Reported by Palden
Translated By Choegyal Kyab
Edited By Pema Tso
On the afternoon of the 10th April, five monastic representatives from Lung Ngon Monastery in Gade County, Golok, were permitted only a brief viewing of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s face. They were not allowed to see his full body.
There are growing calls for transparency regarding the cause of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s death. On the afternoon of the 10th, five monastic representatives from Lung Ngon Monastery were allowed to view the Rinpoche’s face for merely two to three minutes at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital. However, they were not permitted to see the full body, nor was the body handed over to the monastery or his family. Meanwhile, stringent restrictions remain in place on prayer gatherings and rituals at Lung Ngon Monastery.
Addressing the issue, Khenpo Jü Tenkyong, Director of the Amye Machen Institute, told our reporter: “On the 10th, officials from the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam and five monks from Lung Ngon Monastery were allowed to see Rinpoche’s face for only two or three minutes, in groups of three at a time. After that, contact with relevant parties was cut off, and there is no clarity about the current situation.”
According to another source inside Tibet: “Recently, the Chinese government announced the passing of Throne Holder Tulku Hungkar Dorje, while continuing to impose restrictions on gatherings and prayer ceremonies at the monastery.”
U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China Chairman Jim McGovern stated on his personal X account: “I am troubled to learn the mysterious death of Tibetan religious leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje in Vietnam. He had been harassed by authorities in China for running his monastery and schools. @StateDept must urge Vietnam to do a full and transparent independent investigation.”
Similarly, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel stated on his twitter account: “Hungkar Dorjee Rinpoche died under suspicious circumstances in Vietnam. A fierce voice for Tibetan identity, silenced. His death is a stark reminder of China’s expanding influence & its willingness to silence voices far beyond its borders. The world must not stay silent.”
On the 11th of this month, BBC Vietnamese published a report on Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s death, noting that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) had not provided further details. In response, CTA spokesperson Tenzin Lekshay told our reporter: “They are asking for contact information of those who provided this news. It is difficult to provide the contacts of the news sources. It would create difficulties for those individuals. Otherwise, the Central Tibetan Administration has maintained regular communication with Vietnam BBC and has provided all the information obtained so far.”
The Chinese Communist government had leveled several charges against Tulku Hungkar Dorje. These included accusations that he failed to organize an appropriately warm reception for Gyaltsen Norbu (the Chinese government-recognized Panchen Lama) when he visited Golok last year. Additional charges included establishing monasteries and schools without official authorization, and “causing trouble” by advocating for the rights of poor and vulnerable Tibetans.
