Dharamsala – The Central Tibetan Administration has learnt of the reported execution of Lobsang Dhondup. If this is true, we deeply regret it and we also regret the rejection of an appeal by Tulku Tenzin Delek, a 52-year-old senior popular Buddhist monk after a secret re-trail.

We are deeply disappointed by this reported summary execution because we believe the trial was not fair or transparent and the Chinese authorities have not been able to produce compelling evidence to warrant both the trail or the execution. We appeal to the international community to bring to the attention of the Chinese authorities the deep concern of all people who live by normal civilized codes of behaviour.

Lobsang Dhondup was given an immediate death sentence and Tulku Tenzin Delek was sentenced to death with a suspension of two years at the Karze Intermediate People’s Court in December 2002. Both men have appealed their sentences.

On December 2, the Karze People’s Intermediate Court handed down death sentence on Tulku Tenzin Delek and Lobsang Dhondup after a summary trial. They were charged with masterminding the Chengdu bomb blast of April 3, 2002, and had been taken into custody on April 7.

Tulku Tenzin Delek, one of the most highly revered spiritual figures in Karze, has long since engaged in campaigns to improve the plight of the Tibetan people and rejuvenate the Tibetan culture and language.

We believe that the legal process that upheld their appeal was not transparent and fair. In a taped message smuggled out of his Chinese jail, which was received by Tibet activists, Tulku Tenzin Delek insisted that he had nothing to do with the alleged crime.

“Whatever [the authorities] do and say, I am completely innocent,”Tenzin Delek , 52, says in the message, tape-recorded January 18 at his jail cell in Dartsedo (Ch: Kangding, Sichuan) and smuggled out to RFA’s Tibetan service. I have always urged people to be kind-hearted and caring toward others. Everybody knows what I say and practice.”

I want peace in the whole world. All sentient beings have been parents at some point in their cyclic existence”, said Tulku Tenzin Delek in the taped massage.

I have always said we should not even raise our hand at others. It is sinful… I have neither distributed letters or pamphlets nor planted bombs secretly. I have never even thought of such things, and I have no intention to hurt others,” Tenzin Delek said. Whose who are unbiased should investigate my case thoroughly.”

The news about the execution of Lobsang Dhondup is unexpected and we hope that Tulku Tenzin Delek will not suffer the same fate.

We appeal to the international community to put pressure on the Chinese government to overturn the death sentence and initiate a fair and transparent re-trial of Tulku Tenzin Delek. The Tibetan people are committed to resolving the problem of Tibet through peaceful negotiations, and we call upon the Chinese leadership to respond to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s initiatives for a negotiated settlement of the Tibetan problem.