04/02/2013 – TCHRD

04/02/2013 News

Buddhist scholar serving 20-yr sentence remain ‘missing’ for four years

Venerable Kunchok Nyima is a well-respected Buddhist scholar at Drepung Monastic University. In April 2008, he was detained on charges of being the ‘ring leader’ and the main instigator of protests that rocked Lhasa in March of that year. For the next two years, he remained ‘disappeared’ and no one knew where he was detained.

In June 2010, some Chinese government officials made an announcement at Drepung Monastery, admitting for the first time that they were holding Ven. Nyima who the officials said was sentenced for 20 years in prison on charges of ‘inciting’ and ‘abetting’ protests among Drepung monks.

Around 2009, a group of officials visited Ven. Nyima’s family in Thewo and showed them a CD recording that purportedly contained a message from Ven. Nyima. In the film, Ven. Nyima told his family that he was well and friendly with his prison guards and soldiers. He also told his family not to worry about him and asked his brother and sister to take care of his parents. But the authenticity of the video CD cannot be established so far.

04/02/2013 News

Labrang monk Jayang Jinpa reflects on his daring 2008 protest

Jayang Jinpa, 26, was among the 15 Tibetan monks who staged a daring protest in front of a group of international and Chinese journalists at Labrang Tashikyil Monastery in Sangchu County. On 9 April 2008, monks of Labrang Monastery interrupted the Chinese government-organized media visit that was carefully planned to show that Tibet was stable and that monks enjoyed freedom of religion and other human rights. The protest lasted for about 10 minutes but was quickly suppressed. And over a year, he spent time in the mountains trying to escape arrest. Jayang Jinpa who now lives in India tells his story (The following is a direct translation of Jayang Jinpa’s personal notes.)

I was born in December 1986 in Sangkhog Village in Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe) County, located in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province.

It is a nomadic village. My family is called Rilatsang. My father’s name is Choepa and mother’s name is Lhaye. I have four siblings – two older sisters and two younger ones. I will never forget the love and affection I have received in our family and the nomadic life that we lived.

04/02/2013 News

China detains uncle of Tibetan self-immolator in Rebkong

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.