PRESS RELEASE

Patna Dec. 12, 1998 : The Dalai Lama has emerged as a champion of peace, democracy, and human rights in international fora. Ground realities however, are the exact opposite.

The capital of Bihar was today witness to the manner in which the Dalai Lama, his so-called Govt. of Tibet in exile and Tibetans, understand and practise these nobel principles.

At 9 a.m. two Indians - a Buddhist and his companion - fixed nine banners on the steel railings of a garden in front of the premises of the hon'ble High Court, Patna . A statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Father of the Indian Constitution, and the progenitor of Buddhist resurgence in India , graces the garden. On the other side of the road stands Mount Carmel School , adjacent to the Patna Women's College. Known as Bailey Road , this is an extremely busy thoroughfare on which Govt. ministers, officials and dignitaries travel freely.

These nine banners were expressing serious concern at the Chinese conspiracy to destabilise Sikkim in India through the person of the XVIIth. Gyalwang Karmapa. The Dalai Lama has played a crucial role in this by granting a hasty and ill-considered recognition to the Chinese Govt. candidate, Urgyen Thrinlay Dorje. Tai Situ Rinpoche, one of his close associates, has played the pivotal role in this recognition.

These two unarmed and peace-loving Indians were quietly distributing copies of an article in Hindi which had been published Aug. 24, 1998 in Hindustan , New Delhi , a national daily. The article was captioned 'A conspiracy is being hatched to dismember Sikkim from India '. Mr. Jai Shankar Gupta, correspondent, had on his own initiative discovered through the study of various Govt. documents the Chinese game plan to destabilise the entire Buddhist region of northern India . His article, a translation of which is attached, states explicitly the roles played by the Dalai Lama, Tai Situ Rinpoche and various others in promoting the impstor Chinese Karmapa.

Around 11:30 a.m. they had been joined by two other Indian Buddhists who were also distributing pamphlets when disaster struck!

The Dalai Lama was due to arrive that day. His plane from New Delhi was delayed due to fog. By noon he was still expected with a large crowd of eager Tibetans reportedly awaiting his arrival at Patna airport. A public function had been organised by the Govt. to be chaired by H.E. the Governor of Bihar, at the behest of the BJP govt. at the centre, in which he was to be felicitated. The inauguration of a high-tech cancer hospital constructed under the Mahavir Mandir Sansthan (Mahavir Temple Trust) - a Hindu religious organisation - was to follow.

At noon, a group of twenty bellicose Tibetans led by a person called Rigzin Tobgyal, an official of the Dalai Lama’s so-called govt., suddenly appeared out of nowhere from the direction of the airport and without any warning, attacked the four Indians. They removed all the banners by force and soundly thrashed all the four Indians. One of them, Vikas Kumar from Munger, was also robbed of all his money - Rs. 600/- as well. During the scuffle which followed, a rucksack containing clothes was snatched by these Tibetans. One person who had an expensive camera, had his 'sung ma'- protection amulet - snatched, his shirt tom, the camera damaged, his woollen cap and a Parker fountain pen stolen, amongst other irreplaceable articles. Except for the money, cap and the pen, the other items were returned afterwards.

Initially the locals were simply nonplussed. However, when they realised that fellow Indians were being beaten up by Tibetans, a few of them got into the fray beating some of them up. The Tibetans fled. Rigzin Tobgyal, alias Tobla, was caught and the mob beat him up mercilessly, but did him no real harm. No policeman interfered during this scuffle in spite of the police being there controlling traffic . Afterwards, upon the insistence of the crowd and this writer who had also been thrashed, both the Tibetan and the Indian, were taken to the Kotwali police station nearby by rickshaw. Both of them wrote down their complaints and submitted them to the police officer on duty, and waited there, expecting justice!

The situation took a dramatic turn with the arrival of Mr. Raj Kumar Yadav, Deputy Superintendent of Police, currently being investigated bv the Central Bureau of Investigation for fabricating evidence and so on. He summoned both the Buddhists. The Indian was given the first chance to speak. He elaborated concerning the threat to the national security of India , referred to in the pamphlet he had been distributing and also the report submitted by the Chief Secretary of Sikkim to the Cabinet Secretary; Director, Intelligence Bureau; and the Joint Intellligence Committe in New Delhi . Moreover he stated that he had been debriefed by at his own instance by Dr. U.N. Biswas, Joint Director [East], Central Bureau of Investigation a few months ago. None of this made any impression on the Police Officer who went on to scold him and told his subordinate to lock him up and institute proceedings against him for hurting the religious sentiments of Tibetans, brushing aside his plea that he too is a Buddhist.

The Tibetan apparently was mollycoddled. When he returned to the duty room, police officers dictated to him what he should write in his FIR [First Information Report]. This he did, and after signing it, he was apparently free to move around, while this writer was confined to the duty room!

The Dalai Lama's plane touched down at Patna at about 1:30 p.m. After attending various Govt. organised functions. by 6 p.m. he was en route to Bodh Gaya where he is due to give teachings extendedly and also talk about human rights, democracy, peace and so on – his pet subjects!

The drama at the police station continued through various twists and turns. At nightfall the DSP returned and continued his tirade against this patriotic Indian Buddhist. Seeing that a false case would be instituted against him, and that he would be sent to jail with the police fabricating evidence, he was compelled to sign a compromise petition with the Tibetan. This petition was in actuality a gross misrepresentation of facts and events as they had occurred.

The Tibetan in all fairness, never wanted to go to the police and wanted a compromise. The Indian Buddhist on the other hand, was adamant, as he was fighting to protect his country against Tibetan machinations to destroy it.

It is known that in Bihar in particular various vested interests are operative at the best of times, making a total mockery of established socio-political and economic institutions. Clearly this writer was victimised for holding on to his principles!

It is important to understand the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan following in this context. In spite of the modern principles he vociferously espouses, in effect, he is merely another feudal lord! They are no longer the poor refugees who had been given shelter by this country, settled and had restored to them their human dignity! Neither are they peace-loving in particular as anyone who has lived with them knows! Events during the preceding years clearly bear this out.

This incident, moreover, substantiates the submissions made by this writer who has filed a title suit in the Court of Munsif II, Munger. In this suit # 57 of 1997, he apprehends danger to his life from the Dalai Lama and his nobel followers, and seeks a permanent injunction from that learned court, against the defendants, restraining them from endangering his life.

These events also add further credence to Complaint Case # 41/1 of 1998 filed by him in the Court of the Chief Metrtoploitan Magistrate, Tees Hazari, Delhi , wherein the Dalai Lama and six others are accused of high treason and sedition towards India . Clearly he and his so-called Central Tibetan Administration have plenty to hide!

At this juncture it is also important to question the validity of this so-called Central Tibetan Administration since the Govt. of India has at no juncture recognised the Dalai Lama as the deposed Head of a State, maintaining all along that Tibet is an integral part of China . It certainly does not derive its legal sanction to function as the Govt. of Tibet in exile from the Constitution of India! And even if it has an acceptance of some sort in the world, surely this does not grant the Dalai Lama and his govt. the right ti misuse his authority to plot intrigues against that very same country which gave him and his countrymen refuge?

In fact, in a video recorded interview the Dalai Lama himself admits that dirty politics has got involved in the recognition of the Karmapa and that this should not have happenned!

Naturally he leaves the viewer to ascertain the role he has played in promoting the impostor Karmapa! He has not until now taken any measures to correct the situation!

This then is the Tibetan understanding of peace, democracy and human rights! One must unconditionally support the Dalai Lama. Any opposition to him will be viciously obliterated!

Issued by Shree Narayan Singh,
‘Uddiyana’, Dalip Mahal, Munger 811 201. Bihar . India . 91-6344-22291.
e-mail: lamashree@hotmail.com [access only in cities].

Shree Narayan Singh.
Dec. 23, 1998 .

Suit alleging
threat to life
against Dalai

PATNA, Dec 16 (IITC)- Shree Narayan Singh, @i resident of Nlunger, has filed @i title suit in the court of inunsif 11, Nlu[iicr, ic,,tinst Dalai Lama and his Tibetan followers. In the suits, the complainant has apprehended threat to his life from Dalai Lama and his disciples.

Mr Singh, in a statement, said four Indian Buddhists were taken into custody by the Kotwali police while distributing pamphlets near the Patna High Court during Dalai Lama is to visit the State Capital on December 12. They were also holding banners expressing concem over the Chinese conspiracy to destabilise Sikkim .

According to Mr Singh, earlier, around 20 Tibetans had attacked the four Buddhists near the Patna airport. One of them, Mr Vikas Kumar from Munger, was also robbed of Rs 600 in cash. During the scuffle between the Buddhists and Tibetans which followed, a camera belonging to the former was damaged and a rucksack containing clothes snatched.

Initially, the mob which gathered there did not intervene thinking it to be their private matter, but later beat up the Tibetans who were assaulting, the Buddhists. Soon, the Kotwali police reached the spot and all were brought to the Kotwali police station. Although both the groups lodged complaints with the police, the situation took a dramatic turn with the arrival of the DSP, who compelled the Indi. an Buddhists to sign a compromise

Friends of Tibet extend

support to Dalai Lama

BODH GAYA, Dec 15 (HTC)Buddh, Gandhi ko yad karo, Tibetko azad karo rent the air at the Root Institute as over adozen members, including the national president of the@, Indo-Tibet Youth Congress called on His Holiness here yesterday. The-@piritual head of the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama, along with Fr Laurence greeted the slogan-raising "Friends of Tibet" with smile and waved his hands.

The Dalai Lama also blessed the delegation and patted their leaders' back advising him to carry on their struggle for liberation of Tibet .

In his brief address on the occasion, the Nobel laureate exhorted the delegation to chalk out strategies to counter the evils of humanity which, he said, had been creating havoc in Tibet . "But any struggle should be peaceful and nonviolent," His Holiness was quoted as saying to the delegates on the occasion. His Holiness also asked the delegation to remain tolerant and carry forward his message regarding Tibetans' emancipation to the world.

Later speaking on the occasion, the chief of the Indo-Tibet Youth Congress, Mr Shitia Prasad Toofani, said that a large number of Indi-

ans' were solidly behind the Tibetans and were ready to extend all possible cooperation to the Dalai Lama in his war of independence.

Mr Toofani assured His Holiness that his organisation would launch a long-term campaign for the freedom of Tibet . Mr Toofani told the Dalai Lama that a delegation would soon call on the Prir@e Minister, Mr Atal Cehad Vaj-

payee, and the Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, and urge them to initiate steps to have dialogue with China over Tibet .

Mr Toof@ni further said that he plans to contact the world leaders to apprise them of the atrocities against the Tibetans perpetuated by the Chinese Government.

The Dalai Lama, who gave a patient hearing to the delegation asked them to come forward for the suffering humanity of Tibet. Hailing the programmes of the Indo-Tibet Youth Congress, the a

Dalai Lama told them that Tibet would soon be freed since the world community, including spiri- tual bodies, was with the Tibetans' in their struggle.

A tale of incarnation and two trusts

From Anil Maheshwari

GANGTOK (Sikkim), Dee 15 The ongoing controversy over the incarnation of the 17th Karmapa, the head of the Kargyupa sect of Tibetan Buddhism veers round to two trusts. Soon after his arrival in India , the 16th Kariiiapa had constituted the Karmapa Charitable Trust in August 1961. He was the sole trustee. However, in the deed of the trust, it was mentioned that in the intervening period between the mahanirvan (death) of the 16th Karmapa and attainment of the age of 21 by his incarnate, the 17th Karmgpa, seven persons shall manage the affairs of the trust as tnistees.

The purpose of the trust is a limited one. A group of settlers, con-dng from Tibet , collected a sum of about Rs 2.51 lakh. This amount formed the corpus of the trust. The income, profit or any reasonable portions of it were required to be spent for the benefit of the followers of the Karmapa. ]be settlers were entitled to take back the mone , invested in the trust.

named for the limited period, tour have died. One, Gyan Jyoti. is living in Nepal while Sherab Gyalt-@@ sen has been replaced by his son Jig-@ dal Denzepa who, too, resigned in 1996. Ashok Chand Burman, perhaps the only non-Buddhist on the trust, also resigned. At present there are only three trustees. They are Gyan Jyoti, Tai Situ Rinpoche and Shamar Rinpoche. Gyan Jyoti lives in Nepal . Tai Situ is banned to enter Sikkim and Darjecling in West Bengal while the Sikkim Government has imposed restiictions on the visit of Shamar Rinpoche to Rumtek Monastery, apprehending breach of peace and law and order.

The trust, according to a group, is a defunct body as its purpose has already been served. However, the other group insists that the trust is meant for maintaining all the movable and immovable properties, left by the late Kannapa.

The late Karmapa had also constituted another trust in April 1967 to purchase the land for the presen, monastery. It was named Karm.i She du Chho-Khor-Lin Trust

Youndu was the son of the sister of the late Karmapa. He, too, died a few years ago. Though there is a pro@ision for the election of trustees by the religious followers of the Karmapa, the vacancies have not been filled so far.

The deed of this trust specifically mentioned: "After the passing away of the present Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa, and until the ilext reincarnation (Avtar) attains the age of 18, the powers exercisable by his Holiness under this Trust will devolve upon the successive Karmai Choo-Ghat Theipa of the occupant of the Karmapa sect and the Private Secretary of His Holiness Karmapa jointly."