By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, July 14: The death of a prominent Tibetan Lama serving life sentence in a Chinese prison on Sunday led to upheavals both inside Tibet and in exile as well with suspicion of ‘foul-play’ and ‘Gross mistreatment’ being raised by global media, international organizations, NGOs and international governments.
The 65 year old Tibetan activist who was serving a life sentence reportedly died due to lack of medical attention despite being in poor health over the years. The incident adds to the already long list of ‘deaths in detention’ under ‘mysterious circumstances’.
Over a thousand people gathered in Sichuan province’s Nyagchuka County on Monday to pay respects to the Buddhist figure, and also demanded that the body be handed over to the family for last rites. However, armed security personnel fired live rounds of ammunition and tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. The area of Nyagchuka and Lithang remain blocked off according to Dharamshala based rights group Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.
In New York City, Students for a Free Tibet’s Deputy Director Pema Yoko along with two other activists barged into the Chinese Consulate and demanded that Chinese government hand over the body of the Tibetan monk to his family. Video of the activists being manhandled out of the premises can be seen on social networking sites. The consulate was shut down for the day. “We had to go into the Chinese Consulate because Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s family and Tibetans in Tibet are left with unanswered questions about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Tibetans inside Tibet don’t even have the space to grieve or protest – they are cut off from the world. It is time now for the world governments to strongly condemn China for the custodial death of an innocent man and launch an international inquiry into his death,” said Yoko.
Tibetan Youth Congress also echoed similar outrage saying, “Rinpoche was a true Tibetan hero sacrificing his life for the people and cause of Tibet”, and demanded “a clear detailed explanation from the Chinese Government on the circumstances leading to his demise.”
US Department of State , in a press statement, expressed condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and urged China to “make public the circumstances surrounding his death” and “to return his body to his family or to his monastery so that customary religious rituals can be properly performed”.
In Dharamsala, five NGOs (Students for a Free Tibet, Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, Gu Chu Sum Movement Association of Tibet and National Democratic Party of Tibet) organized a candle light vigil for the departed Buddhist teacher on Monday.
Central Tibetan Administration has scheduled a prayer service for the Buddhist master on Wednesday.
