Update for Friday, 11 April 2008
Friday, 11 April 2008, 5:00 p.m.
Update for Friday, 11 April 2008, last updated 2pm (IST)
Re: Tibet demonstrations
11 April 2008
Tight restrictions continue in Lhasa.
Tight restrictions continue to be imposed in Lhasa, including in
monasteries such as Tsuglag-khang (Jokhang) temple. All monks remain
detained within their monastery compounds. Lay people are not being
allowed to visit the monasteries.
The food-supplies in-charge of each monastery (who are usually
monks) are forced to put on civilian clothes when going out to purchase
food supplies and remain under constant surveillance when leaving the
monastery compounds.
24 March 2008
Drakgo (Ch: Luhuo) County, Karze (Ch: Ganzi) “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Sichuan province- China continues its anti-Dalai Lama campaign.
The protest by monks and lay people on 24 March 2008, in Drakgo was suppressed by Chinese authorities.
More recently, Chinese authorities have begun a signature
campaign that gets people to deny their aspirations for the return of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
In Sok-gen, Dzong-go and Dhilgo Towns, Tehor Township, Drakgo
County, people were duped into believing that their signatures were
needed for the release of the two senior monks from Chokri monastery
who were arrested on 26 March. As a result, a group of Tibetans
provided their signatures. However, later when the people came to know
of the actual reasons behind the signature, no more signatures were
provided.
During the signature campaign, the documents which Tibetans are
being pressured to sign contain the following statements (possibly
more).
1) I protest any engagement in “splittist” activities, and I owe loyalty to the motherland
2) I reject any support for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Official letterheads (stamped but containing no text) from the
concerned Chinese office were brought along by the authorities during
the signature campaign.
There were also attempts to convince Tibetans that the recent
demonstrations including the ones in Lhasa were instigated by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama.
April 2008 (No specific date)
Gyalthang (Ch: Zhongdian) County, Dechen “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Yunnan province- Tibetans distributed posters.
In one particular region of Gyalthang County, many posters were
distributed. The messages of the posters read, “through happiness and
sorrow, we stand together.”
No specific date
China expanding military presence inside Tibet and its border regions
Ever since consistent demonstrations have taken place in all
three traditional provinces of Tibet, China has deployed its military
in all areas of Tibet and in all its border regions, including the
Nepal-Tibet border.
China also has laid out plans to call upon its experienced and
new local forces to assist the military in placing restrictions on
people, until the summer Olympics are done.
In each of the towns in Sershul (Ch: Shiqu) County, Karze (Ch:
Ganzi) “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Sichuan province, 10 military
personnel and 70 local forces have been deployed to restrict peoples
movement. Preparations are also being made for possible incidents in
the future which may require more military to be called in.
In Markham (Ch: Mangkang) County, Chamdo Prefecture, Chinese
authorities are investigating the backgrounds of each family, after
which certain individuals are being called upon to serve for the local
forces.
