The Secret Tibet (The Forbidden world)

Dharamshala: 22-June-www.thetibetpost.com-On the basis of The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is taking place the first Science Exhibition by Monastics today as part of a year-long commemoration of 50th anniversary of the Tibetan people's uprising and establishment of the Tibetan government in exile. Six initiative groups of monks are representing six monasteries and sharing their research projects, which imply both West European scientific approach and traditional Buddhist knowledge.

Science education initiative was set up in the year 2000 coming as an inspiration from His Holiness Dalai Lama and the exhibition, according to Bryce Johnson, its Coordinator, is a way to encourage monks to go deeper into Western and Buddhist traditions."Such approach helped us to undersatnd both traditions more deeply, but it is early to bring in something truly innovative, since both branches are undergoing research now," claimed Geshe Nyimu Tshi from the Sera monastery.

In the year 2008 the program was supported by two new projects - The Emory Tibet Science Initiative and The Sager Science Leadership for Monks. Their main aim is to develop and implement a comprehensible science educational program for Tibetan monastics as well as to support local science learning groups. For that reason were invited the USA scholars profound in the areas of physics, cosmology, biology, life sciences, cognitive and neurosciences. 

At that Bryce Johnson labelled the exhibition "a concrete baby step in science" and argued that the program isn't aimed at teaching monks science, while some of them are already teaching at their monasteries or schools, yet it is rather a leadership program that will help to promote science through monasteries and nunneries. "Now Tibetan Buddhism is largely exported into the West and I think this program will change its flavour a little bit," Bryce draw his opinion, adding that it will help to build a dialogue between West and East, "and dialogues always produce wonderful new ideas," he remarked.

Dharamshala: 13-June-www.thetibetpost.com-Here The Tibet Post International talk with Ms. Lhamo Tso, about her missing husband, Dhondup Wangchen, she said, I believe my husband is innocent.
Have you received support from the exile government or Tibetan NGO’s? "The Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) distributed my husbands DVD, Leaving Fear Behind to collect donations.  My family receives a stipend once a month from the money that the (TWA) collected.  When that money is finished we will have no other support, the Tibetan government does not help us .”

When you met your husband was he a political activist?
I cannot pin point what he was doing at the time when we met, but I sensed that he was doing something important or related to Tibet issue or politics.

What is the age if your youngest child?
eight years old

What do you tell them about their father?
I tell my children that their father is imprisoned, I tell them to inspire them to put all there energy and efforts into their studies, so they can serve the Tibetan nation.  I tell them that here they have food and nourishment, their father does not have these things so they need to use these gifts; it is a responsibility they have to their father.

Despite your suffering do you believe in the cause?
I believe my husband is innocent; he wanted to show the suffering of Tibetan people to the world.  The interviews that he conducted were not related independence movements. When asked her why your husband decided to work on the documentry , she said, the main reason, I think, my husband worked on this documentary is about the truth situation inside Tibet, and he tried to express the past 50 years’ suffering of Tibetans including Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chinese repression inside Tibet to the wider world.

What is your vision or hope for the future?
It has been a year and three months since my husband’s arrest, and I am still praying for his release.
What is your situation and in general the situation of the families of political prisoners? Since 1999 I have been sick with liver failure* in addition to being the bread winner for six family members and my husband’s parents additionally. His father was sick for occasionally, mother can not stop her crying everyday. Then, as I said in your earlier interview, I am getting up at 1 o’clock in the morning so I can bake bread to sell it in order to make a living.  In all aspects of life I am facing difficulties.  The families of political prisoners especially after the crackdown of 10 March 2008, they are like me suffering inexpressible hardship and gloom, and I think there is no day for them when they do not shed tears.
Dhondup’ father Dorjee Tsering, 71 years old believes that, whatever his son did for documentary is for a contribution to his nation and tried to express the true sufferings and situations inside Tibet. “He did a good contribution to his following Tibetans and their cause, so I am not sad to his works, but his mother has tears every day as you see now, but I can understand that” he said.

Dharamshala: 19-June-www.thetibetpost.com-Italian Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions (CISL) held a roundtable conference on 12th June 2009 at the Centro Congressi Torino Incontra, in Turin, Italy. After the tragic events of last spring, the situation in Tibet has worsened. The only way the Chinese Communist regime could object to the protests was by the repression of every form of dissent. Besides, the economic crisis has made thousands of enterprises in China shut down, causing mass dismissal of migrant workers. Therefore the People's Republic of China is going through a period of great instability, heralding very important changes.

Members from National Democrat Party of Tibet jointed the events. At this time the CISL organization believes “the People’s Republic of China is going through a period of great instability heralding very important changes.”   The roundtable conference was held to investigate the role that Europe and trade unions could play in the betterment of economic and social conditions, and how the final goal of “a free trade Union and a democratic society” could be built in Tibet.

The attendees who participated the meeting included Wei Jingsheng, Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition, Cai Chongguo, activist of China Labour Bulletin, Lukar Sham, Tibetan activist, Chime Yungdrung, President of the National Democratic Party, the General Secretary of CISL, Raffaele Bonanni, and anchorman of Italian Channel RAI2 Bogyallo Mrs. Christiana Ruggeri.

First , to create a Tibetan language based economy in Tibet; rather than a Chinese language dominated economy, next  to urge Chinese government to set up independent trade union in Tibet to protect the workers’ right in Tibet. Then, To foster self-reliance and build a local project management teams based on community based organizations (CBOs) through local capacity building in Tibet. And, any development projects in Tibet should conduct feasible study and environmental impact assessments. Finally, in order to sustain exile Tibetan community’s culture, identity and struggle for a long run; the Government of India, Nepal and Bhutan should be urged to give an equal opportunity, access and rights for Tibetan refugees to participate in their respective countries. “

Th press release said, as Tibet is reeling under the worst period in its history and it is experiencing the worst violations of human rights, including social and economic rights. NDPT believes that violation of collective socio-economic rights in Tibet is silently taking a gigantic and lethal toll than the visible violations of individual political rights, which are of course grave too.  The violations of socio-economic rights are bringing demographic change in Tibet and it is changing the face of Tibet itself, bringing an early demise to the Tibet issue.  In the last National Convention of NDPT, resolutions were passed to raise the socio-economic issues in Tibet in global forums.  NDPT supports the principles of Free Trade. Hence, NDPT would like to urge members in the current meeting to support on the following points:

1. To create a Tibetan language based economy in Tibet; rather than a Chinese language dominated economy.

2. To urge Chinese government to set up independent trade union in Tibet to protect the workers’ right in Tibet.

3. To foster self-reliance and build a local project management teams based on community based organizations (CBOs) through local capacity building in Tibet.

4. Any development projects in Tibet should conduct feasible study and environmental impact assessments;

5. In order to sustain exile Tibetan community’s culture, identity and struggle for a long run; the Government of India, Nepal and Bhutan should be urged to give an equal opportunity, access and rights for Tibetan refugees to participate in their respective countries. 

Since March 2008 over 220 Tibetans have been killed, 1,294 injured and 290 sentenced, more than 5,600 were arrested or detained and over 1,000 disappeared after the Chinese armed military deadly cracked down in all parts of Tibet.  Newly deployed security forces make life increasingly more difficult for Tibetans to live inside of Tibet.