13. Apr 2009
20,000 households destined for 'socialist villages'
(eng.Tibet.cn; TibetanReview.net) 19,042 rural households in Shigatse (Chin: Xigaze) prefecture, in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), will be moved into new 'socialist village' homes in 2009, according to Chinese state media. The project has been questioned by human rights and exile Tibetan groups for the heavy burden of debt it will place on Tibetan farmers, and because the quality of the new houses is mostly poor. In recent years, the construction of 'socialist villages' has made Tibetan building entrepreneurs, who tend to be generally close to the regime, very wealthy. The report stated that 751 new village committees will be set up as a result of the development.
13. Apr 2009
Tibetans clash with Chinese soldiers, several injured
(Phayul; VOT) Tibetans in Machu (Chin: Maqu) county, Kanlho TAP (Chin: Gannan) Gansu province clashed with Chinese security forces on 09 April, Oslo-based Voice of Tibet (VOT) radio reported. The incident took place on the day of a monastic ritual dance, which is held annually on the fifteenth day of the third Tibetan lunar month (Horda sumpai garcham) at Serma monastery and is widely attended. Local leaders had urged a soft approach to policing the event, but the security forces allegedly harassed local Tibetans in the market, ransacked a billiards hall and then beat up three men. The news spread instantly sparking off an angry mob that clashed with about 100 Chinese soldiers. Several people on both sides were reportedly injured and no arrests were made.
13. Apr 2009
Losar marchers from Lutsang monastery released
(TibetanReview.net; VOT) Chinese authorities have released the last six of the 109 monks from Lutsang Monastery in Mangra (Chin: Guinan) county, Qinghai Province who were arrested in February 2009, according to VOT. The six were not among those released on 20 March, apparently because they were perceived to be the ringleaders. It was not clear on or under what conditions the six were released. The authorities had rounded up the 109 monks after they staged a protest march on 25 February, the first day of the Tibetan New Year festival, Losar. Also reported released were two other Tibetans, Tashi Dhondup, a government official, and his younger brother, Jinpa Gyatso. Tashi was arrested on 02 March in Sumdo village, while Jinpa was arrested in Xining, where he was studying.
15. Apr 2009
Troops fire into Nyarong protesters, arrest nine
(TibetanReview.net; VOT) Chinese troops and police in Nyarong (Chin: Xinlong) county, Kardze TAP, Sichuan province, opened fire on a crowd of Tibetans, leaving several injured and arresting nine of them, including a woman. VOT radio reported that the protesters were calling for the release of three Tibetans who had been arrested for earlier protests.
20. Apr 2009
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TCHRD calls for the release of Jigme Gyatso
(TCHRD) The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has called on the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to order the immediate release on compassionate grounds of Jigme Gyatso, a 48-year-old Tibetan political prisoner, who is serving a 17-year sentence and is, according to TCHRD, seriously ill following years of torture and ill-treatment. Jigme Gyatos has been in prison since 1996, initially in Drapchi but currently in Chushul, after he was arrested for his involvement in demonstrations in Lhasa in the 1980s and 1990s. Jigme took part in the May 1998 protests in Drapchi Prison, prior to the visit of a troika of European Union ambassadors. These protests were brutally suppressed and resulted in the death of eight prisoners and sentence extensions of at least 27 prisoners.
20. Apr 2009
China arrests Tibetan writer in Ngaba
(TCHRD) A Tibetan monk was arrested in early April for alleged anti-government writings, according TCHRD. Dokru Tsultrim, who recently wrote two articles critical of the Chinese government, was picked up by security forces from his room at Gomang monastery, Ngaba county (Chin: Aba), Ngaba TAP, Sichuan province. He was accused of writing two articles that criticised the Chinese government and supported the "separatist forces of the Dalai Lama". His privately managed publication of the Tibetan journal 'Khawai Tsesok' has also ceased and there has been no information on his current whereabouts since his detention.
20. Apr 2009
Power audit of EU-China relations
(ECFR) China is exploiting the European Union's divisions and treating the 27-state bloc with "diplomatic contempt" on issues ranging from trade to the Dalai Lama, according to a new policy report by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a European think-tank, in close cooperation with Asia Centre at Science Po. This analysis comes in the 'Power Audit of EU-China Relations', the first ever pan-European study of EU-China relations. The authors argue that a policy of "unconditional engagement", in which the EU grants China economic benefits in the hope that this will lead to democratic reform, has failed to achieve advances since it was introduced in the mid-eighties. And jostling for influence in Beijing between member states - especially France, Germany and the UK- means that they have refused to support each other on contentious issues such as meeting the Dalai Lama.
21. Apr 2009
Tibetan monk on trial for weapons charge
(AP) A respected Tibetan monk has gone on trial on weapons charges. Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche, who heads a convent in Kardze (Chin: Ganzi, Garze), TAP, Sichuan province, is accused of illegally possessing weapons, his Beijing-based lawyer told AP in a phone interview. He said the monk was forced into making a confession after a police interrogation that lasted four days and threats that his wife and son would be detained if he did not comply. The lawyer said he was the first senior Buddhist leader to face a serious charge linked to demonstrations in 2008. Prosecutors allege a pistol and more than 100 bullets were found under a bed in Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche's living room during a police raid, but the monk has denied the allegation, saying he was framed, Li said. The monk also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of embezzlement involving a home for the elderly he set up, the lawyer said.
21. Apr 2009
Tibetan arsonist gets suspended death sentence
(AFP; Xinhua) A Lhasa court has issued a suspended death sentence for one man and jail terms for two others for allegedly starting fires in riots in March 2008, Xinhua reported. The two fires killed six people. The report said a Tibetan man called Penkyi received the suspended death sentence for starting both fires in clothing stores. The first fire killed the store's ethnic Han Chinese owner, while the second claimed the lives of five store staff, it said. The other two Tibetans convicted, one of whom was also named Penkyi and the other Chimed, helped set the second fire, it said. The second Penkyi got a life term, while Chimed received 10 years in prison.
22. Apr 2009
Dalai Lama said China "acting like a child"
(AFP) The Dalai Lama accused China of "acting like a child" in cracking down on Tibetans and other minorities, saying it lacked the moral authority of a genuine superpower. Addressing a Tokyo news conference on a stopover before a speaking tour of Europe and the US, he said the Chinese government routinely arrested individuals with different views from the regime, but stressed "such a big nation of over one billion people [should have] no need for such sort of fear". The Dalai Lama said China was on the path to becoming a superpower and already had the "power of population, power of military and power of economy". "Now the fourth condition to becoming a superpower is moral authority", he said. "That is lacking. Moral authority is very, very essential. Trust is key. State secrets destroy trust. That is the greatest obstacle to authority".
22. Apr 2009
International support led to Golok Jigme's release
(ATJ) The Association of Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) reports that Golok Jigme, the monk who had assisted Dhondup Wangchen in making the film, 'Leaving Fear Behind' was released on 20 April 2009 in Labrang, (Chin: Xiahe). Tashi Wangchuk, President of ATJ said, "We welcome Jigme's release. It is a culmination of efforts put forth by international rights groups, Tibetans under His Holiness' leadership and above all the courage and determination of Jigme himself". ATJ has learned that a heavy monetary fine of several thousand Yuan was levied on Jigme at the time of his release by the Chinese authorities who accused him of disseminating information to the outside world. This, ATJ said, is simply a violation of freedom of expression. "Therefore, we urge the Chinese authorities at higher level to investigate into the matter and take necessary action as per the law", he added.
23. Apr 2009
Ten Tibetans held for police station bombing
(Tibet.net) A group of around 70 People's Armed Police (PAP) and regular police carried out a raid of houses in Gangru village, Pogurshi township in Bathang (Chin: Batang) county, Kardze TAP to locate possible suspects in the bombing of a local police station in early March 2009, according to Tibet.net. It said the officials had vowed not leave the area without arresting at least ten Tibetans. At around the time the bombing took place, banners had appeared in the area, containing slogans such as "Chinese go out of Tibet" and "Tibet belongs to Tibetans" in both Chinese and Tibetan. The police reportedly came to arrest four Tibetan suspects who managed to escape.
24. Apr 2009
School students demonstration in Labrang county
(TCHRD) A group of Tibetan school students staged a demonstration in Labrang (Chin: Xiahe) County, Kanlho (Chin: Gannan) TAP Gansu province, according to TCHRD. The students started the demonstration at their school, Xiahe Tibetan Middle School, and headed towards the county market area. Reportedly the local PSB stopped the students and they were driven back to the school and a strong contingent of PSB and PAP officers have surrounded the school barring anyone from going in or coming out. The students reportedly demonstrated against the authorities practice of granting reserved seats for higher education meant for the Tibetan students to Chinese students.
24. Apr 2009
RSF concern about physical safety of Tibetan magazine editor
(RSF) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement expressing concern about the physical safety of journalists and website editors recently arrested in Tibetan regions. The statement said "We are very worried by the reports of Chinese police torturing detained Tibetans, including a lama defended by lawyer Li Fangping. (...) They increase our concern that the six journalists detained in Tibet are being mistreated". RSF named the latest arrestee as Dokru Tsultrim, a monk who edited the magazine 'Soul of the Snow' (Tib: Khawe Tse Sog) and welcomed the release of Golok Jigme, a monk who helped filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen make the 2008 documentary 'Leaving fear behind'. Dhondup Wangchen is still being held. "All those held because of the views they expressed must be released without delay" said RSF.
