WOODSIDE, NY, US, 1 January 2020
The decade of 2010-2020 saw the expedited decay of the Free Tibet movement on top of its already decomposing state. The issue of Tibet transformed in the arena of world politics from a genuine political case of China’s suzerainty over Tibet to a backward shift of moral and human rights issue.
The “Free Tibet” slogan became taboo, and a shrinking number of people who stood bare-chested became anathema of a sort. In this decade, Tibet lost few of the remaining international support who stood with their morality intact, but only for so long. It had a lot to do with self-inflicting policy and the controlled internationalization of Tibet’s plight due to the appeasement policy of the de-facto Tibetan government-in-exile on the hopes of seducing an unenthusiastic China to a round table. Also contributing to the slow demise of the Free Tibet movement was China’s miraculous stratospheric rise. Its dominance in the symbiosis of the world economy virtually straight-jacketed many global players to the whim and fancy of China. Those who were once colonial powerhouses became the puppets of China. Those who once stood for Tibet’s historical past kowtowed to China’s might and yielded to China’s distorted narrative. Tibet quickly transformed to the case of a leper that nobody wants to touch but only sympathize.
In the decade of 2010-2020, more than the butter lamps, Tibet was lighted with countless self-immolations. Repression grew manifold. Human volcanoes were exploding everywhere. Even Tibetan language activist who wanted to dance by the playbooks of the Chinese constitutional framework were imprisoned for dissent and cooked-up charges, arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned. Forced assimilation intensified, sinicisation systematically notched up to wipe out our culture, but the actual incorporation of the Tibetan race to greater China as equal peers to Hans and other Chinese minorities in terms of rights and economic opportunities was bare to minimal. Tibetans were pushed around, disenfranchised, and widely discriminated against.
Tibet became a laboratory to test all sci-fi tools of modern surveillance and control, the mastery of which has been in full display in East Turkestan for a few years now, leading up to the end of this decade.
In this decade, no major bill or resolution not downplaying the significance of the Reciprocal access to Tibet Act, was passed that would have defined a path for Tibet. Nor was there any conducive interest shown from the Chinese side to sit with the Dalai Lama. It’s also crystal clear now that with the Dalai Lama aging, China is playing by the Art of War of Sun Tzu, their favorite waiting game.
In this decade we also got many assurances from His Holiness that he would live to the age of 113 on the face of China’s ever-growing interference with the issue of his reincarnation. So we will let all that rest for a while and see what the next decade has in store for us. While the fate of the Panchen Lama still remains a mystery. One thing is for sure though, that the loyalty and faith of the Tibetans to the Dalai Lama remains unshakeable and unbreakable. On that thought the fake, dummy, CCP-appointed Panchen Lama still remains a laughing-stock, while the last picture of the kidnapped Panchen Lama still remains deeply embedded and enshrined into the altars of every Tibetan heart.
In this decade, we also witnessed with utter disgust the self-destructive mode of the Tibetan people. Our enemy without even firing a single bullet would be rejoicing how fractured the Tibetan diaspora community has become, upon whom sadly ninety-seven percent of Tibetans inside Tibet have rested their hopes. The status quo that still is the Central Tibetan Administration, the drama, the mudslinging, the political vengeance and nepotism is what superseded to find a closure to the one and only cause that we as Tibetan refugees should be focusing on and worried about. Regionalism reared its ugly head and sowed division and hatred. Politics in the government without a country led many to believe how chaotic would our political world be if Tibet was ever a free country. Our Parliament would become a place for brawls. Even monk parliamentarians I would suppose wouldn’t hesitate to throw a punch or two. With the degraded state of our politics hovering over our shoulders now, where everyone seems to be cutting others’ throats for a score, to the great joy of our nemesis, history will judge for sure the actions of our elected leaders under the microscope for their intentions.
In this decade, we also witnessed a fast migration of Tibetans from India and Nepal to the Western Hemisphere as a result of political insecurity that surrounded the question of the aging Dalai Lama with no end in sight for a closure to our cause, China’s growing dominance, India’s shift in its policy and betrayal of the world to the cause of Tibet. Many of the Tibetan schools that hosteled many Tibetan students are becoming ghost towns now.
In this decade we also witnessed a huge shift in India’s policy towards Tibet and countless snubbing of Tibet-related events were also seen, much to our dismay. Prime Minister Modi, having ruled India for six years now, never took the courage to meet or welcom His Holiness, for the simple fear of not jeopardizing the already-fragile relations with China. Tibet that was once a pawn on the political chessboard seems to be losing its leverage for India. All protests that would antagonize China were curtailed and activists jailed.
We also witnessed Nepal’s fall from grace. The police brutality on the Tibetan refugees would have even made Buddha ashamed of having born in this holy place. In return for China’s promise of economic aid belted around a bigger conspiracy, this spiritually-rich but materially-poor country succumbed to their greed, and in return made a living hell for the Tibetans who took refuge in this holy land. But thanks to some sanity left in the leaders of Nepal, as if they were awaken by a jolt of Buddha’s anger, Nepal refused despite China’s pressure to sign an extradition bill that would have been disastrous for the Tibetans living there.
In this decade, Tibet still continues to be the least free country, ranked always either after Syria or North Korea from the index of the Freedom House. Nation after nation, leader after leader continue to fail the “Tibet Test” coined by Edward Lucas “If you think you live in a free country, ask if your politicians feel free to meet the Dalai Lama. If the answer is no, then you are part of the Chinese empire — you just haven’t realised it yet.” This is the Tibet Test.
In this decade, Tibet also lost a few great personalities. We lost freedom fighters, we lost a great historian, we lost great spiritual masters, we lost many brave hearts, we lost great diplomats too. And we lost many political prisoners of conscience.
The protest in Hong Kong, the landslide referendum for democracy there, the upcoming election in Taiwan, the quiet uproar in Tibet, the crackdown in East Turkestan, the threat in the Ssouth China seas, will shape how China will move forward in the decade of the 2020s. The escalating trade war with the US, the very likely re-election of Trump until 2024, the new Cold War that will last for decades now, the world’s anger over China’s nefarious use of its soft and sharp power to manipulate government and institutions will make or break China in the coming years and decades.
As for the cause of Tibet, until and unless there is a paradigm shift and change in its policy with the changing tides of the times, I expect nothing big to come out in the next decade either. But the damage of mass migration from India and Nepal to the Western world, leaving the Tibetan Schools, Homes, and Villages will have a huge cultural impact. The degradation of Tibetan cultures and unforced assimilation into the exciting Western culture will be too fast. It will be left to the older generation to slow down the pace of the change and continue to work in instilling Tibetan values, ethics, and language, and to preserve our culture. Each home in their own and in itself should be converted into a Tibetan school like we have been in India. That will make a huge difference.
I wish and also would like to encourage all parents especially in diaspora, to make an effort to connect the dots with their kids, born or raised on a foreign soil and to make them genuinely feel on our story as to where their story is intertwined.
I wish you all a very happy Inji New Year. I hope and pray that this new decade will open up a magical door for Tibet’s cause, and will forever keep the spirit of His Holiness high as it has always been.
About the author
Ugyen Gyalpo lives in Woodside, New York, and works as an insurance agent for United Health Group, New York.
More articles by Ugyen Gyalpo on Tibet Sun.
Khampa, amdo, Utsang can be united, but on one condition. Three regions of Tibetans born in India can form a united group. Let this be group 1.
Khampa, amdo, Utsang who came from Tibet can form one group. Let this be group 2.
Group 1 and Group 2 unity will meet insurmountable obstacles if unity is to be attempted.
The key reason is dialect. Those growing up in India/Nepal have acquired a certain Tibetan accent and dressing style and attitude, and those from Tibet also have their own. In daily lives, Group 1 and Group 2 keep a distance from each other. You just check facebook, and you will see the two groups very clearly. (I have done my research on this) But when it comes to elections as well as gatherings in community halls, they have no choice but to squeeze together in a small space.
In Armhest, I heard Tibetans from Tibet form one group to protest in front of Chinese embassy. Tibetans from India/Nepal form another, and protest. And these groups for all intents and purposes are heard to give dirty looks at each other!
Lobsang Sangay should do something about this before this term ends. Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering case has concretized this division even further, and gave our situation an appearance of a hidden political party affiliation. One friend even told me, ‘Show me a person’s face, and I can immediately tell who he supports.’
The theme of the article would be different if the writer is a part of the CTA and is writing from a remote Tibetan village in India.
I will name the deadly pathogens carrying the virus of regionalism in society who are mostly Penpa Tsering supporters.
Mila rangzen (USA)
Thupten Thokmey (USA)
Sermey Loga (USA) – LS supporter
Yongling Dawa Tsering (Dhasa)
Cheden Adetsang (USA) – LS supporter
Dolma C Khoza (USA)
We have to create a social environment where these germ carriers find life so hard that they will have no choice but to stop expressing their views. We have to adopt a passive-aggressive treatment toward them which will result in a hostile environment for those free-wheeling baboons on two legs.
Our community used to be calm like yogurt. But these yobs stirred it mindlessly like stirring soup noodle.
These people are really viruses. In Tibetan, you would call them ‘Dra bu’, or worms of the internet. I pity these petty, pathetic people.
There is another guy named Dhamchoe Nyima who is always looking for trouble, and causing some when finds none. He has visited Beijing. He has also said majority of the ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioners have no connection with the Chinese government. He has also burnt his Rangzen labdeb in support of Penpa Tsering against Lobsang Sangay, and boasted about it too. I think he might be a chinese spy paid on a monthly basis to inflame regionalism fire in our fragile society.
Ugyen la is correct to say regionalism is rearing its ugly head up, and wrecking havoc everyone. But if we critically examine the so-called hate amongst three provinces, one notices there is another layer of division hidden beneath regionalism. That layer is the tension and hostilities between newcomers and settlement (shichak) Tibetans.
Amdo and Khampa are newcomers. Their group is Chushi Gangdruk. Amdo population is negligible. So it is basically Khampa versus Utsang. And in that, Utsangs have arrived in the first wave of immigration to India in 1960s. Khampas and Amdos arrived in the exile scene in 1990s.
Since there is a gap of 30 years in between the first wave refugees and third wave refugees, almost a distinct identity has formed between the two groups with differing cultural attitudes, manners, and social norms and worldview, dialects and so on.
The effect is a deep chasm between the two groups of early comers and newcomers. Early arrivals have an attitude of superiority as far as India/Nepal is concerned due to the better economic situation and Central Tibetan dialect. The worldview held by the shichak Tibetans against newcomers have fostered a deep resentment. In india, this asymmetry in power and status was tolerated by the newcomer group of amdo and Khampas because it is impossible to challenge the status quo. CTA officals are largely Utsang people belonging to first wave refugees. But situation has changed since the 2000s as immigration to the west has escalated, and the population between the groups and income levels are matching up. The next stage naturally becomes social status and social power.
What we are witnessing now is readjustment of power relations between social groups, and a challenge to the status quo.
We Tibetans should take a hard look at what’s happening in India and reflect on how we will fit in as “Chinese” under the Ume-Lam proposal. We already have Pro-China elements waving the communist red flag at India gate and boasting in parliament of having “ten good reasons” for hoisting the imperialist red rag. Today, Muslims in India are made to question their Indian-ness under Hindu Nationalist orthodoxy. They are feeling alienated because they don’t fit into the paradigm of the Hindutva scheme of what an Indian should be. Will a rabidly nationalistic China accept Tibetans as “Chinese” under their scheme of Han chauvinism or do we have to completely surrender our distinct culture, language and religion to be accepted as a “Chinese”? If we do, the notion of “Tibet” will be completely lost and thereby, “autonomy” becomes meaningless. Mohammad Ali Jinnah refused to believe that their culture and religion can survive in “Hindu India”. Recent developments in India seem to vindicate his belief. ARE WE NOT BEING NAIVE TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SURVIVE AS A DISTINCT PEOPLE under communist China? History proves that even the conquerors of China like the Manchus have succumbed to assimilation with the Han Chinese. How will the Tibetans survive the relentless assimilation drive by demographic onslaught and cultural and religious persecution hope to survive total assimilation in Han China. According to Indian history, the North Indians are from Aryan race and came from Central Asia. Today, they dominate the country. The Chinese already occupy Tibet and they can easily rewrite history and claim that we are not the original owners of Tibet and throw aspersions about our place in Tibet. We have to seriously STRESS the ownership of Tibet as the FUNDEMENTAL basis of our struggle.
Regionalism and tribalism in our society began in 2016. I saw this clip about Penpa Tsering’s campaign member urging the Tibetans in New York this week:
“We Utsangs have propped up Penpa Tsering. Utsang people have the moral responsibility to vote for Penpa Tsering. There is no luxury to say I am busy selling sweaters. If you are an Utsang, you must come out and vote for PT.”
You can see the clip for yourself here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j__AT8qPAw
We must stem out such flagrant regionalism which is strikingly similar to rhetorics of Donald Trump campaign where White Americans are pitted against the coloured and immigrants.
Now in Toronto, six associations of Khampa have boycotted Penpa Tsering’s talk in Toronto community hall. This is probably a revenge for denial of venue for Lukar Jam in 2016 by supporters of Penpa Tsering.
The circle of revenge shows no signs of abetting. I am an Utsang. And I feel ashamed when my fellows show such tribalistic mindset as if living in 17th century.
If we hope to fulfil our dreams of a free Tibet is to be realised, unity is the very foundation. Unity is strength and in their attempt to break our strength, the CCP is trying its best to infiltrate our community and sow discord. The British played the Hindus and Muslims against each other so much that when Britain could no longer hold on India, the country had to be dismembered since Hindus and Muslims became irreconcilable. If we Tibetans are not careful the CCP’s “divide and rule” tactic against us will have the same effect in our society which will gradually culminate in division of Tibet. Mongolia is divided and there is little chance it will ever unite. Surely, we don’t want our country to be dismembered. We must therefore, fight those elements in our society who are dividing us in the name of cholka or choeluk. There are opportunists who are thriving in creating discord amongst us by supporting people who have caused much polarisation in the Tibetan diaspora. The likes of a Khampa basher who spews vitriolic outbursts against Khampas. Another Sikyong basher & former monk who has been waging a concerted campaign to discredit the Kashag and destroy its reputation. He is a virulently anti-Rangzen and attempts to paint them as anti-Dalai Lama. Both of these individuals are avowed supporters of PT and belong to U-Tsang. The people of U-Tsang have nothing to do with these unsavoury characters. But because of their racist attitudes, many among the Khampas feel despondent and alienated. U-Tsang should remain like Mt Everest as the king of mountains and should carry the responsibility of UNITING the Tibetan nation. It should NOT play divisive politics at the hustings. IT SHOULD REMAIN NEUTRAL FOR THE UNITY OF OUR NATION. This will win the good will of Khampas and Amdowas.
A very educated and concerned observation of goings-on in our society. If we don’t stop being so obsessively attached to regional groups at the cost of national unity, we may be hastening complete Tibetan capitulation to China.
Thank you, Ugyen la for bringing home to us some of the most worrisome developments in our society. A timely wake-up call.