Questions Asked in the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and Unsatisfactory response from Penpa Tsering

On September 11th, a Tibetan exile representative, Dorje Tsetan, for the first time in a CTA session it seems, bravely raised the issue as to what conversations and discussions had taken place with the 17th Karmapa about his return to India and other matters, when he met with the 14th Dalai Lama in Switzerland and what the CTA and leader were doing to ensure his return to Sikkim (here is the video: for Tibetan speakers, the question is at 40 minutes in, and 53 mins in for the response).

Penpa Tsering first replied that he had not been privy to any discussions between the 17th Karmapa and the 14th Dalai Lama in Europe, so was unable to answer that. He then replied that the CTA could not do anything about the Karmapa’s return to Sikkim as it was in the Indian government’s control and between them and the 17th Karmapa. But why are the CTA representatives not trying to do more about the 17th Karmapa’s situation, and helping and supporting the Karmapa to return to Sikkim ?

A Tibetan follower of the 17th Karmapa (who kindly informed me about this Q & A) remarked that:

“The Tibetan Parliament are arguing about the accounting and spending of funds for parliamentary projects and there is a lot of internal conflict. Penpa Tsering’s answer to this question cannot satisfy us believers and he is shirking his responsibility. If the Tibetan government is unable to do anything about the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism and the return of the 17th Karmapa to Sikkim, what role can Penpa Tsering, as the Chief Kalon, play? Penpa Tsering only utilised the influence of the 17th Karmapa, but now Penpa Tsering feels that the 17th Karmapa has no role to play and has cast the 17th Karmapa aside, is this the will of the Tibetan government or the personal will of Penpa Tsering?”

And if I may add, is it also the will of the Gelugpas and 14th Dalai Lama, as a result of the ongoing and prevailing Gelugpa sectarian bias and domination in Tibetan exile politics and religious culture?

These are questions which demand reasonable and transparent responses from the parties with influence and power by the thousands of followers of the 17th Karmapa. 

However, Indian government sources say they have no objection to the 17th Karmapa returning to Sikkim at all, and never have. That it is the ongoing court cases for Rumtek launched by the unofficial claimant to the Karmapa title,  Thaye Dorje and his European laypeople followers two decades ago, which they refuse to withdraw unless the 17th Karmapa does some kind of ‘joint Karmapa’ deal with them.   In which case, they need to be stopped with this court case blackmail and ‘friendship’ charade, once and for all. See next update for new request to email and pressure Thaye Dorje and followers to drop the court cases for control of Rumtek Monastery that are blocking the 17th Karmapa's visit and activities there.