Crackdown on Drepung monastery unfortunate: the Kashag
We are extremely concerned with reports from Tibet that since 24 November 2005, Lhasa’s Drepung Monastery has been rocked with instability and that an abbot and several monks of the monastery were reported to have been wounded and died. We hope these reports are not true. Otherwise it is extremely unfortunate and sad.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) proclaims in the international community that Tibet enjoys an efficient National Regional Autonomy, religious freedom, and protection of culture and economic development. However, it is sad if all issues were to be resolved through repressive measures.
As advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in his statements, we appeal the Tibetans inside Tibet to exercise restraint and make every possible effort to avoid beatings, torture and imprisonment, so that peace and tranquility prevails in Tibet.
Since 1979 His Holiness the Dalai Lama has ceased calling for Tibet’s independence and pursued a mutually beneficial Middle-Way policy to achieve a genuine autonomous status for all the Tibetan people within the constitutional framework of the PRC.
Till date the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the leaders of the PRC had four rounds of dialogue since 2002. We are also making effort to resolve the Sino-Tibetan problem through continued contacts and dialogue. Therefore, it is extremely important for the Tibetans in Tibet to remain calm and peaceful.
We also strongly urge the leaders of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and the PRC to resolve every problem in Tibet through reason and dialogue, rather than seeking course to repressive means.
The Kashag
30 November 2005
The above is the rough translation of the original in Tibetan