31 December 1997
-
China in Tibet:
Striking hard against human rights
[ read ]
-
Arrests and demonstrations from 1997 January
[ read ]
-
To get the second annual report
[ read ]
1997 Annual Report:
Human Rights Violations in Tibet
China in Tibet: Striking Hard Against Human Rights
endeavours to convey some idea of the extensive brutalities
which continue to be perpetrated by the People's Republic
of China against the people of Tibet. The human rights
of every Tibetan in what has recently been termed
"the world's largest remaining colony" have been drastically
eroded under Chinese occupation; their individual rights
and their rights as a people trampled under the boots
of Chinese military and the trucks which carry out the
natural resources and carry in Chinese settlers.
As of December 1997, there are 1216 known political
prisoners languishing in Chinese prisons in Tibet. Of
those, 295 are women and 39 are juvenile prisoners below
the age of 19. Six reports of Tibetans dying as a result
of torture and ill-treatment were received in 1997. Under
China's "Strike Hard" campaign, 2,827 monks and nuns were
expelled, 165 arrests and nine deaths were reported.
The "Strike Hard" campaign and its attendant "re-education"
drive, launched in Tibet in early 1996 and rapidly extended
in 1997, signals an increasingly intensive momentum by
Chinese authorities to crack down on Tibetans who call for
independence and respect for human rights in Tibet. As
Chinese work-teams surge into more and more of Tibet's
monasteries and nunneries, controls have been tightened
and populations culled. The 1997 year saw the continuing
detention of Tibet's second highest spiritual leader-the
eight-year-old Panchen Lama reincarnate, and the six-year
sentencing of the religious figure who helped to find him.
China's clamp down has not stopped at Tibet's religious
institutions. Threatening to extend "re-education" sessions
into all spheres of Tibetan culture-which authorities
recently declared "non-Buddhist" - the PRC has already made
massive inroads into its efforts to sinicise the Tibetan
people. Tibetan language and Tibet-related education
has been drastically downgraded. Population measures-a
ceaseless flow of Chinese settlers transported in to
"develop" the region and the forced sterilisation of
Tibetan women-combine to produce an ever-growing threat
to the Tibetan people's survival. And as "developmentī
causes drastic changes to the Tibetan social structure,
the most striking feature of Tibet's Chinese-engineered
economic lift-off is the lack of
Throughout 1997, Chinese authorities intensified their
brutal suppression of Tibetan people's right to practise
and express their religious beliefs. Under China's "Strike
Hard' campaign (or "Crack Down Severely on Crimes")
implemented in Tibet since April 1996, Tibetan monks
and nuns have been targeted for intensive 'patriotic
re-education' sessions and strict controls within
the monasteries and nunneries have resulted in 2,827
expulsions, 165 arrests, nine deaths and 35 voluntarily
leaving their monasteries and nunneries.
Chinese work-teams have been sent into monasteries
and nunneries all over Tibet to conduct "patriotic
re-education" sessions to instruct monks on the "evils
of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan nationalism and those. A
five-point political pledge requires monks to oppose
the idea of an independent Tibet, to denounce the Dalal
Lama and to recognise the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama.
Democratic Management Committees established by Chinese
authorities in Tibetan monasteries and nunneries have been
reconstituted by the work-team. Regulations allowing
entrance into monasteries have been tightened and most
recently entrance has been denied to those aged below 16
years, thereby further reducing the monastic population
and discouraging religious studies.
China reported that so far some 30,000 of Tibet's
46,000 Buddhist monks and nuns have received "patriotic
re-education" and out of 1,787 monasteries and temples,
a reported 1,780 monasteries and temples have been covered
by the work-teams. Chinese authorities have announced they
are now determined to extend the campaign in monasteries
and nunneries into all parts of Tibetan society.
In 1997, 96 known cases of Tibetans arrested were recorded,
most as a result of exercising their freedom of expression
and opinion. The term "endangering national security"
has been introduced in amendments to the Chinese
criminal law, replacing the previously used term of
"counter-revolutionary", but it appears that any expression
of perceived political opinion in Tibet can amount to a
threat to China's "national security". Tibetans have been
arrested in 1997 for: pasting pro-Tibetan wall posters;
hanging the Tibetan national flag; writing leaflets calling
for Tibetan independence and as always, for speaking the
forbidden phrase of "Free Tibet".
China's "patriotic re-education" campaign
launched in May 1996 and intensified during 1997 further
restricts freedom of expression. Tibetan monk and nuns have
been ordered to sign pledges of political allegiance and
to accept without question the work-teams' re-styling of
Tibetan history and religion. If a monk or nun ventures
to speak their own opinion, or to question those of the
Chinese officials, they face arrest and expulsion from
their monastery or nunnery.
Almost all Tibetan political prisoners Chinese prisons
in Tibet represent cases of arbitrary arrest and
detention. Ninety-six such arrests were recorded in 1997
and, commonly charged with 'endangering state security',
these individuals have received prison sentences of up
to eight years. During the 1996 year, 204 cases of known
arrests of Tibetans exercising their freedom of expression
and assembly were reported. Due to the difficulties and
time lags involved in receiving information from Tibet,
a further 53 cases of arrests in 1996 were not reported
until 1997, bringing the current total of known arrests
for 1996 to 257. The majority of the new cases of 1996
arrests were of monks who failed to satisfy Chinese
"re-education work-teams".
As at the end of 1997, 1,216 known Tibetan political
prisoners and prisoners of conscience languished in Chinese
prisons in Tibet imprisoned for peacefully exercising
their right to freedom of expression and opinion, freedom
of assembly, or freedom of religion. This figure includes
295 women and 39 juvenile political prisoners below the
age of 18. Many of these individuals have already served
incredibly long periods deprived of their freedom; for
some this may be the second or third time they have been
imprisoned. There are currently 85 prisoners known to be
serving prison sentences of 10 years and above.
The eight-year-old Panchen Lama, together with his parents,
continues to be held by Chinese authorities. Chadrel
Rinpoche, the head of the Search Committee for the
Reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, was sentenced to
six years imprisonment in 1997. Political prisoners
such as Tsering Ngodup (66) and Sonam Dhondup (24) are
serving periods of 12 years in prison for expressing
their political views and Lobsang Tenzin (28) and
Ngawang Choephel(31) have both been sentenced to 18 year
prison terms on suspicion of being involved in political
activities. Tanak Jigme Sangpo (71), the longest known
current political prisoner in Tibet will have spent
41 years in prison Political Prisoners being held and
are unable to go to their assistance. Four new cases of
disappearances which occurred in 1996 were also re-ported
in 1997. By the time he is released in 2011. Nuns like
Phuntsok Nyidron (29), Jigme Yangehen (28), Tenzin Thupten
(27), Ngawang Sangdrol (21) and Gyaltsen Dolker (27)
have been sentenced from 12 to 17 years for recording
songs and poems whilst in prison.
Six reports ports of Tibetans dying as a result of police
torture and ill-treatment were received in 1997. Amongst
these, Jamyang Thinley (25) died after four months
of severe torture by prison officials. His dead body
was covered in blood, bruises, and blisters caused by
electrocution. Kalsang Dawa (29) had begun to cover his
ears with both hands and cry out: "they are inserting
electric batons into my cars" during his two and a half
years of prison torture, before he was found hanging dead
from his cell ceiling. Phuntsok Yangkyi (20) went into
a coma after Chinese doctor extracted fluid from her body
and her nails, tongue and lips turned bluish-black before
she died.
Dozens of cases describing brutal torture methods by
police and prison officials were also reported. Victims
recall being beaten with rifle butts and sticks, kicked
and punched all over the body, shocked with electric
cattle prods, having iron rods jammed into their
mouth, being placed in dark, tiny confinement cells
in freezing temperatures and being subjected to forced
blood extraction. One prisoner describes being handcuffed
with his arms around a hot chimney and left there for a
whole day without food or water. The scorching heat of
the chimney resulted in watering blisters all over his
body. One nun caught reciting Buddhist texts in prison was
subjected to electric shocks in the mouth with an electric
baton, And, when caught prostrating, forced to prostrate
in water and ice.
Only a limited number of disappearances are exposed
each year in Tibet. By simply denying any knowledge of
the person, the Chinese authorities are able to act with
impunity. In several cases, the PRC government has admitted
many months after a Tibetan has "disappeared" that she or
he is in fact being detained but have refused to reveal
their whereabouts. Such was the case with Gedun Choekyl
Nyima, the eight-year-old boy recognised by the Dalai Lama
as the reincarnation of the Xth Panchen Lama, who has been
missing with his parents since May 1995. There are 10 known
cases of "disappearance" of Tibetans in 1997. It is not
known whether any of these ten, some as young as 16 years,
have been sentenced or even charged. Their whereabouts are
unknown and thus not only is the victim kept in constant
fear of his or her fate, family and friends must also
suffer the mental torture of not knowing whether the victim
is alive or dead, where they are being held are unable to
go to their assistance. Four new cases of disappearances
which occurred in 1996 were also reported in 1997.
Tibetan women have been subjected to brutal repression
following the severe religious crackdown launched in
1996 and 137 nuns are known to have been expelled from
nunneries. Tibetan women, often nuns, continue to be
arrested arbitrarily and subjected to ill treatment
and torture while in prison. Of the 1,216 known current
political prisoners, 295 are women and 11 female political
prisoners are serving more than 10 years. One woman,
three months and 17 days pregnant, was kept standing in
a cold room for 14 hours in a row the night of her arrest
while being interrogated. She told her interrogators that
she was pregnant and was feeling weak, however the pleas
were ignored and the questions continued. She miscarried
her child in a prison toilet the next day.
In 1997, 883 known cases of forced abortion and
sterilisation of Tibetan women were received, resulting in
one death and three women giving birth to dead babies. Many
other Tibetan women were fined for pregnancy. Reports of
strict birth control measures were received from different
parts of Tibet. This is of particularly concern as, in
combination with China's massive population transfer into
Tibet, it constitutes a serious threat to the survival of
the Tibetan people.
A limit of two or three children is fixed by Chinese
officials and those who fail to keep within the quotas
may be punished with heavy fines of up to 1,500-3,000 yuan
(US$ 200-400). A child born in excess of the quota may be
denied school and employment opportunities. Many women do
not receive proper information regarding inter-uterine
devices or way not even be told they are being inserted
with one and there are reported cases where the coil had
become rusted or flesh had begun to grow around
it.
In one sub-district of Lhasa City, 308 Tibetan women
who already had three children were sterilised over a
period of 22 days in late 1996. One of the women died in
hospital three days after her forced sterilisation. In
Jamdoon township in "TARī, all Tibetan women over the
age of 16 have reportedly been inserted with long-term
contraceptives. Three of the women have given birth to
dead babies after being forced to undergo the operation.
Throughout 1997, Chinese authorities continued to
arbitrarily detain and torture Tibetan children, to subject
them to religious repression and to deny their educational
and cultural rights. At least 39 Tibetan child political
prisoners currently languish in Chinese prisons in Tibet
for exercising their freedom of expression; the youngest is
eight-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyirna. They are frequently
detained in adult prisons, denied legal representation and
contact with family and subjected to severe ill-treatment.
Roughly one third of the school-aged children in Tibet
continue to receive no education at all. Most new schooling
is built in Tibetan urban centres and is designed for the
children of Chinese Rights of Children settlers. Tibetans
are commonly unable to enter schools due to prohibitively
high school fees and the fact that admission exams are
conducted in Chinese. Monastic education has also been
targeted the number of student monks and nuns has been
strictly limited and high bribes are demanded to admit a
child to a monastic school. A total of 613 child monks
and nuns have been expelled in connection with the "Strike
Hard" campaign during 1996-97.
The phasing out of Tibetan language in schooling reveals an
ominous tend to sinicise Tibetan children. In April 1997,
officials in the "Tibet Autonomous Region" announced that
Tibetan language would no longer be the sole language
for education in primary schools and implied that in some
cases Chinese would actually replace Tibetan altogether
as the language of medium. Tibetan children now in exile
report being forbidden from wearing Tibetan clothes,
eating Tibetan food, observing Tibetan holidays and
carrying photographs of the Dalal Lama. Recent child
refugees also describe variety of brutal punishments
implemented in Chinese-administered schools in
Tibet. Reports of being made to clean drains, wash
teachers' clothing and clean industrial areas were
received from the interviewed students. Even primary
school students-children between six and 12 years-were
subjected to beatings using rubber clubs, whips, belts,
electric wires, chair legs, whole chairs, bamboo sticks
and other instruments.
Discrimination by Chinese authorities against Tibetans
on the basis of their race is paramount in many spheres
of life, including public representation, employment
education and health. The majority of government and other
public officials in Tibet are either Chinese or directly
chosen by Chinese and the Democratic Management Committees
established by Chinese "work teams" in Tibetan monasteries
and nunneries comprise individuals directly chosen by the
Chinese authorities.
Workers' rights of Tibetans are seriously violated
throughout the "TARī through the use of compulsory and
unpaid labour and China itself admits that a minimum wage
has been introduced everywhere except for the "TAR. In
the early part of 1997, 69 to 72 Tibetans working as
government tour guides in Lhasa lost their jobs, ostensibly
on the ground that they had made unauthorised trips to
India. Reports indicated that Chinese tour guides would
be appointed to replace the Tibetans.
Tibetan children in exile describe various methods of
discrimination against Tibetan students including higher
school fees; having to pay for their chairs, desks and
books as well as anything broken at school. A widespread
inequality regarding the right to education is the entrance
examination which is commonly held completely or mostly
in Chinese, even since 1997, for the Tibet University
in Lhasa. The students also reported discrimination in
the content of their education, saying that they rarely
received any lessons regarding Tibetan culture or history.
Tibetan refugees have reported local Tibetans having to pay
full price to receive medical treatment while patients do
not have to pay anything. High prices for their hospital
expenses included: 800 to 1,000 yuan as a deposit; 20 yuan
per night for a bed; 200 yuan for a bottle of glucose;
and further payment for a check-up. It was reported
that seriously ill Tibetans had died after being refused
hospital care for not having the requisite deposit.
In contrast with claims made by the PRC regarding the
advancement of socio- economic conditions in Tibet, the
accounts of 70 Tibetan refugees who have recently escaped
from different parts of Tibet reveal that China's economic
policy in Tibet has severely affected the huge percentage
of Tibetans who live in rural areas of Tibet. Innumerable
Tibetans report that economic repression is drastically
affecting their livelihood and their ability to feed
themselves and their family.
China's taxation policy plays a crucial role in this
repression. Tibetans are subjected to various forms of
taxation, some unbelievably high, irrespective of their
economic position, and there is no evidence that those
who are forced to pay the taxes benefit in any way from
the revenue. A variety of taxes are imposed; on land,
animals, wool and fur, hides, meg grains, butter, milk,
cheese, hay, fertiliser and medicinal plants. "Old age"
and "education" taxes are also charged, even if the person
receives no schooling and no social security. A tax on
non-residents who visit Lhasa has also been reported to
have been in place since the beginning of 1997. A new tax
on the right to circumambulate has been reported and even a
"human tax" was reported.
The preservation of the Tibetan identity is perhaps
the most critical and immediate threat faced by the
Tibetan people today. Since mid-1994, it is estimated
that more than 500,000 new Chinese immigrants have
been moved into Tibet 110 work on the 62 new industrial
development projects initiated by Beijing. The population
transfer that accompanies such project results in further
marginalisation of the six million Tibetans who are now
outnumbered by an estimated 7.5 million Chinese settlers.
These settlers receive preferential treatment in housing,
employment, education and social services. New schools
and hospitals constructed in the ģTARī are primarily
located in large towns and cities, and are geared toward
Chinese settlers. Traditional Tibetan-style housing
has been destroyed in favour of Communist-style blocks
and development projects promise to wreak further havoc
on Tibet's fragile ecological system already seriously
endangered by China's extensive deforestation and mining.
The PRC justifies its denigration from individual rights
on the grounds that it has concentrated on promoting
collective rights, the Tibetan people are nonetheless
deprived of their most precious collective right: their
cultural identity. In May 1997, Chinese authorities
declared that: ģreligion must adapt to the development
needs of socialism and not socialism adapting to the needs
of religion," and in July, Chen Kulyuan, Party Secretary
of the "TAR", argued that Buddhism is marginal to Tibetan
culture and that Tibetan culture must be exposed to
Chinese influences.
At the 53rd UN Commission on Human Rights, the PRC launched
massive lobbying efforts to end the "confrontational
approach" and to adopt a "more positive bilateral
dialogue". A Right to Subsistence number of countries
have taken China up on this offer, holding high level
meetings with Chinese officials where human rights were
indeed placed on the agenda.
What has this approach yielded for the human rights of
the Tibetan people? An occasional symbolic gesture - the
release of one or two political prisoners, the signing
of certain international instruments - always timed to
influence UN voting patterns or economic negotiations
with particular states. The reality is that the bilateral
"dialogue" did not bring any concrete desired result to
alleviate the sufferings of the Tibetan people.
The human rights situation in Chinese-occupied Tibet has
a distinct character. It is a combination of countless
gross abuses of individual universal human rights as
well as an assault on the collective rights of the
Tibetan people as a whole. Human rights violations
against Tibetan people are frequently perpetrated
through systematic and institutionalised racial and
cultural discrimination. Political, religious and cultural
repression has been intensified in 1997 and is currently
implemented in schools, monastic institutions and public
office; a widespread drive by Chinese authorities to
extend their control over all spheres of Tibetan life. The
ultimate result of such tactics is the annihilation of the
entire race, religion and heritage of the Tibetan people.
This report makes clear that the PRC's international
obligations regarding the human rights of the Tibetan
people in Tibet continue to be violated in total disregard
to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Member
states of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
in particular and the international community in general
are therefore requested to urge the PRC to:
-
Halt the policy of religious persecution through the
forceful "patriotic re-education" campaign which has
to date resulted in 2,827 expulsions of monks and nuns
from their monasteries and nunneries, 165 arrests and
nine deaths.
-
Release all prisoners of conscience who were arbitrarily
detained in violation of their freedom of expression under
the premise of "endangering state security". Currently
1,216 prisoners of conscience are languishing in various
Chinese prisons in Tibet and of those 295 are women
political prisoners and 39 are juveniles below the age
of 18.
-
Ensure that all those detained for alleged political or
religious activities are charged with a recognised criminal
offence and in accordance with international standards
and that they are granted a fair and public trial within a
reasonable time. Inform detainees immediately upon their
detention of the charges against them and allow them
regular access to legal representation and contact with
family and friends.
-
Prohibit the use of torture during interrogation
and detention and conform to the provisions of the UN
Convention Against Torture; investigate immediately reports
of torture or mistreatment of detainees and ensure that
prison and detention centre officials are held accountable;
allow prisoners prompt and adequate access to medical
care; and investigate immediately any deaths in custody
and allow external medical authorities and the family to
examine the body.
-
End policies of forced abortion and sterilisation. In 1997,
883 known cases of forced abortion and sterilisation of
Tibetan women; three cases of women giving birth to dead
babies and one case of death due to sterilisation were
received. Strict birth control measures were reported in
different areas of Tibet targeting female between the age
of 16 to 45.
-
Respect the rights of Tibetan children and release all
juvenile political prisoners, including Gedhun Choekyi
Nyima. Ensure that all Tibetan children have access to
free, compulsory primary education; ensure that Tibetan
students are not discriminated against with regard to
access to educational institutions and the charging of
school fees; and allow Tibetan children to be educated in
their mother tongue of Tibetan and on subjects relating
to Tibetan history and culture.
-
Prevent the transfer of Chinese population to Tibet which
marginalises the Tibetan people in economic, political,
social and cultural spheres and fluffier threatens the
survival of the Tibetan people's race and identity.
-
Protect the rights of Tibetans to own their lawfully earned income
and review the harsh economic policies and imposition of high
taxation that threatens the livelihood of poor Tibetans.
[ top ]
January:
Arrested 2: Lungtok and Choejor from Amdo Golok. Arrested
for pasting wall posters in the street of Gadhe County in
Golok "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture"
January:
Arrested 7 students from Nationalities Teachers Training
School in Qinghai Province. Arrested for publishing a
journal called "Reva Nyagchik" literary meaning in English
is "Guaranteed hope".
1 January:
Arrested 5 monks from Drayab Magon. They are Gonpo (23),
Chimey Lobsang (18) Ngawang (21), Tashi Namgyal (19)
and Shadok (45). Arrested for pasting posters reading
"Free Tibet" on the door of the Treasury Office in Drayab
County. Except Shadok all the monks were sentenced to 6
years in Chamdo prison.
13 January:
January Demonstration in Tsolo.
Leaflets calling for independence were pasted-in
Tsolo "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture". No arrest were
reported. 22 Jan.: Arrested 2 nuns: Yeshi Palmo and
Tenzin Yeshi. Arrested for protesting against the Chinese
Work-Team officials during its "Re-education" session at
Raeting Samtenling Nunnery.
23 January:
Arrested Namgyal Dhondup. Arrested from Phulung sub-county
in Pashoe County, Chamdo region. (Ref. Human Rights Update
April 15, 1997)
February:
Arrested 7 monks from Sera Monastery. Arrested for charges
of leading a protest against the Chinese authorities and
taken to a prison in Lhasa. One of them was Dawa and the
names of others were not known
8 Feburary:
Arrested 20 nuns from a nunnery in Lhoka Choenkye
county. Arrested mainly due to refusal to obey the
orders of the County People's Government and the Public
Security Bureau to denounce the Dalal Lama and ban his
photographs. They have openly criticised the Chinese
authorities for their policy. (Ref. Human Rights Update
October 31,
1997)
10 February:
Arrested 2 monks. Arrested for holding a short protest in
front of the Jokhang, Lhasa on the 15th day of the Tibetan
New Year. No details were known.
21 February:
Arrested 4 monks of Shabten Monastery in Nagchu
region. Chinese officials found a picture of the Dalai
Lama in the room of one of the monks. (Ref. Human Rights
Update October 31, 1997)
March:
Demonstration in Malo county. Hoisted Tibetan National flag
and pasted independence posters in main market place of
Malho county in Qinghai province. No arrest were reported.
March:
Demonstration in Lhasa. Pasted independence leaflets on
all electric polls in Barkor area of Lhasa. No arrest
reported. March Arrested nun Ngawang Choekyi from Danang,
Lhoka. Arrested for pasting pro-independence poster on
the wall of Sa Ngag Simbuk nunnery.
March:
Arrested 5 monks from Gomar monastery. Arrested for pasting
the forbidden Tibetan national flag in the streets of Matho
zhou. Gedbun Dhondup (38) was released after several days
but the names of others were not known.
10 March:
Protest in prison, Lhasa.
All the Drapchi political prisoners sent an open appeal
letter describing critical prison condition meant for the
international community.
March 23:
Arrested 3:
Three monks: Gedun Dondrup, Dakpa Gyaltsen, Gedun Ngodup
Rebkong Monastery. Arrested for pasting wall posters and
the Tibetan national flag in the courtyard of the Teacher
Training School and in the monasteries. (Ref. Human Rights
Update: July 15 1997)
March:
Arrested Menpa Dorjee from Rebgong County. Arrested for
hanging Tibetan National flag in the middle of the street
in Rebgong city.
25 May:
Arrested Chungdak (21).
Arrested by the Work Team officials during the re-education
session in Tashi Lhunpo Monastery.
May:
Arrested Gurmey Dorjee from Dhargye Choeling monastery
under Lhoka region. Arrested for having pasted anti-China
posters on the walls of the county office. (ref. Human
Rights Update: October 31, 1997)
June:
Demonstration in Rebkong. Four monks from Rongpo Monastery
hoisted Tibetan National flag.
20 June:
Arrested Abhum Lhundrup of Lithang Monastery. Arrested
for disseminating speeches of Dalai Lama in the monastery.
20 June;
Arrested 4 monks from Sog Tsendhen monastery.
Arrested for pasting posters in their monastery and town in
February 1997. Tenzin Chuwang (50) and three monks from
the same monastery are presently in a prison in Lhasa but
their prison tenns and conditions are unknown.
16 June:
Arrested Jampel Tendar of Gongkar Choede Monastery.
Arrested for pasting posters around the monastery
condemning China's rule in Tibet and declaring support
for the Dalai Lama.
June:
Arrested 2 monks:
Tsering Tashi (30) and Yidhi (24) from La monastery in
Lapa township, Kham. Arrested for having pasted anti-China
posters. They are currently being held in Kyekudo
Prison. (Refer Human Rights Update: November 15, 1997)
July:
Arrested 5 Tibetans:
Dawa (60); Lhakpa Tsamehoe, Kalsang Tsewang, Pema Choedon
and Miginar Dolma. Lhasa Security Bureau feared that they
may stage pro-independence demonstration during the time
of Hong Kong hand-over and the birthday ceremony ofthe
Dalai Lama. (Ref. Human Rights Update,: September 15, 1997)
July 97:
Arrested Drakpa Wangden, Principal of the Lhasa Shol
School. Arrested for his engagement in pro-independence
movements such as drafting slogans and making
posters. (Ref.Human Rights Update: October 31, 1997)
1 July:
Arrested 7 monks from Serwa monastery:
Tashi Phuntsok (25), Rinzin Choephel (24), Sherab Tsultrim
(25), Dawa Dodee (24), Lobsang Damehoe (26) Lobsang Dechen
and Ngawang Choephel (16). Arrested for taking down the
name plates of the head quarters of the People's Government
of the Lingkha sub-county in Pashoe county and in its place
pasted wall posters that read: "Tibet is an independent
country" and for demonstrating and shouting slogans.
July 97:
Arrested Rinzin Dhonjup an artist firom Serwa
monastery. Arrested for suspicion of having links with
the 7 Serwa monks.
August:
Arrested four monks from Sera monastery. Arguing with the
work-team at the monastery.
September:
Arrested 2: Tibetan couple named Tsering Gyaltsen and
Yangzom. Charges unknown but believed that they were
detained by Chinese authorities of being involved in
political activities.
22 October:
Arrested Ngawang Phelgay from Drepung monastery. Arrested
for bringing down the Communist China's flag from the top
of his monastery and stamping on it.
1997:
Arrested three monks from Yada Monastery: Dechen, Yeshi
Samten and Lobsang Tsering. Arrested for arguing with the
work team at the monastery.
1997:
Arrested 2:
Tenphel (19) and his friend(22) from Dongze Monastery. Both
of them are in Drapchi prison serving.
Note: The above statistics do not represent the true
figures of the number of arrests in 1997, as these are
only the known cases recorded. Due to strict control
in Tibet, reception of information is particularly
difficult. Reporting on any such incident may endanger
the lives of the people inside Tibet.
[ top ]
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
has released its second annual report documenting
the ongoing and widespread human rights violations
by Chinese authorities in Tibet. The report includes a
complete updated list of the 1216 known current political
prisoners detained in various Chinese prisons in Tibet as
well as comprehensive lists of monasteries and nunneries
covered by Chinese "re-education" work-team and arrests
and expulsions of monks and nuns in connection with the
"Strike hard" campaign in Tibet.
For a copy of
China in Tibet: Striking Hard Against Human Rights,
please send Rs/- 50 for India, Nepal and Bhutan,
and US$5.00 (or equivalent in your currency) for abroad
to TCHRD.
You may pay by International Money Order or cheque payable to
"Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy'.
The online version is at
http://www.tchrd.org/publications/1997/
|
