As Tibetans and Tibet campaigners, we are gravely concerned by the damage and destruction being caused by the Chinese authorities at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, one of the largest and most respected Buddhist institutions in the world, and home to at least 10,000 monks, nuns and visiting students. In July 2016 the Chinese authorities begun plans to expel at least 5,000 of the Academy residents and demolish the vacated monks and nuns homes.
An Order, issued by local Chinese authorities in June 2016, called for a dramatic reduction in the Larung Gar’s population stating the community was in need of “ideological guidance” from the state. Since July 2016 at least 600 residences have been destroyed, while as many as 1,000 Tibetan monks and nuns have been expelled. If the Chinese government’s plan is successfully completed, at least 5,000 residents will be forced to leave and great swathes of this beautiful site will be reduced to rubble.
The Order also has a series of rigid deadlines for the demolitions and removals, and strict penalties for failure to meet the deadlines, including further, punitive expulsions. Local sources have even reported threats that the entire site could be demolished if residents do not comply with the Order. The next impending deadlines are 20 October, by which time 1,200 residents must be removed, and 31 October, when their residences must be demolished.
Evicted monks and nuns were not consulted prior to the Order being issued. On 20 July 2016 a work team, accompanied by armed police and soldiers, began cordoning off areas of the site before demolishing buildings with bulldozers and diggers. The distress that this has caused is highlighted by reports that, since July, three Tibetan nuns at Larung Gar have committed suicide; two of the nuns, Rinzin Drolma and Tsering Drolma, left notes referring to the demolitions and government “harassment.”
This situation represents an intolerable imposition of state control at Larung Gar, and is representative of a far wider pattern of interference by the Chinese government in Tibet’s religious affairs that is in direct contravention of the Chinese Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of religious belief, with no discrimination or compulsion.
We urge you, as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to call on China to halt the ongoing demolitions and removals at Larung Gar, and allow local Tibetan religious leaders to make the decisions concerning the management of monasteries. We also urge you to continue pushing for a visit to China with a specific request for unfettered access to Tibet, and to Larung Gar.
Western Europe
Aide aux Refugies Tibetains
Association Dorje
Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet
Associazione Italia -Tibet
Autodetermination – Tibet 09/31
Briancon05 Urgence Tibet
Caisse d’Aide aux Prisonniers Tibetains
Casa del Tibet – Spain
Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)
Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain (Les Lilas)
Corse – Tibet
Eco-Tibet France
EcoTibet Ireland
France Tibet
Free Tibet
Groupe Non-Violent Louis Lecoin, France
Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal
International Society of Human Rights, Munich Chapter
Jamtse Thundel Association
La Porte du Tibet, Geneva
Les Amis du Tibet – Belgium
Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg
Lions Des Neiges Mont Blanc, France
Lungta Association Belgium
Maison des Himalayas
Maison du Tibet – Tibet Info
Nos Amis de l’Himalaya
Objectif Tibet
Passeport Tibetain
Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara
Reseau International des Femmes pour le Tibet
Save Tibet, Austria
Society for Threatened Peoples International
Students for a Free Tibet France
Students for a Free Tibet UK
Tashi Delek Bordeaux
Tibet 59 / 62
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
Tibets Kinder im Exile V.
Tibet Liberte Solidarite
Tibet Libertes, France
Tibet Society, U.K.
Tibet Support Group – Ireland
Tibet Support Group – Netherlands
Tibet Unterstutzung Liechtenstein
Tibetan Association of Germany
Tibetan Community Austria
Tibetan Community in Belgium
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibetan Community in France
Tibetan Community in Italy
Tibetan Community in Ireland
Tibetan Community in Netherlands
Tibetan Community in Spain
Tibetan Community in Switzerland & Liechtenstein
Tibetan Women’s Organisation in Switzerland
Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
Tsowa-Maintenir la Vie, France
Tibetan Community of Italy
Northern Europe
Friends of Tibet in Finland
Swedish Tibet Committee
Students for a Free Tibet Denmark
The Norwegian Tibet Committee
Tibet Support Committee Denmark
Tibetan Community in Denmark
Tibetan Community in Sweden
Tibetan Community in Norway
Central & Eastern Europe
Czechs Support Tibet
Friends of Tibet Bulgaria
Friends of Tibet Society St. Petersburg, Russia
International Youth Human Rights Group
Save Tibet Foundation
Society for Croatia-Tibet Friendship
Students for a Free Tibet Poland
The Foundation for Civil Society, Russia
Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)
Tibet House Moscow
Tibet Support Association – Hungary
Tibet Support Group – Krasnodar Region, Russia
Tibet Support Group – Romania
Tibet Support Group – Sochi Region, Russia
Tibetan Community in Poland
Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation
TSG – Slovenia
Union Latvija Tibetai (Latvia for Tibet )
Zida Cels, Latvia
Africa and Middle East
Action for Tibet – South Africa
Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People
Tibet Support Group Kenya
Tibet Society of South Africa
North America
Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina
Bay Area Friends of Tibet
Boston Tibet Network
Canada Tibet Committee
Capital Area Tibetan Association
Committee of 100 for Tibet
Dhokam Chushi Gangdruk
International Tibet Independence Movement
Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association
Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
Sierra Friends of Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet International
Students for a Free Tibet Canada
The Tibetan Alliance of Chicago
Tibet Action
Tibet Committee of Fairbanks
Tibet Justice Center
Tibetan Community of Boston
Tibetan Association of Ithaca
Tibetan Association of Northern California
Tibetan Association of Philadelphia
Tibetan Association of Santa Fe
Tibetan Association of Southern California
Tibetan Cultural Association – Quebec
TIBETmichigan
Tibet Oral History Project
Toronto Tibet Youth Congress
United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)
U.S. Tibet Committee
Western Colorado Friends of Tibet
Wisconsin Tibetan Association
Central and South America
Amigos del Tibet, Chile
Amigos del Tibet, El Salvador
Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana
Asociación Cultural Tibetano – Costarricense
Casa Tibet Mexico
Centro De Cultura Tibetana – Brazil
Centro Cultural Colombo Tibetano
Grupo Pro-Cultura Tibetana, Chile
Le Club Francais – Paraguay
Rangzen: Movimento Free Tibete Natal
Tibet Mx – Mexico
Tibet Group-Panama
Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay
Fundación Pro Tibet – Argentina
Friends of Tibet in Costa Rica
World League for Freedom and Democracy
Asia
Anterrashtriya Bharat – Tibbet Sahyog Samiti
Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, India
Circle of Friends, Philippines
Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India
Foundation for Universal Responsibility of HH the Dalai Lama
Gannasamannay
Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet
India Tibet Friendship Society
Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)
Japan Committee of 100 for Tibet
Lung-Ta Project
Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement
National Campaign for Tibetan Support, India
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Ns3 Rigpa Community Builder’s Foundation
Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia
Students for a Free Tibet Japan
Students for a Free Tibet India
Taiwan Friends of Tibet
Tibbat Desh Patrika
Tibet Lives, India
Tibet Philippines Support Network
Tibet Solidarity Forum, Bangladesh
Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan
Tibet Support Network Japan
Tibetan Student Association, Madras
Tibetan Rights and Freedom Committee
Tibetan Women’s Association (Central)
Tibetan Youth Congress
World Tibet Day Foundation
Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Mongolia and Turkestan
Australasia
Australia Tibet Council
Friends of Tibet New Zealand
Students for a Free Tibet New Zealand
Tibet Action Group of Western Australia
Tibet Support Group Adelaide
Tibetan Community of Australia (Victoria)
Tibetan Women’s Association and Friends Australia
Sakya Trinley Ling
Australian Tibet House
