Death of Tibetan Buddhist leader under unclear circumstances highlights China’s repressive policies

1 year ago

A highly respected Tibetan religious and cultural leader, Trulku Hungkar Dorjee, passed away in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on March 29, 2025. Chinese authorities informed his monastery, Lung-ngon Monastery in Gade (Gande) County, Golog (Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, of his death, though his status had remained a mystery since his inaccessibility from July 2024 onwards. Lung-ngon monastery issued a seemingly coerced statement dated April 3 claiming that Trulku Hungkar Dorjee had quietly left for a retreat last year. However, Tibetan followers have rejected the Chinese authorities’ narrative issued via the monastery’s leadership.

Radio Free Asia Tibetan language service reported on April 8 that a team comprising of five monks of Lung-ngon Monastery and six officials representing Qinghai Province’s security, united front work department and religion bureau, arrived in Vietnam on April 5 to collect Trulku’s body. Excluding the five monks, the officials held a meeting at ...

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