2 monks sentenced, China
tightens control over Ngaba
[Saturday, 7 May 2011, 3:59 p.m.]
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| Lobsang Dhargyal |
Lobsang Dhargyal, a 31 years old monk
from Kirti Monastery in northeastern Tibet’s Ngaba region has been
sentenced to imprisonment for participating in peaceful uprising in
Lhasa in 2008.
A people’s court in Ngaba
district on 2 May sentenced Lobsang to 3 years in prison, monks at Kirti monastery in Dharamsala quoting sources in the region told TibetNet
In 2008, Lobsang protested with other monks from Drepung Monastery. He
was arrested after being caught on one of the camera hidden at various
corners of the roof. Later, he was incarcerated for 5 months in
different detention centers.
After reaching Ngaba, he was released for a time being but was
constantly called for further interrogation in police station and had to
remain under constant surveillance of the Chinese authority. The police
frequently raided his residence and arrested him from the monastery on
11 April.
Kunchok Tsultrum, 33, a monk of Kirti Monastery, was also arrested on 16
March and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
The so called ‘patriotic education’ campaign was enforced on monks of
many monasteries by the Chinese authorities who made it as an
obligation. The authorities prolonged the regulation when monks refuse
to comply with them.
A large number of armed Chinese security forces and police continues to
blockade the monastery. Disguised in new yellow uniform, the security
personnel hide in parked cars to watch over the activities of the monks.
A monastic compound built by a monk named Tenpa Yarphel for some needy
elderly monks have been forcibly taken by the security forces. They have
installed hidden cameras in every monks’ residential quarters due to
which the monks are forced to exercise unnecessary caution.
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| Kunchok Tsultrim |
The repression in
Ngaba region was occasioned when Phuntsog, a
21-year-old monk of Kirti monastery, killed himself by self-immolation
on 16 March to protest China’s brutal repression on the peaceful
protests in Tibet in 2008. Phuntsog’s tragic death created resentment
among monks of Kirti monastery and the general public, which resulted in
the military blockade of the monastery.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the
Central Tibetan Administration had made urgent appeal for restraint by
the Chinese government in resolving the crisis at Kirti Monastery. The
Central Tibetan Administration had also urged the international
community, governments and parliaments around the world to make an
appeal to the Chinese government to release the detained monks at once.
