Johannesburg, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A second attack in three months on Dhundup Gyalpo, the Dalai Lama’s representative in South Africa, has raised concerns about possible attempts to intimidate Tibetan activists living abroad, according to a report published by Bitter Winter, an online magazine focused on religious liberty and human rights in China.
The report said petrol bombs were hurled at Gyalpo’s residence and office in Lyttelton Manor, a suburb of Centurion near Pretoria, late on October 14. The attack reportedly triggered a fire that damaged the building, shattered windows and destroyed furniture and official documents.
According to the report, Gyalpo woke to the sound of breaking glass as smoke filled the building. With the corridor blocked by flames, he escaped through a bedroom window, sustaining minor injuries from broken glass.
Emergency services arrived at the scene, but the fire caused extensive damage to rooms, furniture and documents.
In a video recorded after the incident, Gyalpo was seen walking through the damaged premises and documenting the destruction, the report said.
“It might have been intended to convey a political message,” Gyalpo was quoted as saying by South African media following the attack.
Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist of religion who wrote about the incident for Bitter Winter, said the attack was particularly concerning because the same property had reportedly been targeted in an earlier incident on July 6 this year.
On that occasion, three petrol bombs were allegedly thrown at the property, coinciding with the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday. The damage was reportedly limited, but Introvigne argued that the timing and choice of target raised questions about possible political motives.
While criminal incidents are common in South Africa, Introvigne wrote that the repeated targeting of the same premises and the timing of the attacks warranted scrutiny. However, the circumstances surrounding both incidents remain unclear.
According to Bitter Winter, South African police have launched an investigation into the latest attack. No suspects have been identified, no motive has been established, and authorities have not formally linked the two incidents.
Introvigne said the absence of answers did not lessen the seriousness of the matter, particularly given the wider concerns faced by Tibetan activists operating outside Tibet.
The report noted that Tibetan activists have long raised concerns about intimidation beyond their homeland. It suggested that the latest incident could intensify those concerns, although no evidence has so far established the identity of the attackers or linked them to Chinese authorities.
Introvigne also highlighted the uncertainty facing Gyalpo and the Tibetan community, saying the attacks had left questions about whether the objective was to destroy documents, deliver a warning or create a sense of surveillance and fear.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the motive behind the attacks has yet to be determined.
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