May-July 16

-Paris Match

Note: An interview of the Karmapa was published in the Paris Match. Nalandabodhi has learned that the publication of the interview was not authorized by the administration of the Karmapa. The conversation between the Karmapa and the reporter was intended as a private conversation with a representative of UNESCO. Accordingly, Nalandabodhi has withdrawn summary references to the interview.  

April-May

-Gangtok Times

South China Morning Post

Reuters

Tribune

There are indications in the press that New Delhi is considering whether the Karmapa should be allowed to proceed to his traditional seat at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, India, but the government of India continues to be extremely guarded about its thinking. While a swift resolution of the Karmapa's status appears delayed by India's diplomatic manouvering with China, the government does appear to be gathering information about His Holiness.  The Gangtok Times reports that at the end of April, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani visited Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim and a short drive from Rumtek Monastery, the seat of the Karmapas in India. This visit is all the more signficant in being the first visit to Sikkim in 18 years by a home minister from the federal government. Advani met with government officials on Sikkim business and also met with a number of groups involved with the Karmapa seat in Rumtek. The Gangtok Times reported that Advani was asked about the Karmapa's return to Rumtek: "He said that the central government has given place to  and "respects" the sentiment that it would be better for the [XVIIth Karmapa] to come to  Sikkim (Rumtek being the seat). Yet, a lot of thought and consideration would have to be given to the matter and above all, His Holiness the Dalai Lama would have to be consulted. There is 'no time frame' for his installation in Rumtek, he added."

To support the Karmapa's speedy return to Rumtek, a delegation of the senior monks from the Monastery, led by His Eminence Gyaltsap Rinpoche, the "resident regent" at the Monastery, met with Advani about the Karmapa. They submitted a formal petition on behalf of His Holiness Karmapa requesting that the Karmapa be granted asylum in India. "Expressing 'gratefulness' to the government for giving 'protection and security' to" the Karmapa, the delegation "also urged for expediting the necessary papers to allow speedy arrival of the Karmapa to Rumtek." In addition to meeting with the official representatives of Rumtek Monastery, Advani also met with representatives of the the "joint action committee of All Sikkim Buddhist Organizations," an umbrella group for the 30 main Buddhist organizations in Sikkim, which urged the Home Minister to advance the speedy arrival of His Holiness in Sikkim.

Advani's remarks that he was consulting with the Dalai Lama on the Karmapa's status were widely reported by wire services such as Agence France-Presse, picked up by, e.g., the South China Morning Post, Reuters, and UNI, reported, e.g., in the Tribune. 

-BBC

Reuters

Deccan Herald

AFP

The Asian Age

Outlook Magazine

Indian Express

Times of India 

Senior foreign ministry officials from the governments of India and China held two days of talks in Delhi on the 28th and 29th of April, according to the BBC. Apparently these talks were connected to discussions in Beijing last June by Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, and to further talks which will continue with the visit of Indian President, KR Narayanan, to Beijing later commencing May 28th to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "Indian Foreign Secretary Lalit Mansingh led his side while Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang headed the Chinese delegation. They were accompanied by military experts at what marked the 12th meeting of the India-China Joint Working Group, set up in 1988 to seek a resolution of boundary disputes."

Apparently China halted the annual working group negotiations last year after India conducted underground nuclear tests, and resumed the talks only recently. Ironically, the boundary dispute goes back to the McMahon Line between Tibet and India created through British-brokered negotiations between the Tibetan government of the time and India. During the early 1960's, this dispute erupted into armed conflicts between the two Asian superpowers. Still, Tibet is no longer ruled by its old government, and though the exile government is now concentrated on important human rights claims rather than the global strategies of the big game.

Given the substantial issues of strategic relations between the government, one would think that the Karmapa's status in India would not be of much significance, but according to press reports the Karmapa's status remains a newsworthy irritant to China-India relations. Reuters noted the "fresh strains" on the diplomatic relationship resulting from the Karmapa's arrival in India "triggering demands from  Tibetans to grant him asylum. In response, Beijing urged New Delhi to tread carefully on the issue of  asylum to the 17th Karmapa Lama and to stick to the terms of bilateral agreements."

The Deccan Herald and AFP reported Indian Foreign Ministry officials as admitting the Karmapa's status had been discussed. Though nothing new was brought up, it was reported that "the Chinese side, headed by Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang, 'appreciated' India`s handling of the Karmapa issue." Reuters continued that "China would like an assurance from Delhi that it is  committed to the old position and will also not entertain  efforts by the Karmapa to get asylum in India." Seema Mustafa of The Asian Age further reported from New Delhi that the bilateral talks were an opportunity for China to reinforce its position on Tibet, and China reiterated its opposition to activities of the Tibetan government in exile: "'We have explained to the Indian authorities that Tibet is part of China and we hope that India will not back out of its very explicit promises concerning the Tibetan issue,' mission officials here told The Asian Age on Wednesday."

The visit by President K R Narayanan's will be the first by the head of state of India since 1991. Observers in India hope that the visit will mark an acknowledgment by China that India is a superpower in Asia which deserves to be so treated. M.D. Nalapat of the Times of India writes that "According to senior officials here, the Chinese side will demonstrate the importance that it attaches to warmer ties with India. President Narayanan is expected to hold discussions with President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji and Peoples Congress chairman Li Peng, underscoring the importance of the visit to the Chinese side." China has the 2nd largest economy while India has the 4th largest, yet the trade between the two countries is miniscule. If India is looking for a recognition of its Asian superpower status, one clear sign of China's respect will be to see China minimize linking between trade issues which can benefit both countries and human rights issues, such as the Karmapa's status in India, which according to China's own statements should not be linked to trade.

It is unclear that China has anything significant to gain by making the Karmapa's status an issue in talks with New Delhi. However, the Karmapa's status is no doubt a subject of internal Indian politics and there is no dearth of factions which attempt to use the issue of the Karmapa's status for domestic political aims, no matter how contradictory the reasoning. For example, the Indian press often reports on the anti-Karmapa faction argument that the Chinese are secretly planning for the Karmapa to go to Rumtek because his residence there will help China's claim to Sikkim. On the other hand, Remananda Segupta for Outlook Magazine recently argued just the opposite: that China will be upset if the Karmapa is permitted to reside in Sikkim, so "one way of expressing India's good faith would be to assert that the Karmapa would not be allowed into that state." The directly contradictory reasoning which supports the assertions of these positions indicates the lack of reliability of all claims by the factional interests who oppose the Karmapa's residence in his traditional seat, as well as the probable lack of concern for India's true interests. And even the India Communist Party regularly chimes in on the matter, as when the Communist Party objected to consultation with the Dalai Lama about the Karmapa's status in India, reported in the Indian Express.

While Tibetan expression and border issues remain high-profile press issues for China, Mustafa argues that at the level of diplomatic reality the main concern is worldwide strategic positioning of India and China, two Asian superpowers. India recently entertained President Clinton, the first visit by a U.S. President to India in many years, and it would be strategically disasterous to China's foreign policy should India's strategic relationship with the U.S. grow even closer. At the same time, India sees advantages in its independence from all of the other superpowers. "President K.R. Narayanan is expected to visit China next month and Beijing is not likely to queer the pitch through any unwarranted statements on the eve of this important state visit. Mr Narayanan has identified China as one of the poles in a multipolar world order during his state visit to France recently." Hence we seem to be witnessing China and India cautiously feeling out what strategic advantage they can gain from closer relations. In the midst of this, the Karmapa's status in India, which however resolved will do nothing to undo his escape from Chinese oversight, would seem of little real significance to China's ongoing dance with its Asian superpower neighbor.

April 15-21

Note on stale links

- South China Morning Post

The Hindustan Times

San Jose Mercury

The Hindu

At a press conference in Japan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was asked questions about the Karmapa's escape during his week-long visit ending April 21st. The Japanese press have previously indicated a strong interest in His Holiness, as evidenced by press questions to Defence Minister George Fernandes while in Japan shortly after HH Karmapa arrived in India, and HH Dalai Lama's comments were widely reported.

His Holiness remarked that the Karmapa had fled Tibet because he could not countenance the lack of religious freedom in Tibet. The South China Morning Post reported that the "14th Dalai Lama expressed his surprise, and smiled with delight, when he described learning of the flight into exile of the 17th Karmapa Lama, who escaped to India in January.  Speaking for the first time about why the 14-year-old fled China, he said: 'I heard he had left his own monastery and I was very much worried. . . . Then in one or two days another report said he had already reached Dharamsala . . . . At our first meeting he told me he wanted ... to serve Buddhism and the Tibetan people but he can't fulfil these two calls inside Tibet . . . .  When he saw the suffering of people and the arrests of people . . . he could not remain. His only alternative was escape. This was his main motivation.'' For the most part, the Dalai Lama's statements reported here were not made "for the first time," but had in similar form been stated previously to reporters in India. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama also noted that Delhi had given unofficial permission for the Karmapa to stay in India. Although this statement seems simply to reflect previous statements from Indian government officials, it was again reported as a new development by a number of papers. The Hindustan Times, San Jose Mercury , The Hindu .

The Times of India, in noting these comments, also has a long article about the location of the Karmapa's residence in India. There are two residences for the Karmapa in India that would be more traditional than his current residence at Gyuto Monastery: the seat of the Karmapas in India in Rumtek, Sikkim, where the Sixteenth Karmapa resided. In addition, since his death Sherab Ling has been constructed as another Kagyu center in India. Since the Karmapa nevertheless stays in Dharamsala, rumors about the inability of the Karmapa to reside in a more traditional location continue to swirl around the Tibetan community. These unverified rumors speculate about three different parties blamed for preventing the move--Dharamsala, Delhi and the local government controlling the Dharamsala area--and assign varying motivations to each, ranging from self-interest to corruption. The article in the Times appears to address all these rumors.

According to the report without byline, the Tibetan government in exile has asked Delhi for permission to shift His Holiness Karmapa to Sherab Ling monastery near Dharamsala. (Sherab Ling is the center of activity in India of Tai Situ Rinpoche, the Karmapa's primary lineage teacher.) The request was reportedly made by Dharamsala in a March 7th letter to Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani. It was accompanied by a letter from the Dalai Lama's office, which noted that "it was 'appropriate' for the Karmapa to shift to Sherabling monastery, with which the teenaged spiritual leader had 'special connections.' Per unattributed sources, the Dharamsala request is further supported by Union Civil Supplies Minister Shanta Kumar, whose constituency includes Dharamsala, and who stated that local officials have no objection to the move. Kumar also supports the eventual move of the Karmapa to his main seat in India in Rumtek, but the Dharamsala government in exile has said it is waiting before making any such further request until the Karmapa's legal status in India is clarified. The article is available at the The Times of India website.

- The Hindu

Witchita Eagle

Traditional seats of the Karmapa around the world are preparing for his eventual return. In Sikkim, Rumtek monastery is in the midst of its first renovation in 35 years. Although the Karmapa does not have permission yet to go to Sikkim, The Hindu reports monks at Rumtek are busily prepare for his inevitable return.

Similarly, in the United States, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, the seat of the Karmapas in the U.S., is also in the midst of preparations for His Holiness' return. Tibetan centers across the country are also anticipating a visit, and the Witchita Eagle recently wrote an article about representative preparations at the Dallas Karma Thegsum Choling for the arrival of the Karmapa, covering a visit there by Ven. Bardor Tulku Rinpoche from KTD.

-Times of India

Hong Kong Standard

India's foreign policy relationship continues to be a point of focus for those watching India's accomodation of the Karmapa. Veena Hari, writes for the Times of India, about A P Venkateswaran, a former foreign secretary of India, Indian diplomat to many countries and now troubleshooter for the Delhi government. In particular, Venkateswaran is considered an expert on India's relations to China, and has been consulted by government representatives about his views. The Times reports Venkateswaran's comments as follows:

"During the recent Karmapa issue, he happened to be in Delhi and was asked to assess the situation. 'It was not an issue at all. There are so many refugees pouring in every day. It was blown up by both press and some in the government. The young monk wished to receive certain teachings and found India the conducive place. Right now, he is at Dharmashala receiving instructions from the Dalai Lama and others.'

"The Chinese themselves were playing it down, saying he had come here to buy musical instruments. 'I returned from Dharmashala, saying we should let him be. You know, we are a lot like the Namboodiri who was crossing his field and wanted to avoid the patch of amedhium. He resolved hard and when he reached the spot, he stepped right on it. We have a similar unerring instinct.'" At the Times of India website.

The Hong Kong Standard provides an analysis of India's foreign policy position vis-a-vis China in "Finding good neighbours an essential arm in Asia peace." Both countries are attempting not to let the long-running border dispute control their relationships, and both see a greater concordance of interests with each other and against other threats. Accordingly, relations between the two formerly disputative rivals is becoming closer. One of Beijing's more pressing interests is with separatism within China itself. The Standard analyzes as follows:

"If neighbouring governments do not support the separatist movement, China will have a freer hand to tackle the troublesome issues. In the most recent incident, India has demonstrated commendable sensitivity to Beijing's concerns over the highly publicised issue of the flight of the 17th Karmapa Lama from Tibet. And this must be deemed by Beijing as a good gesture from India which traditionally houses Tibetan refugees fleeing China." The story is at the website of the Hong Kong Standard.

April 11-14

Since His Holiness had arrived in India, he had been scheduled for a thorough medical exam as a matter of routine care. However, because of the extensive security precautions still being implemented by Delhi and Dharamsala, his examination was repeatedly postponed. Finally, on April 11th, he was  flown under tight security to Chandrigarh for a routine medical examination. He checked into the Post Graduate Institute of Education and Medical Research, one of northern India's best medical facilities, where he was given thorough medical examinations. A board of five doctors reviewed his tests and gave him a clean bill of health. He left the hospital on April 14th, and returned to Dharamsala.

Reuters reported that "doctors said the boy lama, who left for Dharamsala in a state government aircraft this morning, had been examined thoroughly and his condition was completely normal." ABCNEWS.com . In addition to Reuters, the AP and AFP followed the story. Outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, and MSNBC picked up the AP story. The Asian press also thoroughly covered the story. AllIndia News, The Asian Age, India Today, Tribune.

In response to a spate of speculation about the Karmapa's health, His Holiness the Dalai Lama told the AFP that the Karmapa was simply undergoing "a routine medical check" and that the tests were "no cause for concern. 'It's nothing serious. It's only a check-up.'"

The Indian Express quoted His Holiness' private secretary S. G. Drongpa as saying that the medical examination concluded Karmapa was "hale and hearty." According to The Deccan Herald , Dr. Sharma, the attending physician, told the press that ''The Karmapa is fine as per reports of various medical tests, including blood tests, urine, ECG and chest examination." The BBC reported that doctors at the hospital had determined that His Holiness Karmapa "is not suffering from any serious illness and will soon be discharged from hospital."

Reuters quoted Tashi Wangdi,  religion and culture minister in the Tibetan government-in-exile run by spiritual leader Dalai Lama from Dharamsala: "The Karmapa is in good health and there is no reason for any concern . . . . The Karmapa has come to PGI . . . . which is the best place he could go to for a routine checkup, which has been due since he arrived in India from Tibet." The Reuters story appeared in such outlets as CNN and the South China Morning Post. An earlier story from AP was run by such outlets as The Boston Globe and New York Newsday, which indicated that the statement that the Karmapa was in normal health had been issued "by a panel of five doctors."

The Express also reported that Chandigarh police were unable to provide sufficient security for His Holiness to allow him to tour the city. The Karmapa's popularity has put a significant strain on Indian police authorities. For example, the AP reported that "Many Tibetan patients in the hospital lined up outside the Karmapa's room to be blessed by him. Tibetan leaders and students have arrived in Chandigarh from around India to pray for his health."

Based on these reports, it seems that His Holiness is in fine health, but that he underwent medical tests in the interests of being careful, per requests from his aides. The timing of the tests seems to be related to security restrictions which prevented him from undergoing an exhaustive medical examination upon arrival in India, rather than to any specific discomfort of the Karmapa that has arisen recently. In addition, we imagine that the government and doctors, in the glare of international attention, are being particularly cautious, to ensure His Holiness' well-being. 

The Indian news service PTI and French press service AFP first reported on April 11th that His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa was undergoing a medical checkup, at a hospital in Chandigarh. AFP simultaneously reported that the "Karmapa, who reached India on January 5, was felled by the hot Indian summer, the Star TV news network said." However, the "heatstroke" report and other speculation that His Holiness was hospitalized for reasons other than a checkup now appear to be incorrect. 

The BBC report is at the BBC website. The AFP indicates the first reports originated on the Indian television network, Star. The first AFP wire release is at the Yahoo site. The second AFP news report was reprinted by WTN.  The reports from CNN , the South China Morning Post, The Boston Globe, New York Newsday , Indian Express and The Deccan Herald are reported at the respective websites of those news outlets.

A note on stale links: because of the lapse of time in redesigning the site, we could not provide timely coverage of articles over the past month, but our editors continued to collect them with their original links. Many of those links are now stale (i.e., the page has been moved or deleted so the link does not work), but we are publishing the links in the interest of providing a thorough overview of press coverage about the Karmapa. Most sites do keep the articles in an archive, and you may be able to recover them at a different address, sometimes for a fee.

March 16-April 10

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March 13-15

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March 10-12

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March 4-6

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February 20-27

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February 17-19

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February 8-16

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February 4-7

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January 28-February 3

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January 24-27

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January 22-23

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January 20-22

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January 18-19

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January 15-17

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January 12-14

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January 11

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January 10

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January 9

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January 8

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January 7

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