Dhundup Tsering
PARIS, France, 20 August 2018
I am writing about the relationship of Tibetans taking Indian citizenship and the shortage of housing for Tibetans who have recently arrived from Tibet.
My argument is essentially that first, Tibetans should be encouraged to take citizenship if that affords them a brighter future than Tibetan refugee camps. And secondly, given that those entitled to Indian citizenship are Tibetans belonging to the first wave of immigration in 1960s, the housing provided by Indian government can be vacated, and given to homeless Tibetans. This, I believe, is the right thing to do, morally and tactically.
Vacant Properties
In the Tibetan refugee settlements spread across South India, ever since the 1990s large numbers of Tibetan houses are coming vacant as young people move to the West. The settlements are drying up, with a scattering of old people sitting about spinning prayer wheels in the sun. And there is no sign of more recent arrivals from Tibet. In Dharamshala, about 10,000 Tibetans have immigrated to the West. A large number of houses are empty because the children have left — but what is done with these properties? Nothing.
Homeless Tibetans
A recent documentary on YouTube had me in tears of anger. A group of Tibetans — destitute, drug-addicted, and deprived of family or home — are sleeping in the cemetery at the edge of McLeod Ganj. They have no running water. They drink from a germ-infested creek flowing beneath the premises. They have no food to eat, no clothes to wear, no home. They used to sleep on the streets of McLeod Ganj, but were exiled to the cemetery by a Tibetan Welfare Office staff member.
Then there is the group of pariahs, often called sanjors (“new arrivals”) in a denigrating tone, who are the most visible refugee minority in the Tibetan diaspora due to their poverty, heavy regional accents, and lack of knowledge of both English and Hindi. I would say Lukar Jam is the most successful and dignified among this particular social group. These people eke out a living selling bread and laphing in the dusty streets, and in the evenings, they return to ramshackle houses rented from Indian landlords. The sanjors are unable to rent from Tibetan landlords in McLeod Ganj because the rent charged is too high!
Tibetan Immigration to the West
It is no secret that many Tibetans in India are working hard to move to the West. Sikyong estimates 50% of the exile population will be settled in the West by 2020. Currently, nearly 40,000 Tibetans have emigrated from the Tibetan refugee camps in India — from Bylakyupee, Hunsur, Dharamshala, Bir, Manali, you name it. Immigration to the West is a goal cherished by old settlement people and new arrivals alike. But there is one crucial difference: The former have their properties leased to them by Indian government. And those properties are empty.
No new arrivals from Tibet
The number of Tibetans arriving from Tibet has dropped significantly in the 2000s. The reasons are multi-faceted, including the tighter restrictions by China on travel in the border areas. However, after conversations with people who have visited Tibet, and with new arrivals in India and the West, the Tibetan sanjor group share a common feeling that they have been let down by exiled Tibetans after escaping the Chinese. A Tibetan comes to India with his family with no job and no money. One would expect CTA to look after them — but far from it. They are basically ignored. A monk Chithue said in March 2018 that CTA doesn’t look after sanjors or new arrivals at all.
Viewed from such prevailing conditions, we cannot pretend that the cold reception we Indian Tibetans give to new arrivals has not deeply disappointed them.
Clashes in the Parliament
It is well-known that our Parliament is a de facto multi-party entity. There is the party of sanjors (comprised of people from Kham, and supported by 95% of the new arrivals) whose key members include the late Karma Choephel, Ogyen Topgyal Rinpoche, Juchen Kunchok, and Monlam Tharchin. This is also the party of Rangzen.
The other is the party of the “old settlers” (comprised of U-Tsang people and Amdowas). They follow the Middle Path, speak in Lhasa dialect, and listen to Hindi songs.
Conflict among the two parties erupts both in Parliament and in society. I don’t need to elucidate further — materials are aplenty on YouTube. But let me give you one example of the tension between the groups. In Switzerland, old settlement people and new arrivals hardly ever mix socially, and view each other with mutual suspicion and contempt. Later, I heard that there had been a number of cases where a settlement person was reported to the Switzerland government by sanjors in acts of revenge.
Now, my warning is — what if this trend of reporting false asylum claims to Western government picks up momentum? This will absolutely blow our exile community to pieces. At the core is the clash of two forces. And there is a deep resentment among the late-comers. A form of apology or reconciliation from the old settlement people to the new arrivals is needed soon if further division is to be stopped.
A way forward: Housing re-allocation
Now, coming back to the key topic of vacant houses in Tibetan settlements: My suggestion is that CTA should reclaim vacant properties, and use them to house homeless people and new arrivals. New arrivals struggle to afford rent when they have no source of income. On the other hand, from Dharamshala to Bylakupee, there are hundreds of vacant properties or empty rooms in larger houses, that are sitting locked up.
The feeling in the air is that the Tibetan movement is dead as of 2018. Tibetans in India are either taking Indian citizenship, or moving abroad to make their lives — and this is a fact, we can’t pretend otherwise. And it’s also in the air, that the Dalai Lama could return to Tibet in three or four years, as an individual, with no mention of Middle-Way Policy blurb whatsoever.
In such an era of confusing and dramatic developments, we can do one sensible thing: Let all Tibetans take Indian citizenship who desire to do so. And CTA should take back their property associated with their prior refugee status, and re-distribute it to Tibetan refugees who are on Yellow Book.
And a question is — why don’t kind-hearted Tibetans invite homeless Tibetans into their homes when they have a room empty because the elder son went to America? During the 2016 refugee crisis in Europe, Injis from France to England welcomed Syrian refugees into their own homes, and sheltered them. Why can’t Tibetans do the same for fellow Tibetans?
If they cannot, why can’t President Lobsang Sangay take a survey of vacant properties in Tibetan settlements, and discuss re-allocation of dwellings with Indian Home Minister Kiren Rijiju?
I believe our Sikyong Lobsang Sangay will read this, and do something. It is deeply troubling how we Tibetans treat our own brothers and sisters.
About the author
Dhundup Tsering is an asylum seeker now in France.
Daveno # 22
You are absolutely spot on about a kind of a subtle class system is in exile. New arrivals stand at the lowest social class whist the elites are former aristocrats, rinpoches, CTA heavyweights, yapshi family, and those born in the west.
A video of HH Dalai lama condemning new arrivals who migrant abroad is circulating on YouTube. It could have been dubbed, but anyway it is causing lots of hurt and distress. I think CTA’s security office should investigate and pull down that inflammatory video.
Yes, settlement people make fun of people from amdo and kham, and even lhasa who speak in their native dialect right after arriving in India.
I have experienced it, most of my friends with accents have experienced it. It is the not so much the material rights, but ‘liveable conditions’ socially as one Sanjor youth asked to Sikyong during 5/50 forum.
What’s the solution? Answer is attitudinal change toward the sanjor phenomena. Common misconception is Sanjor people are less developed, and Tibetans in Tibet live in ‘tent’, shit on the grass, don’t bath in a decade, etc. One shichak man asked me, ‘Are there night clubs in Lhasa?’
so, CTA has to stop this double-narrative of a Tibet materially developed due to the chinese, and the other opposite narrative of poverty, lack of education, etc. But the real situation is this – Tibetans in Tibet live better overall, and ‘yes, there are disco clubs in Lhasa, and most are better than the ones in Dhasa”
Dear Author, Please remember that out of six million Tibetan people there is just a little more than a lakh in India and other countries. As compared to the six million [in Tibet] they are just a pocketful but they did wonderful in preserving their rich and precious culture and tradition under the guidance and blessings of His Holiness. Although India is a very strong influence they did good in keeping their Tibetaness but not really in the west. They deserve some acknowledgement if not big but never an apology (a form of…) as you wrote in your piece just because you didn’t get to chew the rock of thopthang [benefits]. I wonder how long would you be settled in India if you were ever alloted a house at your favorite place in India by Tibetan Administration.
Please never think that sanjors are being looked down by the shichak people. It is made up of sick mind and would only result in polarization of our little community. Please understand the equation that I have here for you to understand. Good Sanjor and bad shichak, Bad Sanjor and good shichak, Good sanjor and Good Shichak.
Tashi wangchuk, filmmaker, writes this about the label “sanjor” and its dehumanising effect on “new comers”. When I was in Tibet in my region of Kham, we considered Tibetans in Exile as someone worthy of inviting to the religious altar. Whenever someone from India visits Tibet, there are so many occasions where the native people seeks blessings with their bare hands for the former is blessed by HH the Dalai Lama in flesh and blood in exile. It is after visiting India and Nepal I learned for the first time that we are not given the duly respect by our exile brothers and sisters. The very heart breaking and ground reality further fueled my eagerness in immigrating to the US in the late nineties. After coming to the US, very rarely do I indulge in Tibetan gathering in NYC either during Losar or any other functions.
Kudos to this writer. Finally a voice who is a real social activist. Why hasn’t Jamyang Norbu, Tenzin Tsundue, Bhuchung D Sonam, Tenzin Dickyi, Tendor… all those self-styled exile literati written about this earlier, say in 1990s? Someone write about it only in 2018… shocking.
5 Tibetan groups are divided along the lines of the following –
1. religious sect
2. regions ( Kham, amdo, Utsang)
3. Sarjor- Nyinjor
4. 1st world resident vs 3rd world resident
5. In 1st world, early arrivals vs late arrivals
I found this as I visited Tibetan communities scattered all over the world.
Number 2 and 3 are the most visible and aggressive issues
The author’s point that Tibetan movement is dead is a very significant statement and observation. This feeling has been aired by many others as well, considering how much the infightings have taken its toll within the society. Unless the current leadership headed by Sikyong Lobsang Sangay mends the problem, the Tibetan problem is going to see a natural end after the passing of the Dalai Lama.
The gap between Sanjor and Nyinjor is real. There is no interacting and common grounds between the two groups. No interacting is fine, but ignoring them is not. I didn’t know that this problem is so bad in Switzerland until after reading this article. In New York, it’s even worse. The two groups are mainly Lobsang Sangay supporters and Penpa Tsering supporters. Majority of the Rangzen (independence) supporters are behind LS, and majority of the Umaylam (Middle way) supporters are behind Penpa Tsering. These two groups hate each other like hell, more than they hate Chinese. In future if Penpa Tsering win the post of Sikyong, LS supporters in New York will protest with or without reason to make him look bad as their revenge for the protests against LS. This is the situation. LS instead of acknowledging the reality, still give empty talks about unity, and our movement is being stronger. Why is he fooling himself?
The point that house and land given to Tibetans who got Indian citizenship should be taken back is not valid. Delhi High Court has given order to the Government of India that this cannot be done, and nobody can take them out. Here is the link to the order: http://lobis.nic.in/ddir/dhc/VIB/judgement/09-11-2017/VIB07112017CW75772017.pdf
I agree that Sanjors should be given land and houses, but will they go to the settlements?
For sanjors and homeless, any housing anywhere — even in Mio — will do. But CTA doesn’t even give them housing in settlements down south in Bylakupee.
Sanjor-Shichak divide is more troubling than Cholkha Choelug divide. This is because the former hasn’t been publicly acknowledged, and wasn’t seen as a worthy issue. But resentment is growing now.
One sanjor friend told me, ‘I hate being around shichak people. They quietly make fun of my regional accent, and don’t see me as an equal. I feel I don’t belong properly in exile.’ This is a wow.
In Toronto, there are three groups – early 1990s arrivals, 2000ss arrivals, and sanjors. And the early arrivals have ‘ I’ve come here first’ ego, and feels superior.
This phenomena amongst the Tibetan exiles is very well documented in a book called ‘ Dharamsala Days, Dharamsala Nights’ which is an eye opener. Recommend it.
Shouldn’t Tibetans hand back their land leased out as refugees when they immigrate to the West?
Are you guys saying they can sell their land, and pocket the profit?
What’s going on? Tibetans are supposed to be against material possession. They should leave their houses and lands to the homeless and the vulnerable.
Those opposising the writing is basically defending the position that empty rooms/accomodations in refugee settlement in south india or Dharamsala should remain locked and empty instead of using them to house homeless Tibetans. What has the doctrine of ‘Others before self’ gone? Basically, settlement Tibetans want to sell their land, and reap a profit instead of giving it back to Indian government after moving to West.
Tsoksur Penpa Tsering’s view on CTA taking back the lands of Tibetans who migrated to the West.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfOtyW5mjN8
The article do not reflect true prevailing situation in exile. It is difficult to believe whatever we read in Tibet Sun unless we do our own research in this matter.
The contents are intended to cause lots of hatred and pain to other innocent people who has nothing to do with whatever author claims.
Mingyur,
Are you saying there are no vacant rooms in Dharamsala? Really?!
The point is that Tibetan families in Dharamsala can accommodate drug addicts or new arrivals into their homes. This is exactly what is happening in France, Germany, England, USA, and Canada. They are taking in Syrian refugees into their homes, giving them the extra single room, providing them food and a place to stay.
Can Tibetans – who are buddhist – do the same as Christians or athiests in the west? That is the question.
Yes, Indian-born Tibetans seeking refugee status in the West is a big moral problem now. Majority of Tibetans in New York, Toronto, Zurich, etc have lied, and said they were Born in Tibet, protested, and suffered. This is how they got their citizenship.
But is this fair? There are lot of Tibetans from Tibet who have genuine problems. But many of them get rejected in Switzerland because Swiss government think they are born in India. This is happening in many places. I think shichak Tibetans should stop seeking asylum by lying.
Thupten Lungrig has made a false document saying his son was born in Tibet to get refugee status in America. This was revealed by Tenpa Yarphel in parliament, and said Tibetans shouldn’t lie in their asylum application.
I think shichak Tibetans should seek indian citizenship, and leave asylum in the west for Sanjors. This is because sanjors weren’t given land in settlements in India. At the moment, shichaks are using the story of Tibet-born Tibetans, self-immolators, and prisoners to invent their refugee story, while looking down upon them as ‘kacha’ (raw), or ‘leypa changku’ (green-brained), or ‘simply’ sanjor’ (new arrival).
Let’s report false asylum seekers.
Tamdin Namgyal,
Don’t exaggerate and don’t be overdramatic.
Firstly, most Tibetans coming from India and Nepal apply as Tibetans living in exile who have no citizenship. The right to apply for citizenship came about only recently in India.
Secondly, I don’t see how one cannot convince authorities if he or she is from Tibet. Unless the person has lived half his life in India then maybe the person comes across as an exile born.
Thirdly, what about some sanjors who advocating for return to Tibet just because the people there according to them are enjoying a more luxurious life. Then we have a sanjor chithue who carries the red flag of China and talks some strange things. What are we to make of all this?
If you want to express your anger, do it to the CCP because they are the ones putting pressure on the western govt. not to accept any Tibetans irrespective of where they coming from. Barking up the wrong tree is not going to change this situation.
“Then we have a sanjor chithue who carries the red flag of China and talks some strange things.”
yes, we all know it is Sharchok Khutta. And he said Tibet is part of China, that 17 point agreement was valid, and that 13th Dalai Lama never declared independence, and that Nechung Oracle has ordered Karmapa Lama submit to the Dalai Lama if he were to prevent a tragedy that ‘ could be SEEN with EYES.’
But, why don’t good folks like you [do something about] him? You are all mouth, and lacks actions.
Tibetan Asylum seekers both from Tibet or India have good reason to be granted asylum because Chinese persecute Tibetans in many ways that doesn’t allow them to have a normal life.
Just being from Tibet doesn’t necessarily mean you are persecuted in Tibet. There are thousands of Tibetans who live normally in Tibet. So not all new arrivals from Tibet are politically persecuted, and they also flock to the West for economic reason like some Tibetans from India do.
So conclusion that Tibetans from Tibet have right to asylum does not stand. Good luck with your reporting.
How is China persecuting a Tibetan born in Camp 5 of Bylakypee? No chance. Indian born Tibetans have no connection with Tibet whatsoever, they don’t even listen to Tibetan songs, but prefer Bollywood.
It is non-sense. Tibetans born in India are very well-looked after by India, given land to farm, and RC and IC to live and work. They have right to worship Dalai Lama, can protest, and so on.
So, in this sense, why should an Indian born Tibetan go and seek refugee status in America instead of staying with Dalai Lama in India?
That’s the deference. In india, nobody is killing Tibetans.
If you are born in India or nepal, you are barred from refugee status in USA. So birth in Tibet is necessary to quality as Chinese national.
So you see most Tibetans in NY have China as country of birth, even though they have never seen tibet!
Anyways Tamding needn’t worry about reporting bogus claiments. Chinese spies are doing that in Switzerland to cause distrust and spread panic in Tibetan community. This is their new weapon make Tibetan groups jump at each throat and fight along lines of regionalism, religion, old settlers Vs new arrivals, etc.
I think the author explicitly states there are empty rooms/accommocations in Dharamsala itself that are not being used. Many families from Dharamsala left for the West, and their properties – or rather, indian government properties – are still empty. South India is a ghost town. When no shichak wants to live there, and all move to Dhasa, why would a sanjor go there – and for what?
Of course, Sanjors have their phayul chikpas in North of India – particularly Bir, Chauntra, Delhi, Dehra Dhun, Shimla, manali – so of course they would stay amongst their lot.
New arrivals are mostly amdos and utsangs. south of india is Utsang turf. They will be out of place there.
Tibetans who have got indian citizenship must let go of all the associated rights attached to being a refugee on Yellowbook, which includes property. That seems to be the main point. You cannot have a cake and eat it.
then there is the drug addict homeless. Why not house them in empty properties in dhasa? Look at this video. This man wishes for a house in Mcloed Ganj. He wants to be a part of human beings, and not be half-ghost as the people see him now – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbHffxdce9k
Either apply for indian citizenship, and vacate your house to a tibetan refugee, or stay on yellowbook. These are the two pills – blue or red. it is as simple as it gets.
It is ironic that the interviewer is ‘sanjor’ and the addict seems to be ‘nyingjor’ and ‘utsangpa’. The whole premise that the sanjors are being discriminated is untrue.
I would certainly support the argument of providing homes to those who do not have. But what happened to the projects which Gyari Dolma and Lobsang Sangay spearheaded? The project financed by CTA to buy land and houses for Khampa and phayul chikpas in Bir and Chauntra. I heard they were somewhat generous to one or two women (utsangpa) married to khampa.
And what about people in Sikkim and North East India who never ever had any home given to them by anybody? They wholeheartedly contribute towards the cause without asking anything in return.
One other point, not all sanjors are khampa/dotoewa or Amdo/domeywa. A huge number of them are also utsangpa and above all they are Tibetans. Even the parliament and CTA have lot of sanjors, khampas and amdos.
And have a look at the leaderships and representation:
Sikyong + Kalon Sonam Topgyal Khorlatsang + Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk + Speaker of the TPIE = Khampas
Kalon Phagpa Tsering Labrang = Amdowa and Sanjorwa
Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen is married to Amdowa from Rebkong
Kalon Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok + Kalon Karma Yeshi = Utsangpa (probably)
Around 50% of chitue elected are Dotoewa/khampa and 25% each of Amdowa/Domeywa and Utsangpa. A good number of these are sanjors!!
I am sorry if any of our fellow brothers and sisters feel treated badly or looked down upon. But I am certain of one thing, majority of Tibetans in exile and mostly Utsangpas, including myself have never looked down upon any of our fellows coming out of Tibet.
You have the numbers both in CTA and TPIE, please ask the current leadership to provide homes to all those.
Yes, but Dharamsala houses are not built by GoI or by Swiss aid or by CTA, they are all private houses. So, how can anybody ask private houses to vacate for new arrivals? I so wish they move to shichag …. which is becoming a seriously empty villages with crumpling houses.
South India is a ghost town? Wow, I would like to go get myself a nice farm house there and grow organic food. Dhasa and the other nearby places you mentioned are overcrowded and overrated.
As for the homeless addicts, why not have a shelter (transition house) and provide them with food provided they remain sober. But if they are intoxicated then they will have to end up in this same Kabristan. There needs to be a disincentive or else people will continue with the same pattern in the shelter. The shelter can facilitate referrals to treatment centers or some counseling. If they have a substantial period of abstinence then housing to be provided and help with reintegration.
Don’t just expect for the addiction to stop with providing housing. Without proper treatment/ therapy an addict is more likely to relapse and repeat the pattern as they have not faced the core issues of their problem.
Where did you get the idea that shichag is U-Tsang turf? Completely untrue and baseless. I come from shichag that have lots of khampa people. Of course we do not have too many amdowas in exile.
reading it feels like reading Karl Marx. Are we going to practise full Monty marxism in tibetan diaspora and snatch houses from the better off, and re-allocate them to new arrivals? This is going to meet stiff resistance from the a lot of people.
Heard there are many empty properties in dharamsala itself that are locked and unused.
Write up is good! But department of home is already offering home for those who wants to move to shichag. Only problem is not many sanjor wants to settle in shichag. What can you do? They want houses in Dharamsala or Delhi which CTA don’t have.
You are right. Department of home (CTA) has already advertised or offered home for those who need. But those who needed house never prefer Shichak. They prefer Dasa, Delhi, Dehradun, Bir, etc. That is almost impossible. I heard that there is a Sanjor Kyidudk (new arrivals) in Dehradun. They prefer to have good location at Doon. Will they go if CTA provides house at Mio, Tezu, Bhandara and South. The writer of the article has not studied well.