By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 4: The sudden emergence of more positive COVID-19 cases in India and the national capital have created a wave of cancellations and postponements of public events here in Dharamshala considered to be the virtual capital of the exile Tibetan diaspora.
The official website of the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama stated that all engagements of the octogenarian leader will be postponed indefinitely and that the upcoming March 9 teachings scheduled to be held here is cancelled. “As a precautionary measure, in view of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, all engagements of His Holiness the Dalai Lama remain indefinitely postponed. Thank you for your understanding,” the office announced.
The exile Tibetan government known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration is also postponing one of its events, the maiden 5/50 Forum for International Tibetan Associations due to the outbreak of the COVID-19. The Department of Finance, CTA was to jointly organise the event with the Information and international relations wing of the CTA from April 2-4.
On Tuesday, the largest Tibetan school in exile which educates more than half of Tibetan children in exile suspended school until further notice for students below class VIII in measures, that the authorities described to be “strictly precautionary”.
While the state of Himachal Pradesh where many of the Tibetan governmental and NGOs are based is yet to see a single case of the COVID-19, the Indian Capital New Delhi has registered over 5 cases as of Wednesday shooting the total registered cases in the country to 28 according to the Indian Ministry of Health.
