News – Page 41

26/05/2014 News

Plight of Tibetan ‘substitute teachers’ in Rebkong County

Tibetan 'substitute teachers' petition local government authorities on 30 April 2014. (Photo: Tibet Times) — Tibetan ‘substitute teachers’ petition local government authorities on 30 April 2014. (Photo: Tibet Times)

In the People’s Republic of China, a ‘substitute teacher’ is someone who is employed to teach in a primary or middle school but is not on the official payroll and in the vast majority of cases are “high school graduates who did not go to a university or college.[i]

In contrast, their public teacher counterparts or ‘formal teachers’[ii] are expected to have “at least a three year college education” to work as a primary school teacher, while middle school public teachers “should have four years of university education”.[iii] Furthermore, unlike their substitute teacher colleagues, public teachers are on the official payroll.

In regards to rural Tibetan regions, substitute teachers have played a fundamental role in increasing the availability of education. However, despite playing a crucial role in providing education to some of the most disadvantaged regions in Tibet, they have never been granted the same degree of benefits as their public teacher counterparts.

19/05/2014 News / TCHRD Statements

Former abbot subjected to secret detention shortly after release from prison

Lodoe Rabsel, former abbot of Karma Monastery

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is deeply distressed to learn that Lodoe Rabsel, the former abbot of the historic Karma Monastery, was subjected to secret detention for more than a week soon after he was released on completion of his two years and 6 months prison term.

According to information received by TCHRD, Lodoe Rabsel was released on 5 May 2014 from the high-security Powo Tramo Prison (also known as Bomi Prison) located in Pome (Ch: Bomi) County in Nyingtri (Ch: Nyingchi/Linzhi) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

Upon release, authorities banned the senior monk from wearing his monastic robes, joining his monastery or resuming his religious practice. Before his imprisonment, he served as the abbot of Karma Monastery in Karma (Ch: Gama) Township in Chamdo County, Chamdo( Ch: Changdu) Prefecture, TAR. Karma Monastery, founded by the 1st Karmapa Duesum Khenpa in the 12th century, is the original monastery of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

18/05/2014 News

China expands new measures to directly control Tibetan monasteries

Tsultrim Kalsang, 25, one of the brightest students and an exceptional scholar at Nyatso Zilkar Monastery was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. — Tsultrim Kalsang, 25, one of the brightest students and an exceptional scholar at Nyatso Zilkar Monastery was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Chinese authorities in Yulshul (Ch: Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, in the Tibetan province of Kham has begun implementing new repressive measures introduced in late 2011 to directly control and manage Buddhist religious institutions in Tibet.

A source with contacts in Tibet told TCHRD that in recent months Chinese officials have been visiting Kyegudo and giving orders to Tibetan monasteries particularly those located in Trindu (Ch: Chenduo) County to replace all the monastic staff and management committee members with government and party appointees by 7 June 2014.

At Nyatso Zilkar Monastery located at Dzatoe (Ch: Zaduo) Township in Trindu County, a government appointed Monastery Management Committee (MMC) has already replaced the previous Democratic Management Committee (DMC) whose term of five years had not expired. The replacement took place earlier this month although TCHRD is unable to immediately confirm the exact date due to extreme restrictions on communication channels. The authorities accused the previous management committee of failing to maintain stability since numerous protests including self-immolation had occurred at the monastery in recent years notably in 2012 when Nyatso Zilkar monks were arbitrarily detained, beaten up, and sentenced including Tsultrim Kalsang, 25, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

15/05/2014 News

Monk disappears after sending protest writings to Chinese cadres’ phones

A Tibetan monk has disappeared after sharing his writings criticizing Chinese rule to the mobile phones of Chinese cadres stationed at Tsenden Monastery in Sog (Ch: Suo) County in Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

Sources told TCHRD that Choeying Kalden, 20, a monk at Tsenden Monastery was detained by Sog County Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers on 16 March 2014. The monk had shared his writings among his friends as well as Chinese ‘work team’ members through social media.

It is still not known where he is detained. Local Tibetans believe that he had been taken to Nagchu area although the exact location of his detention is not known.

Choeying Kalden, whose lay name is Athog, hails from Yeggu Village of Yagla (Ch: Yala) Township in Sog County and is the son of Mr Lhakhyil and Mrs Bumsang. He often used to write essays and poems on Tibetan culture and identity under the pseudonym Sog Thug (Eng: ‘Mongolian Child’). Some of his writings have now become available outside Tibet and are being shared through the popular instant messaging app WeChat owned by Chinese company Tencent (see images).

01/05/2014 News

FIGHT THE BLACKOUT IN TIBET: World Press Freedom Day Campaign

‘Fight the Blackout’ campaign aims to highlight and end the extreme restrictions put on independent journalists and human rights monitors to visit and assess the ground situation in Tibet as Tibetans continue to self-immolate in protest and become victims of human rights abuses.

An initiative of Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), ‘Fight the Blackout’ campaign has been active online mobilizing support from the civil society including individuals and groups and reminding the larger humanity about the significance of the World Press Freedom Day, observed globally every year on 3 May, a day for governments to remember their duty to uphold the right to freedom of expression, a fundamental human right; a day to assess the state of press freedom throughout the world and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty; and a day to remember the restrictions imposed upon press freedom throughout the world, including in Tibet.

25/04/2014 News / TCHRD Statements

TCHRD commemorates 25th birthday of Tibet’s disappeared Panchen Lama

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the XIth Panchen Lama of Tibet

Today marks the 25^th birthday of the XIth Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, one of the most important spiritual leaders of Tibet, who disappeared when he was 6 years old.[i] This is the 19^th year in succession when Tibetans have to commemorate the birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima in his absence.

On 14 May 1995, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognised Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a son of nomadic parents, as the reincarnate Panchen Lama. A day later, the boy and his parents were disappeared from their home in Lhari County in Nagchu Prefecture in Central Tibet.[ii] The Chinese government initially denied allegations that he had been disappeared by Chinese government agents. A few months after the disappearance, Chinese government appointed Gyaltsen Norbu as its own Panchen Lama.

07/04/2014 News / TCHRD Statements

12 Years Too Many: Release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche on medical parole

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) observes with deep concern the 12th anniversary of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s arbitrary arrest on 7 April 2002 which eventually led to life imprisonment.

Popularly known as A-Nga Tashi, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is a highly-respected lama in Lithang County, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, in the Tibetan province of Kham. Rinpoche is renowned for his active involvement in the restoration of Tibetan culture and religion, social welfare activities and his bold statements about repressive Chinese policies in Tibet. On 5 December 2002, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and his nephew Lobsang Dhondup were sentenced to death with two years’ reprieve and death sentence respectively. Lobsang Dhondup was executed but Rinpoche’s suspended death sentence was commuted to life due to international pressure.

04/04/2014 News

Writer among two sentenced to harsh prison terms of 10 to 13 years in Diru County

Tibetan writer Tsultrim Gyaltsen, also known as Shokdril, and his friend Yulgyal, from Diru County, Eastern Tibet, have been sentenced to thirteen and ten years of prison respectively, according to a source from inside Tibet.

They were believed to have been sentenced on 28 October 2013.

On 27 September 2013, in defiance of the Chinese government, Tibetans, including those from Mowa and Monkhyim villages, Diru County, not only refused to fly the Chinese national flags, but also threw them in the Gyalmo Ngulchu (Salween/Nu) river.

Since then, Tibetans in the area have been protesting against the Chinese government policies.

On 28 September 2013, more than a thousand Tibetans gathered and launched hunger strikes throughout the night in front of the offices of the People’s Government in Diru County.

04/04/2014 News

Monk sentenced to 18 years in prison in restive Diru County

Chinese security forces have stepped up their repression of Drong Na Monastery whose principal chant master was recently sentenced in secret to 18 years in prison in Diru (Ch; Biru) County in Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), in the Tibetan province of Kham.

Thardoe Gyaltsen, the monastery’s principal chant master was sentenced on an unknown date in January 2014 even as other monks were forced to stop their religious activities, shut down their monastic quarters and an unknown number were also detained. The monastery has about 90 monks. Gyaltsen was detained in December 2013 but his family members and relatives had no clue on the location of his detention. It is not clear on what charges he was sentenced.

Local Tibetans are of the view that Gyaltsen was primarily targeted for starting Tibetan language and culture classes in the monastery, which became quite popular as around 300 students attended these classes. “The classes have made enormous contribution in preserving and promoting Tibetan language and culture in the local area. Therefore under various pretexts of committing political crimes, the Chinese authorities forced [the monastery] to shut down the classes, with the aim of preventing the study of Tibetan language and culture. The police just barged into the monastery, ordered monks to close down their residences and detained chant master Thardoe Gyaltsen on charges of committing political crimes,” said the source. At present, no religious activities such as holding daily prayer sessions are allowed at the monastery.

03/04/2014 News

China sentences two Tibetan village leaders to 10 years’ imprisonment in Diru County

Trigyal, resident of Mokhyim Village was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Chinese authorities have sentenced in secret two Tibetan village leaders to 10 years in prison in the restive Diru (Ch; Biru) County in Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), in the Tibetan province of Kham.

Both men Ngangtak, 54, and Rigsal, 31 were sentenced on 14 January 2014 for allegedly failing to fulfill their duties as villager leaders and in the case of Ngangtak, for instigating fellow villagers against the Chinese authorities. They were village leaders in Mokhyim Village in Diru County. Ngangtak was accused of holding of a secret political meeting with 17 others at his home last year.

A source with contacts in Tibet told TCHRD that both men were detained and disappeared on 24 November 2013. Their whereabouts and condition continue to remain unknown to their family and friends. The exact charges for which they were sentenced are not known. Family members of both men were not informed about the detention and subsequent sentencing. News of their sentencing became known through unnamed sources in Diru County Public Security Bureau (PSB) office.

01/04/2014 News / TCHRD Statements

Roar of the Snow Lion: Tibetan writer Tashi Rabten released after 4 years in prison

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) welcomes the release of writer Tashi Rabten, also known as Theurang, who served four years at Mianyang Prison in Sichuan Province. He was sentenced on charges of “inciting activities to split the nation” by the Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Intermediate People’s Court on 2 June 2011.

Tashi Rabten was a student at the Northwest Nationalities University in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. He went missing on 26 July 2009, when the university closed for summer vacation. His whereabouts remained unknown until 6 April 2010 when he was traced to a detention center in Ngaba’s Barkham County.

The sentencing of Tashi Rabten violated, among others, article 19 of the United Nation’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which calls for the protection of freedom of expression. China signed the ICCPR in 1998 and since then it has dragged its feet on ratifying the covenant despite numerous recommendations from UN member states during China’s first and second Universal Periodic Review in 2009 and 2013 respectively.