staff – Page 18

15/03/2013 News

China calls for bilingual policy, crackdown on immolations

A special team of Chinese officials recently visited four different schools in Tsolho (Ch: Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, to carry out propaganda activity on “anti-immolation special struggle” including campaigns to “instill respect for constitutional provisions on bilingual education policy”, an official Chinese daily reported.[i]

The propaganda campaign was aimed at snuffing out self-immolation protests and shoring up compliance for the controversial bilingual education policy. According to the report, cadres and work teams from Provincial Education Committee and Provincial Department of Education visited Tsolho from 6 to 7 January to implement anti-immolation campaign and guiding the masses on bilingual education policy.

14/03/2013 News

Theurang: Fighting for universal human rights is an act of seeking truth

Tashi Rabten (pen name: Theurang) is a Tibetan writer and poet who is serving a four-year sentence in Mianyang Prison, Sichuan Province. He graduated from North-West University for Nationalities and wrote for the now-banned Tibetan language journal “Shar Dungri” and also published “Written in Blood”, a compilation of his poems, notes and writings on the situation in Tibet following the 2008 protests.

On the fifth anniversary of 14 March 2008 protest in Lhasa, TCHRD has translated and edited one of Theurang’s essays written before his arrest and subsequent imprisonment in 2009. The essay was republished in exile in the book “Reflections on 2008 Protests: a Collection of Essays by Tibetan Intellectuals in Tibet”, by Domey Editorial Committee, Dharamsala, India.

13/03/2013 News

Two Tibetans, monk and singer, sentenced to prison

A monk and a singer had been sentenced to five years and six years respectively by a Chinese court in Siling (Ch: Xining), capital of Qinghai Province.

On 23 February 2013, Lobsang Jinpa, 31, a monk from Nyatso Zilkar Monastery was sentenced to five years in prison, according to reliable information received by TCHRD. The monastery is located in Tridu (Ch: Chenduo) County in Kyegudo (Ch: Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

13/03/2013 News

Kirti monk detained for second time in two years

Chinese authorities have detained a monk from Kirti Monastery on the eve of the 54^th anniversary of Tibetan uprising day in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.

According to reliable information received by TCHRD, Tsepak, 29, was detained at around midnight on 9 March from his aunt’s home in the eastern part of Kirti Monastery in Ngaba County. Tsepak had been staying there for some time taking care of his sick aunt.

12/03/2013 News

Guest Post: Remembering a noble soul on his second death anniversary

By Jayang Jinpa*

The noble soul Sangye Gyatso was born in 1969 in a nomadic village called Lha De Sangkhog in Amdo, Eastern Tibet. His father’s name was Gobha and mother’s Soelo. At the age of 16, he became monk and joined Thoesamling dratsang (college), at the famous Labrang Tashikyil Monastery. He was regarded as one of the brightest students in his class when it came to learning Buddhist texts. In 1991, when he was 23, he left for India to do further studies. He joined Gomang dratsang at Drepung Monastery, South India. The weather of the sub-continent was not suitable to his health. After studying for nearly three years at Drepung, he returned to his homeland. His passion for Buddhist studies did not die down however; once again he joined the Labrang Tashikyil Monastery.

11/03/2013 News

China launches crackdown on personal cellphones in Lhasa

After setting satellites dishes and broadcast equipment on fire, Chinese authorities in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, have now begun implementing a campaign to search personal cellphones owned by Tibetans, particularly those in monastic institutions.

According to information received by TCHRD, the crackdown on personal cellphones was launched on 10 March 2013, which is also the 54th anniversary of Tibetan uprising day in Lhasa. On 7 March this year, sources said a group of special team dealing with cellphone security arrived in Lhasa. Everyone in the special team from Beijing is expert on cellphone technology.

11/03/2013 News

China arrests five Tibetans on uprising anniversary

Chinese authorities arrested five Tibetans in Sershul (Ch: Serxu) County in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, on the 54th anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising day on 10 March 2013.

According to information received by TCHRD, at around 11 am (local time) on 10 March 2013, three Tibetan monks from Ganden Samten Dhargyeling Monastery in Dzachuka area in Sershul County staged a protest march in the County town and got arrested along with two other lay Tibetan men who tried to persuade the monks from protesting for fear of arrest.

The source told TCHRD that the monks shouted slogans for “freedom, democracy, and the need for a Middle Way approach to solve the Tibet issue.” They carried a huge flag emblazoned with a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

04/03/2013 News

Uncle of Tibetan self-immolator sentenced to prison

A senior monk who is also an uncle of a Tibetan self-immolator was sentenced to prison early this month on charges that he carried the ashes of his nephew from Rongwo Monastery to his nephew’s home during a procession last year in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

According to information received by TCHRD, Yarphel, 42, a monk from Yershong Monastery was sentenced to one year and three months in prison. Recent propaganda documents distributed by Chinese authorities had criminalised any kind of processions or rallies that pay tribute to the memory of those who died of self-immolations.

20/02/2013 News

Monk survives self-immolation but loses both legs

A Tibetan monk who self-immolated in protest against the Chinese government in February last year has survived but had both of his legs amputated, according to information received by TCHRD.

Sonam Rabyang, 42, a monk from Lab Monastery set his body on fire on 8 February 2012 at Triwang (Ch: Chen wen) town, capital of Tridu (Ch: Chenduo) County in Yulshul (Ch: Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province.

20/02/2013 News

Two teenage Tibetans die of self-immolation protest

Two Tibetan youths died of self-immolation protest yesterday at Kyangtsa Township in Dzoege (Ch: Zoige/Ru’ergai) County in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.

According to reliable information received by TCHRD, Rinchen, 17, and Sonam Dhargye, 18, set their bodies on fire to protest Chinese government repression at around 9.30 pm (local time) yesterday in Kyangtsa Township. Both hailed from Gardong Village in Kyangtsa Township. It is not known at the moment what slogans they shouted. Both died at the protest site and their bodies have been taken to their homes.

18/02/2013 News

Eyewitness account of Tibetan self-immolation in Nepal

TCHRD has received an eyewitness account of self-immolation protest staged by Drubtse on the third day of Tibetan New Year, 13 February, in Boudanath, Kathmandu, Nepal.

The eyewitness, a foreign tourist, who wants to remain anonymous, on account of the sensitivity of the issue, had a chance encounter with Drubtse moments before he self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet.

“We arrived at galleria café in Boudanath around 8. 15 am. We were to have our breakfast, when a young Tibetan guy, probably between 20-25 years old, came forward to speak to us. He then spoke about Tibet and said that it is a beautiful land and he loved it so much,” said the eyewitness.