Dharamshala: Sikyong Penpa Tsering and the 16th Kashag thanked the Super Samgha, an Association of Japanese monks for their solidarity in condemning China over the recent destruction of monasteries including the violent obliteration of Buddhist statues and monastic schools in Kham Drakgo, Tibet.
On Tuesday, representatives of Super Samgha visited the Office of Tibet, Japan, and submitted a written statement from the Association, a copy of which is also submitted to the Chinese Embassy expressing their solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet suffering under the brutal Chinese regime. They also expressed their dismay and criticized the Chinese government over the recent demolition of the Buddha statues and monasteries in Tibet.
In response to the Association’s statement of support, the Kashag issued a circular today in which Sikyong wrote, “For centuries, Tibetan Buddhism has been a central component of social, cultural, and religious life in Tibet. The demolition of the Buddha statue, arrests, and ongoing repression in Kham Drakgo, and similarly, the atrocities committed in other parts of Tibet, is a part of a widespread, state-sanctioned effort to destroy the Tibetan people’s distinct religious, linguistic, and cultural identity”.
Sikyong added that the concerns voiced by the Super Samgha were instrumental in letting China know that the crackdown on religious freedom and the rights of Tibetan people is unacceptable to the international community notably the Buddhist community, and meanwhile prompted relentless opposition against China for as long as they continue to commit human rights violations.
Expressing gratitude to the solidarity rendered by the Super Samgha, Sikyong also solicited their continued support.