In March 1996, in an aggressive and threatening manner, the Dalai Lama stated that there would be a forceful implementation of the ban against those who persisted in the practice of Dorje Shugden. In the following months, and over the years since then, at empower- ments, in speeches, in interviews and through government decrees, the Dalai Lama has made clear his views and intentions in impos- ing the ban. A number of these statements against Dorje Shugden practice and practitioners, as well as evidence of the persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners, can be seen in Chapter 5.
The Dalai Lama’s words shocked and wounded millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners around the world, and sent waves of confusion, resentment and fear sweeping through the Tibetan communities. In the months following the Dalai Lama’s ban, a transformation took place within the Tibetan community. Threats and acts of terrorism against Dorje Shugden practitioners, who have been steadily marginalised and isolated, have destroyed the relative peace, joy and internal harmony normally enjoyed within the Tibetan settlements.
Vigilante mobs of fanatical followers of the Dalai Lama, acting in the spirit of his public pronouncements, stormed into temples and private homes, seizing and destroying pictures and statues of Dorje Shugden – even taking them from shrines. Mobs attacked Dorje Shugden practitioners and their homes with stones and pet- rol bombs, destroying their possessions and threatening their lives. There were beatings, stabbings and even killings.
People lost their jobs, children were expelled from schools, and monks were expelled from monasteries; foreign travel permits and visas were denied; refugee aid, monastic stipends and allowances were cut off; and forced signature campaigns were undertaken. In these and many other ways that made Tibetans outcasts from their own already exiled community, the Dalai Lama, in the guise of his government, ministers and associated organisations, introduced a reign of terror against tens of thousands of his own people, mak- ing restrictions similar to those imposed on the Jewish people in Germany in the early years of Hitler’s rule.248
This persecution has been enforced since 1996 and still contin- ues. The international news and current affairs television channel France 24 reported:
‘Photos of Shugden leaders are posted on city walls, branding them as traitors. Signs at the entrance of stores and hospitals forbid Shugden followers from entry …
‘Our reporters followed an ostracised Buddhist monk as he tried to confront the fellow villagers who have banned him. “We’re not violating Buddha’s teachings, and we’re excluded from everywhere just because of our religion” he complains … “It’s apartheid, in a Buddhist land.” ’249
The television channel France 24 visited the south of India and followed Delek Tong, a monk who practises Dorje Shugden, through the streets of his Tibetan refugee settlement:
‘[Delek Tong] Pointing at a poster on the wall, “Look at this, it says: ‘No Shugden worshippers allowed.’ ”
‘ “Hi, I worship Shugden, can I come in?”
‘[Shopkeeper] “No, I am sorry, I don’t want you or any Shugdens in my shop.”
‘[Reporter] The Dalai Lama has asked the Tibetan commu- nity to stop the worship of the 400 year old Deity Shugden.
‘[Delek Tong] “When you followed the Dalai Lama’s advice, did you not forget that us Shugdens are also Tibetans like you?”
‘[Reporter] What this means in practice is that Delek Tong cannot walk into this shop because of his religious beliefs.
‘[Shopkeeper] “I have taken an oath and I won’t have any- thing to do with the Shugden people.” ’
This footage also appeared on the international channel Al Jazeera. 250
To maintain the pretence of a democratic referendum on the issue of Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama has carried out forced signature campaigns within the lay and monastic Tibetan communities world- wide. The first were introduced in 1996, but these did not bring about the Dalai Lama’s desired goal of completely marginalising Shugden practitioners. Frustrated by this failure, he initiated another such forced signature campaign in January 2008.
As a direct result of the Dalai Lama’s second campaign, 900 monks were driven out of their monasteries on 8 February 2008.
On 15 February 2008 in Bangalore, Samdhong Rinpoche (Prime Minister of the Tibetan exile government) made a statement remin- iscent of words used by Hitler:
‘If the monasteries are completely cleansed, the campaign of taking the oath not to practise Shugden and not to share ma- terial and religious resources with Shugden devotees will be initiated throughout India, Nepal and Bhutan, then abroad and gradually in Tibet.’251
Becoming aware of the international public horror at these vio- lations, the Tibetan Prime Minister and other officials of the Tibetan exile government attempted to distance the Dalai Lama from respon- sibility for this referendum.
On 22 April 2008 at Colgate University (New York State, USA) a public demonstration was held outside a public talk given by the Dalai Lama, protesting against his religious persecution. Tashi Wangdu, the Dalai Lama’s Representative and former Cabinet Minister, after being asked repeatedly for a public statement, was obliged to respond and said to gathered reporters:
‘I think there is a lot of misunderstanding. I was trying to explain that there is no ban.’252
And, as thousands of members of the Western Shugden Society engaged in a series of demonstrations around the world to expose the shameful facts of the Dalai Lama’s ban and his dictatorial behav- iour, in an interview with BBC News on 27 May 2008 the Dalai Lama himself could only resort to a direct lie to his audience, saying that ‘… he had not advocated a ban ... .’253
In the West the Dalai Lama’s representatives try to maintain the fiction that there is not a ban and that the Dalai Lama has only ‘advised’ people not to practise Dorje Shugden. However, it is clear from the statements made by the Dalai Lama himself and by his Private Office as shown in Chapter 5 that there is a very real ban and it is vigorously applied. The Tibetan words ‘kagdom’ (bkag.sdom), ‘damdrag’ (dam.bsgrag) and other expressions that are frequently used clearly indicate this.
Through the Tibetan Kashag (Cabinet), the Dalai Lama origi- nally gave two reasons for imposing the ban. They claimed that the practice of Dorje Shugden: (1) ‘... does great harm to the cause of Tibet’ (that is, Tibetan independence); and (2) ‘It also imperils the life of the Dalai Lama.’254 The Dalai Lama has been asked repeat-
edly to give valid reasons to prove these assertions, but none have been forthcoming. However, saying that Shugden practice harms the Dalai Lama is as senseless as saying that one person taking medicine causes another person to get sick. How can others’ practice of Dorje Shugden harm the Dalai Lama? It is a ridiculous assertion.
Subsequently, the Dalai Lama and his government fabricated a third reason for the ban: the bogey of sectarianism. This third reason has been variously expressed in public statements made by the Dalai Lama, and in documents issued by the exile government. For example, on 16 July 1996 on The World Tonight, BBC Radio 4, the Dalai Lama said:
‘It is well known that the worshipper of that spirit, usual approach a little bit sectarian. So that does not go well with my approach.’
And in 1998 on the Tibetan exile government website, ‘Shugden Versus Pluralism and National Unity’ said: