in theTibetan mountains. But new clichés come into beingall the time, and it is not only the Chinese who inventthem. So this is an exercise in rediscovering the fullsignificance of terms which roll off our tongues tooreadily. Before these new phrases become so familiarthat we stop thinking about what they really mean,let’s pause, and reconsider what each of these phrasesactually includes. Let’s look at them afresh.

TIBET THIRD POLE

The basic meaning in today’s usage is that Tibet isspecial, a point always worth making. This phrase wasinvented not by Tibetans but by Chinese scientists,who continue to claim it as their own. These are thecryologists, the scientists of cold. They continue toseek and obtain global connections and funding to docollaborative research on the frozen earth, glaciers andother phenomena of cold. We could say there isconsiderable confusion and competition as to whothis phrase belongs to.

Tibet supporters often use Tibet Third Pole as a wayof drawing attention to the impacts of climate changeon Tibet. This is a complex subject, well worth attention.It is clear from much scientific research that Tibet iswarming much faster than most places on earth,especially night time winter temperatures, and Tibet isalso drying, although there is extra spring rain. Theimpacts of these changes are complex: loss of wetlands,drying of the active layer that is seasonally frozen,then thaws, loss of carbon stored in the earth etc.

But if we step back from the detailed impacts, we findthat China takes a similar stance: that many of theproblems of Tibet are due to global climate change,and there is little anyone can do about it. So is this amessage we find useful? If we discuss climate changein Tibet, under the general heading of Third Pole, withenvironmentalists around the world, they may find ithard to see how Tibet can get onto the agenda in ameaningful way, except as just one more reason whythe world should take global action to reducegreenhouse gases. Environmentalists may sympathise,that Tibet experiences many problems due to climatechange, but they do not respond with actions thatspecifically help Tibet.

A further complication is that Tibet Third Pole obscuressomething quite important: that Tibet is not cold allyear, and warms sufficiently in spring and summer tocause both the Indian monsoon and the East Asianmonsoon by heating sufficiently to cause a huge lowpressure system over Tibet that pulls in the cloudsheavy with water, from the oceans. So in some waysTibet Third Pole is misleading.The startling idea that this planet has not two poles

catastrophic loss of all meaningful life to the nomadsdisplaced by these policies, we should face thereality that these “greenwash” phrases invented byChina do work, and are accepted, by manyenvironmentalists, especially at a senior policymaking level, in the institutions of globalenvironmental governance. So there is a need todeconstruct these seemingly reasonable andpositive phrases, and expose their impacts moreeffectively.

China has repeated these concepts endlessly, andoften effectively. By telling the world that its motivefor building hydro dams, displacing nomads andfarmers is to green China and save the planet, Chinawins friends in the global environment movementwho are usually critical because China so stronglyresists taking action to reduce its use of coal, orreduce its greenhouse gas emissions, or agree toany global treaty that would impose any conditionson China.

If Tibetans are to fulfil the frequently expressed wishof HH Dalai Lama that environment in Tibet be topof the world’s agenda for Tibet, the starting point isto unravel the lies that bind China’s “green” narrativetogether.

Unravelling China’s pitch in part means challengingthe facts of what it means to be displaced into ameaningless existence in a concrete block by a road,thrown from self-sufficiency into the global casheconomy. It means revealing the human stories ofnomads impoverished by endless regulationsliterally fencing them into unworkably small landareas, and then blaming them for the inevitableovergrazing.

A FUNDAMENTAL MISTAKE

In addition to facts and life stories of the living realitybehind the “green” slogans, there is also a morefundamental level of Chinese mistake inunderstanding and then speaking for the nomadsand farmers of Tibet. All of China’s “green”buzzwords are deeply dualistic. There is alwaysinherent in them a shift from bad to good, fromwrong to right, darkness to light, primitive tocivilised, harm to healing.

Grain to green means ceasing farming on slopingdryland, and replanting trees and shrubs that arebeneficial to the environment, even if the farmer loseslivelihood. Removing animals to grow grass meansceasing destructive overgrazing so abundant greengrass will naturally flourish. Ecological migrationmeans abandoning an environmentally destructivemode of production, and making sacrifice for thegood of the nation, and the planet, by taking up anew life elsewhere.

Implicit in all these dualisms is the most fundamentalof dualisms: a split between man and nature. ModernChina has adopted this from the modern scientificworldview, which in turn inherits it from the legacyof Christianity. Man and nature occupy separaterealms of existence, so there is always a problem ofhow to negotiate the relationship between them. Ifit is purely a relationship of dominance of nature byman, it may be materially productive, but in the longrun environmentally destructive and unsustainable.But if respect for biodiversity and sustainabilitycome first, human living standards may bethreatened. There is always a tension, a difficult,contested negotiation to find the right balance.

But do Tibetans understand man and nature asseparate realms? No. Humans and animals are allsentient beings. Unless one lives this life with greatcompassion, one is likely to be reborn in the nextlife as an animal, or even a hell being. All Tibetansknow this, even those who are not particularlyreligious. The concern a nomad has for his/her yaksand sheep is not the calculated instrumental concernof an American rancher for dollars on the hoof; it isthe naturally arising compassion for a familymember.

China has misunderstood Tibet in a fundamentalway, and made a serious category mistake, withdisastrous consequences. If the starting point isthat man exists for himself, and nature is man’sservant, then nomads are selfish, like everyone else,out to maximise benefit for themselves. Since, inChinese eyes, the nomads are not only selfish butignorant and backward, unaware of theconsequences of their grazing animals on land thatthey do not own, and then they inevitably overgraze,which threatens Chin’s number one water tower. Sothe necessary conclusion of this chain of logic,faulty at every step, is that, for the sake of “ecology”grazing must be banned and the nomads removed,to be civilised by the roadside.

...... Continues From Last Issue

ASIA’S WATER TOWER AND TIBETTHIRD POLE

By Gabriel lafitte, Outlook Tibetbut three exaggerates how cold Tibet is. It makespermafrost sound permanent, which, in Tibet, it is not.The seasonally receding and advancing permafrost ofTibet is hard to explain, or to imagine, because theEnglish word permafrost strongly suggestspermanence, and so does Third Pole. In reality thereare parts of Tibet that are subtropical jungle.

ASIA’S WATER TOWER

This metaphor also reminds us that Tibet is special,but in a more specific way: Tibet is the source of almostall the rivers of Asia. This is an extremely importantpoint, but it too has some down side as well.

Reminding the peoples of South Asia, SE Asia andEast Asia that their great rivers come from Tibet isvaluable and necessary to repeat and repeat. If welook at actual watersheds, we can accurately say onebillion people drink Tibetan water every day. Sometimeswe say 47% of the world’s population depends onwater from Tibet, which is inaccurate. The figure of47% can be reached only by adding the entirepopulations of India, China and SE Asia. But we allknow that not all Indians drink from the Brahmaputraor Indus, not all SE Asians drink from the Mekong,and not all Chinese drink from the Yangtze or YellowRivers. This is easily corrected if we look at who livesin the actual watersheds.

To call Tibet the water tower of Asia obscures a basicreality that Tibet is actually one of the more arid areasof Asia, and receives far less rainfall than India, Chinaor SE Asia. Water tower suggests abundant water,endlessly available, but this is actually not so. Thereality is that, despite a generally dry climate, it is thesnow mountains that manage to magnetise and capturethe little moisture in the air. It is the extraordinary altitudeof the snow mountains that reaches into the upperatmosphere, so even high clouds become rain or moreusually snow, when they come close to such a highpeak.

Calling Tibet the Asian water tower draws attention tothe glaciers, and connects those glaciers, in people’sminds, with their lives in downstream countries. Thatis good, but it sometimes ignores the one or twothousand kilometres of Tibetan land (and Tibetanpeople) between the glaciers and the downstreamusers.

Like Third Pole, this term actually originated in China,specifically the efforts of the Qinghai leaders in the1980s to seek more funding from central leaders. Theycalled Qinghai China’s water tower in order to makeQinghai important in Beijing’s eyes. The eventual resultwas the removal of the nomads from the source regionof the great rivers in Qinghai, so we could say thisphrase has actually had negative consequences.

Once the glaciers have melted, will Tibet any longer beAsia’s water tower? Perhaps there is a danger thatpeople are unaware how limited is the water in thewater tower, and it may soon be gone, after a few moredecades of high flow due to glacier melt.

The phrase Asia’s water tower also sets up misleadingimages in many minds, by suggesting that most of thewater in the Brahmaputra comes from Tibet. Thuspeople suppose that when the level of water in theBrahmaputra is unusually low it must be due tosomething happening in Tibet such as China buildingthe Zangmu hydro electric dam. Equally, when thereare floods in Assam or Bangladesh, people assume itmust be due to something happening in Tibet. In fact,the monsoon rains in eastern India, on the southernslopes of the Himalayas are extremely heavy, and it islikely that both drought and flood in eastern India andBangladesh are not so much affected by Tibet. Notenough measurements have been done to be sure ofthis, but that is what the limited evidence suggests.

The metaphor of the water tower suggests downstreamcountries are right to be fearful of China’s hold on thewater tower, because they might lock the water towerin a series of dams and deprive downstream users. Butif the Brahmaputra is not so deeply reliant on Tibetanwater, this is a fear with little basis. However, we keeprepeating such statements, because it is a welldeveloped Tibetan habit to appeal to Indian fears, andto feed them. There are plenty of Indians fearful of, orsuspicious of China. That is a familiar audience to exiledTibetans; it is a reason why Indians become friendswith Tibetans, by sharing a common fear.

There is only one river arising in Tibet which maysoon be severely blocked by China and that is theMekong. Not only is Tibet the water tower of theMekong, rising deep in Tibet, in Nagchu Hor, but thereare so many Chinese dams built or under constructionon the Mekong, in Tibet or where the Tibetan Plateaufalls away to the lowlands. This will cause manyproblems, including increased risk of earthquakes dueto the weight of water in the dams, siltation, interruptingthe life cycles of fish, and other impacts. The waterreleased from hydro dams no longer corresponds with

seasonal cycles or even natural daily cycles, andcreates many artificial problems.

Yet it is important to make a clear distinction betweenhydro dams that are built only to generate electricity,from hydro dams intended to capture water and divertit away from the river, either for local irrigation or longdistance transfer. We seldom make that basicdistinction, so people downstream imagine that China’sdams are massive, and will rob them of water theyneed badly. The reality is that until now, if we look at allthe middle sized and large dams China has built inTibet, or is currently constructing, not one is designedto divert water away from the river.In India, few people know much about dams, or makethe distinction between a dam for electricity and a damfor water diversion. As long as the primary audiencefor Tibetan messages is India, this may not be aproblem. But in the wider world, it would be foolish ifwe do not take care to be clear about which dangersare real, and which are due to excessive imagination.Tibetans will not be taken seriously, anywhere outsideIndia, if they claim that all Chinese dams threaten thewater supply of all downstream countries.

WHY DOES ALL OF THIS MATTER?

Metaphors are powerful. They shape the imagination;they take hold in the mind, and set up furtherconnections. China understands the power ofmetaphors by choosing phrases like ecologicalmigrants and grain to green to mask processes thatactually cause much displacement, suffering and lossof livelihood.

Familiar metaphors tend to be taken literally, no longeras metaphors. If a metaphor oversimplifies reality, muchis left out, that may be useful or even necessary.

It is timely for us to look afresh at these familiar imagesused to represent Tibet, as we learn how to effectivelyengage with audiences worldwide.

The ten phrases listed above include some that areused exclusively by China, some only Tibetans, somethat are shared, but with differing connotations. Allare clichés in the sense that they are over-used, takenfor granted, naturalised, too well-known to any longerstimulate the imagination, too general and vague todemand attention.This is a not a question of right and wrong, as if asimple dualism was all we need. It may seem harsh tolabel all these key metaphors as clichés, since phrasessuch as Tibet Third Pole and Asia’s water tower havebecome central to the Tibetan effort to motivate thewider world to take seriously the dangers facing theTibetan Plateau.

Cliches are neither true nor not true. They are a tiredshorthand way of compressing much, in a quest for aclear, simple, brief, memorable message. This is verynecessary in a world of limited attention, and so muchinformation competing for our minds to focus on. Wedo need to simplify, but if we also want to move peopleto action, we need to keep our language fresh, andavoid clichés, as George Orwell reminds us. Being freshand brief is hard, a constant pressure to avoid clichésas favourite shortcuts. Cliches are not necessarilywrong, but they don’t turn minds. Turning minds isour work.

DO WE NEED NEW METAPHORS?

Metaphors are all we have: there is no objective, eternaltruth out there, the Buddhists tell us. Metaphors wearout with overuse. They become too familiar and weforget what it is that they are pointing us to. We alwaysneed fresh metaphors.

We also need new evocative metaphors for some ofthe ways that Tibet is special, which we seldom notice,partly because there is no metaphor that captures it.For example, the meteorological scientists tell us thatthe Tibetan Plateau is a major driver of the monsoonsof India and China and SE Asia. Over the tropicaloceans –both the Indian Ocean/Bay of Bengal andover the South China Sea- heavy clouds build up, butwhat is it that draws them inland, bearing billions oftons of water? The secret is that it is the heating of theTibetan Plateau in spring, creating a massive lowpressure system in the atmosphere over Tibet, whichbrings the clouds far inland.

How come we seldom mention this, since we are alwayskeen to explain to the world that Tibet is special, aThird Pole, a water tower? Maybe it is because no-onehas come up yet with a metaphor, a phrase that capturesthis dynamic. Perhaps we need a competition to comeup with a memorable metaphor for this process, whichmeteorologists define in mechanical language, suchas engine, driver, dynamic and forcing: words that don’teffectively express what is so extraordinary aboutmillions of tons of water floating through the sky,magnetised by the annual heating of the Third Pole.

Any ideas for a fresh metaphor?

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