15 December 1998
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New arrests
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Lifestyle restrictions
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Arrest of Gyaltse Pe-Choy monks
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"Strike Hard" and arrests in Rongpo Rabten Monastery
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Three years in Trisam
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Profile:
Prison torture results in deaths of two
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New Prison reported outside of Lhasa
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Two arrests that took place In May and July 1998 were reported on grounds of
suspicion of political activities.
It is not known for how long they
are sentenced however. Since their arrest, no one has been
allowed to visit them.
Samdup
is a 28 year-old from Phenpo County and a former Drepung monk. On May 13,
1992 he participated in a peaceful demonstration in Lhasa along with a
group of another ten monks from Drepung Monastery. They were immediately
arrested by Lhasa Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials and detained in
Gutsa Detention Centre. In September 1992 their sentences were passed
by the People's Intermediate Court, ranging from two to eight years.
Samdup received two years imprisonment and was transferred to Drapchi Prison.
In 1995 upon the completion of his term, he was released. However,
he was not allowed to rejoin the monastery.
In May 1998, on suspicion of political activities, he was once again arrested
by the PSB.
Along with him,
Ngawang Tenrab,
also a monk from Drepung Monastery, was arrested.
Ngawang had previously spent seven years in Drapchi
Prison for his participation in the 1989 demonstration. He was released
after a month's detention. Samdup is currently held in Seitru Detention
Centre. Our sources confirm that his sentence is still not passed and he
has been denied visitation rights since his arrest.
Ngawang Kyonmey
is 28 years old and from Toelung Dechen County. He is a former
monk of Drepung Monastery. He was arrested on July 28,1998 after the UN
High Commissioner for Human rights, Mary Robinson, visited Tibet. It is
reported that Chinese authorities had suspected him of conspiring to hand
over letters to the High Commissioner.
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Norbu Tso
who is from Karze (Eastern Tibet) recently arrived in Dharamsala.
She reported on the difficult livelihood due to the taxation policy,
the sterilisation of women in her village is forced to undergo,
and labour at construction sites without any payment.
Norbu Tso is a 30 year-old woman from Karze County in Karze Tibetan Autonomous
Prefecture. Norbu is a farmer and has three members in her
family. Her mother not living, Norbu takes care of the household matters.
She was never able to attend school as she started working on the farm
since her childhood. Her family has 10 "mu" (67 sq. meetî) of land,
from which they produce 6 "khel" (84 kilos) of cereal per "mu".
This year, due to unfavourable climatic conditions,
her crop production dropped to 2 "khel" (28 kilos)
of cereal per "mu". Her family mainly survives on the annual yield.
With the harsh taxation policy, living alone on the annual yield is a threat
to her family and many other families. Therefore, her family
also has to collect "Yartsa-Gunbu" through which they earn some money.
The buyers were mainly Chinese.
Yearly, Norbu's family has to pay around 800 gyama (a unit of gyama equals 500 grams)
of cereals as tax to the Chinese authorities and in return they receive
30 yuan (8 yuan equals US 5 1). This was compulsory and they had
to pay it annually under any circumstances, in spite of any crop failures.
If they failed to do so, they were prevented from cultivating their property
or they faced confiscation of their land. The farmers constantly worry
about the payment of this tax in case of any calamity which might cause
a drop in the yield leaving the families without adequate food supplies.
Norbu also reported on the birth control policies in Lushul village which were
implemented at the end of autumn in 1997. "Me Chinese officials regularly
came to their village and instructed them to not have more than two children.
The Tibetan parents who gave birth to more than 2 children were charged
1 000 yuan as penalty. Norbu's own younger sister, Dolma Lharno, gave
birth to her third child discreetly in her house, but the Chinese
authorities came to know about this and demanded 1000 yuan
as penalty even before the child was delivered.
Many other women in Lusbul village were reported to have undergone the same
penalty. All these women were ordered to undergo sterilisation in Karze
County hospital. The doctors were not well experienced and they did not
have proper equipment to perform the sterilisation, irrespective of this
they conducted surgery. Many women were reported to have become
weak and there are some cases where women died as a result. So Thar
Dolma a 29 year-old from Lushul village had two children. She
was called for sterilisation at County hospital before the delivery ofher
third child. After the surgery, she had been at home for seven days before
she died. The doctors blamed her death on other unrelated internal ailments.
Her husband Gyaltsen who had heart problems died after two
months due to anxiety. He was 31 years old. The children of SoThar
Dolma and Gyaltsen are looked after by a relative of Norbu Tso.
Since 1997, in Zora Nang area of Karze County, the Chinese were constructing
a big powerhouse. For this construction, the local villagers
were ordered to participate in the construction without any payment to
the farmers for their labour. Each individual had to work for ten days.
Norbu Tso worked there on behalf of all her family members therefore
she laboured for a total of 40 days without any wage.
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In early 1996, Damchoe, a monk from Gyalste Pe-choy Monastery in Shigatse,
printed the long life prayers composed by H.H. for the reincarnate
Panchen Lama. He gave the scriptures to Bu chung chung who
was a teacher at the County middle school to make photocopies of
the scriptures. The prayers were later distributed in a nearby
nunnery by Damchoe's student, Kgmar Dhondup, and another monk
called Kelsang.
On November 2, 1996 they again distributed the prayers to the monks of Pel-choe
Monastery. It was a religious occasion and many monks had gathered to pray.
On December 5, 1996, the Religious Management Committee of the County discovered
the activities and came into the monastery. Kelsang was immediately arrested
and all the distributed prayers were confiscated. The County PSB detained
him in Gyaltse County prison. Damchoe's room was ransacked and they
found a Tibetan national flag and some documents in his room. This was
enough evidence for the officials to arrest them. Migmar was also
arrested at the same time. They were all detained in Gyaltse County
prison.
After four months of routine interrogation, they were transferred to Shigatse
Nyari Prison. Their cases were submitted to the Shigatse People"s
Intermediate Court and their sentences were passed. Damchoe and Kalsang
were sentenced to five years, Migmar to four and Bhu Chung Chung to two
years. Damehoe was suffering from chronic lung infection at that
time, therefore he remained m Nyan Prison. Bu Chung Chung was also
detained in Nyari Prison. Kalsang and Migmar were transferred to
Drapchi Prison.
In mid 1997 Damchoe was released on medical parole but he was not allowed
to rejoin the monastery. He was ordered to return to his hometown
and was strictly instructed not to leave his house unless he
sought prior permission. Bhu Chung Chung completed his
term in August 1998 but he too faced expulsion from his job as a
teacher in the school. He currently owns a stall in Lhasa. Kelsang
and Migmar continue to serve their term in Drapchi prison.
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According to information recently received, on December 1, 1997,
"work-team" members of Nagchu County came to Rongpo Rabten monastery
to conduct "patriotic re-education".
Rongpo Rabten Monastery is in Nagchu Sog County in Nagchu Region.
At that time there were around 400 monks at the monastery.
14 monks below the age of 18 were expelled from the monastery.
The "work-team" stayed at the monastery for 1 5 days.
In December the same year
Tenzin Lobsang (25),
Gyaltsen Tsultrim (18),
Tenzin Tsulrim (17)
and
Gedun Tharchin (25),
all monks from the same Monastery,
wrote freedom slogans at the back of the township office's vehicle.
For almost a month the PSB investigated into the matter but they were not able
to held anyone responsible for the slogan.
Then in February 1998 few members of PSB came to the monastery and advised the
monks to prepare well, for the second "work-team" were expected to come.
The monks were also told to prepare a grand welcome ceremony. The four
monks feared that they would be found out and arrested, therefore, they
made plans to flee to India on February 12,1998. The head ofthe township
came to know about their plans to escape and reported to the
County PSB. Four of them were caught on their way to Gyamo Ngulchu (a name
of a river in Sog County). They were detained in Sog County prison for
a while. Later they were transferred to Nagchu RegionDetention Centre.
On September 23,1998 "work-team" members came to the monastery
and announced their sentence details.
Then on February 23, 1998, as instructed before "work-team" members arrived
at the monastery. Jampa Tenzin, a 26 year-old monk of Rongpo Rabten, opposed
the "re-education" policy and agitated the members from the very beginning.
He was constantly taken in for further intensive interrogations and instructions.
Pressure mounted at that time. Ngawang Tsultrim (26), also a monk at Rongpo
Rabten, had earlier distributed speeches of the Dalai Lama
in printed copies as well as on cassettes.
Ngawang"s room was ransacked and the incriminating documents were found. They
were taken away to Sog County Prison on August 5, 1998. Their sentences
were passed and on September 23, 1998 "work-team" members came to
the monastery and announced their sentences. Jampa Tenzin was sentenced
to two years and Ngawang Tsultrim to one-year imprisonment. According to
unofficial reports they are currently held in Toelung County prison.
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Lekshay Tharchin,
28 years old, is a former monk of Nalenda Monastery from Changa
township in Lhundup County.
In May 1995, Lekshay was arrested by Phenpo Lhundup PSB for wearing a
"Tibetan flagged neck-string" and taken to Gutsa Detention Centre.
During transportation he was thoroughly searched and severely beaten by
guards. Upon reaching Gutsa, Lekshay wag again searched and suffered
harsh beatings while he was interrogated. He was detained in Gutsa
for two months and was then sentenced by. the People's Intermediate
Court to two years "re-education-through-labour" in Trisam, Toelung.
While in Trisam, Lekshay was subjected to hard labour throughout the year except
for one month during winter. Work was carried out outside the premise of
the prison complex. Food rations for the prisoners were inadequate considering
the level of labour required.
On the occasion of official prison inspections, the prisoners were issued
with new blankets and uniforms to indicate that acceptable standards were
maintained within the prison. After the inspection, the blankets
and uniforms were immediately taken from the prisoners. Any prisoner who
tried to complain about such activities to higher authorities faced punishment
of beatings, torture and extensive labour.
On April 12,1997 Lekshay was released and he returned home. He tried to re-join
his monastery but was not allowed. Even after his release he was constantly
interrogated and restrictions were placed on his movements. Lekshay fled
Tibet on November 29, 1998.
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Death due to torture continues to take place even after ten years of China's
state party to the Convention Against Torture. The following two different
cases illustrate the brutality ofpmon beatings. Ngawang Dekyi, a nun, died
only 16 days after she had been hospitalised by prison authorities. Rinzin,
barely a month after he had been released, passed away at home.
Ngawang Dekyi,
was a 25 year-old nun of Poto Nunnery in Phenpo Lhundup.
She was originally from Damshung County in Lhasa city.
Ngawang was arrested in 1995 after participating in a demonstration in Lhasa.
She was detained in Gutsa Detention Centre for some time. Later she was
sentenced to six-years imprisonment and felled to Drapchi Prison.
Ngawang reportedly suffered
horrific prison beatings and was near death when
she was taken to Lhasa "Regional Military Hospital"
by prison authorities on January 5, 1998. She died
on January 21, 1998 after being hospitalised for 16 days.
Ngawang"s monthly visitor confirmed that Ngawang had undergone
severe beatings by prison guards and her weak condition had deteriorated.
Ngawang's parents were not informed of her health condition or
her hospitalisation.
Sixteen days later Ngawang passed away. Her parents were notified only
at that time about her ill health, hospitalisation, and her subsequent death
on January 21, 1998. However, her body was kept at Drapchi
Prison until January 23, 1998. During that time nobody, including
her parents, was allowed to approach the body to carry out
the customary Tibetan death rites.
On January 23, 1998, the sky burial (a traditional Tibetan burial) was carried
out near Sera Monastery and our source was called to be
present accompanied by a prison official. During the sky burial
he was not allowed to go near the body but saw that Ngawang's head had
turned red and blue. Later the topdhen (person
who performs the burial) told him, "from the injury marks it looks the
deceased had received severe beatings and as a result blood
had entered the circulatory veins of the brain
turning it red and blue. The red and blue colours on the shoulder blades
also indicated beatings." Our source requested the authorities
of Drapchi Prison to help Ngawang's parents as they were very old and poor
and had no money to pay for their return home to hung the prison authorities
reportedly gave the parents 500 yuan (US 60) and sent them back to Damshung
County.
Rinzin,
a 61 year-old man, was imprisoned in August or September of 1996 for possessing
a photograph of the Dalai Lama on his altar. Photographs of the Dalai
Lama had been banned earlier that year by the Chinese government.
After answering back to the Chinese officials who discovered the photograph,
he was detained for one month in the town prison and refused any visitors.
Rinzin was sentenced to three years imprisonment although a source said that no
formal trial had taken place. He was transferred to Nyari Prison where
he was reported as looking very weak and suffering from "malnutrition".
Prior to his arrest Rinzin had minor health problems but developed tuberculosis
while in detainment. A source commented that "no one knows
what Rinzin went through in prison. He was kept in the prison hospital
for one month and then released because his health condition had become
serious. Upon his release he lived only a month at home. He was so sick
that he could barelys and he was completely bedridden. He passed
away on February 1 1 or 12,1997 in his bed."
Rinzin was from Mugrum Trehte Township in Lhabrang County in Ngari Region.
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A new detention centre housing political prisoners has been reported by the
Tibet Information Network (TIN) last month. The new unit, believed to be
a high-security detention and interrogation centre, is situated on the
outskirts of Lhasa, near Outridu and Sietru Detention Centres and
possibly an extension of Sangyip prison. The building consists of
six blocks with a capacity to house around 60 prisoners. People's Armed
Police occupy one building and security is high. Photos of the building
show that it was probably completed in 1997.
TIN reported that the unit currently houses political prisoners who were involved
in the Drapchi Prison demonstrations in May of this year. TCHRD has received
reports over the last months that Drapchi staff have been transferring
prisoners since the incident, to prevent any further information
leaks. It is believed that the unit's main purpose is
as an interrogation centre for political prisoners. These prisoners
are usually detained without charge for up to three months prior to sentencing.
Torture is frequently used during
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