By Phurbu Thinley
Phayul Correspondent
Dharamsala, 26 January – On 26th January 1950 the constitution of India came into force and India became a truly sovereign state. On this day India became a totally republican unit. As Indians all over their country celebrated the 58th Republic Day with much enthusiasm and pride, Tibetans here in Dharamsala chose to call this special day an action day to free Tibetans inside Tibet from constant state of subjugation under the Communist China’s rule.
Six organisations based here in Dharamsala have jointly come together to make an international call for justice in the case of Tulku Tenzin Delek and for the release of all current Tibetan political prisoners, including the 32 escapees detained after the controversial Nangpa La Pass incident on 30 September 2006.
The organisers carried out a day-long signature campaign demanding immediate and unconditional release of Tulku and all other Tibetan political prisoners, including the 32 escapees captured at gunpoint on the Nangpala Pass on 30 September 2006. The petition will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council.
The event, at the main Tsuglagkhang temple court yard, began with a solemn reminder of the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the cause of Tibet and, was followed by singing of Tibetan National Anthem, poem reading paying tribute to Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and singing nationalist songs.
Tulku Tenzin Delek, along with a fellow monk student, a 24-year old Lobsang Dhondup, was believed to be wrongly charged by the Chinese authorities of engaging in politically sensitive activities. Both Trulku Tenzin Delek and Lobsang were initially sentenced with death penalty. Although, Tulku Tenzin Delek’s capital punishment was commuted to life imprisonment due to extensive international protests, Lobsang Dhondup was subsequently executed on 26 January 2004.
The organisers said the idea of organising such an event is to further highlight the issue surrounding Tulku Tenzin Delek and create more awareness on it among Tibetans and Tibet supporters worldwide. At today’s event, the organisers condemned China for its countless human rights violations in Tibet and more particularly for what they call the implicated case of Tulku Tenzin Delek.
“When we forced China’s leaders to stop execution of Tulku Tenzin Delek, we can also force them to release him”, a banner reads.
Tibetan Women’s Organisation, Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet, National Democratic Party of Tibet, Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) and Friends of Tibet (India) have come together to organize today’s campaign.
Present during the occasion, Mrs. Rinchen Khando, former Educational Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile noted that when it comes to the issue of Tibet, Tibetans cannot simply afford to shrug off their responsibilities toward their lost country knowing over 1.2 millions of Tibetans sacrificed their lives and many more continue to suffer inside Tibet under constant state of repression and persecution.
“We can’t just forget away what has been happening to our own people in our won country in all these years”, Mrs. Khando said.
“If we are to believe with look-good propaganda of China of its economic miracles and relaxed political atmosphere for Tibetans in Tibet, why do Tibetans continue to risk their way out of Tibet despite imminent danger to their safety while on the way”, questions Mrs. Khando. She further adds, “If things have changed for better, why should a social activist and a Buddhist scholar like Tulku Tenzin Delek and many others continue to remain behind the bars and suffer from extreme mental and physical torture?”
As a Tibetan Buddhist scholar, Tulku Tenzin Deleg, then known as A-ngag Tashi came to India from 1982 to 87 to study in a Tibetan Monastery. During that time he received blessings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who recognised him as a ‘Tulku’ (a reincarnated lama). He was arrested by the Chinese authorities on 17 April 2002, and was charged with engaging in “spilittist activities”.
Summary of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche’s case (taken from Free Tibet Campaign)
- Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, one of the most important religious leaders in Tibet, has been sentenced to death (suspended for 2 years) by China for a crime he did not commit and could have been executed in January 2005.
- Arrested in April 2002 for alleged involvement in a bomb explosion, he and a colleague, Lobsang Dhondup, were sentenced in December 2002.
- Lobsang Dhondup was executed on 26 January 2003 after the sentences were upheld following an appeal.
- Tenzin Delek Rinpoche maintains his innocence and China have failed to produce any evidence showing his involvement.
- To date 16 Tibetans have been detained, arrested or disappeared in relation to this case, some for simply trying to pass information on the case to the outside world.
- Following international pressure five Tibetans connected with the case have already been released.
Further details of his case can be found at: www.savetenzin.org, www.tchrd.org(Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy),www.hrw.org(Human Rights Watch), www.freetibet.org (Free Tibet Campaign).
