A year after the escape of the 17th Karmapa to India, conditions at his monastery in Tibet remain tense, with a permanent police presence and intensified restrictions on monks that appear to be aimed at discouraging them from following their spiritual teacher into exile. No new monks are being permitted to enter the monastery, Tsurphu, and monks are being encouraged to watch Chinese television broadcasts and participate in "patriotic education" sessions rather than study Buddhism. A child who was recognised by the Karmapa as an incarnate lama has been moved from his monastery, near Tsurphu, since the escape.

The 15-year old Karmapa, spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, arrived in Dharamsala, home of the Dalai Lama and centre of the Tibetan government in exile, on 5 January 2000. Ugyen Trinley Dorje, who is recognised by both the Dalai Lama and by Beijing as the 17th Karmapa, is still unable to travel to his seat in exile at Rumtek in Sikkim or give interviews to journalists. The Tibetan government in exile, however, has stated that it is "optimistic" that the Karmapa may be allowed to travel to Rumtek monastery in the near future. Tashi Wangdi, Minister of Religious Affairs in the exile government, told TIN that the Karmapa’s position in India is now more secure in that he is allowed to stay in the country. He said: "The government of India has been taking a slightly cautious line so as not to complicate Sino-Indian relations."

The Chinese authorities were deeply embarrassed by the Karmapa’s escape from Tibet, which highlighted the failure of the Party’s attempts to mould Ugyen Trinley Dorje into a "patriotic" figure loyal to the Communist Party as part of their efforts to legitimise Chinese religious policies in Tibet. The regional authorities launched an investigation into the circumstances of his escape, trying to obtain details of the route he took via Nepal and conducting an urgent review of security at the monastery. Individual monks were questioned regarding suspected involvement and security was strengthened, with a team of police stationed at Tsurphu in addition to the monastery’s Democratic Management Committee. Two Tibetans from Tsurphu who were detained for questioning following the Karmapa’s escape into exile have not returned to the monastery and may still be in detention, according to reports from Tibet.

A Tibetan who has recently escaped from Tibet told TIN: "The police at the monastery tell the monks not to listen to the radio. They say that if you go to India, then that is really bad. They say that monks should watch Chinese television and listen to Chinese radio, and that they should play Chinese games like mah jong, not study Buddhism all the time, as this is useless and not helpful for the future. They say that our Lama has gone to India, but that [his Tibetan followers] should not go." There are currently some 320 monks at Tsurphu, which is about three hours drive from Tibet’s capital, Lhasa. Several monks were reportedly expelled recently following the authorities’ ruling that government employees and Party cadres should withdraw their children from monasteries and nunneries.

Tourists were unable to visit the monastery early last year although some tourist visits are now permitted. A Westerner who has visited Tsurphu in the past few months told TIN: "The atmosphere is still tense, with monks often unwilling to talk to foreigners." Rules posted by the Democratic Management Committee before the Karmapa left and still on display in the monastery contain now obsolete injunctions against speaking to the Karmapa without permission.

Further reports received by TIN indicate that a child reincarnation recognised by the 17th Karmapa, Pawo (dPa’Bo) Rinpoche, has been moved out of his monastery to a normal school. Pawo Rinpoche was the first tulku (incarnate lama) to be recognised by the 17th Karmapa, and is an important figure within the Kagyu school of Buddhism. He was based at Nyenang monastery near Tsurphu, which is in Toelung Dechen county (Chinese: Duilong Deqing), Lhasa municipality.

The Karmapa’s nomad parents, Dhondup and Loga, are reportedly still in their home prefecture of Chamdo (Changdu in Chinese) in the Tibet Autonomous Region after being moved from their Lhasa home. Reports received by TIN indicate that they continue to be under the surveillance of local officials.

The 17th Karmapa’s status in India

Since his arrival in India last year, Ugyen Trinley Dorje has been studying at Gyutoe monastery in Sidhpur, a few miles from Dharamsala. He has not been allowed to travel or to speak to journalists although he frequently receives visitors and pilgrims. The Indian government imposed the restrictions on the Karmapa’s movements and statements to the press due to concerns over India’s fragile relationship with China, and sensitivities over the issue of his return to Sikkim, which was annexed by India in 1973 - China does not recognise India’s claim over the territory. Security considerations are also a factor. A group within the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism refuses to recognise Ugyen Trinley Dorje as the Karmapa and is promoting its own candidate, 17-year old Thaye Dorje.

Tibetan government in exile Religious Affairs Minister Tashi Wangdi told TIN yesterday: "The position is that the Karmapa can stay in India. It is not correct to say that he needs a legal status; the government is allowing him to stay. However the government of India does not wish his stay in India to be high profile and it seems that they wish things to move cautiously, particularly in terms of diplomatic exchange and in the light of forthcoming visits by senior figures in the Chinese Communist Party to India - Li Peng, Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress, is due to visit this month and Premier Zhu Rongji may also travel to Delhi soon. But we are optimistic that the Karmapa will go to Rumtek sooner rather than later – possibly within the next six months. The government of India has a positive attitude towards his future."

The Karmapa has written a letter to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressing his desire to be allowed to travel to Rumtek monastery in Sikkim. "The letter helped to clarify his own views and circumstances, which can only be helpful in this situation," said Tashi Wangdi. In the letter, the Karmapa explained the full circumstances of his escape. Since his arrival in exile he has acknowledged the lack of religious freedom in Tibet. At Tsurphu, the Karmapa’s requests for access to key religious teachers including Tai Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche were consistently refused by the authorities, and the Karmapa demonstrated an increasing unwillingness to conform to the demands of the Party. There is no evidence to support speculation that has appeared in the Indian press that the Karmapa’s escape was stage-managed by the Chinese authorities.

The Dalai Lama has also asked the Indian government to remove travel restrictions for the Karmapa so that he can pursue his religious education by assuming his seat and title in exile, as well as travel to pilgrimage sites in India including Bodh Gaya and Varanasi. "Together with the Indian government we have started discussions on the issue of resolving the Karmapa’s residence status in India," the Dalai Lama said in an address to the Third international Karma Kagyu conference held at Gyutoe monastery in Dharamsala on 21 August 2000. "I told the Indian government that the original seat of the Karmapa is in Tsurphu in Tibet, and the second seat is in Rumtek, Sikkim. It is logical that the 17th Karmapa after arrival from Tibet should go directly to Rumtek and will naturally regain the second seat of his predecessor."

According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the main duty of the Karmapa is to study and practise Buddhism and to preserve his lineage. The presence of key teachers for the oral transmission of teachings and initiations, denied to the Karmapa in Tibet, is seen as essential for this process

While he has been in exile, the Karmapa has emphasised his loyalty to the Dalai Lama and his support for unity among the different schools of Tibetan Buddhism including the Kagyu, Gelug, Nyingma and Sakya schools. The Dalai Lama referred to the importance of younger lineage holders in terms of the future of Tibet in his address to the Karma Kagyu conference last August. "When I met [the Karmapa] I told him that the present generation is getting old and I am already 65 years old," the Dalai Lama told the conference. "We (and all disciples) have always prayed for the long life of teachers and prayed for the indestructible life, but in reality, everyone has to leave [die] sooner or later and there is no second choice, not even [for] the Sakyamuni Buddha. I became a refugee 41 years ago and [we are still] struggling for Tibet’s freedom….In the near future, something like 10 to 20 years away, the new Lineage Holders of the Sakyapas, Gelugpas, Kagyupas and Nyingmapas will be very important. During that time it will depend entirely on the younger generations of lineage holder. At present the younger generation of between 15 – 20 years of age is very important – for example, the son of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin and the present 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje."