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, edu-
cator, environmentalist, and women’s rights advocate re-
nowned throughout Tibet for championing the economic, 
social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental aspirations 
of Tibetans in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefec-
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•HRES 65 IH 
ture, a traditional Tibetan area located in Sichuan Prov-
ince; 
Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was recognized as a reincar-
nated 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 indis-
criminate 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 in-
nocence; 
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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 ‘‘caus-
ing 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 re-
lease from prison on medical parole; 
Whereas the People’s Republic of China ignored repeated re-
quests by the United States and other governments to re-
lease Tenzin Delek Rinpoche from prison on medical pa-
role; 
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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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 dis-
ciples 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 reli-
gious ceremonies, and the area remains under heavy sur-
veillance with an increased military presence: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) urges the President— 
(A) to seek an inquiry into the death of 
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, to be carried out by an 
independent team of experts; and 
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(B) each time the President meets with 
Chinese officials, to publicly call for an end to 
the repressive policies used by the People’s Re-
public of China in Tibet; 
(2) urges the People’s Republic of China to im-
mediately halt suppression of the religious, cultural, 
social, economic, and environmental rights of the Ti-
betan people in Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s home re-
gions of Lithang and Nyagchu and across all areas 
of traditional Tibet; and 
(3) affirms that violations of human rights in 
general, and the persecution of Tenzin Delek 
Rinpoche, his family, and his supporters, specifically, 
are matters of legitimate concern to all governments 
committed to the rule of law and to free people 
worldwide. 
Æ 
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