The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has received confirmed information that the Chinese authorities have arrested 27-year-old Jampa Dhondup in the afternoon of 19 March 2009 over his alleged involvement in the farming boycott movement that is gaining momentum in the eastern Tibet region of Kardze in Sichuan Province. Jampa Dhodup is a monk of Tse-Tsang Monastery and originally hails from Phogyis-nang Tseg-leg Village, Lhoe-pa Township, Kardze County, Kardze "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture", ("TAP"), Sichuan Province.
Tibetans in Kardze region have led a civil disobedience movement of farming boycott that is in defiance of the prevalent repressive policies being initiated and implemented by the Chinese authorities against the Tibetans. In retaliation against the movement, an official announcement was made that "anyone who defies farming will face arrest and their land will be officially confiscated."
According to confirmed information received by the TCHRD, several members amongst Jampa Dhondup’s family have been involved in peaceful protest march in the spring 2008 in the Kardze region. Tashi Namgyal, Jampa’s elder brother has been on the run after he participated in a peaceful protest in Sertha County on 17 March 2008 and a subsequently arrest warrant was issued against him by the county PSB. His elder sister, Lhagha, a nun of Pangri-na Nunnery was arrested for participating in peaceful protest march in Kardze County on 14 May 2008. Though she was released later on, she has to present herself before county PSB officials every week. A 60 year old mother, a sister and a wife and two small children of his elder brother Tashi Namgyal, are the only family currently at home.
Kardze witnessed number of protests against the Chinese authorities since March 2008 and people from different walks of life joined the protests with majority of them constituting youths. The protesters were subsequently detained, arrested and sentenced by the Chinese authorities. Since March 2009, it is believed that at least 28 incidents of protests were reported from the Kardze region and more than 60 Tibetans were detained and arrested for their involvement in the peaceful protest demonstrations.
