It is the Dalai Lama with the help of the CIA that is causing great sufferings to the People of Tibet.
QUOTE
China steps up security in Tibet following protests
Security has been stepped up in Sichuan following the protests last week, activists say
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Tibetan 'dies in Sichuan unrest'
China confirms second Tibet clash
Tibetan killed in China protest
A senior Chinese official has ordered tighter security in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and on main roads following deadly protests in Sichuan province.
Lhasa Communist Party Secretary Qi Zhala also warned of a crackdown on those involved in "separatist, destructive and criminal" activities.
The move came after protesters clashed with security forces in parts of Sichuan province last week.
At least three people are reported to have died, with dozens more injured.
Sichuan province borders Tibet and several areas have large ethnic Tibetan communities.
'Strike hard'
Mr Qi called on police to step up security at monasteries to prevent further unrest.
"We must strike hard at all the separatist, destructive and criminal activities of the Dalai clique and make efforts to realise our goal of not letting any incident, big or small, occur," he said in a speech published on the Lhasa government website.
He was referring to Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
Continue reading the main story
The Tibet Divide
China says Tibet was always part of its territory
Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th Century
In 1950, China launched a military assault
Opposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled to India
Dalai Lama now advocates a "middle way" with Beijing, seeking autonomy but not independence
"Lhasa officials and functionaries at all levels, especially the police, must increase... efforts to rationally dispatch police forces and step up registration and inspection work along national roads, at key monasteries and among leading suspects."
The BBC's Martin Patience says these comments highlight Beijing's growing concern that the recent unrest could spread.
Observers say the recent violence is the most serious outbreak of anti-government protest among Tibetans in nearly four years.
Tibetan areas of Sichuan are said to remain extremely tense. Since March 2011, at least 16 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in apparent protest against Beijing's rule.
Last week three violent protests were reported in the province.
China said that one protester was killed on 23 January in a confrontation with security forces in Draggo county, known as Luhuo in Chinese.
China also confirmed that a Tibetan was shot dead by security forces in Seda county on 25 January, the second incident of unrest that week.
And just last week, a man in Aba prefecture was also reportedly shot dead during a protest.
Tibetan campaign groups, however, say that the number of Tibetans shot dead is higher than the Chinese government's count. The figures are hard to verify because foreign journalists are not allowed to enter areas of unrest in Sichuan.
The Chinese government claims that protesters in Draggo and Seda attacked police stations. But rights groups said that the marches were peaceful protests.
The groups say the protests are a sign of rising frustration among Tibetans because of growing religious repression and harsh security measures adopted by China.
Security has been stepped up in Sichuan following the protests last week, activists say
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Tibetan 'dies in Sichuan unrest'
China confirms second Tibet clash
Tibetan killed in China protest
A senior Chinese official has ordered tighter security in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and on main roads following deadly protests in Sichuan province.
Lhasa Communist Party Secretary Qi Zhala also warned of a crackdown on those involved in "separatist, destructive and criminal" activities.
The move came after protesters clashed with security forces in parts of Sichuan province last week.
At least three people are reported to have died, with dozens more injured.
Sichuan province borders Tibet and several areas have large ethnic Tibetan communities.
'Strike hard'
Mr Qi called on police to step up security at monasteries to prevent further unrest.
"We must strike hard at all the separatist, destructive and criminal activities of the Dalai clique and make efforts to realise our goal of not letting any incident, big or small, occur," he said in a speech published on the Lhasa government website.
He was referring to Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
Continue reading the main story
The Tibet Divide
China says Tibet was always part of its territory
Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th Century
In 1950, China launched a military assault
Opposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled to India
Dalai Lama now advocates a "middle way" with Beijing, seeking autonomy but not independence
"Lhasa officials and functionaries at all levels, especially the police, must increase... efforts to rationally dispatch police forces and step up registration and inspection work along national roads, at key monasteries and among leading suspects."
The BBC's Martin Patience says these comments highlight Beijing's growing concern that the recent unrest could spread.
Observers say the recent violence is the most serious outbreak of anti-government protest among Tibetans in nearly four years.
Tibetan areas of Sichuan are said to remain extremely tense. Since March 2011, at least 16 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in apparent protest against Beijing's rule.
Last week three violent protests were reported in the province.
China said that one protester was killed on 23 January in a confrontation with security forces in Draggo county, known as Luhuo in Chinese.
China also confirmed that a Tibetan was shot dead by security forces in Seda county on 25 January, the second incident of unrest that week.
And just last week, a man in Aba prefecture was also reportedly shot dead during a protest.
Tibetan campaign groups, however, say that the number of Tibetans shot dead is higher than the Chinese government's count. The figures are hard to verify because foreign journalists are not allowed to enter areas of unrest in Sichuan.
The Chinese government claims that protesters in Draggo and Seda attacked police stations. But rights groups said that the marches were peaceful protests.
The groups say the protests are a sign of rising frustration among Tibetans because of growing religious repression and harsh security measures adopted by China.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16805695
I believe that the Dalai Lama and Lobsang Sangay are both allowing "self Immolation" for their own personal propaganda gains. This is unforgivable. Neither the Dalai Lama nor Lobsang Sangay have openly banned "self immolation" and un-Buddhist act.
QUOTE
By Vishal Arora
Religion News Service
DHARMSALA, India (RNS) At least three Tibetan Buddhist monks drank gasoline and set themselves ablaze in January, bringing the count of self-immolations to 15 since March 2011.
Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, attributes the deaths to restrictions being imposed by the Chinese government on traditional Tibetan practices.
The U.S. State Department has raised concerns over the self-immolations. However, Beijing, which regards Tibet as part of China, alleges that Tibetan exiles are encouraging the monastic community to take this extreme step, disregarding the Buddhist principle of non-violence.
Sangay, a former scholar from Harvard Law School and the political successor of the Dalai Lama, spoke about religious restrictions and self-immolation in Tibet. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Why are monks and nuns self-immolating in Tibet?
A: Repressive policies of China have pushed them to the brink of desperation. Members of the Communist Party of China dictate what monks and nuns should do, how they should pray, and who should be allowed into the monasteries.
Those who give up worldly life to join a monastery see their follow monks as their world, their family. When they see their associates being expelled because they refused to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama or to stamp on his photograph, hopelessness sinks in. When they think their sufferings are not being noted, they take such a desperate step.
Q: Does Buddhism allow self-immolation?
A: It's a complex issue. One could refer to Jataka tales, which concern the previous births of the Buddha. In one story, the Buddha, in a previous incarnation, gives up his body to feed a starving tigress and her four cubs. Some other stories also talk about self-sacrifice by the Buddha.
Although suicide is violent and prohibited in Buddhism, some Buddhists believe it depends on the motivation. If you do it out of hatred and anger, then it is negative. But if you do it for a pure cause ... it's such a complex theological issue. You can't go either way or have a definitive answer. But the action is tragic, so painful.
Q: Do you discourage monks setting themselves ablaze?
A: My stand on self immolation is the same as that of the Dalai Lama, who has always discouraged drastic actions by Tibetans. He does not even endorse hunger strikes.
Q: Can you stop the wave of self-immolations?
A: I am expected to do something about it, but it has been challenging, difficult and painful. As a human being, it is so difficult to hear someone dying for a cause. And as a Buddhist, it is even more painful.
I went to the United Stated and Europe to get statements of support so that I could send a message of hope to Tibet. I tried my best to get everything I did covered by the Tibetan media. And during my visit -- almost until the last leg of my trip -- self-immolations stopped. I thought I was able to pass on the message of hope. But when I was in London, I heard there was one more self-immolation. That dampened my mood. I cancelled all my appointments for that morning.
Q: Do you see a solution to the Tibet-China conflict in sight?
A: I do believe so. That's why I have left Harvard to be in India to lead the movement. The Tibetan struggle has to go on. Had I not moved to India, where I am living on about $300 a month, my life would have been normal and boring.
One Buddhist lesson I have learned is that one who is born has to die. That means what you do is what you leave behind. If you live for yourself, you won't make much difference. I, as a Buddhist, as a Tibetan, want to live for a cause greater than myself and my life.
Religion News Service
DHARMSALA, India (RNS) At least three Tibetan Buddhist monks drank gasoline and set themselves ablaze in January, bringing the count of self-immolations to 15 since March 2011.
Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, attributes the deaths to restrictions being imposed by the Chinese government on traditional Tibetan practices.
The U.S. State Department has raised concerns over the self-immolations. However, Beijing, which regards Tibet as part of China, alleges that Tibetan exiles are encouraging the monastic community to take this extreme step, disregarding the Buddhist principle of non-violence.
Sangay, a former scholar from Harvard Law School and the political successor of the Dalai Lama, spoke about religious restrictions and self-immolation in Tibet. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Why are monks and nuns self-immolating in Tibet?
A: Repressive policies of China have pushed them to the brink of desperation. Members of the Communist Party of China dictate what monks and nuns should do, how they should pray, and who should be allowed into the monasteries.
Those who give up worldly life to join a monastery see their follow monks as their world, their family. When they see their associates being expelled because they refused to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama or to stamp on his photograph, hopelessness sinks in. When they think their sufferings are not being noted, they take such a desperate step.
Q: Does Buddhism allow self-immolation?
A: It's a complex issue. One could refer to Jataka tales, which concern the previous births of the Buddha. In one story, the Buddha, in a previous incarnation, gives up his body to feed a starving tigress and her four cubs. Some other stories also talk about self-sacrifice by the Buddha.
Although suicide is violent and prohibited in Buddhism, some Buddhists believe it depends on the motivation. If you do it out of hatred and anger, then it is negative. But if you do it for a pure cause ... it's such a complex theological issue. You can't go either way or have a definitive answer. But the action is tragic, so painful.
Q: Do you discourage monks setting themselves ablaze?
A: My stand on self immolation is the same as that of the Dalai Lama, who has always discouraged drastic actions by Tibetans. He does not even endorse hunger strikes.
Q: Can you stop the wave of self-immolations?
A: I am expected to do something about it, but it has been challenging, difficult and painful. As a human being, it is so difficult to hear someone dying for a cause. And as a Buddhist, it is even more painful.
I went to the United Stated and Europe to get statements of support so that I could send a message of hope to Tibet. I tried my best to get everything I did covered by the Tibetan media. And during my visit -- almost until the last leg of my trip -- self-immolations stopped. I thought I was able to pass on the message of hope. But when I was in London, I heard there was one more self-immolation. That dampened my mood. I cancelled all my appointments for that morning.
Q: Do you see a solution to the Tibet-China conflict in sight?
A: I do believe so. That's why I have left Harvard to be in India to lead the movement. The Tibetan struggle has to go on. Had I not moved to India, where I am living on about $300 a month, my life would have been normal and boring.
One Buddhist lesson I have learned is that one who is born has to die. That means what you do is what you leave behind. If you live for yourself, you won't make much difference. I, as a Buddhist, as a Tibetan, want to live for a cause greater than myself and my life.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/l..._n_1231954.html
