101 known arrests in 1997

The latest reports have revealed a further five arrests in 1997, bringing the total number of known arrests in the year to 101. As with the majority of the arrests recorded for 1997, these five new cases involve monks who have shown support for the Dalai Lama or Tibetan independence.

On the night of August 18, 1997, two monks from Sog Tsendhen Monastery in Nagchu Sog County, Nagchu region, were secretly taken away by some officials from Lhasa. They were Namgyal Soepa (24) and Ngawang Gyaser(20).

Three days later. On August 21, two policemen came to the monastery and called Choeying Jamphel (23) for interrogation at the county office. It was around 3 or 4 pm. He was not been seen nor heard of since then.

On the night of August 23, Serpa Soechoe (80) was arrested. The door to his room was broken down and his monastic robes taken off.

These events made the monks of Tsendhen Monastery highly curious and a few of them went to the county officials. They were told that the Intelligence Bureau was taking care of the four  monks. Their disappearance remained a mystery until Ngawang Gyaser was relased after five weeks of secrecy. However Ngawang spoke little of his arrest for fear of repercussions and he knew nothing about the rest of the monks as they were all taken in separately.

It was later understood that the monks must have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in a bomb explosion in Sog Tsendhen county. They were also  linked to the series of wall posters that had  appeared around the county. Another source reported that they had been found in possession of speeches of the Dalai Lama.

Nothing is known of their present whereabouts nor their prison term.

Another 1997 arrest recently reported was that of Penpa, a 35 year old from Lhaden temple in Lhasa City who is also a former political prisoner.

Penpa was arrested for the second time on May 14 1997 by the “TAR” Intelligence Bureau. The reason given for his arrest was that he was connected with the hosting of the Tibetan national flag in front of Lhasa’s main temple. He was alleged to be the prime suspect regarding this incident.

Penpa was detained by the Intelligence Bureau and since then he has not been allowed any visitors. Recent reports indicate that Penpa is being detained in Outridu Prison no.4, however nothing is known to whether a sentence has been passed to him.

Penpa is from Tsangshalu in Lhasa. He was first arrested, together with seven other monks, on 8 March 8, 1989 for participation in a three-day demonstration in which many other Tibetans were also involved. Penpa and the seven other monks were held in Outridu Prison No.5 in Lhasa. Between March 5 and 7 more than 400 other Tibetans were arrested and detained for the same demonstration.

It was reported that Penpa and other monks protested against meager food rations by throwing their mugs out of the prison window. They said that if the prison authorities were not capable of feeding them. Then they might as well be released. Penpa was held responsible for having spearheaded the protest and as a result he was severely beaten.

After Penpa had been in Outridu Prison No.5 for two weeks, he was transferred to Outridu prison no.2 for special interrogations. He underwent worse beatings when he was alleged to have exhibited strong resentment during such sessions. His hands were handcuffed tightly behind his back throughout the sessions causing his shoulder blade to be injured.

Penpa was released after one year of detention. After his release, he was not permitted to rejoin the monastery and for some time he made his living by using car as a taxi before he was again arrested.

 

 

 

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