SICHUAN TIBETAN MONASTERIES: TRYING TO GET THE STORY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 CHENGDU 000137 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM, DRL AND G/STC E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/31/2027 TAGS: PHUM PGOV CH SUBJECT: SICHUAN TIBETAN MONASTERIES: TRYING TO GET THE STORY REF: CHENGDU 14 CHENGDU 00000137 001.2 OF 005 CLASSIFIED BY: James Boughner, Consul General, United States Consulate, Chengdu. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: During recent meetings that were tightly scripted and filmed at five Buddhist monasteries in Tibetan areas of western Sichuan, abbots and local Religious Affairs Bureau officials gave us the party line in response to questions on specific human rights cases and restrictions on religious freedom. In several private side conversations out of earshot of government officials, however, a number of monks volunteered brief comments on the actual human rights situation in each of their monasteries. Gomang Monastery Abbot Jamyang Lode Rinpoche (strictly protect),who also heads the Tibetan Buddhist College in Beijing, privately told CG that Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the Eleventh Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama, is living with his parents in strictly-enforced isolation in China's capital. He has been permitted to conduct religious studies and messages are passed to him through his parents. Monks from Kirti Monastery in separate discreet conversations said they were "not allowed to tell the truth," and that the religious situation is "not as good" as officials try to claim. The awkwardness of some of our official meetings aside, we sensed overall gratitude from the many monks we encountered, as well as from some apparently sympathetic local government officials, that the United States is raising human rights cases and asking hard questions in difficult-to-access areas of our district. End Summary. Getting Into Aba -------------- ¶2. (U) CG, Congenoff and a Political Section Locally Employed Staff Person (LES) traveled by car through Sichuan Province's Aba (Tibetan: Ngaba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture from May 21-25. Aba Prefecture is located in the northwest of Sichuan and is the second largest Tibetan-inhabited area in the province. The total population of the prefecture is approximately 850,000, 678,000 of whom are rural residents, 55 percent are Tibetan, 24 percent are Han Chinese, 18 percent are Qiang, and 3 percent are Hui. ¶3. (C) Throughout the trip we were accompanied during all meetings and at all meals by Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) officials from both the prefecture and county levels, the Deputy Party Secretary of the Prefecture, the Director of the Prefecture Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB),party representatives from the county level, several Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers in uniform, and numerous plain-clothes individuals who were never introduced. All of our movements and meetings were filmed in their entirety by one of the plain-clothes "minders." Abbots at the monasteries we visited were unable to carry on frank discussions in official meetings, but tried to convey private messages on the margins of meetings while they were out of earshot of government officials. ¶4. (C) This report focuses on the primary objective of the trip -- to survey the religious landscape of the prefecture, visit monasteries, and raise human rights cases. Discussions of family planning policy and rural economic development will be reported in septels. Raising Human Rights Cases at Prefecture Level -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) During a standard welcome briefing to Aba Prefecture in the capital of Maerkang (Tibetan: Barkham),the CG raised the following human rights cases with officials from the prefecture FAO and RAB: - According to international media reports, six monks from Khangmar Monastery were arrested and sentenced to varying prison terms of eight to twelve years on August 29, 2003. Monks Sherthar, Zoepa and Tsogphel, were sentenced to twelve-year terms, and Oeser, to an eight- year term. Another monk identified as Mingyur, and an unnamed thangka painter were also arrested and sentenced to one-year terms. The monks were arrested in mid January 2003 when they held a long life prayer ceremony for the Dalai Lama and for the successful completion of the Kalachakra teachings being conducted in India. - In 2003, government authorities closed the Aba Kirti Monastic School. The school's 800 students had been monks between the ages of 7-20 from poor rural areas without educational facilities. It was reported that some returned to their homes while others may have officially registered as monks at the monastery to try to pursue studies in Buddhist philosophy. CHENGDU 00000137 002.2 OF 005 - During Kalachakra celebrations in India in January 2006, the Dalai Lama appealed to Tibetans not to wear rare wild animal furs as part of their traditional clothing. In February 2006 eight lay Tibetans organized the collection and destruction of animal pelts outside of Kirti Monastery. It was reported that the eight activists were detained for a month and then released. ¶6. (SBU) In response, Lang Ka, Director of the Aba RAB said that with regard to the situation in Khangmar monastery, it is the role of the RAB to uphold the law. He claimed the six monks referred to had participated in separatist activities and were arrested and charged according to the law. Without providing names, Lang Ka added that some of the monks had been released and some remained in jail. With regard to the closure of the Kirti Monastic School, Lang Ka said Aba already had three primary schools, and that the fourth one in Kirti was unnecessary. He claimed the students who left the monastic school enrolled in public schools to receive nine years of compulsory education. Lang Ka gave no response on the skin burning incident outside of Kirti Monastery. ¶7. (C) Guo Chaowu, Director of the Aba FAO, apparently then felt obligated to interject himself into the conversation through a series of provocative questions/statements, including the war in Iraq; why did the American press report that the shooter in the Virginia Tech Massacre was Chinese?; what was the CG's opinion on the "China Threat"; etc. Guo also asserted that Chinese traveling to the U.S. -- including "government officials from Aba" -- are frequently disappointed by the lack of Buddhist monasteries available for their worship. He concluded his rant, however, by noting that the Chinese people are thankful for the United States' "One China Policy." Gomang Monastery in Aba County -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Gomang Monastery was established in 1790 by the second Kunkyin Jigmed Wangpo and reopened in 1980. The current abbot, Jamyang Lode Rinpoche, a reincarnate lama, has lived in Beijing for 20 years and directs the Tibetan Buddhist College there. He said the monastery currently has 500 monks and that monastic education is very strong. The monastery has no economic problems, so monks are able to devote time to their studies rather than in business ventures to support the monastery. Jamyang Rinpoche noted that one monk from Gomang took and passed the geshe exam in Beijing in 2006. (Note: The Geshe degree is the highest degree in Tibetan Buddhism and traditionally requires 20 years of study before a monk is prepared to take the examination in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. The "new" geshe exam referred to by the abbot is a test created by United Front Work Department (UFWD) and Ethnic and Religious Affairs Ministry, and is officially billed as being "higher" or more prestigious than the Geshe Larampa exam administered in Lhasa. End Note). ¶9. (C) The CG queried Jamyang Rinpoche (strictly protect) on his opinion about Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the Eleventh Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama in 1995. The Rinpoche said he respects the Goverment's choice of Gyaltsen Norbu as the Eleventh Panchen, and thinks the selection process was correct. He noted he attended the ceremony to seat the Beijing Panchen Lama. The Panchen visited Gomang Monastery in 2005 and the Rinpoche frequently sees him at the Buddhist College in Beijing. Jamyang Rinpoche stated that once in the past, Beijing religious figures had been called to a meeting with the UFWD and told that Gendun Choekyi Nyima is "protected" in Beijing. In stark contrast to his earlier statement about the "correct" selection process for the Beijing Panchen, however, the Rinpoche stated he had personally met with the Tenth Panchen Lama before his death and that they had discussed how incarnations are properly discovered. The Tenth Panchen Lama told Jamyang Rinpoche that all important reincarnations must be identified in front of the Buddha image in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. ¶10. (C) Note: During a subsequent tour of Gomang's main temple in a brief moment out of earshot of government minders, Jamyang Rinpoche privately told the CG that, although he has not personally been allowed to see Gendun Choekyi Nyima, he knows the Eleventh Panchen is living with his father and mother in Beijing and that he believes him to be well. Gendun Choekyi Nyima has been able to carry out religious studies, but access to him is very tightly controlled. The Rinpoche noted he has been able to can pass messages to Gendun Choekyi Nyima through the young man's father. The Rinpoche added that the father was recently permitted to return to the family's home village in Naqchu Prefecture in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). Continuing on the tour of the temple and climbing to its top floor, CG observed a large photograph of the Tenth Panchen Lama, but no visible photo of the Beijing Panchen. On the way out of the temple, a large number of pilgrims that had been cleared out CHENGDU 00000137 003.2 OF 005 prior to our tour bowed as Jamyang Rinpoche passed by. One of the county-level RAB officials, who himself was clearly treating the Rinpoche with great respect, softly whispered to CG, "Witness the power of religion!" End Note. ¶11. (C) In response to questions from Congenoff, Jamyang Rinpoche said the monastery has few monks from outside of the Prefecture and no unregistered monks or monks under the age of ¶18. The Rinpoche did not respond to questions on what will happen after the Dalai Lama's death or the harsh rhetoric of TAR Party Secretary Zhang Qingli. Jamyang Rinpoche told the CG he thinks raising human rights cases is "good" and compared it to President Hu Jintao's "Harmonious Society" concept and the desire for peace and harmony in China. In an aside, he remarked he visited Lhasa in 2006 and "didn't notice any instability." The Rinpoche also added he thinks it is important for there to be good relations between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government. He stated that he "hopes the Dalai Lama will understand the development and changes within 'inland' China." Kirti Monastery in Aba County -------------- -------------- ¶12. (C) Aba County officials welcomed us and said we were the first diplomatic delegation to visit since the county "opened" to foreigners in 2004. (Note: Aba county is particularly sensitive politically because it is the birthplace of many important reincarnate lamas who now reside overseas. Tsegyam Ngaba, the current envoy of the Dalai Lama to Taiwan was born, educated and imprisoned in Aba County before he fled to India. In June 2005, Tsegyam Ngaba was a member of the Tibetan delegation at the fourth round of talks with Chinese counterparts at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Berne, Switzerland. End Note). ¶13. (SBU) Kirti Monastery "Acting" Abbot Jigme Rinpoche, a reincarnate lama, introduced the current situation at the monastery that was founded in 1472 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism. He noted the present Abbot, the 11th Kirti Rinpoche, currently resides in India. (Note: In April 1990, Kirti Rinpoche built Kirti Monastery in Dharamsala, India. India's Kirti has 201 monks, most of whom are originally from Kirti Monastery in Aba County. End Note). ¶14. (C) According to Jigme Rinpoche, Kirti currently has around 1,200 monks, forty percent of whom are between 60-70 years old and covered by the county social security system. When queried, he said Kirti has no monks under 18 and no unregistered monks. (Note: In a side conversation while touring the temples, another monk privately whispered to Congenoff there are actually 1,000 unregistered monks under the age of 18 in Kirti. End Note.) According to the Abbot, Kirti has 200 geshe degree holders who studied for approximately six years before obtaining their degrees. ¶15. (SBU) The Democratic Management Committee (DMC) in Kirti has 13 members who are in charge of fire safety, financial affairs, security and tourism, Jigme Rinpoche stated. He said the monastery earns income from tourism as well as hotels, restaurants and shops it runs in the county town. The Rinpoche explained that the monastery conducts large Buddhist activities/festivals three times per year. Families of monks are permitted to come to the monastery to visit, and young monks can also go home for one month each in summer and winter. When they are in the monastery, monks are kept busy with study, reading of scriptures and debate. ¶16. (C) In answer to CG's question about the 2003 closing of the Kirti Monastic School, the Abbot and head of the DMC responded that the closing was part of the prefecture's "Ten Year Action Plan" to promote compulsory education and the "normalization process." They noted Kirti's school was "redundant" anyway because the county already had three other primary schools. (Note: In a side conversation with Congenoff while departing the meeting and several steps ahead of the government officials, a monk said they were "not allowed to tell the truth about the closing of the Kirti Monastic School," and that all of their answers had been provided by government officials. End Note.) ¶17. (C) Jigme Rinpoche stated that the February 2006 skin-burning incident raised by the CG took place outside of the monastery and no monks had participated. The incident actually occurred place during one of the monastery's month-long Buddhist festivals and monastery officials asked the participants to leave so as not to disrupt the religious activities. (Note: Consulate obtained during 2006 a video that was mailed by a monk from Gansu, containing clips of over a dozen skin burning activities in Tibetan areas in the spring of 2006. There is a CHENGDU 00000137 004.2 OF 005 clip of Kirti Monastery that shows several hundred people and dozens of monks participating in the burning. Several of the monks recited prayers before the bonfire was lit. End Note). ¶18. (C) CG asked whether any of Kirti's monks originally came from outside the prefecture or if Kirti monks are allowed to participate in exchanges with other monasteries. Hesitating, the Abbot said, "yes, but not right now." He added that monks from Qinghai, Gansu, Ganzi Prefecture in Sichuan and Hongyuan County in Aba Prefecture come to Kirti to study in the summer. When Congenoff asked whether the Abbot had students of his own in inland China, he quickly said "no." Jigme Rinpoche answered CG's question on challenges for monks posed by modernization, by saying there were none, but added that as a part of routine monastic discipline, monks have been fined for gambling. (Note: In a private side conversation with the CG, Donke Rinpoche (strictly protect),the Vice Director of the Kirti DMC, emphasized that the situation in Kirti was "not as good as was described in the meeting." End Note). Karmang Monastery in Hongyuan County -------------- ¶19. (SBU) Abbot Tenbe Gyaltsen, a reincarnate lama also known as Khomtsang Rinpoche of Karmang Monastery in Hongyuan County said the monastery had ninety-six monks and three reincarnate lamas. In response to a question, he stated that all Karmang's monks are over 18 years old and the monastery has no unregistered monks. He claimed there is no limit on the number of monks able to register in the monastery. Karmang is a branch of Labrang Monastery in Gansu Province. Most monks carry out meditation on the sacred tantra full time and do not need to work to support the monastery. ¶20. (C) The CG commented on his earlier discussion with prefecture level officials on the 2003 case of six monks from Karmang arrested for attending a prayer ceremony for the long life of the Dalai Lama, and specifically asked which monks are still in jail. Khomstsang Rinpoche, after some assistance from other members of the DMC, stated that Zoeba, Dargye, and Tsogphel are still serving prison terms. He added that Oeser, SIPDIS one of the monks who had been released, is sick and has not returned to the monastery. It was unclear from his answer whether Zoeba, Dargye and Tsogphel were permitted to return to the monastery, although DMC members claimed they are technically allowed to return. ¶21. (C) Khomstsang Rinpoche answered a question from CG, saying that the monastic population has not been affected by modernization or economic development in the region. When Congenoff asked about the schedule for patriotic or political education classes, the Rinpoche responded that all Chinese citizens must attend such classes, not just monks. With regard to the demographics of the monk population in Karmang and whether monks are permitted to have exchanges with other monasteries, the Rinpoche began to say there were few exchanges, but was interrupted by the official from the county RAB who said there are indeed exchanges and that there is a round table on religion every year. ¶22. (C) Congenoff asked if the monastery participated in charitable work or community work on environmental protection. The Rinpoche said "not much," but the county RAB official again interrupted and noted the Rinpoche sponsors a medical clinic and supports 30 poor students with scholarships. The Rinpopche claimed he had no students in inland China, but said he spends large amounts of time outside of the monastery in the county town and in his hometown. (Note: In a half-hour conversation, county and prefecture RAB officials tried to qualify almost every answer the Rinpoche gave. End Note). Game Monastery in Songpan County -------------- ¶23. (SBU) Game Monastery in Songpan County is a Bon monastery, a school of Tibetan Buddhism whose origins predate the Gelug School. Abbot Namnang, the DMC Director said Game was established 600 years ago, and now has 41 permanent monks. In response to a question from CG about the large numbers of tourists who visit the monastery, the Abbot stressed that tourism has not had a negative impact on religious study because tourists only visit the big temples and monks can study in the quieter parts where tourists are not permitted. Congenoff asked the Abbot whether Bon monks view the Dalai Lama in a similar way to monks from the Gelug School. Abbot Namnang diplomatically stated that Bon monks do not denounce the Dalai Lama and do not disrespect him. He added, "we have our own spiritual leader here, but we believe in all knowledgeable people." Zharu Monastery in Songpan County CHENGDU 00000137 005.2 OF 005 -------------- ¶24. (U) Zharu Monastery (Tibetan: Rabwan) is another Bon monastery in Songpan County, led by Abbot Rinchen, a reincarnate lama. The Abbot is also the Deputy Director of the Sichuan Province Buddhist Association. The monastery, established in 1573 and reopened in 1982, is inside the Jiu Zhai Gou National Protected Area. Abbot Rinchen explained that the monastery has 50 monks, but that only 10 permanently reside there at any one time. The others travel throughout the county to people's homes to give blessings and teachings. ¶25. (SBU) Rinchen Rinpoche said the monastery holds three big religious festivals each year. The monastery has recently receiving approval for a large-scale remodeling project. When queried, the Rinpoche said the majority of the money for the maintenance of the monastery is raised by the temple itself, with approximately one third each from tourists (only 1,000 per year),believers, and the local government. ¶26. (C) The meeting room where we were hosted had a large picture of the tenth Panchen Lama as well as several much smaller framed photos of the 2005 visit of the Beijing Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu. When asked about Bon's relationship to the Gelug School, Rinchen Rinpoche responded that Bon is "very similar" to the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism. (Note: Earlier in the conversation, the Rinpoche noted he studied in Lhasa from 1998-2001. End Note). Comment -------------- ¶27. (C) Official meetings in Tibetan areas are frequently highly scripted and filled with numerous government officials whose goal is to ensure that religious figures adhere to the "party line" about freedom in their monasteries. While all candor is chilled in these official settings, monks often take advantage of temple tours and other movements to discretely express their true feelings to us. In their brief, but brave comments, we sensed their gratitude that the United States is raising human rights cases and asking hard questions of government officials. BOUGHNER