Annual Report, 1999 - Tibet: Tightening of Control
In 1999, TCHRD received 16 new cases of enforced
disappearance of Tibetans. Of the 12 cases of
disappearance reported in 1998, the whereabouts and
conditions of three persons remain unknown.
China consistently violates international law norms,
as there have been a number of politically related
disappearances. Tibetans are arbitrarily arrested for
staging peaceful protests, for not complying with the
members of the Chinese "work team", and taken into unknown
locations. The families of the victims also suffer as they
are not provided any information about the whereabouts
and condition of the victims. There have also been cases
of intimidation of relatives seeking information of the
arrested.
The fate of the 10 year-old boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima,
recognised by the Dalai Lama in 1995, as the reincarnation
of the XI Panchen Lama is unclear till date. It is not
known whether he is under house arrest or some other
form of custody. Conflicting reports speculate on his
whereabouts and state of health. Chinese authorities
repeatedly denied requests, including one by the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, for access to the boy.
Enforced disappearance has been understood to include
acts whereby "persons are arrested, detained or abducted
against their will or otherwise deprived of their liberty
by officials of different branches or levels of Government,
or by organised groups or private individuals acting on
behalf of, or with the support, direct or indirect, consent
or acquiescence of the government, followed by a refusal
to disclose the fate or whereabouts of the persons..."
Article 2 of the Declaration on the Protection of all
Persons from Enforced Disappearance states that:
No state shall practice, permit or tolerate enforced
disappearance.
Article 9(1) of the ICCPR guarantees that:
Everyone has the right to liberty and security of
person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or
detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except
on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as
are established by law.
Dakpa Gyaltsen,
a 24 year-old monk from Siling (Ch:Xining) Tibetan Medical
School in Sakyil village in Rebkong County, Malho "TAP" was
arrested on April 7, 1999 by the Rebkong County PSB. The
officials accused him of distributing pictures of the
Dalai Lama and the XI Panchen Lama, Gedhun Chokyi Nyima.
Gyaltsen is reportedly detained somewhere in Siling.
Dorpa,
a 33 year-old from Achok township in Sangchu County of
Gansu Province, Gannan "TAP" was reportedly detained in
1997. Chinese officials discovered a book on Tibetan
political history written by W. D. Shakabpa in his
house. He was sentenced to two and a half year's
imprisonment. After spending a year and a half in Chone
County Detention Centre, he appealed and was subsequently
released. He was a teacher in Ganlho Ethnic Middle
School. Since June-July 1998, his whereabouts is unknown.
Ngawang Choejor,
Tselo
and
Geyphel
were arrested at the end of 1996 for removing a Chinese
national flag and replacing it with a Tibetan national
flag in the Lhamo township Primary School. Choejor and
Geyphel were initially detained in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) CDC,
and Tselo was detained in Luchu CDC and later transferred
to Chone CDC. Their current whereabouts, sentences and
conditions are unknown.
Ngawang Tenzin
(21),
Gyaltsen Jangchup
(21)
and
Namdol Choedon
(22)
from Taklungdrag Monastery were arrested after staging
a peaceful protest during the celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the People's Republic of China on October
1, 1999. The monks were arrested by Lhasa PSB and their
present whereabouts and conditions are unknown.
Penpa Tsering
and two other monks from Namo Monastery of Phenpo Lhundrup
County, Lhasa Muncipality, were arrested on May 31, 1999
for pasting "Free Tibet" posters on the gates and walls of
the Tso-toe town office. According to unofficial sources,
Phenpo Lhundrup County PSB officials arrested the three
monks who were subsequently taken to Lhasa. The location
and current whereabouts of the three monks are unknown.
Lhakpa Dorjee,
a 30 year-old farmer from Nyangdren town in Lhasa City
was arrested by the Lhasa PSB on on August 3, 1999 on
suspicion of carrying out political activities. His present
whereabouts and condition are not known.
Rinchen Dolma,
a 20 year-old student from Qinghai Minority Nationalities
Preparatory School was detained in April 1996. Dolma's
current status and location is still not known.
Since July 1998, two Drapchi prisoners,
Phuntsok Wangchuk
and
Lobsang Lungtok
disappeared from Drapchi Prison Unit 5.
Chinese authorities held both of them incommunicado
for more than 14 months after they participated in the May
1 and 4 protest in Drapchi Prison in 1998. Wangchuk is a
23 years old former middle school student from Tsethang
villlage in Nedong County and origin is from Chongyas
village in Lhoka Prefecture. Wangchuk was arrested in June
1994 for pasting posters around the town and was sentenced
to five years. Lobsang Lungtok, 26 years old monk from
Gaden Monastery, is resident of Nyangdren town. Lungtok
was arrested on March 20, 1992 and was sentenced to seven
years. Their current whereabouts are not known.
Lhakdron
a 39 year-old, from Nyangdren village in Lhasa City
was arrested in August 1999, by the Lhasa City PSB,
following the arrest of her husband Tashi Tsering. Her
present conditions and whereabouts are unknown. Tashi
Tsering was arrested on August 26 for attempting to bring
down the Chinese flag and attempted to light an explosive
device when PAP officials arrested him. Tashi Tsering later
died in the first week of October in 1999, after repeated
beatings by the police.
Tsering Dorjee,
a 33 year-old monk from Thekchen Jangchup Choeling
Monastery, Nyagchuka County, Kandze "TAP", disappeared
when the PSB arrested him for the second time in December
1997. He was first detained in September 1996 by the PSB
on suspicion of having distributed pamphlets during the
inauguration ceremony of Lithang Monastery. His present
whereabouts is unknown.
Kelsang Thutop
is a 32 year-old monk from Taktsang Lhamo Monastery,
Luchu County, Gannan "TAP" in Gansu Province. Kelsang
was arrested in December 1996 on charges of raising the
Tibetan flag and distributing independence leaflets in
the monastery. According to Thinlay Gyatso who witnessed
Kelsang Thutop's arrival at Gannan Prison, Kelsang was
held for three days before being transferred. It is not
known where he was taken.
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