Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy

Human Rights Update and Archives

JULY 2004

Ngawang Woeser released after fifteen years in jail  [ read ]
A new "Re-education through Labour" camp established in Tibet  [ read ]
Farmers anxious over highway project  [ read ]
Aids in Tibet  [ read ]
Third attempt to freedom proves lucky  [ read ]
Dalai Lama's audio teachings earns a monk two year jail sentence  [ read ]
Internet firms bow to Chinese government censorship policy  [ read ]
Monks expelled for visiting India  [ read ]
Authorities make nomadic life miserable  [ read ]
Profile of a current political prisoner
Five years jail sentence for playing a song of tribute for Tibetan matyr in exile  [ read ]
TCHRD Activities Bulletin:
Ms. Gyari Dolma appointed Chairperson of TCHRD Board of Directors  [ read ]
TCHRD Releases Prisoner Biography  [ read ]
Briefing to candle light vigil participants  [ read ]

Ngawang Woeser released after fifteen years in jail

Ngawang Woeser, one of the key leaders of the famous peaceful pro-independence demonstration of 27 September, 1987, in Lhasa, was released from Drapchi Prison on 18 April 2004.

According to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Ngawang was released upon completion of a 15 year prison term. His physical condition is said to have deteriorated over the years due to torture and inhuman treatments he suffered in the prison.

Brief Biography
Ngawang Woeser, along with 20 Drepung monks, initiated a peaceful pro-independence demonstration in Lhasa on 27 September 1987. The demonstration lasted only a few minutes and the monks were quickly arrested by the Public Security Bureau officers.

Ngawang Woeser along with the others were held in Gutsa Detention Centre. Due to the efforts of the late Panchen Lama and the resident Tibetans' appeal, the group was released after four months detention.

After release, he and some of his close friends formed a secret political organisation 'Group of Ten' in Drepung Monastery. The group distributed pro-independence leaflets and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Tibetan. On 19 April 1989, Ngawang Woeser along with the other members of the 'Group of Ten' were arrested from their monastery by the "Tibet Autonomous Region" ("TAR") Intelligence Bureau. They were detained at the "TAR" Public Security Bureau Detention Center on charges of distributing the documents.

On 28 November 1989, Lhasa People's Intermediate Court held a group trial for the ten members. Ngawang Woeser was sentenced to a 17 year imprisonment term. The other nine monks received different prison terms between 5 and 19 years for forming the group and for allegedly engaging in 'counter revolutionary' activities, incitement of pro-independence activities and leaking state secrets, along with other charges.

The members of the "Group of Ten" were: Ngawang Woeser, Ngawang Phulchung, Jamphel Jangchup, Ngawang Gyaltsen, Jamphel Losel, Jamphel Monlam, Ngawang Rinchen, Kalsang Thutop (died in prison in July 1996), Jamphel Tsering and Ngawang Kunga. After his sentence was pronounced, Ngawang Woeser was transferred to Drapchi Prison on 15 January 1990. He received severe beatings from the prison guards which resulted in bruises and marks on his face. During his 15 year ordeal at Drapchi Prison, Ngawang Woeser suffered various physical hardships and was forced to undergo 'reform-through-labour' and 're-education'. He spent the most productive part of his life behind the bars. Although he was released, his miserable prison life all these years has severely affected his health condition.

Ngawang Woeser, 35 year of age, (lay name: Jamyang), was born at Dranang County in Lhoka Region. He was brought up by one of his relatives. He joined Drepung Monastery in Lhasa city in 1981.

Although most of the members of the "Group of Ten" were released over different periods of time, the prime leaders, Ngawang Phulchung, Ngawang Gyaltsen and Jamphel Jangchup still continue to serve their prison terms in Drapchi Prison. Amnesty International, the UN Human Rights Commission and many concerned individuals have strived hard over the years to secure an early release of Ngawang Woeser. Ngawang Woeser was anointed by International PEN Scottish Center as its honorary member on 15 April 1999.

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A new "Re-education through Labour" camp established in Tibet

A new "re-education through labour" (Ch:laojiao) camp has been established in Senge Township, Ngari County, "TAR". The camp which is said to accommodate about two hundred inmates became functional in July 2004.

The Tibet Daily on 21 July 2004 reported that the 're-education through labour' camp is located on the Fren Xin Highway on the 4300 Meter high Senge Township in Ngari County. It was established after the Development Department sanctioned eight million Yuan for teh camp. The camp can hold two hundred inmates and is 40 thousand square feet in size, reported Tibet Daily.

TCHRD believes the new "re-education through labour" will facilitate the implemention of the government's hard-line policy of cracking down on fleeing Tibetan refugees and suppressing political activity in the region. Ngari region falls in the route of Tibetans fleeing Tibet and those returning from India. The newly established facility will enable authorities to crack down on Tibetans on a massive scale.

There are two fully functional "re-education through labour" camps in the "TAR". Trisam re-education through labour camp was established in January 1992 in the west of Lhasa. The Tibetans who participated in the late 1980s demonstrations were imprisoned in Trisam. It held seventy Tibetan inmates in its initial years. In January 1998, another "re-education through labour" camp was established in Zithang near Chamdo County, Chamdo Prefecture, "TAR". Ngawang Senge, Chime Lobsang, Gonpo, and Tashi Nyima from Drakyab Monastery were the first to be imprisoned in the camp for their poster pasting activity.

In accordance with Chinese Administrative Punishment Law, an imprisonment term in the "re-education through labour" camp ranges from six months to three years with a further one year extension upon failing to reform. A person can be convicted by a local Public Security Bureau ("PSB") or by the Re-education through Labour Management Committee without any legal proceedings or right to appeal.

"Re-education through labour" was introduced under a decision adopted by the government in 1957. The camps conflict with China's criminal legislation. Many legal cholars and judicial officials have challenged the legality of the camp arguing that it empowers the authorities to arbitrarily jail dissidents and others without having to justify their imprisonment through the judicial process.

Although the labour camps fall in prison category according to international law, the Chinese authorities do not consider the labour camps as prisons.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of such labour camps to imprison fleeing Tibetan refugees and others with difference of political opinion.

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Farmers anxious over highway project

Lama Dorjee, 38, a farmer from Bugod Village, Gonjo County, Chamdo Prefecture told TCHRD about a highway construction in his native area.

Lama Dorjee says, "In April 2004, the Chinese authorities started to broaden the road into a highway, approximately 120 Kilometres in length. The highway project has put the farmers into anxiety as it requires to cover the farmland of many farmers. Many farmers lost their land to the highway project. Yet most of the farmers are frightened to raise their concerns to the authorities."

"The 400 odd farming families in Gonjo County have sustained themselves on the farmfields for many generations. They grew grain, mustard, beans, potatoes etc in their fields. On a good harvest, the farmers collected about 150 Kgs of grain."

According to Lama Dorjee, the objective behind building the highway is to transport timber. Dorjee told TCHRD, "There are lots of trees in Sa-ngan Med area in Gonjo County. In building the highway, the Chinese can easily transport the timber. The Chinese have already cut thirty percent of the trees in the past and when the highway becomes functional, they can easily transport the rest."

Lama Dorjee further told about the Tibetans who were displaced from Gonjo County in the past. He says, "The Chinese authorities in the past had ordered the resettlement of about 2400 families from Jangsum, Langmed, Khori, Shiri, Motsa and Jamsam Villages in Gonjo County to Kongpo. Upon eviction from their ancestral land, the authorities cut the trees and the timber were transported in trucks. The authorities on the contrary said that the Tibetans in Gonjo County were being resettled as many of the villages fall on the banks of Drichu River."

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Aids in Tibet

The XV International Aids Conference was held in Bangkok from 11-16 July 2004. The conference debated on the urgency of the situation of Aids epidemic in the world.

Tibet is so far not in the grip of the epidemic but a future possibilty cannot be ruled out.

Although there is not a single authoritative report about the situation of AIDS in Tibet, the global epidemic may devastate the plateau due to reasons that suits for it to take an epidemic proportion on the roof of the world.

Aids affect the poorest regions of the world and Tibet is an impoverished land under the occupation of People's Republic of China. The rural Tibetans are ignorant about the disease and many young Tibetan girls are lured into the sex trade in the urban areas for economical reasons.

There is lack of Aids awareness educational programmes in Tibet in addition to lack of HIV testing sites.

Yunnan Province is known to be the worst affected province in the whole of China followed by Sichuan Province. In both the provinces there is a large Tibetan population as the traditional Tibetan province of Kham has been incorporated in these two provinces. Tibetans outside the Tibet Autonomous Region ("TAR") are more likely to be affected due to geographical proximity to the two provinces.

With a large influx of Chinese settlers into Tibet, the single settlers and Chinese prostitutes (Chinese dominate the sex trade in Tibet, Tibetans are marginal although it is on the rise) in urban Tibetan areas form a potential threat in spreading Aids in urban areas.

According to reports by Tibet Daily on 7 June 2004, the first Aids case in "TAR" was identified in 1994. Since then eleven cases have been recorded.

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Third attempt to freedom proves lucky

Samten Gyatso, 23, is from Rolo Village, Trenchuemoda Township, Chamdo County, Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region ("TAR"). Samten reached Nepal on 20 July 2004 on his third attempt. Samten is on pilgrimage to India and is hoping to seek an audience with the Dalai Lama. Samten recounts to TCHRD, " I came from Tibet to visit India for pilgrimage of the holy buddhist sites and to get blessings from the Dalai Lama. I am able to cross the border on my third attempt. I was unfortunate on my earlier attempts and landed in prisons."

"On 7 August 2003, I made my first attempt from Lhasa. There were thirteen people in the group, nine monks and three women. Each of us paid 2500 Yuan to the guide to take us across the border. However, in the night of 9 August when we reached a place on the border between Lhatse County and Dingri Count, ten PSB officers appeared before us. The officers cuffed us on our back and said that we were followers of the "Dalai Clique" fleeing to India. Some of the officers shot unloaded pistols on our head to scare us while the others beat us severely on the head and stomach. We were led to Lhatse PSB Detention Centre and imprisoned us in pair in a cell. For a day they didn't do anything to us. On the next day, we were called to the office and seven PSB officers interrogated us. They asked us to show travel permits and Shen fren zhang (Citizen identification number). We told the officer that we were on our way to Mount Kailash for pilgrimage. The officers knew that we were lying. Two officers singled out Kunga and held him by his hands stretched, another officer took off his belt and started to lash Kunga on his back. His back turned blue due to repeated lashings. We were detained for fifteen days during which we were called for five interrogation sessions. During the interrogations, the officers hit us on our head, slapped and kicked us severely."

"After fifteen days detention, the officers put us into a truck and collected 30 Yuan from each of us. The truck driver was instructed to take us to Shigatse and we were ordered to leave to our native places. We were dropped in Shigatse and we went back to Lhasa. "

"After staying for four months in Lhasa, on 13 November 2003, I made my second attempt, this time with a smaller group of five people. On reaching Shigatse, we stayed in a hotel run by a Chinese muslim for the night. At 10 PM, the local PSB officers came to our room and demanded to show our shen fren zhang. None of us had our document on us."

"The officers on searching our bags discovered a bag of tsampa (roasted barley), a pair of shoes and a big plastic sheet as evidences to show that we were fleeing to Nepal. But we lied to them saying we are on our way to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and Gyantse. However, the officers took us to Shigatse PSB Detention Centre where we were detained for ten days. All of us were separated in different cells with two in a cell. The following days, the officers interrogated all of us calling two at a time. All of us were badly beaten during interrogation sessions. A boy in our group called Ngawang Gyaltsen received severe beatings from four PSB officers. The officers poked electric baton on his stomach and they booted him when he fell on the ground. He was badly bruised when we returned to the cell. Ngawang didn't receive any medication although he was very sick that night."

"We were released after ten days. The PSB officers told us that we must return to Lhasa after our pilgrimage to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and Gyantse Stupa."

"On 23 May 2004, I made my third attempt along with a mother and her son. Each of us paid 3000 Yuan to a trader who was on a business visit to Lhasa. The trader brought us across the Dram (Nepal -Tibet border town) Friendship Bridge. We then proceeded to the Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre in Kathmandu."¨

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Dalai Lama's audio teachings earns a monk two year jail sentence

Jampel Gyatso, 35, was born in Phu Village, Mangbu Township, Lhatse County in Tibet Autonomous Region ("TAR"). He received a very brief formal education for six months in the village elementary school. Later on, Jampel herded livestocks until he reached 16 years of age. He was then admitted to the local Mangkar Dharling Monastery where he studied Tibetan Buddhist scriptures for nine years. When he reached 25 years of age, on the recommendations of Mangkar Dharling Monastery administration and the village administration, Jampel got admission in the Sera Monastery, one of the three great monasteries in Tibet.

In 1996, Chinese work teams started to visit Mangkar Dharling Monastery to conduct "Patriotic Education Campaign". The work team officials sent a letter to Jampel in Lhasa asking him to return to the monastery. However, Jampel did not respond to the call letter and continued to stay in Sera Monastery. The authorities then intimidated Jampel's family with severe consequences if they fail to call him back.

When Jampel still did not return to Mangkar Monastery, the authorities cancelled Jampel's affiliation with the monastery. When the "Patriotic Education" classes ended, the monks were each isued a red card stating "Monks' Rights" .

In 1998, "Love Your Country, Love Your Religion" campaign was started in Sera Monastery. During the classes, monks were taught that Tibet is an inseparable part of China. The monks were required to say derogatory remarks about the Dalai Lama and specific orders banning portraits of the Dalai Lama were issued. The monks were depressed at the developments in their monastery.

As a sign of protest, Jampel on the eve of the Tibetan Uprising Day, Jampel hoisted a Tibetan National flag on top of the monastery water reservoir at three in the morning.The Chinese policemen stationed in the monastery investigated the incident but they never came to know about Jampel behind the activity.Chinese policemen stationed in the monastery investigated the incident but they never came to know about Jampel behind the activity.

In the midnight of 9 September 2001, Jampel secretly listened to audio teachings of the Dalai Lama in his room. Suddenly, a person kicked the door and shouted to open it. Jampel immediately opened the door and found five plain clothed policemen stationed in the monastery standing infront of him. The officers ransacked his room and took into possession the audio tape along with others. The officers then led Jampel to the monastery PSB office where he was interrogated about the possession of the audio tapes. He was then taken to Lhasa Public Security Bureau ("PSB") where he was severely interrogated. After the interrogations, Jampel was transferred to Gutsa Detention Centre in the north of Lhasa. During three month's detention at Gutsa, Jampel was severely beaten during interrogation sessions.

Lhasa Intermediate People's Court charged Jampel of "Anti Government Propaganda" and accordingly sentenced him to two years' imprisonment and deprivation of political rights for one year.

Jampel along with a person called Migmar from Lhasa were transferred to Drapchi Prison to serve the sentence. In Drapchi, Jampel and the other prisoners had to undergo political education classes followed by question-answer sessions. Failing to give satisfactory answer, the prisoners were meted with beatings. The prisoners would be tied with rope behind their back and booted.

Jampel Gyatso was released on 8 August 2003 on completion of his term. Upon return to his native town, the local PSB required him to contact frequently.

Later Jampel went to Lhasa under the pretext of seeking medication. He stayed in Lhasa for few months and then secretly escaped into exile in April 2004. Jampel Gyatso now resides in Dharamsala where the Tibetan exiles are based.

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Internet firms bow to Chinese government censorship policy

Major US internet firms Yahoo! and Google censors information as demanded by the Chinese Government, reported Reporter Without Borders on 27 July 2004. The report stated the "irresponsible" policies of the two firms as "deplorable" and called for the firms to "drop their irresponsible policies and pledge to respect freedom of information".

Online searches in the two search engines are censored. Vocabularies like "Free Tibet" do not yield any result. For some other combined words, only official sites appear. Cisco Systems, a US firm has sold several thousand routers-more than sixteen thousand Euros each-to enable the regime to build an online spying system and the firm's engineers have helped set it to spot "subversive" key words in messages. The system also enables the police to know who has looked at banned sites or sent "dangerous" e-mails, said Reporters Without Borders.

The popular Google search engine was blocked for a week in September 2002 for its refusal to censor its search engine. However, with a huge market at stake Google seems to have reversed its policy and bowed to the government directives.

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Monks expelled for visiting India

Phuntsok Gyatso, a former monk at Mokunde Monastery was expelled from his monastery because he had visited India. Along with Phuntsok, nine other monks were also expelled from the monastery.

Phuntsok told TCHRD, " I became a monk at Mokunde Monastery at the age of seventeen. After staying in the monastery for some years, I wished to pursue my monastic studies in a monastery in south India. On 20 December 1994, I arrived in south India and joined Gaden Monastery. For the next five years, I stayed in Gaden Monastery and studied the Buddhist scriptures. On 15 January 1999, I returned to Tibet."

"Upon return to my old monastery, I told the other monks about the freedom struggle being led by the exile Tibetans. I also introduced to them the setup of Tibetan Government-in-Exile."

"On 14 October 1999, an official letter was sent to the monastery demanding the expulsion of monk exile returnees. The letter also intimidated the monastery administration of severe punishment if they fail to comply with the order. It was a collective official letter sent by the Religious Bureau, Public Security Bureau, United Work Front Department and Trinshin Department. In accordance with the order, ten monks were expelled. The name of the monks expelled were: Khenrap Gyatso,30, Lobsang Dhondup,32, Gedun Rabgay,31, Sonam Gyatso,32, Lobsang Anyen, 28, Lobsang Wangchuk, 25, Chokden,26, Sherab,27, Sangay,21, and I. The authorities issued a stern instruction to the monastic administration not to accept us back."

"In 2002, I again fled to India and stayed for a year. However, I returned to Tibet in 2003 and stayed in Lhasa for a while. On 19 July 2003, at around 5 pm two PSB officers arrested me on suspicion. I was detained in Gutsa Detention Centre for five months. In the first week of detention, the officers interrogated me. The officers hit me with electic baton and lashed me with wire. It was extremely painful."

"On 15 December 2003, I was released from the Detention Centre. After staying in Lhasa for five months, I fled from Tibet and arrived in Kathmandu on 27 April 2004." Phuntsok Gyatso, 33, was born in Tso chang Village in Tsojang Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

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Authorities make nomadic life miserable

Dhondup, a nomad from Golog County in Qinghai Province told TCHRD about the livelihood problems for nomads in his region.

Dhondup said, "Nomadic life has been prominent way of life and people have sustained on the nomad life over the past many generations in Golog. At present there is nomads in Golog are facing a lot of hardship on their livelihood."

"The Chinese government ruling on the distribution of nomadic land among each family was based not on the basis of number of animals each family owns but on the basis of number of family members."

"The government allow each member of a family to rear five livestock but the rule is totally unjustified. A family with a large herd might have a small family members and vice versa. Those having a large livestock faces scarce grazing and water problem and has to endure the death of 6 to 7 livestock every year. Many families suffer due to such problems. In addition the Chinese government impose a minimum tax of 1500 yuan inclusive of grass, land and water tax from each family. The agriculture head would issue a warning to those failing to pay the aforementioned tax. Failing to pay the tax after this warning, the person would be held in the local people's court and would double the fine amount every month. Almost all the families are facing severe livelihood problem and sell off their livestock to clear the tax burden."

"Recently in the year 2003, the Chinese authorities set up a new Supervision Division in Golog region. The responsibility of this division was to supervise the grassland of the nomadic region. The Supervision Division has constituted two new rules and announced them across various counties in the region."

"In the first rule, it was mentioned that each member of the family is entitled to own only five livestock and those having more than five will be fined 500 yuan each for every additional livestock.

The second rule emphasized that it is compulsory for every family to fence the land allocated to them."

"The new policy affects the poor families alot as they cannot afford to fence the entire land due to high cost. Every 1000 meter length of fence cost 7400 Chinese Yuan."

"Golog these days is reeling under heavy water and fodder scarcity to feed their livestock. Families grazing their livestock in other farm's land were charged 10 Chinese Yuan for a horse, 5 Yuan for a cattle and 3 yuan for a sheep on a daily basis".

"In order to meet the family daily expenses due to continued problem faced by the nomadic families, I started collecting Yartsa Gunbhu ( a medicinal plant) as others to earn an additional income for the family during summer season. But we were told to pay tax amounting to 1500 Yuan to the Township and County authorities from our hard earn income.Unable to bear the constant repression and negative policies to uproot the very existence of nomadic culture and subsistence, he escaped into exile.

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PROFILE OF A CURRENT POLITICAL PRISONER

Five years jail sentence for playing a song of tribute for Tibetan matyr in exile

Tsewang Jigme was born in Kardze County, Sichuan Province. He is in his 30s.

In 2000, Tsewang visited a Nangma bar (Nangma bars play traditional Tibetan songs and are popular in Lhasa) in Lhasa to enjoy an evening outing. In the midst of a performance, Tsewang walked on the stage and stopped the music player. He instead inserted an audio cassette made in India by the exile Tibetans and the music volume was turned up. The cassette contained the song "Victory to Matyr Thupten Ngodup" which was composed as a tribute to Thupten Ngodup, who self immolated when the Tibetan Youth Congress organised "Hunger Strike Unto Death" in Delhi was disrupted in April 1998.

When the song was played, all the people including the performers became anxious and retreated to the chairs and listened to the song silently. Out of panic the owner of the bar asked Tsewang to stop the music.

Tsewang continued to play the song despite the bar owner's request. The local Public Security Bureau ("PSB") on hearing about the incident rushed to the bar. All the people began to run around on seeing a large number of PSB officers.

Tsewang was, however, caught amidst the commotion. The PSB officers took out the cassette and led Tsewang to the PSB station. The officers interrogated Tsewang at the station.

Tsewang was then led to Lhasa Detention Centre located in the east of Lhasa City. During his several months detention, Tsewang was frequently interrogated regarding the song and the people behind motivating him to play the cassette in the bar.

In mid 2001, Lhasa Intermediate People's Court sentenced Tsewang to five years imprisonment term for "endangering state security" by "inciting against masses" and "anti-government propaganda". In December 2001, Tsewang was transferred to Drapchi Prison.

Due to severe beatings in the prison, Tsewang has become frail and limps when he walks. Tsewang is known to be in a weak condition. Apart from some medication that he received from the prison dispensary, he didn't get any proper medical attention.

Nangma bars have become popular in Lhasa since 1998. Tibetans own majority of the Nangma bars and they play traditional Tibetan songs. Since most of the Tibetans enjoy traditional music, the bars became popular amongst the Tibetans. The bars form the nightlife in the city. Chinese authorities in Lhasa view Nangma bars as places of propagating Tibetan nationalist feelings by playing songs with embedded political messages. Some of the Nangma bars have been closed under such contempt.

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TCHRD ACTIVITIES BULLETIN

Ms. Gyari Dolma appointed Chairperson of TCHRD Board of Directors

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) welcomes the appointment of Ms. Gyari Dolma as the new Chairperson of the TCHRD Board of Directors. Ms. Gyari Dolma's appointment comes from the Patron of the Centre, His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Ms. Gyari Dolma succeeds Prof. S. Samdhong Rinpoche as the Chairperson who resigned from the post in June 2004. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of TCHRD since June 2003.

Ms. Gyari Dolma is currently the Vice-Chairperson of the Assembly of the Tibetan People's Deputies (ATPD) and the first Tibetan woman to be elected to such a high post. She has been elected to the ATPD since 1991 and is one of the few Tibetan woman of younger generation whose leadership has been inspiring to many. An active member since her college days, her association with the Tibetan struggles is well known. She has been in the forefront of many demonstration against Chinese occupation of Tibet, calling for respect for the human rights of the Tibetan people in Tibet. Ms. Gyari's contribution in the area of social work for the Tibetan people is well known.

TCHRD looks forward to work under her leadership in the months to come and wishes her the very best.

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TCHRD Releases Prisoner Biography

On 26 July 2004, TCHRD released deceased political prisoner, Lobsang Dhargay's biography in Tibetan language titled "la rgya dang tse srog gi brgyud rim". TCHRD publishes a biography of a Tibetan political prisoner as part of its annual publication series. Lobsang Dhargay's biography is third in the series started in 2000.

A Brief Biography
Lobsang Dhargyal, born in 1962, was a former monk of Ragya Monastery in Machen County in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. In the aftermath of 1987 pro-independence protest, Dhargyal along with some Tibetans printed and distributed around forty thousand pro-independence leaflets in his hometown. On 25 November 1992, Machen County Public Security Bureau ("PSB") arrested him on discovering wooden block prints from his room. After detaining him for one year in Golog Prison, Golog Intermediate People's Court sentenced Dhargyal to two and half years' imprisonment and deprivation of political rights for two years. Dhargyal was released on 25 May 1995 on completion of his sentence. Lobsang Dhargyal later secretly assisted Alak Shingsa Rinpoche escape into exile in India.

In mid 2001, while returning to Tibet to visit his ailing mother, Dhargyal got arrested near Shigatse in "Tibet Autonomous Region". He was subsequently handed over to Golog "TAP" authorities. In October of the same year, Golog Intermediate People's Court sentenced Lobsang Dhargyal to 16 years' imprisonment on grounds of suspicion of being involved in "espionage" and "splittist" activities. and was arrested by Chinese authorities. He was imprisoned in a Manufacturing Unit for Hydro-Electricity Power Plant, a "reform through labour" camp located in Xiling Village, Machen County (Ch:Maqin xian), Golog "Tibet Autonomous Prefecture", Qinghai Province.

Lobsang Dhargyal suddenly died Monday morning on 19 November 2002 due to torture and maltreatment in the forced labour camp. He is believed to have suffered brain haemorrhage at the time of death.

Please contact us at dsala@tchrd.org or write to us at our postal address to receive free copies of the publication.

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Briefing to candle light vigil participants

Mr. Jampa Monlam, Researcher, spoke on the "Human Rights Situation in Tibet" to a group of people gathered for a candle light vigil on 10 July 2004.

The Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Dharamsala chapter, organised the vigil.