15 May 1999
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Drepung monk re-arrested
[ read ]
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Tortured for UN letter
[ read ]
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Religious crackdown in Kirti Monastery
[ read ]
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Profile:
15 years for Gaden monk
[ read ]
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Expulsion of monks in Drayab Monastery
[ read ]
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Crackdown at Drupde Monastery
[ read ]
A Tibetan monk from Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Ngawang
Samphel (33), was arrested in early April 1999 on suspicion
of political acts. His present whereabouts are unknown.
This is the second time that Ngawang has been arrested. He
was previously detained in Gutsa Detention Centre for
taking part in a demonstration, on September 27, 1988.
On September 27, 1988, Ngawang Samphel and five other
Drepung monks, Ngawang Zegen (22), Ngawang Chemey (30),
Ngawang Thosam (28), Jamphel Wangchuk (28) and Jamphel
Sherab (31), staged a peaceful demonstration in the
Barkhor in Lhasa, shouting slogans that called for Tibetan
independence. Officers of the People's Armed Police (PAP)
and Public Security Bureau (PSB) immediately arrested
the monks. They were taken to Gutsa Detention Centre,
located to the east of Lhasa. While in detention, all six
monks were subjected to severe torture. As a result of
the torture, Ngawang"s friend, Ngawang Zegen from Toelung
County, died in 1989 approximately one month after his
release.
In recent years, despite the strict Chinese policy
of religious and patriotic re-education, Tibetan
independence posters continue to be seen in Drepung
Monastery. The Chinese re-education ìwork-teamsî have
recently imposed stringent restrictions on all activities
in the monastery. In order to check the growing dissent
among the monks, PSB officers are now permanently stationed
at the monastery.
In early April 1999, these officers raided Ngawang
Samphel's room. Nothing was found that could have
implicated him in any political activity. Nonetheless,
Ngawang was subsequently arrested on the ground of
suspicion of political acts. Since his arrest, no
information has been available regarding his well-being
or whereabouts. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and
Democracy is concerned about the fate of Ngawang Samphel,
particularly as this is the second time he has been
arrested for political acts. Unless immediate intervention
and action is taken on his behalf, the Centre fears that
his life will be in danger.
Ngawang Samphel is from Phenpo Lhundrup County, ìTARî. He
joined Drepung Monastery in 1983, at the age of 16. He
was imprisoned from September 27, 1988 and was released
after nine months detention. After his release, Ngawang
returned to Drepung monastery where he remained until he
was rearrested in April 1999.
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Tibetan political prisoner
Ngawang Kyonmey
suffered severe beatings and maltreatment from prison officers in
Gutsa Detention Centre, according to information received from
a Tibetan refugee in March 1999. Ngawang was arrested in
early September 1998 on suspicion of conspiring to hand
a letter to Mrs Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights, who visited Tibet in October 1998.
In September 1998, Chinese officials visited Drepung
Monastery, Lhasa, in response to information that posters
calling for Tibetan independence had been pasted on the
walls of the monastery. The officials searched the rooms
of the monks and discovered a Tibetan national flag,
picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a letter
addressed to the High Commissioner, Mrs Mary Robinson,
in Ngawang Kyonmey's room. He was immediately arrested
and taken to Gutsa Detention Centre where he reportedly
continues to be held, although the charges against him
have not been finalised.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy received
reports that Ngawang"s body reveals the distinct marks
of severe beatings, which evidently took place during
interrogation by prison officials who used violence and
torture to obtain names of other Tibetans involved in the
preparation of the letter.
Ngawang is now 28 years old and was originally from Toelung
Dechen County. Ngawang's case was submitted to the UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights in January 1999. Its
lack of response is in spite of Mrs Mary Robinson"s recent
assurances to three Tibetan hunger strikers on April 30,
1999 that Tibetan human rights issue would be addressed
at every possible opportunity.
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Lobsang Sherab, who arrived in India in April 1999,
reported a number of arrests that took place in Kirti Monastery
in Ngapa County following incidences of independence activity.
Kirti Monastery is the largest Gelukpa Monastery in Ngapa
County, Ngapa Prefecture. The first reported incident
was in October 1997, when Gurtson Sherab was arrested and
sentenced to seven years" imprisonment. Sherab was arrested
for pasting independence posters around the Kirti Monastery
and he is currently detained in Mong County Prison.
A second arrested monk's name is not known, although he is
known to be the son of Jo Chay, a tailor. The monk is from
Amdo Jo-lab and was also arrested in 1997. He was arrested
on the charge of pasting independence posters in the Kirti
Monastery. He is currently detained in Mong County Prison.
Jigme Gotra, a third monk from Kirti Monastery, was
arrested in 1996 on the charge of pasting independence
posters and was later released. Following his release,
he was expelled from his monastery.
Chinese "work team" members arrived in Kirti Monastery in
April 1998. Senior Trulku"s, Lama's and teachers of the
Kirti Monastery were called to accept the principles of
"patriotic re-education". When they refused, they were
kept under house arrest for some weeks. Pictures of His
Holiness, the Dalai Lama were banned in the monastery and
throughout Ngaba County. The "work team" members announced
severe penalties for any offenders. In March 1999, an
official ceiling was placed on the number of monks allowed
to stay in Kirti Monastery. The Chinese "work teams"
ordered all monks below the age of 18 years and above the
age of 50, to leave the monastery. They emphasised that
sooner or later they would be expelled. The monks above the
age of 50, were reported to be extremely worried as they
have nowhere else to go if they are forced to leave. When
the announcement was made, many monks protested to the
Chinese authorities. The authorities called on the People's
Armed Police (PAP) forces who surrounded the monastery to
counteract any reprisals. Since the beginning of 1999,
the ìwork teamî members have had to call the PAP forces
on three separate ocassions to control the monks. There
are currently around 2,300 monks in Kirti Monastery.
If the forced depopulation materialises, it is estimated
that only about 600 monks will remain.
In 1994, a man named Soypa Naker of Amdo Ngaba County,
built a private school in Kirti County which he
donated to the Kirti Monastery. Most of the students
who attended the school were younger novice monks from
Kirti Monastery who could attend without having to pay
any fees. The local Chinese authorities persisted many
times to force Soypa Naker to handover the administration
of his school to the local authorities. They threatened
to impose restrictions on the attendance of monks from
Kirti Monastery. Eventually, Soypa Naker had no choice
but to handover the administration of his school to
the authorities in January 1999. Thereafter, the Chinese
authorities took total control of the school and gradually
instructed monk students to wear laymen's clothes in
classes. The students were notified that if they refused
to obey the Chinese rules, they would not be allowed into
their classrooms.
All 40 of the monk students from Kirti Monastery who attend
the school now wear laymen's clothes. Moreover, Chinese
authorities have now appointed new Chinese teachers to the
school. The subjects of Chinese politics and socialist
ideology were introduced, and made a compulsory part of
the monks" school curriculum. Lobsang Sherab, also known as
Pong-go, is an 18 year-old monk from Tharpa town in Ngaba
County which is in Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He
arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal on April 19, 1999.
Kirti Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies has been
established in exile in Dharamsala, for the purpose
of offering young monks from Tibet the opportunity
to study Tibetan culture and religion in a conducive
environment. The Institute hopes that its students will
ultimately return to their monasteries in Tibet.
If any readers wish to obtain more information about
Kirti Institute, or offer financial support, please
contact direct:
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Bhagdro
is a 30-year-old former Gaden monk.
He is from Lhasa City, Meldro Gongkar County.
He comes from a farming family and is one of three sons.
When Bhagdro was young,
he studied in the Mangtsuk (Public) School for three years.
Following his schooling, he stayed at home to help his
parents on their farm. In 1986, Bhagdro joined Gaden
Monastery. Initially he worked as a labourer at the
monastery, helping with renovations. Later on he started
learning scriptures.
On May 6, 1996, a Chinese "work team" at the Gaden
Monastery imposed a total ban on pictures of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama. The ban was announced during
the "re-education" session conducted by the "work team".
Subsequently, a large number of monks disrupted the
session. The monks, who numbered about 200, caused an
enormous commotion, which left the 18 members of the ìwork
teamî with no choice but to abandon the session. Soon
after, the large group, led by Bhagdro, approached the
"work team" members in their rooms and appealed to them not
to carry out the ban as announced. They reasserted that
the monks would sacrifice their lives but would not give
up pictures of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. The "work
team" members appeared to be threatened by such a big
group and immediately left the monastery. That same night
the "work team" members returned with reinforcements from
the town. About ten trucks full of People's Armed Police
(PAP) forces and Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers
arrived. The officers surrounded the monastery. When the
officers tried to enter the monastery, the monks started
throwing stones at them. The PAP started shooting. Two
monks were injured in the exchange and eventually the
officers overpowered the monks.
The next day the "work team" members and the Democratic
Management Committee of the monastery called a meeting with
the senior monks. They were ordered to bring their younger
students. At the same time, all the pictures that were
displayed on the shrines were taken down. The officers
recognised Bhagdro from the protest the day before. He
was arrested and immediately taken to Gutsa Detention
Centre, along with another monk identified as Jampa Lodroe
(Poloe). Bhagdro was reportedly
severely beaten,
while being transported to Gutsa.
More monks were arrested over time. Some fled from
the monastery to other places to escape arrest and
punishment. For two months the monastery remained
closed. By the end of August 1998, a total of 62 monks
and one layman had been arrested. Those who were released
after only a few months of detention faced expulsion
from the monastery.
In August 1996, Bhagdro was sentenced by the Lhasa
Intermediate People's Court. He and Lodroe were both
sentenced to 15 years" imprisonment and transferred
to Drapchi Prison. The remaining arrested monks were
sentenced to two to 15 years imprisonment. Some of the
monks were detained in Trisam "re-education through
labour" unit. Bhagdro is currently held in Drapchi serving
a 15 year sentence.
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Ngawang Jampa
is an 18-year-old monk from Drayab Monastery.
He fled Tibet reaching Nepal on March 3, 1999,
following a religious crackdown in his monastery.
Jampa joined Drayab Monastery when he was 13 years old.
Four "work team" members came to his monastery in
August/September 1997. They were later joined by an
additional four members. While it was at the monastery,
the eight member ìwork teamîbanned the display of pictures
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and ordered the expulsion
of all monks below the age of 25 years.
Prior to the "work team's" arrival in April/May 1998, some
monks had pasted independence posters on the walls of the
monastery. The posters were hand-written and carried the
slogans, "Free Tibet", "No religious freedom" and "Stop
banning HHDL pictures". The day after the slogans were
pasted, Drayab County officials came to the monastery
and interrogated the monks individually. The officials
ordered all monks to provide hand-writing samples. They
arrested a total of four monks. Jampa later learned
that the four monks were each sentenced to eight years"
imprisonment and are detained in Chamdo Prison. Only
one has been identified and his name is Ngawang (not
Ngawang Jampa).
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Lhapsum Gyaltsen
is a 34 year old former monk from Drupdre Monastery.
He became a monk at the age of 23, in 1988.
By 1998, there were 71 monks in Drupdre Monastery.
In August/September 1998, a six member "work team" came to
the monastery from Diru County. For an entire month the
"work team" stayed at the monastery conducting "patriotic
re-education" sessions. 16 monks who refused to comply
were expelled and "stay passes" were issued to 38 more
monks. The 17 remaining monks were neither expelled nor
issued "stay passes".
Lhapsum, although one of the 38 monks issued with a ìstay
passî, preferred not to remain at the monastery. He fled
Tibet at the end of 1998 and reached Nepal on January
28, 1999.
Lhapsum comes from a nomadic family in Diru County,
Nagchu Prefecture. His family"s livelihood was gravely
affected during the snow storm disaster that took place
end of 1997 and beginning of 1998. In his county, about 20
families suffered heavy losses. No sufficient relief aid
was provided by Chinese authorities, who received bulk
international relief funds for the same disaster. Many
members of the families affected by the storm have resorted
to begging to survive.
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