On 22 March 2008, around hundreds of Tibetans carried out a peaceful protest in Markhul-thang Township, consisted of four villages, which is located in Chentsa County, Malho “TAP”, Qinghai Province in north-eastern Tibet according to information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
The Tibetans in Markhul-thang Township were carrying out special religious ceremony for a prosperous bounty harvest for this year. Shortly after the end of the ritual ceremony, several hundreds of Tibetans erupted into a peaceful protest by proceeding to the County headquarter chanting slogans.
According to sources, the peaceful Tibetan protestors were proceeding to the County Headquarter carrying a portrait of the Dalai Lama and the missing eleventh Panchen Lama Gedun Choekyi Nyima. In addition to that, the peaceful Tibetan protestors were carrying the banned Tibetan National flag and were shouting slogans “Long Live the Dalai Lama”, “The Dalai Lama to return to Tibet”, “Release the eleventh Panchen Lama Erdeni Gedun Choekyi Nyima” and “Freedom for Tibetan people”.
However, when the peaceful Tibetan protestors came near the County Headquarter, prominent local religious leaders requested the peaceful protestors to turn away from continuing their demonstration to avoid bloodshed and losing human lives. The demonstrators were later sent back to their respective places. Sources say that hundreds of Chinese security forces were expecting the peaceful protestors at the County headquarter in full combat kit to quell and disperse the peaceful protestors.
On 22 March 2008, many monks of Makur Namgyaling Monastery erupted into peaceful protest but were stopped by the Chinese security forces.
According to the latest development in the area, at least three Tibetan protestors were arrested by the Chinese security forces on the morning of 23 March 2008. The arrestees were Sherab, aged 40, Tabo aged 40 and Kunbo aged 20. Six other Tibetans arrested by the Chinese security forces on two separate raids have not been identified at the moment.
On 23 March 2008, around eight hundred Tibetans from Lha village, Nyarong Monastery, Lowa village and Meru village erupted into protest demonstrations. However the Chinese security forces stopped the peaceful Tibetan protestors when they were at a place called Lokog.
A large mobilization of Chinese paramilitary troops from Chinese city of Seling (Ch: Xining) to Chentsa County is on a full swing to quell the Tibetan protestors when the report last came in. The heavy security blanket is maintaining a close vigil on the protestors as well as patrolling the streets. The situation on the ground is said to be tense and volatile