Tibetans protest, demand probe into prominent Buddhist leader’s death in Vietnam
The Tibetan exile community worldwide has mobilized in protest following the suspicious death of prominent Buddhist leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje under Chinese custody in Vietnam. Demonstrations, candlelight vigils, and formal appeals have been organized across several countries, urging the Vietnamese government to ensure a transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his demise.
Around 20 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) on Friday staged a demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, calling on the international community to pressure both the Vietnamese and Chinese authorities to release a full and impartial report on the arrest and death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje. Prior to the protest, the activists visited the Vietnamese Embassy where they met with officials and submitted a petition demanding an international inquiry, the return of Rinpoche’s remains to his monastery and family, and the public disclosure of all findings.
In the United Kingdom, the Tibetan community held a candlelight vigil opposite the Chinese Embassy, expressing solidarity and demanding justice for the revered Buddhist figure. In Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, a similar vigil was held to honor his memory.
A coalition of six Tibetan advocacy organizations—Tibet Justice Center, International Tibet Network, Tibet Action Institute, Students for a Free Tibet, Free Tibet, and Australia Tibet Council—issued a joint letter pressing for an urgent, independent investigation and calling for the immediate repatriation of Rinpoche’s body to allow for proper funeral rites.
Tulku Hungkar Dorje, the abbot of Lungngon Monastery in Gade County, Golok, Tibet, had reportedly fled to Vietnam in late September 2024 after facing a series of interrogations by Chinese authorities in August. On March 25, 2025, he was detained from his hotel room in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in a joint operation involving Vietnamese police and Chinese intelligence agents. Three days later, on March 28, he was transferred to a local public security bureau, where he died under mysterious circumstances that same day.
His body is reportedly being held at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. On April 1, the administrative office of Lungngon Monastery was summoned by Chinese authorities to receive his death certificate.
On April 5, five monks from Lungngon Monastery, accompanied by Chinese government officials, traveled to Vietnam to retrieve the remains. That same day, a meeting was held at the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi, attended exclusively by Chinese delegates—Tibetan representatives were denied entry. It remains uncertain whether they were able to view or claim the body. Access to the hospital is currently under strict control, with military personnel guarding the premises and entry severely restricted.
Phayul.com – April 12, 2025