Nepal takes action against Dalai Lama
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Keshav Pradhan Kathmandu Post,
July 25, 2002
In the wake of King Gyanendra's recent visit to China, Nepal has hardened its stand on the Dalai Lama and his followers. The Nepal police on Thursday disrupted a press conference called by the Dalai Lama's followers to counter a smear campaign launched by a rival Tibetan sect.
Earlier, Nepalese authorities had forced Tibetans to cancel celebrations of the Dalai Lama's 67th birthday on July 6. This was three days before King Gyanendra began his China tour.
On July 18, the 13th Kundeling Tagtsha Jetung, who the Dalai Lama refuses to recognise as the head of the Dorje Shugden sect, accused the Dalai Lama of committing atrocities against rival Tibetans and with carrying out anti-China activities in Nepal. Wangchuk Tsering, the Dalai Lama's representative in Nepal, had begun to read a four-page statement when police officials entered thevenue, a private hotel, without waring.
The police stopped the press conference. They also took the local organisers, Passang Sherpa and Wangchuk Norbu, to the police headquarters for questioning. In stark contrast, the Nepalese authorities did not interfere when the Kundeling, who is based in Karnataka, called a similar press conference to air his views.
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Dalai Lama representative not allowed to speak
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Himalayan News Service Kathmandu,
July 25
The Ministry of Home intervened on Thursday to stop a press conference organised by the Srongtsen Bhrikuti Social and Cultural Upliftment Association (SBSCUA) which was addressed by the Dalai Lama's official representative in Nepal, Wangchuck Tsering, as the key speaker. Tsering could read out only the first page of his prepared four-page statement.
Amidst the conference, an ASI of Ward Police Office, Sorhakhutte, in civil dress approached the organisers and asked them to stop the conference immediately. He was acting on orders from the ministry. Following the orders, the organisers asked Tsering to stop reading the statement and declared the conference "withheld."
"Given the sensitive situation of the country at present, we respect the ministry's order and declare this conference closed," said Pasang Sherpa, SBSCUA vice- president.
A source at the home ministry said that China and Nepal share a friendly relationship and any type of activities that affect the relationship between the two countries is supposed to be stopped, according to Nepal's one-China policy.
The conference was organised to condemn the allegation made by Kundeling Tagtsha Jetung Rimpochhen against Nobel laureate 14th Dalai Lama, which was published in the issue dated July 20 in The Himalayn Times.
Dorje Shugden follower Kundeling Rimpochhen had accused the Dalai Lama of imposing "religious dictatorship." He had also alleged that Tibetan monasteries in Nepal and India were involved in anti-Chinese activities.
The Dalai Lama's official representative had joined the press conference organised by the SBSCUA to officially refute the charges made by Kundeling Rimpochhen. Disagreeing with the report, he said: "The Dalai Lama has stated time and again that he is not anti-Chinese. But that does not mean the Tibetans should not struggle for their legitimate rights." Jetung was incensed when the Dalai Lama did not endorse his claim to be considered as the reincarnmation of the 12th Kundeling Rimpochhen, he added.
Besides that, he disputed the allegation of the Dalai Lama having banned Shugden worship. According to him, the Dalai Lama had only pointed out the "demerits" of worshipping Shugden in the best interests of the Tibetan people and their religion.