Larung Gar Leaders Urge Calm as Demolition Appears Set to Proceed
2016-07-12 Radio Free Asia
Monastic leaders at a sprawling Tibetan Buddhist study
center in southwestern China’s Sichuan province are urging calm as Chinese
authorities prepare to tear down large sections of the complex, sources in the
region say.
The move, which will reduce a large but still uncounted population of monks and
nuns at the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county to
a maximum level of 5,000, is set to begin this month, one local source told
RFA’s Tibetan Service.
“China’s plan for demolition and destruction will go into effect on July 25,”
RFA’s source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“It will begin with the nuns’ dwellings, as nine of those areas have been
marked for action,” he said. “The demolition crews will consist of
Chinese soldiers and workers.”
Many thousands of Tibetans and Han Chinese study at Larung Gar, which was
founded in 1980 by the late religious teacher Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and is one
of the world’s largest and most important centers for the study of Tibetan
Buddhism.
Speaking recently to academy residents, senior monastic leaders Khenpo Tsultrim
Lodroe and Khenpo Rigdar urged monks and nuns living at Larung Gar to remain
calm, continue with their studies, and avoid taking part in protests.
“But if the situation gets out of control, and things become urgent, we will
call the monks and nuns to another meeting and together arrive at a decision
regarding what action will be best to take,” Khenpo Tsultrim Lodroe said in a
recording obtained by RFA.
Lay supporters of the academy were similarly urged not to interfere with the
work of demolition for fear of “repercussions” from Chinese authorities.
An earlier move by authorities to reduce Larung Gar’s size led in 2001 to the
destruction of more than 1,000 dwellings and the expulsion of hundreds of monks
and nuns, and a fire in January 2014 started probably by a faulty power line
destroyed a further 100 houses.
The order now to reduce the number of residents at Larung Gar is not a county
plan “but comes from higher authorities,” with China’s president Xi Jinping
taking a personal interest in the matter, sources told RFA in earlier reports.
2016-07-12 Radio Free Asia
Monastic leaders at a sprawling Tibetan Buddhist study center in southwestern China’s Sichuan province are urging calm as Chinese authorities prepare to tear down large sections of the complex, sources in the region say.
The move, which will reduce a large but still uncounted population of monks and
nuns at the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county to
a maximum level of 5,000, is set to begin this month, one local source told
RFA’s Tibetan Service.
“China’s plan for demolition and destruction will go into effect on July 25,”
RFA’s source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“It will begin with the nuns’ dwellings, as nine of those areas have been
marked for action,” he said. “The demolition crews will consist of
Chinese soldiers and workers.”
Many thousands of Tibetans and Han Chinese study at Larung Gar, which was
founded in 1980 by the late religious teacher Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and is one
of the world’s largest and most important centers for the study of Tibetan
Buddhism.
Speaking recently to academy residents, senior monastic leaders Khenpo Tsultrim
Lodroe and Khenpo Rigdar urged monks and nuns living at Larung Gar to remain
calm, continue with their studies, and avoid taking part in protests.
“But if the situation gets out of control, and things become urgent, we will
call the monks and nuns to another meeting and together arrive at a decision
regarding what action will be best to take,” Khenpo Tsultrim Lodroe said in a
recording obtained by RFA.
Lay supporters of the academy were similarly urged not to interfere with the
work of demolition for fear of “repercussions” from Chinese authorities.
An earlier move by authorities to reduce Larung Gar’s size led in 2001 to the
destruction of more than 1,000 dwellings and the expulsion of hundreds of monks
and nuns, and a fire in January 2014 started probably by a faulty power line
destroyed a further 100 houses.
The order now to reduce the number of residents at Larung Gar is not a county
plan “but comes from higher authorities,” with China’s president Xi Jinping
taking a personal interest in the matter, sources told RFA in earlier reports.