Exiled Tibetans offer Prayers to China Quake Victims
Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 12:20 p.m.
Dharamshala: Exiled Tibetans all over the world offered prayers for victims of the recent earthquake that struck south-west China on 12 May.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration have extended deep
sympathy and heartfelt condolences and prayers to those families who
have been directly affected by the strong earthquake.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his five-day visit in
Germany said, “Let us pray and express our condolences to the Chinese
people”.
“Let us share this sadness of thousands and thousands of Chinese who suffer due to the earthquake,” His Holiness said..
The Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan
Administration on Wednesday, 14 May, organised a special prayer session
led by monks of the Namgyal Monastery at the Tsuglagkhang (main temple)
here.
The Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration organised a special prayer session for the victims of the powerful earthquake that rocked southwestern parts of China, at the main Buddhist temple in Dharamshala, India, on 14 May 2008/File Photo:Sangjey Kep |
The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration on 15 May issued
guidelines to all the Offices of Tibet to join our effort to express
solidarity by organising prayer meetings and rising donations for the
quake victims.
“In order to express our solidarity with the great natural
disaster that befell on China, Tibetans across the world should shun
staging demonstrations in front of the Chinese embassies in the
respective host countries they live in at least till about the end of
May. Write a letter, or send a message, to the concerned that they are
doing so in solidarity with the quake victims,” the guidelines added.
Tibetan Solidarity Committee of Central Tibetan Administration
on Monday, 19 May, organised a prayer session at the Tsuglagkhang (main
temple) to pray for the families of those thousands of people killed
and injured in the two recent natural calamities – cyclone Nargis in
Myanmar and the earthquake that struck southwestern parts of China.
Karma Chophel, speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in
his address said: “The Central Tibetan Administration and all the
Tibetan people in exile convey their heartfelt condolences to the
families of the victims of the devastating earthquake and stand in
solidarity with the Chinese people in this hour of grief and sadness.”
As a mark of respect, the speaker appealed to all Tibetans to
put off protests in front of Chinese embassies until the end of May.
Tibetans Pray for Victims’ Solace in Nepal
On 17 May, over two thousand Tibetan refugees and Nepalese
gathered at the Tashiling Tibetan Refugee Camp, Pokhara, Nepal for an
inter-faith mass prayer for those Tibetans who have lost their lives in
the recent unrest inside Tibet and recent natural disasters in Burma
and China.
Tibetans offering prayer and butter lamps for China quake victims at Buddha Park, Swayambhu, Kathmandu on Sunday. (Photo: Phayul.com) |
The Nepal Tibetan Solidarity Forum on 18 May organized special
prayers and offered 20,000 butter lamps to mark the completion of one
week of the devastating earthquake in China for all the earthquake
victims. The prayers and offerings were also meant for the estimated
100,000 who lost their lives due to the killer cyclone in Myanmar as
well the Tibetan victims of the Chinese crackdown in March.
The special prayer congregation was led by monks from different
monasteries in the two areas respectively. The prayer service was
attended by over 400 people at both the locations, including Tibetan
MPs, local officials, students, general public and Mr. Sudeep Pathak,
senior Nepali Human Rights activist.
Tibetans in Nepal who have been protesting Beijing’s crackdown
in Tibet since March 10 are temporarily holding their rallies to
express their respect for the people of China and particularly family
members who have lost their loved ones.
Similar prayer sessions are also held simultaneously in all the
Tibetan settlements across India, Nepal and Bhutan under the aegis of
local Tibetan solidarity committees.