After days of protests in the different Tibetan areas of Gansu Province which saw the death of scores of Tibetans, the Chinese government sent thousands of troops on foot, trucks and helicopters into the area in an attempt to curb and hunt for protesters. Fresh public notices both in Tibetan and Chinese languages were posted around the county and security personnel are making public announcement of the notice through loud speakers, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
On 20 March, the public notice or ultimatum in disguise was jointly issued by the law enforcement authorities of Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture'” (‘TAP’) Intermediate People’s Court, Procuratorate, and Public Security Bereau. The notice mentioned the recent protests in Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe), Luchu (Ch: Luqu), Machu (Ch: Maqu), Chone (Ch: Zhouni), Tewo (Ch: Diebu) Counties and in Hezuo city.
The public notice posted around all these counties and towns yesterday warned protesters – or criminal as the notice called them to surrender until midnight of 25 March. The notice says that those who turn themselves in will be treated leniently – but those who do not will be treated harshly, so is the case of those who shelter them. It is highly improbable given the nature of Chinese regime and its past record in dealing with Tibetan protestors in 1989 protest in Lhasa, many suspects the surrendered Tibetan protestors will actually receive any leniency as promised by the Chinese authorities. The prefecture law enforcement authorities have promised protection and rewards for those who surrender to the authorities. However, the actual arrest has already begun in house-to-house raid since yesterday.
More cases of arbitrary arrests, detentions and enforced disappearance of Tibetans in the late night raids in Sangchu and other counties are surfacing from these areas following issuance of public notice and massive launch of additional security forces into these counties. According to sources within Tibet, additional reinforcement of thousands of troops on foot, trucks and helicopters in Tibetan areas of Gansu and Sichuan Province were brought in as the government stepped up its hunt for protesters in the latest series of protests on the Tibetan plateau.
The official Chinese sources say that so far 170 Tibetans in Lhasa and 94 Tibetans from Phenpo Lhundrup County have ‘voluntarily surrendered’. Yesterday, the Lhasa City Public Security Bureau has issued a public notice on list of 21 people “wanted” as the main instigator or offender of the recent string of protests in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. Of which the photo identities of 14 people including monks were issued.
As of now, over 1000 Tibetan protestors were arrested, hundreds disappeared and the numbers are rising each day with more similar protests being reported from other parts of Tibet. The current situation in all parts of Tibet remains under intense restriction and vigilance. TCHRD fears more arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearances to take place in the coming few days. The Centre also expresses its deepest fear of torture on the Tibetan arrestees which is a regular feature in the Chinese administered detention centres and prisons in Chinese occupied Tibet. TCHRD appeals to the international community to urgently show their solidarity and act for the arrested Tibetan protesters and innocent arrestees