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.

Source: phayul.com, 12-05-2012

DHARAMSHALA, May 11: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama is scheduled to address a mass solidarity rally for Tibet in Vienna, Austria on May 26.

According to organisers, over 10,000 people are expected to attend the Europe-wide solidarity rally. Jointly organised by a group of Tibetan communities in the continent, the European Tibet Solidarity Rally will also be addressed by the elected Tibetan political leader Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay.

“In view of the escalating situation inside Tibet, Tibetan and support groups in Europe are organising a solidarity rally in Vienna in the afternoon of Saturday, May 26, 2012,” organisers said in a release.

Source: tibet.net, 12-05-2012

DHARAMSHALA: The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has signed an agreement with World Chess Federation (FIDE), recognising chess as a universal tool to reinforce the capabilities of Tibetan children for a better schooling life.

World Chess Federation President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who is a former president of Russia’s Kalmykia Republic and steadfast supporter of Tibet, visited the Kashag Secretariat in Dharamsala yesterday and signed the agreement with Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay.

Source: phayul.com

DHARAMSHALA, May 10: In a strong show of defiance against Chinese authorities, around 200 Tibetan women in the Ngaba region of eastern Tibet marched towards the Chinese district office last week demanding the release of fellow Tibetans arrested in recent times.

“On May 1, about 200 Tibetan women, from different villages of Ngaba County including Adhue village and Gyade Tsosum village, marched to the Ngaba County government office to appeal for the release of Tibetans arrested on April 14 at Adhue village,” the Dharamshala based rights group, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said in a release Thursday.