Corboy note to visitors to Dharamsala: See about reputable projects serving Indians in that area. Such huge sums of money and vast amounts of media attention go to the photogenic Tibetans that local Indian citizens in need of
job development and microloans are put in the role of Cinderella doing the housework while the glamourous sisters swan around.
[
www.fullstopindia.com]
>
> A commenter following this article wrote
>
> Another scam involving Tibetans cheating
> foreigners that came out before us by chance was
> – A German lady was made a guardian of a Tibetan
> monk (around 6 years of age) in the monastery and
> she was told to deposit USD 1500 (Approx.Rs.75000)
> towards annual maintainance and to further keep
> paying USD 1500 per annum (Even Private Paying
> Guest Facilities/Hostels in India dont charge that
> much).
She was told to visit the child every year
> on his birthday. Birthday was celebrated and she
> left. After a month or so, the same child was
> again celebrating birthday with another foreigner
> couple, who was again made a guardian of the same
> child.
>
> After so much we Indians have done about the
> Tibetans, just take a look at what we get back
> [
www.sakya.net]
> All in all, the Tibetans are very cleverly
> diverting Foreigner Tourists to their own temples
> and monastries and where they are fleeced of their
> travel budget. This not only creates a bad
> impression of India amongst the Foreigners but we
> even lose out on the Tourism Income.
> Its high time the West knows the real face of the
> Tibetans and stop believing them.
>
> Full text of article here:
>
> Save Tibet: Real or One of the Best Scams in
> History?
>
> by Chris Chopp
>
> Safe Tibet? Really, enough already. When I first
> began traveling in India a few years ago you
> couldn’t help but see Free Tibet signs here and
> there. When I returned to North India in 2009,
> around the time of the 50th year of the Free Tibet
> movement, the amount of signs and posters
> assaulting the eyes was overwhelming. But I also
> started seeing signs for Free Palestine! Where
> does it end?
>
> This got me thinking then and still yet today; how
> many foreigners take the time to perform due
> diligence in regards to Save Tibet? How many
> travelers ask questions about the “facts” they
> are accosted with when traveling in popular
> tourist towns like Dharamsala or Mcleodganj?
>
> I understand the meaning behind the Save Tibet
> movement. I even agree that what occurred with
> Tibet at the hands of the Chinese government was
> not fair. So I did some digging around, asking
> local Himachalis what they knew about the Save
> Tibet efforts. The results were rather startling.
>
> Here are the facts that the “enlightened”
> wannabe hippies who flock to Mcleodganj and jump
> onto the Save Tibet cause either don’t seem to
> seek out, forget, justify, or flat out ignore:
> ?India government granted asylum to Tibetan
> refugees
> ?India government provided free land for Tibetan
> refugees
> ?India government allowed Tibet to set up their
> government inside the borders of India
> ?Tibetans are some of the wealthiest residents in
> India, thanks to the free land granted by India,
> by becoming growers of Himachal apples.
> ?Save Tibet NGO’s (charities) are big
> businesses for many Tibetans. Often these
> storefront NGO’s do not properly register with
> the government of India, thus operating illegally.
> Photos and forged documents are shown to
> perspective donors highlighting the benefits of
> the fake Save Tibet programs. The reality in these
> scenarios is that there are no programs, the money
> goes directly into pockets of the Tibetan NGO
> operators.
> ?Tibetan Monks walk around with new sneakers and
> iPhones, eat in local restaurants from budget to
> high-end, own cars (which most Indians can’t
> afford), and openly engage in rampant sexual
> relations with foreign tourists. Tibetans would
> still have you believe they are a suppressed and
> enlightened population?
> ?Monies received from fake Save Tibet NGO’s,
> real NGO’s, apple farming on the free land India
> provided, plus countless items sold to
> unsuspecting tourists such as hats, wallets,
> keychains, jackets, T-shirts, etc. emblazoned with
> FREE TIBET, end up in the form of luxury homes,
> vehicles, accessories and other objects that go
> along with a lifestyle inconsistent of a
> struggling refugee.
>
> I applaud Tibetans using India’s capitalistic
> society to make the most from their humble
> beginnings. Running restaurants, being merchants
> selling Tibetan items to tourists, farming and
> running other businesses is upstanding.
>
> My issue is many Tibetans have marketed a real
> issue (Save Tibet) through the years into a big
> money making machine for themselves. This process
> has turned into nothing more than exploitation of
> their own people, an issue in which they are
> supposedly trying to prevent China from doing.
>
> Also disconcerting is the amount of waste produced
> by the visiting Dalai Lama. Followers line the
> road holding incense sticks, white scarves
> purchased that day from local vendors and other
> nonsense items in hopes of gifting them to the
> Dalai Lama by some odd chance encounter. Indian
> military personnel are brought it as streets are
> cleaned and adorned with freshly drawn Buddhist
> symbols.
>
> Comparatively speaking there is a tremendous
> amount of waste when the US President visits any
> location.
>
> People are so consumed with the movement that they
> don’t even question the realities. Excessive
> purchasing of items which will be disposed of into
> non-existent landfills for a leader with no real
> power does not Save Tibet or free it from the
> grasp of China. It continues to siphon money from
> one demographic (the weak and foolhardy) into
> another (wealthy Tibetans).
>
> When the Save Tibet cause produces signs marking
> 50 years of exile, 50 years of uprising, 50 years
> of fighting as if it was the 50th annual Oscars
> broadcast, your movement is no longer a
> cause…it’s a business
>
>
> Comments
>
>
> ngawang
>
> on Sep 10, 2010
> at 1:48 pm
>
> I dont agree wit wat it has written on this page,
> this is written by some one who dosent like
> tibetan people at all,
>
> Chris(author of and owner of Full Stop India blog)
> on Sep 11, 2010
> at 4:26 pm
>
> Understandably there are some points in the post
> that are rather direct, yet passing along
> information to help inform tourists is not a bias
> against an entire race. I appreciate you reading
> and commenting and I am open to discussing this
> topic further.
>
> Ngawang on Sep 12, 2010 at 3:14 am
>
> thanks for ur respond,
> why i wrote this comment is that you have written
> so many misunderstanding things about tibetans in
> india, like tibetans people receiving money from
> NGO office. And lot of other bad things about
> tibetans and monks , as i m a tibetans, and i have
> never received any moneyfrom NGO. For ur kind
> information .
> i work very very hard for my living, so does our
> tibetans brother and sisters, and i love tibet as
> much as i love myself, if i have to i will die for
> free tibet, next time if you come to Dharamsala do
> try to spend times with tibetans people, then
> write wat you think about tibetans, not just
> listening to other people opinion about tibetans.
> you have never know how we went through past 50
> years, just try to read more about tibet,
>
> Chris on Sep 15, 2010 at 12:41 pm
>
> There are no misunderstandings, but rather, these
> are facts that I presented. Nowhere in the post
> did I claim that this applies to ALL Tibetans. I
> have spent time with Tibetans in Mcleodganj, but
> frankly, that is not the best representation of
> the hard working brothers and sisters you speak
> of. Mcleodganj is a tourist trap, a lovely place
> to visit, but a trap that feeds off the young and
> misguided foreign youths that believe they can
> change the world by blindly donating their
> parent’s money to unvetted organizations.
>
> You have taken this post very much out of context
> and responded with only emotionally based attacks,
> not facts. I’m afraid you are so passionate
> about your heritage and blinded by the Free Tibet
> movement, that you may be unwilling to research
> the realities of where the funding has come from
> to keep the “fight” alive. While I appreciate
> your comments and a healthy debate, this is a site
> for travelers to simply research and choose where
> to go, what to do and what to be mindful of. Full
> Stop India is not for political debate.
>
> Prithi on Sep 23, 2010 at 4:53 am
>
> PEACE!PEACE!PEACE!
> That’s what Buddhism teaches to all of us.
>
> Definitely there are some black sheep and Ngawang
> you should admit it.
>
> I’m a Himachali and currently living in Delhi.
> I’ve seen Tibetan people of both states, and
> trust me no community is as hard-working as these
> people are.
> But for black sheep, go for shopping to Tibetan
> market near Kashemere Gate in Delhi, and you will
> know what I am talking about. They sell garments
> for double the price, and after bargaining you can
> buy a T-shirt of Rs 500 at Rs 200 easily.
>
> Chris! you also exaggerated some points. Offering
> incense sticks and khatag (white scarves)to HH
> Dalai Lama is a very religious custom and a show
> of gratitude of his efforts for well being of
> Tibetan people.
>
> Chris on Sep 23, 2010 at 9:11 am
>
> Prithi,
>
> Tibetans are hard working people, just as Indians
> are. The post in question was not meant as a
> generalized lumping of an entire race but rather a
> heads up to unsuspecting tourists regarding a well
> known inside scheme to fleece traveler’s
> pockets. Just as in the USA, we have pockets of
> the population running ponzi scams and insurance
> fraud. Heck, just think about the hot issue of
> illegal immigrants using tax payer based programs.
>
>
> There are exceptions to the rule in every category
> which you have brought up as well as Ngawang. The
> facts still remain that many Tibetans have made a
> very nice living from the help of the Indian
> government as well as generous support from
> foreign tourists.
>
> Regarding the offerings to the Dalai Lama: I
> understand the cultural significance. The mention
> in the post was a simple commentary on how
> wasteful this process is. Much like organized
> religions around the world, the poorest people are
> often the most adamant supporters of customs
> requiring them to purchase offerings or
> traditional signs of solidarity. There are cracks
> within the world of the Dalai Lama which the world
> is beginning to read and hear.
>
> My post is out there to make people at least stop
> and think before blindly supporting those who
> profit from misery. Thanks for reading and
> commenting!
>
> prithi on Sep 23, 2010 at 12:08 pm
>
> I totally agree with you Chris. I was trying to
> pacify Ngawang, so that he shouldn’t think that
> your post will have negative impact on foreign
> tourists.
>
> (Corboy deleted one post because Corboy deemed
> language a violation of CEI.com's terms of use.
> Original can be read here.
> [
www.fullstopindia.com]
> .
>
> Tenzin on Feb 06, 2012 at 12:19 pm
>
> Chris is not a American guy. For sure he must b
> Shugden party or may b chinese. Who try to create
> us a problem. Get a life man..and die yourself.
>
> Chris Chopp on Feb 06, 2012 at 12:30 pm
>
> Actually Tenzin, I am a born and raised US
> citizen. I can understand we may not agree on this
> subject, however, there are better, more
> articulate ways of expressing your opinion.
> Wishing for my premature death is not how you
> invoke thoughtful debate, nor gain sympathy for
> your plight.
>
> I do thank you for reading Full Stop India.
>
> Sandip on May 12, 2012 at 1:54 am
>
> Hi Chris, I totally agree with your article. We
> have been living just next to a main Tibetan
> monastery in Uttarakhand for last 20 years and
> have seen the Tibetans quiet closely. They travel
> in swanky cars (even Audis and BMWs) their
> Religious heads have leather sofas costing more
> than USD 20,000 (Rs.10 Lakhs!!!) in their lavish
> bungalows spread across acres of free land given
> by Indian government.
> The Tibetan refugees community does not seem to
> be poor at all by any means. Just have a look at
> the number of Cars and Swanky bikes outside their
> temples/monastries on a day some function is
> organised. While most Indians cannot afford taxis
> for local travel, Tibetans cannot do without it.
> We had a talk with several Tibetan lamas and
> individuals and they say that they are unlikely to
> go back to Tibet because India for them is just
> like USA or Canada is for Indians. Tibet is very
> cold and we have to work there but here we enjoy
> good weather as well as we dont have to work. FREE
> TIBET is just a gimmick for them to gain foreign
> support and donations.
> Another scam involving Tibetans cheating
> foreigners that came out before us by chance was
> – A German lady was made a guardian of a Tibetan
> monk (around 6 years of age) in the monastery and
> she was told to deposit USD 1500 (Approx.Rs.75000)
> towards annual maintainance and to further keep
> paying USD 1500 per annum (Even Private Paying
> Guest Facilities/Hostels in India dont charge that
> much). She was told to visit the child every year
> on his birthday. Birthday was celebrated and she
> left. After a month or so, the same child was
> again celebrating birthday with another foreigner
> couple, who was again made a guardian of the same
> child.
> After so much we Indians have done about the
> Tibetans, just take a look at what we get back
> [
www.sakya.net]
> All in all, the Tibetans are very cleverly
> diverting Foreigner Tourists to their own temples
> and monastries and where they are fleeced of their
> travel budget. This not only creates a bad
> impression of India amongst the Foreigners but we
> even lose out on the Tourism Income.
> Its high time the West knows the real face of the
> Tibetans and stop believing them.
>
> Stephen on Jul 17, 2012 at 7:40 am
>
> Thank you for writing an objective article that
> ventilates what unfortunately has become dogma:
> the ‘free-Tibet’ movement disallows anyone
> from viewing things in an objective way.
> The free Tibet ‘charities’ need a thorough
> shake. Since subscribing to some I have been
> bombarded with incessant requests for
> ‘donations’ and offers to buy ‘genuine’
> Tibetan products marked up at steep westner
> prices. Nowhere do I find how much of this money
> is going back to the refugees.
> The movement has become sanctimonious, and
> ‘holier than thou.’ This precludes it from the
> normal level of skepticism we would normally
> direct at such movements to ascertain how
> self-serving they actually are.
> So frankly I posit the free-Tibet movement has
> been hijacked by a shower of cliqueish
> self-serving middle class hippies who espouse this
> movement to get personal kudos and to fill their
> genuine, made in the Himalayan hills money belts.
>
> mandeep on Aug 21, 2013 at 5:08 am
>
> these tibetians living in india are rich guys. the
> poor ones are still slogging in tibet and daily
> burning themselves. there is a scam in which there
> tibetian head (i fogot his name) had bought lands
> illegaly in himachal pradesh and the govenment has
> found sources of undefined wealth. I dont
> understand why these thick-heads were assigned
> asylum and due to these people, india was pulled
> into war in 1962 with china.
>
> Jakob on Sep 07, 2013 at 6:47 am
>
> All other generalizations aside, everyone knows
> India is full of scammers on every level. Don’t
> go there to save the world. To paraphrase,
> somewhat freely, a decades old hollywood
> blockbuster: ‘Do not try and save the world. It
> is impossible. Instead, try and realize there is
> no world, and you will see it is only yourself
> that you are saving’. Ahem.
>
> Anyway, give the guy, Chris, some credit for the
> enormous work he is doing, collecting and
> organizing all this info. Forgive him if he has an
> opinion and feels compelled to warn or advise
> based on that opinion. And give the Tibetan cause
> for independence the respect you think it
> warrants. I personally think the culture is
> safeguarding the world’s spiritual heritage and
> that it may be in danger from chinese oppression.
> Give them the faith they need to retain their
> traditions
>
>