IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 65 

Urging the President to seek an independent investigation into the death 

of Tibetan Buddhist leader and social activist Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 

and to publicly call for an end to the repressive policies used by the 

People’s Republic of China in Tibet. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 27, 2017 

Mr. CAPUANO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Urging the President to seek an independent investigation 

into the death of Tibetan Buddhist leader and social 

activist Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and to publicly call for 

an end to the repressive policies used by the People’s 

Republic of China in Tibet. 

Whereas, on July 12, 2015, revered Tibetan spiritual leader 

and social activist Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died in 

Chuandong Prison in Sichuan Province during the 13th 

year of his life sentence as a prisoner of conscience; 

Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was a spiritual leader, educator, environmentalist, and women’s rights advocate renowned throughout Tibet for championing the economic, 

social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental aspirations 

of Tibetans in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous PrefecVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 Jan 27, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR65.IH HR65

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•HRES 65 IH 

ture, a traditional Tibetan area located in Sichuan Province; 

Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was recognized as a reincarnated lama by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and 

played a leading role in restoring Tibetan Buddhist life 

in Tibet and rebuilding sacred monasteries destroyed 

during the Cultural Revolution; 

Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche founded schools for orphans 

and economically disadvantaged children, a nunnery for 

the education of Tibetan women, and old age homes and 

clinics; 

Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was revered for helping local 

communities peacefully resolve conflicts and advocated 

for the rights of Tibetans at the regional and national 

level of the People’s Republic of China; 

Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche successfully led campaigns 

against mining and logging practices that contribute to 

pollution, flooding, and soil erosion and opposed indiscriminate hunting that threatens biodiversity; 

Whereas Chinese authorities regarded Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 

as a threat to the Chinese occupation of Tibet because 

of Rinpoche’s influence in his community and his efforts 

to preserve Tibetan identity, religion, and language; 

Whereas Chinese authorities targeted Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 

with increasing harassment and intimidation over the 

course of a decade; 

Whereas after being detained and interrogated twice, Tenzin 

Delek Rinpoche fled to the mountains on June 16, 2000, 

leaving behind a recorded statement warning that a case 

against him was being fabricated and proclaiming his innocence; 


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•HRES 65 IH 

Whereas after a massive petitioning campaign by local people 

on behalf Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Rinpoche returned on 

December 20, 2000, and was placed under virtual house 

arrest; 

Whereas in April 2002, the Chinese authorities arrested 

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and his relative and former 

monk, Lobsang Dhondup, and charged them with ‘‘causing explosions [and] inciting the separation of the state’’; 

Whereas, on December 2, 2002, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was 

sentenced to death with a two-year suspension and 

Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to immediate death and 

was executed on January 26, 2003; 

Whereas in 2003, over 40,000 Tibetans from Tenzin Delek 

Rinpoche’s home regions of Lithang and Nyagchu signed 

a petition calling for his release; 

Whereas, on January 26, 2005, after intense international 

pressure, the death sentence of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 

was commuted to a life sentence; 

Whereas, on April 17, 2014, the family of Tenzin Delek 

Rinpoche submitted a petition for Rinpoche’s early release from prison on medical parole; 

Whereas the People’s Republic of China ignored repeated requests by the United States and other governments to release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche from prison on medical parole; 

Whereas, on July 12, 2015, prison officials from the 

Chuandong prison informed the family of Tenzin Delek 

Rinpoche that Rinpoche had died in prison; 

Whereas, on July 13, 2015, local police and deployed military 

personnel shot into a crowd of thousands of Tibetans in 

Nyagchu who were peacefully protesting the death of 


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•HRES 65 IH 

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and calling for the release of his 

body to his family so that Buddhist last rites could be 

performed; 

Whereas at least 24 persons were hospitalized with gunshot 

wounds on that occasion; 

Whereas, on July 16, 2015, prison officials cremated the 

body of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche against the wishes of his 

family and despite protests by local people; 

Whereas, on July 17, 2015, police seized the ashes of Tenzin 

Delek Rinpoche from a group of family members and disciples who were escorting the ashes back to Lithang; 

Whereas, on July 17, 2015, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s sister 

and her daughter were seized by police officers in 

Lithang, held incommunicado for the next 14 days, and 

remain under virtual house arrest and heavy surveillance; 

and 

Whereas local people from Lithang and Nyagchu, especially 

the monks and nuns affiliated with Tenzin Delek 

Rinpoche’s monasteries, were prohibited from carrying 

out funeral rituals, prayers, and other day-to-day religious ceremonies, and the area remains under heavy surveillance with an increased military presence: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) urges the President— 

3 (A) to seek an inquiry into the death of 

4 Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, to be carried out by an 

5 independent team of experts; and 


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•HRES 65 IH 

1 (B) each time the President meets with 

2 Chinese officials, to publicly call for an end to 

3 the repressive policies used by the People’s Re4 public of China in Tibet; 

5 (2) urges the People’s Republic of China to im6 mediately halt suppression of the religious, cultural, 

7 social, economic, and environmental rights of the Ti8 betan people in Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s home re9 gions of Lithang and Nyagchu and across all areas 

10 of traditional Tibet; and 

11 (3) affirms that violations of human rights in 

12 general, and the persecution of Tenzin Delek 

13 Rinpoche, his family, and his supporters, specifically, 

14 are matters of legitimate concern to all governments 

15 committed to the rule of law and to free people 

16 worldwide. 

Æ 


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