da yig no 3
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DaYig a message of courage
This year culminated in an important event for the Ti-
betan Womens Association and Friends Australia
(TWAFA): the first visit to Australia of the President of
the Tibetan Womens Association, Kirti Dolkar Lhamo.
Dolkar Lhamo was in Australia to attend the Asia Pacific
Breakthrough Conferencean initiative of the Interna-
tional Womens Faith and Development Alliance
(www.iwda.org.au). I was very happy to be able to join
with Dolkar Lhamo in attending the conference, which
was held between 2nd and 3rd December at BMW Edge,Federation Square and the Sofitel Hotel in Melbourne.
The conference was addressed by many well-known key-
note speakers including Reverend Tim Costello
(Executive Director of World Vision), Joan Kirner
(Victorian Communities Ambassador and former Premier
of Victoria), and Kerrianne Cox (internationally re-
nowned Aboriginal performing artist, awarded the Cen-
tenary Medal by the Australian Government for services
to her country).
The working group sessions at the conference
covered topics such as womens equality and empower-
ment, women and climate change, maternal health, philan-thropy and social development, and the role of faith in
development and peace building. As the only representa-
tives of Tibet at these discussions, Dolkar Lhamo and I
were able to contribute towards the final list of recom-
mendations, which will be produced in 2010 as a sum-
mary of the conference proceedings (The list is not yet
available). In particular, Dolkar Lhamo was able to inform
those present of the critical levels of environmental de-
struction on the Tibetan plateau. Following this, Dolkar
FEATURES
LOCAL NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Tibet Third Pole Team 9
5th World Parliamentarians Conference 1
2009 in ReviewThe Royal Family of TibetBriefings from the Environment Desk
257
Annual Fundraising DinnerFilm Afternoon at Mt Martha
4
Statement by Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche
Insidethisissue
N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E T I B E T A N W O M E N S A S S O C I A T I O N A N D F R I E N D S A U S T R A L I A
Tibetan Womens Association and Friends Australia TWAFA hREG #A0049430Y [email protected]
V O L N O . 3
D E C 2 0 0 9
Lhamo went on to attend the UN Climate Change Con-
ference in Copenhagen as part of the Tibet Third Pole
team (see Copenhagen report below, p.9). It was won-
derful to have this close contact with Dolkar Lhamo and
to have the opportunity to assist her while she was in
Melbourne. This has enabled us to strengthen our ties
with our international office in Dharamsala and to dis-
cuss, in person, the developing relationship of TWAFA
with our head office in Dharamsala.
Another important highlight of 2009 was our
meeting with His Holiness the Sakya Trizin Dagtri Rin-
poche on 27th June, during his teachings in Melbourne.My committee members were excited to meet with His
Holiness, to have the chance to inform him of the pro-
gress of TWAFA over the past four years, and to ask
for advice about the future direction of our organization.
His Holiness was encouraging and supportive and we
were extremely happy to receive a blessing from such a
renowned master and important leader of the Tibetan
people.
One of our most enjoyable tasks this year has
been to assist some of the newly-arrived Tibetan refu-
gees. A group of over 40 refugees arrived in Melbourne
in Augustwithout money, possessions, or knowledgeof Australian lifestyle and language. With the help of my
committee, I feel privileged to have been given the op-
portunity to work closely with a group of 15 of the new
arrivals, assisting them as they settled into their new lives
in Australia. I would like to thank TWAFA members and
others who donated clothing and various goods. Your
kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated by all con-
cerned. Our present work with Tibetan refugees links us
closely with the other 48 chapters of TWA, whose
President's Report
Dolkar Lhamo Kirti, President of the Tibetan Womens Association,
with members and friends of TWAFA , December 2009
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traditional purpose has been to support Tibetans living in
exile around the globe.
I would would like to thank all our committee mem-
bers, on behalf of Tibet, for working with such dedication
for our cause. I am especially grateful to our archivist, Pam
Martin, for the excellent work she has done in compiling an
electronic archive of records since TWAFAs inception in
2006. Thank you also to Christine Bowen for your loyal
support, and to outgoing committee members Julia Tilley
and Jenny Wood, and a special welcome onto the commit-
tee for Sally Brindley and Prue Lamont. Jenny Wood has
been part of TWAFA from the very beginning, and I grate-
fully acknowledge her invaluable contribution to building
our organisation. She has been, and still is, a wonderful
friend and supporter of Tibet. We look forward to a con-
tinuing relationship with Jenny even though she is no longer
on the committee. I would also like to thank our treasurer,
Sharon Terry. Sharon was an active Tibet supporter before
I arrived in Australian in 1995. I greatly value her wisdomand efficiency and I could not ask for a better treasurer, or
one who would be more thrilled at every new member that
we sign up! It is such a pleasure to have her on our teamI
wish her long life and happiness.
I would also like to thank my Vice-President, Jo
Selleck. Without her, we could not have achieved what we
have. She has been working tirelessly with mewhether
assisting the new arrivals, or working on the newsletter
until 4.00 in the morning. Her commitment towards those
who need help in the Tibetan community, often contributing
at her own expense, shows her dedication to our organisa-
tion. I bow to herI have no words to say thank youshe
is always there for me and for Tibet.
There have been some important changes occurring
at the Tibet Information Office in Canberra during 2009. I
would like to thank Tenzin Phuntsok Atisha, the previous
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for his hard
work and commitment to his fellow Tibetans over the past
six years. I extend the warmest welcome to the incoming
Representative of His Holiness, Sonam Norbu Dagpo, and
his team at the Tibet Information OfficeNgodup Gyaltsen
Udak (Executive Secretary) and Mrs Dadon (China Desk).
We look forward to working with the new team over the
coming years.
TWAFA continues to operate under the guidance ofa small but effective committee, and we hope that our
working group will continue to expand with the help of new
members who are keen to get involved in a direct and ac-
tive capacity. If you have any time to spare, please do not
hesitate to get in touch and work alongside us. Our mem-
bership base is slowly growing, and we encourage all our
existing members to renew their membership, as this is
essential for our survival.
We wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2010,
and we look forward to continuing our work for Tibet with
your support.
Sonam Dolker
2009 in Review
His Holiness the Sakya Trizin Dagtri Rinpoche meets with membersof the TWAFA committee on 27th June 2009
TWAFAs first major event for 2009 was the commemo-
ration of Tibetan Uprising Day on 10th March. This year,
TWAFA joined with the Tibetan community, the Austra-lia Tibet Council, and Amnesty International in a peaceful
demonstration. Approximately 200 people attended the
candlelight vigil, which was held on the steps of the Victo-
rian State Library in the centre of Melbourne. On 28th
March, we offered our support once again to the Tibetan
community, by joining them in a protest outside the Chi-
nese Embassy in Toorak (see photos below, p.3). Wher-
ever possible, TWAFA members have maintained an ac-
tive presence and peaceful supporting role in protest
events involving the local Tibetan community.
A public awareness campaign has been at the
forefront of TWAFAs activities throughout the year,
including information stalls held in Mornington (on 11th
March) and at St Andrews Market (on 21st November).
We have found this type of activity to be an effective way
of drawing public attention to important events and dates
on the calendar, such as His Holiness the Panchen Lamas
birthday on 25th April. This year (as last year), we held an
information stall in Bourke St Mall, Melbourne, to inform
people of the situation concerning the Panchen Lama.
This was also an an excellent opportunity to collect signa-
tures for current petitions, and on this occasion we ran
two petitions: one relating to the disappearance of the
Panchen Lama in 1995 and the other relating to the disap-
pearance in March 2009 of two nuns in eastern Tibet,Sangye Lhamo and Pema Yangtso. These two young girls
are the nieces of Geshe Sonam Thargye, a highly re-
spected member of the Australian community. The peti-
tion concerning Sangye Lhamo and Pema Yangtso was
sent with accompanying letters to the Prime Minister,
Kevin Rudd, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen
Smith. The petition and letter concerning the Panchen
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Lama was sent to the President of the Peoples Republic
of China, Hu Jintao, the Chinese Ambassador in Australia,
Zhang Junsai, and to Stephen Smith. Lobbying politicians
and other public figures in this way continues to be an
important part of TWAFAs regular activities.
Our major mid-year fundraising event was a din-
ner held at the Wild Yak restaurant on Sunday 14 th June
(see Christine Bowens report below, p.4). Fundraisers
such as this enable us to continue our regular donations
to projects within Tibet and in the exiled community in
India, as well as to the main office of TWA, for programs
such as Stitches of Tibet (which teaches women sewing
and business skills) and the Womens Leadership Pro-
gram. Over the past few years, our fundraising dinners
have proven to be popular with our members, who have
enjoyed fine Tibetan cuisine as well as door prizes, raffles,
and an impressive line-up of high-profile guest speakers.
This year we were honoured to have Gabriel Lafitte as
our guest speaker, and we are grateful to him for donat-ing his time and sharing his knowledge and experiences
with us.
On behalf of our committee, I would like to thank
our President, Sonam Dolker, for her commendable work
with the Tibetan community this year, particularly since
the arrival of the refugees in Melbourne in August. Sonam
-la has devoted herself tirelessly to providing every possi-
ble assistance to the refugee families, and is an admirable
example of unswerving dedication to her community.
Along with our President, Sonam Dolker, and
TWAs President, Dolkar Lhamo, I was pleased to be able
to attend part of the Asia Pacific Breakthrough Confer-
ence in December, and to contribute to one of the work-
shops on the role of faith in peace building. We eagerly
await the outcomes of the conference, in particular the
list of recommendations that was put together as part of
the conference proceedings. This will be reported on in
our next newsletter, as the relevant information is not
available at the time of this newsletter going to print.
Following Dolkar Lhamos much anticipated visit
to Melbourne, TWAFA members were kept busy attend-
ing sessions at the Parliament of the Worlds Religions,
held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
between 3rd and 6th December and the public talks of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama on 9th and 10th December. Alsoin town for the Parliament of the Worlds Religions was
the Venerable Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, Prime Min-
ister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. On 8th Decem-
ber, Sonam Dolker and myself, along with one of our
general members, were greatly honoured to be granted
an audience with Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche. We spoke at
length with Rinpoche about the situation in Tibet, and
about the Tibetan Womens Association and our branch
in Australia, and we felt very heartened by his advice.
Rinpoches statement regarding the current situation in
Tibet, given at the 5th World Parliamentarians Confer-
ence on Tibet (held in Italy on 18th
November 2009)
is reproduced below (p.10). This statement presentsstrong arguments as to why the resolution of the Tibetansituation is critical not only for Tibet, but for the worldcommunity.
Johanna Selleck
Tibetan protestors and their supporters gather on the steps of the StateLibrary of Victoria, in commemoration of the Lhasa uprising,
10th March 1959
Jenny Wood holds an information stall at the Mornington Marketon 9th March 2009
Members of TWAFA join protestors outside the Chinese Embassy inToorak Rd, Melbourne, on 27thMarch 2009
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Annual Fundraising Dinner
Members and their families enjoy TWAFAs annual fundraising dinner, held at the Wild Yak restaurant, Northcote on 14th June 2009
Film Afternoon at Mt Martha
reports
On Sunday 20th September, a film afternoon was held at
Jenny Woods home in Mt Martha. It was specifically aimed
at providing for all those TWAFA members who live on the
Mornington Peninsula and often cannot make it to our work-
shops and meetings.
The day held several treats for the participants.
Lorraine Lamb, a good friend and supporter of Tibet, spoke
about her recent visit to Dharamsala. Whilst there, she met
with our previous TWA contact, Deckyi Ratutsang, and was
invited to attend the annual TWA Conference, coincidentally
being held at the same time in McLeod Ganj. Although the
proceedings of the conference were in Tibetan, Lorraineattended for a brief time and was pleased to meet some
Tibetan Childrens Village parents who in turn invited her to
visit the Village. At our film afternoon, Lorraine also showed
us photos of her trip and related her experiences of McLeod
Ganj, the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, the various people
she met and the general surroundingsboth physical and
spiritual.
After Lorraines talk, a delicious lunch of soup, bread
and various sweet treats was served, during which the film
Ten Questions for the Dalai Lama was screened. Gener-
ous donations were made by those present and many goods
were purchased during the afternoon. The proceeds of the
day were sent to support the work done by Deckyi Ratut-
sang with elderly Tibetan refugees living in Dharamsala, who
have no family support and very little means of making a
living.
A great day was had by all who attended the film
afternoon. Particular thanks are due to Lorraine, to those
who made the trip down from the city and to everyone who
contributed to the day.
Jenny Wood
On Sunday 14th June, members and supporters of
TWAFA gathered together to enjoy a delicious, three-
course meal of Tibetan cuisine at the Wild Yak Ti-
betan restaurant in Northcote. The restaurant was
filled to capacity and the atmosphere was relaxed and
informal.
The highlight of the evening was the talk by
guest speaker, Gabriel Lafitte. Gabriel is a develop-
ment policy consultant to the Environment and Devel-
opment Desk of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. He
delivered an informed and illuminating presentation on
current events in Tibet, illustrated by a projection ofpowerful and moving images of artwork by contempo-
rary Tibetan artists. TWAFA gratefully acknowledges
Gabriels support and his wonderful contribution to
the evening. We would also like to thank the many
people who donated items for the raffle, including
Tenzin Simmonds, Julia Tilley, Eve Loveday, and Shan-
gri-La Imports. The raffle provided an entertaining
break in proceedings, and enabled us to cover costs as
well as providing the funds we need to support pro-
jects within Tibet and in the exiled community in India.
TWAFA would like to thank the Wild Yak
restaurant for providing the relaxing venue, excellent
cuisine and top quality service. The evening was con-
sidered a great success and enjoyed by all present. We
look forward to seeing you at the next onemake
sure you are on our email list in order to get details of
our next fundraiser in 2010.
Christine Bowen
Local news
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The Royal Family of Tibet:Interview with a Princess
STATEMENT BY HIS HOLINESS THE DALAILAMA, 11th FEBRUARY 2004
The religious and political contributions made by
the great kings of Tibet from the time of Nyatri
Tsenpo and especially during the time of thethree great religious kings is well known through-
out the eastern continent of Asia. It is appropri-
ate that Tibetans remember with gratitude the
legacy of the lineage kings in benefiting and work-
ing for the welfare of all beings.
In the book of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama,
Songs of the Spring Queen, he has praised andclearly explained about the house of Lha Gyari
being one of the lineages of the kings of Tibet.
And hence the tradition of the Government of
Tibet holding in special respect the house of Lha
Gyari. Most of the throneholders of the house,
Lha Gyari Trichen, have shown devotion to the
Three Jewels, compassion towards their subjects,
and served the nation of Tibet well. These are
laudable.
The seventeenth in the lineage of the Lha
Gyari throneholders, Namgyal Gyatso, was ar-
rested in Lhasa in 1959 at the time of the upheav-
als here. He was imprisoned for more than 20
years in harsh conditions and suffered much. Nev-
ertheless, he was able to maintain his dignity and
the good qualities of his lineage. After cominginto exile in recent times he was able to serve
Tibet well until his death.
Now that his noble son, Namgyal Wang-
chuk, has come of age, he is to be enthroned as
the eighteenth throneholder of Lha Gyari. It is
important that he follow the example of his an-
cestors and serve the spiritual and temporal af-
fairs of the Tibetan people. Since this is the
unique responsibility of the lineage of the kings ofTibet, he should carry out these with sincerity and
courage.
With my prayers that the lineage of the
Tibetan kings never disappear but flourish for-
ever, and may the noble deeds of benefiting all
beings proliferate like a summer lake.
The Royal Family of Tibet at the enthronement of Lha Gyari NamgyalWangchuk in the presence of his Holiness the Dalai Lama on
29th June 2004. Namgyal Choenzum (far left), Nagyal Wangchuk (centre)
Sonam Dolker and Jo Selleck had the pleasure of
meeting and talking with Princess Namgyal
Choenzum of the royal family of Tibet, at a lunch
organised for a group of women from the newly-
arrived Tibetan refugee community. Below, Jo pro-
vides a brief background to the royal family as well as
the transcript of the interview.
Princess Namgyal Choenzum and her husband, Tenzin Jigme,
are expecting their first child in March. They have high hopes
for their new life in their new country, as I discovered after
we had enjoyed a sumptuous lunch prepared by Sonam
Dolker. They kindly told us about the history of their family
(the royal family of Tibet), the enthronement of the present
king, Namgyal Wangchuk (Choenzums brother), their hopes
for their child who will grow up in Australia, and how they
came to be in Australia. Jigme showed us a number of official
documents concerning the present king, including his birth
certificate and a statement by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
about the lineages of the royal family (statement dated 11th
February 2004, reproduced opposite). Jigme also showed us
a letter by Tenzin Geyche Tethong, the secretary of His
Holiness the Dalia Lama (letter dated 25th November 2005),
concerning a Trust Deed. The Deed was to have a clause
added, stating, The Trust will do whatever is necessary to
maintain the lineage of the Lha Gyari descendants because of
the familys great importance in the history of Tibet.
Thanks are due to Princess Namgyal Choenzum and
Tenzin Jigme for agreeing to do the interview and for pro-
viding us with copies of the relevant documents.
The statement by His Holiness the Dalia Lama is
reproduced in full as it provides a valuable context for un-
derstanding the importance and history of the royal family ofTibet.
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The Royal Family of Tibet:Interview With a Princess (cont.)
The Central Tibetan Adminstration (CTA) website
(www.tibet.net) provides some important background to
the previous king, Lha Gyari Trichen Namgyal Gyatso, and
the enthronement of the present king, his son, Namgyal
Wangchuk. Namgyal Gyatso was born in Tibet 1927. He
was appointed by the Tibetan Government as Chief Repre-
sentative of the Lhasa Administration in 1956. After the
March 1959 uprising of the Tibetan people against the Chi-
nese occupation, he was arrested and served 20 years in
prison, where he suffered under a cruel prison regime. He
was released from prison in 1979. In 1982, he was ap-
pointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the 8th Assembly
of the Tibetan Peoples Deputies. He completed his autobi-
ography in 1999 and passed away in 2003.
The enthronement of Namgyal Gyatsos son, LhaGyari Namgyal Wangchuk, took place in Dharamsala, India,
on 29th June 2004 and was reported on the 2004 Flash
News pages of the CTA website. The reporter states that
Lha Gyari Namgyal Wangchuk, descendant of Tibets 33rd
King Songsten Gampo,, was enthroned at a coronation
ceremony in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The ceremony took place in the palace of the Dalai Lama
and was attended by members of the Kashag and the As-
sembly of the Tibetan Peoples Deputies. The new king was
13 years old at the timea student at the Tibetan Chil-
drens Village. His mother, who was present at the en-
thronement, commented, As a mother of a descendant of
Songsten Gampo, I feel I am fortunate to have the opportu-
nity of being part of the family of Tibets great religious
kings. She said she was elated by the event.
INTERVIEW WITH PRINCESS NAMGYAL CHOENZUM
Jo: Can you tell me about the background of the royal
family of Tibet and the lineage of your family?
Princess Namgyal Choenzum: My father was the pre-
vious king of Tibet. Our lineage goes back through the
great Dharma kings of Tibet. My father was a political
prisoner in Tibet. He spent over twenty years in prison.
When he was released, my whole family moved to India. I
was born in Dharamsala. I went to school in the Tibetan
Childrens village, for nine years. I am now 22. I came to
Australia earlier this year. After the death of my father in
2003,my brother was enthroned by His Holiness the
Dalai Lama in 2004.
Tenzin Jigme (husband of Namgyal Choenzum):
The reason that he was imprisoned was that he would not
say that Tibet was part of China. For this, the Chinese
kept him in prison for twenty years. Also, they knew he
was from the royal family. His younger brother was im-
prisoned for 9 years.
Jo: Do you have other brothers and sisters?Princess Namgal Choenzum: I have an older sister as
well as my brother, who is younger than me. I miss my
brother very much and talk to him most days on the
phone. I hope he can come to Australia one day. My
mother still lives in Dehradun in India.
Tenzin Jigme: She is like a queen mother, but no entitle-
ments are given to her. We are a democratic society,
living in exile.
Jo: Who will be the next King? How is this decided?Tenzin Jigme: This always continues through the fathers
side. So, if Namgyal Wangchuk does not have a son, then
his cousin would be the next king.
Jo: When did you come to Australia and what are your
impressions of Australia?
Princess Namgal Choenzum: I have been in Australia
for 5 months. I am expecting a baby on 20th March. We
are very happy in Australia.
Jo: How do you see the future role of the King of Tibet
and the royal family generally?
Tenzin Jigme: At present, the king is paid as a minister
in the exiled government. No political power comes with
his role as the king. As a country, we are becoming de-mocratic, so the king will not have political power. Part of
the role of the royal family is to promote and protect
Tibetan culture. This is very important.
Sonam Dolker (President of TWAFA): Our hope is
that he will educate himself properly, like the previous
kings, and that he will find his own way of serving the Ti-
betan people. The Tibetan people and His Holiness the
Dalai Lama have great respect towards the royal family.
We respect the princess and her family, because of how
her ancestors served our country, and the reputation of
their name in Tibet. The bloodline is very special because
the Tibetan king, Songsten Gampo, is the reincarnation of
Chenrezig. It is not that the royal family is treated
specially, in the same way as a European king or princess
might be, but they are highly respected. But today, many
Tibetans might have forgotten the family name of Lha
Gyari [the throneholders], because Namgyal Gyatso [the
previous king] was imprisoned for so long, then passed
away.
Tenzin Jigme: A movie has been made about the Tibetan
kings. The king [Namgyal Wangchuk] will go to New York
for the opening [premiere] later this year.
Jo: What hopes do you have for your children growing up
in Australia?
Princess Namgyal Choenzum: We hopethat they can
keep Tibetan culture and religion strong.
Jo: How did you meet each other and when did you get
married?
Princess Namgyal Choenzum: It was an arranged
marriage.
Tenzin Jigme: We met in 2004 when I came to India. I
had spent 6 years in prison as a political prisoner. The
marriage was arranged by our families. We were married
in 2007.
Sonam Dolker: I am so thrilled at having the royal prin-
cess in Melbourne, on our doorstep. I am delighted that
the bloodlines of our great kings, Songsten Gampo and
Trison Detsun are not lost. This is our history. We still
have the lineage of these great kings, the Dharma kings.
We are very happy that the princess is here with us, and
we hope she will be able to help us in working for Tibet.
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Copenhagen Briefings from the Environment Desk of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile
The Tibet Third Pole campaign was initiated in order to
bring the environmental crisis in Tibet to the attention of
the world through the UN Climate Change conference in
Copenhagen. The campaign was named Third Pole be-cause Tibet is counted third in line behind the North and
South Poles in the amount of freshwater stored in its gla-
ciers. Members of the Environment and Development
Desk of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile attended the
UN conference as part of the Third Pole team.
A series of 10 briefing papers was presented by
the Environment Desk, covering the following topics: (1)
Tibet in Copenhagen; (2) Heating the climate of the Third
Pole; (3) Indias monsoonal climate and Tibet; (4) Tibetan
farmers face climate change; (5) Tibets nomads facing
climate change and dispossession; (6) China, Tibet and
climate change; (7) Is Tibet part of the problem or part ofthe solution?; (8) Solutions for Tibet and for planetary
health; (9) China, global consumption and climate change;
(10) Where to from Copenhagen?
The following discussion summarises the argu-
ments put forward in the briefings. (The full reports can
be downloaded from www.tibet.net).
The ten briefings are intended to outline the se-
verity of the situation from a Tibetan point of view. They
explain the impact of climate change on Tibetans and they
offer some solutions. The briefings are the result of care-
fully documented research, and some of the sources that
validate the arguments are provided. The first briefing
explains why it is necessary to bring this information to
Copenhagen and the world at large: This series of brief-
ings is about why Tibet matters in the Copenhagen nego-
tiations for the planetary climate. Because six million Ti-
betans are silenced, forbidden to form their own organisa-
tions, people think Tibet is small and unimportant on a
global scale. Actually, [for] every square kilometre of land
on earth, 17 hectares are Tibetan. Climate scientists have
recently realised the Tibetan Plateau is the planetary Third
Pole, an island in the sky so vast it deeply affects circula-
tion, draws the Asian monsoons deep inland, affecting
even storm tracks of the north Pacific and Atlantic
oceans. Tibet is, in fact, an engine of global climate.(Briefing No. 1)
The 2.5 million sq km of the Tibetan plateau is warming
faster than other areas on earth, resulting in more ex-
treme and unpredictable weather within Tibet and across
Asia. It is only recently that scientists have begun to un-
derstand the unique role of Tibet as a regulator of plane-
tary climate. The thin, clear sunny skies of Tibet have, in
the past, heated dramatically during spring and summer,
generating intense low pressure, which draws inland the
heavy rain clouds from distant tropical oceans. This
weather pattern has been seriously affected by snow falling
later than usual, into spring. Sunlight bounces off the snowcover and is reflected back into space, rather than being
absorbed by growing grasses, thus perpetuating the cold
temperature into spring, and weakening the monsoon.
This is exacerbated by deforestation. In the fertile re-
gions of eastern Tibet, deforestation has significantly
reduced rainfall, which in turn reduces the monsoonrains. The monsoon supplies Tibet with most of its rain,
falling as snow in the mountains and feeding the glaciers.
In turn, the glaciers feed the great rivers of Asia.
The effect of this unusual weather cycle is one of
extremes in seasonal variations and of overall warming
and drying. Warming causes the early melting of the
permafrost, which in turn deprives crops and wetlands of
moisture at critical periods in their growth cycle. Hence,
late snows and cold weather in spring are conversely
matched by warmer weather with less snowfall and early
-melting permafrost in winter. These factors have dire
consequences for Tibetan nomads who are unable to
feed their livestock whilst the the usual spring grasses
remain buried under snow.
The grasslands of Tibet have been grazed sustain-
ably by nomads for thousands of years, yet their intimate
knowledge of the dynamics of their environment has
been ignored by Chinese policy makers, who consider
the nomads to be uncivilized, backward, primitive and
ignorant. Since 1959, nomads have been forcibly re-
moved from their ancestral lands and prevented from
continuing their nomadic lifestyle, which has for so long
ensured the extraordinary biodiversity of the Tibetan
plateau. They have been herded into communes and
stripped of possessions, forced to increase herd sizes,overgraze in fenced-in areas too small for large herds,
and engage in commercialized slaughter and meat pro-
duction. As a result, soil has become depleted and the
landscape devastated by the invasion of toxic weeds and
plagues of rodents. The nomads themselves have suf-
fered a sharp decline in quality of life accompanied by an
increase in diseases such as tuberculosis and parasitic
infections. As the author of Briefing No. 5 states, Like
the dispossession of the American Indians and the Aus-
tralian Aborigines, the compulsory ecological migration
of the Tibetan nomads is grounded in ignorance, preju-
dice, a failure to listen and learn. China is far from alonein assuming its nomads are backward, and to blame for
degrading the land. But around the world, governments
increasingly recognize that pastoral nomadic mobility
holds the key to sustainability on the dry lands of the
world.
The changing weather patterns have had severe
consequences for famers as well as nomads. Highland
barley is a staple of the Tibetan diet, and spring crops
require the glacier melt (using irrigation for capture) and
the thaw of the frozen earth to obtain waterthe timing
is critical and farming methods are finely attuned to it.
Without it, crops fail. Further accelerating the degrada-
tion of farmlands is Chinas insistence on growing wheat,
which is more familiar to the Chinese, but less suited to
the Tibetan climate, as are Chinese methods of intensive
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Would you like to become a member ofTWAFA? Just fill out the following membershipform and post to PO Box 1054 Camberwell, Vic3124. Donations are welcome.
Copenhagen Briefings (cont.)
farming of small plots of land. This also affects native vegetation,
which is rapidly drying and dying off, in turn affecting the migra-
tory birds and native animals that depend on the wetlands and
grasslands. Ultimately, the death of the wetlands turns carbonsinks into carbon emissions (Briefing No. 4). As the land be-
comes degraded, scientists have shown that there is a huge loss
of soil carbon as well as methane emissions from the dying
vegetation, whereas healthy grasslands, as traditionally grazed by
nomads, sequestered as much carbon as do the pine forests of
Finland or subalpine forests in the Rocky Mountains (briefing
No. 7).
The briefing papers offer numerous solutions to the
problems outlined above. According to their recommendations,
Tibet needs bottom up rather than top-down models of
management. For example, it is suggested that Tibetan nomads
should be allowed to return to their pastoral lands and manage
the environment according to traditional methods. They should
be involved in community development and conservation plan-
ning that incorporates and builds upon their extensive knowl-
edge and experience. Similarly, it is recommended that farmers
should be allowed to work in cooperative partnerships rather
than being instructed by Chinese officials who have little knowl-
edge or understanding of the Tibetan environment.
The briefings also tackle the damage done by Chinese
mines, waste dumps, rock crushing plants and smelters in Tibet
(Briefing No. 9). As with all the environmental issues outlined in
these papers, the authors appear to place considerable hope in
the outcome of the Copenhagen conferencehopes felt by
many of usbut proven, with hindsight, to be misplaced.
Johanna Selleck
$30
$25
A resettlement camp for Tibetan nomads. Picture: www.news.bbc.co.ukThe report on the BBC site states, Government policy aims to settle more and
more nomads.Itsays that this is aimed at improving the economic viability ofanimal husbandry and lessening the effects of natural disasters on the livelihoodof Tibetan herdsmen. This allows the government to manage the nomadic
population as it gives them fixed addresses.
CONTACT THE TIBETAN WOMENSASSOCIATION AND FRIENDS
AUSTRALIA AT:[email protected]
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Tibet Third Pole Team Draws LargeAudiences at Copenhagen
Ms. Dolkar Lhamo Kirti, the President of Tibetan
Womens Association, presented Tibetans as environ-
mental activists and expounded on the specific case study
about the mining protests in Markham and why the Tibet-ans won on that occasion and how this provides some
hope for the future.
Ms. Tenzin Dhardon Sharling, who works as the
research and media officer of Tibetan Womens Associa-
tion, spoke on Womens Human Rights and Climate
Change in Tibet with specific reference to the case of
nomadic women and presented two case studies compiled
from interviews with nomadic women. She also summa-
rised Tibet Third Poles demands of China and COP 15
negotiators, the key of which being to halt the forced re-
moval of Tibetan nomads from the Tibetan grasslands.
Ms. Tenzin Choedon spoke about how local exiled
Tibetans are participating in environmental activities initi-
ated by Tibetan Settlement Office in Dharamsala on waste
management issues, recycling, education and awareness
raising.
The audience responded to the presentation with
questions on glacial melting, nomadic resettlement and
how climate change in Tibet is affecting the rest of Asia.
There were many sympathetic responses and one Danish
participant even apologised for the Danish governments
recent statement on the Tibetan issue.
International News
The following report on the Tibet Third Poleteam is taken from the official website of the Cen-tral Tibetan Administration.www.tibet.net
The latest public event at COP 15 [the 15th Conference
of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Conven-
tion on Climate Change] by the Tibet Third Pole team
has proved to be one of the most successful. An evening
public talk on 16 December at Klimaforum (the NGO
conference at COP 15) on Tibet Third PoleNomads:
Climate Change and Human Rights attracted over 250
people. The packed hall listened to presentations from
Tibet Third Pole team members, saw rare footage from
Tibet and participated in a question and answer session.
Translations in Spanish, Danish and French were also
made available.
The panelists included Chokyi from the Environ-
ment Desk of the Central Tibetan Administration, Dolkar
Lhamo Kirti and Tenzin Dhardon Sharling from Tibetan
Womens Association, Venerable Ngawang Woeber, a
former political prisoner from Gu Chu Sum and Tenzin
Choedon, an environmental researcher from the Tibetan
Settlement Office in Dharamsala, India. The talk was mod-
erated by John Isom, Executive Director of Tibet JusticeCenter.
Ms. Chokyi,, who works as a researcher at the
Environmental and Development Desk, gave a 25 minute
presentation on the core environmental issues in Tibet,
and the specific case of Tibets nomads. Her presentation
began with the screening of a 2 minute clip from Dhon-
dup Wangchens film "Leaving Fear Behind, which fea-
tured an interview with a Tibetan nomad. The short film
featuring Dhondup Wangchens wife, Lhamo Tso: Behind
the Sea (a Tibetan Womens Association production),
was also screened. The audience found her story particu-
larly moving and film-makers in the audience later re-quested copies of the film and our permission to use this
film for further screenings at various international events.
Ven. Ngawang Woeber, President of Gu Chu
Sum, spoke about the environmental issues and environ-
mental political prisoners in Tibet. Ngawang himself be-
ing a former political prisoner also spoke briefly about his
experience as a political prisoner in Tibet.
The Tibet Third Pole team presents a talk on Tibet Third Pole: No-
mads, Climate Change and Human Rightsat the United Nations
Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen on 16th December 2009
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
The TWAFA committee wishes to thank all our mem-bers for their continuing support. Members will be keptinformed of our activities via our newsletter and are
welcome to attend meetings. We wish all members andtheir families a happy and prosperous 2010.
TWAFA MEETINGS FOR 2010
All meetings are held the Richmond Public Library,corner of Swan St and Church St, Richmond.Meetings start at 2.30. Members are invited to attendboth meetings and workshops.
21st February (meeting); 21st March (workshop);18th April (meeting); 23rd May ( workshop);
20
th
June (meeting); 18
th
July ( workshop);22nd August (meeting); 19th September (workshop);24th October (meeting); 21st November (workshop)
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THE TIBETAN WOMENS ASSOCIATIONAND FRIENDS AUSTRALIA
PO BOX 1054, CAMBERWELL, VIC. [email protected]
Statement of Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpocheat the 5th World Parliamentarians Conference on Tibet
The 5th World Parliamentarians Confererence onTibet was held in Rome, Italy, on 18th November2009. The following transcription of Ven. SamdhongRinpoches address to the conference is sourcedfrom the official website of the Central TibetanAdministration.www.tibet.net
Honourable Chairperson, Honourable Parliamentarians,
distinguished Guests and Friends,
At the outset, we welcome all of you most sincerely and
express our deep sense of gratitude on behalf of six million
suffering people of Tibet. The parliamentarians who have
taken the trouble of coming all the way to attend this con-
ference to express solidarity and unflinching support for the
cause of Tibet represent the noble political will based on
the moral conscience of humanity.
If on your part there would not have been a deep
sense of commitment to the values of freedom, justice and
human dignity you would not have taken the pains to assem-
ble here. This is the gathering of people who possess in-
domitable courage and who without fear or greed have gutsto stand up for truth and justice against a mighty force
of our times. We all know that Tibet has nothing to offer as
benefits to you or your country in material or political
terms in contrast to what our oppressor, China, so readily
offers. Therefore, your presence here is not only vitally
important and invaluable for us Tibetans but also
for humanity at large. It is not a simple strategic support for
a people of nation or a political group. It is the support
Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche
which strengthens the forces of truth, justice and non-
violence and morality all over the world. His Holinessoften says that Tibet supporters are neither pro-
Tibetan nor anti-China; they are pro-justice, truth and
nonviolence and anti-injustice, falsehood and violence.
This assembly consists of people who refuse to
be neutral spectators when a section of humanity suf-
fers from oppression and exploitation at the hand of a
totalitarian regime. Nobel Laureate, Elie Wiesel, rightly
said that Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the
victim; silence encourages the tormentor, never the
tormented.
It is a good augury that we have gathered in the
great city of Rome to hold this convention of WPCT
[World Parliamentarians Conference on Tibet]. Italy is
rightly acclaimed as the champion of the ideals of de-
mocracy, freedom and justice. It has always stood for
liberty, equality and human dignity. The great people of
Italy have consistently supported the cause of Tibet.
Therefore, it is our duty to express our gratitude to
the organizers and supporters of this convention.
The situation in Tibet is worse than ever be-
fore. The ongoing systematic rampage of its civilization
and the sinister policy of annihilating its cultural and
racial identity is being pursued zealously. The escalating
demographic aggression; the unending tale of various
forms of discrimination; the rising wave of torture,killings and unlawful detentions; the ever-increasing
onslaught on Tibetan language, culture and religion; the
heartless sinicization of Tibet and the continuing de-
struction of its environmentall this and moreis
going on unabatedly, particularly since last year after
the peaceful demonstrations in all the Tibetan areas. It
is unnecessary to recount the numerous instances of
violation of human rights, destruction of culture and
civilization, indiscriminate exploitation of natural re-
sources. There is ample evidence available and there
are numerous documents on these subjects prepared
by independent agencies.We do not deny the infrastructural develop-
ments such as buildings, roads, airfields, railways and
other things that are taking place in Tibet since the
occupation of the country by PRC. Boasting to the
world about these developments by PRCs propaganda
outfits along with statistics of the amount of money
being allocated and spent in the Tibetan areas amazes
many ignorant people. Even people sympathetic to
Tibets cause also tend to think as if the developments
are not possible if China does not occupy Tibet. We
need to assess these developments on the following
grounds:
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Statement of Kalon Trip Prof. Samdhong Rinpocheat the 5th World Parliamentarians Conference on Tibet
DEC 2009
A) If Tibet was not occupied by the PRC, Tibet would have
developed on its own way most suitable to its people. During
the last sixty years, Tibets neighbours such as Nepal, Bhutan,Myanmar and India did not remain static. They have also ad-
vanced in material development without any adverse effect on
their people, culture and environment. Tibet would also have
developed in the same manner.
B) The development of Tibet carried out by the PRC has
caused much damage. Around 20% of the indigenous Tibetan
population perished as a direct result of the occupation and
this is apart from the destruction of culture, language,
ancient monuments, heritage and environment.
C) The PRC never gives any account to the world about the
extraction of wealth of Tibet in the form of its natural re-
sources such as gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum, calcium,oil, precious stone, coal, timber, salt, uranium etc. In our
estimate, whatever expenditure allocated for development in
Tibet by the Central Government does not constitute even a
small percentage of what they take away from Tibet. As the
late Panchen Lama said, the destruction of Tibet is much
more then what she gained from China.
D) Above all who are the beneficiaries of the development
in Tibetan areas? The standard of living of the majority of the
indigenous people has not improved and, in many cases, has
deteriorated. The rate of literacy, employment, health and
economic wellbeing of the Tibetan people are lacking far
behind those of the new immigrants, chiefly Han Chi-
nese. The drastic demographic change, which makes the
Tibetans a tiny minority in their own land, is made possible
due to economic and infrastructure development taking place
in Tibetan areas. Keeping in view the above facts, the devel-
opment that took place in Tibet is indeed not a matter of
pride or appreciation. The majority of Tibetans are made
psychologically poorer than before in comparison with the
rich Chinese people living in Tibet.
Basic Nature of Tibetan struggle
The nature of the Tibetan struggle is neither that of a con-
frontation between political ideologies, nor is it a clash be-
tween nationalities. Nor it is a political power struggle. Basi-cally, the problem of Tibet is related to the human situation
and it cannot be perceived in isolation. We have to struggle
for truth against falsehood, for justice against injustice, for
morality against immorality, and for right against wrong. The
people of Tibet aspire for freedom not merely for the sake of
a political identity. Political identity for us is only a means to
perform our legitimate duties towards all sentient beings. It is
not an end in itself. The people of Tibet have inherited for
centuries a responsibility to preserve, promote and dissemi-
nate unique cultural and spiritual traditions for the benefit of
all sentient beings. To enable the people of Tibet to fulfill
these duties, we require a conducive social, political,
economic and environmental situation. Human intelligence
cannot awaken to its fullest extent in an atmosphere of
oppression and terror. An uprooted cultural heritage
cannot be properly preserved and promoted through
replantation elsewhere. Therefore, political freedom is ameans for Tibetans to fulfill their duties.
Keeping in view the above-mentioned facts, the
resolution of the issue of Tibet is not only important for
the people of Tibet but it is no less important for the
people of China and, from a larger perspective, it is also
important for the world community.
The World Community and the Chinese Regime
During the last century the world saw great changes in
every sphere of life. In 1949, the Communist Party of
China established the Peoples Republic of China under
the leadership of Chairman Mao. Although China pro-moted rigorously the ideology of world liberation at the
time, but it did not care for world opinion nor did it
reach out to the international community. China chose
to remain separate within their own iron curtains, and
the international community kept its distance from
China. The PRC was left isolated for about two decades.
During this period, great catastrophes had hap-
pened in the name of class struggle, establishment of
communes, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural
Revolution etc. Millions of innocent people suffered and
perished. No one cared or tried to help them.
By the end of Maos era and the emergence of
Dengs leadership, there was a sudden change in the
attitude of the international community, which surprised
many. Now two principal policies are being pursued by
almost every country in a competitive way. The first is
promoting trade relations and investment in China with
the theory that economic liberalization will naturally
bring political liberalization. But in reality, the totalitar-
ian regime is more suitable to multi-national companies
than any democratic set-up. For example, population-
wise India and China do not have much difference, but
people hesitate to invest in India simply because it is a
democratic country. There is an independent judiciary,
rule of law, free press, labour unions and so forth. Themultinationals are happy to rush to China simply be-
cause of the absence of the above-mentioned freedoms.
If they could bribe one party cadre and one military
commander, they can do everything, including exploita-
tion of labour and natural resources. The economic
liberalization greatly strengthened the perpetuation of
the totalitarian regime. Also, they acquired more bar-
gaining power and leverage upon other bigger nations.
Thereby Beijing is not only able to repress its own peo-
ple but is able to bully, pressurize and terrorize other
nations openly and easily. Beijings hegemonic behaviour
goes unchallenged. Therefore, the fantasy of economic
liberalization following socio-political liberalization has
vanished and people are beginning to acknowledge it.
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THE TIBETAN WOMENS ASSOCIATION AND
FRIENDS AUSTRALIA
PresidentSonam Dolker Vice-PresidentJohanna Selleck
SecretarySally Brindley TreasurerSharon Terry
Public OfficerPrue Lamont
General Committee Geraldine Bate, Christine Bowen
Editor Johanna Selleck Sub-Editor Sharon Terry
Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche cont.
The other policy is the so-called constructive engage-
ment. Advocates of constructive engagement believe that
bilateral and multilateral dialogue process will change
Chinas human rights behaviour for the better. The dia-
logue process on the issues of human rights, environ-
ment, rule of law etc. is being carried out year after year
with no tangible results. Such an engagement is an eye-
wash to the international community. It is beneficial to
the totalitarian regime and serves as a face-saving device.
Indeed, both of these policies are motivated either by
greed or fear: greed for the Chinese market and fear of
Chinese strength and intimidation.
Therefore, policy of appeasement is being pursued
almost uniformly by big or small, powerful or weak na-
tions alike. Of course there are a few exceptional indi-
viduals or governments from time to time. But theyfound no one stood with them. Most governments are
eager to maintain conciliatory behaviour in order to
achieve either immediate gains or to avoid immediate
problems. Such behaviour is recognised as weakness by
the PRC authorities. Since the recent economic reces-
sion, most of the nations have become more humble and
submissive to totalitarian regimes. Imperialistic authoritar-
ian and totalitarian regimes are working in a cohesive
network. This is being strengthened and supported by the
globalized economic system. Millions of innocent people
who are being tortured and repressed cannot find a sav-
iour. They are helpless. It appears to us that the principleof might is right and survival of the fittest is much more
prevalent in the 21st century than in the primitive ages.
Under such circumstances, my question before
this august gathering is whether this kind of conciliatory
and appeasing approach to a totalitarian regime would be
beneficial and appropriate to them and to the
world? What is the responsibility of a civilized person
at this juncture?
As mentioned before, the Tibet problem is not a
singular problem for Tibetans alone. It is a symptom of a
larger human malady. Therefore, we shall have to find the
cause and the remedy at a global spectrum. Is there any
way to stop inhuman repressive measures and injustices
inflicted on immeasurable helpless people? As a member
of civilized and sensible human society do each of us have
the responsibility to oppose such gross injustices or can
we remain mute spectators? In our view, keeping silence
is amounting to agreement with the perpetrators of injus-
tice. Therefore, as a member of justice, we shall have to
raise our voice against injustice and violation of human
rights to every nation or group without any discrimina-
tion.
As you all are aware, humanity is passing through
a critical time. Economic disparity, violence and terrorism,
environmental degradation, religious intolerance andcivilizational conflict are growing rampantly.
Each one of these problems is posing a potential threat to
the very existence of humanity. We are not trying to draw
a negative picture and promote pessimism. This statement is
a reflection of the ground reality. We call upon your atten-
tion for a future course of action. Unless the upright peo-
ples of the world do not stand up against these problems,
the future of humanity may not be a desirable one.
We the people of Tibet under the leadership of His
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama are committed to truth and
non-violence. This is because we are convinced that all the
problems of humanity are caused by violence. Unless and
until violence and hate is eradicated, human misery cannot
be put to an end. The violence and hatred cannot be elimi-
nated by counter-violence and counter-hate. To eliminate
violence and hatred we need to cultivate the opposite i.e.
non-violence and loving-kindness. It is the law of nature thatthe fire cannot be extinguished by fire. It needs some sub-
stance opposite to the nature of fire, which makes the ex-
tinguishment of fire possible. We have been able to makeour movement free of violence for the last more than four
decades. In spite of some growing impatience in some quar-
ters, His Holiness is able to lead our people on the non-
violent path.
We have always tried to approach the PRC leader-
ship with love and compassion and our opposition to their
actions is not motivated by hate and anger. We consider
them as the principal subject of our loving-kindness. With
this attitude we continue our dialogue with the PRC leader-
ship through a realistic approach. We only aspire for the
implementation of the PRCs constitutional provisions of
national regional autonomy for the entirety of the Tibetan
people. A Memorandum for Genuine Autonomy for Tibetan
People was submitted to them last year and we are eager to
continue the dialogue with them on the basis of this Memo-
randum. The Memorandum is self-explanatory and is now
in public domain. This is to clarify that it is absolutely not
true that His Holiness has discontinued engagement with
the PRC leadership. His Holiness is always ready and eager
to continue the process of dialogue and we are ready to
meet them, anytime, anywhere.
Ladies and gentlemen, you are representing the
people of the world. We would like to invoke your inner
conscience to awake and act promptly and effectively to
deal with the problems of humanity in putting an end toviolence, violation of human rights, injustice, exploitation of
nature and living beings, environmental degradation and to
preserve and promote human dignity and human values.
Thankyou.
Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche
DEC 2009