In July 1996, Dorjee (Family name; Khangtsiri), a 66 year-old man of Tse-Gorthang, 124 km south-west of Chabcha Dzong in Amdo (ch: Qinghai Province), died after he was beaten up by members of the people’s Armed Police and the public Security Bureau.
The authorities who visited the town raided all of the houses and imposed fines on those Tibetans in whose houses photos of His Holiness the Dali Lama were found. Dorjee, who was incapable of paying the heavy fine ranging from 5000 to 6000 yuan, was told to either pay the amount by 1997 or else half of his land would be confisticated.
When he challenged the authorities Dorjee was severely beaten and had to be hospitalised. Twenty days later he died.
On May 1996 a monk of Ganden Monastary was shot dead by Chinese troops who opened fire after the monks refused to fall in with the orders regarding the ban of photographs of the dalai Lama. A bullet entterred the lower back of 40-year-old Kalsang Nyandrak who died several days later. Five other monks of Gaden Monastery are reported to have received bullet wounds including Gelek Jinpa a 14-year-old monk who was also severly beaten up by the police.
Kunchok Tenzin is a 31-year-old primary school teacher of Tibetan lamguage from Yakla sub county of Sog District, Nagchu. In April 1996 he was released from Nagchu Detention Centre.
Konchok Tenzin’s release was prompted by his critical physical condition. While in detention Kunchok was repeatedly tortured which caused severe swelling in his body. Today Kunchok Tenzin cannot walk without support.
Kunchok Tenzin had been arrested in February 1995 on suspicions of his role in the pasting of wall posters calling for a “Free Tibet” in 1995.
On 27 October 1996 Yungdrung, a 24 to 25-year-old Tibetan artist was found in a state of severe shock in a public toilet in the Bharkor area of Lhasa. Yungdrumg ws described as “cowering with terror” when he was discovered, apparently as a result of having been torured in custody.
Yungdrung had been arrested in connection with his portraits of the Dalai Lama and had spent the previous 58 days in Gutsa Detention Centre.
On April 1996 Jamyang Yeshi, a student monk of the “Nga-rig Kye-tselling” school at Kumbum monastery was released for medical reasons after two weeks of detention. Jamyang Yishi was among the group of 25 students of the school who were arrested and detained for pasting independence posters and leaflets in the monastery.
Jamyang Yeshi was reported to be in coma when he was released earlier than the other student monks and is said to have remained unconcious for some days following his release.
Extended sentences
Ngawang Sangdrol is a 19-year-old nun from Garu Nunnery who is presently in Drapchi Prison. On 3 July 1996 she was sentenced to an additional nine years imprisonment. Ngawang had reportedly refused to stand an official entered her prison cell and later, when she and other nuns were punished for not cleaning their rooms, had shouted “Free Tibet”.
Ngawang Sangdrol was first sentenced to three years imprisonment in June 1992 for attempting to stage a demonstration in the Bharkor area of Lhasa. In September 1993 her sentenced was incresed by six years for singing and recording nationalistic songs while in Drapchi Prison with 13 other nuns.
Ngawang Sangdrol is now serving a total sentence of 18 years, the longest known sentence of any Tibetan female political prisoner.
Ngawang Pekar, a 34-year-old Drepung monk, was halfway through an eight-year sentence in Drapchi Prison when it was extended by six years. In August 1995 Ngawang had been caught trying to smuggle a list of political prisoners and a document describing human rights violations in the prison out of Drapchi. He was subsequently placed in solitary confinement for four months at Outridu Detention Centre after which he was moved once again to Drapchi.
Ngawang Pekar was originally arrested on July 1989 for putting up independence posters and participating in a demonstration. Following his sentence extension on 13 March 1996. Ngawang is now serving a total sentence of 14 years.