Published by: World Tibet Network News, Monday, May 13, 1996

Dharmsala, 14 May 1996

A six point press statement concerning Shugden Deity is being circulated from England by one Mr Robert Fielding at the instance of one Tibetan Lobsang Chogyal in New Delhi. The main allegation of suppression of religious freedom among Tibetans in India and some kind of witch hunt launched by the Tibetan organisation against worshippers of Shugden are baseless as explained below.

1. There is no religious suppression concerning the Shugden Deity issue. There is no cohersion on personal freedom of worship. As every orgnisation, institution, administration and government has certain rules and regulations. An individual or a group of people who do not subscribe to the established policies of an organization or administration can not remain in it. However, at no stage, the Tibetan Government in exile imposed any restrictions on an individual's right to worship.

2. Worshipping of the Dorjee Shugden deity has for along had an adverse effect on the overall interest of the Tibetan cause and seen to be harmful to the personal safety of His Holiness. This has caused a great concern among the Tibetan people. However, allegation of His Holiness ordering youth and women's association in Mundgod to conduct house to house search of the homes of the Tibetans is baseless and misleading.

3. The local police personnel were there in the settlement to maintain law and order as a group of so-called worshippers of the above said deity with knives and iron bars threatened to assault the two officials who were deputed there to explain the thoughts of His Holiness. The settlement has only about seven Tibetan officers in the settlement.

4. His Holiness did invite the young reincarnation of Trijang Rinpoche mainly to explain His Holiness thoughts regarding the said deity. The final decision was left entirely to young Trijang Rinpoche and His Holiness has not imposed any decisions. Few anonymous posters appeared in Dharamsala explaining the origin of Shugden with a brief reference to certain explanations given by late Trijang Rinpoche similar to His Holiness had also said.

5. If any individual believes the deity issue is more important and consider it above the Tibetan national interest, he or she is free to practice what he or she believes is right. The fear of repression from the Tibetan Government is totally baseless and without any ground.

6. So far, there is not a single Government employee who follow the above deity, as such, losing jobs because of this reason does not arise. It is totally not true that the children of TCV have been thrown out of schools whose parents worship this deity.

sd

Kalon Sonam Topgyal

Please note appearance of Ngapoi: