CASE STUDY 1:
Village head's role is to propagate propaganda; Tibetan businesses
bought out by Chinese traders
Dhimey, 27, from Sog County, Nagchu Prefecture, "TAR", was from a farming/nomadic family. As a village head, he said.
"my responsibility was to be a middleman between the people at the grass roots and the high up authorities. I had to read out official documents at monthly village meetings, including speeches from famed communist leaders. I was told to listen to people's opinions and to pass the information up to authorities. However when I appealed to the town government to get a motorable road, to bring electricity to the village, to give us a proper school, or to help in the circumstances of a particular poor family, there was never a positive response. The Government always put their own interest first, the welfare of the people is secondary to them. I have lost faith in the Chinese Government's interest in doing anything for the betterment of local Tibetans."
Dhimey explained how Chinese businesspeople were squeezing Tibetans
out of business in his county. Prior to 1999 there were about
40-50 shops in the whole county, all owned by Tibetans except for
one or two owned by recently arrived Chinese settlers. However in
1999 the government began destroying old shops and replacing them
with new Chinese-style constructions. Authorities told the local
Tibetans that this was part of the Western Development Programme
to improve conditions in rural areas. Dhimey said local Tibetans
found this very difficult to believe, as the rents charged on the
new shops were far beyond their means. Instead Chinese migrants
began moving into the area, bringing cheaper Chinese goods, making
large profits, and easily paying the higher rents demanded by the
Chinese Government. Dhimey states that in 2001, 48 of all new
businesses were owned by Chinese settlers, and only 9 were owned
by Tibetans, with this latter number decreasing.
— TCHRD Interview # 5/446, 11 November 2001
CASE STUDY 2:
Yartsa Gunbhu, grassland fights and increase in poverty
A 53-year-old farmer from Drayab county, Chamdo Prefecture, "TAR", provided information on the Chinese government's grassland allocation policy. "It has been 4-5 years since they distributed the grasslands. They told us not to let other people's cattle come into our land. They said that if someone else's cattle came to your land you should collect 100 yuan from the owner of the cattle. Each place fights about 3-4 times in a year. If we live friendly and happily with our neighbouring people they tell us that we can not live this way. They distributed the grasslands and they divided the river and always make to fight. They (the government officials) don't come at all to give advice. Yet they will be happy if we fight. They can make [corrupt] money if we fight." He said that fights over grassland in other areas have been shown on television.
This farmer also described collection of Yartsa Gunbhu. "There used to be lots of caterpillar fungus but recently people from outside the region have come to pluck it. These people get a permission pass from the township authorities We used to get 7-8 gyama of fungus, with 4 people collecting at a time. Now we only get 3-4 gyama because that is all that is left after outsiders come in."
Finally, he said that the government
"told us it would be good if we take up business.
They said we should become traders." He comments
"If we become traders they will be able to take lots of tax."
— TCHRD Interview # 30, 3 August 2001
CASE STUDY 3:
Excessive taxation of farmers; nomads being forced to buy from government stores rather than on private market
Dorjee is a 38 year old farmer from Tingri County, Shigatse
Prefecture, "TAR". He and his family live on 3 mu of land, growing
wheat and beans. Government taxes are 5 yuan per mu but from 2001
that figure has gone up to 15 yuan per mu. Irrigation charges are 1
yuan per mu every month. Every year the family has to sell 165-175
gyama of wheat per person to the government. The government gives
between 5 and 8 maotse per gyama, compared to the market price of
1 yuan per gyama (10 maotse equals 1 yuan). The wheat was then
sold at the government store at market prices. Dorjee explained
that nomads in his area were ordered to purchase from the government
store and not directly from local farmers. Checkpoints were set up,
and officials would search the nomads. If they were carrying grain
they would have to produce a receipt from the government store.
If no receipt was given, the government would confiscate the grain
and demand to know where the nomad had bought it from. The farmer
who sold it to the nomad would then be fined.
— TCHRD Interview # 4/377, 12 March 2001.
CASE STUDY 4:
Poor people cannot get assistance from the government; forced to borrow from wealthy families
A man from Gyantse County in Shigatse Prefecture, "TAR", says that
his 6-member family tries to live from a 2-person share of land.
They grow barley, peas and mustard (rapeseed). There is insufficient
grain farmed from the land, and the family has to borrow grain from
other families, which they try and return the following harvest.
He says that the government does not give grain to poor people.
If his family needs clothes, they often barter grains for clothes
from local Tibetan or Chinese traders.
— TCHRD Interview # 27, 21 September 2001
CASE STUDY 5:
"It seems like we are paid by the government to look after
their animals"
SD is from an agricultural/nomadic family in Trika County, Tsolho
"TAP". He says that the Chinese policy is to tax herding so much
that people take up farming in preference. The taxes the family
pay are land tax, water tax based on land-holdings, animal tax, and
a tax on killing animals. In one year, his family had to give 2000
to 3000 yuan for the 200 sheep they owned. Tax is partly in cash,
and partly in kind. A certain amount of produce has to be paid to
the local government officials "to eat meat in winter."
In addition to these taxes,
the family has to sell wool to the town government
and not on the open market. He explains "when we take the wool
to the government, they do not give money to us. They give us a
receipt and calculate how much tax we have to pay them. It seems
like we are paid by the government to look after their animals."
— TCHRD Interview # 17, 11 June 2001
CASE STUDY 6:
Mines destroy environment and provide no employment for Tibetans
LJ is a 22 year old monk from Chentsa County, Malho "TAP". He says
that from 1998 to 2000 the Chinese government built a road using
workers from areas outside this county. When the road was completed,
it was used to transport minerals from a mountain in Lugya village,
Kyarong Town to a cement factory 55 km away. Previously this
mountain had been grassland for local nomads, but the mining has
spoilt the grasslands which "disrupts the animals greatly".
— TCHRD Interview # 9, 3 April 2001
CASE STUDY 7:
Forced replanting deprives families of livelihood
Lobsang, 16, is from Ngaba County, Ngaba "TAP", Sichuan Province,
and left Tibet in April 2001.He reports that the authorities of
Ngaba County have forced local farmers to grow plants and trees on
some of their fields. Officials arrived one day and dug up holes
in the fields and gave farmers no choice but to fill the holes
with plants. The explanation for this new practice is that it
will prevent floods like the Drichu flood of 1998. Tibetan farmers
however were not consulted or involved in setting up this project.
The new practices resulted in a lower yield of produce from the farms
of the area. No compensation was granted by the Chinese Government.
Lobsang reports that farmers now live hand-to-mouth, without enough
money to purchase commodities. Their living standards dropped,
and many families now do not make enough money to survive.The
process of planting and tending the young trees and grass-fields
also interfered with the collection of Yartsa Gunbhu which has
traditionally provided an alternative source of income to families
in the area. The farmers do not have time to collect the fungus.
Lobsang said, "The Chinese government might starve us Tibetans with
such unreasonable enforcement."
— TCHRD interview # 4/386, 20 April 2001
CASE STUDY 8:
Government’s expropriation of land reduces family to begging
Lobsang Namshi is an 18 year old man from Derge County, Karze “TAP”. He left Tibet in September 2001. Lobsang reported that farmers from all nine of the villages in Zakong Township have to sacrifice some part of their land towards the enforced plantation campaign. Once a particular area of land has been identified by the local authorities, the farmers are forced to plant vegetation. They receive some compensation but it is not sufficient to replace each farm’s loss of livelihood. By the end of 2000, Lobsang’s family could no longer survive and they were forced to move to Lhasa looking for work. Here they could find no work and so had to beg on the streets. To make matters worse, the beggars in Lhasa now have to pay 6 yuan every month to the local Police Station or face arrest.
TCHRD interview # 5/428, 18 September 2001
CASE STUDY 9:
Overfishing in Matoe County
Jaring is 24 years old. He left Tibet in December 2000, arriving January 2001. He is from a nomad family in Darlag County, Golog “TAP”. He described the effect of government policies on the nomads in his area: firstly, the government has forced the nomads to purchase canvas tents instead of the dried yak skin tents, which the nomads find expensive and unnecessary. Also, the grasslands distribution means that nomads no longer provide eachother with mutual assistance as they did in the past. Finally, he reported on extensive overfishing of lakes in his area:
“For more than 15 years fishing was carried out extensively in Jaring tso (lake), Nagring tso and Toring tso in Matoe County. The fish were transported to Ziling in Qinghai Province to be sold. Now the fish stocks are almost exhausted as 400 - 500 Chinese fishermen annually visited the site. When Tibetan locals complained about massive over-fishing, Chinese fishermen produced written permission from the government to fish, leaving the local Tibetans powerless. When I visited there in 1999, I saw that there were less Chinese fishermen as the availability of fish had decreased, and the lakes were also shrinking. Noticing the potential danger, the Chinese authorities recently put a stop to this indiscriminate fishing, and took immediate measures to prohibit further fishing in this area. They have now shifted the fishing area to other lakes, such as Ganla tso and Wangtsa tso in Matoe County.”
TCHRD Interview # 4/370, 23 January 2001
CASE STUDY 10:
A quarter of families in the village do not have enough to eat
W, 26 years old, from Kawasumdo County in Tsolho “TAP” says that families in his area mostly do “agricultural works”. There is only a small amount of grassland in the area, so there are not many nomads. He believes his family had 200 sheep but the government taxes were so high it was not profitable to keep them. The family therefore sold most the sheep, leaving about 50-60 animals. As the village is quite poor. In 2000 the government announced that they would provide poverty support to his village. About 60-80 percent of families requested assistance. The government said they couldn’t help them all, so the officials went to every house and inspected grain supplies. They found that at least a quarter of all families in the village did not have sufficient grain.
TCHRD Interview # 68, 2 June 2001
CASE STUDY 11:
Land too small to support the family; outsiders come to pluck Yartsa Gunbhu
Pasang Tsering is a 35 year old farmer from Trindu County, Jyekundo “TAP”, Qinghai. When a child, Pasang’s family was very poor, he left primary school to herd and work on his family’s farm. He and his brother were allocated 3 mu of land each; these 6 mus now support six people. His share of the land produces 2000 gyama of grain every year, which is insufficient to support his family. In times of drought the family has to beg or borrow food from other families. To make ends meet, they “plucked” Yartsa Gunbhu for about a month in May-June. Usually the family could dig enough to support itself. However in the last few years, about 400-500 Chinese people have arrived in trucks and removed almost all the Yartsa Gunbhu.
TCHRD Interview # 4/381, 11 April 2001
CASE STUDY 12:
Tibetan tourist guides being squeezed out by Chinese guides
Ngawang arrived into exile in October 2001. He had been working for Tibetan Autonomous TV in Lhasa as a driver and technical assistant. He provided TCHRD with information not just about his work but also about the tourist industry in Tibet. He said that Tibetans who had been educated or lived India were often used by by international NGOs such as Save the Children Fund as guides or interpreters. However these interpreters were now being targeted by the Chinese government. He said “a thousand Chinese translators were being trained in China and would be brought to Lhasa very soon. They will replace Tibetans in this industry. Tibetan tour guides from India are frequently summonsed by their employers and subjected to close questioning regarding their time in India.” The Tibetan tour guides also have to pay 1000 yuan for a compulsory ID card.
TCHRD Interview # 5/435, 25 October 2001
CASE STUDY 13:
Racism in Lhasa and its role in establishing business connections particularly in taxi industry
Pema Dolkar, a 28-year-old former taxi driver from Lhasa, claims that racist opinions circulate among the Chinese settlers in Tibet, resulting in Tibetans being deprived of opportunities and profit. She says “The Chinese people have a very strong sense of being Chinese. Chinese people never ride in taxis driven by Tibetans, they always seem to prefer taxis driven by fellow Chinese. Tibetan people do not mind whose taxi they ride in.” Pema Dolkar also testifies to the “alarming number of shops, restaurants, factories and almost every business establishment owned and run by Chinese civilians” in Lhasa. She asserts that Chinese help each other to establish businesses and in other matters. The Chinese people have better connections with high-up officials and they can more easily access business papers than Tibetans. TCHRD Interview # 5/436, 22 October 2001
CASE STUDY 1:
Bribes, connections and money needed to secure places in Chinese schools
Nyima Tsering, a 20-year-old primary school teacher in Gyalkon Township, Dartsedo County, Sichuan, began his testimony to TCHRD with the statement “As a Tibetan there are limited educational rights and my case is one such example”. The entrance test for admission to a four-year course at the Tibetan Studies College in Dartsedo (Kandi) is open to all candidates with teaching experience of six years. However, generally only candidates with financial resources to bribe admission officials can gain admission. Parents are known to bribe education authorities with sums ranging from from 5,000 yuan (US$588) to 10,000 yuan (US$1,176). Tsering says that if the candidate is connected in some way to the College’s Chinese Education Counsellor Lin Young, then admission is guaranteed. Tsering did not have any special “connections” and his parents could not afford the bribe. He had to rely on his academic calibre alone. He met with Lin Young and although he passed the test he was not given admission. Tsering was told to apply for admission into the Chinese section, but he declined as he was interested in specialising in Tibetan studies.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, January 2001
CASE STUDY 2:
Tibetan students unable to afford study in Chinese schools
Shedup, 38, from Qinghai, studied for eleven years in a Chinese administered school. He testifies that even highly qualified Tibetans need to fulfil certain criteria to secure a foothold in the job market. One requires good financial support from the family, influential contacts with higher authorities and the means to bribe officials.
Shedup stated that schools place more emphasise on collecting fees than on the quality of students’ education and the Chinese government gives an extremely low priority to Tibetan education.
A tragedy in the family made chances of Sherup pursuing further education difficult, however his elder brother managed to provide school fees for both Shedup and his younger brother. Upon completion of high school, Shedup passed an entrance test for a veterinary course for which he was required to pay fees of 4,000 yuan (US$470) per year. Since his family could not afford these fees, he was unable to attend the course.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, May 2001
CASE STUDY 3:
Low quality Tibetan education in Chinese schools
Yangphel is a 44 year-old businessman from Jidon Village, Markham County in Chamdo Province. His son, Tsering Mejoy, attended school for three years at the Ponda Primary School in Jidon Village. The annual fees there were 800 yuan (US$94), and after three years Yangphel’s son had not made any progress. He could not even write the Tibetan alphabet. Every year six students from his village are selected to be compulsorily sent to the village schools. Since the reputation of these schools is so poor, parents choose to keep their children at home to learn farming and herding. Therefore, the selection is done through a lottery system, and if the parents fail to send their children to the school, they are fined 1,500 yuan (US$176). Yangphel’s cousin withdrew his son from the school after he found out that the child was getting spoilt rather than receiving an adequate education. He paid 1500 yuan as a fine for the withdrawal.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 4:
No education for children from farming or nomadic families
Tseten, a teacher in a primary school in Dhitoe County, fled into exile in 2001. According to Tseten, “there is a well established school in my county, but in this school there are only children of Chinese nationality, children of Tibetans who work under the Chinese, and children of rich Tibetan businessmen. There isn’t a single child from a nomadic or farming background. They go to a different school, and after they complete primary school most of them cannot go for further studies as they have not learnt anything. Moreover, the teachers will say, “the nomad children are dumb, they won’t learn anything”. The teachers are all Chinese, and even if a nomad child did well in his/her exams the chances of getting a job is highly doubtful”.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, February 2001.
CASE STUDY 1:
Tibetans experience difficulties accessing health care
A 53-year-old farmer from Jamdu Township, Drayab County, Chamdo Prefecture, “TAR”, told of the hospital in his village. The hospital practices both Tibetan and allopathic medicine. He reports that for all ailments medical fees are required. Deposits for hospitalisation were reported to be in the vicinity of 1,000 yuan (US$117). “Before the patient is kept in the hospital they will ask for advance money. If you don’t have advance money to give, they will not keep you. And the other hospitals also take advance money. All the hospitals are alike.” He says that although Tibetan medicine was the most commonly requested by patients, “Chinese came from outside departments and it seems they told [the doctors] to do this and that with the medicines.” The Chinese doctor, he said, would only see certain patients: “Even if you requested the Chinese doctor and took a horse to receive him, he goes only to those people he knows.”
TCHRD Interview # 30, 3 August 2001
CASE STUDY 2:
Seminar on Tibetan medicine conducted in Chinese
A seminar titled “The Discussion on Tibetan Medicine in the World”, was hosted by his college in Lhasa from 15-17 July, 2001. LT was one of four students permitted to attend the meeting, where he heard about the opportunities for further study in India. LT recounted that “Chinese was the main language. They spoke in Chinese in the inauguration of the meeting”. LT spoke in Tibetan, which was translated into Chinese. “They all talked on Tibetan medicine, for example, formation of physiology, child diseases and women’s illness etc.” LT felt the meeting was not beneficial for him as he could not understand the discourses in Chinese.
TCHRD Interview 1, 21 November 2000
CASE STUDY 3:
Medicine unaffordable for Tibetans
A 20-year-old agricultural worker from Drira Township, Ngamring County, Shigatse Prefecture, “TAR” stated that for medical fees: “…there is no limit to how much you should pay. They say that it is up to you whether you purchase the medicines or not. They say that you will recover if you take so and so medicines, and that you will die if you don’t take such and such medicine…usually medicines cost 200-300 yuan”
TCHRD Interview # 4/363, 4 January 2001
CASE STUDY 4:
Tibetans unaware of HIV/AIDS
An informant from Tengchen County, Chamdo Prefecture, “TAR” had limited information about HIV/AIDS and the sexually transmitted disease, syphillis. He said in Lhasa he has seen many people suffering from syphillis. One girl, from his area had the disease. After a while, he said, “she couldn’t walk properly, and was sick”. His sister, who lived in Lhasa, also told him about HIV/AIDS “It is said there are many people in China suffering from it. [My sister] told me this, and nothing else. In our place, there aren’t many infectious diseases; such diseases are very rare”.
TCHRD Interview # 66, 27 August 2001
CASE STUDY 5:
Tibetan mother and child die due to lack of medical care
In May 2001, a man from Tingri County, Shigatse Prefecture,“TAR”, testified that his wife had died whilst delivering their second child. Owing to the absence of medical facilities or medication, she died several days after giving birth from excessive bleeding, The baby girl also died within hours of birth. In Tingri there are no facilities, and “most serious patients have to go to New Tingri Hospital which is about 60 km away, or two hours by truck”. He further articulated that Tibetans faced discrimination at the hospital “There is a Chinese PSB and army camp, but the army hospital usually doesn’t see Tibetans unless they can speak Chinese, and besides, they are not allowed to be hospitalised. On top of that, medical fees are very expensive”. The man blames the poor medical facilities where he lived for his wife’s death to. He felt developing health infrastucture in his area was of little priority for the Chinese, as the majority of residents were Tibetan.
The same informant told of meeting a Tibetan woman who told him that she had studied medicine for six years. The man congratulated her, telling her how much her skills were needed. She confided that although she had studied for so many years “The teachers secretly taught the Chinese students and they didn’t teach us Tibetan students well. We were kept like that for six years.” The woman reportedly did not even know how to administer an injection.
TCHRD Interview # 21, 6 May 2001
CASE STUDY 7:
Forced abortions carried out on Tibetan women
An informant from Drayab County, Chamdo Prefecture, “TAR” feels that a serious issue in his local area is birth control. In the past six years he says the local Chinese administration has become stricter in enforcing the two-or three-child policy for farmers and nomads respectively. He reports that under the leadership of the local village head, each family was examined. Those women who had two children already were listed and told when to present at the county hospital. “At that time, 50-60 women were sterilised in a day. It is claimed that 700 women were operated upon at that time alone in Drayab County. If the woman was not sterilised then she would be fined 1,600 yuan (US$188), and with an additional birth there would be more fine”. The informant reported that living standards were not high in his area, and that the possibility of a fine would constitute a burden that most families could not face, “so the families have no choice but to go for the operation.”
In another village in the same county, three or four women are reported to have undergone treatments in 2001 that is believed to be the cause of severe reproductive problems. “They gave medicines to some girls and they couldn’t give birth to children anymore. After they gave medicines to the girls, [it seemed] the foetus in their womb didn’t die immediately. It was said that they gave an injection when one girl was eight months pregnant, and was having trouble delivering the baby. So the baby died, and she was taken ill for a long time.
TCHRD Interview # 30, 3 August 2001
CASE STUDY 1:
Serthar Institute
Serthar Institute was established in 1989 as a non-sectarian study centre with less than 100 students. Within a period of 21 years, the number of permanent residents at the institute has risen to 8,800 including ordained and lay students of diverse nationalities.
In 1998, officials from Sichuan United Work Front Department and the Central Government Religious Bureau interrogated the abbot and founder of Serthar Institute, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok three times concerning his connection with the Dalai Lama and subsequently imposed restrictions on his freedom of movement within Tibet. Officials enforced a ceiling of 150 residents permitted at the institute. Later, this figure was raised to 1,400 (1,000 monks and 400 nuns). At the same time, two security check-posts were set up near the institute to monitor the movements and activities of residents and visitors.
In March 1999, the Sichuan provincial authorities issued a circular titled “Responsibility Planning Document no.45” to the institute, which accused the institute of having many “negative aspects”. The circular stated that authorites would oversee all religious activities of the institute such as appointing abbots, granting authorisation for religious teachings by lamas and tulkus in other privinces, opposing “splittist” activities, implementing “patriotic education”, in addition to banning ethnic Chinese students (and those below 18 years of age) from studying at the institute. “Work teams” visited the institute three times to enforce the official orders.
On 18 April 2001, the Chinese authorities reiterated their command that the enforced ceiling of 1,400 residents be implemented by October 2001, which necessitated the eviction of over 7,000 students including almost 3,000 nuns. A similar notice was circulated to authorities at various counties and provincial levels instructing them to appoint three officials to collect Serthar students whose domicile fell under their jurisdiction. On 24 May 2001, the authorities forcefully transported approximately 1,000 students back to their respective places in Tibet and China and relayed an order from the Central Government calling for a ban on Khenpo’s teaching programme and religious ceremonies.
Since 20 June 2001, a large force of over 2,000 Public Security Bureau and People’s Armed Police and “work teams” from the United Work Front Department arrived in Serthar Institute to enforce the expulsion orders. During expulsion, the students were ordered to sign a document that entailed denouncing the Dalai Lama, committing to uphold the Chinese government policy, and pledging not to return to the institute. Abuses, threats and beatings accompanied the enforced expulsions.
In July 2001, Sichuan Province authorities labelled the institute “illegal” and ordered its closure. Over 2,000 dwellings within the institute including eight buildings housing the International Religious Committee and a number of restaurants and shops were demolished during June and July 2001. Between 1-8 July, the huts of around 300 nuns were destroyed. Chinese officials have admitted to demolition of 1,875 dwellings in their work report but the actual number is greater.
Army workers dressed in civilian clothes, and hired workers, arrived in four trucks to carry out the demolition. The workers, who worked from eight in the morning to seven in the evening with three hour’s rest in between, were paid 130-350 yuan (up to US$41) for each hut destroyed. Taking photographs and video footage of the demolished site was banned and all roads blocked and visitors strictly prohibited. Tourists and foreign officials were denied entry to the area.
A 21-year-old nun from Sichuan’s Drango County committed suicide on 6 July 2001 using the belt of her robe to hang herself. Wangmo’s elderly parents were also residents of the institute. Approximately 200 nuns are being treated in hospitals in Drango County, Serthar County and Barkham County. Many nuns fainted with shock and sadness in the process of expulsion.
Conflicting reports had begun to emerge regarding the current status, whereabouts and physical condition of Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok. According to a TIN report of 8 November 2001, Khenpo has been moved from the Barkham military hospital to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan.
TCHRD, Destruction of Serthar Institute, December 2001
CASE STUDY 2:
1,500 students expelled from Yachen Gar
According to a report released by ICT, over 1,500 students were expelled and 800 dwellings demolished at Yachen Gar as of 10 October 2001. “Work teams” of five to nine officials from Pelyul County government came to Yachen every other week from July to September and made extensive notes and maps of the monastic encampment. Of the 2,500 to 3,000 students, only those from Pelyul County were allowed to remain. The rest of the students including 150 Chinese, Taiwanese and Singaporeans were threatened with strict legal action for failure to leave the monastery by 15 September 2001.
The students focused primarily on meditation and entered a strict three-month retreat of contemplation and meditation. A western tourist reported to ICT that the students are real ascetics who engaged in meditation and prayers in small huts. Yachen Gar is located southwest of Karze and east of Pelyul in Sichuan Province, and led by Achuk Rinpoche, a Nyingmapa Lama, assisted by khenpos.
ICT, “Nuns and Monks forced to demolish housing”, 14 November 2001, from http://www.savetibet.org
CASE STUDY 3:
Democratic Management Committee set up in Kirti Monastery
In 1998, a Democratic Management Committee (DMC) was set up in Kirti Monastery in Ngaba County, Ngaba “TAP”, Sichuan. The DMC members demoted and replaced Thopchu-la, a chant master at the monastery, for the “crime” of reciting the Dalai Lama’s long-life prayer. Prayers in favour of the Dalai Lama and “independent Tibet” were henceforth banned. Subsequently, a Security Office was set up with 14 officers to monitor activities of the monks such as listening to foreign radio broadcast or engaging in anti-Chinese activities. TCHRD, Human Rights Update, May 2001
CASE STUDY 4:
Houses in Tingri County raided for Dalai Lama photographs, three detained for possession
In March 2001, several Chinese policemen conducted extensive raids (one every 20 days) on every Tibetan household in Tingri County for photographs of the Dalai Lama. As the banned photos were in danger of being dumped or burned, Kyiloe (the informant and his two friends—Dasang and Pasang—collected about 700 photos from the villagers and hid the photos on Kyiloe’s rooftop. A month later in April 2001, five to six policemen raided Kyiloe’s house, confiscated all the photos and detained him with his two companions.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, June 2001
CASE STUDY 5:
Compulsory patriotic re-education in Druka Monastery
Since 1998, “work teams” in collaboration with local policemen visited Druka Monastery, in Kenlho “TAP”, Gansu Province, to “re-educate” monks in their political allegiance and religious beliefs. They enforced an age limit of 18 years, leading to the expulsion of 18 monks and photographs of the Dalai Lama are banned in the monastery. Monks hide Photos during “work team” visits and put them back on display once they are gone. Compulsory attendance at “patriotic education” sessions is required and policemen identify absentee monks.
Tsang monastery in Rebkong County, Malho “TAP”, Tsongon Province is also visited by “work teams twice a year. Photographs of the Dalai Lama are prohibited and monks are forced to attend classes on communist party ideology. 170 monks from Tsang monastery have escaped into exile.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, March 2001
CASE STUDY 6:
Monk sentenced to three years imprisonment for playing videotape
A former monk from Drepung Loseling Monastery, Mundgod, South India, Ngawang Tsultrim played a videotape brought from India to some of his fellow friends from Chamdo region. After the first screening of the cassette in July 1999, PSB officers arrested Tsultrim and subjected him to severe beatings and torture. In early 2000, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in Drapchi Prison. He is originally from Sagang Township, Dzokhang County, Chamdo Prefecture.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, July 2001
CASE STUDY 7:
Buddhist religious practice forbidden in Drayab County, one commits suicide
"Work teams” of 10 members visit Drayab Peugue Monastery to conduct political education three times a year. Despite the insistence of authorities, monks refuse to denounce the Dalai Lama. Many monks have felt compelled to leave the monastery due to this pressure.
Officials of Drayab County are subjected to similar religious repression. During important religious festivals like Saga Dawa, bans are imposed on circumambulation, incense-burning, and visiting holy sites, all of which are common religious practices among Tibetans.
Phurbu Audatsang from Drayab Peugue Monastery, committed suicide by jumping off a bridge into a local river during a “work team” session. He had refused to denounce the Dalai Lama, and the “work teams” decided to search his room for prohibited photographs of the Dalai Lama. Along the way, Audatsang jumped from the bridge they were crossing. He knew that the “work teams” would discover the photographs in his room.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, August 2001
CASE STUDY 8:
Local authorities impose restrictions on circumambulation of Mount Kailash
Tashi Rigzin reported that restrictions had been imposed by local authorities on circumambulating Mount Kailash. Since the summer of 2000, Chinese authorities made permission from local officials mandatory to circumambulate Mt. Kailash. Rigzin sought a recommendation letter from Ngari Prefecture authorities. He next paid ten yuan to Ngari PSB Office to secure another letter with an official stamp of approval. Later, Ngari Army Base issued a red paper with five stamps for which he paid 34 yuan. Pilgrims go to Mt. Kailash through Purang County and Maser Township. At Maser Township, there is an army checkpoint which checks all pilgrims for their permit and IBID cards.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, November 2001
CASE STUDY 1:
Six Tibetans receive harsh sentences for political activity
Six Tibetans from different areas in Sog County were arrested in March 2000 for alleged political activities. They were Sey Khedup (27), Tenzin Choewang (64), Tsering Lhagon (41), Yeshi Tenzin (33), Trakru Yeshi (45) and Gyurmey (29).
Sey Khedup received life imprisonment. Yeshi was sentenced to 15 years and Gyurmey to 10 years’ imprisonment. Tenzin Chowang was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. Tsering Lhagon was sentenced to 15 and Trakru Yeshi received seven years’ imprisonment.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, July 2001
CASE STUDY 2:
BBC’s tour of Kumbum Monastery: a propaganda failure
“The high point of our trip was to be a visit to Kumbum Monastery, an ancient centre of Tibetan Buddhism. We were to be shown first-hand the religious freedom enjoyed by Tibetans under Chinese rule. It turned out to be exactly the opposite. Speak to anyone you like, we were told. But as we walked through the monastery’s warren of narrow alleyways, it became clear that Kumbum’s monks were far outnumbered by the plain-clothes policemen with dark glasses and ill-fitting suits who sat at every corner. A few monks did dare to speak. They knew all about our visit, they said, and they had been instructed not to talk to us. The final irony of the trip came as we prepared to leave for the airport. Stanley suddenly appeared with a large book. ‘Would you like to right down your comments about the trip?’ he said. My producer, Holly, whose Chinese is far better than mine, couldn’t resist the offer. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I would. Please write that we are very unhappy at the way we have been prevented from talking to ordinary people during this trip.’ ‘I can’t write that down,’ said Stanley. ‘Well give me your pen,’ said Holly, ‘and I will write it.’ Purple with rage, Stanley picked up the book and stormed out. A few minutes later he was back. ‘Such a low quality person should leave China as soon as possible,’ he blurted out. Then he was gone again. Clearly Stanley’s view of the BBC had not been improved by his renewed acquaintance.”
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, “A censored Chinese media tour”, BBC News, 9 September 2001
CASE STUDY 3:
Doubts surround nun’s sudden death in prison
Twentyeight-year-old Tibetan nun Ngawang Lochoe died in Drapchi Prison on 5 February 2001, just one year prior to completion of her 10-year prison sentence. When she was 19, Ngawang Lochoe was arrested along with five other nuns from Nyen Nunnery, for taking part in a peaceful demonstration in Lhasa on 14 May 1992. They were charged with “instigating counter-revolutionary activities and propaganda”. During a seven-month detention at the Gutsa Detention Centre, Lochoe and the five other nuns suffered brutal interrogations and inhumane treatment. Lochoe was then sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
In June 1993, while in Drapchi Prison, Lochoe and 13 other nuns recorded songs and messages to their families and friends on a smuggled tape recorder. When prison authorities discovered their clandestine activity, the nuns’ prison sentences were extended, Lochoe’s sentenced by five years, bringing her total sentence to 10 years.
In January 2001, prison officials prevented a family member from meeting with Lochoe. Two weeks later, prison officials transferred her to the police hospital near Drapchi Prison. Lochoe’s relatives were informed the same day that she was not well and had been admitted to hospital. Upon reaching the hospital on 5 February 2001, Lochoe’s relatives were shown Lochoe’s dead body. They were not informed of the cause of death.
Three of the nuns from this original group are still incarcerated in Drapchi Prison while two were allegedly released in 1998.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 4:
Seventy two Tibetans caught trying to leave Tibet; eight sent to “re-education-through-labour” camps
Samdup, who arrived into exile in 2001, provided TCHRD with information concerning his imprisonment in a “re-education-through-labour” camp.
On 1 April 1999 Nagchu Police detained Samdup and a group of 71 other Tibetans in Nyima County, Nagchu “TAR”. The group was attempting to escape Tibet. Twenty-five of the detainees, their ages ranging from six to 40 years old, came from areas around Lhasa while the rest were from eastern parts of Tibet. All were attempting to flee into exile.
The group was detained in Nagchu Detention Centre for eight days and then transported to Lhasa PSB Anti-Riot Department where they underwent intensive interrogation. Afterwards, they were transported to Gutsa Detention Centre and detained for three months and three days.
Eight Tibetans were singled out for further punishments of “re-education-through-labour”. All eight were either former political prisoners, former clergy who had been expelled from their institutions by “work team” members or current clergy.
Five Tibetans were ordered to undertake two years “re-education-through-labour”. They were Dawa, a monk from Gaden Monastery Meldrogungkar County; Phuntsok Choedon and Nyima Dorjee from Phenpo Lhundrup County; Lhakpa Dorjee from Nyemo County; and Samdup from Ratoe Monastery in Chushul County, Lhasa Municipality. Three other Tibetans were ordered to undertake one-year “re-education-through-labour”. They were Yangkyi, a nun from Nyemo County; Passang Norbu from Lhasa; and Rinzin from Lhasa.
All eight performed their labour at the biggest labour camp in the “TAR”, Trisam camp located in Toelung Dechen County, Lhasa Municipality. Samdup reported that when he was taken to Trisam camp, there were approximately 300 prisoners. By the time he was released on 31 March 2001, the number had doubled to 600. The majority of the prisoners were Tibetans, most of them hailing from Lhasa, Shigatse, Lhoka Nagchu and Kongpo.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, October 2001
CASE STUDY 5:
Protest in prison leads to heightened maltreatment
Penpa, a 40-year-old from Tsang Township, Gyantse County, Shigatse Prefecture, “TAR”, died in early 2000, just a month after he was released on medical parole. He was just six months away from completing a term at a “re-education through labour” camp.
A former Lhaden Tsulakhang monk, Penpa was first detained in 1989 for his participation in the 5 March 1989 demonstration in Lhasa. While in detention at Outridu Prison (Lhasa Prison), Penpa was reportedly singled out for harsh beatings due to his involvement in a protest against insufficient food.
In 1997, Penpa was again arrested for alleged involvement in the hoisting of the Tibetan national flag on the top of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa that occurred on 14 May 1997. While being detained for questioning by the National Security Bureau regarding the flag-hoisting incident, Penpa suffered serious beatings. He was then ordered to undertake a three-year sentence in Trisam “re-education through labour” unit . Although his health was clearly damaged, he was denied medical attention. Finally the authorities were compelled to release Penpa on medical parole just six months before his term was due to end.
Upon release, Penpa visited several doctors and hospitals in Lhasa and Phenpo Lhundrup County but his condition deteriorated further. He passed away three days after he had returned to his native place in Tsang. At the time of his sky burial, family members were told that one of Penpa’s lungs had collapsed.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 6:
Brutal torture of political prisoners ends with death in detention
Tsering Wangdrak was arrested after protesting in the Karze demonstration on 26 October 1999.
In a mass arrest after the protests, around eight minibuses and 40-45 police vehicles filled with policemen and PAP forces surrounded Golog Township, Karze County, Sichuan Province, on the morning of 29 October 1999. The officers raided Wangdrak’s house, taking down and smashing framed photos of the Dalai Lama and Geshe Sonam Phuntsok. They then handcuffed Wangdrak’s hands behind his back and started kicking and hitting him with electric batons. Tsering and a few others were taken to Karze police station where they were brutally beaten during interrogation. Wangdrak was reportedly thrown face down on the ground and kicked in the head. Then the officers slashed his back with a bamboo stick and poured hot boiling water over him. They whipped Wangdrak with wire strings while simultaneously shouting, “Does the Dalai Lama give you food? Does Geshe Sonam Phuntsok give you food? Are you happy now?”
The interrogations went on for over a month. After two months, Wangdrak was sentenced to three years and eight months for his political activism. He was transferred to Xinhua re-education-through-labour facility in Sichuan Province where he died in June 2000. TCHRD Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 8:
Relatives exhume body of detained Tibetan monk; officials claim it was suicide
In February 2001 the body of 27-year-old Saru Dawa, a monk of Kirti Monastery was recovered by his relatives from near the Nyari Detention Centre in Shigatse.
Saru Dawa had been arrested at the Chinese border in Dram on 20 November 2000, while returning to Tibet to see his ailing mother. Immediately upon receiving information of his arrest, his relatives made numerous inquiries at various places and police stations near the border. They approached authorities at Nyari Detention Centre in Shigatse who denied holding him. However after the relatives gave them some money, a prison official acknowledged that Dawa had been at the Detention Centre. The authorities informed Dawa’s relatives that he had committed a serious crime. They showed his relatives a picture of Dawa with the Dalai Lama, and some books published in the exile community. A fellow Kirti monk told TCHRD that Dawa had indeed been carrying a bag full of books, but that they were all purely religious texts.
One prison official was reported to have said that Dawa was physically not well when he first came to the Detention Centre, and despite medical care his health failed to improve. According to the official, his poor health coupled with the serious crime he had committed was too much for Dawa to endure, and hence, he finally committed suicide on 9 January 2001.
On 15 February, the relatives were taken to the location near the prison complex where Dawa’s body was buried. The officials exhumed the body, without letting the relatives touch it. Upon request from the relatives, the body was cremated in front of them on the same day.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 9:
Arrested monk dies from torture injuries prior to sentencing
Lobsang Sherab (lay name Norbu), a monk from the Sera Monastery, died in October 2001 reportedly from injuries sustained while in detention.
In 1986 he joined Sera Monastery and taught scriptures from 1992. When “work team” members came in 1996 to Sera Monastery, they took down all the pictures of the Dalai Lama as part of the “Patriotic Education” Campaign. Lobsang exhibited his opposition to the campaign by closing the main prayer hall for three days. No immediate action was taken against him at that time for fear of antagonising the entire Sera Monastery population.
However, on 7 August 1996, Lobsang was taken away by “work team” and PSB officials. He was detained in the “TAR” PSB Detention Centre for four months, after which he was transferred to Gutsa Detention Centre. He was sentenced for three years in the Trisam “re-education-through- labour” camp and following the completion of his term, was released on 7 August 1999.
In October 1999 he was again detained by PSB officers in the “TAR” PSB Detention Centre on suspicion of involvement in pro-independence activities. While in detention Sherab was tortured, resulting in a fractured leg and head injuries. His condition was so critical that he was released on 24 November 1999 before being sentenced.
By the time he was released, Sherab had developed a permanent limp. Despite treatment at the Lhasa Tibetan Medical Institute, his condition deteriorated. On 20 October 2000, Lobsang passed away in Lhasa. He was 30 years old at the time. During the sky burial, it was discovered that he had died from a brain haemorrhage.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 10:
Prison torture blinds nun political prisoner
Sangmo, a 25-year-old nun from Chubsang Nunnery, originally from Meldrogungkar County in Lhasa Municipality, became blind after being released from Drapchi Prison on 1 February 2001.
When she was 19-years-old, she initiated a peaceful demonstration in Barkhor on 2 February 1995 with a group of five nuns. They shouted independence slogans and called for “Free Tibet”. Within half an hour, Lhasa PSB officer arrested and severely beat the protestors. Sangmo was accused of being the “principal culprit and leader of the crime”. She and the pother protestors were transferred to Gutsa Detention Centre and detained for four months.
In June 1995, Lhasa Supreme People’s Procuratorate and Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Sangmo in a closed trial. Her sentence was six years’ imprisonment plus deprivation of political rights for two years. She was transferred to Drapchi Prison and placed in the new third rukhag (unit) of Drapchi Prison. Sangmo was singled out for bullying and harassment by the Drapchi prison guards. On 1 May 1998, during the infamous Drapchi Prison protests, Sangmo also suffered beatings. She was finally released on 1 February 2001 but she complained of poor vision. By March 2001, her eyesight had deteriorated to the point of blindness. She believes her blindness was caused by the repeated beatings while in prison.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, June 2001
CASE STUDY 11:
Chilli fires and electric shocks force confession
Norbu Damdul, 28 years old, is a monk from Karze Monastery and a former political prisoner from Yu Sang Village, Dotho Township, Karze County, Sichuan Province. In December 1995, Norbu put up independence posters at some major crossroads in Karze County. Four months later, in April 1996, several monks from Karze Monastery were summoned to the police station for interrogation in connection with the murder of a monk in the monastery. When the interrogation was completed, Norbu was asked to stay back after all the other monks had left. Initially the police made inquiries regarding the murder, and then he was interrogated about the pasting of independence posters. Norbu was detained for ten days at the police station where he underwent severe torture. He was stripped to his underpants and hung upside down from the ceiling by his feet. The police built a fire underneath him and threw chilli powder into it, causing him to choke. Some time later, a police officer forced him onto hands and knees and sat on his back, riding him like a horse. Officers also spat in Norbu’s face and gave him electric shocks while his hands were handcuffed behind his back. The officers told him that he was the only Tibetan who had a problem accepting Chinese rule.
Norbu was vomiting blood from the beatings he had received and he eventually confess to involvement in the pasting of the posters. The authorities insisted that Norbu had “accomplices” and tried all means to get him to reveal other names, including offering money. When the authorities failed to squeeze any further information out of Norbu, they detained him for eight months until trial. The court sentenced Norbu to three years’ imprisonment and he was imprisoned at Ngapa Prison, Sichuan, where he says there were a total of in 3800 prisoners, were 12 political prisoners among them.
Norbu provided TCHRD with extensive information about the conditions in Ngapa prison. Norbu said the prisoners never received enough food; what food they were given was worse than pig food. Meat was rarely provided, and even then it was rotten. Norbu’s parents and relatives were not allowed to visit him or provide him food parcels as he was a political prisoner.
When prisoners fell ill, they were not taken to see a doctor for days. The same medicine was prescribed irrespective of whether one is suffering a headache or stomach pain. The prisoners were ordered to speak Chinese and not Tibetan.
Norbu was released on 1 April 1999 at the conclusion of his prison term. After his release his monastery was not willing to take the risk of readmitting him and he was even prohibited from wearing monks’ robes.
TCHRD, Human Rights Update, February 2001
CASE STUDY 1:
Family of alleged political activist harassed and beaten
Sonam Choephel from Karze County, Karze “TAP”, Sichuan was one of two trusted aides of Geshe Sonam Phuntsok (see Chapter on Religion). After the arrest of Geshe Sonam Phuntsok in October 1999, Chinese authorities launched a massive search operation to arrest Choephel. The authorities alleged that Choephel had engaged in political activities including showing video-cassettes and distributing pamphlets on the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government-In-Exile in 20 villages in Karze County. On the eve of Geshe Sonam Phuntsok’s arrest Choephel was forwarned that the Chinese authorities were looking for him and he went into hiding. On 25 October 1999, 20 PSB officers came to Choephel’s house. They ransacked the house then threatened his family with penalties if they failed to produce him. Tsering, Choephel’s brother, was beaten badly and was bedridden as a result. Officials came to Choephel’s house and village 13 known times to searching for him. Officers resorted to beating, detention and imprisonment of his brother, friends, the village head and other villagers in order to extract information about Choephel. The authorities confiscated most of the belongings of Choephel’s family worth around 50,000 yuan and told the family that Choephel had used these valuables in propagating his “splittist activities”. Since December 2000, his family, friends, villagers and associates have been frequently harassed, threatened and interrogated by the local officers. Choephel stayed in hiding and managed to evade arrest for almost two years. He finally reached Dharamsala on 12 March 2001.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, June 2001
CASE STUDY 2:
“We ate ice to survive the winter crossing”
Dhimey from Sog County arrived in Kathmandu on 11 November 2001 and gave the following personal account of hardship encountered on route to India.
“In mid-October 2001 I left Lhasa along with a group of approximately 42 people most of whom were monks, including a nine year-old boy. I paid 1500 yuan (US$176) to the guide of our group. While we were preparing for departure, our guide told us about the arrest and detention of about 60 Tibetans who were caught trying to leave Tibet only a few days before. He told us the guide who led the group had been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
We had a very hard time during our escape. We could not light a fire to cook on for five to six days due to fear of being caught by border security officials. We didn’t have anything hot to eat or drink in the freezing cold for many days. One of the two guides of our group fell sick and was vomiting blood. He had to return back in between. We don’t know whether he survived. With the lack of anything to eat and drink, we ate ice to survive the treacherous winter crossing. Many fell sick and I was one of them. The most difficult thing was to walk the whole day on an empty stomach. At the most I could walk only two days without food. By helping each other, we managed to reached Nepal alive.
TCHRD Interview # 5/446, 12 November 2001
CASE STUDY 3:
Young asylum seeker drowns en route to Nepal
In December 2000, a 13-year-old boy, from Bashong-long village, Markham Dzong and his 12-year-old sister, were sent by their parents for schooling in India, accompanied by an older, fellow villager. After travelling for 15 days from Tibet into Nepal with a Nepalese guide, (the guide was paid Nepali Rs 4,000 by each) the group of four camped by a river for lunch. The girl was sent to fetch water but unbeknown to the others, the she fell into the river. Two Rongpas (Nepalese herders) saw the girl being carried away by the river with a jug in her hand. Afterwards, the three looked for her all along the river but they were unable to locate her. The girl’s brother and the villager arrived at the Tibetan Reception Centre on 29 December 2000. They walked for a month and half along with a Rongpa caravan. The boy was deeply traumatised by his sister’s death.
TCHRD Interview # 4/361, 3 January 2001
CASE STUDY 4:
Refugees shot dead, beaten and arrested in Nepal
Kunchok Gyatso and a group of 23 other asylum seekers left Lhasa around 13 October 2000. After entering Nepal the group proceeded towards the town of Jiri. However the group was apprehended by Nepali police. The guide fled, but the police detained the group of Tibetans in a cell at Jiri police station for three days. The group grew fearful that they were to be deported back to Tibet so they escaped. They stopped a passing truck and ask the driver to take them to Kathmandu, but the driver told them he would only take them to a nearby town. The Jiri police gave chase in a jeep. The truck stopped at a town called Charikot, outside the Charikot police station. The Charikot police and the Jiri police confronted the terrified Tibetans. The Tibetans tried to escape but the police opened fire on them, shooting six Tibetans including Kunchok Gyatso who received a bullet in the jaw. Three of the 24 escaped and have not been heard of since. The remaining Tibetans were beaten by the Nepali police with rifle butts including Kunchok Gyatso. Kunchok and the others with injuries were taken to hospital in Kathmandu. Kunchok died of his injuries on the journey while two of the seven took months to recuperate from their serious wounds.
TCHRD Interview # 4/360, 2 January 2001
CASE STUDY 5:
Students returning to Tibet arrested and heavily fined
On 21 August 2001 Kathmandu Nepali police arrested two monks at a restaurant in Boudhnath for failing to possess appropriate residential documents. Two days later, eight Tibetan students (four male, four female) were arrested by Nepalese security personnel at Thangkot checkpoint, the largest checkpoint on the Nepal-India border. The students were attempting to travel through Nepal to return to Tibet after finishing their schooling in India. They were arrested for failing to possess the relevant travel documents. On 23 August 2001, the Nepali Immigration Department operating under the Ministry of Home fined all 10 arrested Tibetans. Huge fines were imposed and any non-payment carried a default sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. The eight Tibetan students were each fined US$1,365 and an additional penalty of 20,000 Nepali Currency (NC) for illegally crossing the border, totalling NC Rs 121,897.25 per person. The two Tibetan monks received an even harsher penalty. Their sentencing papers state. “Your entry into Nepal territory without a visa and valid travel documents is liable to a punishment /fine of US$ 2,215.00 (equivalent to NC Rs 165,349.75) under section 3 (1) of the Foreign Regulation Act of 204. As of 31 December 2001 these 10 Tibetans were still in detention in Nepal.
TCHRD Human Rights Update, September 2001
CASE STUDY 6:
Escapee of 14 in detention journey ends in detention by Nepali police in Nepal for six months
According to a letter dated 7 May 2001 recently received by the Tibetan Reception Centre in Kathmandu, on 3 May border police detained a boy and his guide at Dulikhel Checkpost near the Tibet-Nepal border. Tsewang Phurbu, 14, is originally from Tingri County, Shigatse Prefecture, “TAR”, and had been working as a waiter. Phurbu tried to escape Tibet to seek an audience with the Dalai Lama in India and then to pursue study in a school administered by the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. He sought the help of a Sherpa guide to escape via the Nepal border. The pair left Dram border on 2 May 2001, around 5 p.m., and walked all night along a forest track. The next morning, they rode in a taxi for a considerable distance. The guide suggested Phurbu go ahead in a public bus and that he would pick him up soon. Phurbu followed his instructions and travelled till the guide, who came in a taxi, stopped the bus. Phurbu got down to continue riding in the taxi. After a few hours, the Nepali border police at Dulikhel Checkpoint stopped the taxi and interrogated the passengers. Since Phurbu could speak neither Nepali or English, he was immediately recognised as a newcomer. He and the guide were detained in Dulikhel for two days before being handed over Nepal’s Immigration Department. While being detained by the Immigration Department the guide suggested to Phurbu that they should break out of jail together. However, Phurbu reassured the guide that the Tibetan Reception Centre would soon help bail them out. On the night of 5 May 2001 the guide again asked Phurbu to help break out, but Phurbu refused. The guide finally managed to break the window and escaped, only to be caught outside. The attempted escape resulted in both Phurbu and the guide being transferred to Dili Bazaar Jail in Kathmandu on 6 May 2001. The guide was released on payment of a fine, although the amount is unknown. The officers asked Phurbu to pay a fine of 17,200 Nepali Rupees. As he did not have the money, he sent a letter to the Tibetan Reception Centre appealing for help. Tsewang was kept in detention for six months. On 23 November 2001, a Tibetan businessman based in Nepal, Tsadruk Tsering Lobsang, paid Tsewang’s fine and he was then released.
TCHRD Human Rights Update October 2001