Update on Tibet, 2 June 2008

Monday, 2 June 2008, 4:40 p.m.

Last updated 2 pm (IST) Re: Tibet Demonstrations

24 May 2008

Serthar (Ch: Seda) County, Karze “TAP”,(incorporated into Chinese Province of Sichuan) – People involved in protests in March are being arrested

Sungkyab, resident of Tse-shey village, Khenleb Sub-district, Serthar
County, was arrested by County Public Security Bureau (PSB) personnel
from Nyitoe sub-district on 24 May. He was injured during the protest
held on 20 March in Nyichu area.

County PSB personnel also arrested wife of Drukpo, age around 30, resident of Thoeshel village.

Earlier on around 16 May, Rigdhak, Menkyab, and Ghoeso were
arrested as they were involved in the protest carried out in Phuwu
village, under Nyitoe sub-district, on 18 March. Though, they could not
be arrested during the protest, their names were included among the
wanted list of “rioters” by the concerned office.

23 May 2008

Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Ngaba “TAP”, Amdo (incorporated into Chinese Province of Sichuan) – Two monks from Kirti monastery arrested for disrespecting the “patriotic re-education”

Lobsang Dorjee and Kunga, both monks from Kirti monastery, Ngaba
County, were arrested by County PSB from their monastery at 9:00 A.M.
on 23 May. They were arrested for showing disrespect to the “patriotic
re-education” being imposed on the monastery.

19 May 2008

Dingri (Ch: Dingri) County, Shigatse (Ch: Rigaze) Prefecture, U-Tsang (“TAR”) – 12 monks from Shelkar Choede monastery arrested for refusing the “patriotic re-education”

12 monks from Shelkar Choede monastery, in Dingri County, were
arrested by County PSB from their monastery on 19 May for refusing the
“patriotic re-education” being provided at the monastery.

They are Khenrab Tharchin (a member of Democratic Management
Committee of the monastery), Choewang Tenzin, Tenzin Gephel, Khenrab
Tashi, Topgyal, Tenzin Tsering, Lobsang Jigme, Khenrab Nyima, Tashi,
Tenpa, Samten, and Choeden.

Strict restrictions are being imposed on the monastery. Monks
are not allowed even to leave the campus. People are also not allowed
in the monastery to show their devotion. Cellphone handsets of the
monks were confiscated. Through these ways, Chinese authorities have
controlled the information from spreading out. Monk quarters were also
raided.

Among those arrested monks, 4 are being detained in the
detention centre of Dingri County, and 8 were taken away to Shigatse
Prefecture.

Another member of Democratic Management Committee of the
monastery, Lobsang Jinpa, was also arrested later for having links with
those monk arrestees in refusing the so-called patriotic re-education.
He was earlier detained till the beginning of May for his alleged
involvement in Lhasa protest in March as he was in Lhasa during the
protest.

Monks of Shelkar Choede monastery had already undertaken protests many years back, including in 1993.