Suspicious Death of Tibetan Leader and Teacher Tulku Rigzin Hungkar Dorje
Tibet Support Group NL was deeply saddened this week by the news that a Tibetan lama and teacher, Tulku Rigzin Hungkar Dorje, has died under suspicious circumstances in Vietnam. It is unclear exactly what happened, but the Tibet movement worldwide is gravely concerned about reports that he was arrested on 25 March 2025 at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) during a joint operation by Vietnamese police and Chinese agents. On 3 April 2025, his monastery Lung-Ngon subsequently announced his death.
Who was Tulku Rigzin Hungkar Dorje? Tulku Hungkar Dorje was a recognized reincarnated lama, born in 1969 in the Tibetan province of Amdo. He was a spiritual leader and community leader who dedicated his life to preserving Tibetan identity through education, healthcare, and cultural initiatives.
Tulku Hungkar Dorje founded the free Hungkar Dorje Vocational Technical Secondary School, where more than 1,000 students received education. He established the Hungkar Compassion Medical Clinic to provide healthcare to underserved communities, and created the “Excellent Discourse Key Library” to preserve literary treasures. His philanthropic work also included providing financial support, food, clothing, and medicine to thousands of elderly, poor, and sick Tibetans. As a teacher and author of more than twenty books, he consistently emphasized the crucial importance of preserving the Tibetan language, Buddhist traditions, and cultural customs in his teaching across multiple countries. He was also dedicated to the protection of Tibet’s natural environment.
Why was he targeted by the Chinese government? According to the Central Tibetan Administration, the Chinese government forced Tulku Hungkar Dorje over the past year to receive the China-appointed Panchen Lama (the “false” Panchen Lama), Gyaltsen Norbu, at his monastery. However, Tulku Hungkar Dorje did not willingly comply with the wishes of the Communist Party. In August 2024, he was extensively interrogated by senior Chinese officials from Qinghai province and was forced to provide his fingerprints. He was accused of having written longevity prayers for the Dalai Lama and of not implementing Chinese government policy in his educational work in Golog, Amdo. These events led to his disappearance in late September 2024, after which he went into hiding in Vietnam.
The Tibet Support Group NL has joined the International Tibet Network (ITN) and calls for:
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An independent and transparent investigation into his arrest and subsequent death in Vietnam.
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The Vietnamese government must immediately release the body of Tulku Rigzin Hungkar Dorje, so that an autopsy can be conducted by independent forensic experts in accordance with international standards.
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The responsible authorities must ensure that the next of kin of Tulku Rigzin Hungkar Dorje are fully and promptly informed about all procedures, progress, and findings of the investigation.