30 September 1997
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Heavy taxation threatens survival of Tibetans
[ read ]
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Profile:
An unsung hero of Tibetan struggle
[ read ]
The latest Policy of Chinese repression comes in the most
subtle manner of taxation. The Tibetans, irrespective
of their economic position are all subjected to various
form of taxation some of which are totally ludicrous.
Though the taxation policy was implemented in Tibet since
the Chinese occupation of Tibet, but in recent times
harsher form of taxing imposed causes difficulties and
threatens the very survival of the Tibetan people. The
worst effected by such a policy are the poor peasants
and the nomads who are left with hardly any money to run
their family. The farmers and the nomads in Tibet have to
struggle hard to eke out their livelihood. As a result of
which, their children are also deprived of the opportunity
to go to school because they simply can not afford it.
As enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, article 1(2) expressly prohibit
the deprivation of people's own means of subsistence. It
further provides people to freely pursue their economic,
social and cultural development. However, in Tibet today
basic means of subsistence is at stake.
In this case of "reform" policy, the heavy price Tibetans
have to pay becomes an alarming issue inciting many of
them to flee Tibet. "This issue coincides with the recent
report that the official Xinhua news agency on ìThe Tibetan
Tax system brought into line with China"s. What is not
being considered is the fact that the economic status of
people of Tibet and China is not same at all. Especially
in comparison to those of the people from the countryside.
According to the Beijing-based Xinhua news agency,
on 9 September,
"The Tibet Autonomous Region" in south-west China
has made substantial progress in its tax reform and as a
result, its tax system is on par with the nation's. The
local tax income topped 380 yuan in 1996, compared with
140m in 1992, with annual growth of over 20 percent. The
figure is expected to further increase to 450m yuan this
year. Since the reforms began in 1993, a number of new
taxable categories were added and some outdated ones
droppedî. The source also said that Tibet's tax system
was formed in the 1950's and 1960's and was different
from the national system. Since the reforms began in 193,
a number of new taxable categories were added and some
outdated were ones dropped. The source also said that
Tibet's ax system was formed in the 1950's and 1960's and
was different from the national system. Since the reforms
began in 1993, there has been many changes with addition
of some new categories and some outdated ones dropped.
However, what makes it difficult for any research analysis
on this issue is the fact that the nature of taxation is
not uniform in all parts of "Tibet Autonomous Region"
and Tibetan areas incorporated into Chinese provinces.
Ironical to this taxation reform policy, the Chinese
official policy clearly outlines the criteria that exempts
the "ethnic groups and minorities" from paying any kind
of tax. The present reform policy seem to the bare the
prime intentions of the Chinese. The nature of taxation
is intensively harsh that people who are unable to pay
has to bear more severe consequences of equally high fine.
This also brings to light the promise made by the Chinese
premier Jiang Zemin during the 53rd UN Commission on Human
Rights that by the end of this year China will sign the
international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights. However, there is no consistency with the economic
policy that is being implemented in Tibet today.
The urgency with how those people effected by the policy
spoke to us incites us to bring out this special edition.
29-year-old
Phuntsok Namgyal,
from Horshe shang in Golok Serta county
of Karze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (now incorporated
in Chinese province of Sichuan) spoke to TCHRD about
the tax policy imposed in his area.
"I come from a nine-member family, and own 5000 mu of pasture land
(one mu is equivalent to 67 square metres). It is compulsory
to fence one's pasture land and the cost of fencing range
from 8000 to 9000 yuan. In case people fail to do so they
are liable to be fined 2000 yuan. Through such imposition
of taxes, Chinese authorities actually intent to suppress
and intensify its hold over Tibet. Chinese authorities
also aim to degrade Tibetans to such a miserable state
that they are not able to raise their voice against the
Chinese authorities.
Grazing land tax:
"1 000 yuan as tax is levied annually
on my family. This tax is imposed depending on the size
of the pasture-land. The tax is collected in the month of
August every month."
Meat Tax:
"My family is required to pay 2000 gyama of
meat annually out of which 2 to 3 yuan per gyama is
returned. However, if we sell it in the market we would
receive 9 to 10 yuan per gyarna. The meat tax is collected
in the month of August and September, since the animals
put on maximum fat during this season."
Mu:A measure of land area 67 sq. mtrs.
Gyama: 500 grams
Sang: 10 Sang makes one Gyama
Mosey: 10 Mosey makes one Yuan
Phing: 10 Phing makes one Mosey
Yuan: Chinese Currency
Milk:
"We submit 1,000 gyama of milk in the month of May every year as a
tax to the Chinese authorities out of which only 1 yuan for
each gyama is returned.
Butter:
"500 gymna of butter every year, from which 4 to 5 yuan
per gyama is returned whereas in the open market, business
would be much better. We would receive 1 5 to 16 yuan per
gyama. This is being collected in the month of August every
year. In cases of delay, 10 yuan is fined on every gyama.
"Except milk, other taxable product has to be personally
delivered at the township. In my area, every individual
in the family is required to kill 20 rats and guinea pigs
per month. If we fail to meet that quota, we were fined 20
yuan for each animal that amount to total of 6400 yuan. As
a Buddhiist this goes against our belief. However, we are
left with no choice but to adhere as the monetary aspect
becomes almost impossible. The Tibetans are also forced
to kill foxes, but no quota has been fixed with regard to
the number as yet. The Chinese authorities aim to deepen
the hardship that already exists in the daily life of the
Tibetan people. Due to this policy, put of desperation
the nomads in my area has to find themselves other means
of livelihood such as construction work."
25-year-old
Ogen Tso
is from Machen township in Davoe County which
is in Tsongon (Chinese: Qinghai). He was a nomad in Tibet
and comes from a family comprising of his mother, sister
and himself. He had never been to school He arrived in
Dharamsala on 919197.
Yartsa Gunbhu: (medical plant)
"Every individual in my
family has to compulsorily pay 1.2 sang of Yartsa Gunbhu,
if you don"t remit that prescribed quota, we are fined 1500
yuan per individual and total of 4500 yuan from my family.
Meat:
"My family has to give three yak as a tax to the Chinese
authorities, If we don"t they would take more than what
is prescribed. This collection is conducted in the month
of October."
"They also levy tax on yak's fur but I don"t know the
exact quantity.
"We are also required to compulsorily fence the
pasture-land. To do that we have to request the Chinese
authorities and can not do it on our own. If we did, it
would be destroyed and they would fence it themselves. In
the end we would be charged 5000 yuan for the work from
the family.
"Yartsa Gunbhu (the medicinal plant) and Gold is abundantly
found in Sha-doe and Machen Gang-ri. For that purpose some
100 to 200 Chinese come to collect and mine in my area."
22-year old
Tsoduk
is from Labrang township in Ganjang County in Gansu
province. She was from a nomadic family in Tibet and
arrived in Dharamsala in mid-September 1997 along with a
group of people from Amdo. She escaped to India via Ngari
region in the west of Tibet. She fled from her homeland
unable to bear the miserable living condition caused by
heavy taxing policy implemented in the region. Tax is
heavily levied upon the natural products of the nomads
and farmers. In most part of the Amdo region, the people
are harassed by such a policy to such an extend that they
find themselves plunged into the state of sheer hardships
with respect to living conditions of the Tibetan people.
"My family has livestocks that comprises of 40 bigger
animals such as Yak, Dri and 500 sheep. The taxes are being
levied according to the strength of the family member."
Meat:
"My family has to pay 10,300 gyama of meat annually. This
tax is collected in the month f September of every
year. Tax officials make house calls to collect the
taxes. In case, one fail to submit the tax in due time
officials would either takeaway the animals or the people
would be dragged in to the prison. Out of 10,300 gyama,
the authorities return 5 mosey per gyama but the market
price is about 12 yuan per gyama."
Milk:
"For twelve-member family a total of 1 8,000 gyama of milk
is imposed as a tax that is, for every individual 1,500
gyama. This is collected in the month of June, in return
they pay only one yuan and 7 mosey per individual."
Butter:
"15 gyama of butter as tax is levied for my family hich is
normally levied either in Autumn or in Spring season. In
return we get back one yuan for each gyama. But in the
market one will receive about 17 yuan for each gyama."
Wool:
"320 gyama of wool is taxed for my family. They collect
this tax every June. We would get back 2 yuan per gyama
but in the open market we will receive 12 yuan per gyama."
Grazing land Tax:
"500 yuan is taxed for the grazing land, collected according to
the size of the land."
27-year-old
Tsegye Phuntsok
is from Podrang township in Kyithang county in Ngari
region under TAR. His family is a six-member family. He
joined the school at the early age of seven, studied in a
primary school for three years and five years in a middle
school. In total he spent 8 years in school. He describes
the taxing policy in his region of Podrang in the western
region of Tibet People of Podrang region are farmers and
they depend on barley farming.
Barley Tax:
"My family owns 20 mu of land. All taxing policy is based
on the number of mu one possesses. We have to pay a tax of
1 800 gyama of barley annually. In return they would give
us 7 mosey per gyama from what we have paid. However, in
the market we would receive one yuan and 5 mosey per gyama."
Compulsory work:
"All Tibetans in this region have to avail themselves
with compulsory work for 20 days to work in various field
without receiving any payment from the officials."
Circum-ambulation Tax:
"In recent times the Chinese authorities have imposed
the newest kind of tax which was unheard of before by the
Tibetan people in this region. That is, each individual
is levied 3 yuan as a tax to acquire the right to
circum-ambulate the holy mount Kailash."
20-year-old
Tenzin-Tsundue
is from Jigo townshipin Machen County in Tso-Ngon province
(Chinese-Qinghai). He was a nomad in Tibet and he
belonged to a family of six members. His family possess
300 livestocks, and has 2900 mu of grazing land. Here
the taxes are imposed according to the strength of the
family members.
Meat:
"My family has to pay 750 gyama of meat annually, out
of which 2 yuan per gyama is returned to us. However,
to sell it in the open market we would receive 8 yuan per
gyama. This meat tax is collected in the month of September
of every year."
Grazing land Tax:
"Grazing tax is imposed upon Tibetan according to the
number of the family members. Therefore we are levied 1900
yuan per year."
Wool:
200 gyama tax on wool is levied, depending on the size of
the ~g land. From 200 gyama collected we are returned 1
yuan and 5 mosey but the market rate die we would incur
is 5 yuan for each gyama."
Butter:
"15 gyama is taxed on butter. In return we receive one
yuan per gyama from the Chinese authorities, where as the
market price will be from 13 to 17 yuan per gyama."
Yak"s fur:
"Our family to pay 180 gyama of yak's fur as tax. We get
back 5 yuan per gyama, where as in the open market we will
receive 14 yuan."
Yartsa Gunbhu:
"In this area, the Tibetans are taxed on this medicinal
plant too. We have to pay 1 gyama 80 sang (10 sang is
equal to one Gyama) and from that we will receive 1500 yuan
per gyama, whereas the market price is 3000 to 4000 yuan
per gyama. We are also levied tax on Shi-thang (another
medicinal plant) but I am not sure of the amount. These
plants can be collected only in the month of April and
May every year. So we are required to fill the stipulated
quota of tax within that time.
Social security:
"In this area, taxes are levied on every family as per
amount of land they possess. So, in my family we have to
pay 600 yuan as tax to the Chinese authorities as 'social
security'."
Leasing investment:
"1700 yuan is levied as tax from my family. This is based
on the tract of land we possess."
Older people's Home:
"For the old people's home, every individual from a family
in my village from the age of 15 to 60 years is charged
a tax of 40 yuan annually."
Education:
"Every family in my village has to pay education tax of one
yak and two sheep per year. As compensation we will get
150 yuan for the yak and 40 yuan for the sheep. However,
in the market we will receive 2000 - 3000 yuan, and for
sheep the 300 yuan. This is regardless of whether one send
their children to school or not.
"For those who send their children to school, the school
fees is exhorbitant amounting up to 1100 yuan annually in
the middle school. While, in the primary school 500 yuan
is charge as fees per Year.
"Often we have so-called vets coming to our village and for
just inserting a thermometer in the mouth of the animals
they charge 5 yuan for each animal. This way they make
extra money at the cost of our daily bread.
22-year old
Kalsang
is from Shamey township in Rorkhe County which
is in Aba Tibetan Autonomous prefecture (Chinese: Sichuan).
"In my family there are eight members. We have a total of
80 yaks and Dri, and 300 sheep. As yet, the distribution
of land for animal grazing and thereafter the fencing
is yet to be introduced. As part of the meat tax we are
required to give one yak to the Chinese authorities. This
is to be paid in the month of August and September every
year. In return we receive amount ranging from 1 500 to
2000 yuan and we have to personally go and submit the same
to the authorities."
Meat:
"In a year we are required to pay one yak as meat tax to
the Chinese authorities. This is to be paid in the month
of August and September every year. In return we receive
amount ranging from 1500 to 2000 yuan and personally have
to go and submit the same to the authorities.
Milk:
"Each individual has to pay 200 gyama of milk as a
tax. From my family we have to pay 1600 yuan in total. This
tax has to be paid in the month of June every year. During
the time the officials would stay for about a month to
satisfy the said quota."
Grazing land Tax:
"Annually my family has to pay 200 yuan. This is collected
in the month of April and May every year. Butter: Each
individual has to pay 50 to 60 gyama of butter tax that
means a total of 400 gyama has to be paid to the Chinese
officials."
Cheese:
"With regard to cheese tax, every individual is needed to
pay 20 - 30 gyarna of tax, totalling up to 160 gyama. In
case if we fail to remit the prescribed tax in time, we
would be fined 1 00 yuan after every passing month. It
was made mandatory for the Tibetan to pay tax."
Dunbhu Shethang (Medicinal plant):
"Huge quantity of this medicinal plants has been plucked
from this area. This medicinal plant is available for
plucking only from May to July every year. During these
season 200 to 300 Chinese would be engaged in the work."
19-year-old
Kyadhe
is from Khang Ched township in Gabde county in Golok
Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. There
are six members in his family, and they own livestock of
110 Sog (Yak and Dri) and 40 sheep.
Meat Tax:
"In a year my family has to forbear two yak and three
sheep as a meat tax. From that we were returned 2 yuan
per gyama where as if we sell it in the market we would
receive 4 yuan and 5 mosey.
"For sheep we will receive 2 yuan per gyama, and in the
open market we will receive 6 to 7 yuan per gyama."
Droma (sweet clove):
"Four to five gyama has to be paid as a tax annually,
that is collected in autumn and spring season."
Butter:
"My family has to remit 2 gyama and 5 sang of butter
from each Dri (female-yak). Nothing is returned from
the authorities."
Cheese:
"Annually has to pay 20 gyama from their family."
Wool:
"The wool tax is levied as per the number of sheep one
possess. In return they would receive 3 to 3.5 yuan per
gyama. But if we sell it by ourselves we would receive 5
yuan per gyama."
Yak's fur (Tsipa):
"This is also tax according to the number of yak one
possess, for each gyama we get only 2 yuan but if we sell
it in the market we would receive 3 yuan."
Yak's fur (Khullu):
"It is also a yak's fur which grows in the rib part. For
each gyama we receive 7 gyarna, however if we sell it in
the market we would receive 17 to 18 yuan per gyama."
Yartsa Gunbhu:
"We need to give in one sang and six sho (10 sho is equal
to one sang). In total my family has to pay 9 sang and
six sho) annually. We are returned 1 500 yuan per gyarna
where as if we sell it in the market we would retrieve
2500 to 3000 yuan per gyama. This medicinal plant can be
collected only in April and May of every year."
In the nomadic area where Yartsa Gunbhu is found
abundantly, the Chinese authorities allow other people
to collect the medicinal plant charge them 600 yuan.
This proves threatening for the nomads who are given no
compensation by the Chinese authorities for exhausting
their land of the plant that is a means of livelihood for
the nomad themselves.
21-year-old
Lobsang Phulchung
is from Chideshol town-ship in Lhoka County. He was a
monk in Phadhampa monastery. He joined the monastery at 18
years of age. There are six members in his family and each
individual were distributed with two and a half mu of land.
Barley:
"Every individual has to pay 12 khel (a load on the yak
equivalent to 28 gyama). Therefore a total of 72 khel has
to be paid to the Chinese authorities. If a family does
not meet the required quota even after giving away all
the produce the family has to cover it by making payment
in cash."
Fertilizer:
"The farmers are compulsorily made to buy fertilizers from
the Chinese authorities. The farmers in our region not
use chemical fertilizers that are manufactured in the
factory. Instead we normally use manure. They provide
us with two types of fertilizer, one red and the other
white. Everyone has to either take the red sack which
costs 50 yuan or the white which costs 40 yuan.
"Therefore the Tibetan farmers has to indulge in other
means of livelihood to ease the financial constraint due
to the taxes. Such as, weaving garments, working in Chinese
enterprises to meet their basic necessities.
23-year-old
Rinzin Choephel
is from, Gyochu township in Tsawa Pashoe county in Chamdo
region of "Tibet Autonomous Region". He is from a family of
six. They own 35 mu of farming land. In their area farmers
cultivate crops twice a year. In August-September they
cultivate barley and harvest in the month of April. Then
from April they cultivate maize and harvest in July.
"Barley tax is levied according to the size of the farming
land that one possess. I do not know the exact quantity
of barley tax that my family has to part with. The Chinese
authorities will return accounting per gyama one mosey
and 5 ping (10 ping is equivalent to 1 mosey), whew as
if we sell it in the market we wig be receiving 10 yuan
per gyama."
Butter Tax:
"For every single animal two gyama of butter is
charged. This is charged without even sparing the
non-milk-producing animals. This results in having no milk to
consume for ourselves.
Grass tax:
"Grass tax is levied depending on the number of mu. For
each mu big bundle of grass measuring about 5 meters in
length and 4 meters in height has to be reverted to the
authorities."
Besides the taxable area of nomads and the peasants, of
late commoners who are of other profession find themselves
having to pay much of what they have earned. Many feel
they are being totally squeezed of their sustenance.
A recent arrival
from Tibet who owned a private vehicle,
5 tonne truck (Chinese: Tung Fung),
found it hard to keep on
working as a driver that he was compelled to leave Tibet.
He expressed his concern over the fact that other people of
the same profession undergo similar hardships. The vehicle
he owns is a goods carrier and if he is caught with few
people in it, he is liable to be fined up to 100 yuan per
person and his vehicle kept in police custody for two days.
It cost him 55000 when he bought it second hand from
a road construction department. It was an exorbitant
amount for him when he had literally no money at all.
So, he took loan from a bank with no backings from his
family. When he started off initially with his business,
he was confident that it would be good business for him
and soon he would have cleared his debts. However, when
he started to pay the taxes that were imposed on him,
he realised it was incomprehensible and that way he could
never be able to return his debt to the bank.
Every month he has to take care of the road tax which was
325 yuan, then his vehicle being a good's carrier he has
to pay 115 yuan as part of the transportation tax. He
has to pay another sum of almost 700 yuan for which he
has to go to Shigatse. This 700 yuan he has no idea what
it is for. Finally every year all private vehicles are
checked for any repair work. And whether a vehicle needs
any repairing or not one has to pay 7000 yuan after which
we are given a card. This is compulsory.
All these expenditures are without considering the cost
of fuel. Furthermore, they are told that the taxes will
increase because the money incurred will he used for
the renovation of road. This indicates a more stiffled
livelihood. He could turn to his brother and sister as
they had made it clear to him when he bought the vehicle
in the first place. He sold the vehicle at a much lesser
price and was left with no choice but leave Tibet.
A similar cast of taxation to truck operators is a man
from Khartse village. He too owns a 5 tonne truck (China:
Tung Fung) which he bought along with another friend. They
paid 70000 yuan when they bought it brand new. They
normally operate between Gyantse to Drarn, Gyantse to
Shigatse, Gyantse to Lhasa. Sometimes even to Yalung to
fetch timber. The taxes they have to pay vary from the
previous case in amount and nature. As a part of road
tax they have to pay 500 yuan per month. Taxation office
fees is 35 yuan per month. Insurance per year costs them
2000 yuan in the initial stage then 40 yuan per year. As
permit fee for functioning his truck as a good"s carrier
every they are liable to pay 15 yuan per month.
Tax for non-resident:
According to a recent informant,
a Tibetan who is a non-resident of Lhasa area,
i.e. a Tibetan resident from other places in Tibet,
has to pay a tax of 29 yuan per
month per person for stay in Lhasa. After the payment,
identity cards are being is sued to the person concerned
for stay in Lhasa which is valid for one month only. This
system of issuing ID-card started in the beginning of this
year. If a person fails to renew the card after expiry,
a fine of 2 yuans per day is charged.
Thupton Woeser
is a 17 year old from Amdo Golok Gabde shen, Khoche shang.
He hails from a nomadic family of 6 members. They have
100 dzo 100 sheep and 6 horses.
Meat tax:
"My family has to pay 1200 gyama of meat every year which
is collected in the month of september. We get back
1 yuan per gyama whereas the market price will be 10-
2 yuan per gyarna."
Land tax:
"As part of land tax we have to pay 1000 yuan every
year. This is calculated according to the size of land
we own."
Wool:
"Every June wool tax of 600 gyama is collected from us. We
would get back 2-3 yuan per gyama but if sold in the market
we will get 12 yuan per gyama at least."
Butter:
"20 gyama of butter has to he given at the price of 1 yuan
for each gyama. The market rate is 16-17 yuan per gyama."
Cheese:
"30 gyama of cheese is collected every year."
Yak's fur (Tibetan Tsipa):
"15 gyama of yak's fur is collected for which we are given
2 yuan per gyama. However, the market rate will be 3-4
yuan per gyama."
"My family also fenced the boundary of the grazing land
for the animals and that cost us a fortune of 10100 yuan.
"However, no sooner had we finished it we were told by
Chinese officials to demolish the entire fence and have
a new one built. A new one cost our family an additional
expense of 20100 yuan."
Tsundue Songjoe
is a 16 year old ex-monk of Rong Goenchen Monastery
in Nyanthok township in Dhaloe County which is in Amdo
(Chinese: Qinghai). His family"s means of livelihood is
farming. There are six members in his family and they own
9 mu of farming land.
Land tax:
"Last year we had to pay 7000 for this expanse of land but
this year the amount has been increased to 1 0,000. Besides
the other taxes that we have to pay normally, this year
each individual had to pay 7 yuan in every family. When
we asked the reason behind this unusual collection of
money we were told that it was to cover the expenses of
the Hongkong hand over. It is still ambigious as to where
this money will go to but we know for sure that it is
extremely stifling."
"The school in my village is established and funded by
our local Tibetan inhabitants. Salary of the teacher and
other school expenses are being borne by our village folk,
says
Tsingdrol Lhamo,
a 15 year old girl who recently escaped from Tibet.
Taxation:
"We are nine member family and my family owns 30 mu (one
mu is equivalent to one acre). Generally the tax is levied
according to the strength of the family and number of the
acres one owns. Each individual member has to pay six boe
of barley." ( boe is a unit of measurement, a boe is wooden
container paid to the Chinese authorities.
Human tax:
"In my village tax is levied even on person which is
collected in the name of human tax. Per individual 160
yuan is imposed as tax, therefore my family has to pay
sum of 1440 yuan to the Chinese authorities. As far as I
know the villagers pay this tax since 1 was 12 years of my
age. If we don"t pay this tax in due time we were fined
up to 300 yuan. Due to various form of tax imposed on us,
we are faced with lots of problems. In case if we complain
about heavy taxes, they threatened us of confiscating the
land. The tax were collected in the September month of
every year. We do have to go the Shang by ourselves to
remit this taxes and not the other way round."
[ top ]
Since the March 1959 Tibetan National Uprising, for
almost 28 years the issue of Tibet remained a yet another
isolated story closed to the International fora. Until,
on 27 September 1988 the most contemporary protest took
place. This was an awakening and the issue of Tibet came
back to the attention of the world. This was made possible
when a group of twenty one monks of Drepung Monastery
and four lay people initiated the demonstration Ngawang
Gyaltsen was one of them and since then they never
looked back Today Ngawang is languishing in Drapchi
prison, sentenced for 17 years, yet his spirit remains
unabated.
Ngawang Gyaltsen
lay name (Ngodup Gyaltsen) more commonly known as Tsewa
Khampa is a 38 year old Drepung Monastery monk orignally
from Toelung Dechen County. He was born in Songrapa. His
parents are both in their 80's and he has a brother.
On 27 September 1987, he actively participated in the
demonstration against the Chinese. It was one of the most
famous contemporary uprising where a total number of 25
men participated out of which 21 were monks of Drepung
Monastery. He was arrested that same day. For four months
till 21 January 198 She was held in Gutsa Detention Centre.
While in Gutsa they were given such pathetic diet that
they often threw away the food in the excrement pot. When
prison officials saw it they would be infuriated and
as part of punishment it would be cooked again and the
prisoners would be compelled to eat again.
From his time of release on 21, January 1988 till 16 April
1989, he was a part of an organisation of ten who were
actively involved in many pro-independence activities. The
main activities this organisation dealt with were the
distribution of speeches of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
a Tibetan version of the leaflets of the UN Declaration of
Human Rights, and another document "Maong Pai Bod Kyi Mang
Tsoi Tsa Khrim" (Future Democratic Constitution of Tibet).
Such political activities continued until he was caught
for the second and the last time.
Ngawang's intrepid act of uninterrupted freedom struggle
aggravated the Chinese to a large extent. Ngawang was
also caught for attempting to send the list of political
prisoners of Tibet to India.
When Ngawang came to know that the Chinese officials were
after him, he immediately made an attempt to flee Tibet in
March 1989 with another monk, Kalsang Thutop. Unfortunately
he was arrested on the border.
Ngawang was detained in Sangyip prison for six months
after which he was sentenced to 17 years with five
year deprivation of political rights by the People's
Court of "Tibet Autonomous Region" as the "accessory
offender". Along with him seven others were implicated and
Kalsang Thutop was one of them. Ngawang was charged with
"actively participating in criminal activities engaging in
espionage, and illegally crossing the national border. He
was also implicated for sending information about the
violence in Lhasa out of the country.
According to Ngawang Woepar one of the participants of
the September demonstration and who escaped in Dharamsala,
India in 1991, the Chinese officials told all the monks who
served four months in Gutsa that they would be liable to
further implications if they continue to indulge in such
political activities once they are released they would be
dealt with most seriously.
Ngawang was later transferred to Drapchi Prison where he
is currently serving his prison term. Ngawang is described
by Ngawang Woepar as a head strong, determined person
who would not change his mind once a decision has been
made. Patriotism is one of his strong points and while he
was in the monastery he was one of the best students. All
age group in his health is beleived to have become weak
apparently due to poor prison conditions.
Express your concern and support by addressing an appeal
letter to the Chinese Premier, Mr Li Peng, requesting
the Chinese authorities to release Ngawang Gyaltsen and
all other political prisoners who continue to languish in
Chinese prisons in Tibet. You may send it directly to the
Chinese Embassy or send it to Tibetan Centre for Human
rights and Democracy for forwarding.
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