Update for Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Tuesday, 15 April 2008, 5:00 p.m.
Update for Tuesday, 15 April 2008, last updated 2pm (IST)
Re: Tibet demonstrations
12 April 2008
Dartsedo (Ch: Kangding), Karze “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Sichuan province – China has no plans to slow down “patriotic re-education” campaign
All County officials and monastery heads from Karze “TAP” were called
for a meeting held in Dartsedo (the location for Karze “TAP”
Headquarters). The purpose of the meeting was mainly to enforce
guidance for conducting “patriotic re-education” classes.
In various Counties of Karze “TAP,” including Sershul, many
monasteries had rejected the “patriotic-re-education” classes that were
being conducted in March. In some monasteries, monks called for
dialogue between the China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. At the
meeting in Dartsedo, Chinese authorities demanded the heads of
monasteries to acknowledge that such demands were a big mistake.
Also during the meeting, announcements were made to each of the
monastery heads demanding that they host the Chinese flag on the
monastery rooftop. Announcements were also made such that the monks and
laypeople of Sershul County will have to acknowledge that His Holiness
the Dalai Lama was responsible for inciting the recent demonstrations,
and were made to promise that they would protest against the “Dalai
clique.”
The implementation of the announcements made during the meeting
was a failure since it was met with much resentment from the Tibetan
people.
Due to the failed outcome of this last meeting, another meeting has already been scheduled by the Chinese authorities.
8 April 2008
Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Ngaba “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Sichuan province – School shut down
The school of Tak-tsang Lhamo Kirti monastery has been closed
down by the concerned office of the Chinese Government. The school was
shut down after the students allegedly joined the protest by the monks
of Tak-tsang Lhamo Kirti monastery on March 15.
For monks (below the age of 18) and local children, the school
is the main institution to learn the Tibetan language and study the
cultural sciences.
The school was started in 1986 and presently has around 504
students. The school has been in great service to the monastery as well
as the local community.
3 April 2008
Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Ngaba “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Sichuan province – Details of monk beaten to death on April 3
As reported earlier, on April 3, a monk was beaten to death by
Armed Police in Ngaba County. We can now confirm his name and details.
The name of the monk killed was Gesang from Tse-soe family, Mehu-ru-ma
Thoe-shey village. He was around 32 years of age.
2 April 2008
Tsegor Thang (Ch:Xinghai) County, Tsolho “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,” Qinghai province –Portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama continues to be banned
A notice has been issued in Tsoshar, Tsegor Thang County,
demanding people not to hang portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
in their homes. The notice also said that if those people who are
“law-breakers” follow the “right path,” they will be exempt from
[punishment].
The house in which His Holiness the Dalai Lama was born and
raised for the first few years of his life has been locked down by
Chinese authorities.
No Specific Date
Tibetan prisoners being starved
A colossal number of Tibetans have been arrested and detained by
the Chinese. Those arrested are undergoing extremely harsh treatment
and with many being deprived of regular food.
On March 16-17, six to seven Tibetans from Gonjo (Ch: Gongjue)
County, Chamdo Prefecture, were arrested and detained in the Lhasa
Prison. After fining them 600 yuan they were released at a later date,
since their offences were considered relatively minor. The following
information is based on the eye-witness accounts of the Tibetans that
were arrested and imprisoned for a few days. After being arrested, the
above prisoners were taken to an over-crowded prison which held around
800 Tibetans.
At the prison, the detainees are being starved as they are
expected to survive on a piece of bread and a cup of tea, which they
are given only every four days. There are also reports of prisoners
being starved in Ngaba “TAP,” Sichuan province.
Similar harsh situations were also faced by Tibetans who were
arrested and detained during the 1989 Lhasa uprising. In March, 1989,
many Tibetans were arrested and detained in the Lhasa Prison. There
were over 500 Tibetans detained in this prison alone. The prisoners
were fed minimally. A few of the prisoners including Penpa (monk from
Tsug-lag-khang Temple, currently deceased) started to protest against
the lack of food provided by the prison authorities. The protest grew
in size and intensity after all the other prisoners joined the protest.
Those who started the protest were severely beaten by the prison
guards.
