We sent another letter to the FPMT Board on August 6, repeating our request that they arrange an independent investigation into the allegations against Dagri Rinpoche. As of today, we are still waiting for a response to our letter. In an August 12 update to the Dagri Rinpoche situation, FPMT announced that they have commissioned a “Safeguarding Audit” of their policies, but this is clearly not the independent investigation we have requested, and they made no mention of any plans for such an investigation. We are not giving up hope that change will come, because we are confident that the time has come for greater accountability and transparency.

We would also like to share with you a new development in the endeavor to eradicate abuse in Buddhism: the formation of an organization called “The Alliance for Buddhist Ethics” (ABE), which recently created a website-- https://allianceforbuddhistethics.com/ . The idea for the Alliance arose during the recent Sakhyadhita conference, as a result of talks and discussions on this issue. So far they have nearly 250 members, including abuse survivors, supporters, advocates, academics, ordained Sangha, Buddhist teachers and leaders from across traditions. You can see the outline of their aims and projects on their website, and can join the alliance. They still have work to do on the website to make it more culturally inclusive, with translations in several languages on the pages, but it is a very positive step towards the greater transparency and accountability we hope for.