Tibetans offer Solace to China Quake Victims through Prayers
Monday, 19 May 2008, 2:46 p.m.
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 |
Dharamshala: Thousands of
Tibetan people congregated at the Tsuglagkhang (main temple) here
Monday to offer their deep sympathy and prayers to 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.
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.
According to official Xinhua news agency, the 7.9 magnitude
earthquake that jolted Wenchuan County of Sichuan Province in southwest
China on 12 May, has caused deaths over 22,000 and 4.8 million people
have lost their homes.
In his address, 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 stands 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.
Speaker Karma Chophel addressing a press conference after a special congregation organised at the main Buddhists temple in Dharamshala, India, on 19 May 2008/Photo: Bangchen |
He said: “We welcome Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to the affected areas
to bring solace and take stock of the situation in a time of such
disaster.”
The speaker, however, condemned the Chinese government’s double
standard attitude towards handling of crisis in China and that of
Tibet. He said the earthquake in China drew immediate attention of the
highest echelons of the communist party, with both the Premier Wen
Jiaboa and President Hu Jintao visiting the affected areas and
mobilising troops to expedite saving human lives. On the contrary, in
Tibet, hundreds of Tibetans have lost their lives and injured and
thousands have been as a result of the Chinese military crackdown on
peaceful protesters.
He expressed concern that Tibetans might have affected by the
earthquake, since the largely hit areas by the powerful quake also
include Tibetan inhabited Lungu county (Ch: Wen Chuang), Tashi Ling
county (Ch; Lixian), Sungchu county (Ch:Song Pan), Trochu county (Ch:
Xiao Jing) and Maowen county (Ch: Mao Wen) under Ngaba (Ch: Aba)
Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP) in Sichuan Province.
“In this hour of tragedy, we hope and appeal to the Central
Government of the People’s Republic of China to deliver timely rescue
and relief to all the affected areas, without any distinction of people
and place,” he added.
He also urged the Chinese government to halt all repressive
measures in Tibet and to respect Tibetan people’s sentiment by adopting
a realistic approach of reviewing its policies in Tibet.
In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake hit China, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration extended
deep sympathy, heartfelt condolences and prayers to those affected
families.
On 14 May, a special prayer congregation was organised by the
Department of Religion and Culture at the main temple here, led by
monks of the Namgyal Monastery.