Tibet
Today:
Press Release
According to reliable sources, a senior monk of Kirti monastery in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) county died on July 6 due to excessive pressure by the Chinese authorities. The monk identified as Jampel Gyatso aged 70 had been a patient of high blood pressure and stress, which was exacerbated by immense pressure the authorities exerted upon him following the expulsion of all the monks below the age of 18 years old and the launch of "patriotic education" campaign in the monastery. The expulsion of younger monks had led the monastery almost vacant, which the authorities did not wanted to for fear of public criticism. Therefore, the authorities ordered the return of all the monks by July 5 to the monastery, or otherwise they warned the monks would be arrested from their homes. These pressures from the authorities lead to deterioration of the health condition of Jampel Gyatso, and he passed away days later. Earlier in Kirti Dongri monastery under Ngaba county another monk called Lobsang Tsultrim committed suicide on July 3 for unable to bear the pressures of "patriotic education" campaign that was launched for the second time in this monastery. Before his death, Lobsang Tsultrim had expressed his anguish at the impending patriotic education campaign and complained about its severity. His elder brother found his body hanging in a wood-store of the monastery just five minutes after he left the quarter. Lobsang Tsultrim belonged to Meu Ruma village in Ngaba county. His father's name is Palkho and he was 16 years old. In our July 2 release we had reported about the arrest of three monks namely Yingchuk (aka Gyachuk Wangchuk, 18), Gephel (aka Gendun 19) and Sashi (21) from Nubsur monastery in Serta (Ch: Seda) county when they staged a peaceful demonstration on June 28 at around 2 p.m. local time. The next day on June 29, at the wee hours (around 4 a.m.) thousands of armed police raided the Nubsur monastery and surrounded it. About half of the armed police broke into the quarters of Yingchuk and Sashi, pillaging and destroying whatever came their way. The quarters were razed to dust. The armed police also stormed in Gephel's quarter and robbed off his precious belongings and destroyed all other articles including religious texts. It is estimated that property worth 20 thousand Yuans have been destroyed during the raid, including the quarters. Even the timbers from the rubbles were not spared and taken to the county headquarters by the authorities. A public notice disseminated by the Serta County authorities on June 29 charged the three monks (above named) of Nubsur monastery of having waved Tibetan Flag, distributed (anti-govt.) leaflets, shouted slogans demanding independence of Tibet and proclaimed that the monks would be fittingly punished for their illegal activities. The notice also blamed the Democratic Management Committee of the monastery for failing to control the monks while simultaneously asserting the need for reinvigoration of the patriotic reeducation of the monks according the laws. Those three monks who participated in the protests and anyone supporting them must be expelled from the monastery, the edict said. Those monasteries found to admit the expelled monks would be regarded as supporters of separatist forces and shall be dealt with accordingly, the notice had announced. A Tibetan youth injured after the Chinese security personnel opened fire during the Lhasa protest had died around end of June notwithstanding the treatments to save him. The youth identified as Anu (38) was a resident of Paljor Rabten Khang quarter in Lhasa and his parents were Rabgyal and Tsetan (both expired). Another Tibetan called Namlang, who sustained multiples injuries following his arrest and beatings in the prison has died in May. Namlang was arrested while participating in the peaceful demonstration in March in Phenpo and had been denied initial medical assistance, which deteriorated his condition. He was later treated in the county hospital but to no avail. Namlang hailed from dZong Shol village in Phenpo Lhundrup county and was 42 years old. He is survived by his wife, two children aged 8 and 15 years respectively and his grandmother aged 82 years. Conditions of two other Tibetans from the same county, who were injured during the above protest are said to be critical with little hope recuperation. One of them belongs to Loba Toe village while other is from Ding village, both in Phenpo Lhundrup county. view of the ongoing critical situation inside Tibet, we urge the United Nations and the International community and organizations to the following urgent needs:
- Tibetan Solidarity Committee
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