A new, modern prison has been built in the northern outskirts of Lhasa, ICT has reported following a fact-finding mission to Tibet. Located close to Outridu Prison – Sangyip’s Fifth Unit, the new facility has two or three cell blocks of 12 to 14 cells each, and may be the Sixth Unit of the Sangyip complex. The lack of outdoor…
When Tsering Ngodup‘s advanced age determined that he could no longer be as physically active for Tibet, it did not affect his youthful spirit. In his fifties, Tsering, who ran a restaurant in Lhasa, would encourage his young customers to raise their voice for the cause of Tibet and for those who could sing the best patriotic songs he would…
A 30-year-old monk (name withheld) from Ewang monastery (popularly known as Chonang monastery) of Phuntsokling township under Lhatse county arrived in India in July 1997. He described how now even religious hermits are being forced to break vows and leave their retreats in order to attend Chinese “Re-education” sessions. The monk disclosed the circumstances by which he was compelled to…
Heavy taxes imposed by the Chinese authorities do not spare the poorest people of Tibet: the Tibetan nomads. Meat and “milk” taxes mean that a family may not have enough for long and savagely cold winters. Twenty-five-year-old Kalsang Tenzin is from Lungbo Tha, Bo Ra shang (township) in Sangchu county under Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (now incorporated into Qinghai province).…
A recent arrival from Tibet has reported the cases of three new prisoners currently detained without charge in Gutsa, the Detention Centre for the prefecture of Lhasa, located about five km from the city. Phuntsok Wangdu, a 30-year-old Ganden monk from Medro Gongkar, Gyama County, was expelled from Ganden Monastery in 1989 and came to India. After a short stay…
The flight across the Himalayas to escape the repressions of Chinese-occupation in Tibet is not the only risk Tibetan refugees face. Those who, after spending some time living abroad, choose to return to their homeland, may find themselves accused of illicit “espionage activities for western forces and the Dalai clique”. Such was the case for Ngawang Choephel, serving 18 years…
Tibet is China’s largest source of timber, with 7.6 million hectares of forests. Forest production accounts for 14 percent of the region’s gross domestic product. Tsawa Pashoe, Zogon, Markham, Chamdo, Kongpo, Dromo, Nangchen, and Bathang are only some of the mentioned areas in Tibet where major deforestation has been reported by recently arrived Tibetan refugees in India. Sonam Tashi from…
Namgyal Tashi is currently serving 8 years in prison. He has made an extraordinary number of sacrifices for the cause of Tibet. Namgyal Tashi spent his days painstakingly printing independence posters using wooden blocks and hand-crafting Tibetan flags for distribution. His family has also made more than their share of sacrifices. Namgyal Tashi’s son has also spent time in prison…
On 28th July, 6439 signatures from 22 countries were submitted to the Chinese Embassy in Delhi requesting that Mrs Sonam Dekyi be granted a visa to visit Tibet in order to see her son, Ngawang Choephel, currently serving 18 years imprisonment on charges of “spying” for the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. We sincerely thank all those who participated in the campaign and…
Between September and October of 1996, 308 Tibetan women in the sub-district of Takar in Chushur district under Lhasa City were sterilised over a period of 22 days. One woman died after forced sterilisation and another is reportedly in critical condition. One woman, three months pregnant at the time, was also forced by Chinese officials to abort her child. Between…
Nazod Trulku, the spiritual head of Nazod monastery and its 200 monks located in the south of Serta County, was sentenced in August 1996 to six years imprisonment. Reacting to the escalating Chinese mining activities in the area around the monastery, Nazod Trulku had printed and distributed environmental protest posters. The population of Serta city is 10,000, and today 80%…