Dalai Lama & Terrorism

[yugaung]

There are many sects in Tibetan buddhism.
Inorder to bring all these sects under the domination of Dalai Lama's Geluk sect, the Tibetan Gov in Exile headed by the Dalai Lama, in 1977, ploted the murder the leader of the Karma Kagyu sects.

This was what Asiaweek (belongs to the Dow Jones Publisher) reported in Oct. 2000:

Long-uneasy relations between the Geluk and Karma Kagyu sects were further
strained by the Dalai Lama¡¯s intervention in the recognition of the Karmapa Lama. It revived bitter memories of the 1960s, when the Dalai¡¯s brother Gyalo Thondup tried to bring all Tibetan sects under Geluk control ¡ª by force if necessary. When 14 exile settlements united to fight his plan, unrest erupted within the community. In March 1977, settlements leader Gungthang Tsultrim was shot several times at point-blank range. The murderer said he received 300,000 rupees from the Tibetan government-in-exile. He claimed it offered to pay him even more to kill the 16th Karmapa Lama (the current Karmapa is the 17th Karmapa He is only 16 years old).

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[Marlene]

whoa. that doesn't sound right. i would be very surprised if any of that were true.

[yugaung]

Originally posted by Marlene
whoa. that doesn't sound right. i would be very surprised if any of that were true.

Here are more reports on the murder case from various Buddhism websites.
http://www.karmapa-controversy.org/VA/VAdifficultes.html
Excerpts:
The leaders of 13 large Tibetan settlements created an alliance called 'Thirteen Settlements'. Another large camp from Nepal, led by General Bava Yeshi, joined them, thus becoming 'Fourteen Settlements'. Khamtrul and Chokling Rinpoches were appointed president and general secretary, respectively. In addition, all the high Nyingma and Kagyu lamas - especially the Situ, Gyaltshab, Trungpa, Dhazang, Sachu, Kalu, Thrangu, Bokar and Tenga Rinpoches - followed the Karmapa without question because of his leadership of the Karma Kagyu. Ultimately they prepared to face the Gelug challenge. The stalemate continued for about a decade until the Dharamsala coterie cried it off in 1973. However, for years to come, the Tibetans in exile continued to be polarised into two main groups. Chagrined at not being able to subdue the other orders, the Dharamsala supporters planned to launch a lethal strike. According to the plans, a handful of dissidents were to be eradicated.



When in 1976, Gungthang Tsultrim, the political head of the alliance, was murdered and the assassin confessed to operate on orders from the Tibetan cabinet. Hired for the job, he was paid rupees three hundred thousand by the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala. The Tibetan government-in-exile had also offered him more money for eliminating the 16th Karmapa, he confessed.


more on the murder of Gungthang Tsultrim.

http://www.diamondway-buddhism.org/books/robes.htm
Tibetan settlements-mainly refugees from Kham-formed a political alliance and chose Karmapa as their spiritual leader. A powerful and opposite pole to the Dalai Lama and the official line of Dharamsala came into existence. The new coalition fought successfully against the idea of doing away with Tibet's religious diversity, and, in the end, the misguided plan had to be abandoned. But the government could not forgive Karmapa his uncompromising stance in the dispute and his defiance of the Dalai Lama's authority, and the Kagyus became the targets of unsavory attacks. When in 1976, Gungthang Tsultrim, the political head of the alliance, was murdered and the assassin confessed to operate on orders from the Tibetan cabinet, Rumtek (Karmapa's Kagyus sect ) and Dharamsala (Dalai Lama's Geluk sect) drifted farther apart.
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The Dalai Lama is just like any politician.
He created a holyman image for himself because that suites him, but when his position of power is threatened he will not hesitate to eliminate his opponent.

[tenjay]

yu, you sure about that? i'm pretty sure that asiaweek is independently owned by the fang family of san francisco. up until recently, they also owned the sf examiner and the independent, a newspaper in the bay area. i'm not sure about their political leanings, (pro prc, pro taiwan or mainly interested in american politics) but from what i've heard about them, they'd make their views known.

Originally posted by yugaung

This was what Asiaweek (belongs to the Dow Jones Publisher) reported in Oct. 2000:

[minimifidian]

yuguang,

i am not the most authoritive source on the topic, but i have had the opportunity to observe a little of the inter-sect politics that go on in Tibetan Buddhism. Just like in any other community, tensions develop between people with differing opinions and beliefs, such is the case with Tibetan Buddhism.
Anyone who has spent time in Tibetan communities in exile knows that gossip is a favourite passtime, particularly when it comes to differences between lineages and the selection of new lamas.
I think it is important not to take the sources you have quoted from the web as gospel. It is easy to slander someone on the web without them having the right of reply.

[yasgursfarmhand]

"Just like any other politician"

In the UK our Politicians "eliminate" their opponents by the democratic process.

In democracy opposition is accepted as the best way to inspire intelligent debate and to keep a check on the governing politicians.


Also, I can't imagine the Dalai Lama in a tank mowing down innocent students exercising their fundamental right to protest.