A resolution was adopted by the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation recently, saying a Tibetan lama called Lozang Geleg and his assistant Lozang Tsering in the Tuva Republic are "undesirable" and told to leave the country within 15 days. This means they will be "permanently" expelled from Russia.

According to the Federal Regulations on Administration of Entry into and Exit from the Russian Federation, the resolution judging a foreign citizen’ stay in Russian Federation is "undesirable" shall be made when the foreign citizen "has caused an actual threat to the country’s defense forces, security or health of residents" or for the purpose of "defending the Constitution’s institutional foundation, morality and other people’s rights and legal interests". The FSB didn’t explain the reason to the outside world but its document to the court of Kyzyl, capital of Tuva Republic, showed "this case involves state secrets."                                                   

Born in Garze, Sichuan Province in 1967, Lozang Geleg fled to India at the age of 18, and was identified as the reincarnation of Gexe Lharampa Shiwa Erlha, a lama from Buryat, in 1987. He made the first visit to Russia in 2004, and began to reside permanently in Tuva from 2008 on the "order of the Dalai Lama". In an interview, he ever said the Dalai Lama thought his visit to Russia would bring benefits to the people and recognized his journey. Lozang Geleg and his assistant left Moscow to India on Oct. 16, the "New Day" of Russia reported.  

After the news on Lozang Geleg’s deportation spread, his disciples and followers not only launched online petition with joint signature to request President Putin to revoke the resolution but also spared no effort to lobby the political leaders in various Buddhist regions to "intercede" with the Kremlin.

On Sep. 30, Sofia Kara, leader of Tuva, talked with the principal of the Tuva branch of the FSB, appealing to "study the possibility of solving the problem by other means under the current legal framework of the Russian Federation". Larissa Shoigu, elder sister of the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and State Duma councilor, was said to "have agreed" to submit a "petition letter" to the Kremlin.    

It was reported that the local Buddhist forces of Russia had different responses to this. The Traditional Buddhist Sangha of Russia did not intend to defend Lozang Geleg. Its press spokesman Boris Baldanov stated that Lozang Geleg had no connection with Sangha. The Tuva Khampa Lama Management Office gave no remarks, only saying "the Khampa lama is not in Tuva."

The Khenpo (abbot) of Kongze Chokne Temple in St.Petersburg held that the FSB would do nothing if they had no reason. Moreover, Roman Stepanov, agent and lawyer of Lobsang Geleg, also asserted that such a resolution could only be made on the basis of the litigant’s certain acts.