Tibetan farmer escapes imminent arrest for sharing religious texts

Monday, 18 February 2013

Ugyen Lhundup, 57, was a farmer at Thangka Village in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Township in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. In 1999, he came to India and lived for some time to study Buddhism. In 2001, after attending the Kalachakra teachings at Bodh Gaya in the north Indian state of Bihar, he returned to Tibet taking along some CDs and books containing religious teachings, which he shared with others on requests from friends and relatives. He also made free copies of the CDs and distributed them among his social circle. It was then that he became a prime target for supervision and surveillance. On 21 October 2012, to escape imminent arrest, he left his house and farm in the care of his neighbor, and secretly left Tibet and reached India on 15 December 2012. Ugyen Lhundup shares his ordeal:

“In 2002, the head of County Public Security Bureau officer, Loga, summoned me at his office. At the PSB office, the officer confiscated my passport and threatened me with five to six months’ detention, if I did not stop questioning the confiscation of my passport. I was let go but without my passport.  [Read more...]

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Tragic death of Tibetan nun after self-Immolation

Thursday, 3 November 2011

Today, at around 12.40 pm, a nun in Tawu (Ch: Daofu) County, Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP), set herself afire in protest against the Chinese government amid the continued repression of religious freedom and human rights in Tibet.

Palden Choetso, 35 years old, shouted slogans such as “Freedom in Tibet,” “Long live H.H the Dalai Lama,” and “Let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet” before she self-immolated near Namgyal Stupa, a huge stupa in Tawu County.

Latest reports state that nun Choetso died from severe burn injuries. Her body is being kept at Tawu Nyatso Monastery at this moment. [Read more...]

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Tibetan man sentenced to 3 yrs in Kardze

Wednesday, 7 September 2011

On around 20 August 2011, Samphel Dhondup of Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) County was sentenced to three years imprisonment by a Kandze court, according to information received by TCHRD.

On 10 July, Samphel along with Lobsang Phuntsok and Lobsang Lhundup were arrested at around 4 o’clock in the evening (Tibet local time) after they raised slogans and distributed pamphlets saying “Freedom for Tibet”, “Long Live H.H the Dalai Lama”, “Return of the Dalai Lama” and “ May the Dalai Lama and all Tibetans unite soon”. It was reported earlier that all three youths were arrested and beaten severely by the Kandze Public Security Bureau (PSB) who arrived immediately to the spot.   [Read more...]

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Tibetan monk self-immolates to protest Chinese rule

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

On 15 August 2011, at around 12.30 pm (local time), 29 yrs old monk Tsewang Norbu of Nyitso Monastery in Tawu (Ch: Daofu) County in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) self-immolated to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet and ill treatment of the local Tibetans by the Chinese authorities. For ten minutes, Tsewang Norbu raised slogans of ‘Freedom in Tibet’ and the ‘Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet’ while scattering leaflets with similar messages at Chume Bridge in the centre of Tawu, before burning himself with petrol.

Since 6 July, there have been severe restrictions and strict vigilance of the area, after local Tibetans defied government orders joined the celebration of the Dalai Lama’s 76th birthday which was headed by nuns of Gaden Jangchup Choeling Nunnery. Chinese authorities have cut down water and electricity supply to Gaden Choeling Nunnery and Nyitso Monastery since the celebration last month. [Read more...]

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TCHRD condemns China’s framing of Tulku Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche on weapon charges

Friday, 24 April 2009

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) condemns in strongest terms the framing of Tulku Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche on weapon charges related to last year’s peaceful protests in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi). This is the first known case of senior Buddhist leader being tried in court with a serious charge linked to last year’s demonstration.

A highly revered religious figure of Kardze, Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche, 52, who headed Pangri and Ya-tseg Nunneries in Kardze was accused of ‘illegally possessing weapons’, his Beijing based lawyer Li Fangping was quoted as saying to the Associated Press (AP) in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Rinpoche could face imprisonment for up to 15 years if found guilty by the Kardze Prefecture Intermediate People’s Court.  [Read more...]

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A popular Tibetan religious figure, Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, passes away in Kardze

Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Geshe Sonam Phuntsok

Geshe Sonam Phuntsok

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received confirmed information that, Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, a former political prisoner who spent five years in prison for his religious activities and for conducting a long life prayer ceremony for the Dalai Lama in October 1999, passed away on 5 April 2008 in Kardze after a prolong battle with multiple illnesses following a lengthy imprisonment and maltreatment in the prison.

As per the earlier information received by the TCHRD, Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, popularly known as Kardze Geshe, was in poor health for the long period of time since his release from Chuandong no. 3 Prison in Tazhu County in October 2004. Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, 57 year-old, was a hugely popular religious figure particularly in Kardze. Since his release from prison in October 2004, Geshe Sonam Phuntsok was put under virtual house arrest as movements outside his residence were severely restricted that Geshe has to seek official permission even for any medical treatment. His activities particularly in religious spheres were under constant surveillance from the authorities. [Read more...]

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Tibetan monk dies of Chinese police beating

Sunday, 30 March 2008
Phuntsok, 27, was beaten to death by police in Drango

Phuntsok, 27, was beaten to death by police in Drango

A 27-year-old Tibetan monk has died after he was beaten by Chinese security police on 25 March 2008.

Phuntsok, a Tibetan monk from Drango (Ch: Luhuo) County, in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, was beaten severely for pasting anti government leaflets on walls of his locality.

Sources informed TCHRD that Phuntsok pasted leaflets on the walls of a branch office of Drango PSB headquarter, on Shara Thang-do Bridge and on eucalyptus trees of roads and highways in Drango County. [Read more...]

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Three Tibetans shot dead in Kardze Protest

Tuesday, 18 March 2008

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received confirmed information from multiple sources, that at least three Tibetan protestors were shot dead this afternoon during a peaceful demonstration in Kardze County, Sichuan Province in eastern Tibet after Chinese security forces started an indiscriminate firing on the peaceful Tibetan protestors.

The incident took place on 18 March 2008, today between 2:30 – 3:00 PM (Beijing Standard Time) when around 300 Tibetans from all walks of life staged a peaceful protest demonstration in the main market square of Kardze County, Sichuan Province by raising slogans calling for “independence for Tibet” and “Long Live the Dalai Lama”. [Read more...]

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Monk sentenced to three years term for “inciting masses”

Saturday, 2 February 2008
Khenpo Jinpa

Khenpo Jinpa

Khenpo Jinpa, a monk from Chogtsang Talung Monastery in Serthar County, Kardze “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (“TAP”), Sichuan, has been sentenced to three years prison term by the Kardze People’s Intermediate Court on 16 July 2007, according to confirm information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). He was charged of endangering the state security by “anti-government propaganda and incitement of masses”.

On 8 August 2005, political leaflets calling for Tibetan independence and the Dalai Lama’s long life were in distribution at the Serthar County festival ground. The Public Security Bureau (PSB) upon investigation into the incident suspected Khenpo Jinpa of carrying the activity. On 23 August 2006, three PSB officers arrived at Chogtsang Talung monastery and took him away to a detention centre in Dartsedo County. Three days later ten vehicles full of PSB officers arrived at the monastery. The officers broke the lock at Khenpo Jinpa’s room and went on a rampage looking for evidence. [Read more...]

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Ronggye A’drak indicted by the Chinese court

Wednesday, 31 October 2007

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) today received reliable information that Kardze People’s Intermediate Court indicted Ronggye A’drak with four accounts of “crimes” ranging from disruption of law and order to state subversion.

According to the source, on 29 October 2007, a handcuffed Ronggye A’drak was brought to Kardze People’s Intermediate Court, for a trial. During the trial, the court indicted Ronggye A’drak with four accounts of “crimes”:

(1) Indicted of seeking to “split” the country and subvert state power on 1 August 2007 during the horse racing festival by shouting “Long Live the Dalai Lama” and asking for the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet. [Read more...]

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