Source : tibet.net, 16-05-2012

DHARAMSHALA: The Chinese government has planned measures to launch strike hard campaign to crackdown on Tibetans across Tibet, and those living in Tibet through collaboration with the Nepalese police, according to reports received by the Central Tibetan Administration.

The report said a meeting of Tibet Autonomous Region’s Public Security Bureau officials was held this April to launch the strike hard campaign to reinforce police crackdown on Tibetans in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.

The strike hard campaign will give special powers only to a group of Chinese officials who are heading the Public Security Bureaus to implement the repressive measures like arbitrary detention, arrest, interrogation and beating of Tibetans.

Source : dalailama.com

Maribor, Slovenia, 15 May 2012 - It was raining in London this morning as His Holiness left for Vienna, Austria on his way to Maribor, Slovenia, at the invitation of the Mayor, Franc Kangler. His Holiness was accompanied to the door of his plane by David Cassidy of the Templeton Foundation, his host during his brief visit to London.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler in Maribor, Slovenia, on May 15, 2012. Photo/Tibet Bureau Geneva

During his transit stop at Vienna airport, His Holiness met Kurt Seinitz, Foreign News Editor of Kronenzeitung, Austria's largest newspaper with an average daily readership of nearly 3 million. Kurt Seinitz began by asking if His Holiness had a message for the people of Austria, and he replied, “Nothing special”. He went on to elaborate that Austrians like him are just human beings, some among the 7 billion who want a happy life and who have a right to achieve happiness. He pointed out that happiness derived from mere physical comfort tends to be shallow and fleeting, failing to pacify anxiety and fear, whereas if we have a calm mind it is effective in overcoming even physical pain, therefore we should not neglect the inner values that are a source of a calm mind. His Holiness said that he was most concerned to advise people to cultivate secular ethics, those inner values beyond religion that help us lead a peaceful and happy life.

DHARAMSHALA, May 15: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today received the 2012 Templeton Prize and announced that he will give away to charity £1.1m (about $ 1.7 million) in prize money awarded to him.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 2,000 inside London’s Saint Paul's Cathedral, the Dalai Lama said the largest share of the prize money will go towards helping malnourished children in India realise their full potential.

The 76-year old Tibetan leader will donate $1.5 million of the prize to Save the Children, India, an organisation, which is at the forefront of the fight against malnutrition - one of the biggest causes of deaths of young children across the globe.

Source: phayul.com

DHARAMSHALA, May 15: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on Monday in London.

According to reports, both leaders expressed concern for the situation in Tibet and interest in other developments in China. 

Although there are not many details available on the meeting, described by 10 Downing Street as “private,” sources say that the Dalai lama advised the British leader to stick to their principles without being deflected by short-term economic considerations.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama holding a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in London on May 14, 2012. (Photo/Clifford Shirley)

His Holiness yesterday received the 2012 Templeton Prize and announced that he will give away the entire prize money of $1.7 million to charity.

Source: phayul.com

DHARAMAHALA, May 14: Chinese authorities in Lhu Chu region of Amdo, eastern Tibet have forcibly closed down a Tibetan orphanage and arrested two of its teachers.

Exile sources have said that the school’s strict adherence to teaching Tibetan language and culture was the reason behind China’s unwarranted actions.

“China closed down the ‘Gangjong Sherig Shedhe Woekar Ling’ orphanage school earlier this month and arrested two of its teachers,” Lobsang Sangyal, a monk in exile with contacts in the region told Phayul.

“The school was sealed off on charges of giving priority to Tibetan language and culture instead of Chinese propaganda and Chinese language,” Sangyal added.

The orphanage has over 50 students, all orphans and semi-orphans from the nearby regions.

Source: theindependent, 14-05-2012

Dalai Lama gives away prize money but remains silent on self-immolations

Given that he has spent much of the past six decades preaching against the follies of material wealth it was perhaps only natural that the Dalai Lama today gave away the single largest annual monetary award given to an individual.

The Tibetan spiritual leader flew into London to receive the £1.1m Templeton Prize but even before the ink was dry on the cheque he announced he would donate it all to charity.

The bulk of the prize money – more than £934,000 – will go to Save the Children in India where the 14th Dalai Lama has led a Tibetan government in exile for the past five decades.