A Chinese government-owned newspaper has reported that the security forces shot dead two Tibetan brothers on 9 February 2012 in Drango (Ch: Luhuo) County, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.
The brothers’ death by gunshots was extensively reported earlier by exile Tibetan sources. However, the 11 February 2012 report in the Ganzi Daily News is the first confirmation of the case.
The report said Tibetan monk Yeshe Rigsal, aged 40 and his wounded brother Yeshe Samdrub, aged 38 were shot dead by the security forces.
Reporting the shooting deaths, the official Ganzi Daily News said at around 8 am (local time) on 9 February 2012, the Chinese security forces surrounded and cornered the two brothers and another unidentified Tibetan, who were hiding in the nearby hills in a nomadic area. The security forces shot Yeshe Rigsel and Yeshe Samdrup following which both died on the spot, the report said. The third unidentified Tibetan was reportedly arrested.
The two brothers were in hiding, fearing arrest after participating in a protest against Chinese government policies on 23 January 2012 in Drango County. The elder brother Yeshe Rigsal was among those Tibetans who had sustained gunshot wounds when Chinese security forces opened fire at protesters during the Drango protest.
TCHRD had earlier reported that 36 known Tibetans got injured with one Tibetan dying of gunshot wounds in the Drango protest.