A Buddhist lama in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region expressed his disturbance with the situation in eastern Ukrainian areas, brought about “by illegal acts of the authorities, aimed at frightening the local population, criminalizing the area, and dividing the country by regional boundaries.” Lama Dorzhe Zhambo, head of the Sheichen-linh Buddhist monastery of the Tibetan Ninhma tradition in the village of Olhynka (Volnovask district, Donetsk region) and head of the Buddhist order Lunh-Zhonh-pa, gave RISU his statement on 13 December 2004.

Dorzhe Zhambo criticized the acts of Ukrainian authorities, in particular workers with positions, regarding the encouragement of intolerance towards representatives of the supporters of presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In addition, the lama supported Yushchenko for president and his efforts for consolidating the country and democratizing Ukrainian society.

Dorzhe Zhambo considers Yushchenko to be the one to guarantee the welfare of Ukraine, defend national interests and general human values, the freedom of domestic information, and the free development of all religions and confessions in Ukraine