SINGAPORE: They may not hold a Tibetan passport, and some have never lived in their motherland. But gathered at a meditation centre in Geylang listening to a news podcast downloaded from website Radio Free Asia, their passion for the Tibetan cause is clear.

The calm in Singapore seems a world away from the protests and the Chinese government's crackdown, which have rocked the Himalayan region since last week. Still, Tibetans here have felt the pain and anxiety of their compatriots and this has brought them closer together.

The Tibetan community in Singapore is minute, estimated at 30 to 50 at any one time. Some of them work or study and the rest are lamas (monks) here for a few months.

To outsiders, what makes them Tibetan may be tenuous — some were born in India, some are already Singapore citizens, some have no plans to return to Tibet even if their wish for independence comes true.

But to the group, what makes them Tibetan is clear — their ancestry, Buddhist way of life and common wish to see the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to Tibet.

"When we meet, we wish each other well and pray for dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese, and for peace and freedom in Tibet," said freelance tour agent Pri Jinpa Gyatso, 32.

Mr Jinpa has visited many of the 25 to 30 Tibetan Buddhist centres here in recent days, encouraging prayer sessions for those killed or injured in the crackdown — be they Tibetan or Chinese.

The lamas in Singapore have also been praying for the well-being of those in Tibet. While they place the Dalai Lama, who advocates non-violence, on a sacred pedestal, they empathise with the protesters back home.

"The protesters in Tibet are doing this for their future generations," said Lama Tsewang, 27, who has been in Singapore for two months.

Amid reports of the killing of ethnic Chinese in Lhasa, another Tibetan, a 37-year-old professional, said that the most important issue remained that of Tibet's longstanding struggle for nationhood, or at the very least, autonomy.

Most Tibetans interviewed for this report declined to be identified due to job sensitivities. Mr Jinpa is the de facto "face" of the local Tibetan community.

He met a fellow Tibetan, a teacher, for the first time on Wednesday — they had talked on the phone for a few months, but finally met when both sat down with TODAY for an interview. The two are married to Singaporean women.

The teacher has taken his support online, setting up a blog titled "Truth about the Current Situation in Tibet".

News posted on bhodrangzen.blogspot.com is culled from alternative news sources such as Phayul.com.

"I have been listening to Tibetan radio and I can hear my countrymen calling in … I feel very helpless," said the teacher, 33, who grew up in India.

For many Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is dearer than their lives, said the teacher. But there is some frustration that his way has not worked.

Said the teacher: "Some of us don't understand why (when) someone slaps you, you still show your other cheek."

The Tibetans' frustrations stem from what they consider the lip service that China has paid to their human rights and freedom of worship.

For example, when the Dalai Lama spoke in 2006 about wildlife conservation and told Tibetans not to wear illegal animal furs and skins, the Chinese authorities ordered some Tibetan broadcasters to wear fur-lined traditional clothing.

By nature, Tibetans are a "very easy-going" people, and those in Singapore have integrated well into life here, said the Tibetan teacher. They don't have a particular hangout, and neither are they overly fond of Tibetan food.

"There are some Nepalese that have set up restaurants offering Tibetan dishes here, but I find Tibetan food pretty boring," he said.

The influences of globalisation aside, the desire to spread understanding of Tibetan culture is strong, and may speed up in Singapore as an indirect result of the Tibet riots.

Mr Jinpa mooted the idea of a Tibetan Buddhist Centre last year to spread Buddhism and Tibetan culture, which are inextricably linked. The centre would bring the Tibetan community and like-minded Singaporeans together, through events like the Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations.

And his plans may be realised sooner than expected - with help from an Italian venture capitalist, no less. The venture capitalist, who is based in Singapore, has expressed interest in funding a base for the Tibetan community here.


- TODAY/so