Tibetan Solidarity Committee Urges China to End Repression in TibetTuesday, 11 November 2008, 5:56 p.m.
Dharamshala: The Tibetan Solidarity Committee on Tuesday strongly urged the Chinese government to put an immediate end to arbitrary detentions and harsh prison sentences meted out to Tibetans after conducting unfair trials.The solidarity committee expressed deep concern over the Chinese government’s failure to address the grievances of Tibetan people which led to peaceful protests across Tibet since March this year, during the 8th round of talks between the Chinese leadership and envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Beijing.According to reliable source, the people’s court in Ngaba district in Amdo, sentenced three Tibetans with terms ranging from 6 to 4 years. Among them, two whose names are still remain unknown, were sentenced to 4 years. The third person, Ra- Tsedak, was sentenced 6 years, who criticized China’s violent clampdown of Tibetan protestors which left hundreds of Tibetans dead have lost a number of lives. Jigtrin Tsang Namse, aged 38, from Rong-Mu-Ghu Dhepa of Ngaba district,was arrested during the March uprising and send behind bar for 4 years by the People’s Court of Ngaba District. The same court convicted other three Tibetans from the same township and pronounced prison terms for 1 year and 8 months.On 4 November Cha Ru- Pae Gho Dho Tsang Lhundrub, from Cha township of Ngaba, was arrested in April and sentenced to 4 years in prison.Nag Tsang Mae Nangrin from Cha township was given jail a 4-year jail term on 4 November. His prison term was mistakenly reported as 11 years in an press release by the Tibetan Solidarity Committee on 7 November. In the same week, the People’s Court of Ngaba District, handed down sentences after conducting arbitrary trails for four consecutive days. According to our reliable source arrested Tibetans who would face heavier sentences are kept later. He further confirmed that such trails would continue to take place.Between the end of October and the beginning of November, two monks named Khedup Gyatso and Tsulrim Gyatso, native of Amdo Rebkong Sog District, who were monks of Tsang Monastery at Thunte District (Bha or Gaypa Sumdo) of Southern Tso-Ngon Province, were given 10 years imprisonment on false allegations for engaging in separatist and providing information to people outside Tibet.Reliable sources said on 8 November that all the areas in Tibet especially the areas around Bharkhor of Lhasa city are under very strict surveillance. Tibetans from Kham and Amdo Province of traditional three Tibetan Provinces, who come to Lhasa as pilgrims and for study purpose, have been kept under strict vigilance. The Tibetans are living in constant fear as the Chinese police intensified arrest and detention after conducting raids in the homes and monasteries.On 4 November, 14 Tibetan pilgrims from Karma Township of Kham Sershul District were arrested by the police near the main monastery in Lhasa and were detained at the Barhor police station. Most of them were monks and nuns, the eldest being a 75 year old. In Lhasa, heavy restrictions are being imposed on the movement of monks and nuns are banned and they live in fear for being arrested.On 6 November, three trucks of pilgrims and students from Amdo and Kham that reached Lhasa at night were arrested and taken to the Western side of Lhasa. The whereabouts of these pilgrims and students – whether they were send to their native home or still in captivity is unknown.The winter religious debate, popularly known as Jang-Gun-Choe, conducted annually in Karze and Gang-Gyen Monlam Chenmo will not take place this year due to heavy restrictions in monastic communities.Since the end of October, Dartse Do Intermediate People’s Court has given the Tibetan peaceful demonstrators arbitrary conviction. On the morning of 10 November, nuns named Lhamo Choetso aged 33 and Sonam Deki, aged 30 from Dak-Kar-Nunnery of Karze region were sentenced 4 years of imprisonment. They were wrongly implicated for engaging separatist activities. The nuns pledged to make efforts for freedom until they see His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet.On 7 November, the people’s court in Dar Tse Do sentenced nuns named Ngo-Tsa- Tsang Sonam Lhamo with 3 years and Tseten Dolma of Dong-Ra- Rukha with 4 years of imprisonment. Both were from the Dak-Kar Nunnery of Karze region.The same court handed down sentence of 4 years each to a nun from Karze and Pema Choetso from Badhe Gang Drongpa of Karze Region.