Phuntsok Nyidon is 28 year old nun from Michungri Nunnery. She was sentenced to nine years and later eight years imprisonment, first for a peaceful demonstration and then for singing independence songs. Her dedication to the cause of human rights in Tibet earned the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1995. Phuntsok Nyidon (father: Tashi Wangpo, mother: Palkyi) was born in…
Lhundup Ganden (layname-Tashi or Tashi Gyatso, also known as Ganden Tashi), born in 1968, is a 28 year old former Ganden monk. He arrived in Dharamshala, India, on 18 December 1996 and spoke with TCHRD the following day. On 5 March 1988, Lhundup Ganden and other Ganden monks were arrested for demonstrating and demanding the release of a Youlo Dawa…
Thupten Tsering is a 70 year old monk, formerly of Sera monastery. He arrived in Dharamshala on December 18, 1996 and spoke with TCHRD the next day. Thupten Tsering entered Sera monastery at the age of seven. From 1956 to 1959 he served as the treasurer or store-keeper at the monastery. During the 1959 uprising, Thupten tsering and others were…
First detained in 1987 for peaceful demonstrations, Ngawang Phulchung has relentlessly championed the education of Tibetan people regarding their human rights and democratic freedoms. The publishing of a complete Tibetan translation of the Universal declaration of Human Rights and the reporting of human rights violations within Tibet resulted in a 19-year sentence which he is presently serving. Ngawang Phulchung joined…
According to a reliable source in Tibet, on 16 October 1996 Ngawang Choephel was transferred to Sangyip Prison. He is presently being held in cell 2, block 3.
On 18 November 1996, three Tibetan asylum-seekers were shot and wounded when Nepalese police opened fire on a group of escapees shortly after they crossed the border at Lamabhagar, 100 km north-east of Kathmandu. Several Tibetans were injured after being beaten by police batons. Two Tibetans, including a child, sustained head wounds. Police said they opened fire on the group…
The following testimony was taken from an interview conducted on 5 December 1996 by TCHRD. Tenzin Bhagdo, aged 23, from Lhokha of Drepung monastery, arrived in Dharamsala, India on 5 December 1996. He is one of the many monks who voluntarily left the monastery as a result of the threat of imprisonment by the Chinese authorities. Tenzin reports, “In order…
… “torture” means any act by which severe pain or suffering , whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining … information or a confession, punishing him … intimidating or coercing him … or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at…
According to a reliable source, Sholpa Dawa, who was arrested for the third time in August 1995, has finally received a sentence of 9 years. Sholpa Dawa, a tailor in Lhasa, was arrested for the first time on 29 September 1981 and sentenced to two years imprisonment for allegedly distributing pamphlets on the independence of Tibet. He was deprived of…
Following a week-long extraordinary meeting of the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party in Lhasa, the Tibet Central Committee launched a “Last Battle” against the Dalai Lama, aimed at eradicating any vestiges of the exiled spiritual leader’s influence from all levels of society. Their report stipulated that the anti-splittist campaign, launched in the region’s monasteries this year, must be broadened.…
A farmer from Eastern Tibet (name withheld) arrived in India this month and described the difficulties faced by Tibetan farmers under the discriminatory Chinese occupation. “A good harvest brings a farmer about 10,000 gyamas [1 gyama is approximately equal to 2 kgs]. The farmers are required to pay a tax of about 500 gyamas to the Chinese authorities. The farmers…