The People’s Republic of China recommenced implementation of the “patriotic education” campaign in monastic institutions in Tibet, according to testimonies received from Tibetan monks who fled into exile.
There has been a noted rise in the intensity of the campaign, which is being carried out vigorously in the monastic institutions in and around Lhasa City, “Tibet Autonomous Region” (‘TAR’). Monks who fled Tibet in the aftermath of the campaign reported expulsions of monks from their monasteries.
Three young Tibetan monks, who escaped from Tibet in September 2005, reported conduct of “patriotic education” in June 2005 in their monastery, Talung Monastery located in Phenpo Lhundrup County, Lhasa Municipality, ‘TAR’. The monastery which housed around 120 monks reportedly has only 20 monks who are registered with the Religious Bureau. Earlier the monks were issued with five different political literatures to study; two additional literature were distributed in June 2005. The monks were notified that officials from the County Religious Bureau would arrive in the monastery in July 2005 to conduct examinations. Monks, above 18 years of age, were ordered to condemn the Dalai Lama as a “separatist,” and to pledge loyalty to the mainland China during the next visit of the officials. Upon learning the pre-requisites set by the authorities for enrollment in monastery, a large number of monks left the monastery voluntarily before the arrival of the officials.
