Leading Tibetan social activist arrested
On the night of 7 April 2002, Tulku Tenzin Delek,
popularly known as Ah-Nga Tashi,
a highly-respected lama in Lithang County, Karze "TAP",
Sichuan Province, and his four attendants were arrested
by Sichuan PSB officers on
suspected involvement in a series of bomb blast incidents
at Chengdu. The four attendants are Tsultrim Dhargyal,
Tamding Tsering, Asher Dhargyal and Dhondup (lay). The
current whereabouts of all five are unknown.
Followers of Tulku Tenzin Delek believe he has been framed
for the bomb blasts due to his so-called "splittist"
actions. Tulku Tenzin Delak is renowned for his active
involvement in the restoration of Tibetan culture
and religion, social welfare activities and his bold
statements about repressive Chinese policies in Tibet. He
was vociferous in raising and resolving issues of local
concern. Tulku Tenzin always emphasised the need to
resolve issues amicably, to adhere to the teachings of
the Dalai Lama, to preserve Tibet's unique culture, and
for the salaried Tibetan cadres to lead Tibet into the
modern 21st century.
Recent trends in arrest indicate that Beijing authorities
seem to target prominent religious figures who had had
meetings with the Dalai Lama. Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, a
respected Buddhist practitioner, was sentenced in March
2000 to five years' imprisonment on charges of seeking an
audience with the Dalai Lama and for conducting long-life
prayer ceremony for him. Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, chief abbot
of Serthar Institute, is reportedly held incommunicado,
and most of his well over 8,000 students expelled and
approximately 2000 dwellings demolished in 2001. The
Chinese authorities maintained the suspicion that Khenpo
might have contacts with the Dalai Lama in both political
and religious matters, after his meeting with the Dalai
Lama in Dharamsala in 1990. The arrest of Tulku Tenzin
Delak is the most recent case. All these three leading
religious figures are from the same region of Karze County,
Sichuan Province.
Biography of Tulku Tenzin Delek
Born in 1950 to Tsepak Dorjee and Dolma Choezom in Lithang,
Tulku Tenzin Delek joined Lithang Monastery at the age
of seven. He sought monk ordination from Khensur (former
abbot) Shakpa. After the Chinese forceful occupation of
Tibet in 1959, Tulku Delek returned to his family.
During the first Tibetan government-in-exile delegation
visit in 1970, Tulku Tenzin Delek briefed one of the
delegates in detail about the destruction of monasteries
perpetrated by Chinese authorities in Tibet.
Soon after the 10th Panchen Lama's release from Chinese
custody in 1978, Tulku Tenzin Delek secretly sought
an audience with the Panchen Lama at Labrang Tashi
Kyil Monastery. He expressed his concerns about the
indiscriminate torture inflicted on the local Tibetans
by Chinese authorities and sought intervention of the
Panchen Lama in securing acquittal for those charged with
"black hats". He also stressed the need for restoration and
renovation of most of the destroyed monasteries in Tibet,
particularly in Lithang.
In 1982, Tulku Tenzin Delek sought an audience with the
Dalai Lama in Dharamsala and thereafter stayed in Drepung
Tashi Gomang Monastery, South India, for six years. In
1983, the Dalai Lama recognised him as the reincarnation
of Geshe Adham Phuntsok and named him as Tenzin Delek,
a tulku (reincarnate lama).
In 1987, Tulku Tenzin Delek returned to his native place
in Tibet. Tulku Tenzin Delek left for Othok Thang Karmar
village some few kilometers from Nyagchuka County to carry
on with his plans to construct monasteries. But there the
regional officials tried to halt such activities. He went
straightaway to Beijing and secured official permission
from the late Panchen Lama who named the new monastery
Kham Nalanda Thekchen Jhangchub Choling.
Between 1991 and 1995, Tulku Delek managed to built seven
monasteries and an old peoples home in Nyagchuka County
(Ch:Yajiang Xian), Karze "TAP". The seven monasteries
are Jamyang Choekhor Ling, Delek Choling Nunnery, Golok
Thegchen Namgyal Ling, Tsochu Gaden Choeling, Golok Tashi
Kyil, Detsa Monastery, and Tsegon Shedup Dhargyal Ling.
During the same period, Tulku Delek met with Lithang county
officials to stop afforestation in Nyagchuka County when
the Forest Department began its work. Tulku said that
the forest belonged to the local people and they should
have the sole right to decide what they wished to do on
their land. Later, he filed a case at the provincial level
court.
During the controversial issue of the 10th Panchen Lama's
reincarnation in May 1995, Tulku boldly commented,
"I only recognise the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen
Lama recognised by His Holiness the Dalai and no one
else." Once in the presence of county officials,
Tulku said, "You people issue orders calling for
ban on the display of portraits of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama in monasteries. For me, it does not make any
difference. Displaying the banned pictures does not deepen
my devotion to His Holiness nor the official ban on the
portraits lessens my faith. His Holiness the Dalai Lama
is my very soul".
In a special meeting held by Karze authorities in 1997,
Tulku Tenzin Delek was accused of six different charges
in a document titled Ah-Nga Tashi. The charges included
"endangering state security" and illegal construction of
monasteries under the banner of religion. This document
was distributed in 18 different counties and Tulku
faced dangers of imminent arrest. Tulku took retreat
for five months in a nearby hill. In the meantime, local
Tibetans collected approximately 30,000 signatures and
sent an appeal letter to the provincial authorities to
call off the arrest warrant. The authorities relented on
the condition that Tulku would henceforth not indulge in
political activities.
Later in 1997, Tulku built a school at Geshe-Lungpa Village
in Nyagchuka County, which provided assistance to more than
300 orphans and children of poor nomads and farmers. All
costs - such as food, clothing, and teachers' salaries -
were borne by Tulku himself. However, the local authorities
termed the private school illegal. They forcefully seize
and conducted "patriotic education" sessions in the school,
eventually leading to the closure of the school. The old
people's home in Nyagchuka County was also closed due to
pressure from local authorities.
In 2000, Tulku mediated a dispute over ownership of
grassland between the regions of Lithang and Mola, which
had reportedly led to two deaths. The Chinese authorities
accused Tulku of his interference in the matter and were
about to arrest him when Tulku once again went into retreat
for a period of seven months.
In a letter left by Tulku, he stated, "I have never
committed any political crimes. I received a phone call
from the Chinese authorities saying that I should come to
the detention centre alone as they have something to tell
me. If you people could clear my charges through legal
procedures, I shall come out".
For the second time, approximately 20,000 locals signed
and appealed to the central authorities at Beijing to
consider Tulku's case. The central authorities said that
Tulku was henceforth banned from conducting any religious
activities, and his freedom of movement was restricted. He
was only permitted to live a life of an ordinary monk. It
is believed that the Beijing government viewed Tulku
Tenzin Delek in the same light as Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok,
chief abbot of Serthar Institute; they were "splittists"
who "endanger state security".
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