November 2001
-
A former political prisoner on arrest, torture and maltreatment
[ read ]
-
Demolition in the name of development
[ read ]
-
Restriction on admittance to Lhasa monasteries
[ read ]
-
Security heightened in Purang County
[ read ]
-
Taxing faith
[ read ]
-
Minimal access to healthcare in rural areas
[ read ]
-
A 15-year-sentence for wooden block prints bearing political slogans
[ read ]
-
TCHRD Staff seek audience with Gyalwa Karmapa
[ read ]
-
New Tibetan researcher
[ read ]
-
TCHRD information booth at the Free Spirit Festival
[ read ]
-
Special announcement
[ read ]
Gendun Gyatso
(layname Yonten Phuntsok), who recently arrived from Tibet,
reported on his detention days and detention of other
monks as well.
Born in Thonney, Chamdo County, Chamdo Prefecture "TAR",
Gyatso grazed cattle during his childhood. At 14, he joined
Pomda Monastery in 1995. There were 70 monks in residence
at the time of his admission.
Gyatso reported that on 28 July 1997, "work team" visited
Pomda Monastery for the first time to conduct "patriotic
education". The "work team" consisted of 30 officials and
was headed by Tenzin Norbu from Drayab County and Tsewang
from Pashoe County Religious Department.
The 70 monks were divided into three groups and separate
meetings were held for each group. The "patriotic
education" sessions would start at 9am in the morning
and restart from 3pm to 9pm daily with a period of
lunch break in-between. In the sessions, the "work
teams" emphasised the need to condemn the Dalai Lama and
"spilttists" activities and instead show loyalty to the
Chinese motherland.
On 16 August 1997, the "work team" presented the monks with
a document condemning the Dalai Lama and the "splittists"
activities. The monks were compelled to read and sign the
document that was passed in turns to all the monks. When
the document finally reached Gyaljing, layname Lobsang
Tsering, he stated that he could not read Yenag (the
running hand used letter, the headless character), and
that he could read only in Yekar (letter furnished with a
head). The "work teams" promptly translated the document
into Yekar but Gyaljing still refused to read or sign the
document. He was the discipline master (Tib: Geko) of the
monastery and shared a room with Gyatso.
Refusing to sign the document, Gylajing told "work team"
members amidst the crowd of monks that it was for similar
reason that he left Chamdo Monastery two years earlier to
join Pomda Monastery.
The "work team" took Gyaljing to a police station in
Pomda Township (which is normally reserved for petty
ciminals). Thereupon, Gyaljing was interrogated and beaten
mercilessly. The officers there tried to make him sign the
document with the use of brutal force. Gyaljing, however,
shouted slogans such as "Long live the Dalai Lama" and
"Free Tibet". His hands were immediately tied behind his
back and a towel placed in his mouth.
During the time of Gyaljing's detention, the police
ransacked his room (which Gyaljing and Gyatso shared)
and discovered a hand-drawn Tibetan flag with a photo of
the Dalai Lama at the centre.
On the same evening, approximately 60 monks decided to flee
the monastery rather than face more "patriotic education"
sessions. Only nine monks remained at the monastery at
the time. It was suspected that Gyatso was instrumental
in urging the monks to flee en masse. The next day, a
team of police officials and "work team" members began
their search for the monks but in vain. These officers
threatened the parents with punishment if they did not
reveal the whereabouts of the monks. These monks remained
in hiding for about eight to ten days.
In order to bring an end to the crisis, the Abbot of Pomda
Monastery, appealed to the monks to return. The Chinese
officials reportedly assured him that there would be no
further "patriotic education" classes and "work team"
visits. Subsequently, the monks returned to the monastery
around 27 August of the same year.
Following the return of the monks, approximately 80
officials from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and
People's Armed Police (PAP) surrounded the monastery and
interrogated each of the monks individually.
During that time, the officers overheard a monk named
Yonten questioning the detention of Gyaljing. As a result,
Yonten came under heavy suspicion leading to interrogations
and surprise raids in his room. The officials further
discovered a drawing of mountains and snow lions (elements
in the Tibetan national flag) on the wall of Yonten's room.
In the course of the interrogation, the officers suspected
Yonten to have drawn the flag, which was earlier found in
the room of Gyatso and Gyaljing. He was severely beaten
that time. Unable to bear the torture inflicted, Yonten
finally revealed that Lobsang, his cousin monk at the
monastery, had drawn the flag.
Consequently, on 28 August 1997, Lobsang was detained and
taken to Chamdo PSB Detention Centre. During his four days'
detention, Lobsang endured severe beatings. He finally
revealed under torture that it was Gyatso who drew the
Tibetan flag.
On 2 September 1997, PSB officers detained Gyatso in Chamdo
PSB Detention Centre and interrogated him about the flag
incident. The next day, he was forced to sign a statement
of his crimes. Gyatso endured severe beatings and torture
during his detention period of three months. He reported
that officials from Anti-Riot Department (a small cell
within the detention centre) and PSB were involved in the
torture including few Tibetan officials as well.
These officials kicked Gyatso around his head and torso
and used electric cattle prods
(which is approximately half a meter in length and flexible
like a rubber truncheon) to beat him on his back and
buttocks and shocking him with electricity each time the
prod touched his skin. At one stage Gyatso remembered
about twenty people, men and women, taking turns to whip
him with an electric cord. He was whipped so hard that
he was unable to sit down or lie on his back for weeks
together. He was denied medical treatment and did not
see any other prisoner besides his cellmate.
Gyaltso related that the worst form of torture that he
endured was confinement in a small room flooded with
water. The officials used electric prods to electrocute
him through the water knocking him unconscious.
He would wake up in his cell after a long period of
unconsciousness. Gyatso reported that he was left standing
in the cold wintry nights dressed only in a shirt and
pant for four times. He was handcuffed and his arms
were tied above his head. During his detention period,
Gyatso was tortured at all times of the day and night in
no set pattern.
On 10 November 1997, Gyatso was given three years'
"re-education through labour" as punishment. At the time
of his detention he was considered a minor under Chinese
Law and could not be classed as a political prisoner.
In mid-December 1997, Gyatso was transferred to Zethang
"Re-education Through Labour" Camp (Ch: Lao Jiao Suo Prison)
in Chamdo. At this camp, he was forced into hard
labour although there were no further beatings or torture.
Initially the punishment was for three years of hard labour.
However, the authorities increased Gyatso's
sentence by one more month after he was caught with
a picture of the Dalai Lama under his pillow.
Gyatso had found the picture in one of the Chinese propaganda
magazines distributed in the prison to discredit the Dalai Lama.
Gyatso still suffers from the after-effects of the torture.
He suffers from kidney disease that is aggravated when exposed to cold.
Gyatso shed light on the identity of some of his fellow
political prisoners in Chamdo PSB Detention Centre. He
particularly remembered the seven monks from Serwa
Monastery in Pashoe County who were arrested on 1 July 1997
(the day of Hong Kong's hand-over to China).
Dawa Dorjee, one of the seven monks, related information on
these monks to Gyatso. As reported in October 1997 issue
of Human Rights Update, the seven monks were arrested for
shouting "Free Tibet" in a daring public demonstration. The
identities and ages (at the time of arrest) of these
monks are Tashi Phuntsok (25); Rinzin Choephel (24);
Sherab Tsultrim (25); Dawa Dorjee (24); Lobsang Damchoe
(26); Ngawang Choephel (16); and Lobsang Dechen (25).
Among them Rinzin Choephel was sentenced for eight years
and the sentences of others range between four to seven
years. The seven monks were transferred from Chamdo PSB
Detention Centre to Drapchi Prison sometime in September 2000.
Dawa Dorjee related to Gyatso about the torture that the
seven monks suffered whilst their detention. The monks
were stripped naked and hung upside down. Their bodies
were then hit with big sticks and electric prods applied to
their genitals, causing serious burns. The monks were made
to stand up straight and repeatedly hit with a big stick
on their shins, which knocked them down on the floor. The
police then stamped on their heads and faces with their
boots. The monks were covered in blood and excreta and
had to crawl against the wall to stand up.
Gyatso also reported on the detention of Lobsang Dhondup
who was sentenced to three years for putting up "Free
Tibet" posters in Chamdo Prison in July 2000. He is
originally from Thenthok, Dzogang County. He is expected
to be released in 2003.
Lobsang is said to be the nephew of Tashi Rabten who died
under mysterious circumstances during a "work team visit"
in Thenthok Monastery on 1 May 2000. The "work team" forced
the monks to denounce the Dalai Lama and confiscated all
the pictures.
Gyatso, the informant, was released after completing his
three years and one month on 1 Oct 2000. He was not allowed
to rejoin Pomda Monastery or any other monasteries. He
resided in Pomda three months and then moved to Shigatse
where he stayed for another eight months.
Gyatso arrived at the Tibetan Reception Centre in Kathmandu
on 4 November 2001.
[ top ]
In 1998, the Chinese authorities of County announced
that in the name of the "Western Development Programme"
existing shops in the area were to be demolished and new
shops built instead. The authorities further said that
the land on which these shops were built belonged to the
Chinese Government.
The shopkeepers were given a few days' time in which
to demolish their shops and save the fittings and
wood. Otherwise, the authorities threatened to demolish
the shops themselves and destroy everything.
Many shops were demolished and new shops built as demanded
by the authorities. Since then, the authorities owned these
shops, which was all built in Chinese style, replacing
the traditional Tibetan architectural style.
The authorities offered the new shops for sale or lease
at high rates. For example, the informant paid 20,000
yuan to purchase a shop in a far inferior location of the
area. The average rent for these new shops was around
7,000 yuan per month, which is far beyond the reach of
most Tibetan shopkeepers. The informant gave example of
a Tibetan tea-stall operator who shifted into one of the
new shops. The rent he paid to the authorities is 7,000
yuan per month, an amount not even covered by the money
he makes from the business.
Chinese traders have begun to flood the area. They
have access to cheap Chinese goods that they sell at a
profitable rate enabling them to rent or buy the shops .By
2001, Chinese settlers owned 48 business units and only
nine are now owned by Tibetans. The number of Tibetan-owned
businesses is decreasing rapidly.
The informant stated that until 1998 Tibetan businesses
were developing and thriving. In 1998, the informant
estimated that there were around 40-50 shops in Sog
County. Chinese owned only one or two of these shops and
the Tibetans owned the rest of them.
Sog County consists mainly of farming and nomadic
families. In 1980 the low-lying farmland was allocated to
families according to the number of members per family. In
the case of the informant, they were given a large portion
of land, as his family was relatively large then. The
family grew barley and had a herd, which they take up to
the mountains to graze during the summer.
In January 2000, the authorities allocated the highlands
where nomads grazed their herds and where Yartsa Gunbu (a
valuable medicinal herb) grew. Previously, anyone could
graze on these lands. After the boundaries were marked,
disputes began to erupt between people over the use of
land. The disputes were particularly acrimonious where the
land divided held Yartsa Gunbu. The fightings were often
violent and people were killed. The Tibetans pleaded with
the local authorities not to continue with the allocation
of land, because they feared more violence. At the time
of the informant's departure, the local authorities were
still refusing to listen to the people's complaints.
The informant also reported on the plight of one poor
family. The father and eldest daughter of the family
died and the eldest son suffered a serious injury, which
rendered him incapable of working. The local villagers
went to the authorities of village and town to seek help
for the family. They were told to take the matter to the
county authorities. After repeated pleas for assistance,
the county authorities granted the family with 300 yuan.
The local banks refused to lend money to the family even
with the offer of personal guarantee for the loan. The
family is now completely dependent on the generosity and
charity of local Tibetans. There is no social security or
income support available to the family.
Families who own property can mortgage it to obtain loans
from the bank. The informant explained that a family
needs to have property worth double the amount of the
loan. Beijing Government in the name of "help-the-poor"
scheme taxes about 25% of the loan amount. In theory this
fund was accessible to poorer families to borrow money to
build houses. However in practice, as the previous example
shows, the poor families were unable to borrow money. The
informant was unsure about the distribution of this 25%
tax. Though 25% tax was taken out of the loan, the borrower
still pays interest and makes repayments based on the full
amount borrowed.
The informant reported about healthcare access in Sog
County. There is a medical clinic with one doctor for all
the villages. The local Tibetans deposit 2,000 yuan before
receiving treatment. Without this deposit, the doctors
would not treat the patients regardless of the severity
of the illness.
Despite having to pay fees up front for treatment, people
were also required to pay compulsory medical insurance of
20 yuan per person since 2001. None of the villagers seem
to have benefited from this arbitrary collection of money
In 1996, Dhimey, the informant was elected by his
villagemen to oversee the affairs of his village in
Sog County. Dhimey worked in this position for five
years and earned 30 yuan per month. Every village in
Sog County has five Party members appointed by the local
government. Their main duty was to monitor "splittist"
activities in the village.During his tenure as village
head, Dhimey was made to sign a contract stating that he
would be held responsible for any political activities
occurring in the area.
Dhimey's main responsibility was to act as a middleman
between the local people and the county authorities. At
meetings held in the village on a monthly basis, Dhimey
had to read out official Chinese documents which mainly
condemned the "Dalai clique" and also contained speeches
from communist party icons such as Mao Tse Tung, Deng
Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Guo Jinlong and Raidi. The documents
praised Chinese development in Tibet and the greatness of
Beijing. Dhimey believes that this was a Chinese way of
indoctrinating Tibetans with Chinese communist ideology.
Dhimey claimed that currently all the heads of the
government departments in Sog County are Chinese; where
prior to 2000, some of them were Tibetan. The change came
into effect by the end of 2001. The official justification
was that Sog County has been a "hot-bed of political
activities". Hence, the appointments of Chinese officials
are designed to prevent any further dissent.
It is estimated that there are currently 200 Chinese
civilians in addition to a large contingent of military
personnel. Before there were only Chinese officials
but now more civilians have arrived. This new group of
Chinese settlers tends to occupy new buildings and start
businesses. The influx of Chinese settlers is increasing
year by year in Sog County and they seem to have less
difficulty than the Tibetans at acquiring the necessary
permits to start business.
During his time in the administration of the village,
Dhimey tried his best to request the local Chinese
authorities to build a road and to bring electricity to his
village. Despite constant appeals, Dhimey never received
a positive response from the authorities. He believed that
money allocated through the "Western Development Program"
would never help in the development of his village, as
there are no Chinese settlers living there.
Dhimey claimed such discriminatory attitudes were prevalent
in all aspects of improving village life. The village
school, which educates approximately 27 students, is in
a dilapidated condition. He appealed to the authority for
some improvement but received no response on the matter.
Dhimey fled Tibet in a group of approximately 42 people,
most of whom were monks and included a nine-year-old boy.
During his escape, a guide told Dhimey about the detention
of approximately 60 Tibetans who were caught trying
to escape. The guide who led the group was reportedly
sentenced to four years' imprisonment.
The escapees had a hard time during their flight
into freedom. One of the guides fell sick and had
to return. Many other escapees suffered sickness and
starvation. Some ate ice to survive the treacherous winter
crossing. The group reached Kathmandu on 12 November 2001.
[ top ]
Hard and complex series of bureaucratic procedures for
students intending to join monasteries in Lhasa renders
enrolment in religious places of learning very difficult.
After spending six years at Payen Monastery in Sichuan
Province, Karma Nyandak decided to join either Sera
or Drepung Monastery in Lhasa for higher education. At
Lhasa, Nyandak faced a formidable array of beauracratic
procedures from the local Chinese authorities before being
allowed joining either of the monasteries. A total of
six government official documents were required before
admission was allowed:
-
Written permission from his previous monastery stating
his intention of leaving the monastery
-
Written permission from the local authorities in Jarnon Township in Tenchen County
-
Written permission from the local authorities of Tenchen County
-
Written permission from Chamdo City
-
Written permission from the Department of Religious Affairs in Lhasa
-
The last official document that Nyandak had to obtain was
from a separate government office in Lhasa.(The office
which is believed to be closely associated the PSB decides
on the final recruitment of monks to the three major seats
of monasteries in Lhasa - Sera, Drepung and Gaden. Nyandak
was unable to remember the name of the office at the time
of interview.)
Although this was not an expensive exercise, the sheer
difficulty of obtaining the required documents ensured
that Nyandak was unable to fulfil his dream of entering
Sera or Drepung monasteries. Nyandak lamented, "The time
spent visiting each of these offices to seek permission
letter and the callous, time-buying attitude of the Chinese
officials makes it almost impossible for the monks to join
the monasteries in Lhasa, particularly monks from eastern
Tibet". He went on to state that even if he was successful
in obtaining all the necessary documents and was admitted,
he would not be allowed to participate in the official
religious functions.
Nyandak also reported that the local Chinese authorities
in Lhasa would fine any officials who are found donating
money to monasteries. This discouraging trend ensures that
there are less donors to the religious institutions making
it financially difficult for the monasteries to continue
to function.
Karma Nyandak grew up in Tengchen County, Chamdo Prefecture "TAR".
After receiving education from a local school,
Nyandak joined Nagsong Monastery at 14. The monastery
housed 168 monks.
A few years later, Nyandak moved to Payen Monastery in
Sichuan Province, which is one day's drive from Sertha
Institute. Payen Monastery housed approximately 2,000
monks. The monks were forbidden by the Chinese "work team"
to display portraits of the Dalai Lama.
Karma Nyandak arrived in Kathmandu on 27 October 2001.
[ top ]
Reports indicate that impeding arrival of approximately 50
Tibetans pilgrims from India to Mount Kailash in March 2001
raised concern amongst the Chinese authorities at Purang
County. The local authorities increased security measure
along the routes of Mt. Kailash to avert infiltration of
"splittist activities" from the "Dalai clique".
At the time, hordes of armed police were stationed in
and around Purang border to check the identities of the
pilgrims. Many security checkpoints were set up along
the routes. The local Tibetans were concerned that the
Chinese forces would crackdown severely on the pilgrims
and subject them to unnecessary harassment.
Dechen Tashi, the informant, learnt about the increased
security whilst his detention at Purang County on
account of attempted flight into exile. He has no further
information on the issue.
Tashi first attempted to escape in June 1999 via Purang
County (Ch: Pulan xian), Ngari Prefecture, in the west of Tibet.
The border police at Purang detained Tashi for
a period of two months and interrogated him about his
intention to meet the Dalai Lama. Tashi reponded that he
was going to India on a pilgrimage. He was beaten
severely and forced to bend on his knees while the police
kicked and stamped on his back.
Later, Tashi was released on the condition that he would
return to his hometown immediately. He was threatened with
detention and execution should he try to escape again.
The officers took his fingerprints and forced him sign a
statement that he would not escape again. As far as Tashi
know, there were at least 30 Tibetans who were detained
in Purang for having attempted to escape into India.
After his release, Tashi took up business in his hometown.
He traded with Khampa businessmen and sold goods to Nepali
traders. He also did carpentry works.
Tashi reported that guides, regardless of whether they
are Tibetans or Sherpas, are arrested and heavily fined if
they are caught escorting escapees across the border. He is
aware of few such arrest cases where the guides underwent
torture at the hands of the Chinese authorities. However,
he has no information on the identities and origins of
these guides.
Dechen Tashi is originally from Ragyal Township, Nangchen
County, Jyekundo "TAP" (Ch: Yushul "TAP"). He was a
small-time businessman in his township and had never been
to school.
Tashi reached Tibetan Reception Centre in Kathamandu on 22
November 2001. He intends to study and later run a small
business in India.
[ top ]
Tashi Rigzin
is a driver who lives in Woubu Village, Gergye County
(Ch: Geji xian), Ngari Prefecture "TAP".
Rigzin arrived in Kathmandu on 5 November 2001. He reported to
the centre on restrictions imposed by the local authorities
on circumambulating Mt Kailash.
"There are two ways to reach Mt Kailash from my village.
One covers a distance of 600 km and the other covers 500 km.
Before last year many Tibetans from my
village would go on a pilgrimage to Mt Kailash and they
did not need any permit or paper. Since the summer of
2000, the local Chinese authorities have enforced new
conditions. Every pilgrim to Mt Kailash now has to get
permission from the local authorities.
This time when I went to Mt Kailash, I sought permission
from the authorities of Ngari Prefecture. First I went to
the township authorities to get a recommendation letter
stating that I am a bona fide resident of Tsaka Township. I
then showed this letter to the County PSB (Public Security
Bureau) Office where they put an official stamp on the
letter. I did not pay anything for the stamps.
Later, I took the letter to Ngari Prefecture PSB Office
where I paid 10 yuan. The office kept the recommendation
letter from the township authorities and issued me another
letter with their official stamp. Finally, I took this
letter to Ngari Prefecture army base where I was issued
with another red paper with five stamps on it. I paid 34 yuan.
The distance from Ngari Prefecture to Mt Kailash is 270
km. There are two ways to go from Ngari Prefecture to Mt
Kailash. One is from Purang County and another from Maser
Township. At Maser Township, there is an army checkpoint,
which checks all pilgrims for their permit and ID
cards. Failure to produce the reqired papers would result
in pilgrims being sent back to their places of origin.
I showed the officers my permit and they registered my
name and ID card number. After that, I was allowed to
circumambulate Mt Kailash.
Pilgrims from Kham and Amdo have to first go to their
prefecture office in Lhasa and get a recommendation
letter. If they are from Lhasa they have to get this letter
from their neighbourhood committee. Then they take this
letter to Ngari Prefecture office in Lhasa where they
can receive the permit for Mt. Kailash. To circumambulate
Mt. Kailash, the permit and ID card are very necessary".
[ top ]
This report is a compilation of intervieiws from three
Tibetan escapees from different areas in Tibet concerning
healthcare issues.
There are about 400 Tibetan families in Tsigorthang County,
Tsolho "TAP". Whilst they have a local medical clinic it is
poorly equipped and has no X-ray or operating theatre. A
serious patient is referred to the next county hospital
for treatment. The head of the clinic is Chinese. There
is not a single Tibetan doctor trained in Tibetan medicine
in the area.
Tibetans in Ngaba County, Ngaba "TAP", have access to
a hospital although the patients bear full cost of any
treatment. The hospital employs no Tibetan doctors,
and the main language used at the hospital is Chinese,
thereby rendering the use of translators a necessity.
The locals in Woubu Village, Gergye County, Ngari "TAP",
have no access to a healthcare clinic (or electricity or
educational facilities). To seek treatment, the locals
go to the township hospital, which is 52 kms away. If a
patient's condition is serious they travel 452 kms to the
county hospital. Possession of a patient ID card lessens
the treatment cost by half, otherwise the patients have
to pay the full cost for any treatment.
The Chinese authorities in Gergye County have recently
begun to enforce birth control policy and introduced
registration of children and fines for families who have
more than two children.
[ top ]
Tsering Lhagon,
41, is originally from Village #2, Yakla Township, Sog
County. Lhagon has eight family members consisting of his
wife (37); his four children - two sons and two daughters
all below 11 years; his mother Aya (65); and his sister.
A 15-year-sentence for wooden block prints bearing political slogans
Although the family's primary occupation was farming,
they also grazed few livestock as well. Lhagon however
engaged in lots of other works such as sewing, carpentry,
and contracting houses.
Lhagon had never been to school. From his early age,
he took lessons from his father, a prominent engineer in
the construction of traditional Tibetan style building
of his time. With the demise of his father during the
Cultural Revolution in 70's, the responsibility of his
family directly came upon his tender shoulder.
Gradually, Lhagon acquired many skills and became
"a man with many qualities". He worked as a foreman and a main
supervisor in constructing traditional Tibetan houses of
his locality. Beside he was also good at sewing clothes
and wood-carpentry. In short, he became a household name
in his locality and commanded a lot of respect. Since 1985,
Lhagon served as the main supervisor in the construction of
Sog Tsendhen Monastery, in Sog County until its completion
in January 2000.
In March, 2000, officials from Security Department of the
"Tibet Autonomous Region" ("TAR") along with few Nagchu and
Sog PSB officials arrested Tsering Lhagon after discovering
two wooden block prints with carvings such as "Free Tibet",
"Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama", "Tibet belongs
to Tibetans" and "China quit Tibet" from his residence.
Around the same time, five other Tibetans from Sog County
were arrested on different days. The other five are Sey
Khedup (27), Tenzin Choewang (64), Yeshi Tenzin (33),
Trakru Yeshi (45) and Gyurmey (29). They were all charged
with involvement in the recurrent political and resistant
activities that have taken place in Sog County since 1993.
Nearly nine months after the arrest in mid-December 2000,
Lhagon and the other detainees were brought for a public
trial at Nagchu Intermediate People's Court. They were
accused of supporting activities of the "Dalai clique and
carrying out activities endangering state security". The
court produced independence posters, wooden block prints
and cassettes containing speeches of the Dalai Lama as
evidences of the charges levied on them.
Tsering Lhagon was later sentenced to 15 years'
imprisonment. While the other five detainees were sentenced
to varying prison terms ranging from seven years to life
imprisonment. Currently, he is now serving his term in
Drapchi Prison in Lhasa.
As a result of the arrest, Lhagon's family is reeling under
extreme poverty. Prior to his arrest he was the sole bread
earner. Now his wife is the only working person in the
family of seven people. It is reported that "the family
is nearing to starvation".
[ top ]
On 10 October 2001, the staff members of TCHRD had a
private audience with the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, the head of
the Kagyu sect of the Tibetan Buddhism, at Gyutoe Monastery
in Dharamsala.
Upon getting briefed on the mission and activities of the
Centre, Gyalwa Karmapa gave accolades to the staff of TCHRD
for their works. He further urged the Centre to keep up
with its standard.
Gyalwa Karmapa emphasised that the plight of Tibetans
still living in Tibet under the Chinese authorities should
be presented vividly and that TCHRD should continue to
maintain its focus on the issue.
[ top ]
TCHRD would like to congratulate Mr. Jampal Monalam for
his promotion to the post of Tibetan Researcher with effect
from March 2002.
Mr. Monlam earlier served the centre in the capacity of
Field Officer since his arrival in Dharamsala in 1998.
He was a former political prisoner who served five years in
Drapchi Prison in Tibet.
[ top ]
In order to generate awareness within the local community
as well as among foreign visitos, TCHRD staff organised an
information booth at the Free Spirit Festival held in TIPA,
Dharamsala, on 27 October 2001.
The staff distributed publications of the centre free of
cost and answered queries from interested individuals on
human rights issue in Tibet.
[ top ]
TCHRD is looking to fill two positions at its main office
in Dharamsala, i.e. Executive Director and Field Officer.
Announcements for both the positions have appeared in
Tibet Times, Tibetan Review and Tibetan Bulletin.
For the post of the Executive Director, the prospective
candidate should be a Tibetan (minimum 30 years old)
with at least three years of work experience within the
Tibetan community. A minimum of Bachelor's Degree with
a proficiency in English is required. Good communication
and inter-personal skills with initiative and the ability
to analyse and juggle multiple tasks is required.
The selected candidate is expected to oversee the Centre's
activities and programmes, budget and personnel.
He or she will also serve as the Executive Secretary of the
Centre's Board of Directors and will be the conduit for
other Board members.
The prospective Field Officer requires excellent writing
and communication skills in Tibetan and English with a
minimum BA or equivalent degree and a contract period of
three years with the Centre. Preference will be given to
those with previous experience in interviewing, research
and translation work.
The selected candidate is expected to undertake the
responsibilities of conducting interviews, research works,
writing reports in Tibetan and translation. He or she may
be assigned other responsibilities as and when needed.
For further information, please contact Ms. Youdon
Aukatsang, Senior Programme Officer or e-mail at
or call 23363/25874.
|
