MAY 2004
-
Nuns undergo tremendous hardship for protesting against curtailment of religious rights
[ read ]
-
Lobsang Tenzin and Rinzin Wangyal in critical condition
[ read ]
-
Tibetan singer and lyricist released after two months' detention
[ read ]
-
"China retains tight control over Tibetan Religion", reports USCIRF
[ read ]
-
Tashi Topgyal resurfaces having been sentenced to six years' imprisonment in Drapchi Prison
[ read ]
-
Third time lucky for a deportee
[ read ]
-
Poor education and discriminatory practices in Tibet make children go into exile
[ read ]
-
An elderly Tibetan sentenced to six years' imprisonment term
[ read ]
-
TCHRD Nominations for Human Rights Awards
[ read ]
-
Lecture on Human Rights and Democracy
[ read ]
-
TCHRD Welcomes New Researcher
[ read ]
Phenpo Podo Nunnery is a small nunnery in Phenpo Lhundup County, Lhasa Municipality, Tibet Autonomous Region ("TAR"), established by Geshe Podowa before the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959. In its initial years, the nunnery housed around 200 nuns. In the aftermath of the People's Liberation Armies' occupation of Tibet, and the Cultural Revolution thereafter, the nunnery was totally destroyed. In 1992, through the generous donation of Lobsang Tsundue and with funds collected by the nuns through begging, the nunnery was reconstructed.
Nyima and Nyidron joined the nunnery in 1992 when there were 130 nuns. However, they couldn't stay for long in the nunnery as both were arrested by Public Security Bureau officials for protesting against the Chinese government and were subsequently sentenced to five years imprisonment.
After their release from prison and escape to India, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy met the nuns.
Nyima recounts, "In September 1993, the nuns at Podo Nunnery were called for a meeting at Sumpang Township by the local authorities. During the meeting, the authorities issued a directive whereby nuns below the age of eighteen were banned from attending the nunnery and an enrolment ceiling of sixty nuns in the nunnery was imposed. Failing to follow the directive, the nunnery was threatened with imposition of heavy fines. Most of the nuns, out of the total 130 nuns in the nunnery, failed to meet the age regulation. A week later, an official notice was sent to the village head and accordingly Nyidron and I and other nuns below eighteen years of age were dismissed from the nunnery. Many elderly nuns were also expelled to meet the enrolment ceiling of sixty nuns."
"The nuns were depressed and anxious about their fate. In order to protest the curtailment of religious rights, Nyidron and I, along with another nun, Nyichung, secretly crossed the hill separating Lhasa from Phenpo County on foot and reached Lhasa on the morning of 22 March 1999. Three of us straight away proceeded to the busy Barkhor market and shouted slogans calling for "Freedom in Tibet", " Chinese out of Tibet" and "Human Rights in Tibet". Barkhor Public Security Bureau ("PSB") officials immediately took us into custody and detained us for about fifteen minutes in the local Detention Centre, we were then were shifted to Lhasa City PSB Detention Centre in the east of Lhasa. We were separated in different cells for interrogation. A team of PSB officials was sent to the nunnery in Phenpo County to search for any incriminating evidence. The officers, on ransacking our quarters and other nuns quarters, found a pamphlet calling for Tibetan Independence in a neighbouring nun's quarter. Suspecting a huge undercover protest, the three of us were beaten, had boiling water splashed on our bodies, were lashed with belts and our bodies were pricked with cigarette butts. In September, Lhasa People's Intermediate Court sentenced us to five years' imprisonment term on the alleged charges of "counter revolutionary" activities. We continued to be detained in Gutsa Detention Centre for one year and five months. In August 1995, we were transferred to Drapchi Prison where a new unit for female political prisoners had been built which housed around sixty inmates. On reaching Drapchi Prison, we were made to perform exercise drills and study prison rules and regulations."
One year and eight months in solitary confinement cell for singing in praise of the Dalai Lama
"On the third day of Tibetan New Year in 1997, the female inmates from both the old and new units were allowed to gather together. To the disturbance of the political prisoners, a female criminal prisoner began to sing a song in praise of Mao Zedong and the Communist Party. I and Jamdron of Phenpo Gyara Nunnery stood up and began to sing loudly in praise of the Dalai Lama. The prison guards immediately got hold of us and dragged us towards the prison office. However, we continued to sing defiantly. Once we reached the office, the officers beat us mercilessly while the other prisoners shouted for our release from the outside and threatened the officers that they would not get up from the floor until we were released. A team of People's Armed Police ("PAP") was called to the spot to quell the prisoner protest. The PAP officers began to beat the prisoners when all of a sudden a PAP officer fell down on the ground due to the commotion. Chel Chel, a female prisoner, was accused of tripping the officer and she received severe beating and was made to kneel before the officer and apologise. Later she was put in solitary confinement for a month because of the incident. During that time, Nyidron, Sangmo, Choekyi and others were beaten severely. Pema Bhuti, the female prisoner warden arrived and started to interrogate the prisoners while beating them. Jamdron and I were knocked down with an electric baton. We gained consciousness when the officers splashed water on us, and the beatings continued until our body became numb. We were then placed in solitary confinement cells. A small dumpling and a bowl of hot water was all that was fed to us for the next one year and eight months while in the solitary confinement cell."
Noncompliance in singing the Chinese national anthem lands Nyidron in a solitary confinement cell for eleven months with broken teeth
Nyidron lost two front teeth due to prison officials' severe beatings and was also put in a solitary confinement cell for a long time.
Nyidron recounts, "In the aftermath of 1 and 4 May 1998 prisoner protests in Drapchi, I was called to the prison office and asked about the key man who led the protests. I didn't give any answer. I, along with eight other female political prisoners, were taken to watch the trial of two criminal prisoners who were sentenced to death. The officers intimidated to us that we would meet the same fate if we didn't reform."
"After eight days, all the political prisoners threw their bowls out of the prison in protest at not feeding the political prisoners in the solitary confinement cells. The prisoners stayed on a hunger strike for a week. The prison officers promised that the prisoners in solitary confinement would be fed and asked us to eat as well. After a few days, all the prisoners were assembled and told that we should learn the Chinese national anthem and we were required to sing it simultaneously. None of the prisoners complied with the order, as a result of which the officials started to beat us one by one. Nevertheless none of us agreed to sing the anthem. The officials then called the PAP crack commandos to teach us a lesson. The PAP officers began to hit every prisoner and one of them hit me on my mouth with a metallic rod. My two front teeth came out and I started to bleed profusely. I spat the blood on the officer's face. He was angry and beat me even more. I lost consciousness and when I regained my senses, I had been in the prison clinic for seven days in a coma. I was then put in a solitary confinement cell for eleven months in a half-dead, half-alive condition. On 20 March 1999, when my five years' imprisonment term expired, I was taken out of the solitary confinement cell and led to the prison office. The prison officials intimidated that I must not speak about the prison incidents to the outside world. They made me write a letter agreeing to their terms and they put my thumbprint at the end of it. They continued to intimidate me with talk of the consequences if I failed to comply with their instructions. Around noon, two PSB officers from Phenpo County came to fetch me. They dropped me at my house and told my brother that I was not allowed to move around and made him sign a paper in compliance with the order."
"I was admitted to a hospital for a long duration but, before I could recover fully, my family had to pull me out as they couldn't afford the exorbitant medical expenses. My nunnery had been instructed that I couldn't rejoin and I couldn't get any work for sustenance. In 2002 I, along with Nyima, ran a small food stall at Lhasa Ramoche but, after a month, three PSB officers from the Lhasa City PSB ordered us to close the stall saying that it was a meeting point for "reactionaries". Life is very difficult for former political prisoners. They don't get jobs in any co-operatives and private businesses. The authorities won't issue registration certificates or other permits if they wish to run small business of their own. It's the end of a person in Tibet if he or she has any political incidents in their background."
Not able to withstand the state agencies constant monitoring and harassment, Nyima and Nyidron left Lhasa on 9 March 2004 and trekked past the Solukhumbu frontier village to reach Kathmandu Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre. They subsequently reached Dharamsala, India, on 20 April 2004.
[ top ]
TCHRD has received confirmed information that two Tibetan political prisoners, Rinzin Wangyal and Lobsang Tenzin, who are currently serving life sentences, are in critical condition.
Rinzin Wangyal was arrested in 1995 and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1997. Although Rinzin was sent to Drapchi Prison to serve his sentence, the prison authorities declined to take responsibility for him as he suffers from arthritis. He was then sent to Pawo Tramo Prison in Pawo County, Nyingtri Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region ("TAR"). Due to constant torture over the years, his health deteriorated and is now critical. Rinzin cannot walk and eat properly. He earlier spent around ten years' in prison, in the 1970s, due to political activities.
Lobsang Tenzin, a Tibet University student, was arrested in the 1988 peaceful pro-independence protest. He was sentenced to death on alleged charges of killing a People's Armed Police officer, although there was no evidence to prove him guilty of the crime. Under pressure from international protests, Lobsang's death sentence was commuted to 18 years' imprisonment term in 1994. While in Drapchi, he underwent severe beatings, which caused his health to gradually start to deteriorate. He was later transferred to Pawo Tramo Prison to serve his sentence where remains imprisoned today. Lobsang developed kidney malfunction and psychological disorders while in prison, as well as other minor diseases.
[ top ]
Two Tibetans, Namkha and Bagocha, who were taken into custody on 10 March 2004 by Tongde County Public Security Bureau officials have now been released, according to reports on 17 May 2004 from Radio Free Asia. The two had been detained for their music album which irked local authorities because of songs titled "Amdo Phagod" (Courageous Amdo Man) and " Tsenpoe Phonya" (King's Messenger). These songs were deemed to contain strong political messages despite their innocuous lyrics. The authorities subsequently confiscated all the CDs bought by the locals and arrested Namkha and Bagocha.
RFA reported that the two Tibetans have not been mistreated in custody, although Namkha appeared to have an injured shoulder when he returned from prison. It also reported that Namkha's relatives declined to speak about his health conditions and that locals were cautious in speaking about them.
Namkha is a singer while Bagocha composed the lyrics for the music album. Both men come from nomadic families. Bagocha is a monk at Bashangtri Monastery.
[ top ]
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its annual report on worldwide religious freedom on 12 May 2004. The report states that China retains tight control over Tibetan religious activity and places of worship in Tibet.
The report further states, " In 2002-2003, several prominent Tibetan Buddhists were released from imprisonment. However, neither those actions nor renewed contact between China and the Dalai Lama's representatives have brought any significant changes to the government's overall policy of control over religion."
Prominently highlighted in the report were the continued detention of Panchen Lama, arbitrary trial for Trulku Tenzin Delek, execution of Lobsang Dhondup and death due to torture of the Tibetan monk Nyima Drakpa
USCIRF is a federal government commission to monitor religious persecution worldwide and advises the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress.
To view the report in detail, visit www.uscirf.gov/reports/12may04/finalreport.php3
[ top ]
TCHRD has learned that Tashi Topgyal is currently languishing in Drapchi Prison serving a six years' imprisonment term. Tashi pasted pro-independence posters in Ngamring County in August 2002 and was subsequently arrested in a joint operation by Ngamring County and Shigatse Prefecture Public Security Bureau ("PSB"). Tashi was arrested at his home on 22 October 2002 where, on ransacking his home, PSB officials discovered an autobiography of the Dalai Lama and two copies of "Guideline for Future Tibet Polity". The PSB officials also searched the homes of families who knew Tashi's family. In subsequent days, Ngodup Dorjee, a bank staff member was also arrested on suspicion of having connections with Tashi. After being taken from his home, Tashi's whereabouts remained unknown until fresh information reached TCHRD. Tashi was detained in Shigatse Prefecture Detention Centre. In 2003, Shigatse People's Intermediate Court sentenced him to a term of six years' imprisonment and later in the year he was transferred to Drapchi Prison to serve the term.
Tashi Topgyal is 50 years old. He was born in Thong Village, Yamo Township, Ngamring County, Shigatse Prefecture. He is a carpenter by profession and has three children.
Although it is mandatory by the Chinese Constitution for the police to inform a detainee's whereabouts, the police often fail to follow the law. Tibetans are arbitrarily taken into custody without anyone's knowledge. It is only after months and years of search that the relatives of a detainee gets to know where their loved ones are located.
[ top ]
Tenzin Nyima,15, was born in Totse Village, Meling Township, Nyingtri County. He had his early education from Lhasa primary school.
Nyima was among the 18 Tibetans who were arrested and imprisoned at Dilli bazaar jail in Kathmandu by Nepalese police and later deported to Tibet on 31 May 2003.
He attempted to escape into exile twice but proved unlucky on both occasions. On his first attempt the Chinese People's Arm Police arrested him and arrested by Nepalese police on his second attempt.Nyima managed to cross the border and reached into exile safely on his third attempt.
He recounts to TCHRD, "My first attempt to escape into Nepal started on January 15, 2002 with twelve other Tibetans. On January 16 we planed to travel from Shigatse to Dingri by road on a hired vehicle but the driver of the vehicle while checking a bag of an Amdo monk found a photograph of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and immediately informed Shigatse local police. Five local police dressed in civilian clothes arrested and jailed all of us in the old Shigatse prison. We were threatened by pointing gun on our heads and asked about our destination and the group leader. We were even interrogated thoroughly about whether Panchen Rinpoche is in exile or not.We were slapped and beaten with electric baton. I felt unconsciousness for more than one and half hour when the police struck electric baton on my back."
"Initially the elder members of the group stood firm and refused to name the group leader but upon seeing the pain inflicted on children by the local police, they disclosed the group leader's name."
"Tenzin Nyima was later tied completely naked with a rope and put upside down and poured ice-cold water on my body. I was jailed for five months in Shigatse prison. My relatives secured my release after paying 3000 Chinese yuan to the prison authorities."
"Other members of the group were detained and tortured for about two months during the coldest months of the year. Four monks from Amdo were later released and sent to their respective place and ordered expulsion from their monastery."
"On my second attempt, there were 28 Tibetans in the group. On reaching Solukumbu, a person name Atoe was arrested when he failed to catch up with the group and one youth died of food poisoning. A woman from Kardze had to amputate her leg and her daughter lost eye vision. A foreign tourist helped us at Solukumbu. One of the youth in our group had a severe injury on his leg and had to amputate his leg. The foreign tourist took him in a helicopter. Finally there were only 21 left in the group when the Nepalese Police near the capital arrested us. We were detained in Dilli Bazaar prison for two months. But when we came to know that we were going to be deported, we stood back by lying down on the ground. The Nepalese jail officials severely beat us and dragged us into the vehicle waiting outside. We were deported back to Tibet on 1 June 2003 despite numerous appeals from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Tibetan Refugee Reception Center."
"We were later detained in a small cell at Dram ( Nepal-Tibet border town) where five of us suffered severe nose bleeding and kept without any medical attention for three weeks. After numerous appeals to Chinese officials on giving medical attention to my constant deteriorating state, I was finally given an injection. The local police later shifted me to Shigatse prison where treatment of prisoners was slightly better and my parents were even able to bribe the prison officials for my release. One youth called Yeshi and a monk were also released probably by paying bribe. I don't have any information on the other deportees as they were kept in separate cells."
Tenzin Nyima reached Tibetan Refugee Reception Center safely along with his brother Tenzin Norbu,11, on his third attempt.
[ top ]
Biased curriculum and new language policy makes students withdraw from school
Chakjam Gyal, a 20 years old student from Bokor Village, Jhado Township, Kunnan County, reached into exile in search of a better education.
Chakjam told TCHRD, " I completed my primary education from Tsolho Tibetan Medium School of Tsonyon province. The school accommodated around 700 students with almost eighty percent comprising Tibetan students. It has around twenty Tibetan teachers from the total strength of around hundred teachers. Chinese students who were enrolled in th e school were mostly brought up by parents who lived in big towns. They communicate usually in mixed language of Tibetan and Chinese, which has very negative influence on the growing Tibetan student's psyche. On Saturday and Sunday holidays most students sings Chinese songs and it is rare to witness students singing in Tibetan."
"The school provides education from primary to higher secondary education. On my first year in the higher secondary school, we were introduced to a book titled "Chinese language". There was a chapter on the Potala Palace in the book. It was written that the Potala Palace was built to foster an everlasting friendship between Tibet and China."
" I along with some of his friends questioned our Chinese lady teacher about the wrong information given in the book on Potala palace. We countered that the Potala palace was built in the seventh century by Songtsen Gampo, the 33rd king of Tibet. And we said that both Tibet and China are two separate nations."
"The Chinese lady teacher turned very furious after this incident. Basically the teacher and students should share a good rapport, but after that incident there had been constant degeneration of teaching and it became a matter of great concern for everyone. Even the funding of the annual school magazine titled 'Dok dra' meaning "United voice" was eventually stopped and students were informed to finance the magazine by collecting 50 yuan from every students. I edited the magazine."
"Additionally the school administrators made it mandatory for every middle school students to secure more than 90 marks in Tibetan language inorder to get admitted in the high school, failing to secure the mandatory grade will result in no admission to the high school.
"However, students who have secured below ninety marks in Tibetan language were able to get their 'academic record' from the school administration showing double standard on the part of Chinese school administration. Further studies in the university cost 7000 Chinese yuan as the annual education fee is beyond the reach of many Tibetan students. Therefore, high education fees compelled many Tibetan students to cut short their academic career and lead an idle life without a job in their villages whereas Chinese students were able to meet the education fee and were able to pursue higher education."
" At the beginning of school session on August 28 2002, authorities announced a compulsory requirement to achieve proficiency in the bi-lingual studies and subsequently set up two new bi-lingual classes. Unable to meet the demand we wrote an application to the school authorities and in response we were told that we can join any other school."
" A few students representing the students from two different classes went to share their opinion to the school authorities' new demand. Their concerns were rejected and instead the student representatives's were threatened of challenging the school authorities. Ten studens withdrew from the school citing failure to follow the new directive. Out of that three students have managed to reach Nepal. They are Tsedor,17, from Gartse village, Hobey township, Thunde county. Chotpa, 20 , and Tamdin from Bokor village, Hobey township, Thunde county."
The students will soon join a school in Tibetan school in India that are set up to impart broad based education and preserve traditional values and customs.
Monetary fines for sending children to Tibetan Schools in India
Passang Dolma, a 50 year old mother brought her three children into exile to provide them good education. Passang told TCHRD, "In June 2003, Shigatse Prefecture Public Security Bureau officials made an official announcement in 29 villages of Dingri County (Ch:Tingri) preventing families from sending their children to study in Tibetan schools in India and instead made it compulsory for families to send their children in Chinese run schools. It was also dictated that those parents who failed to send their children to study in the Chinese school would face the hard punishment."
"In Yuljong village, around 20 families were fined 1,500 yuan each for their inability to send their children to Chinese school and severe punishment from sending their children to schools in India is very apparent from such threat."
Pasang learnt from her family in Tibet through telephone conversation that her family has been fined 6000 yuan for taking her three children to school in India.
China's insensitive attitude towards the welfare of Tibetans and charging high school fee for students is violation of the basic fundamental human rights.
[ top ]
Tamdin, 67, was born in Palbar County, Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region "TAR".
Tamdin joined the Palbar Monastery early in his childhood. His father was the head of Palbar and Powo Yihong Counties. After Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, their family was branded as " bourgeois reactionary" and thus their family wealth, land, and livestock, were confiscate. His brother was arrested in a political incident and was sentenced to eleven years in prison. Tamdin's family underwent many sufferings and humiliations.
Around 1958, Tamdin's family shifted to Lhasa. In 1966, when the Cultural Revolution started, Tamdin was labeled as the leader of "reactionaries". He was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment. In 1976, he was released.
On 9 March 2001, Tamdin pasted posters calling for "freedom in Tibet" in the circumambulation route of Chamdo Monastery. He also wrote the slogans on "Mani" stones and raised slogans in public. The local Public Security Bureau ("PSB") on knowing the activities arrested Tamdin and held him in detention at Chamdo Prefecture Detention Centre for six months.
In June 2001, Tamdin was allegedly charged with "endangering state security" by engaging in "anti-government propaganda" activities. Chamdo Prefecture People's Intermediate Court sentenced Tamdin to six years' imprisonment term and was subsequently imprisoned in Tibet Autonomous Region Prison or popularly known as "Drapchi Prison".
Drapchi Prison houses maximum number of Tibetan prisoners of conscience and is notorious for torturing them. Tamdin is among the elder prisoners and his health very poor. Tamdin's term expires in 2006 and at the time of his release, he will be 69 years' old.
[ top ]
Rebook Human Rights Award 2004
TCHRD nominated Mr. Phuntsok Wangchuk for Reebok Human Rights Award 2004. The award recognises human rights works carried out by young activitist throughout the world.
TCHRD has nominated Mr. Phuntsok for the prestigious award for his unflinching advocacy of the highest principles of human rights even under the most trying prison conditions in Tibet. Being only 30 years old, Mr. Phuntsok is a role model for the Tibetan younger generation. He's spent five years in the notorious Drapchi Prison for his belief in human rights for the Tibetan people.
Robert F Kenedy Award 2004
TCHRD nominated Mr. Jampa Monlam for the Robert F Kennedy Award 2004.
Mr. Jampa was among the 21 Tibetans who initiated the first political protest against the Chinese authorities on 27 September 1987. His continued struggle for the human rights for the Tibetan people led to his arrest for the second time in 1989 and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment term in Drapchi Prison.
Mr. Jampa is currently a researcher at TCHRD. He joined the centre in 1998.
[ top ]
In May, TCHRD gave extensive training on Human Rights and Democracy to Tibetan settlements in different regions in India. The workshops were organised by local grassroot level organisations and were funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) through the Social and Resource Development Fund of the Department of Finance of the Tibetan-Government-in-Exile. The series of workshop aimed to educate the far-flung Tibetan population in India on the principles of human rights and democracy. The staff of TCHRD covered topics such as human rights principles, democratic concepts, UN human rights mechanisms and the human rights situation in Tibet.
Ms. Tsewang Lhadon, Executive Director, visited Clementown Tibetan Settlement as a resource person for the Regional Tibetan Women's Association (RTWA) organised workshop from 18-21 April, Ms. Norzin Dolma was invited as a resource person on 29 and 30 May to Mainpat Tibetan Settlement. Mr. Jampa Monlam, Researcher, and Mr. Dawa Tsering, Field Officer, spoke on human rights concepts and human rights situation in Tibet at Palkar School in Dharamsala on 22 May and Mr. Tenzin Norgay, Field Officer, was invited as a resource person to the RTYC Mussorie organised workshop for the twelfth standard students of Tibetan Homes Foundation and Central School for Tibetans, Mussoorie, from 23-25 May 2004.
[ top ]
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy welcomes Mr. Tashi Choephel as its new English Researcher. Mr. Tashi was selected following a written test in English and Tibetan and an oral interview.
On 26 April 2004, he was formally appointed as the English Researcher.
Mr. Tashi is from Pokhara Tibetan Settlement, Nepal, and did his schooling at Tibetan Children's Village School, Patlikuhl. He later passed his senior school exams at Upper T.C.V, Dharamsala. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Economics at St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad and has a Master's in Economics from MS University of Baroda, Gujarat. Mr. Tashi was an active executive member of the Gujarat Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.
After finishing his degree, Mr. Tashi served in the Kashag of the Tibetan-Government-in-Exile in various capacities. He was the Assistant Coordinator from November 1999 to September 2000 of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival Project "Tibetan Cultural Beyond the Land of Snows" held in Washington D.C. From October 2000 to April 2002, he was the Personal Secretary to the Political Secretary in the Kashag. He also served as the Assistant Personal Secretary to Chief Kalon, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, until 1 January 2003.
|
