15 June 1998
-
Two prisoners shot dead in Drapchi Prison
[ read ]
-
Tibetan political prisoner dies after release
[ read ]
-
Political veteran speaks ...
[ read ]
-
Religious rights attacked
[ read ]
-
Political prisoners suffer mental trauma
[ read ]
-
Oracle and family arrested
[ read ]
-
Arrested on return to Tibet
[ read ]
-
Profile:
Shugseb nuns die after prison release
[ read ]
-
Tibetan men also subjected to Chinese birth control
[ read ]
-
Our sponsor
[ read ]
Two prisoners in Tibet's Drapchi Prison died instantly on May 4, 1998,
when prison officials opened fire on unarmed prisoners staging a protest in
the prison. Sources from Tibet report that 200 other prisoners were seriously
injured in the shooting and beatings used to suppress the revolt. The identities
of the dead prisoners are unknown.
Earlier reports stated that the May 4 protest was begun by a group of
80 Drapchi prisoners from units 5 and 6.
The group reportedly disrupted a
prison function commemorating "Youth Day" by shouting slogans and pasting
posters around the prison. Recent information indicates that the protestors
distributed pamphlets and demanded the release of prisoners who had been
placed in solitary confinement following an earlier protest in Drapchi
on May 1.
Prison guards reportedly called in Peoples' Armed Police (PAP) to help suppress
the May 4 outbreak and then opened fire on the prisoners, killing two prisoners
instantly. Four other prisoners were shot in the leg. The prisoners were
also beaten with iron rods, sticks, bayonets and shocked with electric
cattle prods. Sources reported that more than 200 prisoners were seriously
injured and that the floors of the prison were smeared with blood. They
said the prison cells were filled with injured prisoners but that no medical
treatment was provided.
Just three days earlier a similar protest had broken out in Drapchi Prison in
which Chinese authorities also opened fire on unarmed protesters.
The May 1 demonstration occurred during a gathering of Drapchi prisoners for an
International Labour Day ceremony and was reportedly led by two non-political
prisoners in protest against the hoisting of Chinese flags in the prison.
The two prisoners, Karma Dawa (known as Kadar) who was serving 13 years and
Karma Sonam, reportedly started throwing pamphlets amongst the crowd which
read ěFree Tibetî, ěLong live His Holiness the Dalai Lamaî and ěChinese
leave Tibetî and shouting similar slogans. The protesting prisoners were
also said to be demonstrating their solidarity with the group of Tibetan
exiles conducting a hunger strike in Delhi, India.
In an attempt to break up the protest, PAP and Public Security Bureau
officials began firing shots in the air and using bayonets, sticks, metal
rods and electric cattle prods against the prisoners. Earlier information
indicated that approximately 150 Tibetan political prisoners were fired
upon and subsequently arrested. More recent reports say that 500 prisoners
were present during the shooting. The protest resulted in some prisoners,
including Kadar and Karma Sonam, being confined in dark solitary cells
and the implementation of strict restrictions in Drapchi. The number of
casualties was unknown.
According to reports by Tibet Information Network (TIN), an independent organisation
based in London, a non-political prisoner called Aka led the May 1 Drapchi
protest which TIN reported was joined by about 60 political prisoners.
TIN reported that a number of prisoners were beaten, leading to the hospitalisation
of two prisoners, one of whom subsequently died in hospital.
TIN also reported that a demonstration occurred in Outridu Prison, a detention
centre within the Sangyip Prison complex in Lhasa, a few days after May 1.
TIN referred to an unconfirmed report that prison guards in Outridu
forced Tibetan prisoners who had been brought from Drapchi to make prostrations
in front of the Chinese flag and were later badly beaten. The prisoners
had reportedly been transferred from Drapchi to Outridu prior to the visit
of a delegation from the European Union to Drapchi on May 4.
These are not the first incidents in which prisoners attempting to stage protests
during visits of foreign delegations have attracted violent crack downs.
On April 27, 1991, Drapchi prisoners protested the solitary detention of
Tenpa Wangdrak and Lobsang Tenzin following their attempt to hand a letter
protesting prison conditions to the then US Ambassador to China, James
Lilley. A large contingent of armed soldiers was called in and the protest
violently suppressed. Prisoners were reportedly tied with rope and beaten
unconscious, manacled and put in isolation cells.
The prisoners in Drapchi are reportedly greatly concerned for Karma Dawa and
Karma Sonam who continue to be tortured by prison officials for their role
in the protest. It is feared that they may receive the death penalty.
Chinese authorities have provided no information in confirmation or denial of the
reports of the two Drapchi incidents and one source has said that released
prisoners as well as prison officials have been threatened with death if
they speak of the incidents.
A letter sent by a tourist claiming to have witnessed one of the Drapchi
shootings was recently made open on World Tibet Network.
The tourist wrote: "We happen to be on the top of the Potala, and we
could see the courtyard of Drapchi Prison in the distance. We saw a large
group of prisoners facing an official who was apparently delivering a lecture.
"After the Chinese flag was hoisted, the prisoners rushed toward the official.
Within seconds gards open fire with automatic weapons for several minutes
and we saw a lot of prisoners falling down under the bullets.
"A few days after, we were told by someone that families who use to bring
food to their relative in the prison were not allowed to meet them and
had to leave the food at the prison's gate. They were worried that their
relatives might be dead.
"Soon after 3 convicts, 1 Chinese and 2 Tibetan were paraded throughout town
at the back of a truck and lead to a death squad. People were saying that
the two Tibetans were prison innmates accused to have masterminded the
protest, but this has not been confirmed."
These recent incidents in Drapchi indicate an increasing willingness by Chinese
prison and security authorities to use the most violent measures available
to suppress dissent. Further information received from Lhasa include reports
of other deaths in Drapchi Prison but these are as yet unconfirmed.
[ top ]
Yeshi Samten, a 22-year-old former monk of Gaden Monastery, died one week after
his release from Trisam Prison on May 12, 1998. Yeshi Samten, also known
as Tenzin Yeshi, suffered from sever torture during two years of imprisonment.
At the time of cremation, the person performing the funeral rites discovered
that two of Yeshi's ribs were badly broken.
Yeshi Samten (layname: Tenzin Yeshi) was arrested on May 6, 1996. He, along
with around 90 monks from Gaden Monastery, were protesting against Chinese
work-team ěre-educationî sessions being carried out in the monastery and
the removal of all photographs of the Dalai Lama. When the monks
refused to co-operate the work-team left the monastery.
Soon after, around 3 o"clock in the afternoon, People's Armed Police (PAP)
reinforcements were sent in. The PAP men opened fire injuring one monk,
Dorjee, who was shot on the leg. Two other monks died and more than 90
arrests occurred as a result of the Gaden incident.
Yeshi was arrested immediately and taken first to Gutsa Detention Centre. He
was later sentenced to two years imprisonment and sent to Trisam Prison
in Toelung County. At the time of his arrest and throughout his imprisonment
Yeshi Samten was reported to have been tortured severely. As a result
he suffered from poor health for which he received no medical care.
Upon expiry of his prison term Yeshi Samten was released on May 6, 1998. Reported
to have been maimed as a result of prison torture, Yeshi was forced to
walk with the aid of crutches. Still suffering from health problems, he
died just six days after his release on May 12.
Yeshi Samten was from Tsangtog in Taktse Dechen County under Lhasa City.
He is survived by his mother Yangzom and elder brother Tsering Sonam.
His father Tashi Dhondup died at an early age. Yeshi Samten went
to school at the age of eight and left the school when he was 12 years
old to join Gaden Monastery in 1986.
Yeshi Samten's death brings the number of known deaths of Tibetans as a result
of torture recorded by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
to 55. Of these 55 deaths, 14 political prisoners died after release from
prison or while in hospital. The difficulty of receiving information of
prisoners in prisons in Tibet means that many deaths go unreported.
[ top ]
Imprisoned in 1961 at the age of 22, Kunchok Tendar from Drayab County spent 19 years
in Chinese prisons in Tibet. Kunchok was one of the many political prisoners
at that time who were sentenced to life but were released in 1979 after
the death of Chairman Mao. After his release Kunchok worked as a teacher
of Tibetan language for ? years but now, aged 61, he is living in exile.
He reports on the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet.
Health:
"Tibetans must pay 500 yuan to be admitted in the government hospital in
Chamdo. Even if a person is dying he or she will not be admitted without
this payment. For admission to the Tibetan Medical Institute 500 yuan is
also required. For Tibetan officials and Chinese it is much easier to access
health services. In private hospitals the patient must pay for everything.
The average Tibetan lives in very miserable conditions and faces many problems
in going to hospital."
Chinese settlers:
"In my area the percentage of Chinese is 70%. In the villages
there are more Tibetans. Many Chinese are settling in Tibet and shops,
hotels and casinos are mostly owned by Chinese. On January 6, 1998, I
made a count of these businesses in Chamdo. There were 1,433 Chinese shops
in comparison with only 159 Tibetan shops. In Powo Tramo there were 315
Chinese shops and nine Tibetan shops and one is owned by a half Tibetan-half
Chinese woman."
Prostitution:
"In Chamdo there are 15 brothels and in Dramo there are four brothels and
in Lhasa, near the military area, there are 38 brothels. The total in Lhasa
is 1,806 brothels and the high-class prostitutes deposit 70,000 yuan mo
nthly earnings in their individual bank accounts and the other prostitutes
deposit 4,300 yuan. These figures were provided by a tax official in Lhasa."
Birth Control:
"112 Tibetan women were forcibly inserted with contraceptive over
a one-month period in Lhasung Yul in 1997. Although the birth control policy
is said to be one of three children, women with only two children were
also called to the hospital for the operation and this depended on the
individual health officials. Tibetan women working in a Chinese office
are allowed only two children.
"The women were inserted with either a long-term contraceptive tubing in the
upper arm or with an intra-uterine device. A few women I knew suffered
badly and felt very weak after the operation."
Beaten and Suicided:
"Jampa Choden, aged 21, was a monk from Chamdo Tawa Teng.
He was badly beaten when Chinese officials interrogated him regarding his
involvement with 'splittists'. Jampa was given 'time to think' and was
permitted to return to his home. When he learned that Chinese authorities
would be coming to arrest him, Jampa committed suicide in the summer of
1997."
New Arrests:
"In April 1997 in Jamdun Monastery, Drayab county, three monks
— Nyima, Nyima Tsering and Gyaltsen — were arrested and taken to Chamdo
and then to Lhasa. They were sentenced to five years imprisonment in March
1998. The monks, aged between 20 and 27 years, were arrested on charges
of having pasted posters.
"On January 20, 1997, Bhu Dawa of Jamdun Dogo, aged 24, was arrested on the
charge of having pasted posters and is currently in Drapchi Prison."
[ top ]
In Dragyerpa Monastery, 30 km north-east of Lhasa, recent reports of expulsions
and demolition have been received.
Kunchok Tendar reported that in March around 112 monks and nuns in the monastery"s
hermitage were ordered by Chinese officials to stop meditating.
"Four nuns, aged between 60 and 83, told the Chinese officials that they were
not against the PRC but were simply religious people. The four threatened to
commit suicide if they could not stay and they they were pulled by the
wrist from the caves and put into waiting vehicles."
The Tibet Information Network (TIN) has reported that the temple and monastic
retreat at Dragyerpa were demolished by Chinese authorities in early April
after officials ruled that the buildings had not received the correct permission
from the authorities. TIN said that approximately 50 nuns and a Buddhist
teacher with some of his followers were ordered to leave the site during
the demolition work.
TIN also quoted unconfirmed reports that the hermitage cave complex of Samye
Chimpu has also been destroyed.
Kunchok reported that on March 12 or 13 the monks and nuns from Dragyerpa together
with around 400 monks and nuns from Chimpu for circumambulation and
prostration.
"On 14 March, Chinese authorities told them to leave Lhasa
immediately or they would be arrested, fearing they may start some
trouble. Some nuns replied with the question 'If many Chinese can stay
in Lhasa, then why not Tibetans?' and as a result they were beaten by
the officials. The monks and nuns were then forced to return to their homes.
"On April 7, 1998 Chinese officials entered Dragyerpa Monastery and destroyed
idols and other items of worship," said Kunchok.
On March 13, 1998, 15 monks were reportedly arrested at Rongpo Rabten Monastery
in Sog county, Nagchu prefecture.
On March 10, 1998, 20 to 30 monks from Rongpo Rabten Monastery and Sog Tsen
Dhen Monastery went to Sog county to demonstrate in reaction to work-team
orders to denounce the Dalai Lama, calling ěLong live the Dalai Lamaî and
ěTibet is independentî. At the time it was snowing heavily and when the
army arrived many of the monks were able to escape.
On March 13, 1998, 147 Chinese officials from Lhasa and army personnel were
sent to the monastery to join the work-team and arrested the 15 monks.
It is unknown where they are now.
Dakpa Gyalsten, a former monk of Reting Monastery,
says that a 20-member "re-education" work-team arrived in
September-October of 1996 and remained until March/April of 1997.
"Their initial plan was to stay in the monastery only three months but they extended
the duration when, in December 1996/January 1997, the work-team's jeep
was set on fire. This outraged the work-team and their stay was extended
to carry out investigations. They claimed that this incident demonstrated
that the monks' 'reform' had not been secured."
Six monks of Reting Monastery were arrested in the 11th month of 1996 (December
1996/January 1997) because they had disagreed the most during the ěre-educationî
sessions in process. They were arrested separately over a series of nights
and were kept for one or two months in Phenpo Lhundup County police station
before being transferred to Gutsa Detention Centre.
The monks were tried in the Lhasa Intermediate People's Court in spring 1997
and all except one were charged with possessing a prohibited audio
tape. Jampel Sangye was charged with possessing a prohibited audio tape
and was imprisoned for one year in Toelung "Reform-through-Labour" camp.
He is the only one of the monks who is now released.
The sentencing of the other five monks ranged from two to eight years and all
are currently detained in Drapchi Prison. Phuntsok Rabgyal, aged 23 or
24, and Sigpa, aged 23 or 24, who was the trulku (incarnate lama) of Reting
Monastery, were both from Chak-le township in Nagchu county and both were
sentenced to two years. Thinley Tsultrim, aged 24 or 25, and Lobsang Tundu,
aged 19 or 20, are both from Thango county, Lhundup county, and both were
sentenced to six years. Thinley Tsundu, aged 27 or 28, also from Thango
township, Lhundup county, was sentenced to eight years.
The source, a monk in Reting Monastery before he escaped Tibet, reported that
"since the work-team arrived in the monastery there has been a considerable
change in the attitude of the monks and a noticeable deterioration in the
atmosphere of the entire monastery. The monks feel they can no longer continue
their studies in their best interest, that there is no reason to stay on
in the monastery and the sense of belonging to the monastery is also lost."
[ top ]
Ngawang Jungney, (28) is originally from Damshung county, north-west of Lhasa.
He worked as a Tibetan language teacher in Dharamsala, India for some time.
When he returned to Tibet to do further studies in Tibetan language,
he was arrested by Public Security Bureau officials and was accused of being
a spy for the Tibetan Government-in-exile.
Ngawang was reportedly kept in a tight security cell in Sangyip Prison (the report
in Human Rights Update of August 15, 1997 that he was being held in Drapchi
Prison was later discovered to be incorrect). Initially, Ngawang was
to be sentenced to one year imprisonment but, when he refused to
kneel down before an officer named Paljor, the 46-year-old deputy in charge
of Drapchi Prison Unit No. 4, he received a sentence of nine years which
he is currently serving.
The latest update on Ngawang indicates that he now suffers mental problems
due to severe torture and cruel punishment in prison. He has been tranferred
to Powo Tramo labour camp where he is currently serving his term.
Lodroe Gyatso (profiled in Human Rights Update of May 31, 1997) is a 38-year old
dance artist and three times weight lifting champion in Sog district in
Nagchu County, 326 km from Lhasa. Lodroe was originally serving 15 years
in Drapchi Prison on murder charges.
In March 1995, Lodroe staged a one-man independence demonstration while in
Drapchi. After refusing to "confess to his mistakes", an execution order
was made against Lodroe. His fellow prisoners were able to smuggle the
news of his impending death to the international community and, after a
United nations appeal was transmitted to China, Chinese authorities announced
that Lodroe had been sentenced to a further six years.
The latest update on Lodroe indicates that he has been transferred to Powo
Tramo labour camp and that he is suffering severe mental problems due to
torture he has sustained whilst in prison.
[ top ]
In Rinchen ling village in Meldro Gongkar, near Pangsa Monastery, a female
oracle and her family have been reported arrested in mid-1997. The name
of the woman, aged 50, is unknown but she is the wife of Drakdok.
It was reported that while she was in trance she called for people to support
Tibetan independence. Her husband tried to stop her but she could not hear him.
Chinese police came and thought that both the husband and wife were
calling independence slogans. They were both arrested, along with the woman"s
father, and taken to Meldro Gongkar police station before being transferred
to Drapchi Prison.
[ top ]
Topgyal, a former monk of Ganden Monastery in Tibet, was expelled from the monastery
for participating in a demonstration in Lhasa on March 5, 1988.
In 1989, he traveled to India for the Kalachakra initiation ceremony,
after which he stayed on in India and joined Gaden Monastery in south India until
1997 when he returned to Tibet and was arrested and imprisoned.
"I was arrested with another companion by border police in Dram on August
18, 1997 and was held in an army detention centre for four days. When I
left the army camp there were five men still imprisoned there who had also
been arrested while returning to Tibet. Thukche and Tsering Chung were
students from Soga School in Dharamsala, Nyima Tsering and Tenzin were
students from a school in Nepal and Ngawang Lasang was a monk from Sera
Monastery in India.
"I met one of the prisoners, Ngawang Lasang, later in Lhasa after my release
and he told me they had been kept for five days in a dark cell and for
12 days they were given no food. They were searched and found in possession
of a photograph of the Dalai Lama that they were ordered to trample on.
When they refused they were beaten.
"The five were taken from the army detention centre to Nyari prison where they
were held for six weeks. While in Nyari prisoners must remember to salute
in respect to the prison officers. Ngawang Lasang forgot to do so on one
occasion and an officer beat him so severely on the head with his rifle
butt that Ngawang fell unconscious for half an hour.
"Ngawang was not taken to hospital and he told me that he now suffers serious loss
of memory. He had been to Lhasa hospital and they confirmed that he had
suffered mental damage from the beating."
[ top ]
Rinzin Choendhen
and Nyima,
both from Lhoka Gongkar, Lhoka county, were nuns of Shugseb Nunnery in Lhasa.
Both nuns suffered beatings in Gutsa Detention Centre
after being arrested for participating in a freedom demonstration.
Rinzin died on October 10, 1992 at the age of 26, two years after her release
and having suffered serious kidney damage since her imprisonment. Nyima,
aged 25, also died after her release although there is little information
known of death. While the date and exact cause is unknown, it is believed
that her death was also related to prison beatings.
Rinzin Choendhen, whose layname was Kusang Choekyi, was born in Lhoka Gongkar,
Lhoka county, south of Lhasa. Her parents are no longer alive; her father
died about 10 years ago and her mother died when Rinzin was very
young. Rinzin has one older sister called Shilok Dolma who is a farmer
in Tibet.
On March 2, 1989, about 16 nuns from Shugseb Nunnery held a short demonstration
in the Barkhor market area of Lhasa. As they were making their third circumambulation
around the Barkhor, Public Security Bureau officials arrived and five of
the nuns were immediately arrested. They were Rinzin Choendhen, Nyima,
Ugen, Thupten Yeshi and Choenyi Choezom.
The five nuns were taken to the County Police Station and then to Gutsa Detention
Centre in Lhasa. They were held in Gutsa for one day where they were
interrogated while being beaten brutally. Rinzin suffered particularly
from beatings on her kidney area.
After one day, Rinzin and Nyima were taken to Chushul County Prison and held
for one week. The other four nuns who had been arrested together with Rinzin
were already in Chushul and they later reported that they were shocked
at the sight of Rinzin.
One of the arrested nuns, who asked not to be named, is now in exile. Our source
remembers when Rinzin came in:
"Rinzin's face was all swollen and we could see that her face and hands
were black and blue. If someone touched her
she would wince in pain. She was lying there like dead meat."
In Chushul they had to lie on cold cement floor without any bedding and it
was thought that this exacerbated Rinzin's kidney condition.
After one week, the Rinpoche (revered lama) of Shugseb Nunnery together with
some county heads, intervened to have Rinzin and the four other nuns released.
On February 9, 1990, all of the Shugseb nuns who had ever participated in
any freedom activities were expelled from Shugseb nunnery. Rinzin and Nyima
were amongst them.
After her expulsion, Rinzin was taken to the Lhasa City People's Hospital but
was not given adequate treatment, said our source. She then consulted a
doctor in Mentseekhang (Tibetan Medical Institute) in Lhasa and was told
that her kidney had become badly infected.
According to an unconfirmed report from a source in Lhasa, the kidney damage was
probably due to being punched and kicked during her arrest and immediately
after she was taken to Gutsa Detention Centre.
Rinzin was bedridden at home for a prolonged period and became so ill that she
was incontinent and unable to eat. Finally, on October 10, 1992, Rinzin
passed away as result of kidney damage. Nyima (layname Kelsang Choedron),
who was one of the group of five Shugseb nuns, was also thought to have
died as a result of the prison beatings. After her release from prison
Nyima visited Lhasa People's Hospital for treatment for damaged ribs but
the extent of her injuries is unknown.
Nyima was aged 25 and was also from Lhoka county. Her parents are no longer alive.
It was reported that Nyima's prison experience and her subsequent expulsion
from Shugseb Monastery caused her to suffer a mental breakdown. Some time
after that she died from unspecified injuries. The exact date of her death
is unknown.
[ top ]
China"s birth control policy is not only being carried out against Tibetan women,
but a recent report indicates that Tibetan men in some areas are also being
subjected to sterilisation procedures. A source from Nakar Tse County reports
on birth control measures being carried out in his area of Tibet
before he left for exile.
"Town people who had reached their quota of child birth would be called to the
hospital to undergo an operation,"
says Namgyal Choephel, aged 56, from Na-kar Tse county.
"Men would be given an injection in their lower side
and women would be operated upon. We call this the 'seven stitch operation'
as afterwards they would have a scar with seven stitches on their abdomen.
"The women have to be very careful about this operation and are advised in the
hospital to eat meat and not to work after their release. This is very
difficult to follow because as farmers we must work every day," says Namgyal.
"Farmers were permitted three children while officials could have only two children.
If any couple exceeded these limits they would be penalised: the
parents must pay 200 yuan every year until the 'illegal' child reaches
the age of 16 and the child — known as the 'black one' is given no rights
and no land."
Namgyal reported that such cases were rare however as the people cannot afford
such fines and they are extremely careful not to exceed their quota.
"The people used to give the doctors bribes of food to ensure the operation
was successful. The people were scared that if they didn't give bribes
the doctor would be hasty and careless and that they would later give birth
and have to pay a fine," he added.
[ top ]
We sincerely thank May All Beings Be Happy (M.A.B.B.H.) Intl.,
an independent voluntary and non-profit organisation which aims at relieving
the suffering of others in France and abroad, for sponsoring this edition
of TCHRD's Human Rights Update.
|
