Update on Tibet Demonstrations, 9 July 2008 Thursday, 10 July 2008, 10:11 a.m.
Dharamshala: Update on Tibet Demonstrations, 9 July 2008 Last updated 4 p.m. (IST)
6 July 2008
Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Ngaba “TAP” (incorporated into a Chinese province of Sichuan) A senior monk from Kirti monastery dies from illness suffered due to Chinese repression
On 6 July, the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Jamphel Gyatso (around 70) from Kirti monastery in Ngaba county died from blood pressure and Rlung disorder.
He suffered these illnesses which had exacerbated because of Chinese repression. As the Kirti monastery is being raided and its monks are continually harassed by the local Chinese authorities, many of the monks, being unable to remain in the monastery, had to leave for their respective homes. These days, only the senior monks, who too suffer from severe emotional setbacks with the misconduct of the local Chinese authorities, are left in the monastery.
The local Chinese authorities have ordered all those monks who have left the monastery to return before 5 July failing which they will be arrested.
Due to such harassment, Geshe Jamphel Gyatso developed illnesses which later took his life. (Death toll stands at 212)
5 July 2008 Lithang (Ch: Litang) County, Karze “TAP” (incorporated into a Chinese province of Sichuan) – People’s movement restricted during His Holiness’ birthday
In the evening of 5 July, a day before the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Chinese authorities deployed its several additional forces in the Lithang county. Its people were ordered to remain in their homes for three days starting from 8:00 p.m. of that very night. They were also threatened with their lives if they were found in the market or travelling to other areas.
The people of the surrounding Nyagchu (Ch: Yajiang), Bathang (Ch: Batang), and Nyarong (Ch: Xinlong) counties were also restricted from travelling towards the Lithang county for few days. Orders were also issued to cancel their annual Summer Festival of horse race. Many of the deployed forces have dressed themselves in Tibetan costumes in order to cover up their presence in a large number.
3 July 2008
Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Ngaba “TAP” (incorporated into a Chinese province of Sichuan) – A teenager monk from Kirti Dhongri monastery commits suicide due to “patriotic re-education”
Lobsang Tsultrim, a monk of around 16-year from Kirti Dhongri monastery in Mehu-ru-ma village, Ngaba county, committed suicide on 3 July. His father’s name is Palkho.
As testified by his elder brother, Lobsang Tsultrim came home from the monastery and later he said to his elder brother, “the Chinese official work-teams have again arrived at the monastery. They have ordered the monks to assemble for the “education”. Again, they will not let us stay in peace”. With these words, he walked out from his room.
After around 15 minutes, when his brother looked for him, he was found strangled with a rope in the nearby storeroom where they keep their firewood. (With this, death toll stands at 213)
The Chinese authorities continue to harass the monks and nuns of the monasteries and nunneries throughout the three traditional provinces of Tibet. They are being repressed in the name of “patriotic re-education” which has caused some of them to commit suicide.
July 2008 (No Specific Date)
Karze (Ch: Ganzi) County, Karze “TAP” (incorporated into a Chinese province of Sichuan) – Belongings of the Tibetan travellers being confiscated
In this July, the Chinese authorities have permanently deployed its forces in Tongkhor village in Karze county. These forces started not only checking the identifications of the Tibetan travellers, but they also confiscate their belongings. They are being threatened with detention, even if they are innocent, for refusing to part with their belongings.
