ATLANTA—The monks who shouted to foreign journalists at Jokhang Monastery on March 27 showed "extraordinary courage," said Tsepak Rigzin, scholar in residence, official translator and assistant director at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta, Georgia. He said he had "total admiration for their sense of solidarity and sacrifice."
Rigzin escaped Tibet as a young man in order to pursue a genuine Buddhist education which was not available to him in his native country. He earned advanced degrees in India and speaks four languages. He said the Jokhang monks' charges that they had no religious freedom were true.
He was skeptical of news reports of Tibetan aggression and violence. "I won't be surprised if a fact finding delegation could find that the violent part of the unrest was staged," he said. Perhaps a couple of human beings yielded to their feelings of anger and acted violently, but Tsepak believes nonviolence is such a fundamental Tibetan value that he doubts large numbers of Tibetans committed the arson and mayhem (China state-run news agency has described.
He said the Chinese Communist Party had a history of deceit, misinterpretation, and injustice towards the Tibetan people. He scorned the idea that the Dalai Lama would have encouraged a violent protest. "His faith in nonviolence remains unshakeable."
"People of all ages in Tibet are unhappy with Chinese rule … This is how it has turned into a volatile situation."
While the unrest may have appeared to start suddenly, it is the "eruption, you can call it, or expression" of many years of frustration. The suppression of Tibetan religious practices and customs has driven people to take great risks to express their resentment, according to Rigzin. The people who have protested are acting in solidarity with their culture. They are the third generation (since Tibet was invaded), yet they demonstrate their loyalty to their culture by their courage, he said
Spirit Cannot Die
"This shows that you cannot capture the human spirit. The spirit cannot be captured. It cannot die."
He has not been able to communicate with his friends and relatives in Tibet since the unrest began. Cell phones, email—all the electronic means of communication have been disrupted since March 10, he said.
He follows the news closely. He is aware of the human rights movement by Chinese people. He feels "very strong hope" for peace to prevail, "victory for truth and peace. This is our greatest weapon and our greatest hope."
He said he hopes "the younger generations in China are going to bring about a change; change for freedom, for liberty, that will have a rippling effect."
He said China must understand that it is not possible to continue in isolation.
Not Just a Demonstration, a Revolution
"Yes, in my opinion this movement that is now going on is not just a demonstration. It is a revolution, a peaceful revolution." Rigzin thinks this is the beginning of a fundamental change.
He asks that those who are free around the world will raise their voices for those who are not free. "Every single voice for freedom matters a lot."
He feels the Tibetan values are universal. "Nonviolence and peace—it does not belong to Tibetans alone. It belongs to the whole world. Every sensible and thinking person has a moral responsibility to protect this beautiful heritage of compassion and wisdom."
The North American seat of Drepung Loseling Monastery, an ancient university long associated with the Dalai Lama, is in Atlanta, Georgia. One of the reasons the monastery chose Atlanta is the heritage of Martin Luther King, who espoused nonviolence.
Academically linked with Atlanta's Emory University, the institution offers lectures, ceremonies, language lessons, and meditation instruction. It is the base for the Mystical Arts of Tibet, groups of monks who travel to perform music, sand painting mandalas, chanting, and snow lion dances. The groups' purpose is to keep traditional Tibetan culture alive. Tsepak Rigzin has written and translated books on Tibetan culture. He teaches Tibetan at the Drepung Loseling Monastery.
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