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A spiritual leader in Nepal known as “Buddha Boy” was sentenced on the 1st of July to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor, the Associated Press reported, citing a court statement.
The Sarlahi District Court ordered convicted Ram Bahdur Bamjan, considered by some to be…
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked from the gates to his residence to the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, to give a teaching by way of celebration
Dharamsala, HP, India, 4th June 2023
Today is the full-moon day, the principal day, of Saga Dawa, the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar…
His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked from the gates to his residence to the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, to give a teaching by way of celebration
Dharamsala, HP, India, 4th June 2023
Today is the full-moon day, the principal day, of Saga Dawa, the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar…
By — Shyamal Sinha
President Xi Jinping hailed China’s “irreversible” course from humiliated colony to great power at the centenary celebrations for the Chinese Communist Party on Thursday, in a speech reaching deep into history to remind patriots at home and rivals abroad of his nation’s — and his own — ascendancy.
Speaking above the giant portrait of Mao Zedong, which dominates Tiananmen Square, from the podium where the famous chairman proclaimed the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Xi said the “era of China being bullied is gone forever” praising the party for uplifting incomes and restoring national pride.
Drawing a line from the subjugation of the Opium Wars to the struggle to establish a socialist revolution in China, Xi said the party has brought about “national rejuvenation” lifting tens of millions from poverty and “altered the landscape of world development.”
Xi, wearing a ‘Mao-style’ jacket, added the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical course” and vowed to continue to build a “world-class” military to defend national interests.
In the summer of 1921 Mao and a clutch of Marxist-Leninist thinkers in Shanghai founded the party which has since morphed into one of the world’s most powerful political organisations.
It now counts around 95 million members, garnered over a century of war, famine and turmoil, and more recently a surge to superpower status butting up against western rivals, led by the US.
In a ceremony of pomp and patriotism, thousands of singers, backed by a marching band, belted out stirring choruses including “We Are the Heirs of Communism” and “Without the Communist Party there would be no New China” as maskless invitees cheered and waved flags in a packed Tiananmen Square.
A fly-by of helicopters in formation spelling ‘100’ — a giant hammer and sickle flag trailing — and a 100-gun salute followed, while young communists in unison pledged allegiance to the party.
Xi, whose speech braided the economic miracle of China with the longevity of the party, has cemented his eight-year rule through a personality cult, ending term limits and declining to anoint a successor.
He has purged rivals and crushed dissent — from Uyghur Muslims and online critics to pro-democracy protests on Hong Kong’s streets.
The party has pivoted to new challenges; using tech to renew its appeal for younger generations — 12.55 million members are now aged 30 or younger — while giving a communist finish to a consumer economy decorated by billionaire entrepreneurs.
On Beijing’s streets, praise for the party was effusive from those willing to speak to foreign media.
“We should thank the party and the motherland,” said Li Luhao, 19, a student at Beihang University performing in the celebration.
A man surnamed Wang, 42, said: “When I was a child there was a blackout for one hour every night and electricity shortages.” “Now the streets are full of light. Food, clothes, education, traffic are all better.”
Xi has presented a defiant face to overseas rivals led by the US, revving up nationalist sentiment, batting back criticism of his government’s actions in Hong Kong, towards Taiwan and the treatment of the Uyghurs.
“The Chinese people will never allow any foreign forces to bully, oppress, or enslave us,” Xi said in his speech to great applause.
“Whoever wants to do so will face bloodshed in front of a Great Wall of steel built by more than 1.4 billion Chinese people.”
In its 100th year, the party has delivered a selective version of history through films, ‘Red’ tourism campaigns and books, which dance over the mass violence of the Cultural Revolution, famines and the Tiananmen Square student crackdown.
Instead, it has driven attention to China’s rebound from Covid-19, which first emerged in the central city of Wuhan, but has been virtually extinguished inside the country.
But reminders linger of the risks to stability.
Thursday also marks the 24th anniversary of the handover of former British colony Hong Kong to China, a date once met with mass demonstrations against Beijing.
One year ago, China imposed a draconian national security law on the city in response to huge — often violent — protests.
The measure has seen more than 64 activists charged, anti-China slogans criminalised and even the closure of a critical newspaper as the law sinks the once freewheeling city into what Amnesty International calls a “human rights emergency”.
Police have denied requests for demonstrations in the city, although several pro-democracy groups have vowed to defy a 10,000-strong police presence on the streets.
“The CCP can go to hell,” a Hong Konger who gave his name only as Ken told AFP. “Anything that’s worthwhile, they destroy.”
sourced – News 18
Tibetan Youth Congress members protesting against 100 years of CCP at Chinese Embassy (ANI)
By — Shyamal Sinha
Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) members on Thursday staged a protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi against the centenary celebrations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Dozens of Tibetans gathered at the Chinese Embassy to protest the cruelty and brutality of the CCP and to send the message that they were putting up an united front against it.
One of the protestors said, “Remember 1950, we are protesting against the centenary celebration of CCP. We want freedom, hail Tibet, while the world is witnessing a river of blood flowing, China is celebrating the 100 years of CCP.”
“We condemn CCP. The very existence of the party is a threat to global peace and harmony. They are the murderers, they are the killers”, said another protestor.
As China marks the 100th founding anniversary of its Communist Party, Tibetan Youth Congress strongly condemned and criticised the very existence of CCP and its establishment at the cost of countless innocent lives and its notorious history of human rights violations said a statement of TYC.
“The painful memories of annexation and occupation of Tibet and killings of more than a million courageous countrymen continue to stay in us and we will strengthen our freedom movement to fulfill their aspirations,” added the statement.
The invasion of Tibet by the CCP in 1959 led 14th Dalai Lama along with 50,000 Tibetan to escape to India and later spread across the globe.
The CCP continues to impose severe restrictions and use brutal measures to suppress and imprison any form of dissent inside Tibet. Due to such aggressive policies, Tibetans inside Tibet have resorted to measures like self-immolation.
Since 2009, 157 Tibetans inside Tibet have set themselves on fire to protest against China’s illegal occupation. Most of the self-immolators called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and independence in Tibet, read the statement.
Tibetan Buddhism under Communist China went through a dark phase from demolishing more than 5,000 monasteries to the disrobing of 99.9 per cent monks and nuns.
Today in Tibet, the Chinese authorities are gearing up for increased control over Tibetan Buddhism, where monasteries are forbidden to give traditional monastic education which forms an integral part of Tibetan Buddhism, read the TYC statement.
Monks and nuns are, instead, subjected to regular “patriotic education” and other political campaigns that are fundamentally against the basic tenets of Tibetan Buddhism.
Political indoctrination has replaced Buddhist education in monastic institutions where monks are drawn to serve the interest of the Beijing government and are forced to follow CCP’s strict guidelines.
CCP’s authorities are empowered with direct supervision over managing and running the monasteries and nunneries, the statement added.
Apart from that, under China’s occupation, Tibet’s environment has been destroyed, the resources have been illegally mined and transported and the rivers have been polluted.
Their occupation has led the Tibetans devoid of their basic rights and the human rights situation inside Tibet continues to deteriorate and worsen each passing year under the Chinese Communist Party’s oppressive and repressive hardliner policies.
Owing to which Tibet has for the past six years only scored 1/100 and ranked as the least free place in the world for civil rights and political freedoms, TYC statement added.
Genocide and crimes against humanity are becoming a daily occurrence in Tibet, and CCP continues to aggressively pursue assimilation policies in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia.
Chinese authorities have tightened surveillance ahead of their centenary celebration and continue to detain Tibetans arbitrarily.
“The very existence of CCP is not only a threat to the survival of Tibetan culture and identity, but it poses a grave security threat to the rest of the world. Therefore, it’s high time to scale up the cooperation amongst the democratic countries and strengthen its position against the atrocities committed by the CCP,” said the statement.
Sourced – (ANI)
27 Jun 2021: #HealthBytes: Effective ways to reduce the risk of chronic inflammation
Inflammation is nothing but the body’s natural defense against infections and diseases. However, when it lasts for weeks, months, or years, it can damage your arteries, organs, and joints. This condition is called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to heart diseases, fatty liver, and cancer, among other diseases. But there are effective ways in which you can reduce its risk. Here’s how.
Anti-inflammatory foods: Mediterranean diet: Considered one of the healthiest diets globally
The Mediterranean diet includes several anti-inflammatory foods and is considered one of the healthiest. It primarily follows the dietary pattern of Mediterranean countries: Vegetables to have: Broccoli, kale, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, spinach, etc.; Fruits to have: All fruits, especially grapes and cherries; Nuts and seeds: Almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.; Fatty fish, poultry, and dairy are other healthy foods to have.
Avoid: Avoid foods that aggravate inflammation, like sugary drinks, snacks
Limiting or cutting out certain foods from the diet can have a profound impact on the way you feel and your body functions: Sugary drinks can aggravate inflammation and should be avoided. Here’s a list of some other foods to limit: –Snacks like crackers and chips; –Processed meat like bologna, sausages; –Refined carbs like white bread, white pasta; –Desserts like cakes and ice cream.
Tips: Physical activities and sleep assume importance in this case
Being physically active is of utmost importance for your overall health, and especially when you are trying to reduce your inflammatory markers. Do cardio workouts for 30 minutes and resistance training for 15 minutes at least five times a week. Studies have linked poor sleep to increased chances of inflammation. Make sure to sleep for at least seven or eight hours every night.
Benefits: Changes to expect by making these dietary changes
An anti-inflammatory diet, along with daily physical activity, can be beneficial to you in the following ways: –Reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, depression, cancer, etc. –It can relieve arthritis pain, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and other autoimmune disorders. –Significantly reduces the inflammatory markers in the blood. –An overall improvement in blood sugar and triglyceride levels. –Improves levels of energy and mood.
By — Shyamal Sinha
The Third Bhutan-India Development Cooperation Talks for the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) was held virtually on Monday, 28th June 2021. The Bhutanese delegation was led by Mr. Kinga Singye, Foreign Secretary, and included senior officials from Ministries of Finance, Works & Human Settlement, Education, Labor, Health, Information and Communications, Home and Culture Affairs, Foreign Ministry, and Gross National Happiness Commission Secretariat, and the Royal Bhutanese Embassy, Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by H.E. Shri Rahul Chhabra, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, and included the Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Joint Secretary (North), and other officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
During the talks, the two sides reviewed the progress of the projects supported by GoI under the 12th FYP and approved some new projects and reprioritization of some others whose implementations have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting also discussed the progress of important projects that are being implemented outside the 12th FYP.
The Bhutanese side expressed appreciation to the people and the Government of India for their unstinted support and cooperation extended to Bhutan during the difficult time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Deepening the bilateral relationship between India and Bhutan, New Delhi has committed assistance of Rs 4,500 crore for the implementation of development projects and Rs 400 crore for transitional trade support facility, reports Livemint.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India’s commitments have been made under Bhutan’s 12th Five Year Plan. This comes as the two nations on Monday (28 June) held the third India and Bhutan Development Cooperation talks. The talks were held virtually, and the officials from the two sides reviewed the progress of various developmental projects by India in Bhutan.
It should be noted that as many as 77 large and intermediate projects and 524 Small Development Projects (SDPs)/ High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) are at various stages of implementation under the 12th Five Year Plan of Bhutan.
Bhutanese Foreign Secretary commended the role played by India in the socio-economic transformation of Bhutan and also highlighted the impact of HICDPs at the grassroots level. He further appreciated the Indian gesture to frontload the release of funds for various projects, keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two sides agreed to hold the next Development Cooperation Talks in Thimphu at a mutually convenient date.
The Talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere in keeping with the excellent bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Brooke Schedneck, writing in Asia Times said that Tibet’s Buddhists said that they will find the next reincarnation of Tenzin Gyatso but Beijing is bent on deciding the succession.
Dalai Lama is an important figure bringing Buddhist teachings to the international community. The successor to the Dalai Lama is traditionally identified by senior monastic disciples, based on spiritual signs and visions.
In 2011, however, the Chinese Foreign Ministry declared that only the government in Beijing can appoint the next Dalai Lama, and no recognition should be given to any other candidate, reported Asia Times.
The Dalai Lama is a highly influential figure, and choosing a successor is not just a religious issue, but a political one as well, opines Schedneck.
The 14 generations of Dalai Lamas, spanning six centuries, are linked through their acts of compassion and their wish to benefit all living beings.
The current Dalai Lama was enthroned when he was about four years old and was renamed Tenzin Gyatso.
Today the selection process for the next Dalai Lama remains uncertain. In 1950 China’s communist government invaded Tibet, which it insists has always belonged to China.
The Dalai Lama fled in 1959 and set up a government in exile. The Dalai Lama is revered by Tibetan people, who have maintained their devotion over the past 70 years of Chinese rule.
In 1995 the Chinese government detained the Dalai Lama’s choice for the successor of the 10th Panchen Lama, named Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, when he was six years old.
Since then China has refused to give details of his whereabouts. Panchen Lama is the second most important tulku lineage in Tibetan Buddhism, reported Asia Times.
Mahayana Buddhists believe bodhisattvas choose to be reborn, to experience the pain and suffering of the world, to help other beings attain enlightenment.
Tibetan Buddhism has developed this idea of the bodhisattva further into identified lineages of rebirths called “tulkus.”
The Tibetan people revolted when the newly selected 11th Panchen Lama was detained. The Chinese government responded by appointing its own Panchen Lama, the son of a Chinese security officer.
The Panchen Lamas and Dalai Lamas have historically played major roles in recognizing each other’s next incarnations.
China also wants to appoint its own Dalai Lama. But it is important to Tibetan Buddhists that they are in charge of the selection process.
There are usually predictions about where and when a Dalai Lama will be reborn, but further tests and signs are required to ensure the proper child is found.
In the case of the 13th Dalai Lama, after his death, his body lay facing south. However, after a few days his head had tilted to the east and a fungus, viewed as unusual, appeared on the north-eastern side of the shrine, where his body was kept.
This was interpreted to mean that the next Dalai Lama could have been born somewhere in the north-eastern part of Tibet, reported Asia Times.
Disciples also checked Lhamo La-tso, a lake that is traditionally used to see visions of the location of the Dalai Lama’s rebirth.
The district of Dokham, which is in the northeast of Tibet, matched all of these signs. A 2-year-old boy named Lhamo Dhondup was just the right age for a reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, based on the time of his death.
When the search party consisting of the 13th Dalai Lama’s closest monastic attendants arrived at his house, they believed they recognized signs that confirmed that they had reached the right place.
The 14th Dalai Lama recounts in his memoirs about his early life that he remembered recognizing one of the monks in the search party, even though he was dressed as a servant. To prevent any manipulation of the process, members of the search party had not shown villagers who they were, reported Asia Times.
The Dalai Lama remembered as a little boy asking for the rosary beads that monk had worn around his neck. These beads were previously owned by the 13th Dalai Lama. After this meeting, the search party came back again to test the young boy with further objects of the previous Dalai Lama.
He was able to correctly choose all items, including a drum used for rituals and a walking stick.
Because of the threat from China, the 14th Dalai Lama has made a number of statements that would make it difficult for a Chinese-appointed 15th Dalai Lama to be seen as legitimate, said Schedneck.
For example, he has stated that the institution of the Dalai Lama might not be needed anymore. However, he has also said it is up to the people if they want to preserve this aspect of Tibetan Buddhism and continue the Dalai Lama lineage. The Dalai Lama has indicated that he will decide, on turning 90 in four years’ time, whether he will be reborn.
Another option the Dalai Lama has proposed is announcing his next reincarnation before he dies. In this scenario, the Dalai Lama would transfer his spiritual realization to the successor.
A third alternative Tenzin Gyatso has articulated is that if he dies outside of Tibet, and the Panchen Lama remains missing, his reincarnation would be located abroad, most likely in India. Experts believe the Chinese government’s search, however, would take place in Tibet, led by the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, said Schedneck.
The Dalai Lama is confident that no one would trust the Chinese government’s choice. The Tibetan people, as he has said, would never accept a Chinese-appointed Dalai Lama, reported Asia Times.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in Geneva Leslie E. Norton delivers the cross-regional joint statement.
Geneva: Canada delivered a cross-regional joint statement on behalf of 44 countries that expressed grave concerns on the human rights violations in Tibet, East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang] and Hong Kong and called on China to allow UN access to Xinjiang at the ongoing 47th session of the UNHRC.
Today, during the interactive dialogue on the annual report of the UN High Commissioner, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in Geneva Leslie E. Norton delivered the cross-regional joint statement.
UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet while presenting the annual report yesterday hoped that China would allow her meaningful access to Xinjiang this year. The Chinese Mission in Geneva yesterday noted that the visit of the High Commissioner will be considered as a “friendly one” and not for any “investigation”. It again called the issues of Hong Kong and Xinjiang an “internal affairs” and should not be used for interfering in its “sovereignty.”
Supporting her calls for meaningful access to Xinjiang, the joint statement noted, “We urge China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including the High Commissioner, and to urgently implement the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s 8 recommendations related to Xinjiang, including by ending the arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities.”
The joint statement highlighted the credible reports of arbitrary detention of over a million people in Xinjiang. It also referred to the reports of torture, forced sterilization, sexual sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence etc.
The countries also expressed deep concerns about the human rights situation in Tibet and Hong Kong and called on China to abide by the human rights obligations. The 44 countries including Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and the US from four UN regional groups: Eastern European; Western European; Latin American and Caribbean; and Asia and Pacific Groups.
The Tibet Bureau Geneva welcomes the cross-regional joint statement of the 44 countries led by Canada and urges the UN High Commissioner to also monitor and report on the egregious human rights violations in Tibet.
– Filed by Tibet Bureau Geneva
Tibet Policy Institute to organize 3rd Tibet Environment Conference on Understanding Tibetan Plateau’s ecological role and relationship with global climate change from 25-27 June 2021.
Dharamshala: The Tibet Policy Institute is organising the 3rd Tibet Environment Conference from 25 – 27 June 2021. The three-day international virtual conference will be addressed by two members of parliament from Europe, a spiritual leader and 15 prominent environmental experts from eight different countries.
The theme of the three-day panel conference is “Understanding Tibetan Plateau’s ecological role and relationship with global climate change”.
Dana Balcarova, Member of Parliament from the Czech Republic, is the honorary guest speaker on the first day of the conference. She is currently the Chairperson of the Committee on Environment of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. As a Member of Parliament, Balcarova focuses on climate change, sustainable development and animal rights.
Mr. Tenzin Lekshay, the Director of Tibet Policy Institute, will open the conference with a welcome address.
The topic for discussion on the first day of the conference is “global importance of the Tibetan Plateau and possible impacts of Climate Change in Tibet”.
The speakers on the topic include Professor Paul Mayewski (the Director & Professor of the Climate Change Institute University of Maine in USA), Dr. Martin Mills (the Senior Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen and Director of the Scottish Centre for Himalayan Research in Scotland), Asher Minns (the Executive Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia in UK), and Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, the Head of Environment & Development Desk as well as a Senior Fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute in India.
Tim Loughton, a Member of Parliament from the United Kingdom, will address as the honorary guest speaker on the conference’s second day. Tim Loughton was Shadow Minister for Environment from 2000, Shadow Minister for Health and Children from 2003 during the Conservative Party’s time in opposition. He recently joined the Conservation Against Racism for Equality (CARFE) as an advisory Board Member.
The second day of the conference will focus on ‘Trans-boundary Rivers and the state of Rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau’ with experts including; Prof. Brahma Chellaney (Professor of Strategic Studies at the Centre for Policy Research in India), Dr. Lobsang Yangtso (Research and Campaign Assistant to Tibet Third Pole of International Tibet Network), Dr. Brian Eyler (a Senior Fellow and Director of Stimson’s Southeast Asia Program in USA), Mrs. Dechen Palmo, Research Fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute in India, and Gidon Bromberg, an International Lawyer and Israeli Director of EcoPeace Middle East.
On the third and final day of the conference, Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche will grace as the honorary guest speaker. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche was appointed as one of the goodwill ambassador in 2015 by Mountain Partnership, a United Nations voluntary alliance, in recognising his commitment to the environment, education, historical research, and cultural preservation, as well as his pragmatic approach to sustainable development projects in the Himalayan region.
The “role of human rights in environmental conservation” will be discussed by Yves Lador (a Consultant and an NGO Representative to the UN in Geneva), Gabriel Laffitte (an author and a Tibet Environment Specialist from Australia), Rajan Kotru (the Lead Strategist at the Redefined Sustainable Thinking (REST) from India), and Dr. Tenzin Desal, Senior Research Fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute of the Central Tibetan Administration.
The Tibet Environment Conference series is organised by the Environment & Development Desk of the Tibet Policy Institute to highlight the global ecological importance of the Tibetan Plateau and the current environmental situation in Tibet.
The Conference also attempts to understand the impact of climate change in Tibet and its relationship with global climate change.
The ‘1st Tibet Environment Conference’ in 2015 and the ‘2nd Tibet Environment Conference’ in 2019 has successfully brought together a diverse group of experts to both highlight and understand Tibet’s ecological importance, particularly the importance of Tibet’s rivers.
For more details on the conference, please contact:
Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha – (+91) 9882603715
Dechen Palmo – (+91) 8628958310
Email: edd@tibet.net
Website: www.tibetpolicy.net
Address:
Environment & Development Desk
Tibet Policy Institute,
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamshala-176215, HP, India
– Filed by Environment & Development Desk, TPI
By — Shyamal Sinha
Ladakh Lt Governor Radha Krishna Mathur was appointed to be the first Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh by the President of India on 25 October 2019. He formally sworn in on 31 October 2019 when the union territory of ladakh came into existence.
He has discussed air connectivity possibilities for Kargil with the Centre and urged the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to explore possibilities for operating Q-400 Bombardier turboprop aircraft in the region, an official spokesperson said on Saturday.
He also requested for necessary efforts to operationalise small fixed-wing aircraft at Kargil and Thoise (Nubra) under the Regional Connectivity (UDAN) scheme at the earliest.UDAN-RCS, UDAN is a regional airport development and “Regional Connectivity Scheme” of Government of India, with the objective of “letting the common citizen of the country fly”,
The lieutenant governor raised the issue during a meeting with Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri in New Delhi on Friday, the spokesperson said, adding that he discussed various matters on operation and improvement of air facilities in Ladakh.
Mathur applauded the smooth functioning of Pawan Hans helicopters in the region for essential movement of passengers, especially during the winter months, medical emergencies, including evacuation of Covid patients, and stated that this has resulted in reduced dependency on the Indian Air Force.
He urged the AAI to explore possibilities of Required Navigation Performance (RNP) and relaxation in Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) standards, as accorded to Arunachal Pradesh and countries like Nepal and Bhutan for the operation of Q-400 Bombardier turboprop aircraft at Kargil, the spokesperson said.
Mathur stated a feasibility report post examining the topography and other factors may be prepared.
In the meeting, they also discussed expediting a feasibility study to be carried by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) of Kargil airport for the operation of EA320/B737 aircraft, while also studying alternative land for the construction of Kargil airport, the spokesman said.
He said discussions were also held on the matter of exorbitant airfare charged by commercial airlines during the winter months.
Mathur urged the minister to rationalise the issue as, during the winter months, airways remain the only source of transportation for locals, especially students, patients, and pilgrims to travel to other parts of the country, the spokesperson said.
Concerning the development of Leh and Kargil as smart cities under Housing and Urban Affairs, Mathur urged the minister for expediting the final processes viz formal administrative approvals.
He also requested for strengthening the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in Ladakh for the timely completion of their projects.
Lockdowns around the world have had a huge and rapid effect on nitrogen oxide emissions and worldwide ozone pollution, new research has shown.
Ozone pollution forms when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides released from cars and industry, and is not to be confused with the ozone layer, a layer in the stratosphere that absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
At surface level, ozone pollution damages vulnerable people’s lungs, and is thought to have caused 365,000 deaths in 2019.
It also damages the ability of plants to photosynthesise, reducing their growth.
In the early part of the coronavirus pandemic, emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) decreased by 15% globally, with some areas seeing drops of up to 50%, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.
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By June 2020, ozone levels had dropped to a level that experts thought would take at least 15 years to reach by conventional means, such as regulations.
Researchers led by JPL scientist Kazuyuki Miyazaki used this opportunity to research the two main oxides of nitrogen: nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, and the effects of local measures.
The more stringent the lockdown a nation imposed, the greater the reduction in emissions. For example, China’s stay-at-home orders in early February 2020 produced a 50% drop in NOx emissions in some cities within a few weeks.
Most US states achieved a 25% drop later in the spring.
The total result of the reduced NOx emissions was a 2% drop in global ozone.
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This is equal to half the amount that the most aggressive NOx emission controls considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were expected to produce over a 30-year period.
JPL scientist Jessica Neu said: “I was really surprised at how large the impact on global ozone was. We expected more of a local response at the surface.”
The researchers used measurements of NOx, ozone and other atmospheric gases from five NASA and European Space Agency satellites that observe Earth.
Read more: Melting snow in Himalayas drives growth of green sea slime visible from space
These findings indicate that both NOx emissions and global ozone will climb again as the world economy revs back up.
JPL scientist Kazuyuki Miyazaki said: “I was very happy that our analysis system was able to capture the detailed changes in emissions across the world.
“The challenging and unprecedented nature of this work is a testament to improvements in satellite monitoring in service of societal needs.”
Tibet, which existed independently upto 1950, comprises approximately one-fourth of China’s landmass today.Tibet, traditionally, encompassed the regions of the central plateau, Khamand Amdo. After annexing Tibet, China separated Amdo (the present DalaiLama’s birthplace) as the new Qinghai province, carved the central plateauand eastern Kham into the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), and latermerged the remaining parts of Tibet into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan,Yunnan and Gansu.
In a room warmed by an open wood stove, Baima says her family converted their white-brick house into a hotel as China’s Communist leadership ushers tens of millions of tourists to the politically sensitive region of Tibet.
Surrounded by mist-covered mountains, nearly 500 kilometres (300 miles) from the capital Lhasa and close to a disputed border with India, most of the houses in her remote village of Tashigang have followed suit and turned into homestays.
“We used to live a life of herding and farming,” the 27-year-old told AFP. “Then the government encouraged us to run a hotel.”
The villagers — who speak the Tibetan language — have been given Mandarin classes to help them accommodate the Chinese guests whose arrival has boosted their income.
But critics warn the surge of visitors risks eroding traditional ways of life. “Opening hotels is not as hard as herding,” Baima said, from her home packed with ornate wooden furniture and brightly painted walls.
Government officials looked on as she spoke.
Tibet is heavily restricted to foreign journalists who have little chance to visit a sensitive region that Beijing says it “peacefully liberated” in 1951.
It has been near-impossible to report from Tibet independently since 2008, when violent protests broke out in Lhasa and Beijing clamped down on access to the region and its residents.
AFP joined a recent government-steered tour to the region.
Tourism in Tibet fits with one of China’s key aims — poverty alleviation — but also, experts warn, follows a pattern of co-opting and reshaping outlying areas with a history of resistance to Beijing’s rule.
Thirty-five million tourists flooded into the region last year, ten times the entire population of Tibet.
That has prompted warnings that the influx could overwhelm traditional lifestyles and values. “The cultural degradation that is involved in this case of hyper-managed mass tourism spectacle is very worrying,” said Robert Barnett of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.
“It’s hard to identify though, since of course there is benefit for Tibetans in that trade; what is harder to quantify is the damage.”
Waves of mainland travellers have flocked to the region, attracted by the scenery, air of mystique and multitude of new transport links.
Many dress in traditional Tibetan outfits and pose outside cultural landmarks in the capital city of Lhasa.
Baima’s hamlet has 51 family hotels, according to officials, tying the bulk of its residents to the tourism industry.
AFP did not see any tourists in the village on the visit. “The government organises cultural training, national common language training (and) catering industry training,” party official Chen Tiantian told a crowd of reporters on the state-organised trip, insisting the programmes were “voluntary”.
“Now 80 percent of the people in the village can communicate in Mandarin,” she added.
Baima’s neighbour Cangjie, wearing an identical traditional dress with embroidered sleeves, said their lives have changed. “With the arrival of outsiders, we are… exposed to new things,” she said, four pictures of the Chinese president Xi Jinping hanging from her walls.
Scholars of Tibet say Beijing has pumped money into the region in the hopes that economic growth will diminish separatist sentiment.
Yet that carries the risk of the “commodification of culture”, Barnett of SOAS said, adding that Beijing expects its investment to be repaid by “gratitude to the Party for its generosity”.
Tashigang comes under the jurisdiction of Nyingtri city — a modern city called Linzhi in Chinese that is being dubbed an “international tourism area” by the government, pulling in eight million visitors last year.
“Our next goal is to strive for international tourists,” said Hu Xiongying, from the managing Party group of Lunang tourism town — Lulang in Chinese — a neighbouring district that administers Tashigang.
But most foreign passport holders are required to have an approved guide and special permit to enter Tibet so numbers are low, with only 270,000 international tourists in 2019.
The “Go West” campaign includes giving fiscal incentives and sending Chinese graduates to Tibet. Recently, the Chinese have instructed all conscripts posted in the TAR to apply for change of residential registration, which will facilitate the demobilised cadres to find employment in the TAR. Such a practice would, in the long run, change the demographic pattern of the TAR, as a large majority of the approximately 50,000 cadres demobilised every year is encouraged to settle in the TAR. A decision has been taken to make the Chinese language the medium of instruction in schools, which will necessitate more Chinese tutors to come from the mainland.39 The improvement of rail infrastructure continues to remain a top priority. The demand for rail capacity is much greater than the supply; roughly 160,000 carloads per day are needed, but the railroads can only support 90,000 carloads per day. Also, China is making significant investments to improve its highways and is planning to build over 50,000 km (31,000 miles) of expressways over the next 15 years. The Chinese government has begun placing priority on infrastructure because it comprehends that the overall health and growth of the economy is increasingly dependent on logistical capabilities.
source – News 18
Representative at the Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Victims of Communism Memorial.
Washington DC: On a rainy Friday morning, Representative Ngodup Tsering attended a memorial organized by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington DC. It was the 14th Annual Roll Call of Nations Wreath Laying Ceremony. Tsultrim Gyatso, the Chinese Liaison Officer, accompanied him.
Every June, on the anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s Brandenburg Gate speech, the Foundation hosts this Ceremony to honour the more than 100 million victims of communist regimes around the world, to celebrate liberty where it has triumphed, and to further the pursuit of a world free from communism. Due to the Wuhan originated COVID-19 Pandemic, this year’s gathering was limited to only 25 embassy representatives, which included the Office of Tibet-DC and Economic and Cultural Representative of Taiwan. “It was an honor to be invited among the Ambassadors and Representatives of 25 countries to this event,” said Representative Tsering.
Jimmy Lai of Hong Kong, a well-known entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist, was awarded the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom. Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for his pro-democracy activism. The Freedom Medal was received by his American friend from New York, who thanked the Organizers of the wreath-laying and award ceremony.
– Filed by Office of Tibet, Washington DC
Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Victims of Communism Memorial.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama/File Photo by Ven Tenzin Jamphel/OHHDL
By – Staff Reporter
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written to His Excellency Uknaa Kurelsukh to congratulate him on his election as the President of Mongolia.
“I have warm memories of your country,” he wrote, “which I first visited in 1979. I have been encouraged by the interest and enthusiasm shown by Mongolians both young and old in my efforts to promote human values, as well as the need to combine traditional Buddhist knowledge with modern education.
“Historically, the people of Mongolia and we Tibetans have been like twin brothers and sisters. The Dalai Lamas have enjoyed a unique and close relationship with your people since the time of the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso.
“As I have mentioned during my visits to Mongolia, although there are other faiths in the country, it is Buddhism that has historically shaped the identity, culture and spiritual life of your people. Since the Buddha’s teachings emphasize such fundamental human values as compassion and non-violence, they have the potential to be of benefit, without contradicting an individual’s personal beliefs. I trust that you and your government will continue to preserve and uphold these values.
“In recent years, Mongolia has made impressive material progress, which is commendable. I am sure it will improve the lives of ordinary Mongolians.”
His Holiness ended his letter by wishing the President-Elect every success in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of Mongolia.
By — Staff Reporter
London: As part of its campaign in the run-up to UN COP26 in Glasgow, the Office of Tibet, London is organising a two-day Environment conference on “The Tibetan Plateau, Addressing the Third Pole Climate Crisis” at Royal Geographical Society, London on 25 – 26 June.
The panel discussions will be broadcast live via the Office of Tibet London Facebook page from 10:45 am BST.
The speakers are:
– Filed by Office of Tibet, London
Representative Image
Medical aid from various European Countries has continued to land in Nepal to combat COVID-19, while COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be provided by the end of the year.
Addressing a press conference, German Ambassador to Nepal, Roland Schafer said: “The European Union is the biggest provider of vaccines worldwide. We have been providing two hundred and 40 million dosages worldwide. It is the same amount of vaccine that we have used inside the European Union. Right now we have a commitment from European vaccine producers that they will provide 1.2 billion dosage by the end of year to be shared with small and lower income countries including Nepal.”
The event was organised at the tarmac of Tribhuwan International Airport, which is committed to provide the vaccines to the Himalayan Nation by the end of 2021. It is the third aid that Nepal has received from Germany under European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism in less than a week.
A total of 62 ventilators, 27,500 FFP2 mask, 30,000 surgical masks, 100 gum boots, 200 body bags, five isolation center tents, and 25,000 liters of disinfectant arrived on Tuesday, as per the release from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The materials were handed over to Minister for Health and Population, Sher Bahadur Tamang by German Ambassador Schafer. Ambassadors of the Delegation of the European Union, France and Finland were also present on the occasion.
After hitting a peak in May, Nepal has continued to record a sliding number of infections. Nepal as per today recorded 5,153 new cases of COVID-19 with 6,570 recoveries and 108 deaths.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health and Population, a total of 12,065 PCR tests and 5,611 antigen tests were conducted across the country. Of them, 3,870 PCR tests and 1,383 antigen tests turned out to be positive.
There are currently 76,550 COVID-19 patients in home isolation, 6,186 in institutional isolation, 1,321 in ICUs and 372 on ventilators in the country. Likewise, Kathmandu Valley recorded 1,226 new cases of COVID-19 on the same day. Of them, 836 were detected in Kathmandu, 121 in Bhaktapur and 269 in Lalitpur districts.
Nepal’s COVID-19 case tally now stands at 611,308 including 504,540 recoveries and 8,098 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon.
Source – (ANI)
Sutras were the doctrinal teachings in aphoristic or narrative format. The Buddha delivered all of his sermons in Magadhan. These sermons were rehearsed orally during the meeting of the First Buddhist council just after the Parinibbana of the Buddha. The teachings continued to be transmitted orally and written down in the first century BCE.The Abhidharma collections focus on philosophical and psychological analysis and interpretation of Buddhist doctrine.
A “tour” of the work, designed to introduce and spread the values of Buddhist cultural assets, will take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.
“As it was created with a yearning to overcome national crises of the past, we decided that the same message of hope could be applied to our current national plight posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Haein Temple’s Jingak Sunim stated at a press conference held in Jogye Temple in Seoul, Thursday.
The Tripitaka Koreana is a set of 81,352 wooden printing blocks engraved with more than 52 million characters describing Buddhist scripture. Work on it began in 1237 (during the Goryeo Kingdom) and took 12 years to complete. It was believed its production would aid in the protection of the territory following the loss of the original Tripitaka which was lost in a fire during the Mongolian invasion of Goryeo in 1232.
The epitome of an immense national commitment of manpower and resources, the artifact was designated as National Treasure of Korea No. 32 in 1962 and included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2007.
Those who wish to take the tour around the Buddhist temple and the artifact depository can visit the official website of the Haein Temple and make an online reservation, which will close every Monday at noon.
Each visit will last from 40 to 50 minutes. For preservation and safety reasons, each tour will be limited to a maximum number of 20 visitors ― preschoolers are not eligible to participate.
| A detailed view of a printing block from the Tripitaka Koreana / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration source — Korea times |
Mr. Shakti Sinha, Director General, IBC received the donated Ventilators from H.E the Ambassador in a simple ceremony at Vietnam Embassy in New Delhi. In his speech, Mr. Shakti Sinha expressed gratitude on behalf of IBC.
Yesterday International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), India received a generous donation of 33 Ventilators from H. E. Mr. Pham Sanh Chau, the Ambassador of Vietnam in India. This critical lifesaving equipment was donated to IBC for its Care with Prayer initiative of Covid Aid to India and Nepal by Giac Ngo temple and Vietnam Buddhist University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam courtesy Most Ven. Thich Nhat Tu, the Abbot and Vice-Rector.
Mr. Shakti Sinha, Director General, IBC received the donated Ventilators from H.E the Ambassador in a simple ceremony at Vietnam Embassy in New Delhi. In his speech, Mr. Shakti Sinha expressed gratitude on behalf of IBC and the beneficiaries of the Aid for the generosity of the Vietnamese people and their solidarity with India in its time of need.
He also mentioned that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has been a pillar of support to IBC since its founding in 2011 and the Supreme Buddhist Patriarch Thich Po Tue is also Patron of IBC. In addition Most Ven Thich Tri Quang, Ven Thich Thien Tam, Most Ven. Thich Duc Thien is among the senior-most in the IBC hierarchy. Ven. Thich Nhat Tu is also a member of the IBCs Empowered Committee and also the founding member of IBC. Ven Thich Nhat Tu has been in its Governing Council ever since.
IBC is receiving 33 Ventilators for its Care with Prayer initiative to help combat the second wave of Covid pandemic in India and Nepal. These Ventilators will now be sent to various hospitals in India and Nepal.
IBC headquarter is in Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, Bldg New Delhi, and is also a grantee body of Ministry of Culture, Govt of India and has a presence in 37 countries and work largest International Buddhist body.
DHARAMSHALA, May 31: The newly elected parliamentarians of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) are set to take oath of office from the Chief Justice Commissioner Sonam Norbu Dagpo on June 8. The initial date for the swearing-in ceremony on May 30 was postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 curfew restrictions in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.
Due to the resignation of former Speaker Pema Jungney over TSJC-TPiE row, MP Dawa Tsering has been appointed as the Pro-tem Speaker, in accordance with the Article 47 of the Charter. Dawa Tsering will take oath of office before the Chief Justice Commissioner and will then consequently administer the oath of office to the new members of the parliament.
Last week, some members of the Standing Committee of the TPiE resigned as protest against the resumption of duty by the three judges of the TSJC. The Deputy Speaker Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok took did not attend the new Sikyong’s swearing-in ceremony, citing the committee’s non-acceptance to the reinstatement of the justices. Eight out of the eleven members of the 16th TPiE’s Standing Committee have tendered their resignation in protest.
MP Serta Tsultrim, one of the committee members who resigned, cautioned against the legitimacy of the Sikyong ceremony from the current Chief Commissioner, and further added that it is an ‘unlawful’ oath-taking ceremony. The judges who resumed their posts on May 24 said that the resolution passed in the parliamentary budget session which saw them impeached is ‘illegitimate’ as the house majority that supported the resolution no longer stands, citing a letter by 21 MPs who supported the withdrawal of the resolution.
