contact march 2012

By Sophie JayAnti apartheid icon, Archbishop

Desmond Tutu, begged the Chinesegovernment to respect His Holiness theDalai Lama during a joyful meetingbetween the Nobel Peace laureates onFriday, February 10th.

Addressing the thousands of

Archbishop Desmond Tutu visits an old friend

monks, nuns, families and schoolchildrenwho turned out in brilliant sunshine to seethe holy pair at the Main Temple inMcLeod Ganj, Archbishop Tutu describedthe 77-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader asthe holiest man he has ever met, adding: ‘Iwant to say to the Chinese governmentthat His Holiness is the most peace loving

person on earth.‘His Holiness has no army. He does

not command people with guns. HisHoliness is not a separatist.

‘Please you leaders in Beijing. Pleaserespect him.’

Devotees and well-wishers beganfilling the Main Temple at dawn, before HisHoliness travelled to Kangra Airport toreceive the South African Archbishop andhis wife, Nomalizo Leah Shenxane, whoscheduled the visit to his old friend as partof a five day visit to India to promote GirlsNot Brides, a global initiative against childmarriage.

In October, Archbishop Tutulaunched an angry verbal attack on SouthAfrica’s ANC government, branding it‘worse than the apartheid government’ andthreatening to pray for the party’s defeat,after it failed to grant His Holiness a visa sothat he could deliver a lecture at theArchbishop’s 80th birthday celebrations.

Photo Reprinted from www.tibet.net

By Julia LeonardMarch 10th 2012 marked 53 years

of Tibetan uprising against Chineserule and oppression in Tibet. InMcLeod Ganj thousands of Tibetansattended official commemorations inTsug-la Khang, the main temple inDharamshala, led by His Holiness, theDalai Lama, Tibet political leader Dr.Lobsang Sangay, and Speaker of theTibetan Parliament Penpa Tsering.Beginning with the national anthem,the Tibetan national flag was thenraised by Dr. Lobsang Sangay,followed by a one minute silence toremember the Tibetans who have died.

The event was also attended bymember of the Italian Parliament andpresident of The Italy-TibetParliamentary Association, GianniVernetti and a number of Chinesesupporters of the Tibetan cause.

Penpa Tsering appealed to the

Chinese government to address the unjusttreatment of the Tibetan people andappealed for a change to the repressivepolicies in Tibet. “Trust is the foundationfor peace and stability and China has thepower to build trust by releasing all

political prisoners including the XIthPanchen Lama,” he added.

The Tibet Post reported Dr. LobsangSangay, ‘called for free and fair electionsinside of Tibet, criticized unequal hiring

Tibetan Uprising Day 2012

Tsetan Dorjee, his mother and sister peace march to Tibet Phot: Wen-Yan King.

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 6

Contact Magazine 2 March 2012Mob : 98161-50326 / www.yogatribe.org

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Contact Magazine 3 March 2012

by Freya TuppyThe message could not be clearer.

Wake up world and take notice. More than150 people gathered on Friday March 2in McLeod Ganj for a candle light vigil tohonour those Tibetans who have madethe ultimate sacrifice for their country, selfimmolation. As the sun set over the mainsquare, supporters solemnly walked the

Indefinite Hunger Strike in US

photo reprinted from Daily Mail

streets in single file, chanting prayers andgripping candles before gathering for apresentation from Tibetan YouthCongress (TYC) members on the currentsituation in Tibet and the 3 Tibetans onan indefinite hunger strike in New York.

The current campaign of TYC,FASTFORTIBET- an indefinite hungerstrike - was instigated at the beginning

of Losar. Three Tibetans are protestingoutside the UN building in New York City,as of March 7, they are in day 15 of thestrike – no food, no shelter and bravingthe cold New York winter, they continueto suffer in protest.

Presenters from TYC shared with themixed crowd of locals and foreigners inMcLeod Ganj, information about theprotestors and their five key requests.According to the TYC website, “We’reappealing to the United Nations to send afact-finding delegation to Tibet, appealingto the United Nations to pressure China tostop the undeclared marshal law in Tibet,appealing to United Nations to stop thepatriotic re-education campaign in Tibet,and appealing to United Nations topressure China to release all politicalprisoners inside Tibet.”

To date there has been no officialresponse from the UN. A brief film wasshown depicting the scene in New Yorkwhere supporters had turned out in forceto send a clear message to the UN and todemonstrate the desperate situation inTibet. There have been 30 self immolationsin Tibet since 2009.

For more information and up to date coverageof the hunger strike, please visitwww.fastfortibet.tibetanyouthcongress.org.


By Katie YoutzTo an outside observer, the streets

of Dharamsala might have appeareddeserted on Monday, February 8.

Shops along the main roads wereclosed, corrugated metal curtains drawndown and locked over what are usuallybustling Tibetan restaurants, cafes, andhandicraft stalls. However one had onlyto walk down to the temple, to find thelocal Tibetan population and itssupporters.

Thousands gathered to join theKalon Tripa (Tibetan Prime Minister) Dr.Lobsang Sangay, and his fellowparliamentarians at Tsuglakhang, theDalai Lama’s temple, to offer prayers andsolidarity to their countrymen and womeninside Tibet. Whole families dressed intraditional chupas; and the largegathering of monks, nuns, and foreignerschanted prayers.

As candles were lit throughout thecrowd, Lobsang Sangay thanked theinternational community for statementsmade in support of Tibetans in recentmonths, and asked for more concretesupport as those in Tibet prepare for anespecially sensitive time of year. Hestressed the urgency of the currentclimate inside Tibet, and describedChina’s heavy-handed response toTibetan protests. In a message fromTibetans across the world, he emphasizedthe continuing support of the exilecommunity, stating: ‘To Tibetans insideTibet, you are our inspiration.

‘We will not let your voices gounheard. We will not let your sacrificesgo unattended.

‘The Tibetan spirit is strong. It hasalways been strong. It is strong now, andit will remain strong until there is freedomin Tibet and His Holiness the Dalai Lamacan return.’

The gathering was the focal pointof a global vigil, commemorating the now26 Tibetans who have self-immolated inprotest to China’s restrictive policies.Participants also offered prayers inmemory of protesters killed by Chinesesecurity forces last month.

Up to six Tibetans were reporteddead and dozens more wounded afterviolent crackdowns on demonstrationsin ethnically Tibetan areas of China’sSichuan and Qinghai provinces betweenJanuary 23 – 26, during the Chinese New

Year holiday. The international media hasbeen unable to confirm exact figures, ascommunications to the TibetAutonomous Region (TAR) andethnically Tibetan areas of Western Chinahave been largely cut off. The AssociatedPress (AP) reported that phone linesappear to be disabled, as all calls theymade to the area immediately after theprotests were ‘met with a rapid beepingtone.’ Road blocks have been erectedpreventing entry into more restive areas- especially those with prominentmonasteries, whilst foreign journalistshave been turned away or expelled. ACNN team was recently denied access toSerthar County in Sichuan, following arecent wave of self-immolations. Thereporters said that their car was turnedaway at a roadside checkpoint due towhat Chinese security personnel claimedwere ‘dangerous road conditions.’

Security is reported to have beenvery tight, both in the TAR and otherareas with large Tibetan populations, inthe lead-up to the holidays. The ChinaDaily stated that the regionalgovernment in Lhasa distributed overone million Chinese flags – as well asportraits of Communist Party leadersMao Zedong, Deng Qinghai , JiangZemin, and Hu Jintao – to temples,schools, and households. Monasteriesin particular were instructed to displaythem prominently. Displaying the itemswas mandatory over the holiday, a policywhich garnered criticism from foreignmedia sources for its apparent promotionof compulsory patriotic pride.

In defiance of such hard-linepolicies put in place by the Chinesegovernment, protesters in Sichuan andQinghai carried photos of the Dalai Lamaand the banned Tibetan national flag,throwing prayer flags to the wind.Marchers and demonstrators ate tsampa,the staple barley flour which has becomea symbol of Tibetan cultural identity insome areas, while chanting mantras andcalling for the long life of the Dalai Lama.

The Economist reported on theJanuary 26 protests in a township inRangtang County, in which a crowd ofTibetans tried to prevent security forcesfrom arresting a protester. Policereportedly shot into the crowd, killing oneperson. Two more had already beenconfirmed dead, with rumours of further

casualties, after police fired atdemonstrators in Serthar County onJanuary 23.

The Chinese government claimsthe protests were instigated by outsideforces wanting to separate Tibet fromChina. Their official position on theSerthar protests is that two rioters diedand 24 police and firefighters wereinjured when Tibetans carrying rocksattacked police stations.

On Saturday, February 11,eighteen-year-old Tibetan nun, TenzinChoedron, is reported to have set herselfalight after chanting anti Chinesegovernment slogans close to hernunnery in Ngaba, Sichuan – theepicenter of the spate of self-immolations. London-based campaigngroup, Free Tibet, said in a statementthat the teenage nun, described as agood student, was immediately takenaway by Chinese soldiers and police,who then ‘surrounded the nunnery andsealed it off.’ Tenzin, who is believed tohave survived the incident, is the secondmember of the Dechen ChokorlingNunnery, which has a reputation forremaining fiercely loyal to the DalaiLama, to have self immolated. In October,20-year-old Tenzin Wangmo died aftersetting herself on fire.

Tenzin Choedron was the eighth

Worldwide vigil highlights worsening situation in Tibet

Tenzin Choedron


Tibetan to self-imolate protestingChinese policies in her country this year.Another notable case was a reincarnatelama, 42-year-old Sopa Tulku (SonamWangyal), who drank kerosene andposted a sign on a nearby wall beforesetting himself on fire at around 7am onJanuary 8, in Darlag County, Qinghai. Thesign said his motivation was ‘tocommemorate the Tibetans who have self-immolated since 2009, for nationalfreedom and religious freedom, for libertyand freedom of speech.’ The sign alsoasked Tibetans not to lose hope, and to‘unite, and work hard for the future ofTibet.’ Hundreds carr ied his bodythrough the streets after recovering itfrom local police.

The Chinese government hasdenounced this incident and all otherself-immolations in Tibetan areas as‘terrorist activity in disguise.’ In responseto three incidents in Serthar, on February3, Chinese authorities have denied thatthey occurred at all. A local governmentofficial speaking to the AP about theSerthar immolations refused to give hername, saying, ‘No such thing hashappened.’

Meanwhile, security in the TAR andethnically Tibetan areas of China isreported to be tightening as Chineseauthorities prepared for Losar (TibetanNew Year) on February 22, and severalsignificant dates in March, including thedouble anniversary on March 10 of theLhasa uprising of 1959, marking the DalaiLama’s flight into exile, and the 2008 riotssparked by the upcoming BeijingOlympics.

The South China Morning Postreported recently that authorities in theTAR have warned thousands of regionalofficials that they could lose their jobsand perhaps face further punishment ifthey are ‘found to have failed tosafeguard stability in restive areas or fledtheir posts at ‘critical moments.’’

Top Communist Party official inTibet, Chen Quanguo, told state-runpublication, Tibet Daily.‘The voices andimages of the Communist Party must beseen and heard, while the voices andimages of hostile forces and the ‘DalaiClique’ must neither be seen nor heard,’

Reports continue to reach the exilecommunity of convoys of militarypersonnel en route to Lhasa. On February2, Radio Free Asia reported that armedpolice currently patrol the streets, and

authorities have cut the region off fromforeign tourists. Sources also claim thatsecurity in monasteries across the TARand ethnically Tibetan areas of Qinghaiand Sichuan has increased. Monks andnuns have been ordered to unite topromote harmony in their regions and areto inform regional officials of anysuspicious activity. Additionally, allreligious institutions are required todisplay pictures of the four-generationCommunist Party leadership and to flythe Chinese national flag.

To avoid informing on each other,monks and nuns are reported to havebegun abandoning their monasteries andnunneries. A monk at Sera monastery insouthern India, citing sources in WesternChina, has said that as many as sevenmonasteries and one nunnery in Sichuanand Qinghai are now deserted. ‘Themonks are afraid that they may be forcedto return, because the Chinese officialsare saying they have no authority toleave on their own,’ he told Radio FreeAsia on January 31

In response to conditions inTibetan areas and the continuing waveof violence, a delegation of fourparliamentarians from the TibetanParliament in Exile traveled to New Delhirecently to meet with representatives ofvarious diplomatic missions and theUnited Nations. Despite pressure fromthe Chinese embassy in New Delhi, fiveambassadors from Europe andrepresentatives from a number of othernations met with the delegation. Theparliamentarians issued an open letter tothe Chinese government, in which theyurged China to address the concerns ofprotesting Tibetans humanely, and toresume dialogue with the Dalai Lama andthe Tibetan Government in Exile.

Days later, the Karmapa, Tibet’sthird most prominent incarnate lama whousually remains relatively uninvolved inpolitics, issued a message to the Chinesegovernment, suggesting to The Times ofIndia that: ‘acknowledging the realhuman distress of Tibetans in Tibet andtaking full responsibility for what ishappening there would lay a wise basisfor building mutual trust betweenTibetans and the Chinese government.

‘Rather than treating this as anissue of political opposition, it would befar more effective for Chinese authoritiesto treat this as a matter of basic humanwelfare.’

So far in March, five people haveself-immolated in Tibet in protest againstthe Chinese occupation of Tibet. Four ofthese people have died.

The first, on March 3rd was a 20year old Tibetan student, Tsering Kyi,who died after setting herself alight inMachu, eastern Tibet, at a vegetablemarket.

The second was Rinchen, a 32 yearold mother of four, who died after settingherself on fire at the police station at theentrance to Kirti Monastery in Ngaba,northeastern Tibet on March 4.

More recently two more monks haveself-immolated in Tibet, bringing the totalsince 2009 to 28. On the 10th of March,Gepey, an 18 year old monk from KitiMonastery, in Ngaba, self-immolated andimmediately died. His mother was heldby police for interrogation for thefollowing two days. The Tibet Post hasreported that Ngaba ‘is now underundeclared martial law as parliamentaryand armed reinforcements have beendeployed in the region.’

On March 14 Jamyang Palden, aged34, self-immolated in protet in the Dolmasquare of Rongwo monastery, innortheastern Tibet. The Central TibetAdministration reported that Chineseauthorities took him to hospital but laterreturned him to the monastery. Jamyangis in a very serious condition, it is unsurewhether he will survive. Latest reportssay his vital nervous system is notresponding to medication.

The latest self-immolation was inRongbo on March 17, Sonam Dhargyal,a 44 year old farmer. Before setting himselfon fire he demanded the return of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama to Tibet, and inrecent years had been reported as saying:“The return of His Holiness the DalaiLama to Tibet is of paramountimportance, and it will solve the issue ofTibet.” Tibetans who were present sayhe died instantly.

7000 Tibetans attended his funeralat Rongbo Monastery. There was aconfrontation between Chinese securityforces and Tibetans, but the securityforces withdrew after being outnumberedby Tibetans. There is now unprecedentedrestriction on the freedom of movementand gathering of Tibetans in the regionaccording to the Central TibetanAdministration.


Continued from page 1

Anti-apartheid hero Desmond Tutu visits McLeod Ganj

Photo reprinted from dalai lama.com

During the public ceremony in theMain Temple, ArchbishopTutu statedthat he could now ‘really celebrate’ hisbirthday, and playfully jibed his fellowNobel Peace Prize laureate, recounting thetime he accompanied His Holiness to aSeattle football stadium packed with60,000 people who had turned out ‘forsomeone who can’t even speak Englishproperly!’

Emphasizing between giggles thathe is not jealous of the fact that HisHoliness is ‘loved by everybody in theworld,’ Archbishop Tutu promised hisfriend that he would one day visit him ina free Tibet, urging God to hasten theday.

Presenting Archibsihop Tutu witha Namgyal stupa for good luck, HisHoliness, who addressed the crowds inTibetan and English, commented on theiradvancing years, adding: ‘Maybe for oneor two more decades I will remain, butyour spirit will remain at least throughoutthe 21st century. Of that I’m quite sure.

‘Governments cannot always do

much to address negative feelings. Onlyspiritual leaders can do that.’

Bishop for the Diocese of Amritsar,the Right Rev. P.K. Samanta Roy,representing the church of north India,described Archibishop Tutu as theMahatma Gandhi of South Africa, stating:‘He has been an inspiration to millionsand he has been my role model since Iwas a child.’

Expressing the church’s solidarity

with the Tibetanpeople, he said: ‘Webelieve that thisworld cannot go onwith violence.Archbishop Tutuhas shown us theway. His Holinessthe Dalai Lama hasshown us his way,and we need tofollow these leaderswho show thesolidarity betweenall faiths.’

His Holiness’sguest of honour was treated to threecultural performances by artists from theTibetan Institute of Performing Arts,Thangtong Lhugar and Dharamsala’slocal Indian Gaddi community.

ArchbishopTutu was awarded theNobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his role as a‘unifying leader figure in the campaign toresolve the problem of apartheid in SouthAfrica.’

practices exercised by the Chinese, andcalled for greater autonomy within theTibetan province. He also echoed hisrequest to the international communityto send a fact-finding delegation intoTibet.’

He also went on to emphasize thatTibetans have been denied fundamentalhuman rights, “Today, there is no spacefor any conventional protests such ashunger strikes, demonstrations and evenpeaceful gatherings in Tibet. Tibetans aretherefore taking extreme actions such asthe ones by the 26 Tibetans who havecommitted self-immolations since 2009...Fault lies squarely with the hardlineleaders in Beijing, so does the solution.The self-immolations are an emphaticrejection of the empty promises of the so-called ‘socialist paradise.’”

In honour of the 53rd anniversaryof the Tibet uprising Tsetan Dorjee (35)along with his mother(54) and sister(18)are undertaking a peace march fromDharamsala to the Tibetan border. Asreported in the Tibet Post Tsetandetermination is unwaivering, "I might bearrested, or go to jail, or even die-it doesn't

matter, I will not stop until Tibet getsfreedom or until the Chinese governmentaccepts my demands". He is placing thefollowing 5 demands on the Chinesegovernment:1.) Without any conditions, His Holinessthe Dalai Lama must be allowed to returnto his homeland, Tibet.2.) Without any conditions, the11thPanchenRinpocheGedunChoekyiNyimaand all the Tibetan political prisonersmust be released.3.) Without any conditions, Tibetansmust be provided with the freedom tolearn their own language in schools andmonasteries.4.) Tibetans in Tibet must be providedwith the full freedom to preserve theirculture and traditions.5.) There must be an immediatewithdrawal of all the soldiers from Tibetwho are oppressing the Tibetans in Tibetat present.

Another Tibetan man, Migmar alsogave a speech at the ceremony with hiseyes covered by a black blindfold. “Hedeclared his intention to travel aroundIndia wearing the blindfold to representthe blindness of the international

community to the Tibetan issue” TheTibet Post reported.

Tibetan Uprising Day 2012

Continued from page 1


By Wesley GriffinWhile most Tibetan Children’s

Village students enjoyed an increasedmeasure of relaxation and freedom thiswinter holiday, a group of Tibetan girlswith lofty goals came together in nearbyGopalpur for one very intense, structuredmonth… of football.

Cassie Childers, working inconjunction with the Tibetan NationalSports Association, organized theprogram for twenty-eight Tibetan girlsaged eleven to twenty. The team wouldspend one month in residence at TCVGopalpur undergoing physical, mentaland leadership training. Three girls wereselected from each TCV school acrossIndia, based on their aptitude for the sportof football and their enthusiasm tobecome ambassadors among theirclassmates. Each girl is expected to takeher newfound knowledge back to herrespective school and help inspire othergirls to take part in the nascent program.

Some of the girls’ most importantexperiences had less to do with skill thanwith accepting and embracing a level ofphysicality to which they were completelyunaccustomed. “It’s important to notethat on the day they showed up, onlyfour of them had played before. Therewere tears when they got hit with the ball,”Childers said. “Change didn’t come thenext day, but by the morning of the lastmatch, players with bloody noses werebegging to go back into the action. Theywere calling their own ‘offsides.’ Thesegirls learned the game and they love it.”

In order to have a well-rounded andlasting impact, Childers and her assistants– which included a professional footballplayer from Europe, a sports psychologistfrom Delhi and a goalkeeping expert fromthe United States – focused on more thanjust the tactics needed on the pitch. Eachmorning, Childers led the girls on a shortrun to improve aerobic fitness or a yogasession to increase balance and flexibility.Their midday activities includedeverything from lessons on genderequality to team-building exercises towriting letters to the team’s Americansponsors.

This sort of immersion experienceaimed to make the girls understand thatthey can be part of something much largerthan just a month-long introduction tofootball. Childers continues to line upfunding to support the growth andexpansion of Tibet Women’s Football,with the goal of one day competinginternationally. Mr. Kalsang Dhondup,General Secretary of the TNSA, has beenintricately involved in the early stages,promising his organization’s long-termcommitment to empowering womenthrough sport and seeing the programthrough to maturity. The girls, too, allshow a strong resolve that, one day,female athletes will represent Tibet to therest of the world.

Childers, wanting the girls to acceptnothing less than their biggest dreams,played recordings of a few big matchesfrom last summer’s FIFA Women’s WorldCup. On one of the last nights, fighting

fatigue after a grueling afternoon trainingsession, the girls watched wide-eyed asJapan’s women, with hearts ofchampions, won against the heavily-favored United States team. Thecommentators couldn’t help but remarkthat their passionate play and eventualvictory in the World Cup Final would helpheal a wounded nation, fresh from thedevastation of the March 2011earthquake and tsunami.

The message was not lost on theTibetan girls, who know their nation alsofaces a long road to healing. Howeverdaunting the situation in Tibet maybecome, the girls now glow withexcitement at the opportunity tocontribute in a positive way throughfootball. “For most people who havefound something to love, you can trace itto a seminal experience,” said CareyRussell, who spent ten days filming thegirls for a documentary series on theTibetan exile experience sponsored by theInternational Center for Mental Healthand Human Rights (www.icmhhr.org).“To say this month will serve as a sparkin these young women’s lives is anunderstatement.”

Nij Herbert, a volunteer fromLondon, England, helped train the girlsin defensive tactics and coached one ofthe teams during the girls’ final exhibitionmatch. To him, the girls’ growth in justone month was astounding. “At first,they weren’t playing tough. It was a littlebit halfhearted. What I wanted was forthem to tackle hard and really want theball. I think all the Barcelona stuff comesafter,” he said. As the group gelled andabsorbed their training, though,everything changed. “We saw this realhunger and enthusiasm. The next step isbeautiful football, but for now, they’velearned tough football. They worked sohard and made us proud.”

Childers added, “The girls suddenlyrealized, ‘if I want the ball, I have to push.’So they did.”

The girls’ sore muscles will receivea well-deserved rest during the secondhalf of February. As they head back toschool, some to the far reaches of Ladakhand Karnataka, they’ll be more thanstudents. They will also have to makethe transition to being leaders amongtheir peers – to be the seeds of a bigdream and a growing program – and thepush to make Tibet Women’s Football areality will begin in earnest.

Tibetan Women’s Football Program Plants Seeds in Gopalpur

Contact Magazine 8 March 2012+91 -

Freya TuppyMany Tibetans in McLeod Ganj

chose not to celebrate Losar this year as asign of solidarity with the 26 protesterswho have self-immolated since 2009.

The Kalon Tripa (Tibetan primeminister) Lobsang Sangay, who along withfellow parliamentarians observed a fast onthe first day of Losar on February 22,issued a statement asking exiled Tibetansnot to celebrate the festival.

However, many Tibetans had alreadydecided to shun Losar after the largest pro-independence Tibetan NGO, the TibetanYouth Congress (TYC) made anannouncement asking them not to celebratethe New Year, last November.

Of the eight Tibetan people I spoke to in McLeod Ganjprior to Losar, onlyone planned tocelebrate the NewYear festival,traditionally thebiggest in theTibetan calendar, andeven his celebrationswere to be low key.

Serkong Tulku,28, said: ‘We willcelebrate it, but wewill not enjoy it likewe usually do.

‘There will beno songs or dancing.We will say prayersfor His Holiness theDalai Lama, andgather our families inour homes. The TYChas also askedTibetan people to donate the money they usually set asidefor Losar celebrations to their local TYC branch to fund ‘futureFree Tibet initiatives.’The TYC’s president, Tsewang Rigzin,said prior to Losar: ‘We have all seen what’s happening insideTibet in the news, and there are reports that Tibetans insideTibet will not be celebrating Losar.

‘We strongly believe that the precious sacrifices beingmade inside Tibet deserve this kind of recognition from us.

‘Losar is an annual activity, but we have to look at thegreater picture, and remind ourselves why we are living inIndia as Tibetans.’

Tenzin Phuntsok Atisha, secretary for the TibetanCentral Administration’s (Tibetan government’s) Informationand International Relations department, had also urged exiledTibetans to observe Losar in ‘a very low key way.’

‘My opinion is that we do not encourage a bigcelebration,’ he said.

‘So many people are dying and so many people are self-immolating. It’s not according to our religion to encourage.

Losar - a quiet affair

‘We have allseen what’s

happening insideTibet in the news,

and there arereports that

Tibetans insideTibet will not be

celebrating Losar.

Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile Penpa Tseringspeaks

The hunger strike on Tibetan New Year photo: Wen-Yan King


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• Reflexology(Massage course available)

Location: at Pink House belowYongling School, Jogiwara Road

Mobile:9736083627 / 9736083554

Vedic AstrologerLOCATION: Kunga Guest house (Nick's ItalianRestaurant), Bhagsu Rd McLeod Ganj-Map #6MOBILE: 09897339026HOURS: Drop-in


Tibetan with Teacher Pema Youdon:LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, opposite the post officeHOURS: 1-4pm, or leave a message.

Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo TranslaterProgramLOCATION: Rato Chuwar Labrang PhuntsokGatsel Session Rd, DharamsalaWEB: http://lrztp.blogspot.com/EMAIL: [email protected]

M AS S AG EAngel Massage CenterLOCATION: Ping House, belowYongling School, Jogiwara RdPHONE: 9736083627, 9736083554EMAIL: [email protected]

Lha Healing Oil Massage Courses &TreatmentLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 220 992HOURS: Registration from 9am-11am, See pg 3.

Kailash Tribal SchoolTaught byYogi SivadasWEB: www.yogatribe.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the GreenShop - Map #6HOURS: visiting 1-2pm, no class on TuesPHONE: 981 615 0326EMAIL: [email protected]

Nature Cure Health ClubLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka,Jogiwara RdPHONE: 941 813 0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Shiatsu & Swedish MassageLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 220 992See ad pg 3.

Synergy Ayuredic Massage CentreLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka,Jogiwara RdPHONE: 941 80 8488EMAIL: [email protected]

Traditional Thai MassageLOCATION: Opposite the Govt. Tourist Infor-mation Centre, Hotel Surya RdPHONE: 981 633 9199EMAIL: [email protected]

LA NGU AG ES

HEALTH SERVICES

Dr. Sant Marwah ClinicLOCATION: in front of Main TempleHOURS: 9:30am-6:30pmPHONE: 221 106, 98160 21106

Kumar Ayurvedic and PanchkarmaLOCATION: Hotel Surya Rd, opposite theTourism Informations CentrePHONE: 941 824 9399OURS: 10am-2pm and 2:30-7pm

Maanav Health ClinicLOCATION: Main SquareHOURS: 10am-12:30pm and 2-5pmPHONE: 941 815 5795EMAIL: [email protected]

Men-Tsee-KhangLOCATION: between McLeod Ganj andLower DharamshalaPHONE: 222 618, 223 113EMAIL: [email protected]

Nature Cure Health ClubLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, next to TibetanAshoka Guest House-Map #10HOURS: 9:30am-6:30pmPHONE:: 941 813 0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Primary Health CentreLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, main marketHOURS: 9:30am-4pm, Mon-Sat

Tibetan Delek HospitalLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, betweenMcLeod Ganj and Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 222 053, 223 381HOURS: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm,Mon-Sat; Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm, Mon-Sat; Emergencies: 24 hrs, daily

(continued from page 9)

Kailash Tribal Meditation SchoolTaught by Yogi SivadasWEB: www.yogatribe.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, nr the Green Shop - Map #6HOURS: visiting 1-2pm, no class on TuesPHONE: 981 615 0326EMAIL: [email protected]

I am Happy Open AshramWEB: www.iamhappy.inEMAIL: [email protected]: Behind Hotel Akashdeep,Bhagsu- Map #6 & McleodganjHOURS: 4-5pm, Mon-SatMOBILE: 9882868470 or 9569221047

Om Yoga, Meditation & Reiki CentreSee the Yoga & Reiki section.

Tushita Meditation CenterWEB: www.tushita.infoLOCATION: DharamkotHOURS: 9:30-11:30am, Mon-SatPHONE: 221 866EMAIL: [email protected]

Vipassana MeditationWEB: www.sikhara.dhamma.orgLOCATION: DharamkotHOURS: 4-5pm, Mon-SatPHONE: 221 309EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Language ClassLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdHOURS: Registration from 9-11am, Mon-FriPHONE: 220 992See ad on pg 3.

Hindi ClassesLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, Jogiwara Rd,beside the Korean RestaurantPHONE: 981 649 4732

Hindi Lessons with KailashLOCATION: At Bhimsen’s Indian Cooking ClassPHONE: 220 063, 941 816 1947HOURS: 4-6pm, daily

Hindi Lessons with SunilLOCATION: Kunga Guesthouse, Bhagsu Rdand in DharamkotPHONE: 221 942, 941 818 7281EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan LanguageLOCATION: The LibraryHOURS: 10-11am and noon-1pmSee Buddhist philosophy listing.

YOGA & REIKI

MEDITATION

Himalayan Iyengar Yoga CentreLOCATION: Dharamkot, on the footpath to Bhagsu - Map #5EMAIL: [email protected]: www.hiyogacentre.com

Kailash Tribal School,RYS 200 & RYS 500 YTTC(Yoga Alliance USA Recognized)LOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the Green ShopWEB: www.yogatribe.orgHOURS: visiting 1-30 pm, Closed on TuesdayPHONE: 981 615 0326EMAIL: [email protected]

Om Yoga, Meditation & Reiki CentreLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, behind Akash Hotel,on Jogiwara Rd - Map #17HOURS: 8am-6pmPHONE: 980 569 3514

Rishi Yoga Centre with Yogi ShivamWEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.orgLOCATION: Himalyan ParadiseHotel Jogiwara Rd - Map #15HOURS: 7-8am & 6:15-7:15pmPHONE: 981 656 5138EMAIL: [email protected]

Siddhartha Yoga Centre with Yogi ShivamWEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.orgLOCATION: Upper Bagsu Nag Map #1HOURS: 7-8am & 6:15-7:15pmPHONE: 981 656 5138EMAIL: [email protected]

Universal Yoga with VijayRecognized by Yoga AllianceWEB: www.vijaypoweryoga.comLOCATION: Room #5, Yongling SchoolBuilding, Jogiwara Rd - Map #15HOURS: 9:00 -11:10am & 2:00 - 4:00PmEMAIL: [email protected]


Tourist InformationBus Schedule

* Times and prices may vary.Please check with the bus stand ahead of departure.

LEAVING FROM THE MCLEOD GANJ BUS STAND, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED:DELHI: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am, 6pm, 6:45pm, 8:15pm and 8:30pm (Rs330) Semi Deluxe Bus: 6pm (Rs355) AC Volvo Semi-Sleeper: 8pm (Rs1035) AC TATA: 8:30pm (Rs840)

AMRITSAR: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am (Rs165)*from Dharamsala

DEHRADUN: Ordinary Bus: 9pm; AC Deluxe: 5:30pm

MANALI: Ordinary Bus: 5:40pm, 8:40pm *from Dharamsala

PATHANKOT: Ordinary Bus: 11am, 12:10pm, 12:30pm, 2:10pm, 3:50pm, 5pm(Rs75)

SHIMLA: Ordinary Bus: 5am, 5:30am, 6am, 8am, noon and 4:55pm (Rs235)*from Dharamsala

Semi Deluxe Bus: 8:22am, 7:45pm and 9:30pm (Rs???) *fromDharamsala

FOR BOOKINGS:LOCATION: ticket stand under McLLo’s, main squareHOURS: 10am-6pm, dailyPHONE: 221750For deluxe buses, book through any travel agency.

TAXISA private taxi to Lower Dharamsala willcost you Rs 180. Cram into a jeep (from

the bus stand), and it’ll only cost youRs10.

Police Contact InformationLOCATION: Past St.John’s Church, on road toDharamshala in Cantt area.PHONE: 221 483

Tibetan Delek HospitalLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, betweenMcLeod Ganj and Lower DharamshalaHOURS: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm, Mon-Sat; Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm, Mon-Sat;Emergencies: 24-hrs, daily.PHONE: 222 053,223 381

Post OfficeThe McLeod Ganj Post Office is located onLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, past Peace CafeHOURS: 9:30am-1pm and 2-5pm, Mon-Fri;9:30am-noon, Sat.PHONE: 221 924Parcels and money orders can besent in the mornings only.

G O I N G T O A M R I T S A R ?Come see us at Tourist Guest House

British colonial mansion turned into beautiful guesthouse

that tourists have been f locking to for a taste of theRaj l ife style. We have Internet connection at Rs 1/min.

Comfortable stay with home cooked meals. Dorm bed Rs 85, Single/dble w. bath Rs 125-250.

Walking distance from train and bus. Private parking.Recommended in travel guide ‘Lets Go-2000’.

Contact Harindar at : 0183-2553830 / 09356003219E-mail : [email protected]

- Map #3

Nature CureHealth Clubwith Mahinder Kapoor

Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guest House - Map# 13, Mobile: 94181 30119 or 09736333888

Email: [email protected],12 years’ experience & recommended

by the Lonely PlanetVisit us for: Swedish massage courses & treatment,

Zen Shiatsu courses, treatment, reflexologytreatment, SPA , Singing Bowl Treatment, steambaths,

sauna & mud baths.Our teacher has had experience teaching in Israel.

TraditionalTibetan Soft Dolls

For play or decoration!Individually handcrafted and filled

with pure, local sheep wool.Tamana Shop,

Jogiwara Rd, or visit our workshop.Contact: 981 637 4389


The Mountain Cleaners is a volun-tary organization founded in April 2009by Jodie Underhill who have success-

fully set up a waste management system atthe popular trekking destination Triund.You can help Jodie and the Mountain

Around Town: Helping OutANIMAL RESCUE

Dharamsala Dog RescueWe are in urgent need of vet volunteers,animal experts and sponsors. We are in im-mediate need of sponsors for two paraly-sed dogs that need a home, wheelchair,monthly food and medicine. Please contactus if you see an injured/sick dog. Anythingyou can do is appreciated.WEB: www.hnsindia.orgLOCATION: Behind the District Court Complexon Chilgari St, Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 981 622 0841EMAIL: [email protected]

Rogpa Baby Care CentreWe help low income Tibetanfamilies to

become self-sufficient by providing freechild care for infants so their parentscan work. Can you help with art, games,singing and lots of hard work? (includingdiaper changing!) If you can create andmaintain a fun and loving atmospherewith our children, hours are Mon-Sat,either 8.30am-12pm or 1pm-5pm(located near no.13 on map)

Rogpa Shop and CafeHelp serve drinks and cakes, plus sellour fairly traded products. Weaccept donated clothes & books(located near no.14 on map)Min. commitment for both jobs is 3 weeksPlease contact us directly or by [email protected]

PUBLICATION

Contact MagazineSubmit a single piece or become a steadycorrespondent of this local, grassrootspublication. Contact needs volunteers towrite, proofread and edit copy and work ongraphic design.Volunteers needed, especiallythose with a knowledge of Photoshop.CONTACT: Lobsang Rabsel at the Lha office,Temple Road.PHONE: 981 615 5523EMAIL: [email protected]

Volunteer language teachers, for both long-and short-term placements, are needed forquality education in Mcleod Ganj:

Gu-Chu-Sum provides support for ex-po-litical prisoners and their families. It alsoorganises campaigns for the release ofcurrent political prisoners.Gu-Chu-Sum School needs volunteers forits English conversation classes and tutor-ing sessions from 6pm onwards, Mon- Fri.LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, downstairs Lung-taJapanese RestaurantHOURS: 4:30-6:30pmPHONE: 220 680EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibet Hope Center is a registered NGOstarted by two Tibetans to support thenewcomers from Tibet.We run a conversation class where ourstudents can practice their English, andwe are in constant need of conversationpartners. They love to ask questionsabout your life and exchange ideas onmany topics.Think Globally, Act LocallyWEB: www.tibethopecenter.orgLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, behind Gu-Chu-SumHOURS: 4:30-5:45pm, daily, and we evenhave a campfire every evening!PHONE: 981 637 3889EMAIL: [email protected]

works with Indian com-munit ies l iv ing in

poverty toward a healthy and sustainablefuture.Needed urgently: volunteer primary teach-ers and assistants for maths, English andart, as well as nurses and health workers.CONTACT: Tashi LhamoLOCATION: Top floor, Bank of Baroda oppo-site art gallery, Kotwali Bazar, DharamsalaPHONE: 981 608 1562, 223 930EMAIL: [email protected]

TUTORS & CLASS ASSISTANTS

Lha Donation CenterAccepting donations of all kinds: clothing, sleep-ing bags, books, school supplies, office sup-plies, medical supplies, used laptops, finan-cial assistance... Donations are clearly recordedand distributed to those in need, both Tibetanand Indian. Lha is a registered non-profit,social service organisation. See advert on pg 3.

Tong-LenDonations welcomed: medical supplies, sta-tionary, books, toys and children’s clothing.LOCATION: Top floor, Bank of Baroda oppositethe art gallery Kotwali Bazar, DharamsalaPHONE: 981 608 1562, 223 930

DONATIONS

Volunteer TibetYou’re motivated to share your timeand assist organisations in the Tibetancommunity. Even if you’re j us t

passingthrough Dharamsala, there arestill many ways to donate your time & make adifference.WEB: www.volunteertibet.org.inLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, opposite AkashGuesthouse.HOURS: 9am- and 5pm, Mon-FriPHONE: 98820 17083, 220 894EMAIL:[email protected]

Women’s TeamVolunteers required to teachIndian women computer/English skills.For more informationEMAIL: [email protected]: 09817515123

The Active NonviolenceEducation Center (ANEC)facilitates trainings, workshopsand open forum discussions onnonviolent strategies to help

resolve disagreements and differences atall levls of human society.As part of our General Outreach Program,ANEC welcomes volunteers from westerncountries to participate in informal paneldiscussions on ideas and views of regionaland global peace and nonviolent strategies.Free lunch and tea for volunteers.WEB: www.anec.org.inLOCATION: No. 262, 1st floor, KhajanchiMohalla, Khunyara Rd, Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 941 809 4476, 941 898 7745EMAIL: [email protected]

Learning and Ideas for Tibet (L.I.T.) isa non-profit organization that needs arange of volunteers interested in theTibetan movement and communityeducation.CONTACT: LaurenPHONE: 941 879 4218L O C AT I O N : Jogiwara Rd, near the KoreanRestaurant

Lha Community Social Work fostersprojects for the benefit and enrichment ofthe local community.We provide a library, English and Frenchclasses, computer training, medicalassistance programmes, environmentalprogrammes and clothing distribution toneedy Tibetans and Indians, in addition tosupporting construction and renovationprojects. See ad pg 3.WEB: www.lhaindia.orgLOCATION: Temple Rd, across from StateBank of IndiaHOURS: 9am-noon and1-5pm, Mon-FriPHONE: 220 992

Nyingtob Ling (‘Realm of Courage’) helpssupport Tibetan children from disadvan-taged families.The children work hard at making delightfulhandicrafts and paintings. They are sofriendly and LOVE visitors!LOCATION: Near Norbulingka, SidhpurPHONE: 0189 224 6366, 981 685 1841EMAIL: [email protected]

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

A N E C

The Clean Upper Dharamshala Projectwas founded in 1994 to provide awaste management system in andaround McLod Ganj. The GreenWorkers, the Handmade Recycled

Paper Factory, the Green Shop and theEnvironmental Education Centre are part ofthe Clean Upper Daramshala Project. Joinus for the weekly guided tour on Wednes-days at 3 pm at the office of CUDP!

ENVIRONMENT

Cleaners every Monday at 9.30 am & jointhem up to

contact march 2012

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