Five monks have gone missing since the raid by Chinese security officials on Ramoche Temple following protests in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, in March 2008.
According to information received by TCHRD, the whereabouts of Ramoche monastery’s Chagzoe (manager and treasurer) Sonam Rabgyal and four other monks cannot be ascertained. The monks were arrested during a midnight raid in monks’ residence on 7 April 2008.
Anxiety begin to grip the Tibetans as Chadrel Rinpoche, the 62-year-old former abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and Head of the Search Committee to identify the successor of the 10th Panchen Lama, fail to make an appearance even after expiry of his six years’ prison term May this year. Arrested on 17 May 1995 for “colluding with separatist forces”, Chadrel Rinpoche received court sentence only after two years.
According to information received by TCHRD, Tibetans in Lhasa and Shigatse including the monks of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery express grave concern over the dearth of news concerning Rinpoche’s expected release, his present whereabouts and health condition. Chadrel Rinpoche’s prison term of six years was to expire in May 2001. With no information available on Rinpoche’s release, the apprehension that Rinpoche might not actually be alive has become a daunting speculation.