DHARAMSHALA: Canadian Parliamentarian Mr Arif Virani who is the chair of the Canadian Parliamentary Friends of Tibet (PFT) expressed his serious concern at the ongoing demolition of the Larung Gar monastery in eastern Tibet.

“I am devastated to learn of the demolition. Over 5000 resident monks and nuns have now been displaced. They have not just lost their home and their religious community but their sense of belonging and safety,” he said.

“My thoughts are with Tibet and members of the Tibetan diaspora around the world who are now even more committed to their pursuit of Buddhist studies. I know the spirit of Larung Gar and the Tibetan people will remain strong,” he added.

He also voiced his grief over the death of the Tibetan nun Rinzin Dolma, who reportedly took her own life on July 20, unable to bear the demolition of her institution.

Larung Gar is one of the largest centers of Tibetan Buddhist learning in Tibet. The academy and monastery, founded in 1980, sprawls over a mountainside in Sertar county in eastern Tibet, and attracts thousands of Buddhist monks and nuns who wish to study there. However, it has been facing a demolition drive from the Chinese government following an order last month to cut the number of Larung Gar residents by half to 5,000.