Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
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Chinese characters: 阿安扎西 Pinyin: A'an Zhaxi
Age: 59
From: Lithang, Kham (eastern Tibet)
Status: Serving life imprisonment (commuted from a suspended death sentence).
ARRESTED FOR HIS EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE TIBETAN IDENTITY. ACCUSED OF ALLEGED CONSPIRACY.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, is a revered religious leader as well as a visionary and steadfast advocate of Tibetan identity and culture. Born in 1950 in Lithang, Kham, eastern Tibet, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche joined the Lithang monastery at the age of seven.
Throughout his life, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche worked to develop social, medical, educational and religious institutions for Tibetan nomads. He oversaw the building of Tibetan nunneries and was a strong advocate of religious education for both men and women. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was also an environmental leader and worked to stop indiscriminate logging and mining projects in eastern Tibet.
Due to Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s high popularity amongst both Tibetans and Chinese, and his great efforts to preserve Tibetan identity, the Chinese authorities viewed him as a threat to their control in the region. Over the course of a decade prior to his arrest, he was the target of increasing harassment and intimidation by Chinese officials.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche first came under close Chinese government scrutiny after he returned from religious studies in exile in India, where the Dalai Lama had recognized him as a reincarnated religious being and gave him his name of Tenzin Delek. He studied at Drepung monastery in the Tibetan refugee camp of Mundgod in Karnataka State, south India, from 1982 to 1987.
Upon his return to the Nyagchu area in Lithang, Chinese authorities began obstructing his social and religious development efforts, but he was undeterred. When faced with government objections to his construction of Jamyang Choekhor Ling, a new monastery in his home area, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche traveled to Beijing and obtained official permission from the 10th Panchen Lama, just a year before the latter’s sudden and suspicious death in 1989. Between 1991 and 1995 Tenzin Delek Rinpoche built seven monasteries. He also oversaw the construction of an old people's home and a school for orphans and children from poor families. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was also a leading environmental activist: he was very aware of the importance of ecological balance in the fragile Tibetan environment. He preached against mining practices that would pollute the areas' rivers and ruin the soil, logging practices that would cause flooding and soil erosion, and indiscriminate hunting that might lead to species loss. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s preachings caused concern amongst local officials who saw them as an obstacle to activities from which they are reported to have personally profited from (such as mining, clear cutting, and poaching). A dispute over a local forest led to an increase in Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's prestige, and enhanced his monastic influence. Local residents looked increasingly to him to help solve problems; and local officials’ resentments against him grew ever stronger.
Chinese authorities continued to increase their surveillance of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s activities. In June 2000 he recorded the following statement: “Recently, I was called to the Religious Affairs Bureau and the United Front Work Department. … They told me, “You cannot have photos of the 14th Dalai Lama, the young Panchen Lama, or pictures of yourself.” And they said, “The pictures are getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger, and you cannot do that. And you cannot have a lama’s title.” I told them that … I did not need the title of lama; I did not need the title of monk, but I did need the rights of a human being.”
On 3 April 2002, following a bomb blast in Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan province Lobsang Dhondup – who was a distant relative of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was arrested. Four days later, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was detained (along with four close associates) following a midnight raid on Jamyang Choekhorling monastery in Nyagchukha. Both men were convicted on 29 November 2002, after a 3-day closed trial, during Lobsang Dhondup was portrayed as the bomber and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche as the conspirator. The main evidence presented against Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was a confession from Lobsang Dhondup, who later retracted the statement claiming he had been tortured. The only other supposed evidence was the presence of political leaflets at the scene of the bombing which the authorities claimed where produced by Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and distributed by Lobsang Dhondup. However no specific evidence was provided actually linking either of them to the leaflets. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche has denied ever producing such leaflets. Throughout the proceedings the two accused had no access to independent legal counsel. During the trial, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is reported to have claimed he was tortured and shouted out his support for the Dalai Lama. On 2 December 2002 both men were sentenced to death, with Tenzin Delek Rinpoche receiving a two-year reprieve.
The international outcry over the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche led the Chinese authorities to give assurances that both he and Lobsang Dhondup would receive a thorough retrial. Whilst awaiting the appeal hearing in 2003, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche said: "I am completely innocent... I have always said we should not raise our hand at others. It is sinful... I have neither distributed letters or pamphlets nor planted bombs secretly. I have never even thought of such things, and I have no intention to hurt others." However, on 26 January 2003, the Sichuan Higher People’s Court upheld Lobsang Dondhup’s death sentence and confirmed Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s two year suspended death sentence. Lobsang Dhondup was executed the same day.
After two years of advocacy by thousands of people around the world, on 26 January 2005, the Chinese authorities commuted Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is currently being held in Mianyang prison in Mianyang, Sichuan province, having been transferred from Chuandong prison. He is reported to be in poor health, which is likely to have been brought on by the torture he endured following his arrest. He is currently suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease and problems with his legs. Though he is apparently receiving medical treatment he has been denied Tibetan medicine that he has requested. A recent report indicates that his life sentence may have been reduced to a fixed term sentence of 20 years, which means there is a possibility of a reduction in the sentence, but this has not be confirmed.
Local efforts to secure Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's release had been ongoing since at least April 2007 when nine women from Horlong township in Nyakchuka county staged a sit-in outside the government office, and presented a petition, following which several of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s relatives were allowed to visit him. Government officials had told the Tibetan lama that no one in the community or his relatives had wanted to see him. In July 2007, several thousand local people signed a further petition to be taken to Beijing in an attempt to lodge an appeal against Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s sentence. A small Tibetan group planning to take the petition to Beijing was stopped and detained, which led to a further protest by people in Horlung township for their release. Armed police broke up the protest.
In November 2009, a group of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s relatives and friends traveled to Beijing to request the central government for a further review of the case, on the basis of three points; that there was no proof against Tenzin Delek, that he refused to admit any guilt, and that he was framed by an official plot. According to the petition text, which can be read in full at http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/12/from-woesers-blog-people-of-yajiang-in.html, when a family member was permitted to visit him in prison, Tenzin Delek said; “I am not responsible for these explosions or any other illegal actions, they have pinned this on me, I have always taught people that one should not harm any life, not even that of an ant, how could I then possibly be responsible for such an action? If it is possible to appeal, there is hope that I may be cleared of all charges.” The petitioners were urged to return to Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan province.
Local people in Tenzin Delek's home area heard about the petitioners' visit to Beijing and decided to take action. From 5 December for several days, scores of Tibetans in and around Tenzin Delek's village of Orthok, Nyagchukha County, Kardze Prefecture in Kham (Ch: Yajiang County, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province) peacefully gathered and held hunger strikes in support of their imprisoned spiritual leader; there were numerous beatings by the police and up to 90 demonstrating Tibetans were arrested; some may still be in detention.
Tibetans and supporters around the world continue to campaign for his release.
(With acknowledgements to the Human Rights Watch report “Trials of a Tibetan Monk,” 8 February 2004, the ICT report "Tibetans defy security crackdown to demonstrate in support of imprisoned Tibetan lama" 17 December 2009, and High Peaks Pure Earth's translation of Woeser's blog "The people of Yajiang in Kham Petition for the retrial of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche" 9 December 2009)
In Spanish:
Perfil de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
Caracteres chinos: 阿安扎西
Pinyin: A'an Zhaxi
Edad: 59
Procedencia: Lithang, Kham en Tibet (este)
Estado: Sirviendo una sentencia a prisión perpetua (conmutada por una sentencia de muerte suspendida).
Arrestado por sus esfuerzos por preservar la identidad tibetana. ACUSADO DE SUPUESTA CONSPIRACIÓN.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, es un venerado líder religioso, así como un visionario y firme defensor de la identidad y la cultura tibetana. Nacido en 1950 en Lithang, Kham, este del Tíbet, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche se unió al monasterio Lithang, a la edad de siete años.
A lo largo de su vida, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche trabajó para desarrollar las instituciones sociales, médicas, educativas y religiosas para los nómadas tibetanos. Él supervisó la construcción de conventos del Tíbet y fue un fuerte defensor de la educación religiosa para hombres y mujeres. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche fue también un líder ambiental y ha trabajado para detener la tala indiscriminada y los proyectos de minería en el Tíbet oriental.
Debido a la gran popularidad de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, entre tanto tibetanos como chinos, y sus grandes esfuerzos para preservar la identidad tibetana, las autoridades chinas lo consideraban una amenaza para mantener el control de la región. En el transcurso de una década antes de su detención, fue objeto de creciente hostigamiento e intimidación por parte de funcionarios chinos.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche comenzó a estar bajo estricto control chino después de haber regresado de sus estudios religiosos en el exilio en India, donde el Dalai Lama le había reconocido como un ser religioso reencarnado y le dio el nombre de Tenzin Delek. Estudió en el monasterio de Drepung en el campamento de refugiados tibetanos de Mundgod en el Estado de Karnataka, al sur de la India, de 1982 a 1987.
A su regreso a la zona de Nyagchu en Lithang, las autoridades chinas comenzaron a obstruir sus esfuerzos para el desarrollo social y religioso, pero no se dejó intimidar. Cuando se enfrentó con las objeciones del gobierno ante la construcción de Jamyang Choekhor Ling, un nuevo monasterio en su zona de origen, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche viajó a Beijing y obtuvo un permiso oficial otorgado por el 10o Panchen Lama, justo un año antes de su muerte súbita y sospechosa en 1989. Entre 1991 y 1995 Tenzin Delek Rinpoche construyó siete monasterios. También supervisó la construcción de una residencia para ancianos y una escuela para huérfanos y niños de familias pobres.
Las autoridades chinas siguieron aumentando la vigilancia de las actividades de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. En junio del 2000 se registró la siguiente declaración:
"Recientemente, me pidieron que fuera a la Oficina de Asuntos Religiosos y al Departamento de Trabajo del Frente Unido. ... Me dijeron: "No se pueden tener fotos del 14 º Dalai Lama, del joven Panchen Lama, o fotos de ti mismo." Y ellos dijeron: "Las imágenes son cada vez más grandes y más grandes y más grandes, y no puedes hacer eso. Y no puedes tener el título de un lama. "Yo les dije que ... no era necesario el título de Lama, yo no necesito el título de monje, pero sí necesito los derechos de un ser humano." (Extraído de "Ensayos de un monje tibetano" informe de Human Rights Watch).
El 7 de abril del 2002, las autoridades chinas arrestaron Tenzin Delek Rinpoche y su pariente lejano Lobsang Dhondup (Ch: Luorang Dengzhu). Ambos fueron acusados por su implicación en los atentados cerca de Chengdu, provincia de Sichuan. Se les acusó por "provocar explosiones" y de "incitar al separatismo", el último cargo relativo a la difusión de panfletos que llamaban a la liberación del Tíbet.
Fueron condenados en un juicio a puerta cerrada el 29 de noviembre del 2002, en que Lobsang Dhondup fue presentado como el atacante y Tenzin Delek Rinpoche como el conspirador. Las principales pruebas presentadas en contra de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche fue una confesión de Lobsang Dhondup, que más tarde se retractó de la declaración afirmando que había sido torturado. La única otra supuesta evidencia fue la presencia de panfletos políticos en la escena de la explosión que las autoridades aseguran que éstos fueron producidos por Tenzin Delek Rinpoche y distribuídos por Lobsang Dhondup. Sin embargo, nunca se proporcionó evidencia específica que ligara alguno de los dos a la producción de los folletos. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche negó alguna vez haber producido tales folletos. Durante el juicio ninguno de los dos acusados tuvieron acceso a un abogado independiente. Se informa que durante el juicio, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche fue torturado y gritó su apoyo al Dalai Lama. El 2 de diciembre de 2002, ambos hombres fueron condenados a muerte, pero a Tenzin Delek Rinpoche se le dió un aplazamiento de dos años.
La protestas internacionales por el caso de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche llevaron a las autoridades chinas a garantizar de que tanto él como Lobsang Dhondup recibirían un nuevo juicio. Sin embargo, el 26 de enero del 2003, el Tribunal Popular Superior de Sichuan confirmó la ejecución de Lobsang Dondhup y confirmó la sentencia a muerte suspendida de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche por dos años. Lobsang Dhondup fue ejecutado el mismo día.
Después de dos años de promoción por parte de miles de personas en todo el mundo, l 26 de Enero del 2005 las autoridades chinas conmutaron la pena de muerte de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche por una sentencia de por vida.
Según Human Rights Watch, el encarcelamiento de Tenzin Delek Rinpoche "fue la culminación de una década de esfuerzos por parte de las autoridades chinas para frenar sus dedicación en la promoción del budismo tibetano, su apoyo al Dalai Lama como líder religioso, y su labor de desarrollo social del Tíbet y las instituciones culturales. Sus esfuerzos se había convertido en un punto focal para los tibetanos que luchan por conservar su identidad cultural frente a las políticas restrictivas de China y la continua persecución de individuos que tratan de empujar los límites aceptados en la expresión cultural y social ".
Actualmente Tenzin Delek Rinpoche en encuentra arrestado en una prisión de Mianyang, provincia de Sichuan, después de haber sido trasladado de la prisión Chuandong. Se dice que su salud es deficiente, probablemente provocada por las torturas que sufrió tras su detención. En la actualidad sufre de presión arterial alta, enfermedades cardíacas y problemas con sus piernas. A pesar de que aparentemente recibe tratamiento médico se le ha negado la medicina tibetana que ha solicitado.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche nunca ha admitido cualquiera de los crímenes por los que se le acusa y sigue manteniendo su inocencia. El gobierno chino no ha logrado recolectar alguna prueba creíble para justificar las reclamaciones en su contra.
En espera de la audiencia de apelación en el 2003, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, dijo: "Yo soy totalmente inocente ... Siempre he dicho que no debemos ofender a los demás. Es un pecado ... no he distribuido cartas o folletos, ni tampoco he colocado bombas en secreto. Ni siquiera he pensado en esas cosas, y no tengo ninguna intención de herir a otros. "
Tibetanos y simpatizantes de la causa Tibetana en todo el mundo continúa haciendo campaña para su liberación.
