Monday, August 31, 2009

Letter from Bhante Sanghasena > Search for Sis Jennie Cheong in Ladakh

Dear Charlie,

First of all please accept my sincerest condolence on the unfortunate and sudden demise of our sisters in dhamma Late Tan Guat Gnoh, Late Ang Ee Lee, Late Lee Ah Yem and our missing sister Jennie Cheong. It has shaken our consciousness and definitely all of us will take a very long time to overcome this grief. We are still in a state of shock and despair.

We are very sorry; we couldn’t share many emotions when you had to leave Ladakh with an utter sense of deprivation and sadness. When I came to see you off at the airport, my emotion charged with a great despondency. I had no words in my mind to share with you that would have equated your sadness at that moment. I still cannot believe that we are having such a harsh moment to experience. What we anticipated a pleasant trip, turned into a fearful nightmare. I am feeling deeply sorry for what has happened with our departed dhamma sisters and their grieving families.

Though we all had a tough time to live through, I deeply appreciate the state of equanimity and courage that you had maintained during that phase. You had taken more than half of my loads on your own shoulder. I shall ever remain grateful to you for your supports. I can imagine the hardships that you had to go through in the entire process. I don’t know how to thank you for all your helps, the state of mind that you maintained and the heavy responsibility that you took to manage everything in that distressed situation. Please accept many many thank from the depth of my heart.

On the 26th, 27th and 28th of this month we had arranged for a very special Puja and Merit Sharing Ceremony in our campus for our departed sisters and for sister Reena’s and the driver’s speedy recovery. A condolence meeting was also held on the 28th along with the prayer and merit sharing sessions. On the same day robes and alms bowls were offered to the members of the Sangha in the name of the departed sisters especially Sister Julie. The other gifts from the Malaysian devotees were also distributed and the merits were offered to the departed ones. We had also arranged for special Pujas in various monasteries in Ladakh for all of them. And we are praying day and night to find Sister Jennie at the earliest.

We have also decided to build a small Stupa on a very nice site in the campus in the memory of our departed sisters. Our prayers will continue for them and we do hope our sincere efforts and prayers will be answered soon.

Regarding Sister Jennie’s search operation, we had approached the top civil authorities in Ladakh to get resourceful helps from the Indian Army in the search operation. They agreed to pass on the appeal, but their response has not been as prompt as we expected. And today we have approached to them to pressurize the India Army in this regard yet again.

I have heard that the Malaysian embassy has sent an appeal letter to the Indian Ministry of Defense to render help in the search operation of Sister Jennie. I guess it would be really helpful in intensifying the operation from the Army’s side if we can get a copy of that appeal letter. Thus, I have requested Mr. Paul in this regard to try and get a copy of that letter to us.

At our own level we are trying all efforts to find Sister Jennie as soon as possible. The Mahabodhi search teams from Leh and Tingmosgang branch are continuing the search with sincere prayers and efforts. A group of 30 volunteers have spread out in various regions in search for her in the last two days but unfortunately they still couldn’t trace. Never the less the search is still on. The police from the Khalste stations are also continuing the search in all the possible areas.

The Mahadbohi Tingmosgang branch had called for an emergency meeting yesterday and they have formed a “Search Team” to intensify the search process further for the next one week. We have also sent posters of Sister Jennie, with an appeal to inform at the earliest, to Leh town and many villages, especially towards the regions where people can possibly find her.

We have also made repeated announcements in the local radio news so that more and more people can join hands with us to look for her at various places. We shall try every way out and will make all possible arrangements required in this operation.
And regarding sister Reena, we are constantly in touch with sister Bee and Mr. Sonam in Delhi to enquire about her health progress. We leant from them that Sister Reena is fine and getting better. Mr. Sonam and Gurmet are there in Delhi to give any help that she and her family require.

Yesterday the rest of the Malaysian guests left for Delhi. We were very sad that we didn’t have sweet memories to send with them. All the members of the Devachan family were really heart broken to send them with such harsh experiences. But our Malaysian friends were so encouraging and strong minded that they boosted our hopes and determinations. They also collected donations for the suffering driver and his family before leaving. It was really touching and all were moved by their gesture. I must say we really feel proud and fortunate to have such friends like you all, around us. And they also expressed that they would love to visit Ladakh and Mahabodhi again in the future. It was very kind of them to show such enthusiasm and interest in continuing the friendship and understanding with Mahabodhi. I am grateful to all the members of the Malaysian team, to have shared their emotion, wisdom and co-operation in the hour of sadness. And thank you once again for your help and concern.

I shall update you soon as things develop.

Yours in Dhamma,
Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena


Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
Devachan, P.O. Box # 22, Leh - Ladakh 194101, INDIA
Ph: +91-1982-264372 Mobile: +91-9906902025, +91-9419178667
www.mahabodhi-ladakh.org

Update from the Ladakh Tragedy

Funerals for sis Julie Ang and sis GG Tan was held on 29th Aug 2009 and the funeral for sis Lee Ah Yem was held on 28th Aug 2009. Sis Reena is recovering in Apollo Hospital in Delhi accompanied by her family members. Sis Jennie Cheong is still missing and efforts have been amplified to search for her, including giving out posters to the villagers living along the Indus River.

Click here and here to view the funeral updates and some photos taken by Nalanda Buddhist Society.

Below is email from Bro. Lee KH currently in Ladakh sent on 31st Aug 2009 >>

Dear Bro. Charlie,
The search for Sis Jennie is till going on -
30th. Aug. 09.
V. Nagasena together 5 members of MIMC equiped with the walkie talkie you brought and about 100 copies of the posters set out to paste at stragistic location of villages along the Indus. They will try also to hire two rafts to again check and look out at the two sides of the Indus river at the likely stretches to locate the body. (We understand the police had enlisted some assistance with two rafts on the 25th Aug. to scout along the two banks).
At the same time the police from Khaltse and the members of Mahabodhi Tingmosgang Mngmt.continue wih their search.
They MIMC search team stayed back in Tingmosgang for the night after calling of the search when darkness fell. Still no good news has been received so far.

31st Aug.09 ( Merdeka Day)
Today An Executive member of the Ladakh Hill Autonomous Authority came to MIMc to discuss with Bte. Sanghasena on the next course of action. The meeting is still on.
Will update on the status in the atfernoon as soon as fresh information is received.
Meanwhile progress on the water supply project No. 1 (2008) and drip irrigation for orchard project No. 2 (2009) has come to a halt due to the Holiness Dalai Lama's visit, and during your group's visit and compounded by the tragic accident. Two friday meetings have been missed to-date.It is my intention to finallise everything within whatever is available that is reasonable to put them together the accounts and impending project costings for presentation.

I will be leaving MIMC 2 to 3 days earlier (likely on 12th.Aug. 09 ) by road to Delhi to board my flight back to KL on 15th. Aug.09.
Sukhihotu.
Leekh.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Three Malaysians Killed In Road Mishap In Kashmir

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=435667
By: Ramjit-->
By P.VijianNEW DELHI, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Three Malaysian tourists died in Ladakh, Kashmir, when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded and plunged into the Indus River on Tuesday.The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that the three victims, Angee Lee, 52, Lee Ah Yem, 59, and Tang Guat Gnoh, 54, died on the spot.Another passenger, Lin Bee Wong, 47, was injured and admitted to a nearby hospital.Meanwhile, police are still searching for another Malaysian, Cheon Swee Chuan, 42, who is missing in the mishap.The local driver of the vehicle was also seriously injured.The accident happened in Leh, one of the largest districts in Ladakh, located about 450km from Srinagar, capital of Jammu and Kashmir.-- BERNAMA