Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 5 : As Tibetans the world prepare to celebrate the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama on July 6, the Tibet Action Institute has launched a new report titled "When they came to take our children," highlighting the threat posed by China's colonial boarding schools to the future of Tibet.
The report was released on Saturday in Dharamshala, coinciding with the birthday celebrations of the leader. It is going to present new evidence exposing how Tibetan children are subjected to abuse, neglect, indoctrination, and identity erasure in a vast network of Chinese government-run boarding schools and preschools in Tibet.
The lunch event is being attended by Tibetan leaders, including Sikyong/CTA President Penpa Tsering, as the chief guest.
During the event, a team member of the Tibet Action Institute said, "Today, we are here to launch a critical and family report by Tibet Action Institute titled 'When they came to take children.' This report is an update and the previous book, which light on the Chinese colonial boarding school system and ITS distancing impact on the future of Tibbett. The update report bills on the foundation and offering new insights, evidence, and analysis of this policy that continues to threaten the very fabric of Tibbett's identity, culture, and heritage. It is a call to action, a testament of our resilience, and a reminder of the urgent need to protect our children and our future."
Celebrations are underway in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, ahead of the 90th birthday of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama.
According to the Gregorian calendar, the Dalai Lama's birthday is officially observed on July 6.
The occasion is being marked with festive spirit and devotion by Tibetan communities and followers across the region.
On July 2, the Dalai Lama stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama.
In a statement on Wednesday, Dalai Lama stated, "The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement, which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition."
"I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter, he added.