This teenager,Lobsang Nyndak just turned 18 and he was studying at Guru Tibetan Teacher's Training Institute. The institute was miles away from Chamdo city. A bold protest staged by three of Lobsang's friends early this year, gave the extra impetus for his rebellious thoughts. The subsequent Chinese crackdown and torture resulted death of Pema Tsepak, one of his relatives, and two other still being held in jail did not deter him . As a matter of fact, the Zogan incident was a turning point in Lobsang's life. He saw and he heard villagers whisper on the gallantry act of the trio youth. Pema Tsepak was holding the banned Tibetan national flag high up, and charged towards the police blockage in a most fearsome encounter. Even though, Lobsang did not involve in this protest. He has a deep sense of admiration and respect for three youngster's sacrifices. He secretly harboured an urge to follow their suit, and he was waiting for that moment.
A strange feeling of loneliness and sadness descended on him. His usual interesting on studies and education seemed immaterial to him. He skipped the class to find his own space and privacy to ponder on issues. He also can not put away the faces of his family away, so he called up home and inquired about their health. Upon learning the family members are in good health, especially his grandfather, with whom he shared the most intimate relationship, he set on his goal. Lobsang did not want to bother anyone else, except for himself. He can not read any of his friends mind and he also doubt their determination to venture on such a risky mission. His purpose was to vent his own feelings and take responsibilities of his own action.
On a Sunday on June 28,2009 it was school off day. Students from his teacher's training institution take the day off to pay visit to their relatives and friends at nearby Chamdo city. Lobsang too wanted to go for a sightseeing and meet some his acquaintances in Chamdo, with the ultimate mission for the trip still hidden to himself. Lobsang accompanied another student friend and they toured the city and dropped at several places to meet friends. As morning gives way to afternoon, and no sooner they have return to school. Back to where they were supposed to be . But Lobsang's determination was as solid as a rock and his mission was too sacred to pass up.
Pleading his companion to depart in advance for the school, as he would take some time for other business to attend, Lobsang with dogged determination set upon on his risky business. It was crowded market, and one of the busiest in the Chamdo city. Pulling out his slogans written on white sheet and a symbol of Tibetan national flag with spattered of inks on a white clothes, he rummaged through streets of Toto Gan, shouting "Free Tibet" slogans and "China quit Tibet".
onlookers stunned by the determination of this lone protester. But no onlookers seemed to understand the very act of defiance. After doing a round of protest and shouting at his loudest he entered into a vicinity of a police station, in an apparant act surrendering and confession. Then it was there, he was nabbed, as told by witness on the spot.
The next day, the institute of teacher's training in Guru learnt of his protest and arrest. Six students mainly from Tsawa, came to Chamdo to plead authorities to release Lobsang, on the ground that he is good student. The group also warned police to protest, if he is not released.
Police chided the students and told them to stay away from this or face problem. The youngsters, after returning to their school, attempted to mobilize more students, but the Principal of the institute foiled the plan for further protest.
Meanwhile. Lobsang's parents, came to visit him. Police jailed Lobsang in Taza Thong police station as saw by newly released prisoner. His parents were denied the visitation and they had sought comfort with hope of their clothes and food staff and money be delivered to Lobsang by the security guard.
Lobsang was in jail without a formal hearing of his case, which is a usual practice in Tibet. He had no remorse, and as a matter of fact, he is at peace that finally he fulfilled his own dream of standing up against the mighty China. The effectiveness and organization of the protest was secondary to him. What mattered most for him was his cry for freedom. Eventually, he joined the ranks of living Martyrs.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Act of defiance.
(The following informations lack details and i have penned it down as told by the witness in a hurry,)
A middle aged man by the name of Youten Gyaltso around 40, presumably from Kham Gonjon, staged a demonstration in the City of Chamdo in Kham .
A few days ago on July 17th, according to the witness, a lone Tibetan protester shouted "Free Tibet" at a place called Then Chen Gon Chang in the middle of Chamdo city .The protester dressed in Chupa, Tibetan tradition dress threw up a bunch of leaflets in the air and running around shouting "Free Tibet". One of such a leaflet scattered around obtained by the witness contained slogans such as "We want Free Tibet" in Tibetan language and besides the protester revealed his identity such as name and place of birth on the leaflets .
The witness said no sooner there was a big convoy of police vehicles rushed to the scene with sirens blaring, which could be heared in the entire Chamdo city. The protester was finally over powered and arrested by policemen after about 10 minutes into the incident. The witness saw a kind of melee ensued with the arrival of police force on the scene, many Tibtans were weeping, as people running from all directions in a chaotic situation. After the incident, security were beefed up in Chamdo at all the adjacent roads, with police guards stationed all over.
Oh, my Tibetan brother, your yearning for freedom rings...
A middle aged man by the name of Youten Gyaltso around 40, presumably from Kham Gonjon, staged a demonstration in the City of Chamdo in Kham .
A few days ago on July 17th, according to the witness, a lone Tibetan protester shouted "Free Tibet" at a place called Then Chen Gon Chang in the middle of Chamdo city .The protester dressed in Chupa, Tibetan tradition dress threw up a bunch of leaflets in the air and running around shouting "Free Tibet". One of such a leaflet scattered around obtained by the witness contained slogans such as "We want Free Tibet" in Tibetan language and besides the protester revealed his identity such as name and place of birth on the leaflets .
The witness said no sooner there was a big convoy of police vehicles rushed to the scene with sirens blaring, which could be heared in the entire Chamdo city. The protester was finally over powered and arrested by policemen after about 10 minutes into the incident. The witness saw a kind of melee ensued with the arrival of police force on the scene, many Tibtans were weeping, as people running from all directions in a chaotic situation. After the incident, security were beefed up in Chamdo at all the adjacent roads, with police guards stationed all over.
Oh, my Tibetan brother, your yearning for freedom rings...
Tibetans Risk Lone Protests
2009-07-29
Chinese security forces fail to prevent recurring demonstrations protesting China's rule in Tibet.
AFP
A Chinese policeman stands guard in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, June 20, 2008.
KATHMANDU—Two Tibetans recently staged separate protests against Chinese rule in Tibet, defying security crackdowns and braving the near-certainty of harsh treatment in detention, Tibetan sources said.
Sporadic demonstrations, both by individuals and by small groups, have continued in the region for more than a year following widespread unrest that began in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, in March 2008 and spread to Tibetan-populated areas of China.
Protests are quickly dispersed by Chinese security forces, with detained protesters often beaten, sometimes severely, according to reports.
“On June 28, a young Tibetan, a student at the Guru Teacher Training School in Dzogong [county, of the Chamdo prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region] was detained for protesting in Chamdo city,” said a Tibetan man now living in Canada, citing area contacts.
The student, Lobsang Nyendrak, 18, had walked to town with a friend earlier in the day, the man said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Nyendrak then urged his friend to return alone to the school, saying he had “other business” to attend to.
When his friend left, the source said, Nyendrak pulled out a hand-made banner along with a cloth bearing the colors of the banned Tibetan national flag. He then walked through the the local market, calling out “Tibet is independent!” and “China quit Tibet!”
“He walked straight toward the police station in Chamdo, calling on Tibetans to ‘rise up’ behind him,” the source said.
Nyendrak was then immediately detained, according to witnesses.
Stadium protest
When fellow students learned next day that Nyendrak was being held, six of them went to Chamdo to plead for his release, the source said.
Turned away by police, the students returned to the school and began to organize a wider protest, but the school’s principal blocked their plans.
Then, on July 17, a man named Yonten Gyatso—aged about 40 and a native of Dege in Kham—staged a solitary protest in a Chamdo sports stadium, said the source.
“He ran a complete circuit of the stadium while displaying fliers,” the man said. “The people who were gathered there cheered him on, and there was some commotion. In the fliers, the man gave his name and called on others to protest for the cause of Tibet.”
Achi Dolma, a Tibetan woman living in New York, confirmed the account, also citing sources in Chamdo.
“A convoy of police vehicles rushed to the scene with sirens blaring,” Dolma said.
“A melee ensued, with Tibetans weeping and people running in all directions,” she continued. “The protester managed to escape in the confusion.”
“Afterward, security was strengthened in Chamdo on the roads nearby, and police were stationed all over.”
The protester was finally detained by police on July 21, she added.
Reached for comment on July 22, local police confirmed there had recently been “some incidents” in Chamdo.
“The persons responsible were not locals, but came from outside the area,” a police spokesman said, adding that one person had been detained the night before and that another, “a student from Tsawa Dzogong,” was already being held.
Original reporting by Dorjee Damdul for RFA’s Tibetan service. Tibetan service director: Jigme Ngapo. Translations by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. Edited by Sarah Jackson-Han.
Copyright © 1998-2009 Radio Free Asia. All rights reserved.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Tibetan Pride
Woeser's blog is the blog that I cant help revisiting. She is such a prolific Tibetan writer, i am awed by the volume of postings on a wide range of topics. Giving my limited proficiency in Chinese language I can not keep up with her daily entries. But there are plenty of thoughtful short articles or piece that attracts me most. Woeser's writings often makes reader to pause a moment to think and reflect on the state of our affairs. It is no surprising that the Chinese officials ousted her from a prestigious post in Lhasa, lest for her searing patriotism reach far and wide among Tibetan official cadres. Now based in Bejing and as professional blogger she churns out reports and opinion pieces on various social issues and particularly matters related to Tibet on daily basis.
Her blog gained its popularity and it has become a portal of news worthy informations for commentators, analysts and journalists world wide.
The Chinese officials might never thought that this is going to be outcome of her expulsion. In the past numerous of her blog sites were shut down. But she managed to host them again reaching out to an ever increasing readerships . I assume that her blog is accessible within China and Tibet, so Chinese educated Tibetan who has access to internet might be aware of her blog and browsing its content stealthily. Mainly written in Chinese Mandarin, i wonder the kind of impact her postings has on China's millions of Internet users. She has a sterling reputation as a writer of integrity in Tibetan exiles, and she was conferred several awards to that effect. I assume she has earned her spot even among the Chinese intelligentsia. A petite bespectacled Tibetan woman with the heart of lion has sparked a silent revolution and its effect on the conscious of the readers is unfathomable.
I came upon on one of her recent pieces titled " Being a Tibetan, what is to be proud of " (This is what i interpret and it could be wrong). Based on my limited knowledge in Chinese, I tried hard to read word by word and get the gist of her deliberations. Woeser argues that being a Tibetan there is nothing to be proud of, giving the current state of affair. She said the ancient culture, the ancient language, and the ancient customs we practise and cling to so dearly, was the legacy of our forefathers. The present Tibetan generations havent contributed anything worth mentionings. What will be our legacy to the future generations? so it is the posterity that will determine our Tibetan pride. (Giving the place and circumstance under which she writes, i think we need to interpret her ideas not literally but figuratively). To be continued....
Her blog gained its popularity and it has become a portal of news worthy informations for commentators, analysts and journalists world wide.
The Chinese officials might never thought that this is going to be outcome of her expulsion. In the past numerous of her blog sites were shut down. But she managed to host them again reaching out to an ever increasing readerships . I assume that her blog is accessible within China and Tibet, so Chinese educated Tibetan who has access to internet might be aware of her blog and browsing its content stealthily. Mainly written in Chinese Mandarin, i wonder the kind of impact her postings has on China's millions of Internet users. She has a sterling reputation as a writer of integrity in Tibetan exiles, and she was conferred several awards to that effect. I assume she has earned her spot even among the Chinese intelligentsia. A petite bespectacled Tibetan woman with the heart of lion has sparked a silent revolution and its effect on the conscious of the readers is unfathomable.
I came upon on one of her recent pieces titled " Being a Tibetan, what is to be proud of " (This is what i interpret and it could be wrong). Based on my limited knowledge in Chinese, I tried hard to read word by word and get the gist of her deliberations. Woeser argues that being a Tibetan there is nothing to be proud of, giving the current state of affair. She said the ancient culture, the ancient language, and the ancient customs we practise and cling to so dearly, was the legacy of our forefathers. The present Tibetan generations havent contributed anything worth mentionings. What will be our legacy to the future generations? so it is the posterity that will determine our Tibetan pride. (Giving the place and circumstance under which she writes, i think we need to interpret her ideas not literally but figuratively). To be continued....
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Loud and Clear
Emerging out of my office and on the way to home, I was trudging along an alley to the Metro stations, when I heard this clamour from a roadside. Intrigued, I followed the direction from I hear this boot of slogans emanating. Then I saw a line of people stretched out at a corner of the roadside. A middle aged woman blaring out through a megaphone "Free Press "and the group joined in " In Iran" ,albeit in a weak chorus. The slogans was not deafening but audible. What helped most for the group was some hand made posters and banners screaming out their grievances in the troubled region of Iran. Without those signs, it would be a simple crowd of people, staring and standing with a sense of direction.
It was not a large protest, and the people present appeared not as enthusiastic and passionate as they should be. Standing along in one single file at the corner of the road, some even have their hands in pocket, and give the impression of reluctance for what they are doing. I doubt such a gathering could send out their message loud and clear to the onlookers and those people who drives by . This is by no means the perception of a spectator.
What I was witnessing reminded me of similar Tibetan people's protest against China during key anniversary or the visit of Chinese dignitaries. Tibetan protest in Washington D.C or in other parts of the country for most of the time have a considerable turnout of people.
But the protest can be more effective and more powerful if organizers and people involved could ensure to implement few things. The purpose of any demonstration is to draw attention and get media publicity for Tibetan people's flight. For that to happen, the size of the event matters hugely, therefore the event organizer should have the wisdom of making best use of the people present. Wherever there is a crowd and there is a natural sense of curiosity. Even a small group of people can enhance its effectivensss by handouting Tibetan national flags, and banners to each and every protesters.
There need to be a unified slogans and simple strategy to serve the goal of the protest. For example, protesters should raise the banner that resonates the protest and , or wave the Tibetan national flag or anything that symbolizes the issues. Instead of punching their fist in the air, palanquins, banner and flags were more symbolic and it sends out a clear and loud message, besides adding to the grandeur of the protest.
Creative and meaningful slogans could capture the lens of camera man and the eyes of media person. During 2008 Tibetan uprising, Tibetan college students in China showed their solidarity by observing a candle light vigil and a popular hand scripted slogan "IN SOLIDARITY WITH TIBETAN PEOPLE" in Tibetan language. This few simple words put together says a lot for the purpose of the sit in.
in Switzerland, a family dedicated their time to draw a catchy and attractive caricatures in a big white screen. Capturing the essence of China's brutality in Tibet in an artistic way. Then there was the trade mark slogans by Students for Free Tibet that mimic the Chinese official Olympic slogans " One World One Dream, Free Tibet". And not to forget the shoe throwing spectacular of an Iraqi journalist against George Bush. These are few example of a creative and innovative ways of protest. As the adage goes "it is better to see ones than to hear a thousand times". With the passage of time, the achoes of voice will die out but the images of protest and slogans will linger.
Next time, when a protest to be staged, the concerned individual participants should rack their brains for a novel way of raising the issues to be seen conspicuously. Or if nothing is handy, then hold onto a snow lion flag and hoist it high. It is a symbol of Tibetan nation and Tibetan people and we should pay due respect to its significance by not wrapping around oneself, which I have seen Tibetan do during protest.
It was not a large protest, and the people present appeared not as enthusiastic and passionate as they should be. Standing along in one single file at the corner of the road, some even have their hands in pocket, and give the impression of reluctance for what they are doing. I doubt such a gathering could send out their message loud and clear to the onlookers and those people who drives by . This is by no means the perception of a spectator.
What I was witnessing reminded me of similar Tibetan people's protest against China during key anniversary or the visit of Chinese dignitaries. Tibetan protest in Washington D.C or in other parts of the country for most of the time have a considerable turnout of people.
But the protest can be more effective and more powerful if organizers and people involved could ensure to implement few things. The purpose of any demonstration is to draw attention and get media publicity for Tibetan people's flight. For that to happen, the size of the event matters hugely, therefore the event organizer should have the wisdom of making best use of the people present. Wherever there is a crowd and there is a natural sense of curiosity. Even a small group of people can enhance its effectivensss by handouting Tibetan national flags, and banners to each and every protesters.
There need to be a unified slogans and simple strategy to serve the goal of the protest. For example, protesters should raise the banner that resonates the protest and , or wave the Tibetan national flag or anything that symbolizes the issues. Instead of punching their fist in the air, palanquins, banner and flags were more symbolic and it sends out a clear and loud message, besides adding to the grandeur of the protest.
Creative and meaningful slogans could capture the lens of camera man and the eyes of media person. During 2008 Tibetan uprising, Tibetan college students in China showed their solidarity by observing a candle light vigil and a popular hand scripted slogan "IN SOLIDARITY WITH TIBETAN PEOPLE" in Tibetan language. This few simple words put together says a lot for the purpose of the sit in.
in Switzerland, a family dedicated their time to draw a catchy and attractive caricatures in a big white screen. Capturing the essence of China's brutality in Tibet in an artistic way. Then there was the trade mark slogans by Students for Free Tibet that mimic the Chinese official Olympic slogans " One World One Dream, Free Tibet". And not to forget the shoe throwing spectacular of an Iraqi journalist against George Bush. These are few example of a creative and innovative ways of protest. As the adage goes "it is better to see ones than to hear a thousand times". With the passage of time, the achoes of voice will die out but the images of protest and slogans will linger.
Next time, when a protest to be staged, the concerned individual participants should rack their brains for a novel way of raising the issues to be seen conspicuously. Or if nothing is handy, then hold onto a snow lion flag and hoist it high. It is a symbol of Tibetan nation and Tibetan people and we should pay due respect to its significance by not wrapping around oneself, which I have seen Tibetan do during protest.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Love Is Understanding
While flipping through the pages of this classic religious literature"Old Path White Cloud" by Thich Nhat Hanh, I landed my eyes upon an interesting chapter, that relates to the concept of "love". Love is a mystery to many of us. and Love is also the most misunderstood word. Expression such as: love is blind, love knows no boundary, love at first sight, in love there is suffering, further complicate the true meaning of love. No doubt the effect of love is endearing, and it is a most cherished human emotion.
After skimming over the chapter on 'love', it has unravelled the mystery of love. Like a surgeon dissecting a body to investigate the cause of the illness, 2500 years ago, this young wise prince learnt the truth about love, and laid out to the eyes of layman the intricacies of love and its different types.
Here I take the privilege of quoting from the chapter on love. So the story goes :
"One afternoon, the Buddha received a young man whose face was lined with grief and misery. The Buddha learned that the man had recently lost his only son and for several days had stood in the cemetery crying out loud, "my son, my son, where have you gone?" The man was unable to eat, drink, or sleep".
The Buddha told him, "In love there is suffering".
As a reader, now I can perceive your bewilderment on this statement by the Buddha. So it is no surprising as the man responded by objecting what Buddha just said, " You are wrong. Love doesn't cause suffering, Love brings only happiness and joy". The bereaved man abruptly left before the Buddha could explain what he had meant.
Did Buddha mean then that the more you love the more you suffer? let find out, because whatever the Buddha says is always well thought , and meditated upon. After some people inquired Buddha about the validity of his pronouncement on love, then Buddha responded unflinchingly:
" Recently I heard that a woman in Savatthi lost her mother. She was so grief-stricken that she lost her mind and has been wandering the streets asking everyone, 'Have you seen my mother?Have you seen my mother?' I have also heard about two young lovers who committed suicide together because the girl's parents were forcing her to marry someone else. These two stories also demonstrate that love can cause suffering".
So in a way the Buddha ask us all, " if some misfortune befell to one of you dear ones, would you suffer?"
but don't be mistaken, Buddha does not say we should not love, what he says is this
" There are many kinds of love. We should examine closely the nature of each kinds of love. Life has a great need of presence of love, but not the sort of love that is based on lust, passion, attachment, discrimination and prejudice. There is another kind of love, sorely needed,which consists of loving kindness and compassion".
So Buddha concludes his sermon on love with the following guidance:
"The love for which all beings truly hunger is loving kindness and compassion. Loving kindness or Maitri is the love that has the capacity to bring happiness to another. Karuna or compassion is the love which has the capacity to remove another's suffering. Both do not demand anything in return. Loving kindness and compassion are not limited to one's parents, spouse, children, relatives, caste members, and countrymen. They extend to all people and all beings" He continues
"with loving kindness and compassion , life is filled with peace, joy, and contentment".
To my readers, I have to confess here, that i dont know if I can love someone including my dear wife and baby without attachment. But Buddha's explanation of love helped me a lot in understanding love, that love is indeed understanding.
After skimming over the chapter on 'love', it has unravelled the mystery of love. Like a surgeon dissecting a body to investigate the cause of the illness, 2500 years ago, this young wise prince learnt the truth about love, and laid out to the eyes of layman the intricacies of love and its different types.
Here I take the privilege of quoting from the chapter on love. So the story goes :
"One afternoon, the Buddha received a young man whose face was lined with grief and misery. The Buddha learned that the man had recently lost his only son and for several days had stood in the cemetery crying out loud, "my son, my son, where have you gone?" The man was unable to eat, drink, or sleep".
The Buddha told him, "In love there is suffering".
As a reader, now I can perceive your bewilderment on this statement by the Buddha. So it is no surprising as the man responded by objecting what Buddha just said, " You are wrong. Love doesn't cause suffering, Love brings only happiness and joy". The bereaved man abruptly left before the Buddha could explain what he had meant.
Did Buddha mean then that the more you love the more you suffer? let find out, because whatever the Buddha says is always well thought , and meditated upon. After some people inquired Buddha about the validity of his pronouncement on love, then Buddha responded unflinchingly:
" Recently I heard that a woman in Savatthi lost her mother. She was so grief-stricken that she lost her mind and has been wandering the streets asking everyone, 'Have you seen my mother?Have you seen my mother?' I have also heard about two young lovers who committed suicide together because the girl's parents were forcing her to marry someone else. These two stories also demonstrate that love can cause suffering".
So in a way the Buddha ask us all, " if some misfortune befell to one of you dear ones, would you suffer?"
but don't be mistaken, Buddha does not say we should not love, what he says is this
" There are many kinds of love. We should examine closely the nature of each kinds of love. Life has a great need of presence of love, but not the sort of love that is based on lust, passion, attachment, discrimination and prejudice. There is another kind of love, sorely needed,which consists of loving kindness and compassion".
So Buddha concludes his sermon on love with the following guidance:
"The love for which all beings truly hunger is loving kindness and compassion. Loving kindness or Maitri is the love that has the capacity to bring happiness to another. Karuna or compassion is the love which has the capacity to remove another's suffering. Both do not demand anything in return. Loving kindness and compassion are not limited to one's parents, spouse, children, relatives, caste members, and countrymen. They extend to all people and all beings" He continues
"with loving kindness and compassion , life is filled with peace, joy, and contentment".
To my readers, I have to confess here, that i dont know if I can love someone including my dear wife and baby without attachment. But Buddha's explanation of love helped me a lot in understanding love, that love is indeed understanding.
Tibetan language
Bejing based Tibetan writer and poet Woeser's most recent entry on her blog http://tibet.woeser.com/?p=8609 drives home a point that the standard of Tibetan language in China's so called Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) is to the point of dismal. Which she thinks is very disgraceful to say the least. She urges the TAR officials to make Tibetan language the medium of instruction and standardized test for job and training recruitment.
Woeser and her friend recently investigated /researched the standard of Tibetan language in all the Tibetan regions under PRC. To her surprise, the findings concludes the standard of Tibetan language in Tibetan Autonomous region is very poor. Woeser whines many Tibetans in Lhasa frequently go to Nangma and induldge in drinking and dance, which according to her view is a sheer wasting of their time. Thus Tibetan who cares for the preservation and promotion of their culture and language have dwindled . Tibetan regions that scored high points in the standard of Tibetan language are Tibetan autonomous regions of Gansu, Ganan and Amdo Ngapo. The regions that shows poor standard of Tibetan languages are, some of the Kham areas, such as Yushu, Decheng, and Tibetan Autonomous regions.
The reasons for this deteriorating standard of Tibetan languages is attributed to lack of good professional institutions and proper education guidance and facilities in these areas. Except in some Amdo regions, all other Tibetan autonomous regions conduct test for profesisonal and employment purpose all in Chinese. Woeser raised the question, why Tibetan are not given the test in their own mother tongue?
Even though Woeser did not mention what means of criteria applied for the evaluation, yet her assessment by and larges reflects the true level of Tibetan education as censurable from new Tibetan arrivals in Nepal and India. Tibetan from Amdo tend to be more educated whereas Tibetan from Kham, many of them are illiterate. The most celebrated Tibetan poet, Woeser implores that her fellow Tibetans compatriots took to heart the importance of promoting and preserving Tibetan language and culture. She said why the so called Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) failed to implement at least 20% of test in Tibetan language itself shows the government priorities in education policies .
I am curious that if exile government and institutions take a similar assessment of Tibetan language standard in exile, particularly in all the schools and institutions , then we will know the truth, whether Tibetans in exile are better off in preservation of Tibetan language than the Chinese occupied Tibet. Recently in a response to a reporter's questions on the standard of Tibetan language in Nepal's Songtsang high school, the Principal without reservation replied " As far as Tibetan language are concerned, I think comparing to other Tibetan schools, our school neither ranks high nor too low. Our student's Tibetan language standard is mediocre " .
The Department of education in exile government after introducing Tibetan proficiency test as a requirement for Fulbright scholarship, only then there was surge of interest in learning Tibetan by graduate students, who aspire for the coveted scholarship. Crash course in Tibetan language were also offered to meet these demands.
Tibetan language will be taken seriously by the majority of Tibetan only when it become necessary for employment and advancement in career. In today's consumeristic society ,people may not learn the language just because it is holy language and it is our mother tongue. There need to be a high demand for it. For example in most recent time arabic language is extremely popular in schools and university in U.S. Since U.S is on a global war on terror, knowledge on arabic languages is essential for intelligence gathering, and oversea post in most of Arab and Muslim countries. Hence, U.S government agency and top organizations prefer their new recruitments with knowledge in arabic language.
Woeser and her friend recently investigated /researched the standard of Tibetan language in all the Tibetan regions under PRC. To her surprise, the findings concludes the standard of Tibetan language in Tibetan Autonomous region is very poor. Woeser whines many Tibetans in Lhasa frequently go to Nangma and induldge in drinking and dance, which according to her view is a sheer wasting of their time. Thus Tibetan who cares for the preservation and promotion of their culture and language have dwindled . Tibetan regions that scored high points in the standard of Tibetan language are Tibetan autonomous regions of Gansu, Ganan and Amdo Ngapo. The regions that shows poor standard of Tibetan languages are, some of the Kham areas, such as Yushu, Decheng, and Tibetan Autonomous regions.
The reasons for this deteriorating standard of Tibetan languages is attributed to lack of good professional institutions and proper education guidance and facilities in these areas. Except in some Amdo regions, all other Tibetan autonomous regions conduct test for profesisonal and employment purpose all in Chinese. Woeser raised the question, why Tibetan are not given the test in their own mother tongue?
Even though Woeser did not mention what means of criteria applied for the evaluation, yet her assessment by and larges reflects the true level of Tibetan education as censurable from new Tibetan arrivals in Nepal and India. Tibetan from Amdo tend to be more educated whereas Tibetan from Kham, many of them are illiterate. The most celebrated Tibetan poet, Woeser implores that her fellow Tibetans compatriots took to heart the importance of promoting and preserving Tibetan language and culture. She said why the so called Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) failed to implement at least 20% of test in Tibetan language itself shows the government priorities in education policies .
I am curious that if exile government and institutions take a similar assessment of Tibetan language standard in exile, particularly in all the schools and institutions , then we will know the truth, whether Tibetans in exile are better off in preservation of Tibetan language than the Chinese occupied Tibet. Recently in a response to a reporter's questions on the standard of Tibetan language in Nepal's Songtsang high school, the Principal without reservation replied " As far as Tibetan language are concerned, I think comparing to other Tibetan schools, our school neither ranks high nor too low. Our student's Tibetan language standard is mediocre " .
The Department of education in exile government after introducing Tibetan proficiency test as a requirement for Fulbright scholarship, only then there was surge of interest in learning Tibetan by graduate students, who aspire for the coveted scholarship. Crash course in Tibetan language were also offered to meet these demands.
Tibetan language will be taken seriously by the majority of Tibetan only when it become necessary for employment and advancement in career. In today's consumeristic society ,people may not learn the language just because it is holy language and it is our mother tongue. There need to be a high demand for it. For example in most recent time arabic language is extremely popular in schools and university in U.S. Since U.S is on a global war on terror, knowledge on arabic languages is essential for intelligence gathering, and oversea post in most of Arab and Muslim countries. Hence, U.S government agency and top organizations prefer their new recruitments with knowledge in arabic language.
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