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TibetInfoNet (TIN)
June 30, 2010
ISSN: 1864-1407

The sentencing of Karma Samdrup on 24 June 2010is potentially a hard blow for the furtherdevelopment of the vigorous grassroots social andecological activism that has spread over manyparts of Tibetan regions of the People's Republicof China (PRC) during the last 5-8 years. Hisbrilliant career, his markedly apoliticalapproach to contemporary problems, whilemaintaining a specific Tibetan attitude in thesolutions he has proposed and, last but notleast, the authorities' apparent approval of hisactivities were for many a source of inspirationand encouragement. The further handling of hiscase is likely to have deep implications for thenascent civil society within Tibet.

Karma Samdrub was born in May 1968 in Gonjo(Chin: Gongjue) county, Chamdo (Chin: Qamdo)prefecture, TAR. He became wealthy through thetrade of dzi stones1, long beads of dark colourwith a glass-like texture, which can be found inthe ground at many places in Tibet. The exactorigins of dzi stones are not known but they arereputed to be remnants from a pre-Buddhistcivilisation on the Tibetan Plateau and arebelieved to have magical properties. Dzi stonescan command very high prices, particularly amongChinese communities in Taiwan, Hong Kong andSouth-east Asia. Due to his business, KarmaSamdrup is also widely known by the nickname'King of Dzi', although he has also beeninstrumental in popularising certain types of Tibetan medicines.

The first known example for Karma Samdrup'ssocial activism was in 1995 with theestablishment of the Medong Village PrimarySchool in Zerong township, Gongjue county,Chamdo, TAR. In 1998, he then set up the firstTibetan medicine shop in Guangdong province,south China, where he also established a localoffice of the Tibet Development Fund (TDF), anofficial NGO originally established by thePanchen Lama and controlled by TAR leaders orformer leaders. He also supported healthinsurance schemes, including direct support forpoor households unable to finance themselves ontheir own in various townships of Chamdoprefecture. He also established the countyTibetan Medical Hospital of Gonjo and was awardedthe title of 'Model Worker of the TAR', a tileinherited from China's distant socialist times.

Karma Samdrup's interest in ecological issuesgrew more apparent at the beginning of themillennium and he developed a number ofactivities in this regard, including diversesurveys that involved various Mainland academicinstitutes and focused on community environment,culture, education, health care, folk custom andtransportation, etc. He established bodiesrelated to ecology, the most important of thembeing the Snowland Great Rivers EnvironmentalProtection Association (SGREPA). Working withthis organisation or associated groups, heconducted intensive dissemination work onecological matters, including an environmenteducation curriculum called 'Green Cradle'. Awareof the importance of economic development, herealised that the key to ecological protectioncould only be through sustainable developmentbacked with income generation schemes and hencehe worked on establishing activities like eco-tourism in the region.

SGREPA enjoyed full accreditation with theChinese government and pioneered landmarkecological work. It appears to have been thefirst group to have labelled Tibet's wildexpanses the 'Third Pole', a term borrowed fromgeography and paleo-climatology2. It also wasinstrumental in eradicating the use of wildlifepelts on the Tibetan Plateau. SGREPA introducedthe idea of involving high Tibetan lamas incampaigns against the use of pelts. Althoughsuccessful, these operations had only a momentaryimpact on the problem and it was only when theDalai Lama threw his weight into the anti-furcampaigns in early 2006 that these overnightbecame some of the most successful ecologicalcampaigns ever. Neither SGREPA nor Karma Samduppersonally were involved in the fur burnings, asboth he personally and the group always stayedaway from anything that could be labelled 'political'.

Although his nature protection efforts broughthim particular fame and at times eclipsed hisother activities, Karma Samdrup remainedcommitted to his other concerns for social issuesand the preservation and development of Tibetanculture. From 2006 onwards, he started working ona project to research and develop Tibetanculture. His latest venture before his arrest wasthe establishment of an ambitious museum ofTibetan culture, in partnership with the UnitedFront Department, the organ of the CommunistParty of China (CPC) that deals with religious and ethnic minorities.

For his ecological work in particular, KarmaSamdrup became well known and he received severalnational and international awards. He wasfeatured in many press and TV reports within thePRC and a book was written about his life,lauding his successes. However, this success alsocreated enemies, mainly among those whoseprofitable activities had been curtailed by hisenvironmental protection activities. His abilityto attract funding into rural regions, far beyondthe scale available to local party leaders, alsoraised profound antipathy among local leadersnotorious for their territoriality. Similarissues of perceived rivalries have playedimportant roles in the processes that have led tothe downfall of other charismatic Tibetans ineastern regions like Khenpo Jigme Phuntsog andTenzin Deleg Rinpoche. The book written aboutKarma Samdrup was first published in Hong Kongand a PRC version of it appeared in late 2009.Probably because the book featured his successand highlighted the wrongdoings of others, it issaid to have attracted some controversy. Thatthis arose at about the same time that his twobrothers became embroiled in disputes with localleaders in connection with the implementation ofenvironmental protection laws, did not help. Inthe absence of any known accusation of politicalwrongdoings, the reasons for Karma Samdrup's arrest appear to originate here.

However, the development of the case raises anumber of questions. According to reports, KarmaSamdrup was arrested in Sichuan and immediatelytaken to Xinjiang where long dismissedallegations of tomb robbery and dealing in lootedrelics resurfaced. The harsh procedures andpresumption of guilt these charges imply areunsurprising in the context of the pre-moderntype of judicial practice that still prevails inthe PRC, but the scope of the case and the highlevel of organisation and coordination needed topursue it, certainly when one considers therelatively innocuous nature of his allegedoffences, are clearly beyond the capacity ofdisgruntled local leaders. They imply the activeparticipation of higher levels of leadership, atleast at a provincial level. This kind ofinvolvement however is typical of major cases, inparticular political cases. There is as yet noindication of political accusations made againstKarma Samdrup. A 'secret' political case is alsounlikely since the Chinese authorities are nevershy of publicising political charges. Pointing tothe anomalies of the case and Karma Samdrup'shigh profile, some of his friends whoTibetInfoNet have consulted have said that theyexpect the case to be solved through higherintervention relatively quickly. Whether thiswill materialise or newer elements will surfacethat cast a light on the case remains to be seen.

What is certain, however, is that the case has apotentially tremendous influence on thoseTibetans who in the last two decades have beenworking towards development in Tibet and animprovement of the social and ecologicalconditions there. For many of these Tibetans,Karma Samdrup has been something of a role model.They have shared his approach of working withinrather than against the system, implementingexisting laws before demanding better ones andbelieved that in doing this they held the key toa better developed, but still markedly TibetanTibet. Karma Samdrup's life and work so far havebeen evidence that this type of engagement ispossible and had been successful, providing afeeling of security and confidence that now must be reassessed.

Notes:
1: Also known under the orthographies 'gzi' or 'zi'.
2: According to that theory, during the last iceage, the Tibetan plateau played an importantrole, next to the north and south poles, in keeping the Earth's climate cool.