Update on Tibet, 2 May 2008

Thursday, 2 May 2008, 6:20 p.m.

Update for Thursday, 2 May 2008, last updated 2 pm (IST) Re: Tibet Demonstrations

28 April 2008

Darlag (Ch: Dari) County, Golog “TAP,” Qinghai Province –Tibetan man shot dead by Public Security official

Following several subsequent peaceful protests in Darlag County since
21 March, the security forces and the armed forces have arrested
countless monks and lay people. Some Tibetan protesters have managed to
escape and have not yet been arrested. Additional armed forces and
security forces were deployed on 28 April to arrest the protestors who
had fled. One security official was also reported to have died in the
process of attempting to arrest those who had fled.

During an attempt by these officials to arrest protestors, a
monk named Choedhen alias Choetop (age 22) was shot dead on the spot by
the public security officials on 28 April. Below are his details.*

* In addition to the already released 64 total names and details
of Tibetans killed during the recent demonstrations, here we are
releasing 1 more name (with details) from the current death toll list.

Shugseb Nunnery, Tselnashang, Chushul (Ch: Chushui) County, Lhasa municipality-19 nuns and 4 monks arrested and detained

On 28 April, 19 nuns including Dangdug and Tsondue of Shugseb
Nunnery, and four monks from the Gangri-Thoekar Monastery, located
close to the nunnery, have been arrested by the County police for
organizing a peaceful protest in the region . They are being detained
in the Chushul County prison. The status of their well-being is
unknown. This event was triggered by a previous incident around 10
March, when 19 nuns from the Shugseb Nunnery organized a peaceful
protest march from their monastery to Nyen Thangla Chenmo. These nuns
were then arrested by the Chinese police and were detained in the
Chushul County prison.

Following which all the nuns from Chushul nunnery protested by
demanding the immediate release of all those nuns who were detained,
failing which they threatened that they will continue to organize more
protests. When the Chinese governmental “work teams” failed to control
the situation, Chinese armed police intervened in the situation.

Following this incident, all the nuns who were detained in the
county prison were released on 15 March. Meanwhile, on the evening of
the same day, some masked people, without any indication of their
gender, have reportedly beat some officials of the “work teams.” This
incident further led to the imposition of more restrictions within the
Monastery, suspecting those masked people to be nuns from the
monastery.

During the beginning of April, some more officials from the
“work teams” forced and harassed the nuns to denounce His Holiness the
Dalai Lama. These events in turn provoked the above mentioned 19 nuns
and the four monks from the Thoekar Monastery to hold a protest rally
in the area.

Currently, the armed forces have imposed tight restrictions
within the nunnery and the monastery. There are about 300 nuns in the
Shugseb Nunnery and about 20 monks in the Thoekar Monastery.

26 April 2008

Derge (Ch: Dege) County, Karze “TAP,” Sichuan Province-Arrest and protests continue

Tashi Gyaltsen, former abbot and Samphel, a chant master of the
Zakhog Monastery of Derge County were arrested at around 8 am, on 26
April. On 27 April, around mid-night, tutor Lobsang Dhonyoe, Phurga and
Tanam were arrested. Meanwhile, Tanam and Phurga were released early in
the morning the next day on 28 April. Others still remain detained and
the region continues to be under very tight restriction.

On 7 April, some flyers supporting Tibetan Independence were
found in the neighborhood of Zabharma Monastary area. No further
details are available.

Sershul (Ch: Shiqu) County, Karze “TAP,” Sichuan Province –Chinese governmental “work teams” attempt to beef up “Patriotic re-education campaign.”

On 26 April, a group of monks while refusing to sign some kind
of statements that lacked explanations of its purposes walked during a
“patriotic re-education” class at Bada Samdupling Monastery, in Tzenda
Township, Sershul County. Chinese governmental “work teams” were hoping
to conduct a more effective “patriotic re-education campaign” at the
monastery. Out of 70 monks who study at the monastery, Gelek Thapkhey
(age 27), Gelek Drakpa (age 28) and Tenzin Phuntsok (age 17) were
arrested during one of the protests in March in Lhasa. Further details
about where they are being detained remain unknown.

25 April 2008

Lhundrup (Ch: Lingzhi) County, Lhasa Municipality- A nun in critical condition after receiving beatings for her participation in peaceful protest

Around 20 people from the Gaden Choekhor town, who were arrested
during the protests in March, were transferred to Lhasa on 25 April. A
nun from Shar Bhumpa nunnery, from Gerpa family, Chugkha Jang village,
Phenpo Lhundrup County, who had participated in the protests in March
was severely beaten and injured and was admitted to the County
Hospital. Although, recently she was discharged from the hospital, she
was in a very bad condition. Currently, she is in a critical condition
at the County hospital.

17 April 2008

Sog (Ch: Sou) Dzong County, Nagchu (Ch: Naqu shen) Prefecture-Man arrested for opposing “patriotic-reeducation” class

During a “patriotic re-education” class being held on 17 April
in Yang-ngae village, Rawa Township, Sog County, Chinese police
arrested a man named Chambu Gudup (age 52) from Yonag village. He was
arrested for allegedly protesting against the Chinese government while
the class was being held.

15 April 2008

Labrang Tashi-kyil Monastery, Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe) County, Kanlho “TAP,” Gansu Province –Mid-night Raid in Monastery, three badly injured

On 15 April, the Chinese police performed a late night raid at
the monks’ quarters of Labrang Tashi-kyil Monastery in Sangchu County.
A group of monks were arrested. Among those arrested were three monks
from the Gyume Monastery (part of Labrang Tashi-kyil Monastery) .They
are LuShoepa Tenzin, Reptsa Gedun Nagdag, Sangkhog Jamyang Jinpa who
were also severely hurt and injured by the Chinese police after being
arrested and are currently admitted to a hospital. However, the
location of the hospital is not known.