Dharamshala — Five Tibetan NGOs organised a protest against the Vietnamese government over the government's refusal to return the body of Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche and its plan to cremate him secretly. They called on the Vietnamese government to return Rinpoche’s body to his family and conduct a full investigation into the causes of his death in Vietnam.
The Tibetan Youth Congress, Students for a Free Tibet, Tibetan Women's Association, International Tibet Network and National Democratic Party of Tibet staged a protest against the Vietnamese government on April 18, 2025, in the main square of McLeod Ganj in Dharamsala, HP, India.
Ju Tenkyong, Director of the Amnye Machen Institute addressed the gathering and said, “According to sources on April 17, 2025, Chinese officials from Tibet and the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam have instructed Tibetan monks from Lung-Ngon Monastery to prepare for the imminent cremation of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s body in Vietnam, pending completion of ‘paperwork’, with conditions including no photos or videos during the ceremony and no attendance by Vietnamese Buddhists. The monks have raised concerns, asking how they will answer to the Rinpoche's family without documentation. They have not been informed about the timing of the paperwork or cremation."
Statement of the five NGOs states, "a cremation without investigation would risk the permanent destruction of vital evidence and would constitute a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice. With Chinese President Xi Jinping just having visited Vietnam. Tibet Groups are deeply concerned based on sources close to the family and the monastery that this amounts to blatant transnational repression orchestrated by Beijing to cover up the silencing of a Tibetan leader, further highlighting the urgent need for international scrutiny and accountability."
"This development coincides with deeply concerning reports of an escalated crackdown and intensified security measures in the local area of his monastery in Golog, Tibet, further fueling global concern and demands for immediate international intervention. Tibet Groups are also deeply concerned for the wellbeing of the monks in Golog, Tibet, where eyewitness accounts detail an immediate and intense crackdown at his monastery—surveillance has spiked, movement is heavily restricted, and monks and laypeople face ongoing intimidation," it added.
The Tibetan activists said, "Tulku Hungkar Dorje, 56, had reportedly escaped into exile in Vietnam after facing relentless persecution from Chinese authorities in Tibet for his unwavering commitment to preserving Tibetan language and cultural identity. Shockingly, credible sources indicate his arrest in Ho Chi Minh City on 25 March in an operation allegedly involving both Vietnamese police and Chinese agents. He died just days later while reportedly in custody. The Vietnamese authorities' unsubstantiated claim of a heart attack, the denial of family access to his body, and the complete absence of official documentation point to a deliberate cover-up."
Dr Lobsang Yangtso, the International Tibet Network, addressed the assembly and said: “Some sources confirm that the cremation of Tulku Hungkar Dorje's body may take place in Vietnam—with strict conditions: no photos, no videos, and no public. We are urging governments to act immediately—diplomatic statements are not enough. Pressure must be applied now to stop the cremation, preserve the body, and demand an independent investigation before it’s too late. If that happens, then it goes against the wishes of his family, it does not allow for a full investigation into the causes of his death, and it also goes against international law."
"Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche's death in Vietnam is the latest example of China's transnational repression of Tibetans in free countries. This is why we urge the United Nations and governments to pay attention to Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche's death and bring him justice. It is time for us to speak out and not remain silent in the face of China's transnational repression," she added.
Tenzin Lekdhen, Students for a Free Tibet-India added, “Around the world, Tibetans are fearing the worst: that Tulku Hungkar Dorje was abducted, tortured, and killed by Chinese agents for his efforts to preserve Tibetan culture, language, and religion. By cremating his body without allowing for any independent investigation of his death, the Chinese government abandons any chance of ever changing the minds of Tibetans everywhere. This blatant state violence only further reinforces the reality that the Chinese government relies on coercion and violence to rule Tibet—and lacks all legitimacy in the eyes of the Tibetan people.”
Sonam Tsering, Tibetan Youth Congress said, “The news of the imminent cremation is a chilling escalation. Both the Vietnamese government and the Chinese Communist regime must be held directly responsible for ensuring the preservation of Tulku Hungkar’s remains. Any attempt to cremate his body before a thorough and independent investigation is conducted, is equivalent to partaking in this criminal conspiracy, and tantamount to complicity in the death of Tulku Hungkar Rinpoche. If conducted, it must be met with the strongest international condemnation and consequences.”
Tibetans and Tibet supporters urgently implore the international community to:
• Demand the immediate preservation of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s remains and explicitly condemn any actions towards immediate cremation.
• Launch a full, independent, and transparent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
• Unequivocally condemn the escalated crackdown and intensified security measures at Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s monastery in Tibet and demand an immediate end to these repressive actions.
• Exert maximum diplomatic pressure on the Vietnamese government to ensure the preservation of evidence and cooperate fully with an international investigation.
• Hold China accountable for its ongoing persecution of Tibetan leaders and its potential involvement in Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s death.
• Act now before crucial evidence is lost and justice is denied. Failure to act decisively now will not only deny justice to Tulku Hungkar Dorje and his community but will also set a dangerous precedent, emboldening further PRC repression in Tibet.
