Chinese authorities issued two separate directives last month to prohibit the Tibetan monastic community and the general public from participating, either in person or remotely, in the Kalachakra religious teachings given by the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama in India. Organised by the Central Tibetan Administration, the 34th Kalachakra teachings began on 3 January and will go on until 14 in Bodh Gaya in the northern Indian state of Bihar.
Chinese authorities in Gansu Province last year issued an order to expel monks who had come from Tibetan areas outside Gansu to pursue their religious studies in monasteries (including the famed Labrang Tashikyil Monastery) located in the province.
This was revealed by Samten Jigme (name changed), a former Labrang monk, in his testimony to TCHRD. Samten Jigme fled Tibet and arrived in India this month.
The order is now being implemented at Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, according to Samten Jigme. (For more on Rongwo, please see here, here, and here)
Jigme Gyaltsen, 21, was a monk at Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. He joined Rebkong Monastery at 14. He was born in Kangtsa Village in Yadzi (Ch: Xunhua) County in Tsoshar (Ch: Haidong) Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Jigme Gyaltsen fled Tibet so that he could continue his religious studies in India, and to share the story of his friend and roommate Jamyang Palden, who passed away on 16 September 2012, six months after his self-immolation protest. Jigme Gyaltsen escaped Tibet in September 2012, travelling for one month and 22 days to reach India on 26 December 2012. He speaks to TCHRD:
“On 9 March 2012, Jamyang Palden, my roommate at Rongwo Monastery, set himself ablaze at Dolma Square near our monastery. Minutes after the self-immolation, monks took Jamyang Palden to a secure place in the monastery so that he would not get into the hands of the Chinese police. He was treated at the monastery for some months getting injections on his foot every month. There was not much hope for his survival as most of his body had burnt beyond treatment. Monks took turns to take care of him. He could not talk much and his voice was low. He could not eat much, just some diluted Tsampa porridge and kept saying, ‘My wishes are not fulfilled.’
Chinese authorities have now heightened the campaign to eradicate all avenues of receiving Tibet-related radio and TV news available on foreign channels by issuing a public notice, which announced monetary fines and actions for those who fail to surrender banned satellite dishes and other broadcast equipment by 27 January 2013. The notice, dated 24 January 2013, declared Yuan 5,000 fine and “other consequences” for those who use satellite dishes and other equipments to watch programs on foreign channels.
Chinese Communist Party and government officials are said to be vigorously implementing the contents of the notice in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Restriction is said to be severe in Rongwo Monastery, sources told TCHRD.
According to the confirmed information just received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), on 16 March 2008, a fresh protest broke out in Rong Gonchen Monastery, Rebkong County (Ch: Tongren xian), Malho Prefecture (Ch: Huangnan) “Tibet Autonomous Prefecture”, Qinghai Province.
According to reliable sources within Tibet, around 300 monks of Rong Gonchen Monastery conducted Sangsol Prayer (Incense burning ritual) on the hill just behind the monastery during the early hours of the day. It was known that the monks performed Long Life Prayer Ceremony for the Dalai Lama. Shortly after the end of the prayer ceremony, the monks started peace march towards the government headquarters of Rebkong County which is located in the downtown market area which was later joined by lay people of the County.