Tag: tibet

Jigme Gyaltsen, 21, was a monk at Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. He joined Rebkong Monastery at 14. He was born in Kangtsa Village in Yadzi (Ch: Xunhua) County in Tsoshar (Ch: Haidong) Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Jigme Gyaltsen fled Tibet so that he could continue his religious studies in India, and to share the story of his friend and roommate Jamyang Palden, who passed away on 16 September 2012, six months after his self-immolation protest. Jigme Gyaltsen escaped Tibet in September 2012, travelling for one month and 22 days to reach India on 26 December 2012. He speaks to TCHRD:

“On 9 March 2012, Jamyang Palden, my roommate at Rongwo Monastery, set himself ablaze at Dolma Square near our monastery. Minutes after the self-immolation, monks took Jamyang Palden to a secure place in the monastery so that he would not get into the hands of the Chinese police. He was treated at the monastery for some months getting injections on his foot every month. There was not much hope for his survival as most of his body had burnt beyond treatment. Monks took turns to take care of him. He could not talk much and his voice was low. He could not eat much, just some diluted Tsampa porridge and kept saying, ‘My wishes are not fulfilled.’

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According to confirmed information received by TCHRD, on 2 February, at around 6 am, a monk named Lobsang Namgyal, 37, from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County committed self-immolation near the Public Security Bureau office in Dzoege (Ch: Ru’ergai) County in Ngaba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, in the Tibetan province of Amdo.

The monk, who died on the spot, was seen with running towards the police station, his body in flames, shouting slogans such as ‘May the Dalai Lama live for tens of thousands of years,’ sources told TCHRD.

Lobsang Namgyal 01
Lobsang Namgyal in an undated photograph

Later, the Chinese police found a bag on the site of self-immolation, in which they found the monk’s identity card and a letter, which confirmed the identity of the monk as Lobsang Namgyal hailing from Kirti Monastery. 

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As Tibetans in Tibet mourn the loss of lives in self-immolation protests by observing a quiet Losar (Tibetan New Year), the Chinese authorities are ordering Tibetans to celebrate the festival by announcing huge rewards, and punishments for those who disobey the order.

According to information received by TCHRD, days prior to Losar, which began 11 February, Chinese officials in Tsolho (Ch: Hainan) Prefecture, Qinghai Province, were seen visiting Tibetan villages in the area, ordering the Tibetans to celebrate the New Year.

Officials announced that villagers would be rewarded handsomely if they celebrate the New Year.  They warned that those Tibetans who did not celebrate would be deprived of financial help for farming and animal husbandry.

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A Tibetan man died a slow and agonising death, almost eight months after he was injured in a violent police crackdown on a protest staged by both lay and local Tibetans in March last year.

According to information received by TCHRD, Gyerig Thar, 35, succumbed to his injuries on 17 November 2012 at a hospital in Siling (Ch: Xining), capital of Qinghai Province. After sustaining serious injuries on his head during the police clampdown on the protest, Geyrig Thar spent the next eight months in the hospital unable to utter a single word. Sources said an explosive burst on his head causing serious injuries to his head. He was referred to some other bigger hospitals where he had to undergo three surgeries on his brain, but hopes for his survival remained weak among his family members even as he was receiving treatment. Sources say he was too weak to consume or retain his food or medicine in his body.   

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Amid news of heightened restrictions and increased detention, an uncle of Dorjee Lhundup, a Tibetan farmer who set his body on fire in protest against the Chinese government, was detained recently in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

According sources with contacts in the region, Yarphel, 42, uncle of Dorjee Lhundup, a farmer in his 20s, was detained on the morning of 2 February. Yarphel, a monk at Yershong Monastery, was detained along with fellow monk, Rabyang. Both were taken to the local police station and interrogated for long hours.

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A Chinese court has given heavy prison terms to six Tibetans “for their roles in an October self-immolation case,” reported the Chinese government-owned news agency Xinhua on 31 January.

On 23 October 2012, a Tibetan farmer, Dorjee Rinchen, 58,  died after setting his body on fire in protest against Chinese rule at Gyugya market on the main street of Sangchu county, which was located near a Chinese military camp. After the self-immolation protest, his body was taken to his home village Zayu in Sangchu. This was done to protect him from getting into the hands of Chinese officers. His family members were able to conduct necessary rites and rituals after his death. Security officers even tried to stop the Labrang monks from going to Dorjee Rinchen’s home for prayers.

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Today is the 64th International Human Rights Day, the day the United Nations proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) the highest form of human aspirations for freedom and human rights.

This year’s theme for Human Rights Day celebrates the rights of all people to freedom of opinion and expression, to peaceful assembly and association, and to participate in official decision-making process.

These rights have been denied to people in Tibet for over six decades. Peaceful protests have been suppressed by force by the law enforcement agencies of the Chinese government as it happened in January 2012 when armed police fired upon unarmed Tibetan protesters in Drango, Serthar and Dzamthang counties in Sichuan Province, killing five known Tibetans and injuring scores of others.

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The Chinese government has conferred awards on ‘harmonious’ monasteries and ‘patriotic’ monks and nuns at a ceremony held on 19 April 2012 in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

Reporting on the award ceremony presided over by TAR Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, the Chinese government-owned website, ChinaTibetnews.com said the recipients of the first award ceremony for the harmonious model monasteries and law-abiding, patriotic and advanced monks include 59 monasteries and nunneries, 58 Monastery Management Committees (MMCs), 6,773 monks and nuns, and 200 ‘outstanding cadres’ posted in monasteries in recognition of their good work.

The report said the ‘law-abiding advanced monks and nuns’ of the Harmonious Model Monasteries shall be awarded with government subsidies. These subsidies include free pension, medical insurance and an annual free health check up.

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Chinese police have arrested two more monks; identified as Gyatso and Lobsang Gendun, from the Kirti monastery in Ngaba, Sichuan Province.

Sources reported that on 21 November 2011, monk Gyatso was arrested and taken from his room by authorities. Gyatso, age around 42, is from the Ragtsa family in Mesip Village in Ngaba County. He was ordained as a monk at a young age. He was a teacher of the monastery’s school before the school’s closure. Many of his compositions have appeared in regional newspapers and magazines.

Lobsang Gendun, age 48, a former disciplinarian of the Kalachakra college at Kirti, was arrested and detained in mid October. He belongs to the Sego family in Kanyag Village, Trotsik Township.

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According to confirmed information received today, three Tibetans from Tawu (Ch: Daofu) County in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, had been arrested recently by Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers.  On 19 August, a Tibetan man named Norbu from Rinah Lungpa village of Tawu was arrested in Siyo near Chengdu. Moreover, Gyaltsen from Nyeshap village, was arrested on 21 August while he coming out of a hospital in Chengdu city where he was accompanying a relative for treatment. The third Tibetan who was arrested on 22 August remains unidentified. The charges against them, their present condition and whereabouts remain unknown.

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On 20 August 2011, monk Jigme Gyatso was arrested once again by the PSB from a hotel called ‘Z-hong Yan’ in Tsoe city (Ch: Hezou), Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. Sources say that before his arrest police and security personnel “raided” his room, thoroughly checking his belongings including his computer system. CD’s were also seized in the raid. There were around ten monks and few others present during Jigme’s arrest. They asked the police the reason for his arrest but the police did not answer.

Jigme a.k.a Jigme Gyatso of Labrang Monastery was first arrested on 28 March 2008 while returning to his monastery from market. He was detained and tortured for two months in detention center for his suspected role in 2008 Tibetan uprising.

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