In the recent few months after the outbreak of the major protests across the Tibetan plateau since March 10, 2008, a few more cases of, particularly, the enforced and involuntary disappearance of Tibetans are beginning to surface. According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), there are at least more than a thousand Tibetans whose current whereabouts and well being remains completely unknown to their family members and their affiliated monasteries.
A number of monks of Drepung Monastery in Tibet were detained by the Chinese security officials in and around 12 April 2008 following the monks’ protest against Chinese “Work Team” who paid a visit to the monastery to conduct “Patriotic Education” Campaign, according to confirmed information received from reliable sources by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
The “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR” ) authorities sent the “Legal Information Education” “Work Team” as a part of the “patriotic education” campaign to Drepung Monastery in and around 12 April 2008, according to the official mouthpiece, Xinhua, dated 13 April 2008.
In the past few days, since the 10th March Commemoration of the People’s Uprising Movement of Tibet, although information is hard to come by, a few confirmed accounts are trickling out about protests, arrests, detentions and restrictions all around Tibet amidst severe control of information flow. Tibet is said to be increasingly reeling under a tense situation following a recent spate of peaceful protests by monks of three main monasteries in Lhasa that have now rippled across eastern and far north eastern Tibetan areas of Amdo and Kham. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has received numerous confirmed reports concerning the recent spate of protests, subsequent arrests and detentions of people having taken place inside Tibet and have compiled a list of protests and subsequent arrests in chronological order as follows
There are credible reports on the arrest of a monk of Drepung Monastery, five people in Labrang Tashikyil Monastery and two other from Kardze region of Tibet for celebrating the US Congressional Gold Medal Award to the Dalai Lama despite severe restriction and control imposed by the Chinese authorities, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
Hundreds of Tibetans in their best attire converged early in the morning at Lingkor Road and Barkhor Street in Lhasa for customary observance of Sangsol(incense burning prayer that involve throwing tsampa in the air for success and good fortune) and visited monasteries in large number to offer prayers despite Chinese authorities imposition of severe restriction and vigilance in Tibet ahead of and during the US Congressional Gold Medal Award ceremony for the Dalai Lama on 17 October.
The Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court has sentenced Sonam Gyalpo, 44, to twelve years in jail on charges of “endangering state security”, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). He is currently imprisoned at Chushul (Ch: Qushui) Prison located in the west of Lhasa City.
Prior to the sentencing, which reportedly took place around mid 2006, he was held in detention at Seitru Detention Centre (“TAR” PSB Detention Centre). Sonam’s family appealed to the High Court to reconsider the sentence but to no avail.
Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital is currently under intense restrictions following a crackdown order issued by the “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR”) government authorities on monks sitting on mass silent protest, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). Reportedly the situation is tense and the monastery under tight control by the Chinese authorities.
Since the first week of October 2005, “work team” officials have been conducting the “patriotic education” campaign in the monastery. During the Campaign, on 23 November 2005, the monks were ordered to sign a document denouncing the Dalai Lama as a “separatist” and to pledge their loyalty to the Chinese government by accepting “Tibet as a part of China”. The monks showed their disagreement to the official directive and refused to sign the document. Among the monks, five showed strong reactions against the document and the officials. They were immediately expelled from the monastery and handed over to the Public Security Bureau (PSB) Detention Centres in their respective places of origin.
Ngawang Jangchub, 28 years old, died in the first week of October 2005 under mysterious circumstances in his quarter in Drepung Monastery, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). He was found dead a day after he had a heated argument with “work team” officials conducting the “patriotic education” campaign in the monastery.
The “work team” officials have arrived in the monastery in the beginning of October 2005 to conduct the campaign. As stipulated by the guidelines of the campaign, the monks in the monastery were required to condemn the Dalai Lama as a “splittist” and to pledge their loyalty to the Chinese government. Some of the monks refused to be “educated” and an argument erupted between them and the officials. It is reported that during the argument, Ngawang flatly refused to condemn the Dalai Lama calling him “the saviour for the present and the next life”. He told the officials that he had no regrets, even if he was to be expelled from the monastery.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received confirm information that Jampel Jangchub -member of the “Group of Ten”- has been freed around 7 March 2005. He was released after 16 years and four months imprisonment in Drapchi Prison. Jampelis now 43 years old and is reported to be suffering from heart and kidney ailments after years of torture and maltreatment in the prison.
Background information
Jampel Jangchub was born in Toelung Dechen County to the south of Lhasa City, “Tibet Autonomous Region”(“TAR”). He attended an elementary school for three years and later helped in the family field work.
Jamphel Monlam, also known as Dadul, is 30 years old. Jamphel’s desire to be part of Tibet’s freedom struggle was strong and he became involved in a political group in Drepung monastery, resulting in a five year imprisonment. Yet Jamphel says it was not the years behind bars that were the worst but the life after release. Release did not…