Tenzin Nyidon 

DHARAMSHALA, April 21: Tibetan activists group in Dharamshala on Monday strongly condemned the hasty cremation of the renowned Tibetan Buddhist leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje in Vietnam without the consent of his family. They alleged that the cremation was conducted under pressure from Chinese authorities, raising serious concerns about religious freedom violations and transnational repression.

The revered Buddhist leader’s remains were cremated at around 1 a.m. local time on April 20, shortly after five monks from Lung Ngon Monastery were abruptly sent back to Tibet at approximately 3 a.m. 

A coalition of five Tibetan non-governmental organisations reiterated the demand for a full and transparent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 56-year-old religious figure. They further urged immediate protective measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the five monks.

Ju Tenkyong, Director of the Amnye Machen Institute, revealed that the monks were not allowed to attend the cremation or even verify the identity of the body. “There is still no confirmation that the cremated body was indeed Rinpoche’s,” he said, adding that no contact has been established with sources in Vietnam since the cremation.

Sonam Tsering, General Secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress, criticized the Vietnamese government’s silence despite repeated appeals from Tibetan civil society. “This incident reflects the shortcomings of our current advocacy strategies. We must reassess and strengthen our diplomatic channels to mobilize a more effective international response,” he said.

Dr. Lobsang Gyatso of the International Tibet Network labeled the incident a stark example of China’s transnational repression. “Tulku Hungkar Dorje had fled into exile, but even there, he was not safe. His mysterious death while in Chinese custody shows the extreme form of TNR by the Chinese government,” she stated.

The groups noted at the press conference that the incident coincides with alarming reports of a severe crackdown in Golog, Tibet, where Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s monastery is located. Sprites have described a surge in surveillance, restricted movement, and heightened intimidation against monks and laypeople alike.

Tulku Hungkar Dorje had been living in exile in Vietnam after facing intense harassment from Chinese authorities. He reportedly drew Beijing’s ire for refusing to welcome the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, during a state visit to Golog, and for resisting state-imposed policies in Tibetan schools he had founded for nomadic children. Rinpoche was arrested in Ho Chi Minh City in a joint operation involving Vietnamese police and Chinese agents. He was allegedly handed over to Chinese custody and died under mysterious circumstances the same day.