DHARAMSHALA: The Chinese government has arrested a young Tibetan writer and his friend in Driru county in the Tibet Autonomous Region, where last Sunday over 60 Tibetan protesters were injured during a crackdown by security forces.
Tsultrim Gyaltsen, 24, who used to write under pen name Shogdril (Eng: Morning Bell), was picked up by police during an arbitrary raid at his his home around 1 am last Friday (11 October). He was arrested for alleged separatist activities by giving speeches provoking protests and hunger strike in Dathang town, Mowa village and Monkhim village in Driru. His computer, mobile phone and books were confiscated during the raid.
The police also arrested his friend, Yulgyal, the next morning on similar charges. Yugyal was a former police officer in Driru county.
Tsultrim Gyaltsen became famous for two books – the Chimes of Melancholic Snow and the Fate of Snow Mountain – that he wrote in 2007.
Tsultrim Gyaltsen is a native of Tengkhar village in Shamchu town, Driru county. He attended primary school in his village. In 2001, he became a monk and joined Palyul monastery in Palyul county in Karze (incorporated into China’s Sichuan province) where he studied Tibetan Buddhism, culture and other related subjects. In 2009, he moved to different monasteries such as Dege Palyul and Kirti monastery to continue his studies.
By the end of 2009, he disrobed and studied writing in Chinese language for four years at the Northwest University for Nationalities at Lanzhou in Gansu Province. He used to regularly organise debate with fellow students at the university. In 2012, became the editor of an annual magazine known as New Generation, which he started with a group of students. He also wrote essays and poems in his Chinese-language blog http://xiuzheng.tibetcul.com/131613.html#253254, which was recently shut down by the authorities.
In May this year, few months before his graduation, Tsultrim Gyaltsen was expelled from the university for allegedly choosing “illegal” topics for the debates.
In June this year, he returned to his hometown in Driru and opened a guest house called “The New Generation”. Meanwhile, he used to teach Tibetan and Chinese languages to local youths.
